Green Chef Review 2024: Is This Meal Delivery Service Right for You?
Green Chef
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Online meal kit delivery services have grown substantially since they came onto the market in 2012, with sales expected to surpass $17 billion by the end of this year and $25 million by 2027, according to market research company MarketResearch.biz. This fast-growing market has continued to expand in part by catering to consumers’ desire for organic, diet-specific and adventurous meals. And that’s exactly why Green Chef was founded.
Green Chef caters to a niche market—offering consumers a healthier meal kit option with high-quality, organically sourced ingredients and options to suit a variety of dietary preferences. And, there’s plenty of consumers looking for those attributes—over 17 percent of the market, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But is Green Chef worth checking out? In this Green Chef review, I dove into boxes of Green Chef, cooked and tasted the recipes, and compared the cost to other meal delivery services to decide whether Green Chef meal delivery kit was worth it. Here’s what I found.
This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.
Green Chef At a Glance
- Certified organic meal kit delivery service focused on the healthy, balanced living and organic niche
- Delivers meals that cater to a variety of lifestyle preferences and dietary needs, including vegan and gluten-free options
- Part of the Hello Fresh empire, which accounts for more than 70 percent of the meal kit market
- Green Chef is an eco-friendly company, keeping its carbon footprint 31 percent lower than traditional shopping and making its packaging up to 100 percent recyclable
Pros
- Eight science-based menu choices
- Adventurous and tasty recipes
- Quick and easy meal prep options
- USDA-certified organic ingredients
- Certified gluten-free, low-carb and plant-based options, including high-protein vegetarian meals
- Option to chat with a dietitian for nutritional advice and help picking meals that fit your wellness goals and dietary preferences
Cons
- Some ingredients may be too adventurous for some consumers
- Occasional delivery date delays, which may compromise food quality
- Green Chef is more expensive than other meal kit delivery services
- No paleo option
What Is Green Chef?
Green Chef
Green Chef is a meal kit delivery service founded in 2014 to provide consumers with healthy, home-cooked meals that promote a “green,” plant-powered lifestyle. The company also offers a wide variety of menu options for those following specialized diets. Green Chef requires weekly subscriptions. Each week, participants receive a cardboard box packed with ingredients that are kept cool with ice packs and protective packaging. Each Green Chef box also includes recipe cards with detailed instructions and photos. Boxes are delivered weekly and consumers are charged weekly for their purchases. Subscriptions are easily skipped, paused or canceled. In 2018, the Green Chef was acquired by competitor Hello Fresh, and together, the companies dominate the meal kit delivery service market.
How Does Green Chef Work?
Green Chef operates like any other online meal kit company. You can explore recipes, meal plans and pricing on the Green Chef website. Once you decide to sign up, you simply choose your favorites from the eight science-backed menu preferences, which include:
- Mediterranean
- Calorie Smart
- Quick & Easy
- Plant Based
- Protein Packed
- Keto
- Delicious Discoveries
- Gluten Free
Once you’ve chosen your preferred menu options, you select the number of servings per meal (two, four or six) and the number of meals per week (three or four). You can see the price per serving and the discounts for increasing quantities of servings and meals. Once you select a Green Chef subscription plan, you will be asked to create an account, put in your credit card information and choose your delivery day of the week. Your Green Chef meal kit arrives weekly and you are charged each week for the next week’s selections. You also have the option to skip a week, pause your subscription or cancel your subscription outright, but you must do so at least seven days before your meal service delivery. So, if your boxes are delivered every Tuesday, you must cancel your next box no later than the Tuesday before it’s due to arrive.
Green Chef Recipes
Each week, Green Chef suggests a weekly menu based on your chosen meal plan. However, you can choose different meals than what it suggests. The company offers at least 10 different meal options to choose from. Most meals have a prep and cook time of about 30 to 40 minutes.
One thing I love about Green Chef is the specialty menus you can choose from. I follow the keto diet and wanted a meal plan that suited my needs. I was thrilled to see the variety offered with Green Chef's keto plan. The recipe cards were easy to read with helpful photos. I enjoyed trying new ingredients I could substitute for carbs, like cauliflower for rice and spaghetti squash for pasta. Some sample recipes are:
- Pork Chops with Truffle Sauce
- Coconut Shrimp Soup
- Monterey Jack Smothered Chicken
- Barramundi with Savory Shiitake Sauce
- Red Pepper and Egg Shakshuka with Pesto
Green Chef Cost
Green Chef
Green Chef is a little pricier than most of its competition. For the smallest plan—two people, three nights a week—the price per serving is $13.49, which comes out to about $80.49 per box before tax and shipping costs. The largest plan—six people, four nights a week—rings in at $11.99 per serving, or $280.76 per box. Discounts are available for first-time users, such as your first box free or a free meal, so you can taste-test at a discount before deciding if the service is worth the price. The discounts are what sealed the deal for me. After those ran out, I had to convince myself that Green Chef was far more cost-effective than going out. Plus, the meals were generally tastier than anything I could have made on my own.
Who Should Use Green Chef
Green Chef is catered toward a niche market of specialized eaters. This meal delivery service is ideal for vegetarians, vegans and those who aim to (or must) follow healthier or restrictive diets. It’s also a great option for people with more adventurous palates who want to try new recipes and exotic ingredients you don’t often find at the grocery store, like Middle Eastern schug sauce, daikon kimchi and umami stock. Green Chef is also great for environment-conscious individuals. It’s also a great way to save time on grocery shopping, as all the fixings you need for your meals come with your delivery.
Who Should Not Use Green Chef
Green Chef is not for budget-conscious families. It rings in higher than most other meal delivery kits, so at a minimum, you’ll spend roughly $100 (with shipping and tax) per week for three meals. And while the lifestyle-specific menus are great for people who follow specialized diets, it’s not necessarily a great option for picky eaters or those who prefer more traditional foods. Sure, you can have a great burger on a fluffy brioche bun among the selections, but you may be scraping off the gochujang sauce. Also, Green Chef only delivers to the contiguous 48 states, so this meal plan is not for consumers in Alaska and Hawaii.
What Customers Are Saying About Green Chef
Consumer Green Chef reviews are generally positive, with most people loving the flavor and diet-specific recipes. Most negative comments focus on delivery delays resulting in wilted produce and spoiled meat. Here’s a sampling of what customers had to say:
First of all, keto & gluten free both! I love it. I have been so impressed with these kits. I feel so "fancy" cooking these meals. Not only are they awesome meals, but they are easy to cook. The time to cook them is right on. I have gotten to taste other flavors I otherwise would not have tasted. I love this meal plan/kit.
- Cynthia, Trustpilot
The recipes are absolutely delicious. The flavor is amazing, better than some restaurants, and all created in the comfort of my own kitchen. Big time saver too. The ingredients are packed nicely as well, so no need to worry about things delivered in a bad condition. If you're going to use this kind of service, Green Chef is one of the best when it comes to flavor and quality.
- Alex, Trustpilot
Consistently great recipes with quality products makes for the perfect meal. The meals are better than what you get going out to a restaurant for a fraction of the cost. A unexpected side effect…lost 15 pounds by not making any changes other than eating healthy dinners instead of going out.
- David Krause, Trustpilot
I feel the need to write a review. There are so many bad ones and I have to say, other than an issue with one bit of meat that went out of date the day I received it, which they refunded straight away, I really haven’t had any issues. The meals are tasty and I’m really enjoying getting them each week.
- Melanie Newcombe, Trustpilot
I generally like the ease of the service but I never get consistency in the ingredients. The lemon for example was not ripe at all so I could hardly get juice out and my squash was ruined and had gone bad despite opening it two days after delivery. For the price of the service, I would expect better more consistent quality.
- Marissa, Trustpilot
My box for the week was supposed to arrive on Saturday, but it got delayed by UPS until Tuesday. Of course all the food had spoiled and was unusable. I contacted the company and was refunded the amount I paid. But I really feel there should have been more, like a credit for the next week or something. Disappointing.
- Allison Mathes, Trustpilot
As you can see from the reviews, people generally love the healthy and niche offerings. However, delivery or box-opening delays can result in wilted produce and rotten proteins.
About Green Chef
Green Chef
Green Chef was founded by Colorado-based entrepreneur Michael Joseph in 2014. Ten years earlier, Joseph launched Door-to-Door Organics, delivering organic fruits and vegetables to homes and offices. The company was purchased by a private equity firm and quickly grew to become a multi-million-dollar business. In 2010, Joseph launched his second organic produce delivery company, Mile High Organics, with the help of angel investors, which grew to $4 million in revenues.
When the meal kit delivery service Blue Apron began taking off in 2014, Joseph recognized the need for a USDA-certified meal kit service. So later that year, he secured $1.5 million in seed money to launch Green Chef. In 2018, Joseph sold the company to Berlin-based Hello Fresh, and expanded the offerings to appeal to the growing interest in specialized diets. By 2022, Green Chef helped Hello Fresh swallow up 70 percent of the meal kit market, and effectively squash the revenues of its original competitor Blue Apron by more than six-fold.
Green Chef vs. HelloFresh
Green Chef is now owned by HelloFresh, but they cater to different palates and populations. Green Chef’s focus is on healthy, organic food, sacrificing price in the process, while HelloFresh is geared toward a more budget-conscious, family-oriented crowd. Hello Fresh offers six basic menu options, including Meat & Veggies, Quick & Easy, Fit & Wholesome and Family Friendly. Meal plans serve two or four people for two to six nights. Per serving pricing ranges from $12.49 to $8.99 depending on the number of servings and days per week. Heavy sign-on discounts are also available.
Green Chef FAQs
Do you lose weight with Green Chef?
You can. As with any meal plan, if you make healthier meal selections and limit portion sizes, you may lose weight. One great thing about meal delivery kits is they make it easier for you to keep to a standard serving size.
Is Green Chef organic?
Yes. Green Chef is a USDA-certified meal kit company. The company uses non-GMO, certified organic ingredients.
Is Green Chef a monthly subscription?
Green Chef is a weekly subscription. Boxes are delivered weekly and are charged weekly. Subscriptions can be canceled at any time.
Can I skip meals with Green Chef?
Yes, you can skip your weekly deliveries or pause your subscription by logging into your account on the website or through the mobile app. Be sure to do this at least seven days prior to your next scheduled delivery.
How much is Green Chef per week?
Price per serving varies depending on the number of servings and the number of meals ordered per week. The smallest plan—two people, three nights a week—costs $13.49 per serving, or about $80.49 per box before tax and shipping costs. The largest plan—six people, four nights a week—costs $11.99 per serving, or $280.76 per box. Sign-on discounts are available.
Takeaway: Is Green Chef Meal Delivery Worth It?
Whether you’re looking for a meal kit delivery service like Home Chef, or a prepared meal delivery service like Fresh N Lean, there are a lot of options. Green Chef is a reputable meal kit delivery service that caters to vegans, vegetarians and other specialized diets. If you are remotely environmentally conscious, want to introduce some new and exciting foods to your weekly lineup, and you’re not on a tight budget, then Green Chef is certainly worth it. If you’re still on the fence, the company offers a deep discount for your first few boxes so you can test out the recipes and decide if it’s worth it to you.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.
