Home Chef meals proved to be quick, easy to prepare, and still delivered on taste — they’re even children-approved. But the service doesn’t cater to all diets.
Share on PinterestHealthline meal delivery score: 4.3 out of 5
REVIEW SCORECARDHome Chef
4.3out of 5healthline scoreSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes4.5Meal variety4.5Nutrition5Sustainability4Ingredient quality4Ease of preparation4.5Taste5Affordability3GET STARTED WITH HOME CHEFHome Chef is a meal delivery service company popular with busy families thanks to its focus on easy-to-prepare and oven-ready meals.
We tested Home Chef to see if it lives up to its promise of beginner-friendly meals that still deliver on flavor.
Disclaimer: Home Chef provided press boxes for free, but our opinions are ours alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by Home Chef.
The tl;dr on Home Chef
Home Chef’s meal delivery service stands out for its easy-to-prepare offerings, including:
- 30-minute meal kits
- 15-minute meal kits
- premade entree salads
- oven-ready prepared dishes
- prepared Fast & Fresh meals that only need to be heated in the microwave or oven
We found the meals lived up in the taste department and were simple to prepare. We had one instance where not all ingredients arrived in perfect condition, but overall, the ingredients arrived in good condition, and all meals appealed to the taste buds.
Recently, the company debuted its Family Plan, which includes meal kits and oven-ready dishes designed to feed a family of four.
You can build a box each week by selecting meals from the full menu. The website says you can make more than 30 weekly choices, but it also says there are more than 20 recipes to choose from. This is because for some of the 20 recipes, you can choose differentproteins.
You can easily pause or cancel your subscription anytime on the company’s website.
Static CTAHome Chef pros and cons at a glance
Pros
- rotating weekly menus with more than 20 recipes to choose from
- option to customize the protein source of select recipes
- offers several dishes that are oven-ready or require minimal preparation
- moderately affordable, starting at about $10 per serving
- easy-to-follow recipe cards
- flavorful meals suitable for adults and kids
Cons
- not suitable for people with severe food allergies or restrictive diets
- organic ingredients not available for all meals
- some ingredients arrived bruised or wilted
- many meals with high sodium content
- some Family Plan meals lacking in vegetables
- limited options for certain diets, including vegan and keto
Who tried it
- Name: SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD
- Role:Healthline writer and registered dietitian
- Dietary needs and preferences:low carb options
- Meal-time preferences:family-friendly meals and plenty of variety
I’ve tested almost every single meal kit available. After trying so many services, I’ve become more aware of the true pros and cons of these services and understand what a customer should expect from the experience.
As a busy mom of two, I was excited to see whether these meals could make dinnertime a little less chaotic. Here’s how my experience went.
Share on PinterestPhoto courtesy of SaVanna ShoemakerSign-up and meal selection is easy, and all the ingredients arrived cold and organized
Sign-up and delivery score: 4.5 out of 5
Signing up for Home Chef is very easy. Once logged in, you simply choose a plan: the Home Chef plan (meal kits) or the Fresh and Easy plan (prepared meals).
Home Chef’s menu features more than 20 weekly recipes, including vegetarian, carb-conscious, and calorie-conscious options. However, there’s no vegan menu.
You can order two to six meals each week, including two, four, or six servings.
You can also select recipes from the full menu to create your own custom meal plan. Plus, many recipes allow you to swap in other protein sources.
Home Chef’s packaging is very organized, and my box arrived in good condition.
The ingredients were shipped in an insulating liner, and the meats were stored on the bottom of the box, nestled between ice packs. On top of the ice packs, the other ingredients were separated into plastic bags and sorted by recipe.
That made it really easy to keep the ingredients organized in my fridge. When I was ready to cook, I had to grab the right bag and the meat.
In addition to meal kits, Home Chef offers several oven-ready meals that require little to no cooking or preparation. Here’s a bit more information about the types of meals the service offers:
- Culinary Collection: premium meals that cost extra
- Meal Kits: standard recipes that are ready in about 30 minutes
- Express: prepared meals that are ready in 15 minutes or less
- Fast & Fresh: meals that can be baked or microwaved
- Oven-Ready: meals that arrive ready to bake in an oven-safe container
- Family: one-pot recipes that contain four servings (available for Meal Kits, Express, Fast & Fresh, and Oven Ready)
- Plus: meals with premium ingredients (available for Express, Fast & Fresh, and Oven Ready)
You can also order a la carte items, such as desserts, side dishes, and breakfasts.
Home Chef allows you to change your subscription plan at any time. You can cancel your plan or postpone your meal shipments if you do so by noon on the Friday before your upcoming shipment.
You can download the Home Chef app and use it as you would the website. Then, you can access your account and make any necessary changes.
Home Chef is part of the Kroger family, which means you can find Home Chef products at certain Kroger stores. You can find out whether this is an option for you on Home Chef’s website using the Find a Store search.
A note on allergens
When selecting meals, Home Chef allows you to filter out recipes that contain any allergens or other foods you may want to avoid, such as pork or tree nuts.
However, it’s important to note that all Home Chef products are packaged and shipped in one location, so cross-contamination is possible.
There are lots of options even after you limit your diet preferences
Meal variety score: 4.5 out of 5
Because the menu is relatively large and changes weekly, I found plenty of tasty-sounding meals to choose from. Even after I filtered down to the Carb-Conscious options, there were several choices.
The two meals I selected were the Chicken Lorraine and the Turkey Burrito Skillet.
The company could use less plastic
Sustainability score: 4 out of 5
Home Chef ships meal kits in biodegradable, insulated boxes sealed with gel packs designed to keep food fresh.
However, I found that the Home Chef uses more plastic packaging than some of its competitors, such as HelloFresh.
There are plenty of nutritious options
Nutritional quality score: 5 out of 5
While not all meals are nutritionally balanced, Home Chef makes it easy to find more nutritious options and meals suitable for vegetarian, low calorie, or low carb diets.
Potential allergens are listed for each recipe, and you can choose to exclude certain ingredients, such as pork, shellfish, red meat, nuts, or mushrooms, from your weekly menu.
For those looking to lose weight, Home Chef offers a selection of calorie-conscious meals, typically 400–600 calories per serving.
Still, remember that because meals are produced in a facility that handles many major allergens, this service may not be suitable for those with severe food allergies or intolerances.
Furthermore, Home Chef may not be ideal for those who follow restrictive eating patterns, such as vegan, ketogenic, or paleo diets.
Ingredients arrived in good condition but not perfect
Ingredients and freshness score: 4 out of 5
Although organic ingredients aren’t guaranteed for every meal, certain recipes may offer the option to swap in alternative protein sources, such as organic or antibiotic-free chicken.
Home Chef also works with suppliers to ensure adherence to animal welfare standards defined by organizations such as the National Chicken Council.
My ingredients all arrived in usable condition. As you can see from the photo below, the lemon was slightly bruised, and the green onions were a little wilted. But this didn’t affect the dish’s taste, and these ingredients were fine to use.
Still, I was overall happy with the quality of the ingredients.
Share on PinterestPhoto courtesy of SaVanna ShoemakerThe directions are clear, and meals take about 30 minutes to make
Easy of cooking score: 4.5 out of 5
Each recipe card includes cooking instructions and information on how long food can be stored before being cooked. The cards also have a skill level written on them, including beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
Cooking times vary depending on the type of recipe:
- Standard meal kits can take about 30 minutes to complete.
- 15 Minute Meal Kits take about that time
- Oven-Ready Meal Kits can take 40–50 minutes to bake.
- Culinary Collection Meal Kits can take up to 1 hour to prep and cook.
- Fast & Fresh Meals can be microwaved in 5 minutes or less or heated in the oven.
It took me about 30 minutes to prepare each meal, and most of that was vegetable prep — washing, trimming, and slicing. I found that the recipe instructions were clear and helpful, and the photos were a nice touch, especially for Home Chef customers who may be inexperienced cooks.
My kids happily enjoyed the meals just as much as the adults
Taste score: 5 out of 5
Both of the meals we tried tasted excellent. My family — including two young children — approved.
I liked adding the cream sauce and slivered almonds to the Brussels sprouts in the Chicken Lorraine dish, and the Turkey Burrito Skillet was loaded with hidden vegetables that my kids happily ate.
Share on PinterestPhoto courtesy of SaVanna ShoemakerOverall thoughts
Tester score: 4.3 out of 5
I really enjoyed using Home Chef. There were plenty of meal options to choose from, including several that would appeal to my kids.
I also liked that several Carb-Conscious menu items were available each week, along with quick options such as Fast & Fresh and Express meals.
I could see us using this service again during busy seasons.
Home Chef’s Family Plan
Healthline’s nutrition editor and expert testerKelli McGrane, MS, RD, tried Home Chef’s family plan. It’s sold in 4-serving increments instead of 2-serving and offers 10 family-style meals to choose from each week.
She found that each meal provided 5–6 servings, a little more than the four the plan promises.
Share on PinterestPhoto courtesy of Kelli McGrane“Overall, the flavors and textures were really good,” McGrane says. “This was my first experience trying Home Chef, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Overall, I was impressed by the ingredient quality (particularly the chicken) and how easy the meals really are to make.
“The dishes were also flavorful yet approachable for my picky toddler. My biggest complaint was the lack of vegetables.”
Here are the three meals McGrane dug into:
Share on PinterestPhoto courtesy of Kelli McGraneOne-Sheet Butter Cracker-Crusted Chicken Cutlet
This was McGrane’s favorite of the three. She said the chicken was perfectly moist, the potatoes were tasty, and the green beans were well seasoned and had a great char. McGrane appreciated how easy the meal was to make. McGrane and her toddler could share one portion, so they had plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.
Cheesy Beef Enchilada Bake
McGrane could prep this and store the prepared baking pans (which came with the recipe) in her fridge until dinnertime. Her family of three made it through only one pan, so they froze the second for another night.
McGrane says the enchiladas tasted the way you’d expect enchiladas made with canned sauce to taste. She added fresh diced tomato and avocado, plus a splash of lime to lighten things up a bit.
One-Pan Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry
McGrane says she loved the sauce’s flavor and felt that it had just the right balance of salty and sweet. The only downside was the lack of vegetables. She would have liked to have had double the amount of broccoli or the addition of another vegetable, such as a bell pepper or a carrot.
“Overall, the meals were tasty, the proteins were good quality, and the recipes were simple to make,” McGrane says.
Share on PinterestPhoto courtesy of Kelli McGraneHow much does Home Chef cost?
Home Chef is a moderately priced meal kit service, with prices starting at $9.99 per serving.
Remember that your final cost will depend on the size of your order, the types of meals you select, and whether you choose to customize any of your meals.
Home Chef has a minimum weekly order cost of $50.95 for the standard plan and $82.91 for the Family Plan.
For an additional fee, you can purchase extras, including protein packs with meat, fish, or poultry.
Shipping costs are applied at checkout, depending on the plan you select. For two meals per week for two people, shipping costs $13.99 per box. For all other meal plans, shipping costs $10.99.
Note that Home Chef, like other meal kit delivery services, often offers discount codes for new customers. Discounts are available to healthcare workers, first responders, teachers, and military service members.
Static CTACustomer reviews and Brand Reputation
Home Chef is a widely used and recommended meal kit delivery service.
That said, online reviews are mixed. While our testers had an overall good experience, some online reviewers expressed frustration with customer service for issues such as canceling accounts, tracking down lost deliveries, responding to complaints about the quality of ingredients received, and billing.
Additionally, several customers have complained about ingredients being damaged, spoiled, missing, or incorrect.
On the positive side, happy customers frequently praise the service’s weekly menu variety, tasty ingredients, and easy-to-follow recipes.
How does Home Chef compare?
Several other meal delivery services also offer nutritious and delicious meal kits, with HelloFresh and Blue Apron being two of Home Chef’s main competitors. Here’s a quick look at how they compare:
Services andHealthline overall
rating (out of 5)Price per serving
(shipping)Diet typesMeal typesHome Chef4.3*$9.99 to $13.95
($9.99–$11.99)• low calorie
• low carb
• vegetarian• meal kits
• express meal kits
• oven-ready meals
• premade mealsHelloFresh4.2$8.49 to $9.69
($10.99)• vegetarian
• pescatarian
• low carb
• low caloriemeal kitsBlue Apron4.7$7.99–$12.49
($10.99)• vegetarian
• diabetes-friendly
• Mediterranean
• plant-based
• low calorie
• WW recommended• meal kits
• single-serve
prepared meals
For more on how these services stack up, check out our in-depth comparison articles on Blue Apron vs. Home Chef and HelloFresh vs. Home Chef.
Frequently asked questions about Home Chef
Is Home Chef cheaper than eating out?
Purchasing Home Chef is generally cheaper than eating out, especially if you like to eat out frequently. Home Chef meals are priced at just under $10 per serving, which is less than you would pay for most takeout meals today.
Purchasing Home Chef is generally cheaper than eating out, especially if you like to eat out frequently. Home Chef meals are priced at just under $10 per serving, which is less than you would pay for most takeout meals today.
Are Home Chef meals already prepared?
The standard Home Chef meals require only 30 minutes of prep work. However, Home Chef offers certain types of kits that need even less preparation. For instance, you can order 15 Minute Meal Kits, which are prepped and portioned for you.
You can also opt for Oven-Ready meal kits, which are fully prepped and require only cooking. Additionally, Fast & Fresh Meals are prepared for you and can be popped in the microwave for quick 5-minute heating or heated in the oven.
The standard Home Chef meals require only 30 minutes of prep work. However, Home Chef offers certain types of kits that need even less preparation. For instance, you can order 15 Minute Meal Kits, which are prepped and portioned for you.
You can also opt for Oven-Ready meal kits, which are fully prepped and require only cooking. Additionally, Fast & Fresh Meals are prepared for you and can be popped in the microwave for quick 5-minute heating or heated in the oven.
Can Home Chef meals be frozen?
Home Chef meals are designed to be stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to prep and eat them. You may be able to store certain meals in the freezer if their ingredients are freezer-friendly.
Keep in mind that not all Home Chef ingredients or prepared meals will freeze and thaw well, so it’s best to prepare them to eat within a day or two for optimal freshness and quality.
Home Chef meals are designed to be stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to prep and eat them. You may be able to store certain meals in the freezer if their ingredients are freezer-friendly.
Keep in mind that not all Home Chef ingredients or prepared meals will freeze and thaw well, so it’s best to prepare them to eat within a day or two for optimal freshness and quality.
Which meal delivery service is better than Home Chef?
During testing, two meal kit delivery services scored higher than Home Chef: Sunbasket and Blue Apron.
Both Sunbasket and Blue Apron scored higher for their ingredient quality, sustainability efforts, and ease of sign-up, meal selection, and cancellation processes.
It’s also worth noting that Sunbasket caters to a wider variety of dietary needs than either Blue Apron or Home Chef, though it’s more expensive.
During testing, two meal kit delivery services scored higher than Home Chef: Sunbasket and Blue Apron.
Both Sunbasket and Blue Apron scored higher for their ingredient quality, sustainability efforts, and ease of sign-up, meal selection, and cancellation processes.
It’s also worth noting that Sunbasket caters to a wider variety of dietary needs than either Blue Apron or Home Chef, though it’s more expensive.
The bottom line
Home Chef is a meal delivery service that aims to make cooking healthier meals at home easier than ever.
With a wide range of recipes and customization options available, Home Chef may be worth a try for those looking to cut down on their cooking time and add some diversity to their diet.
However, those who follow restrictive diets or have severe food allergies may benefit from selecting another service that better caters to their needs.