Home Chef Review

Home Chef is yet another entry in the meal kit service roster; meals start at $7.99 per serving, depending on what you’re eating.

But unlike many other services of this nature, you can choose meals according to special dietary requirements.

The service also offers breakfasts, smoothies, and lunch.

It certainly seems to be an innovative company, and that bodes well for clients. Does it measure up in terms of service, though?

Let’s check it out more thoroughly in this review.

How Does Home Chef Work?

All you need to do is to enter your zip code; the service does not deliver to the whole country yet, but it delivers to a lot of it. Once you’ve checked that they cover your area, it’s time to make your choices.

Next up, fill in your preferences to let Home Chef know what meals you like. This step is where you can choose low-carb meals, no soy meals, and so on.

Another aspect of this service that is slightly different is that you’ll receive an email on Monday, detailing your choices for the week. You’ll get fifteen options to choose from, so there is bound to be something for everyone.

The company also offers a “Customize It” option. With this option, you’re able to swap out the protein in some recipes, or even double it if you prefer. You have to make sure that you reply to the email by Friday of the same week, though.

From there on, sit back and wait for the kit to be delivered.

The box contains fresh ingredients, comprehensive recipe cards, and whatever you need to make the recipe. You’re expected to have some basics at home, like oil and basic seasonings. Everything else is provided, though.

Each ingredient is packed and clearly labeled so you can sort the recipe easily. The veggies are prepped already to save you time, and all of the packaging is recyclable.

The box itself is lined with biodegradable fibers and is insulated; ice packs keep the food fresh.

The recipes are easy to follow with step-by-step instructions, and the chefs include their cooking tips along the way. You’ll not only learn to make the recipe but also improve your overall culinary skills.

If you need to cancel or skip a particular week, that’s no problem. You do have to make sure that you cancel by noon on the Friday before your delivery is scheduled.

If you do so, there are no charges or penalties to pay, and you can resume the service any time you like.

Types of Meals Available

You’ll start by creating a dietary profile.

Choose between:

• Omnivore
• Seafood
• Meat
• Pescatarian
• Vegan
• Vegetarian

You’ll also be asked to list your preferences or special dietary requirements, such as:

• Ingredients you don’t want
• Whether you want low-carb or low-calorie meals
• If you require dairy-free meals
• Other preferences like avoiding gluten

You have a choice between premium meals and standard meals.

The premium meals contain more high-value, specialist foods, and if a meal is marked in orange, you can change the protein or increase the quantity of protein.

Home Chef also offers five-minute lunches, which arrive ready to eat, and are excellent for grabbing on your way out of the door.

In addition, you’re able to add a fruit basket or smoothie if you like. This is one of the other things that sets this service apart among the best meal delivery services.

Pricing

The pricing depends on the meal type. You must order a minimum of two servings.

The company incentivizes ordering more by paying the shipping on orders over $45. Orders under that amount incur a standard shipping charge of $10 a box.

The fees are as follows:

• The Standard Meals: $19.90 for two servings or $38.80 for four servings.
• The 5-Minute Lunch Meals: $15.98 for two servings or $3.96 for four servings.
• The Smoothies: $9.90 for two servings or $19.80 for four servings.
• The Fruit Baskets: $9.90 for two servings or $19.80 for four servings.
• Premium Meal: The prices vary and are market-related.

Company History

The company was started in 2013. The founder, Pat, wanted to provide a healthy alternative to takeout.

The idea was to provide an easy alternative for busy people who didn’t always have time to shop.

The company has expanded to cover 97% of the American population and produces millions of meals a month.

Some of the product line can also be found in grocery stores.

Alternatives

• Daily Harvest: Focuses completely on health foods and offers single-serving sizes.
• Sunbasket: Offers paleo and clean alternatives as well as the normal fare.
• Veestro: Offers a selection of plant-based meals and an a la carte menu.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Tasty meals with simple recipes that are easy to prepare
• Convenient
• Lunches available as well
• You can opt to add a fruit basket
• A lot of customization is allowed
• Low-carb and low-calorie options are available
• Pick all of your meals
• Easy to cancel your subscription or suspend deliveries for a while if you like or skip a week if you don’t like the meals for that week
• The portions are reasonably sized
• The ingredients are prepped and sorted by recipe
• Free shipping for orders over $45
• You can find the product line in grocery stores if you’d like to try it out first
• Delivers to 97% of the United States

Cons

• Premium meals can be on the expensive side
• The standard meals are not badly priced, but the others are a little on the high side
• A seasoned chef might find the selection boring

Home Chef Review Final Thoughts

The meals offered through Home Chef are relatively simple, and if you’re a top-notch cook, you’d probably find them a little boring.

For most people, though, there is enough of a creative twist to make the meals interesting.

Pricewise, it’s about average for meal kit delivery services. The advantage of having the proportioned recipes is that you don’t waste ingredients.