Photo 9/12
Fitness Kitchen LA
Price: $50 to $75 a day for a weekly plan; starting at $12 per meal for a la carte options
Good for: SoCal residents who want to get fit quick
Pros: Packed with protein, calorie control options
Cons: You're essentially paying for a calorie counter
Tester's Notes: These protein-dense meals look small, but they keep you full throughout the day (However, you will be starving by the time you're ready for the next one if you choose the "Trim" plan). The quality is decent, but the taste is not outstanding (though it helps that you don't have to lift a finger to cook or clean dishes). The dishes are pretty standard -- things like Grilled Vegetable Salad with Salmon and Lime Dressing, or Cajun Red Snapper with Brown Rice & Black-Eyed Peas. The meals are varied and hearty, but still feel pretty no-frills -- the Fitness Kitchen approach to meal plans is seeing food as fuel. As a weight-loss tool, these are fantastic, and you'll likely notice a difference on the scale within two or three days.
Image via @fitnesskitchenla
Photo 10/12
Sun Basket
Price: $11.49 per serving, plus a $5.99 weekly delivery fee
Good for: The recipe/organic food enthusiast who doesn't like to go to the grocery store
Pros: Ability to choose your own recipes, organic and fresh ingredients
Cons: Several steps to cooking, multiple pans and dishes required
Tester's Notes: The produce and meat that comes in Sun Basket's delivery looks like it came straight from Whole Foods: it's filled with organic and sustainable produce and meats and generally just looks healthy looking. The recipes don't require a chef's skill, and some of the steps are made easier by some pre-prepping on Sun Basket's part -- like garlic that is already peeled.
Taste-wise, it's better than what most of us non-chefs serve ourselves most of the time, and dare I say even dinner-party-worthy. The sole and squash salad, for example, is a tastier dish than most non-professional chefs might come up with on their own. Dishes like the vegetarian polenta, red pepper and egg recipe do require several steps that will have you swapping out pans, but it's good (and plentiful!) enough to be worth it. All of the packaging is recyclable (and even has handy reminders like "Recycle me!" with instructions on the package.
Image via @sunbasket
Photo 11/12
Hello Fresh
Price: $9-$10 per serving for dinner only; $15/bottle for optional wine plan
Good for: Impressing dinner guests and getting yourself out of a recipe rut
Pros: 24/7 support line, excellent wine pairings and healthy meals everyone will eat
Cons: Unless you're a professional chef, the meals take longer to prepare than the instructions say
Tester's Notes: If you're looking for a meal kit that will satisfy everyone at your table, this one is one to consider. You pick the meals you want to make and can choose from classic, vegetarian or family recipes. With meals like Barbecue Chicken Tenders With Sweet Potatoes and Sugar Snap Peas, even your toddler will eat without protest. The family-friendly sides were simple enough to make, even if they did feel a little basic.
Of the dishes our taster tried, the vegetarian Patatas Bravas and Crispy Artichokes with Garlicky Aioli was the surprise standout meal. "It was an unexpected dish I never would have discovered on my own -- and the flavors were incredible," said our taster, who served it at a dinner party. "Everyone demolished it and then asked for the recipe."
Like all of the other "we shop, you cook" services we tried, this, too, took longer than the estimated 30-40 minutes advertised -- unless you rope in others to help.
And about that wine pairing: "Impeccable," said our taster. It adds something extra to a meal kit for a great value, and takes the hassle out of pacing the wine aisle at your local Trader Joe's. Having your own personal sommelier to pick out a wine that goes with your meal takes out a lot of guesswork, especially if you frequently cook for others.
Image via @hellofresh
Photo 12/12
Green Chef
Price: Starting at $10.49 per meal
Good for: The at-home chef worried about sustainability of meal kit ingredients
Pros: Sustainably sourced, ability to customize meals based on preference, tasty
Cons: Took longer than 30 minutes to make
Tester's Notes The sustainability practices of this meal kit really put the "green" in Green Chef. Everything is responsibly sourced and certified USDA organic, and they even encourage you to recycle the packaging. The meals themselves are fairly customizable, with the option to select a carnivore, omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, paleo or gluten-free meal plan. The menu options feel relatively high-class and varied, with meals like North African inspired Hanout Steak and Chickpeas. This meal delivery service gets extra points for interesting flavors from lots of different cultural cuisines. All nutrition facts are available, which is helpful if you're tracking your meals.
While Green Chef does cut out a lot of prep for the at-home chef, our taster said this meal took slightly longer than the promised half-hour to cook -- more like 45 minutes. Some of the elements were pre-prepped, like diced carrots, but others are up to the consumer -- like shelling and dicing pistachios.
Image via @greenchef
