Plated vs. Green Chef 2023: Only One Right Answer

You’ve probably heard a lot about both of these meal delivery services, but only Green Chef is still around. Plated retired from the market and no longer offers meal kits.

But don’t worry, Green Chef offers meal kits that are just as easy to put together. Plus, every meal is certified organic and super nutritious, from the veggie ones to the Keto + Paleo menu.

Even though the answer to the Plated vs. Green Chef debate is clear enough, let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between the two.

You can check out some other great alternatives to Plated in our full review of the best meal delivery services or read on for an overview.

At a Glance: Plated vs. Green Chef

Dietary Preferences

Plated used to offer meal kits suitable for a balanced diet, plus a vegetarian plan. You could sort the recipes to show only those that were gluten-free, low-carb, or vegan, but there weren’t many of them.

Plus, the recipes tended to be high in sodium and fat, so they weren’t among the healthiest out there.

Green Chef’s Keto + Paleo plan offers meals that are crafted especially for keto and paleo diets. Every item on the menu is clean, healthy, certified organic, and nutritionist-approved.

Most of the Plant-Powered vegetarian meals are vegan as well, and all Keto + Paleo meals are gluten-free.

Winner: Green Chef

Menu Variety

Plated used to have a weekly changing menu of around 20 international meals, from Greek and Italian to Thai. All meals were suitable for a balanced diet, and there was also a Vegetarian plan available.

Green Chef’s meal kits are clean and nutritious, while still being varied and creative.

The Keto + Paleo plan caters to those two specific diets and offers around 10 weekly recipes, like the Lemon-Basil Caper Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower & Tomato and Kale Salad with Raisins & Almonds.

The Plant-Powered plan features around nine weekly recipes, out of which five or six are vegan, such as the Creamy Truffle Penne with Cremini Mushrooms, Grape Tomatoes, Peas, and Chives.

The Balanced Life plan includes a few recipes from the other two plans, plus five savory meals like the Spicy Mango Chicken with Coconut-Lime Rice with Kale, and Roasted Red Peppers.

Winner: Green Chef

Starting Prices

Plated used to offer plans starting at $9.95, which is on the pricier side considering it wasn’t certified organic and didn’t cater to any special diets.

Green Chef starts at $10.49 per serving if you order for six people on the Plant-Powered plan, and can go up to $12.99 for three meals a week for two people on the Keto + Paleo plan.

This may seem expensive, but it’s the price you pay for a completely organic, USDA-certified healthy meal delivery service.

The annoying thing is that you have to pay a $9.99 weekly shipping fee for every order, while Plated used to offer free shipping after a certain threshold. Luckily, you can save $80 and get free delivery with our special discount code.

Winner: Green Chef

Delivery and Packaging

Plated used to deliver to 95% of the USA, excluding not only non-contiguous Alaska and Hawaii but some important cities in other states as well, such as San Antonio.

Green Chef delivers to almost all contiguous USA, only excluding some small parts of Louisiana.

In the recycling department, Green Chef does pretty well. The main cardboard box is insulated with ClimaCell, which is curbside recyclable.

The ingredients are wrapped separately in paper bags containing small plastic packets. You can reuse the bags that contain produce or dry vegetables, or recycle them if your local facility accepts #4 plastic films.

Winner: Green Chef

Meal Prep

Many people complained about how much time Plated’s meal kits took to put together. Despite most recipes claiming to be ready in 20-45 minutes, some of them needed around an hour.

On the other hand, Green Chef’s kits fall in the 25-35 minutes range, and all ingredients come pre-chopped and prepped, including premade spice blends and sauces. All you need to do is the actual cooking – the rest is taken care of.

All recipe cards are available in pdf format on Green Chef’s website with detailed instructions, photos of every step, and the nutritional values for all meals. You can take a look even if you’ve not subscribed yet, or even use some of the recipe ideas.

Winner: Green Chef

The Bottom Line

My conclusion will come as no surprise – Green Chef is the only viable option. Even if Plated was still around, it wouldn’t compare to the clean, organic approach that Green Chef is known for.

Green Chef is so good it made it into our list of the top organic meal delivery services. Check it out to compare the service against some of its top competitors or read our full review of Green Chef to see if it’s the best choice for you.

Overall winner: Green Chef

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Green Chef Healthier than Plated?

Green Chef’s meals are USDA-certified organic and use clean, sustainably-harvested proteins free of hormones, antibiotics, and GMOs. Plated was not as sharply health-focused as Green Chef, and Plated meals tended to be higher in sodium and fat with a more limited variety of low-calorie and gluten-free items.

Is Green Chef Cheaper than Plated?

Green Chef is one of the more expensive meal delivery services out there, and its $5.99 per serving price is higher than the $9.95 charged by Plated. But since Plated meal kits are no longer available at any price, it is difficult to make a comparison.

Which is Better, Green Chef or Plated?

In this competition Green Chef wins by a no-show, since Plated is no longer in business. But even when it was operating, Plated faced an uphill battle in this fight. Green Chef’s meal kits are less time-consuming and Green Chef’s meals are fresh, delicious, and certified gluten-free and organic.

What Happened to Plated?

In November 2019 Albertsons closed its Plated meal delivery service for good. If you’re still feeling the loss of Plated, Green Chef is an excellent and tasty alternative that should satisfy your meal delivery needs. Green Chef’s convenient meal kits come with prepared sauces and pre-chopped vegetables, and are certified organic and gluten-free.