Perhaps you have heard about Green Chef and other food delivery companies for the past several months. Perhaps you want to switch to another meal kit service. No matter what your reason may be, you surely want to know how it compares against its competition.
Meal kits have become popular over the past few years. They have turned into a phenomenon with customers happy with the pain points they try to solve. Many people are cooking more, trying new dishes, and ingredients. One of the well-recognized names in the industry today is Green Chef.
What is Green Chef and How Does It Work?
Green Chef is a meal delivery company that works just like the other companies out there. However, what makes it different is its certification from the US Department of Agriculture and the Gluten-Free Food Service (GFFS).
Green Chef uses organic produce and gluten-free ingredients in all its ingredients. The GFFS certification assures customers that the company meets or exceeds the association’s standards. Since it provides meal kits, it means Green Chef delivers fresh ingredients that they have cut and portioned for their patrons.
The company aims to make cooking sustainable. Its staff works closely with different people in the food industry, including artisans, fishermen, farmers, and ranchers. With the help of these groups, Green Chef is able to select high-quality ingredients that come from sustainable producers.
Before you will have the ingredients delivered to your doorstep, you are required to subscribe to the service. This way, you can enjoy various meals at home without needing to hunt for recipes, shop around, or even plan your meals.
After you have signed up for an account, the next step is to select the number of people whom you will serve the food. There are only two options, though: cook for two or four people. The meal for two gives you seven different options for a variety of diets. You can also choose the four-person plan, which is comprised of two-family meal plans.
Once everything is done, you will only need to pay and wait for the delivery. You will receive the ingredients every week.
Who is Green Chef For?
Green Chef appeals to everyone. If you do not want to go grocery shopping regularly or you simply do not have the time to buy veggies, meats, and other ingredients, this service is a great option for you. The company, however, focuses on providing healthy items to its customers. Therefore, it is best for those who are health-conscious and those searching for ingredients that will help improve their wellbeing.
Many meal choices are lower in calories, compared to other companies out there. It is excellent for those who have restrictive diets, including gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, Paleo, and keto.
The Green Chef is a wonderful option for those who are seriously committed to retaining a non-GMO and organic lifestyle. However, the meal kits are not recommended for kids and families but there are meals that are kid-friendly. The service may not also please picky eaters.
The Unique Features
As mentioned above, Green Chef strives to be a unique meal delivery service provider with its organic ingredients. Many organizations granted the company with certifications, including the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and GFFS.
The Green Chef works with the National Organic Program, which allows them to keep their food handled and labeled safely and accurately. All the ingredients are separated so as to avoid cross-contamination and other common health risks.
The company also does not use many cleaning supplies during preparation and production. All items are audited for monitoring and adhering to the standards.
Another reason why this company is different from most other meal kit delivery services is that they do their best to ensure they only deliver organic food. According to its website, approximately 90% of the ingredients are organic and fresh.
It means that they stay away from GMO products, a huge issue with non-organic foods. You never have to worry about added hormones and antibiotics, especially if you order meats, fish, and even green leafy vegetables.
Since the company is GFFS-certified, the company meets the requirements of the Gluten Intolerance Group. If you have gluten allergies or sensitivity, you can order from Green Chef without worries. The certification also proves that the company follows the best practices in providing gluten-free options for consumers.
If you do not tolerate gluten, Green Chef has three options for you: gluten-free menu, Paleo, and keto meal plans. Aside from these features, all the ingredients are of high-quality. Many prepping tasks have been performed before the items are delivered to your address. Therefore, when you unbox the deliveries, you will see pre-chopped veggies and pre-prepared sauces.
To make everything much easier for the consumers, ingredients are color-coded. This way, you can easily refer to the recipe card to quickly find the items you need.
A Look at the Menu
This meal kit service offers different options that will fit your lifestyle. The choices available are:
- Pescatarian: This meal plan allows you to combine your favorite vegetarian meals with fish and seafood. Among the favorite Pescatarian menus from Green Chef are Shrimp Tinga Tacos, Creamy Baked Farfalle Pasta, and Cod with Creamy Dijon Sauce.
- Gluten-free: Eat worry-free without fearing that you will consume the protein gluten in your diet. Green Chef offers a variety of choices every week, including Pork Tenderloins with Balsamic Fig Sauce, Italian Chicken Sausage Patties, and Black-Eyed Pea Veggie Balls.
- Vegetarian: If you are on this type of diet, you have a lot of options with Green Chef. The company offers a diverse mix of vegetables, grains, and all kinds of goodness without meat. Some selections include Cauliflower Fritters, Toasted Veggie, and Lentil Sandwiches, and Harissa-Spiced Portobellos.
- Vegan: For those on a strict plant-based diet, Green Chef specializes in all sorts of healthy options, including in-house sauces. A few of the top favorites are Mustard-Roasted Tofu, Veggie Fajita Quesadillas, and Spanish Tempeh Paella.
- Paleo: Whether you are a beginner in the Paleo diet, Green Chef has a variety of options waiting for you to try. All the meals are free from dairy, legumes, and grains. Although this meal plan is derived from the Paleolithic era, the taste certainly has a modern twist to it. Some menu samples are Cuban Spiced Steak Salad, Pork and Veggie Stir-Fry Bowl, and Za’atar-Roasted Chicken with Tahini Sauce.
- Omnivore: Whether you enjoy meat, fish, or vegetables, you will find a great assortment of dishes in this area. Some of the favorite options include Juicy Lucy Burgers with Aioli, Chicken with Basil Pistou, and Steak and Sweet Potato Curry.
- Keto: For a low-carb, high-fat diet, some of the top menu selections that meet ketogenic requirements are Smoky Chicken with Cotija, Mozzarella-stuffed Meatloaves, and Kale Caesar Salad with Pork.
The Green Chef has two-person meal plans where you will get three meals every week, which are designed for two people. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to select the recipe that you may want to try. It will depend on the dietary plan you select. Three meals will be sent to your home in one week.
For two-person plans, you have a total of seven menu options. If you select the Omnivore option, for instance, you will receive one seafood or meat dish and another vegetarian dish during the week. Selecting the Vegan menu will give you all vegan chef-crafted meals.
As mentioned, you cannot choose your meals but you can modify your meal plans whenever you please. For example, you wish to try Vegetarian this week. You can switch it to Pescatarian after completing the three-meal order.
The other plan is called The Family Plan where you will get two meals, which are suited for four people. You have fewer options here since you can only select from two menus (Omnivore and Carnivore). Like the Two-Person Meal Plan, you cannot select your meals but you can eliminate certain proteins that you may not be fond of. These proteins may be shellfish, fish, lamb, poultry, or pork.
All meals for The Family Plan are designed for adults and children. Therefore, you will usually not have any problems even though you are a novice cook in the kitchen.
Some customers may not like the ones listed on The Family Plan menu. In this case, they are given the option to order two to three boxes every week from the Two-Person Plan. It is helpful, especially if you have a family member who may have special dietary requirements.
Pricing, Packages, and Delivery
Green Chef needs you to subscribe to its service first before you receive your meal kit. Most of the time, customers receive their packages weekly. However, you can opt to get deliveries bi-weekly or even monthly.
When you become a subscriber and you have ordered your ingredients, Green Chef guarantees that you will receive the following:
- Organic ingredients: Every box from Green Chef contains ingredients that are free from pesticides, antibiotics, steroids, growth hormones, and irradiation.
- Prepped items: The company promises to help its customers lessen the time needed to prepare and cook their meals. With ingredients that are already measured, cut, and prepped, you no longer have to do every single thing on your own.
- Sauces: Green Chef also provides the marinades, spice blends, and more for each of your recipes, which means you have a complete box full of all the ingredients you need.
- Recipe cards: The items come with recipes that are easy to follow. There are photos, tips from chefs, and a complete set of instructions. Many of the dishes can be done within 30 minutes.
- Well-packaged boxes: Perhaps one of the most lauded features of Green Chef is how its staff packs everything by hand. This way, all the ingredients, especially the delicate ones, will remain cool, fresh, and comfy while on the way to their destination. Also, the items have their own spot and the ingredients next to them are guaranteed to have no effect on their quality and freshness.
All items are color-coded based on their recipe. Therefore, you can organize them easily when you place them in your fridge. When you are ready to cook, all you need to do is to find the ingredients that have the same color on the recipe card and sticker.
When it comes to pricing, Green Chef takes the plan into consideration. It means that customers will choose the plan and it will dictate the amount they have to pay for each delivery. Unlike most other meal kit companies out there, Green Chef charges for every meal and not each week or month.
If you select the Two-Person Plan, you will get one box that contains three dinners that two people can consume. Therefore, the whole package totals to six meals per serving. On the other hand, the Family Plan has two dinners for a family with four members. One box contains a total of eight meals per serving.
The price is also based on the meal count. Here is the breakdown of the costs:
- Keto meal plans cost $12.99 for every meal.
- If you choose Paleo, you will also have to pay $12.99 per meal.
- For an Omnivore diet, each meal is worth $11.99.
- Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, and Pescatarian also cost $11.99 per meal.
The Family Plan costs less but you will only have two choices as mentioned above. Both Omnivore and Carnivore cost $10.99 per meal. Aside from the price of the boxes, you will also have to take in the shipping fee, which is $6.99 for every box.
If you find that the price is a bit steep for you or you plan to travel for a week or so, you can choose to skip your orders. Unlike with other companies, there is no minimum order required and you can stop receiving orders anytime you want. Skipping will not cost you anything. Plus, you are allowed to cancel your subscription freely.
Deliveries are performed Monday through Friday. The customers get to select the day that is most convenient for them. However, there are regions that may restrict the days in which you can choose to have your items delivered. Additionally, you cannot choose weekends no matter where you live.
All packages are typically delivered by 8 PM. However, the time of the arrival will depend on the courier.
Green Chef vs. Other Meal Kits
Perhaps what truly makes Green Chef stand out is its dedication to providing more organic ingredients than its competitors. There are many other meal kit delivery services around, which can make your choice difficult. Here is a comparison between Green Chef and other companies:
Purple Carrot
Unlike Green Chef, Purple Carrot only designs its meals for two individuals with three meals weekly. The company focuses on offering plant-based options where the plans range from High Protein, Quick and Easy, and TB12 Performance Plan for people with active lifestyles.
While Green Chef offers various options for vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores among others, Purple Carrot only provides vegan recipes. They do guarantee that the dishes are still suitable for non-vegans.
Blue Apron
With Green Chef geared toward healthy-eating people, Blue Apron is for those searching for chef-designed meals right into their homes. Both, however, offer recipes that taste great without compromising health.
A big difference though is that Green Chef allows its customers to cancel their subscription online anytime they wish. Blue Apron, on the other hand, requires contacting the customer service department first for approval of the request.
Additionally, Blue Apron does not guarantee organic ingredients. Plus, the meals typically take more than 30 minutes, unlike Green Chef.
Home Chef
The main difference between Home Chef and Green Chef is that they have varying target audiences. For Green Chef, the company prioritizes healthy eating by providing organic ingredients. Meanwhile, Home Chef is for people who want to eat familiar dishes that are a classic part of the dinner table. They do add a bit of modern touch to the recipes though.
A Summary of the Pros and Cons
Green Chef has many qualities that you will certainly love. Just like many meal kit companies, they offer convenience because you do not have to constantly go to the grocery store to restock your pantry. Plus, you no longer have to keep worrying about your next meal recipe. There are several recipes to choose from and they change every week.
Here are the things that you will certainly appreciate from Green Chef:
Flexible Subscription
It is easy to change your meals whenever you want. For instance, if you have your in-laws coming over to visit for the next week, you can switch to the appropriate meal plan and variety to suit their preferences. There is no hassle when working with Green Chef, whether you want to add a different dish or change your dietary plan.
You are not required to keep ordering every week. Unlike other companies, Green Chef will not charge you if you skip a week. There are no penalties to worry about if you decide to go on a vacation and drop your subscription.
Also, you can have your orders delivered to you weekly or bi-weekly. You can even opt to have monthly deliveries.
Different Lifestyles Supported
No matter if you have gluten sensitivity, are a vegan, or practicing the Paleo diet, you will find the meal plan that suits you. It is a unique trait that you cannot easily find in other meal kit delivery services.
Green Chef also does not limit you to one type of diet plan. You can switch to any plan in case you need to cater to the certain requirements of people in your family or group.
Earth-Friendly
Green Chef is one of the very few companies out there that take sustainability seriously. You will receive ingredients that are fresh and organic, which come from ethical farmers. Additionally, the packaging is recyclable and reusable with every delivery.
Meanwhile, Green Chef has a few disadvantages, which are:
Fewer options for families
Unlike the Two-Person Plan, you only have Carnivore and Omnivore meal options if you choose the Family Plan. They may be designed for parents and kids but these plans are not ideal for those with special dietary needs. Therefore, if you have a family member who is a vegan, you may have to order separately.
Shipping Fee
Even though you can limit the number of deliveries you receive, the shipping cost is $6.99 for every box. For instance, you order a Vegetarian box. It costs $11.99 per meal, which is equal to $78.93 per box. This amount includes the shipping cost.
Is It Worth the Price?
Green Chef is one of the more expensive meal kit service providers around. However, the quality of the ingredients and the delicious recipes that change weekly can be enough to offset the price. This company is for those looking for a unique source of healthy meals to make their lives much easier.
From quick home-cooked dinners packed with organic ingredients to adventurous cuisines, it is no wonder Green Chef is one of the popular choices for people who want to improve their cooking skills.
