Marley Spoon Review 2026: Is It Easy?

Overview

Marley Spoon has an impressive weekly menu featuring 100+ meal kits and prepared meals. It offers easy lunches and dinners, breakfast options, and useful extras in its Market. While it accommodates standard everyday diets such as vegetarian and low-carb, the options for strict vegans or those with allergies are more limited. Some meal kit recipes are customizable, which adds more flexibility, although you’ll have to sign up to see all the options.

The meal quality was excellent, with fresh ingredients and generous portions. For meal kits, I found the recipe cards clear and easy to follow, but some techniques may be daunting for beginners and cook times sometimes underestimated the effort required. Also, pantry staples like flour and even things like rice wine vinegar weren’t always included, so be sure to check these when ordering.

I had one spoiled onion in my delivery, but otherwise, everything arrived in good shape. The packaging was thoughtfully designed (I’m a fan of the bright yellow), with recyclable materials and a clear commitment to sustainability. Shipping was also reliable, with broad delivery windows and flexible scheduling. I had a good experience with customer service. The issue with the onion was quickly resolved when I reported it.

Overall, Marley Spoon is a great option for busy foodies, and its large menu will probably have something to suit the ever-changing schedules of most modern homes. Its flexible offerings mean you can find healthy meal kits for those days when you want a bit of hands-on prep, and ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat options for busier nights or working lunchtimes.

Marley Spoon’s Menu: Excellent Variety at a Good Price

Marley Spoon’s menu boasts 100+ meals each week, which is well above the average of all the meal delivery services I’ve reviewed. You can toggle between Recipes and Prepared meals at the top of the page, and there are loads of useful filters to help you search through the offerings each week. 

Meal Options: There’s Something for Everyone on the Marley Spoon Menu

Marley Spoon caters to a wide variety of diets. It’s easy to spot meat, fish, and veggie dishes at a glance, and there’s a list of tags under each recipe on the menu. You can also search by dietary preferences on the menu. These include:

• Healthy choice

• High protein

• Keto-friendly

• Kid friendly

• Low calorie

• Low carb

• Low sodium

• Mediterranean diet

• Vegan

• Vegetarian

Just keep in mind that, if you’re vegan or follow a plant-based diet, your choices are much more limited, and you may want to check out our top vegan meal delivery services instead.

Meal Kits, Prepared Meals, & More

Marley Spoon offers a main menu of Ready to Cook recipes, which are standard meal kits with pre-portioned ingredients, and a menu of Balance dishes, which are single-serve prepared meals.

Prepared meals are a great choice for those busy mealtimes when you don’t have time to cook from scratch. I tried a prepared pasta dish, and it was perfectly cooked, reheated well, and the sauce was really creamy and tasty. I definitely preferred it to some other prepared meals I’ve tried. 

There are also different types of meal kits. You can search for the simplest kits using the “Fast & easy” filter. These include:

• Easy Prep: Little to no chopping

• Express: 15 Minutes or Less

• No Chop!

• One-Pot Meals

• Prepared Meals

• Quick: 30 Minutes or Less

• Speedy: Under 20 Minutes

• Tray Bakes

Check out my experience of cooking and eating with Marley Spoon later on to find out how I got on in the kitchen.

From Classic American Dishes to International Favorites 

The menu offers plenty of classic American crowd-pleasers, such as the Smash Burger with Fried Pickles and Blackened Shrimp Po’boys. Families with picky little ones will also be able to order kid-friendly meals like tacos and pasta.

I like that Marley Spoon caters to more adventurous palates as well, with international dishes like Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup and Sheet Pan Za'atar Roasted Chicken Thighs.

Saver, Premium, & Seasonal Meals + Extras 

Saver meals cost a bit less than the standard portion price, and I also think they’re simpler to make. When I ordered, I tried the Chicken Karaage Saver meal, and it was the easiest to prepare out of all the meal kits I tried. You can search for Saver meals using the Price Category filter.

If you feel like getting fancy, you can also filter for Premium meals. These include higher-quality cuts of meat, organic ingredients, and richer flavors. I really enjoyed the Premium dish I tried at home. The Brown Butter Lobster Ravioli tasted better than some lobster ravioli I’ve eaten in restaurants!

You might also spot some seasonal or festive dishes on the menu. I found some Valentine’s Day Double Chocolate Cupcakes, and 4 different Lunar New Year specials. These might be tagged as Special, Festive, or Holiday.

Another thing I love about this service is all the extras you get. Even on the main menu, you’ll also find breakfasts, desserts, protein packs, and brunch options.

It’s frustrating that you can’t see the market extras until you’ve signed up and provided your payment information, though. Other similar subscription services also have this behind the membership “paywall”, but I’d prefer to see the extent of the market before signing up.

Recipes Include All the Information You Need to Prep the Meals 

When you click on any meal kit recipe, you’ll see the prep time and level of skill required, nutrition facts, allergens, and a complete dish description. You’ll find a list of everything included in your delivery, as well as what ingredients you’ll be expected to provide. This information is handy and can help you plan whether you need to do any extra grocery shopping.

A downside I’ve noticed is that Marley Spoon asks for more pantry ingredients than other services. Marley Spoon’s recipes call for everything from flour and sugar to rice wine vinegar and finishing salt. Most meal kits usually only expect you to have things like oil and pepper on hand. 

Some ingredients, like rice wine vinegar, are pretty niche for a standard pantry – so I’d recommend checking each recipe carefully before ordering. For the recipes I ordered, 2 of the meals required flour. I was surprised to find that flour had been included in one recipe, yet I was expected to provide my own for the other.

Plenty of Customization Options to Meet Your Needs 

Marley Spoon offers a fair number of customization options. These aren’t easy to spot when you’re just browsing the initial menu, but if you go to the Price Category filter and select Upgrade, this is an easy way to bring them up. Then, when you click on the recipe, you’ll see a “Customizable” tag in the corner of the image.

These customizable options really expand the menu. They’re great for increasing vegetarian options with plant-based substitutes or upping the nutrition factor of your meals.

Available customizations aren’t listed until you’ve completed sign-up and have a live subscription. Then, you’ll see the "customizable" badge in your auto-orders or upcoming orders. You can change these when you’re in the "Choose Recipes/Edit Recipes" menu view. Click the "add" button, and a pop-up will show you all the possible swaps and upgrades. Many of these come with upcharges, but some swaps may be available with no extra charge. 

Not a Great Fit for People With Food Allergies 

Marley Spoon's entire menu is subject to allergen cross-contamination, despite the customizable feature. People with severe allergies may be better suited to a more specialized meal delivery service like Green Chef or will need to make ingredient substitutions from their own kitchen (although this is only possible if you’re ordering kits, rather than prepared meals).

Or, you can read through the Ingredient Hub – Marley Spoon's online ingredient database. You’ll find this in the website footer. It lets you search for any ingredient that you'd find in a Marley Spoon box. This is the best way to learn about allergens and potential cross-contamination in your ingredients, and it’s great for people with allergies or other restrictions who need to know exactly what's in their food.

If you have allergies, it’s up to you to sort through Marley Spoon’s weekly Ingredient Hub and recipes for the ones that suit your needs. It’s a thorough resource, but can be time-consuming when it comes to choosing meals each week.

Marley Spoon’s Menu at a Glance

My Unboxing Experience With Marley Spoon: What’s Not to Love!

The unboxing experience with Marley Spoon was really enjoyable. Mainly because of how well everything was packed. (I ordered mainly meal kits with a couple of prepared options.) It was really refreshing to see ingredients grouped together in a sizable box, avoiding unnecessary plastic. All of the perishable items are well-insulated and kept cool, demonstrating the commitment to minimizing waste.

Be prepared for plenty of kitchen prep as your fresh produce arrives whole. So get ready for chopping, slicing, peeling, or whatever method your recipes require. Meats and seafood need to be refrigerated straight away due to their frozen or partially thawed state. The pre-portioned ingredients are often provided in slightly larger quantities than needed. The recipes do suggest other uses for the extra ingredients, which was a nice touch.

Sorting through the box was straightforward. Non-refrigerated items were neatly placed in a cardboard tray, simplifying storage. I really liked that the small cardboard tray housed most of the ingredients that didn’t need to be refrigerated. This was a convenient way to store them during the week.

The inclusion of well-known brands like BelGioioso and Giovanni Rana added a touch of quality to the meals. Most ingredients, especially the leafy greens, were fresh and lasted well throughout the week. One cool thing was the freshness sensor card included. I scanned this on my phone along with the code on the box to confirm the contents were guaranteed fresh.  

Unfortunately, there was a minor hiccup with a spoiled onion. It was rotten on the inside, so mostly unusable, and slightly ruined my Bratwurst with Caramelized Onion Sauce recipe. I do understand that this would have been impossible to know before cutting into it. I was happy that it was quickly addressed after completing an ingredient issue form in my account.

Marley Spoon's commitment to sustainability is impressive. It balances any unavoidable emissions with carbon offset projects to make it 100% carbon neutral. You’ll find clear guidance on its website about how to recycle or reuse packaging materials. The plastic jars can be disposed of curbside while the plastic bags can be taken to supermarkets.

I was pleased that the overall package used less plastic and was easier to recycle compared to other meal kits. The ice pack is not recyclable at home, and the freezing liquid can’t go down the drain. This is my biggest headache with meal kits, but almost every major service uses these same sorts of ice packs. I’m sure this is an aspect that Marley Spoon could improve on.

The inclusion of large, easy-to-read recipe cards enhanced my cooking experience. If you’re conscious about using too much paper, digital versions are readily available to access online. Plus, you can opt out of paper versions in your account, which I think links well with its sustainable approach.

Cooking and Eating With Marley Spoon: I Felt Like a Pro Chef!

Marley Spoon is a great option for foodies. There are easier kits and prepared meals when you need a quick lunch or dinner, and then there are recipes that are a bit more involved but make you feel like a proper home cook.

I mostly chose recipes that required quite a bit of cooking. For example, for one recipe, I was blooming gelatine and baking from scratch. These are not skills I often (or ever) have to use with meal kits. I’d recommend a thorough read of all recipe steps before choosing your meals to check what exactly is involved and what additional items you might need.

In my experience, while recipes are simple to follow, they can take longer than the estimated times. Every recipe is broken down into 6 steps (though they aren’t always “simple”), and meals generally took at least 10-15 minutes longer than the estimates stated on recipe cards. I’d advise complete beginner chefs to use caution here, as although most of my recipes were labeled “easy,” I have to disagree.

Also, you should double-check what pantry staples you’ll need to have on hand. You won’t need anything for the prepared meals; this just applies to the meal kits. I did appreciate that Marley Spoon sends you details on exactly what you need beforehand.

Overall, I had an enjoyable experience cooking with Marley Spoon and really felt like I upskilled in the kitchen. There’s a good range of meals, and you can always order a mix of prepared meals, easier prep kits, and more involved meal kits to fit around your differing schedule throughout the week.

Another thing to note is that you won’t go hungry with Marley Spoon’s meals. Generally, every recipe I cooked made enough for leftovers the next day. So portion sizes are definitely on the generous side. 

Shortlist of My Favorite Meals

Bratwurst With Caramelized Onion Sauce

The cooking process of Bratwurst with Caramelized Onion Sauce was a mixed bag of experiences. While the dish itself turned out to be delicious, the preparation required significant effort. Cooking multiple components in the same skillet demanded a good level of kitchen confidence and coordination, which may not suit everyone. 

The mashed potatoes were a delightful surprise in their simplicity and taste. By keeping the skin on I saved prep time and gained texture and flavor. I’ll be using butter and the boiling liquid from the potatoes again instead of the traditional milk or cream.

The bratwurst needed minimal effort but delivered classic and satisfying flavors. This component of the meal proved to be straightforward and enjoyable, highlighting the quality of the ingredients in the meal kit. It's a reminder of the joy that simple, well-prepared elements can bring to a dish.

Unfortunately, the caramelized onion sauce didn’t meet expectations, primarily due to the problematic onion. This affected the sauce's flavor, making it saltier and less robust than intended. While this was a letdown, a dash of mustard provided a tastier alternative.

Creamy Alfredo Four Cheese Lasagna

The Creamy Alfredo Four Cheese Lasagna promised an easier preparation experience, but it still required a bit of effort and assembly. The process involved microwaving spinach and mixing it with ricotta to create one layer, then preparing another cheese layer separately. The lasagna's construction involved layering pasta sheets with spinach, cheese mix, and alfredo sauce.

Despite the additional effort and cleanup, the lasagna reminded me of a white sauce pizza in lasagna form. The portion size was generous, easily serving 4 instead of the suggested 2. You could pair it with a side or save it for leftovers.

The inclusion of a recyclable aluminum tray was a thoughtful touch, emphasizing sustainability. I was impressed with its durability, as I was able to clean and reuse it for other purposes, like reheating the leftover scones. 

Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Scones

This recipe proved to be a demanding baking venture, far removed from the simplicity often associated with meal kits. The preparation was messy and labor-intensive, involving numerous kitchen tools and leaving a trail of flour in its wake. Despite some initial doubt about my baking skills, the end result was a delicious breakfast treat.

I liked the combination of flakiness and butteriness with just the right touch of savory ingredients. I appreciated the subtlety of bacon, cheese, and scallion in each bite. It provided a balanced flavor without overwhelming the pastry.

The accompanying jam added an adventurous twist to the experience, introducing the novel task of making pepper jelly from scratch. The process was a learning curve, involving techniques like blooming gelatin and boiling down peppers. Although the jelly took much longer to cool, I’d created a versatile condiment to enjoy beyond the scones.

This recipe was priced similarly to other meal kits but offered multiple servings. In fact, I enjoyed the scones over several days, and the flavor of the pepper jelly improved with time. It’s definitely not a recipe for complete beginners or those who are time-pressed, but I really enjoyed it!

Recipes Summary

Prices: Marley Spoon Is Pretty Good Value Across the Board

Marley Spoon offers competitive pricing compared to other similar services. I really like how it combines affordability with a diverse menu. Prices per serving decrease as you order more meals per week, but shipping remains the same.

The Saver options are usually around $1-$0.50 less, and Premium meals usually cost at least $2 per portion extra. Other upgrades and add-ons will also add to your weekly bill.

These prices are lower than eating out at a restaurant, even at the most expensive per portion price, including the shipping fee. That said, they can still be pricier than grocery shopping for yourself and cooking at home, or opting for a more no-frills budget service.

Shipping & Delivery: Overall Pretty Good

Marley Spoon delivers to most US continental states. You can type in your zip code during the sign-up process to check whether Marley Spoon delivers to your area. You may find that you have one or more delivery day options – it all depends on your location.

Living in a big city, I’m used to seeing the maximum number of delivery days offered by a service. It was nice to have the option to get delivery any day of the week, including Sunday. Most services don’t even have the option for weekend or Sunday deliveries. Like most services, Marley Spoon gives a broad delivery window between 8 am and 9 pm. While you can’t choose your delivery time, you’ll at least know which day your delivery is expected to arrive.

When your order is confirmed, you’ll receive an email with all the delivery details, including a list of additional ingredients you’ll need to complete your recipes. Trying to track my delivery was a bit of a hassle because there wasn't a straightforward shipping link, and the website interface isn’t very intuitive to navigate. Marley Spoon uses different couriers for each shipment, which means the service delivering your box might change for each order.

The change request deadline varies by zip code. You’ll see your change request deadline in your account and will receive an email reminder to make any last-minute changes. If you want to change any details for a delivery that’s already confirmed or en route, you’ll have to reach out to customer service.

How Marley Spoon Works: Step by Step Guide

The entire process to sign up for a Marley Spoon account is easy, and it can be broken down into 5 simple steps.

How to Sign Up for Marley Spoon (Just 5 Simple Steps)

1. Choose your plan: From the homepage, select the Choose Your Meal Kit button, which will start the sign-up process. You’ll land on the “Select a plan” page. Here you can choose between recipes and prepared meals, choose any dietary preferences, and select the number of people/meals you need. When ready, click Continue.

2. Set your location. You’ll need to enter your zip code and email address to continue. This is where you will confirm that Marley Spoon can deliver to you. 

3. Complete your delivery information: Fill out your address and choose your first delivery date. It will automatically suggest the earliest delivery date. 

4. Checkout and pay: Add your payment information (card or PayPal). You’ll also set up an account password at this stage. On the right-hand side, you’ll see a summary of your order and your plan. There’s also a box for a promo code. If you click through using our link, this will be auto-filled; otherwise, you can manually add a code here. Then hit Place order & choose meals.

5. Choose your meals: The last stage is picking your meals for the week. This is also where you can make any customizations and browse the market for add-ons. Based on the preferences you’ve already added, you’ll get a few recommendations. I prefer to go through and pick my own meals, but it’s great that there’s a choice for people who are indecisive, busy, or want to try something new.

Once you’ve chosen your recipes, all that’s left is to wait until your meals arrive. If you stay subscribed and don’t choose your own meals, you’ll continue to get recommended meals each week.

Managing Your Subscription

It’s easy to change recipes or skip a week. You’re typically charged 5-6 days before a scheduled delivery, with the exact timing depending on location. Once your cutoff is reached (generally the day before billing), no further changes can be made. You can select an upcoming box in the “Orders” tab to see exactly how many days remain to edit it. 

You can skip boxes up to 8 weeks in advance. Skipping an order is straightforward and can be done either for a single delivery or multiple weeks at once. For individual boxes, simply go to the “Orders” section and click “Skip this order” beneath the relevant delivery. For longer-term planning, you’ll need to go to the “Settings” tab to toggle delivery dates on or off.

On the account page, you can access essential information like your plan, payment details, addresses, taste profile, and other basic settings. Personally, I found the user experience of the account page quite basic and less intuitive compared to other similar vendors.  

Customer Service: Pretty Good Support

Marley Spoon’s customer service offers a good range of customer support features. The website is easy to navigate, and there’s a comprehensive and easily searchable FAQ and Ingredient Hub.

You can contact customer support in several ways. There’s a chatbot, live chat, an online form, email ([email protected]), and a phone number (866 228 4513). Phone lines are open 9 am to 6 pm on weekdays and are closed on weekends.

The chatbot is proactive in offering suggestions, but I ran into a few difficulties. It can be quite useful for some questions, but for others, I found it had outdated information compared to the website. You can ask to be transferred to an agent via live chat, although I couldn’t confirm the hours this operates.

You can manage and cancel your subscription either through the app or by logging into your account. Canceling my account directly on the page included a few unnecessary steps. I wasn't required to speak with anyone but had to fill out a detailed 3-part survey. No incentives were offered to stay, just multiple confirmations asking if I was sure about canceling. 

Confirmation of my account changes came via email, which was a straightforward part of the process. Compared to other services, canceling wasn't too hard, but felt more tedious due to the survey. Although answering a few questions is expected, the extensive questionnaire was a bit much. The "Pause Account" feature is a positive aspect, offering flexibility not always available with other services.

If you're looking for step-by-step guidance on how to cancel your Marley Spoon subscription, we've written a short blog post that shows you how to cancel in 3 easy steps.

How Marley Spoon Compares to Other Meal Delivery Services

• Marley Spoon vs. Green Chef: Green Chef stands out as the premier organic meal kit option, offering USDA-certified organic, non-GMO ingredients. Marley Spoon isn’t great for people on keto or vegan diets, and doesn’t prioritize ingredient quality to the same level as Green Chef. Green Chef caters well to various dietary needs with keto, gluten-free, and plant-based plans among its weekly meal choices.

• Marley Spoon vs. Factor: Marley Spoon is better if you want a mix of kits and prepared meals. Factor only offers quick, high-quality microwavable meals, ready in minutes. I personally slightly prefer Factor’s prepared meals to Marley Spoon. Its weekly menu features a great range of recipes. And it supports diverse diets like high protein, flexitarian, keto, and high fiber. Factor's commitment to sustainability is evident in its use of cage- and antibiotic-free poultry, pasture-raised meats, and sustainably sourced salmon, catering to health-conscious individuals who prioritize ethical ingredient sourcing alongside convenience.
• Marley Spoon vs. HelloFresh: Both offer large menus of meal kits with prepared options. Marley Spoon has an exclusively prepared plan, though, which HelloFresh doesn’t. I also find HelloFresh better for larger families as you can order for up to 6 people, and there’s a greater range of quick and easy kits.

The Bottom Line: Is Marley Spoon Worth It?

Overall, Marley Spoon stands out as a strong all-rounder in the meal delivery space, especially if variety and value are high on your priority list. With 100+ options each week, flexible plans, and the option to mix meal kits with prepared meals, it offers more choice than many competitors at a comparable price point. I appreciated the balance between easy and approachable comfort food and more adventurous, skill-building recipes.

If you enjoy cooking, want to expand your skills, and like having plenty of choice without paying premium prices, Marley Spoon is well worth considering. It’s especially appealing for households that want flexibility week to week, generous portions, and meals that feel a step above the basics. While it may not be the simplest or most specialized service out there, Marley Spoon delivers a satisfying, well-rounded experience that makes weeknight dinners feel a little more special.

That said, Marley Spoon isn’t for everyone. The heavier reliance on pantry staples, longer-than-estimated cooking times for some kits, and limited support for strict diets or severe food allergies mean it may not be the best choice for complete beginners or those with complex dietary needs.

Ultimately, this service will suit a wide range of busy foodies, thanks to its versatile offerings and large menu. Plus, generous new customer discounts can bring the price down on your first order to make it well worth trying. 

FAQ

How much does Marley Spoon cost?

Marley Spoon’s prices are around $12.99 per portion for smaller orders, with the cost per serving dropping as you order more meals each week. Shipping is $10.99 per order, no matter the size. Premium meals, upgrades, and add-ons cost extra.

Is Marley Spoon good for weight loss?

Marley Spoon can work for weight loss depending on which meals you choose. The service offers Low Calorie, Healthy Choice, Low Carb, and Low Sodium filters, making it easier to find lighter meals. If weight loss is your goal, you’ll need to pay close attention to calorie counts and possibly manage portion sizes, rather than assuming every meal is diet-friendly by default.

If you’re trying to diet or lose weight, you should check out our list of the Best Weight Loss Meal Delivery Services.

Are Marley Spoon Meals Healthy?

Marley Spoon isn’t a strictly health-focused service, so the overall healthiness of your meals depends largely on the recipes you choose each week. Generally though, Marley Spoon meals strike a balance between nutrition and indulgence. Many recipes feature fresh produce, lean proteins, and well-rounded macros, and nutritional information is clearly listed for every dish.

If going organic is your version of healthy, you can check out our full review of Green Chef’s service to find out more about its USDA-certified organic produce, humanely-raised proteins, and sustainably-sourced fish.

Does Marley Spoon have prepared meals?

Yes, Marley Spoon offers single-serve prepared meals through its Balance menu, alongside its traditional Ready to Cook meal kits. These prepared meals arrive fully cooked and only need reheating, making them a convenient option for busy days when you don’t have time to cook. You can order prepared meals on their own or mix them with meal kits, depending on your plan.