Are meal delivery services worth it? We’d like to think so. In today’s fast-paced world, meal delivery companies like Home Chef have become increasingly popular. Yet, who would blame them? They offer three things cooking at home doesn’t: convenience, variety, and time. While Home Chef has gained a solid reputation among their customers, you may be looking for alternatives that aren’t as steep in price, or maybe you’ve stumbled upon some mixed reviews that left you a bit hesitant. Whatever the reason, learning how to choose the right meal kit service can be overwhelming. So, let’s dive into the six best Home Chef alternatives– you’ll never run out of choices.
Highly-Rated Home Chef Alternatives
1. Gobble
Best for Busy People Who Still Want a Gourmet Meal
If we were to do a meal delivery service comparison between Home Chef and Gobble, Gobble would win. They offer pre-prepared, gourmet meals that can be cooked in just 15 minutes, making it one of the best companies like Home Chef and perfect for busy individuals who still want to enjoy delicious, high-quality meals. Their menu is full of diverse and flavorful options, like their Classic Plan, Lean & Clean Plan, and Vegetarian Plan to satisfy everyone.
Price:
Gobble’s meal plans are just $36 for the first six meals, making it a fantastic low-price home chef alternative. The kicker? You can pause your contract anytime, so you’re free to go at your own speed.
Reviews:
“Outstanding meals. I invite my friends to dinner when I get my order. Way too much food for me, but my friends absolutely love the meals and I love serving them. Just excellent!” – Peggy on Trustpilot
“I am loving Gobble! It’s easy, delicious and fun to prepare. At 75, one of my greatest daily challenges is figuring out what to prepare for dinner each night. I started w/ a gift certificate from Christmas and I’ve been doing it 3x per week. Perfect solution. And it’s ready in 15 minutes!” – Denise Klassy on Trustpilot
2. Hungryroot
Best for Meal Kits and Groceries
Personalized grocery delivery is where Hungryroot shines. As one of the six companies like Home Chef, they also include easy-to-follow recipes based on your dietary preferences and goals, like plant-based meals catering to vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free people.
Price:
Hungryroot pricing varies based on your chosen plan, with small plans starting at $65 per week, medium plans at $89 per week, and large plans at $129 per week, making it one of the best meal delivery services like Home Chef if you’re not worried about saving money.
Reviews:
“The food I chose is healthy and the prep time is minimal, as requested in my plan. Delivery was as promised. The free weekly gift, Almond chickpea cookie dough, is pretty good! Only downfalls was that some items went bad before I could eat them (pre-chopped veg and bean salad) and the salmon isn’t labeled wild-caught, which surprised me.” – Kacy Hendrickson on Trustpilot
“The food is decent but not as good as most other meal services I have tried. It’s great to be able to add other groceries though and they do accommodate a TON of food restrictions and some have quick prep time. I was hoping for a lot more vegetables in my meals and have been pretty disappointed that I have to add veggies to get enough in my diet. The other thing I haven’t loved is the amount of waste. I end the week with several half full containers of different sauces.” – Molly on Trustpilot
3. Purple Carrot
Best for People With Plant-Based Diets
If you’re vegan, vegetarian, or something in between, Purple Carrot will have options for you and is a fantastic Home Chef alternative for plant-based eaters. They specialize in plant-based kits and ready-to-eat meals, and they offer a bunch of delicious recipes that are both healthy and satisfying.
Price:
Purple Carrot meal kits start at $9.99 per serving for the 2-serving plan and $7.99 per serving for the 4-serving plan. Their ready-to-eat meals are priced at $12.99 per meal. This may not work for you depending on how many meals you eat in a day.
Reviews:
“Convenient service, easy to follow, delicious recipes, and I feel healthier because of it all! Some of the produce isn’t the best (I get a lot of soggy, brown green onions), and even if I need ONE (1) clove of garlic they send a whole bulb, but the food is always very flavorful.” – Customer on Trustpilot
“Good options. Timely delivery (tho I wish it were a little earlier in the day). Good ingredients except for avocados, which are consistently so hard I need to put them on the windowsill for at least 3 days before they’re usable. A little pricey, but worth the convenience.” – Bjh on Trustpilot
4. Sakara
Best for Nutrient-Dense Meals
Sakara is one of the best meal delivery services like Home Chef, which offers organic, plant-based meals that are used to improve overall health and well-being. They focus on providing nutrient-dense, whole foods that support optimal digestion, energy levels, and weight management.
Price:
Sakara’s meal plans start at $70 per day for a 3-day plan, $60 per day for a 5-day plan, and $50 per day for a 20-day plan. Prices include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Needless to say, it’s not a pretty penny.
Reviews:
“Excellent customer service; would be better if you could just talk to someone instead of email though.” – Customer on Google
“Love all the Sakara products. Shipping could be faster…especially when almost out of supplements!” – Customer on Google
5. CookUnity
Best for Pre-Made Meals
CookUnity offers meal delivery like Home Chef with fresh, chef-prepared meals that cater to many different dietary needs. Their menu of 150 meals rotates weekly, so you’ll never have to worry about eating the same thing again (unless you want to).
Price:
CookUnity pricing starts at $10.49 per meal for a 16-meal plan, $11.49 per meal for a 12-meal plan, and $13.49 per meal for an 8-meal plan. In terms of pricing, it isn’t the worst–but it certainly doesn’t compare to Gobble.
Reviews:
“I would say my experience was moderately happy. Delivery and packaging are excellent. Food quality is good but overall taste deteriorates quickly from the delivery date.” – Peter Newell on Trustpilot
“The delivery was on time and done nicely, the food is much fresher than most and the price is fair. However I wasn’t able to order gluten and dairy free and so got lots of cheese and bland dairy-based sauces that were thin, runny, and tasteless. I think I’m going to hire a personal chef instead.” – Lisa Winston on Trustpilot
6. Daily Harvest
Best for Healthy Frozen Meals
If you want simple frozen meals, Daily Harvest does it well. They have plant-based smoothies, bowls, soups, and snacks made with whole-food ingredients. Their ready-to-blend or ready-to-heat meals make them a good option on busy days.
Price:
As a low-price Home Chef alternative, Daily Harvest pricing starts at $5.99 per item for a 9-item plan, $6.99 per item for a 14-item plan, and $7.99 per item for a 24-item plan. Depending on how many items you want to get per week, this is a solid deal for frozen meals out of the six companies like Home Chef.
Reviews:
“I love the ease and convenience of this product. Like all the different combinations of fruit… although I usually stick with the same ones. I think it is a little expensive to get these on a weekly basis. There needs to be some kind of reward system put into place…. But 5… get 5 or free or a discounted price” – Stacy on Trustpilot
“I love the products. They are delicious. They are expensive though and right now I can’t afford them. I have tried cancelling and haven’t been able to complete that yet.” – Customer on Trustpilot
Discover Your Dream Meal Delivery Service
With these six highly-rated Home Chef alternatives, you will absolutely find the perfect meal delivery service that caters to your unique lifestyle. Whether you prioritize convenience, plant-based options, budget-friendly plans, or gourmet meals like Gobble, there are options for meal delivery like Home Chef for everyone. Once you find your perfect meal kit service, you can reap the benefits of delicious, healthy, and convenient meals delivered right to your doorstep.
