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HomeAI & Machine LearningWe tested EveryPlate, the Meal Kit Service, for its affordableness.

We tested EveryPlate, the Meal Kit Service, for its affordableness.

hand holding three recipe cards
8.8 / 10
SCORE

EveryPlate

Sales Begin at$ 2/serving w/CNET

Sort Meal products

Foods per year 25+

Great for Fast, quick, and wholesome, family-friendly, convenience food, picky eaters, and healthy eaters.

Report Breakdown

Taste/results 8/10Value 10/10Ease of recipes 9/10Recipe variety 8/10Healthiness 7/10

Pros

  • Simple, delicious meals at the lowest cost per serving in the class
  • If you want, you can switch sides and proteins.
  • Uses less cheap than other food system services
  • Whatever I created was delicious and simple to carry out.

Cons

  • Not some low-carb or plant-based choices
  • Some cartons of components arrive a little confused.
  • $ 9 additional for shipping

In the era of tariffs and food inflation, choosing the right food kit delivery service is not only easy, but choosing the right one might end up being less expensive than buying the groceries on your own. Starting at$ 6 per serving, EveryPlate food products are some of the cheapest alternatives– but are they great? EveryPlate stands out as one of the best value in the type of food supply out of the hundreds we’ve tested. To ensure that my glowing taking on EveryPlate in the several rounds of tests I’ve done wasn’t a fluke, I tapped two different CNET editors– a wellness expert and another who is fresh to cooking– to verify my findings. Three distinct perspectives on EveryPlate food kits are presented below.

box of groceries

I retested EveryPlate and it’s still my beloved low food system support. EveryPlate

EveryPlate has topped our hand-tested list of the best cheap food delivery service for four decades running. We used hands-on screening experiences from wellbeing editor Caroline Igo and flexible writer Corin Cesaric to acquire EveryPlate for another spin in 2025 in the spirit of quality control, which we take seriously . The service’s cheap offerings hold stable as the best inexpensive meal kits to acquire, doling out simple and satisfying recipes for good, homemade meals that usually cost you less time and money to create than doing it from scratch.

What can you expect from our most current round of testing of EveryPlate meal kits if you sign up, in whole below.

How EveryPlate plays

You can get a meal package from EveryPlate that includes all the components and directions, but they’re certainly pre-made meals. But keep in mind that you’ll still need to prepare. ( If you prefer not to, I suggest trying a service like MealPro, Mosaic Foods or CookUnity for fully pre-made food delivered each week. ) This affordable services is a branch of Green Chef, which HelloFresh purchased in 2018. While Green Chef offers a more premium approach to meal packages, EveryPlate strives to be the most economical food system support. &nbsp,

website page for picking meal plans

The more dishes per year you pick, the cheaper they get. CNET’s EveryPlate/Screenshot

Signing up for EveryPlate don’t become simpler. You’ll enter your address and contact information, choose a program ( the number of meals ), and choose a payment option. For ideas, you can choose either two, three, four or five meals products per month with either two, four or six cups per meal. The less expensive the per-serving price is the more you choose. The plans start at about$ 6 per serving.

EveryPlate recipes from website

Simple and delicious EveryPlate recipes. CNET’s EveryPlate/Screenshot

The fun part is that you choose from a menu of more than 30 meal options. The meals change weekly with favorites popping back into the rotation often. There are a lot of details about each one, including calories, nutrition, and how long it takes to make. You can also substitute proteins and side dishes on most EveryPlate meal kits just in case you despise green beans or have had way too much chicken lately. Even the upcoming two weekly menus can be viewed in advance.

Shipping and delivery

ingredients for three meal kits in box

By combining the majority of the ingredients together in a single box, EveryPlate uses less packaging than other services. You’ll have to separate items before starting a recipe but it doesn’t take long and didn’t bother me at all. David Watsky/CNET

EveryPlate delivers to most of the continental US with boxes arriving on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays (your choice ). Large ice packs are included in meal kit deliveries and are intended to keep the temperature cold for up to 48 hours in case you aren’t home on a particular day.

What EveryPlate meals are like

hand holding three recipe cards

The recipe cards from EveryPlate will help you through each meal kit with care. David Watsky/CNET

Comfort food is a big deal at EveryPlate. On any given weekly menu you’ll find options for meatloaf, pork chops, chicken pot pie, tacos and pasta recipes. There are plenty of mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, white rice, and noodles on the sides, which are both hearty. The recipes are mostly familiar, but the culinary team will mix things up with a hoisin ( Japanese barbecue sauce ) glaze on an otherwise traditional meatloaf or a sweet apricot and Dijon sauce to liven up a chicken dish.

You won’t find many trendy ingredients or superfoods in EveryPlate meal kits, which only offer a small selection of plant-based options per week. However, our wellness editor was impressed with the amount of fresh, whole foods that came included in the meal kit ( and weren’t covered in plastic ).

The foods from an EveryPlate Meals box.

Caroline Igo/CNET

EveryPlate has only a few seafood or steak options ( one or two per week ) and most of the ones available are considered “premium” and cost an extra$ 3 per serving. Although you can choose a protein pack of chicken breast and ground beef for meal planning, there are really only lunch and dinner meal kits and no breakfast or snack options.

How easy are EveryPlate meal kits?

ingredients for a fish meal kit

The majority of EveryPlate’s recipes are straightforward and fuss-free. I like that. David Watsky/CNET / &nbsp

Of the meal kit services I’ve tried, EveryPlate meals are some of the easiest to prepare. The meatloaf recipe I made during my testing was the most challenging, and it only took 30 minutes. Our flex editor and novice cook didn’t find any of her meals too challenging to prepare. EveryPlate is a good choice for new or experienced cooks because of the relatively few, if any, excessively complicated recipes that call for advanced culinary knowledge or fancy kitchen equipment. &nbsp,

A detailed recipe card that is compatible with glossy images and directions to help you through each meal kit comes with a meal kit. Each card also lists what you’ll need that isn’t provided– cooking oil, butter, ketchup– so you’re not caught flat-footed. &nbsp,

If you’ve chosen to swap a side or protein, there are little addendums up in the corner to address any slight changes to the recipe. For instance,” Did you pick chicken over pork?” Follow the recipe as written but in step 4, simply cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side”.

Who is EveryPlate beneficial to?

EveryPlate is perfect for anyone looking for a boost to their cooking routine, learn to cook or inject some new recipes into their rotation without breaking the bank. Busy people would enjoy the service because it saves time by eliminating trips to the store and time wasted ruminating over what to buy. If you like comfort foods and don’t mind a few carbs, EveryPlate has them in spades but there are some healthier options, too. &nbsp,

Is EveryPlate healthy?

A screenshot of the charred corn tacos recipe card

Caroline Igo/CNET screenshot

Our wellness editor tested EveryPlate with nutrition, taste, variety, protein and diet preferences in mind. Although she was able to test a few vegetarian dishes, there aren’t any vegan options. Out of about 35 meal choices each week, there are about 10 veggie meals available. Although this isn’t much, she did notice how enticing and nutritious the vegetarian dishes were. All of the dishes she tried came with fresh vegetables and produce. For those who are monitoring their sodium and fat levels, she discovered that it is very simple to modify the recipes to include less dairy. Some of the meal options could also be made without meat and could still be very tasty. &nbsp, &nbsp, &nbsp,

She thought that the portions were good and a lot of dishes had a variety of produce, protein, fiber and carbohydrates. Because the website labels the healthier dishes with “veggie,”” calorie-smart,”” carb-smart,” or “protein-smart,” it was very helpful when choosing her meals. However, always check the nutrition label to determine how much sugar, fats, sodium and protein a recipe contains. For such a great price, this might not be the healthiest meal kit available, but it can be a good start.

Who EveryPlate meal kits are not so good for

We wouldn’t recommend EveryPlate for very experienced chefs looking to improve their skills because the recipes are on the lighter side. There also aren’t as many options for vegetarians as there are for meat eaters so those who want a variety might not like EveryPlate. Additionally, there aren’t any vegan-friendly meals on EveryPlate, so I wouldn’t suggest this meal kit service. As a way to keep prices low, EveryPlate also doesn’t cater to diet plans such as keto, paleo or low-sugar.

Pricing on EveryPlate

screenshot comparing prices of four meal kit plans.

EveryPlate is the cheapest of the major meal kit delivery services.

Screenshot by David Watsky/CNET

EveryPlate is about$ 6 a serving, so by my count, it’s the cheapest meal kit company available and it’s even cheaper when you bag a special promotion offer. Keep in mind that each box costs$ 9 to ship, and that” Premium” meals like salmon and steak do have an additional$ 3 charge.

Are EveryPlate meal kits cheaper than buying the groceries yourself?

When I tested EveryPlate last time, I also analyzed the cost of making the same meals using a self-made grocery. In some cases and especially when you figure in gas to get to and from the market, EveryPlate was about the same as cooking from scratch but with the bonus of a whole lot more convenience and time saved. See the complete breakdown here. &nbsp,

How it went and what we cooked

Barramundi with chimichurri sauce, &nbsp, mashed cauliflower and roasted asparagus: This was the one premium recipe I made ( extra charge alert ), which means it’ll cost you extra. It was straightforward, balanced, and excellent. The fish smelled and tasted very fresh, and didn’t really even need the punch of chimichurri. Anyhow, I soaked the filet. &nbsp,

barramundi dish on plate

A straightforward barramundi with mashed potatoes and asparagus served in a simple, spiced broth. David Watsky/CNET

This special meal kit includes chicken sausage flatbread and tomato pasta for lunch or another meal. It was originally made as a pizza one night, and leftover pizza sauce and toppings were added the following day. The meal kit has all the ingredients for both recipes. Both meals were enjoyable, and I thought this was a clever idea.

flatbread on cutting board

This meal kit starts as a rustic flatbread for dinner. But then David Watsky/CNET comes in.
pasta dish in bowl on table

… on Day 2, the extra pizza toppings you put aside can be turned into a hearty pasta dish in about 7 minutes. David Watsky/CNET

Sweet umami beef bowls: This is one of my favorite types of meal kits. It is very satisfying and requires very little preparation. It wasn’t heavy but plenty hearty, with lots of complimentary flavors and textures.

umami beef bowl

One of my favorites was this straightforward umami beef bowl topped with carrots and cucumbers. David Watsky/CNET

Another favorite of the EveryPlate recipes I cooked, was this one of the stuffed cabbage meatloaves I made. It was simple to make but interesting and satisfying. Wasabi is unquestionably my new favorite to put in mashed potatoes. &nbsp,

Hoisin pork meatloaf with wasabi mashed potatoes on a white plate

Although the meatloaf recipe was my favorite, EveryPlate’s meal kits all passed the most challenging taste test. David Watsky/CNET

This was a nice changeup for lunch, especially if you’re looking for some plant-based options to sprinkle into your routine. Sweet potato and pepper quesadilla with fresh salsa and chipotle sour cream.

Spicy umami pork chops with ginger rice and roasted carrots: Another simple yet flavorful dinner. The rice really hit the spot with the fresh ginger and hoisin, and the rice was delivered on its promise of umami.

Tex-Mex rodeo risotto: Our wellness editor, Caroline, tried this vegetarian meal and loved how the recipe simplified risotto ( which is normally an intensive dish involving a lot of stirring ). This involved a lot of fresh ingredients, including jalapeno, onion, and lime. &nbsp,

tex-mex.jpg

Caroline Igo/CNET

Charred corn tacos: EveryPlate’s Charred Corn Tacos were without a doubt Caroline’s favorite meal. It incorporated black beans, cheese, corn and fresh pico de gallo. For this veggie-based meal, the beans provided a fantastic source of protein. The onion, tomato, jalapeno and lime were fresh and zesty. Caroline prepared the meal several times, even purchasing all the ingredients from the store the week after testing. &nbsp, &nbsp,

charred corn tacos

Caroline Igo/CNET

Our wellness editor could see why this dish still contained pork egg rolls in a bowl despite the fact that they did not. The pork or any meat could easily be made on the side for a meat-eating family member or loved one. The food was excellent, and the taste was fantastic, according to Caroline. &nbsp,

This was my favorite meal of the week, and it was zucchini and sesame mushroom lo mein. It was so flavorful and simple to make, and I feel like it can easily be re-created at home. This is a great meal for new cooks and one that didn’t let me down ( even though my leftovers were heated up the following day ).

Sesame Mushroom & Zucchini Lo Mein in a green bowl on a wooden counter

Corin Cesaric/CNET

Another delectable dish that was prepared in less than an hour was the Carne Asada-style steak pitas. The diced steak was tender and each ingredient complimented the other to create a tasty and satisfying dinner.

Carne Asada-Style Steak Pitas in a green bowl

Corin Cesaric/CNET

Creamy peppercorn chicken: Although the recipe card said it would take about two hours to prepare, it did take nearly twice as long. However, I still feel that the meal turned out great. Although the sauce didn’t really appeal to me, this was a classic and straightforward meal that would be great for a novice cook to find inspiration for dinner.

chicken, potatoes and carrots on a green plate

Corin Cesaric/CNET

Is EveryPlate worth it?

EveryPlate makes the distinction between nuance and a meal kit very clear, despite the fact that I frequently feel like I’m splitting up with them. EveryPlate is the most affordable meal kit service but still delivers enjoyable recipes that are interesting and satisfying. EveryPlate recipes haven’t produced a single meal we didn’t like through the course of several rounds of testing with three editors, or 13 total meal kits. &nbsp,

An assortment of ingredients

Caroline Igo/CNET

EveryPlate offers a few vegetarian-focused meals each week for a healthy perspective. Dishes are also labeled” carb-smart”, “protein-smart” or” calorie-smart” to further give nutrition insight before choosing which meals you want each week. On the website, nutritional values are also visible, but only the calorie count can be seen on each meal recipe card. The vegetarian meals are very tasty and have a great serving of protein.

While EveryPlate slightly lowers the gourmet setting in comparison to Blue Apron or Green Chef, the dishes I made were all good and didn’t have any “budget” appearances or flavors. At just$ 5 or$ 6 a serving, I also felt like I was getting a genuinely good deal. Additionally, the majority of EveryPlate’s ingredients use less shipping material than many of its rivals. &nbsp,

I would highly suggest EveryPlate if you have never tried a meal kit before and want to see if it’s a good fit. In fact, I’ve been recommending EveryPlate to just about anyone looking to try meal kits, especially at those wildly cheap new-customer prices of just$ 1.99 per serving. &nbsp,

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