EveryPlate vs. HelloFresh 2021: Which Meal Kits Are Better?

If you’re wondering whether EveryPlate or HelloFresh is the better meal delivery service for you, then you’ve come to the right place. They may be owned by the same company and both provide meal kits but there are some big differences when it comes to budget and menu.

EveryPlate enjoys a good reputation as a low-cost meal delivery service. HelloFresh is a little more expensive, but you get way more choice. The question is: is the added value of what HelloFresh offers worth the extra money?

To find out, I looked into both companies to see how they stack up. It’s EveryPlate vs HelloFresh 2021: the showdown.

At a Glance: EveryPlate vs. HelloFresh

Dietary Preferences

With a fair number of choices each week, most of which are classic, home-style American dishes, EveryPlate lets you order quick, low-cost meal kits that deliver on flavor. Although you can’t filter the menu by cuisine type or allergen, some of the meals have dietary flags like Veggie and Spicy to help you choose the right dish. 

That said, if you have any serious allergies or intolerances, EveryPlate probably isn’t the best choice. You can refer to the website or recipe cards if you’re looking to exclude certain ingredients – but the service doesn’t cater to specific dietary needs. Even its vegetarian options are limited to around two or three per week.

Meanwhile, HelloFresh offers a bigger menu with even more flexibility and ingredient control. Even its signature Meat & Veggies plan offers seven vegetarian recipes each week. You can also exclude recipes that contain certain ingredients like beef, seafood, or pork. Beyond that, you’ll need to check the ingredients list yourself to scan for ingredients you want to avoid.

HelloFresh also offers calorie-smart recipes, and other dedicated plans like Pescatarian, Family-Friendly, and Veggie. 

I’m giving this round to HelloFresh – not only does it offer more recipes than EveryPlate each week, but it also offers more flexibility in terms of dietary preferences.

Winner: HelloFresh

Menu Variety

In addition to its 14 meals each week, EveryPlate also offers protein packs – usually chicken and/or ground beef – which are great for families. 

While EveryPlate has a smattering of global-inspired meals, like the Sweet Potato & Poblano Fajitas or Cuban-Style Bean & Rice Bowls, most of its recipes are crowd-pleasing American classics, including burgers, pork chops, and meatloaf.

On the other hand, HelloFresh offers a rich selection of recipes, with around 25 or more on the menu each week. 

There’s everything from Mediterranean to Mexican, Indian to Vietnamese. Look out for dishes like the Mediterranean Baked Veggies with Couscous, Almonds & Feta, or Takeout Favorites like Pork Katsu with Sesame Roasted Carrots & Ginger Rice. It’s recipes like these that really allow you to get creative and learn new skills in the kitchen. 

After a careful comparison, this round goes to HelloFresh. It offers a far greater variety and the recipes are better organized and more flexible.

Winner: HelloFresh

Starting Prices

When it comes to pricing, EveryPlate can’t be beaten with dinners that cost just $4.99 per serving. HelloFresh starts at $7.49, but you’re likely to find most of your meals cost around $9.99 per serving, depending on the meal plan. Shipping for both companies comes in at $8.99 throughout the continental United States. 

When you look at the flat rate of shipping a large box across the country with the US Postal Service, which costs $21.90, $8.99 seems a very reasonable rate.

EveryPlate wins this round because of its incredibly low price per serving – one of the most affordable on the meal kit delivery market at the moment.

Winner: EveryPlate

Delivery and Packaging

As mentioned earlier, EveryPlate delivers to most of the continental US. The delivery window is from 8 am to 8 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. HelloFresh delivers to all areas of the US from 8 am to 8 pm as well, but only on Wednesdays through Friday for the most part, depending on your location.

What I mean by that is, some big-city areas also get HelloFresh deliveries on the other days of the week (New York City, for example, has delivery throughout the week), but that’s not consistent across the country.

Both companies label themselves as environmentally conscious and use recyclable packaging. One thing to note is that the contents of both companies’ gel ice packs must be drained into the trash before the covering can be recycled. 

HelloFresh goes a step further with its sustainability ethos and gives more information on its website on how the company is reducing its carbon footprint. Its cardboard boxes are made from a mix of recycled and virgin fibers, and its paper bags are entirely compostable.

When it comes to delivering on time, EveryPlate tracks your delivery and sends you the info in an email. HelloFresh, on the other hand, has an app that allows you to track your meals and update your account whenever and wherever you want.

This round goes to HelloFresh because of the extra steps it takes for using recycled material in its packaging and its convenient app. 

Winner: HelloFresh

Meal Prep

The time it takes to prep and cook the recipes from each company are pretty similar – around 20 to 30 minutes on average. Both companies also have meals that take longer – around 40 to 50 minutes. 

Both companies suggest storing all fresh produce and dairy in the refrigerator once your box is delivered. Everything should arrive cool, thanks to the insulated packaging. HelloFresh, however, freezes its proteins and recommends thawing them a few hours before you want to cook them for maximum freshness. 

Like with most meal kits, you’ll be required to do certain elements yourself – like chop vegetables and make your own sauces (unless it’s a condiment like sour cream). 

For those nights when you just don’t have the time or energy, HelloFresh does offer a selection of Easy Prep and Oven-Ready meals , complete with aluminum pans to help save on washing up.

The majority of EveryPlate’s recipes can be completed in six simple steps, and the recipe cards are clear and accurate. Similarly, HelloFresh’s meals aren’t overly complicated, but there are different levels of difficulty.

An easy (Level 1) recipe from HelloFresh would be something like Shrimp Spaghetti with a Kick, which takes just 25 minutes and requires very little multitasking. A medium (Level 2) recipe example would be Pork Schnitzel, requiring 35 minutes to prepare and six more complicated steps. A difficult (Level 3) recipe would be the Hibachi Sweet Soy Bavette Steak & Shrimp which takes 55 minutes but offers much more adventurous ingredients and cooking techniques.

HelloFresh takes this category by a nose because of the added value of sorting the meals into different difficulty levels.

Winner: HelloFresh

The Bottom Line

So, the verdict? I’m going with HelloFresh as the overall winner. Not only does it offer more variety, more customizable meal plans, and more specialized options, it also has a wealth of culinary info on the website. Finally, it really works hard to promote sustainability and it has a great app. You can’t beat the convenience of an app!

I will give one caveat, though. If budget is your number one consideration, you might want to go with EveryPlate. Its team does a remarkable job of keeping costs low while providing good quality meals. And that’s worth something. As much as 50% of HelloFresh’s price per serving, to be exact.

Still not quite sure if either is right for you? While EveryPlate and HelloFresh offer excellent services, they might not be the perfect match. Why not check out our list of today’s best meal kits as ranked and reviewed by our experts?