You love the idea of a home-cooked meal but life happens and going for takeout, or eating something quick (and processed) ends up happening more than you’d like to admit. Meal kit delivery services have grown in popularity as people like you are turning to them for mealtime solutions. Here, we’re going to take a look at two of the most popular meal kit delivery service options: Hello Fresh vs Blue Apron.
Blue Apron and Hello Fresh meal kit services both entered the scene in the United States at about the same time. In less than a decade, they’ve both built well-respected names for themselves. This is great, but it doesn’t really help you decide between them, does it?
On the surface, HelloFresh and Blue Apron offer a very similar meal kit service. The difference is in the details, so let’s take a closer look.
Hello Fresh
Pros
- Above-average variety with approximately 20 meal options each week
- Great meal options for picky eaters
- A range of classical and worldly cuisines
- Frequent discount incentives offered
- Good options for plan choices
Cons
- Few options for special dietary needs
- Lack of transparency about whether they use non-GMO or organic ingredients
- Customer reviews indicate that delivery can take a long time
Blue Apron
Pros
- A better choice for people with special dietary concerns
- Unique takes on classic style dishes
- Uses entirely non-GMO ingredients, and strives for organic whenever possible
- Offers add-ons like their wine service
Cons
- Some meals can take nearly an hour to prepare
- Limited options compared to Hello Fresh
- Canceling a subscription can be troublesome
Dietary Options
Hello Fresh
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Blue Apron
Many people today have special dietary needs, preferences, and food allergies. If you’ve ever asked a server endless questions in a restaurant or scrupulously investigated package labeling, you know exactly how challenging it can be to find foods that fit your dietary requirements. The meal delivery service you choose must offer dietary options that are aligned with your needs.
HelloFresh meals can work for some dietary options, but they’re limited. Hello Fresh is best for people who are looking for calorie-smart meals. They have a good number of vegetarian meals too. As an added bonus, their vegetarian meals can be customized by adding the protein of your choice. This expands the menu options for people who do eat meat and even allows families to add meat for some family members while keeping other family member’s plates vegetarian.
If you have serious food sensitivities, such as gluten intolerances, or follow one of today’s popular diets (Keto, Paleo, Mediterranean, etc.), you might find the selection from Hello Fresh to be a little limiting. Also, it can become tedious to read the nutrition information for each recipe.
Common allergens and dietary needs are not clearly labeled at first glance, so those customers will have to do some additional digging to find the info they need.
Blue Apron offers a few more options than Hello Fresh for those with special dietary considerations. In addition to low calorie and vegetarian options, Blue Apron delivery also offers selections that are carb-conscious and diabetic-friendly, and they offer meals that meet the guidelines of the Mediterranean Diet (some weeks have more selection than others)
Blue Apron’s recipes include nutritional information similar to Hello Fresh, but the info is easier to locate on the website when selecting meals, which is nice. If you have serious dietary restrictions that can negatively impact your health, choosing a different meal delivery service that specializes in that dietary concern is the best option.
Dietary Options Winner
Both services could do better for people on Keto, Paleo, or Gluten-Free diets. Blue Apron does come out ahead in that they offer dietary options that Hello Fresh doesn’t, such as their Mediterranean and Weight Watchers selections. That being said, there’s no doubt that there are other meal kit services that can better accommodate certain dietary needs.
Meal Prep & Variety
Hello Fresh
- 70+
- 2 meals for 2 people
Blue Apron
- 50+
- 2 Meals for 2 People
As far as variety goes, Hello Fresh does a good job with an average of 20 menu options offered each week. Almost all of their meals can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Plus, Hello Fresh offers a category of meals that can be on the table in as little as 15 minutes. This is super helpful if you’re busy or pressed for time.
The flavor profiles offered by Hello Fresh lean to classic flavors, with a few options to try something a little bolder. Overall, Hello Fresh offers well-liked meal options, even for picky eaters. If you crave variety and want to experience new flavors, Hello Fresh has plenty of options for that too.
Having the ability to try a new spice blend or bold sauce without committing to purchasing a full size at the store is one of the most underrated perks of meal kits, and both HelloFresh and Blue Apron do a great job of incorporating those global flavors into their weekly menus.
Blue Apron offers fewer selections, with about 12 meal options per week. Many of the meals that Blue Apron offers take a bit of a twist on classic dishes. Think along the line of curry-spiced burgers or tacos loaded with caramelized onions.
While Blue Apron’s meals are not massive culinary undertakings by any means, on average, they do take a bit longer to prepare and cook than those offered by Hello Fresh. The average time for a Blue Apron meal to make it from the cutting board to the table is 25-40 minutes, but a few of their meals do take as long as 50 minutes.
Blue Apron’s menu does have some prepared meals, though they’re not as popular as the meal kits. Choosing between these two companies, in terms of variety and flavor, comes down to how many options you want per week and how long you want to spend in the kitchen to put healthy and delicious meals on the table.
Meal Variety Winner
Hello Fresh comes out ahead in this category because of how many recipes are offered each week. Their super-fast meal options are also a bonus for those that don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Benefit from no-prep meals, easy-to-read recipe cards with time-saving dinner shortcuts, and flavor that will pass the taste test every time.
Ingredients
Hello Fresh
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- Non-GMO
grass Organic- Grass Fed
- Wild-Caught
Blue Apron
Have you ever looked at a meal that was beautifully prepared, anticipating that first bite, only to be disappointed because the taste and texture just fell flat? You can have all the culinary talent in the world, but without quality ingredients, you’re not going to get very far with it. That’s why the ingredients that are used to make meal kits can make or break a meal kit delivery service.
According to Hello Fresh, they’re committed to sourcing their ingredients straight from the farm whenever possible. They also promote a strong commitment to ethics and sustainability when choosing their suppliers. The problem is a lot of meal delivery kits say similar. There isn’t a lot of clarity on where Hello Fresh gets ingredients or what their quality checks look like for suppliers.
What they say sounds good, but how do we know it’s true? Lack of clarity aside, customers do speak highly of the ingredient quality in their meal kits. Produce, spices, and sauces are packaged in a bag for each meal, while all proteins are packed in a different bag. At mealtime, just grab the bag for the recipe you’re making, the protein, and get cooking.
Blue Apron offers more transparency regarding the quality of its ingredients. They source their ingredients from a network that includes more than 100 family runs farms, all of which adhere to sustainable farming practices.
They also require their suppliers to demonstrate that they’re certified non-GMO. Having high standards for quality ingredients helps Blue Apron to create healthy recipes you can feel good about preparing for your family. Blue Apron customers have nothing but positive things to say about the quality of ingredients that arrive in the meal kits, and it shows on the plate with meals that look incredible, taste great, and have a good texture.
Ingredients Winner
Both HelloFresh and Blue Apron have a solid commitment to using only quality ingredients in their meal kits and receive positive customer reviews for ingredient quality. Blue Apron comes out ahead in this category because of its transparency (they actually name a few of the suppliers they use), their commitment to non-GMO, and their relationship with family-run farms.
Taste & Sample Meals
Hello Fresh
- Zucchini Pomodoro Penne Bake
- Bulgogi Chicken Tacos
- Harissa Sweet Potato Pockets
Blue Apron
- Seared Steaks & Calabrian Chile Butter with Collard Greens & Cheesy Potatoes
- Mediterranean Farro Bowls
- White Cheddar Cheeseburgers
The pictures of the meals on both sites look so good that it’s almost torture to look at them when you’re hungry. The images are mouth-watering but how does the actual taste measure up?
Whether you’re craving something down-home or a meal with a bit of worldly flair, Hello Fresh has you covered. With a diverse range of delicious meals, you’re going to find something that will appeal to the tastebuds of even the pickiest eaters at your table. A lot of Hello Fresh menu items are family-friendly, even the healthy meals.
Honestly, reviews for Hello Fresh are all over the board. With a long history in the meal delivery kit industry, they’ve had plenty of time to build up a reputation and collect reviews. Some customers absolutely love Hello Fresh, while others feel a little more “meh”.
One benefit of the Hello Fresh menu is the ability to add items to your box. Add-on items include quick 10-minute lunches, breakfast items, desserts, and sides that can be paired with the meals. If you’re on a tight budget, these add-ons can be used to get more servings out of a meal. For instance, adding garlic bread to a pasta dish can make it feel like a more filling, well-rounded meal, even if there’s less pasta on each plate.
The flavors of Blue Apron’s meals fall just outside the ordinary. If you like the idea of trying new spices, sauces, and flavor combinations, a Blue Apron box is a great option. Like Hello Fresh, Blue Apron’s customers have a range of comments on the taste. Overall, Blue Apron’s customers seem to be more satisfied with the taste of their meals.
Blue Apron doesn’t offer as many add-on options for the meal kits, but they offer something that Hello Fresh doesn’t; wine! You can get 6 bottles of wine delivered per month to pair with your meals. They ship sharing-sized bottles that are 500 ml and give you the ability to upgrade to 750 ml bottles.
Taste Winner
Honestly, both Blue Apron and HelloFresh are on fairly even ground in terms of taste. Blue Apron wins because they stray a little off the beaten path. Most meals have bold flavor profiles, and they’ve collected more favorable customer reviews regarding the taste of their meals.
Pricing
Hello Fresh
MEALS PER WEEK | PRICE PER SERVING | PRICE PER SERVING | PRICE PER SERVING |
2 | $11.49 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
3 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
4 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
5 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
6 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
Blue Apron
MEALS PER WEEK | 2 PEOPLE | 4 PEOPLE |
Two | $12.49 | $9.99 |
Three | $10.99 | $9.49 |
Four | $9.99 | $8.99 |
Five | $9.49 | $7.99 |
For many, the one drawback of meal delivery services is the cost. Some of them can make quite a dent in your food budget. HelloFresh and Blue Apron are two of the more economical options. Here’s how they compare to each other from a price standpoint.
All meals from Hello Fresh cost less than $9 per portion. This is reasonable, especially considering you’re getting a restaurant-quality meal without the hassle of shopping for ingredients. You can order as little as three meals per week, but the more you order, the cheaper it is per meal. Hello Fresh does charge a flat rate shipping fee of $7.99 per order.
Blue Apron’s meals are in a similar price range as Hello Fresh. With Blue Apron, the cost of your meals will be determined by the plan you choose and the quantity of portions order. The highest you’ll pay for a meal from Blue Apron is $9.99. Meal prep bundles come with 2, 3, or 4 recipes each week.
Blue Apron also charges a flat rate shipping fee of $8.99, although there are circumstances in which shipping is completely free.
Pricing Winner
It’s hard to determine a winner when two companies are almost identical in their pricing practices. Hello Fresh squeaks out ahead with a very modestly lower price point and frequent discount incentives.
Packaging & Recycling
Hello Fresh
Blue Apron
How your meal kits are packaged is a major factor in your overall experience and the quality of your meals. While proper packaging is important, there’s also the challenge of disposing of it afterward.
Both Blue Apron and HelloFresh package their meal kits similarly. Ice/gel packs are used to keep temperature-sensitive items properly chilled, and ingredients are all packed to preserve freshness. Brown paper bags are used to keep the ingredients for each meal together, and you can reuse the bags to discard trash while you prepare the meal.
Blue Apron and HelloFresh also do a good job of using mostly recyclable materials. Hello Fresh uses mostly recyclable materials, the only exceptions being the gel inside their ice packs and BPA-free plastic and mylar liners.
Blue Apron’s packaging is also made of almost exclusively recyclable packing components. They also have a very detailed guide on their website that breaks down how to recycle or dispose of each type of packaging. Their only non-recyclable packaging appears to be their spice packets and some lids included in certain Blue Apron meals.
Packaging Winner
Blue Apron earns major points for their easy-to-follow recycling page on their website. It answers pretty much any question you might have about their packaging.
Unlike Blue Apron, Hello Fresh loses a couple of points here because of the non-recyclable gel inside their gel packs. This can be damaging to pipes if it accidentally makes its way down your drain.
Customer Service
Hello Fresh
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Blue Apron
- Difficult
If it were as easy as placing an order, receiving your box, and enjoying a great meal, customer service might not be such a big deal for meal kit companies. However, we all know things come up, and a company’s ability to handle issues that arise satisfactorily is key to a positive experience.
Both HelloFresh and Blue Apron take a hit on reviews for their customer service. In all fairness, this seems to be a common trend as meal delivery services have become more popular as people are quarantined at home. This equals overloaded customer service departments for many businesses.
HelloFresh and Blue Apron are similar in terms of their willingness to refund, change plans, etc., although it appears to be somewhat more difficult to cancel your subscription through Blue Apron.
Customer Service Winner
Another close category for these two companies because neither Blue Apron nor Hello Fresh has bad customer service. Hello Fresh wins because it’s slightly easier to cancel a subscription with them, and their customer reviews are a notch better in the customer service department, although their reviews aren’t stellar.
Winner
Blue Apron
In the battle of Blue Apron Vs Hello Fresh, each company stands out as a winner in their own ways. Blue Apron wins overall because they offer more dietary options, the quality of their ingredients, and the taste of their meals. Did we mention that Blue Apron also offers wine? That’s a perk that’s hard to argue with.
Honestly, the choice depends on what your priorities are. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, you might find Hello Fresh is a better service for you. Here are a few things to consider before making your choice.
Choose Hello Fresh if you:
- Enjoy worldly cuisines
- Like a little more variety in meal choices
- Favor classical dishes or have picky eaters in your home
- Want a calorie-conscious meal kit delivery option
Choose Blue Apron if you:
- Enjoy meals that offer new flavor combinations
- Have special dietary needs
- Appreciate that shipping is free with some plans
- Like the idea that you can easily find out how to recycle packaging materials
- Enjoy adds-ons like their wine selection