There's really nothing better than a home-cooked meal, huh?
Pressure to provide hot and healthy – And delicious — Dinner every night can be a hassle, with many turning to takeaways or fast food as an easier option. Although there's nothing wrong with that on some nights of the week, can I give you a better solution? Home Chef Meal Kits.
I've tried countless meal kits over the past four years (well, about 25 different brands, if I had to count), so I know a thing or two about what's going on when it comes to each delivery service. I had the pleasure of trying the Home Chef again in 2024 when reviewing the meal kits that will be suitable for my 2025 review and I can say that it once again stands up as one of the best tools for filling family meals, adding convenience to your dishes as well as that for flavor and nutrition.
How Home Chef works
Home Chef is a typical meal kit in the way it works on a weekly menu schedule. It gives users the ability to add meals to their order, and then choose the delivery date that suits them. The meals come in their own packaging, with ingredients separated to make it easier, although this means more plastic waste for those trying to cut back. Proteins are stored on ice packs.
There are options for meat-eaters and vegetarians, as well as those who are carb-conscious, dairy-free and nut-free, or allergic to soy, peanuts, tree nuts and other ingredients. This group is one of the most conscious food averse out there, with a pretty comprehensive list when you join.
Another thing that makes Home Chef stand out from the rest is the meal options other than traditional kits. It offers a specially priced family-friendly meal plan designed for four people, quick meals ready in 15 minutes or less, oven-ready meals that come with a baking tray, microwave-ready meals, and a variety of add-ons – snacks, breakfast, and desserts. If you want to eat Home Chef for every meal of the day, you can!
Home chef price
Home Chef's pricing is fairly straightforward. Standard meal kit meals start at $9.99 per serving, but each meal also states the price on the weekly menu so customers don't have any surprises when filling their box. Add-ons also vary in cost; For example, the tamales I had for breakfast were $4.49 for two, and the skillet cake cost $8.48.
Shipping also ranges from $10.99 to $13.99 per box, depending on size.
Home chef meals
Like many meal kits, the menu is varied and includes family favorites such as macaroni and cheese, sandwiches, pasta dishes and soups. The menu tends to lean more toward comforting classics rather than fancier culinary options, making it ideal for families and those looking for tried-and-true, filling recipes.
All ingredients come fresh and pre-packaged, with products in their own plastic bags, while other ingredients come in plastic or small containers. this He does Increase packaging but also make measuring easier.
I tried:
Pros:
- Lots of options for different schedules, including 15-minute meals and oven-ready baked goods
- Easy-to-use zip-top packaging and easy-to-use recipe cards with cook time, expiration date, difficulty level and seasoning.
- Great variety of meals for each week, and for many meals, meat can be replaced with vegetarian options from Impossible Foods
- Many options for toppings, including breakfast, snacks and baked goods
- The meals are filling and feature classic, delicious recipes that many know and love – perfect for families.
Cons:
- Everything is included except salt, pepper and oil
Even though I only have a one-person household, I love Home Chef recipes.
This meal kit really reminded me of my childhood home-cooked meals, with meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, hearty soup, and even sprinkled biscuits for dessert. If I had kids (not just a fur baby, which is featured in one of my other meal kit reviews) I would definitely take a serious look at the Home Chef Family Plan, as the meals for four would be perfect for adults and kids alike.
During my experiences with the company, I've tried traditional cutting and meal prep tools, oven-ready options, microwave-ready meals, and toppings, and there's really no wrong answer. I prefer oven-ready meals when I don't want to deal with a lot of dishes. The home chef tries to cook the meal and can even use it as a leftover container.
However, I like to flex my cooking muscles, so the regular meal kits are great, and come with clear printed instructions, similar to other meal kits I've tested. I love that I can mix and match what's in each weekly box with Home Chef. For this meal, I was able to add one oven-ready meal, one pre-made lunch, two meal kits and some extras – very Customizable!
The only thing to note is that since you have a lot of flexibility, make sure to keep an eye on the prices, as some meals can cost more and toppings add up. There's a handy price tracker in the top corner of the menu page when filling your box, as well as the prices on each menu item, so it won't be difficult by any means, just something to keep an eye on so you're not surprised at checkout.
Final ruling
Home Chef is a premium meal kit that delivers delicious meals that are enough for me and I'm confident they will satisfy enough for your family. It offers plans suitable for families of two and four, as well as ways to add more food for added customization.
Unless you're only getting microwaveable meals, this may not be the best for someone who doesn't like to cook on the go, but it's very handy if you have basic kitchen skills and takes at least 15 minutes or so. To spare.
How we tested
- Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, Home Chef is easy to prepare and order for each week, but take note of the extras. I always take into consideration how to customize the order, make changes, and pause the membership when testing.
- Preparation, cooking and cleaning time: The main selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Home Chef takes anywhere from 15 to 50 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what the recipe estimates. I still notice how long it took to get a complete meal from unpacking to cooking, eating and recycling.
- Flavor and fullness: Meal kits aim to take all the guesswork out of cooking, including seasoning. When testing Home Chef, I took into consideration whether any of the dishes I ordered needed to be seasoned or tweaked to be more crisp. I also thought about how content they would be with me leaving them and for how long.
- Sustainability: Not all meal kits are eco-friendly or use sustainable practices. To determine where Home Chef stands on the environmentally conscious scale, I reviewed its production policy and looked at how it sources its ingredients. Other things I took into consideration were their packaging and whether they could be recycled.
- price: Meal kits typically range from $7 to $15 per meal, so Home Chef's cost falls in the middle at $9.99 per meal, some a little higher and some a little lower. I also take into account the number of meals per week and how many meals you get for the price.
FAQ: What should you look for when choosing a meal kit
Diet: Pay attention to the dietary options each service offers, from vegan and vegetarian to keto and paleo.
Family size: Count the number of people in your family and then calculate how much they eat to best calculate how many meals you need to feed everyone. Some sets have larger portions, while others only offer an individual meal.
budget: Meal kits and services have a wide range of prices. Some offer free shipping, while others offer a minimum spend. Specialized or health-related plans may cost more.
time: Think about how long you want to cook each night. Some meals require 30 minutes or more to cook, not including clean-up time. Others are microwaveable and therefore require no cleaning time either.
