Deciding what’s for dinner can be a constant struggle. Meal delivery services offer a convenient solution, eliminating the guesswork involved in healthy eating. But with so many options, choosing between services like Home Chef and HelloFresh can be overwhelming.
Both companies deliver pre-portioned ingredients and recipes to your doorstep, making home cooking easier. However, there are key differences that might make one service a better fit than the other. Let’ve break down the comparison to help you decide.
Quick Facts: Home Chef vs. HelloFresh
Here’s a snapshot to get you started:
Home Chef
- Meals per week: 2 to 6 meals (regular plan), 10 meals (family plan)
- Cost per meal: Starting at $8 per serving
- Delivery Fee: $11
- Best for: Individuals or families seeking flexible meal options, customizable proteins, and a wide variety of recipes.
- Skip it if: You need strict adherence to a specialized diet or prioritize organic ingredients.
HelloFresh
- Up to 10 free meals: Use code MBG10UT
- Meals per week: 2 to 6 meals
- Cost per meal: Starting at $8 per serving
- Delivery Fee: $10
- Best for: Couples or smaller families seeking variety and easy-to-follow recipes.
- Skip it if: You have severe allergies or require a highly specialized diet.
Comparing Home Chef and HelloFresh: Key Differences
Let’s delve into the specifics to help you make an informed choice.
Cost
- Home Chef: Pricing varies based on the recipes you select. They offer both standard and “Culinary Collection” options, with the latter featuring premium ingredients like scallops and filet mignon, leading to higher costs. Standard meals typically start at $10 per serving, but can be as low as $8. The minimum order cost is around $51 per week for the regular plan and $83 for the family plan.
- HelloFresh: Plans range from $9 to $12.49 per serving, with the largest plan (six weekly meals with four servings each) costing around $9 per serving and the smallest (two weekly meals with two servings each) reaching $12.49 per serving.
Both companies offer discounts. Home Chef provides 50% off for military, first responders, healthcare workers, and teachers, and 10% off for students. HelloFresh offers a similar “Hero Discount”—55% off the first box and 15% off subsequent boxes for medical professionals, veterans, and active military personnel.
Menu & Dietary Considerations
- Home Chef: Offers about 40 recipes weekly, categorized as “Easy Prep” (under 30 minutes) and regular kits. You can customize some meals by swapping proteins (chicken, shrimp, etc.), but customizations may impact the price. The menu can be filtered by preferences like calorie-conscious, carb-conscious, or vegetarian, but the service doesn’t cater much to specialized diets beyond these basic options.
- HelloFresh: Allows you to mix and match recipes from all meal plan types. You can swap or upgrade up to 12 sides and proteins per week and request pork-free, beef-free, and seafood-free meals. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available.
Neither service fully accommodates strict dietary needs like keto or paleo, but both list major allergens on each recipe. It’s important to note that neither kitchen is allergen-free, so cross-contamination is possible.
Example Meals:
- Home Chef: Citrus Seared Mahi-Mahi, Fra Diavolo Fettuccine, Korean-Style Bulgogi Steak
- HelloFresh: Sesame-Soy Beef Bowls, Spaghetti with Chicken and Brussels Sprouts, Figgy Balsamic Pork
Add-ons and Special Features
Both companies offer add-ons to complement your meals:
- Home Chef: Provides a wide range of options, from a la carte proteins and desserts to condiments, sides, soups, salads, breakfast items, and bottled drinks.
- HelloFresh: Includes breakfasts, light lunch options, baked goods, and seasonal items.
Sustainability & Environmental Impact
- HelloFresh: Takes a slight lead in sustainability, being 100% carbon-neutral.
- Both: Utilize recyclable packaging, although the gel ice packs aren’t recyclable but use biodegradable materials. Local sourcing is prioritized whenever possible.
Customer Service and Cancellation
Both operate on a subscription model with easy-to-manage accounts. You can skip a week or pause your subscription. Cancellation is straightforward, done directly through your account.
Which Service Should You Choose?
- Choose Home Chef if: You want a wider variety of recipes, like the flexibility of customizing your proteins, and require a larger meal selection, especially if you’re feeding a family.
- Choose HelloFresh if: You prefer ease of use, consistently diverse menus, and a straightforward ordering process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Home Chef better than HelloFresh? It depends on your needs. Home Chef offers more customization and a family plan, while HelloFresh boasts more variety overall.
Are HelloFresh meals frozen? No, HelloFresh delivers fresh ingredients. However, you can freeze ingredients (excluding vegetables) for up to two months.
Do you cook your own meals with HelloFresh? Yes, HelloFresh is a meal kit service, providing pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards for you to prepare your own meals.
Meet The Expert
Kelsea Samson is a writer, content manager, certified yoga instructor, and founder of The Mindfulness Program for Kids and Yoga for the Blind in Tampa, Florida
