Green Chef vs. EveryPlate 2023: Which Service Wins?

Green Chef and EveryPlate are part of the same family, as both belong to HelloFresh. Despite many similarities, the services fall on different ends of the spectrum. Green Chef offers premium meal kits with organic ingredients, while EveryPlate is a budget-friendly service.

Both services have distinct advantages, so it’s not easy to choose between them. If you’re on a tight budget, EveryPlate may be more appealing. If you want more complex meals with higher-quality ingredients, however, Green Chef is the way to go.

Overall, I think Green Chef is the better option. I’ve reviewed many meal delivery services, and I have to say it’s worth the extra cost over EveryPlate. Read on for all my reasons why.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Menu Variety

Winner: Green Chef

Green Chef has a whopping 45+ weekly meals on its menu. It also has over 30 Add-Ons. On the flip side, EveryPlate typically offers 26 meals per week and approximately 20 extras. You'll find most of both services' meals accompanied by helpful tags pointing out their main features, which proves very helpful for making an informed decision. 

Green Chef includes soups on its menu, which isn't the case with EveryPlate. It also offers a wider array of salad options and add-ons compared to the cheaper service. While both companies offer lunches, desserts, and protein packs, Green Chef also has breakfast options.

Both meal delivery services  offer food inspired by many international cuisines. Whether you're in the mood for Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Middle Eastern, or Mediterranean flavors, they've got you covered. You'll also find good ol' American meals on both menus.

Green Chef and EveryPlate both give you access to menus 3 weeks in advance. That way, you can stay organized and make any changes up-front. Interestingly, their parent company, HelloFresh, lets you see recipes up to 6 weeks ahead of time.

Find ingredients and nutritional info for every Green Chef and EveryPlate recipe. You can also check step-by-step cooking instructions right on their websites alongside each meal. To review guidelines on Green Chef’s website, click on the View Recipe Card button in the top-right corner of the screen. Both services include recipe cards in the box as well. 

Meal Customization

Winner: Green Chef

Green Chef offers more flexibility in terms of meal customization. Both services let you choose the type of meals you want to receive recommendations for, but Green Chef has 8 options, while EveryPlate has 5. 

Green Chef is a better choice if you have dietary requirements or food sensitivities. It caters to special diets and restrictive eaters by tailoring meals to gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and other eaters.

You’ll find more ingredient customization options with Green Chef, too. Some plans even let you add preferences for specific proteins. Some options you can choose to include (or exclude) are lamb, poultry, fish, and beef. 

Either way, double-check the ingredients of each meal before making a purchase. This way, you’ll know whether the meals contain any ingredients you prefer to avoid or not. Even if they do, you can simply replace them or leave them out during meal prep. 

Unlike Green Chef, EveryPlate doesn’t focus on special dietary requirements. It doesn’t accommodate ingredient replacement requests either.

Both services have premium meal kits for an additional charge. These recipes feature labels like Chef Select or Premium and include high-quality ingredients and proteins. If you're in for an elevated dining experience, check these dishes out. 

Ordering, Delivery, Unboxing

Winner: It’s a tie!

Ordering Green Chef and EveryPlate meals is straightforward. The same holds true for receiving and unpacking them. This round in the Green Chef vs. EveryPlate comparison is a tie for these reasons. 

Ordering

The ordering process is pretty straightforward with either service. You'll have to provide your email address, location, and payment details first. After that, you can choose meals from the weekly menu.

Green Chef's plans best cater to 2, 4, and 6 people. If you're dining with a partner or in a group of 6 people, you can choose between 3 or 4 weekly meals. For groups of 4, you can opt for 2, 3, or 4 portions per individual.

Unlike Green Chef, EveryPlate only has options for 2 and 4 people. But it offers 3, 4, 5, and 6 weekly meals per person for both groups.

Delivery

Both services deliver meals to customers across the contiguous United States. If you happen to reside in Alaska, Hawaii, or any other remote territory, you won't be able to order either service's meals at this time.

Green Chef and EveryPlate have flexible delivery policies. Once you register your account and provide delivery details, you can choose the delivery day that works best for you in the next 2 weeks. Also, you can specify your preferred delivery instructions, whether it's leaving the package at your front or back door, or something else.

Both services let you choose to receive your order on any day besides Sunday. However, note that available day slots may differ based on your location. Typically, delivery times are between 8 am and 8 pm. Refer to the tracking information for the details. 

Unboxing

The ingredients you receive will be clearly labeled, so you'll identify them easily. But they may not be organized by meal, so a little bit of sorting might be needed on your end.

Both services pack food into boxes featuring insulating liners and cooling packs. This means that food should remain fresh until the end of the day if you aren't home to receive your order.

You can recycle Green Chef and EveryPlate boxes and other contents. All materials used for packaging are recyclable, reusable, and compostable except those that could affect food safety. 

Meal Prep

Winner: Green Chef

Green Chef’s meals are generally quicker to prepare than EveryPlate’s. You can serve most of its meal kits in 20 to 30 minutes, with the occasional recipe requiring up to 40 minutes. However, you can prepare some of its dishes in 10 minutes, and a few in less than 5 minutes. You'll find many Green Chef ingredients pre-prepped, and you’ll also receive premade sauces to speed up the cooking process. 

If you opt for EveryPlate, you'll typically need at least 25 to 30 minutes per recipe. It might take slightly longer than Green Chef, but it offers a handy Quick & Easy plan, so you can filter for the quickest recipes (or options with easy cleanup).

Preparing meals from both services requires basic cooking skills. Green Chef and EveryPlate highlight that their recipes have several steps, typically no more than 6. But you should note that each step often involves multiple actions, so it’s not as simple as it sounds. 

Both services ship fresh ingredients, so there’s no need to defrost anything. Refrigerated food generally stays fresh for around 5 days. However, you should consume Green Chef's seafood within 3 days of delivery. If you order from EveryPlate, consume seafood no later than 2 days after receiving your order. 

Customer Support

Winner: Green Chef

Green Chef and EveryPlate provide a chat bubble in the lower-right corner of the screen. However, getting in touch with an agent if you have a specific question is easier with Green Chef, in my experience. 

I reached out to Green Chef's customer service to inquire about child-friendly meals. Since the chatbot wasn't able to give me a straight answer, I asked it to connect me with an agent. A helpful agent provided me with an answer right away. The entire process took 2 minutes, no more. 

I also contacted EveryPlate's customer support. The chatbot greeted me, but since it couldn't address my specific query, I requested to be connected with an agent. The chatbot asked for my name, which is a standard procedure. But when I provided my name, it got stuck for some reason.

It seemed like I wasn't getting connected to an agent. So, I gave up after waiting for about 10 minutes in the chat. Fast-forward 30 minutes later, I checked the chat again and found an offered solution. 

While I appreciate the response, I felt a little frustrated by the initial delay. On top of that, I appreciated Green Chef's assistance more since I had an agent step in right away without me having to make a call.

Cancelation is seamless with either meal delivery service. To unsubscribe, you have to log in, choose Settings, and find the Account section. Once there, select Deactivate your Plan and specify the reason why you decided to cancel the subscription. If you unsubscribe more than 5 days after the previous delivery, you'll get 1 more box. 

Pricing

Winner: EveryPlate

EveryPlate is the clear winner in this category since its prices are way lower. The price for EveryPlate's servings starts at $1.49. If you opt for a Premium dish, you’ll pay up to $6.99 extra on top of the regular recipe cost. 

The price of Green Chef's meals is considerably higher. The cost per recipe begins from $9.99. If you order from the menu of premium Chef Select meals, you’ll pay as much as $6.99 to $9.99 extra per serving.

Note that the minimum cost per meal applies if you purchase the largest box. Otherwise, the price per portion increases the fewer dishes you purchase. So, go for the maximum package to take advantage of the lowest cost. You'll learn prices for add-ons once you select your meals.

You should factor in the delivery fee when placing an order. You'll get the exact shipping cost at the checkout stage. But at the time of my research, the delivery cost was $10.99 with either meal kit delivery service. 

Green Chef vs. EveryPlate – Quick Overview

And The Winner Is: Green Chef

Green Chef and EveryPlate have their distinct strengths. In a comparison between Green Chef and EveryPlate, Green Chef tends to offer more diversity in its menu. It focuses on a variety of dietary options and generally provides meals that can be prepared in less time.

Diversity in dietary options is a characteristic of Green Chef. It has a wider selection of meals supporting a wider range of diets. This means it caters to a wider range of dietary needs, making it a potential choice for those with specific food preferences.

Meal preparation time is a factor to consider. On average, Green Chef's dishes can be prepared somewhat quicker than EveryPlate's. This might be something to think about if you often find yourself short on time.

EveryPlate offers value, especially for those on a budget. It has structured its service to be cost-effective, providing an array of dishes that won't break the bank.

EveryPlate's offerings remain commendable. While budget-friendly, it’s good to see that EveryPlate still ensures a diverse selection of dishes and plans, making it a viable option for many. 

FAQ

Are Green Chef and HelloFresh the same?

No, Green Chef and HelloFresh aren’t the same. HelloFresh owns Green Chef as well as EveryPlate. Each service operates separately with unique menus, offerings, and prices.

Is EveryPlate owned by HelloFresh?

Yes, HelloFresh owns EveryPlate. It launched this low-cost meal delivery service in 2018.

Does Green Chef save you money?

Green Chef isn't the most budget-friendly meal kit delivery option. It’s a premium service that sources organic and other top-quality ingredients. However, you can save a considerable amount of money if you go for bigger orders.