Martha Stewart has teamed up with Marley Spoon to produce a range of meal kits.
We like this idea because we like tasting new and exciting cuisine…but the prices are a little higher than other kits we’ve reviewed.
Do these kits live up to the hype? In this review, we’ll give you the lowdown.
Table of Contents
How Does Marley Spoon Work?
Choose your plan. The meals are either portioned for two people or a family of four, and the minimum order is four portions per box.
You select the day that you want to receive the delivery, choose the meals you’re interested in, and go from there.
The box will be delivered on the day you’ve selected. It’s completely insulated to ensure that the ingredients stay fresh and don’t spoil, and if there is meat or fish inside, an ice pack will also be included to keep it safe.
The ingredients are selected for their freshness and taste, and chosen when they are in season so that the flavor is always at its best.
You’ll receive great-tasting meat; where possible, grass-fed and organic. And organic produce will be used whenever it is available.
You’ll also receive interesting foodie products to use while cooking. These might be artisanal vinegar, flavored oils, and so on. If the company comes across something that tastes great, they’ll look for a way to incorporate it.
You’ll get enough of each item to create the meal, so there’s very little waste.
Each ingredient is packed according to the meal it’s for and portioned correctly. There’s no measuring or weighing of ingredients at all.
You will need to have some grocery cupboard staples on hand, like cooking oil, salt, and pepper, as these will not be included.
Like all meal kit delivery services, the box will come with all the ingredients necessary for the meal, and a beautifully illustrated recipe card will accompany them so that you’ll be able to see whether or not your effort looks anything like the real deal.
In terms of subscription options, the company is pretty flexible. You’ll need to give them about a week’s notice before your next delivery if you want to change anything or suspend the service.
They’re pretty laid back with this, though.
Choose a schedule that works for you, opt for deliveries on alternate weeks, or change up the number of meals and quantity in each meal.
Types of Meals Available
There are 18,000 different recipes to draw from. What you get will depend on what produce is in season at the time.
The meals range from simple to full-on, Martha Stewart “WOW!” meals.
These meals work well for serious gourmands, but they can accommodate busy parents as well. If you prefer to spend a minimum amount of time in the kitchen, however, consider looking at something else.
But if you need to whip up a romantic dinner for date night, Marley Spoon should work well.
At present, the company only offers dinners, but they’re looking into providing lunches and dessert as well.
There are vegetarian options available, but you can’t opt for specialist meals all of the time.
From time to time, the company will send out a gluten-free meal, or something based on keto, low-fat, and so on.
They are quick to point out that they don’t have the facilities available to allow them to do this all the time, though.
They also state outright that there is the possibility of allergens in the dishes; this is pretty standard in this industry, though.
Pricing
There are two options available to you – two-portion meals and family meals.
No matter which option is chosen, each box must contain a minimum of four portions.
Two-Portion Meals
These start at $12 per portion so you can expect to pay at least $48 per week.
The more meals you order, the lower the cost per meal. Save $1.75 per portion by ordering three meals a week; your total cost would be $61.50.
The best deal is for four meals per week at just $9.50 per portion.
In this scenario, your total cost per week would be $76.
Family Meals
These are suitable for two adults and two children. These start at $9.50 per portion, so you can expect to pay at least $76 per week.
Again, the more meals you order, the lower the cost per meal. Save $0.60 per portion by ordering three meals a week; your total cost would be $106.80.
The best deal is for four meals per week, however, at $8.20 per portion.
Your total cost per week would be $131.20.
Company History
Marley Spoon started in Germany in 2014, and it’s since expanded operations to the United States, Australia, Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria.
In the States, the company has partnered up with Martha Stewart.
That was three years ago, and she’s been putting her unique spin on things ever since.
Alternatives
As the demand grows more top meal kit options have as well. A few alternatives to Marley Spoon include:
- Farm Fresh to You: This site provides seasonal, organic fruit and veggies.
- Green Chef: If you’re following a specialist eating plan, like Keto, this is the site for you.
- HelloFresh: Looking for something simpler and cheaper? Hello Fresh might be the answer.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great range of choice
- Good for more adventurous cooks
- Simple meals with outstanding ingredients
- Flexible plan structure
- Plan meals up to two months ahead of time
- Good for more advanced cooks as well
- Delicious, well-balanced recipes
- Meal ingredients perfectly portioned; very little waste
- Printed recipe cards you can keep
Cons
- It can be pricey for a larger family
- Customer service leaves something to be desired
- Be prepared to put some effort into cooking
Martha and Marley Spoon Review Final Thoughts
With a Marley Spoon subscription, it’s easy enough to customize what you’ll be receiving, and there is more than enough variety for even the fussiest gourmand.
If you like spending a bit more time in the kitchen, this service might well suit you.
The recipes go beyond simple; you can use them for cooking up some elegant dinners to impress.
The meals make use of artisanal ingredients to ramp up the flavor factor.
