Meal delivery kits bring ingredients for fresh, nourishing, home-cooked meals directly to your doorstep. They allow you to choose how many meals you’d like to receive and when you’d like them delivered, along with providing a variety of different options for every dietary need. Plus, meal kits are a convenient way to try new recipes and expand your cooking skills—without meal planning or food shopping.
With so many meal delivery kits available, it can be hard to choose the best one for your needs. In our Green Chef review, we put this meal delivery service to the test. Read on for our Reviews Team’s honest and detailed account of the Green Chef meal delivery service so you can make an informed decision about whether or not to try it.
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.
Key product features
What you should know
Green Chef’s business is centered on quality and sustainability. All ingredients are certified organic and packaging materials are the most eco-friendly available.
- While the variety of lifestyle and diet options Green Chef has are impressive, our testers found some of the portion sizes to be too small.
- Starting at just $11.99 per serving, Green Chef sits comfortably in the middle of competitor price points.
- Green Chef is a great option for people who prioritize high-quality ingredients and convenience in a meal delivery service.
How does Green Chef work?
Green Chef is a meal kit delivery service that offers eight different meal plans—there really is something for everyone. Each Green Chef box contains pre-measured ingredients, from chopped vegetables to premium homemade sauces, which helps you save time in the kitchen without sacrificing flavor. Plus, the packaging has sustainability in mind and is made from recycled, reusable, and/or compostable materials.
To sign up, you will first need to create an account using an email address and password. Then, you can log in either on their website or through the Green Chef app to select your meals and delivery window.
Choosing meals
First, you’ll need to choose between Mediterranean, calorie-smart, plant-based, keto, gut & brain health, quick & easy, protein-packed, and gluten-free meals. Then, select your dietary preferences; some overlap with the above categories while others further target high-fiber, low-carb, low-sodium, and low-sugar-added options. You can also address your goals with Green Chef, from saving money to reducing food waste to spicing up your cooking routine.
If you are unsure which meal kit to choose, Green Chef offers first-time customers a complimentary 20-minute nutrition coaching session with a registered dietitian. During this call, you will speak to an expert who will provide science-backed nutrition advice for your goals, including weight loss, weight management, bulking up, diet revamp, and more. (1)
Once your meals are finalized, you will choose your box size with proportion options for two, four, or six people. You can have two, three, or four recipes delivered each week. For example, if you chose the two-person box size with three recipes delivered each week, you’ll receive a total of six servings.
Once you’ve chosen your box size, you will need to enter your delivery address, delivery instructions, and credit card information to process the order. You can then choose recipes from the Green Chef menu, either on their website or from the Green Chef app. Recipes are customizable, and you have the option to upgrade or swap proteins, double the portions, or add extra meals.
Changing orders
If you don’t like one of the Green Chef meals chosen for you, you can make manual changes using your online account or the app. You can change your subscription up to five days before your scheduled delivery date. Simply click on “Settings,” and you can easily change your plan preferences, box size, or cancel your subscription.
If you are going to be on vacation or if you don’t like the recipes being offered a certain week, you’re able to pause your Green Chef subscription. To do this, go to “My Menu” on the website or “Deliveries” in the app. Then, choose the date you wish to skip and select “Skip.”
Specs
| Starting price | $11.99-$13.49 |
| Shipping cost | $9.99 (first delivery free) |
| Shipping area | Continental U.S. (not available in Alaska or Hawaii) |
| Meal type | Meal kit |
| Number of meals per week | Two, three, or four |
| Meal options | Mediterranean, calorie smart, plant-based, keto, gut and brain health, quick and easy, protein-packed, gluten-free |
| Cancellation method | Online |
Our Green Chef experience
After trying out Green Chef ourselves, we gathered a few takeaways:
Packaging
Green Chef meal kits arrive in a large recyclable cardboard box. Each individually packaged meal is wrapped in thick, recyclable paper. Even the ice pack can be recycled once the liquid contents are removed. Overall, the packaging is environmentally friendly—it’s obvious the company had sustainability in mind when deciding how to package their meals.
It’s worth noting that the box does not have handles, so a person would need to be able to pick up the entire weight of the box from the ground. This could be difficult for people with less physical strength or those with mobility issues.
Preparing the meals
The instructions provided with Green Chef meals were clear and straightforward. Each recipe card included a picture of what the end product should look like, an ingredient list, and step-by-step instructions with pictures for additional guidance.
Recipe cards provided an estimated time it would take to make the recipe. Most recipes our tester received were estimated to take about 30 minutes. However, they found that a majority of the recipes took significantly longer than this, with one recipe taking almost an hour to prepare.
“I personally don’t think this is a good option for a family. I had issues with multiple things in the order like bad peppers and bad rice, and most meals took about 30 minutes longer to prepare than the recipe card called for even with planning ahead. The biggest reason why I wouldn’t recommend this to families, though, is portion size. Each portion is very small and a family of four would be hungry if these were their dinners.”
Team Product Tester
One of the tested recipes was very easy to make; a beginner could have done well with it. The other recipe tested was more of an intermediate level. While there were no complicated steps, our tester felt whoever is preparing a Green Chef meal should already be comfortable in the kitchen, since many steps took place simultaneously (e.g., rice was cooking on the stove while something was cooking in the oven and something was sauteeing on the stove).
Our tester also noted that some of the proportions were too small, like a three or four serving dish could really only satisfy two servings, and that some of the instructions were incorrect.
“One major issue that arose was that the instructions they gave for cooking the rice left me with hard rice. I tried to fix it by adding more water but ended up needing to make my own rice in order to complete the dish.”
Team Product Tester
Quality of meals
All the ingredients in the Green Chef box our tester received were organic, and there were plenty of fresh ingredients. The fresh ingredients were high-quality when the box was first opened, but the quality decreased over time. For example, the day after the reviewer received the box, one of the bell peppers had already started to go soft, and the cauliflower had some browning. Our tester had to discard the pepper included with their last meal because it had gone bad.
If you plan on eating all your meals within the first few days of receiving the box, the ingredients may hold up better, but if you don’t plan on eating all the meals relatively quickly, you may notice the impact on fresh ingredient quality. This could result in food waste and not getting as much value for your money.
Serving sizes
Our team tester found that the Green Chef portion sizes were much smaller than stated. Although they ordered a meal kit designed to feed four people, the portions were so small that they could only realistically feed two people with the ingredients provided. For those with smaller appetites, this discrepancy may not be an issue, but for those with larger appetites, it could lead to frustration and not getting as much value for your money.
We’ve Featured Green Chef in:
- Best meal delivery services
- Best meal delivery services for singles
- Best meal delivery services for weight loss
- Best healthy meal delivery services
- Best vegetarian meal delivery services
- Best keto meal delivery services
How we test meal delivery services
For people who want a healthy, balanced meal and don’t have time to cook, meal delivery can be a huge help. Our team of nutrition experts tested Green Chef to assess the service’s quality across a variety of categories.
Here’s why you can trust our organic meal delivery service reviews.
Every Fortune meal delivery review features:
- In-depth analysis by testers and/or authors who are certified nutritionists and/or registered dietitians
- Testing for portion/ingredient accuracy, taste, and freshness
- Fact-checking and reviewing by qualified experts
At times, we may feature meal delivery services we haven’t yet tested. In that case, we examine each service’s cost, meal variety, nutrition breakdown, and customization options. Then, as soon as we have tested the service, we update our reviews to highlight what we’ve found.
Learn how we test meal delivery services here.
Testing criteria
Meal choices—30%
A meal delivery service should provide a wide variety of nutritious, tasty options. When considering meal choices we look at the following:
- Multiple options
- Substitutions
- Guidance
- Label transparency
Food quality—30%
We want to help you find a meal delivery services that provide healthy recipes that can help you meet your nutrition goals. Here’s what goes into our quality rating:
- Flavor
- Healthiness
- Freshness
Value—20%
While meal delivery services vary in price, you should feel good about what you’re paying for. Here’s what we factor into a service’s value rating:
- Fair price
- Multiple quantity options
- Customization
Customer experience—20%
- Packaging
- Ease of preparation
- Reviews
- Customer service
Compare Green Chef
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| Green Chef | HelloFresh | Blue Apron | CookUnity | |
| Rating | ||||
| Starting cost per serving | $11.99 | $9.99 | $7.99 | $11 |
| Shipping cost | $9.99 | $10.99 | $10.99 | Varies |
| Shipping area | Continental U.S. (not Alaska or Hawaii) | Continental U.S. and select areas in Hawaii and Alaska | Continental U.S. | Most states |
| Diet of food allergy options | Mediterranean, gut and brain health, calorie smart, quick and easy, plant-based, protein-packed, keto, gluten-free | Vegetarian, pescatarian | Vegetarian, fast and easy, family-friendly, wellness, chef’s favorites, keto-friendly, low-calorie, high-protein, low-carb | Vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo, gluten-free, low-calorie, low-carb, low-sodium, high-protein, dairy-free |
FAQs
What are Green Chef meals like?
Green Chef meal kits are delivered directly to your doorstep and contain fresh, organic ingredients. They offer meal plans for several lifestyle and dietary preferences, including Mediterranean, calorie-smart, plant-based, keto, gut and brain health, quick and easy, protein-packed, and gluten-free. When choosing your meals, Green Chef will show you recipes that match your lifestyle preferences first. But you’ll continue to have access to their full menu each week, so you can mix and match meals for different lifestyle and dietary preferences.
How easy are Green Chef meal kits?
Depending on the recipes chosen, Green Chef meal kits are suitable for beginner-to-intermediate cooks. For example, the Southwest Turkey Stuffed Peppers are simple to prepare and instructions could be easily followed by a beginner. In contrast, the Smoked Pork Filet over Feta Rice requires simultaneous coordination of several cooking steps, which could be overwhelming for a beginner but doable for a more experienced cook.
How much does Green Chef cost?
Green Chef meal kits start at $11.99 per portion. There is also a delivery fee of $9.99 per box.
Green Chef offers first responders, medical providers, nurses, teachers, military members, and veterans 70% off and free shipping on the first box. The discount cannot be combined with any other offers.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
Our experts
Lily Moe
Lily is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor with over seven years of experience in health media. As a former Fitness Coach, Lily’s editorial prowess has largely focused on fitness, nutrition, and weight management. She has also spent a fair share of time in testing labs, analyzing everything from protein powders to yoga mats. Her work has appeared in Verywell Fit, Verywell Mind, Health, and more.
Amy Beney, RD
Amy Beney is a registered dietitian based outside Buffalo, New York. After working with many people who have blood sugar issues and were diagnosed with diabetes, she pursued and received an advanced certification as a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES). She enjoys breaking down complex medical information into smaller pieces that people can apply daily.
Sarah Glinski, RD
Fortune Recommends Nutrition Author
About Author
Sarah Glinski, RD, is a registered dietitian and freelance writer passionate about connecting people to information that will help improve their mental and physical health. She’s a big believer that food is more than just nutrients and acknowledges the power that food can have to heal and build community. Before becoming a freelance writer, Sarah spent five years providing patient care in several clinical areas, including weight management, diabetes, kidney disease, oncology, gut health, and intuitive eating. When she isn’t writing, you can find Sarah with her nose in a fantasy or sci-fi book or crocheting in the company of her husband and two cats.