The Meal Delivery Kit That Accommodates (Almost) Every Trendy Dietary Plan
Tempted to try a meal kit service but not sure there’s one that will work for your diet? We have good news. If you hate chopping but love healthy, fresh foods, Green Chef is here to save the day. The meal service is particularly good for those doing keto or paleo but who have zero time to fuss with complicated recipes. And Green Chef also happens to be the first certified organic and gluten-free meal kit company in America.
The company breaks up its meal plans by diet: carnivores (meat and seafood meals), omnivores (a mix of meat, seafood, and vegetarian meals), vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and keto. (Currently, there’s no Whole30 plan, but according to Green Chef executive chef Dana Murrell, that could change. “We’re always following new diets and health trends,” she says.) Pricing is based on the plan you choose and whether you choose two or four servings, but the price range is roughly $11 to $15 per serving. And it’s available throughout the mainland US. (Sorry, Hawaii and Alaska!)
Green Chef is tailor-made for beginners. Yes, the “Green” in the name means fresh and healthy, but it also means “novice.” “We’ve developed gourmet dinners that even beginners can cook with ease. We do the prep work in advance from the diced veggies like onions to the signature pre-made sauces,” Murrell explains.
Green Chef chops, mixes, and blends everything for you ahead of time. The only downside: freshness can get sacrificed in the process. In our package, some ingredients (like onions) looked a little wilted, but other starchier vegetables like potatoes were fine. We ordered the gluten-free plan, and it pleasantly surprised us. The package included three (two-serving) meals:
- honey-mustard salmon with a kale, carrot, and orange salad and a sweet potato mash
- steak and black-rice ramen bowl with rainbow carrots, edamame, corn, ginger, and sesame seeds
- veggie-stuffed crepes with sweet-potato-mushroom filling, dill sauce, and a kale salad
These meals can be easily tackled in about 20-30 minutes — certainly more efficient than ordering take-out or eating out. Taking out the prep work made the cooking and assembling part fun and effortless, and the recipes surprised us with their bright and bold flavors and satisfying portions. One thing to consider: Given that the ingredients are packed and shipped, you do really have to cook those meals quickly to keep the ingredients at their peak, so know your schedule and plan ahead! (And since you can’t pick the specific meals each shipment, this isn’t the meal plan for picky eaters.) But that aside, we would highly recommend Green Chef. It’s is a lot more time-, health-, and cost-efficient than delivery, takeout, or even attempting a from-scratch recipe.
What are some of your favorite meal kits? Let us know on Twitter!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
(Photos via Green Chef)
