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Even as a dietitian and cooking professional , I sometimes have a problematical time getting excited about making meals . repast planning , shopping , cooking , and making certain everything array with the health finish and flavor preference in my household can be mind - dull .
So I was excited about the prospect of try the repast delivery serviceGreen Cheffor a full week , not only because I know that meal from its parent company , HelloFresh , taste peachy but also for the chance to prioritize my health , since Green Chef accommodates various dietary needs . Green Chef offers 20 minutes of free sustenance advice or the option of on-going support from dietitian who can help plow your nutrition needs and make meal natural selection . I put this religious service through its paces like any other consumer . interpret on to happen out how it run short
Green Chef ingredients as they arrive in packaging.
Green Chef at a Glance
Pros
Cons
Signing Up
Getting started with Green Chef is easy and straightforward , with no prospicient questionnaire or complicated introductory offers that can be a negative stimulation .
you’re able to select a plan from eight dietetic preferences and other options :
I choose the Mediterranean option , since that ’s the tight to my baseline eating style . From there , I selected how many servings I wanted per repast ( 2 to 12 ) and how many meals per week ( three to eight ) .
Once I filled in my delivery entropy , include the mean solar day I want my shipment , I moved on to the fun part : meal selection . The entire summons took just a few minute , and navigating the menus and adjust deliveries to vamoose or suspension is extremely wide-eyed as well .
Choosing My Meals
Green Chef ’s menu is one of the large I ’ve come across , with over 40 meal kit that spread out every calendar week .
you’re able to tailor-make your protein , too : you’re able to pay extra to upgrade to a wild - catch or spare - chain choice , or to repeat your protein . However , no other ingredients can be sub or changed .
Meals are intimate based on the plan you choose at sign - up , but you could always consider the full menu and exchange your selections before your obstetrical delivery date . The cutoff to make change is ordinarily five to seven days before the cargo . All meals are made from fresh , constituent ingredient .
I was able-bodied to view meals and make choice for multiple weeks at a time , give me a good melodic theme of the variety a client can expect . While dish report cover a wide orbit — flatbreads , tacos , grain bowling ball , alimentary paste — there were repeated ingredients ( like kale ) and flavor profiles ( like chimichurri and harissa ) , even though all 40 meal kit are usable in each weekly menu . I would have liked more seasonal choices , like corn , Edward Durell Stone yield , watermelon , and tomato , especially since I was dictate at the pinnacle ofsummertime bring about , but there seemed to be more of the hardy and frigid - weather alternative like clams and Brussels spud .
I liked that the meals overall really leaned in to vegetable , whole grain , and lean proteins like poultry and Pisces .
The majority of dishes settle into one of a few flavor buckets : Asiatic , Latin , or Mediterranean - inspired , with a definite American influence . As someone who cooks a lot and is an adventurous eater , I was conversant with most of the ingredients and sauce on the computer menu . But there ’s a lot to memorise and experiment with if you ’re not accustomed to global look . Green Chef also provides a mixture of add - ons , like sides , breakfast items , naked and cooked proteins , and desserts
I ordered a mixture of smack , ingredient , and preparation methods to cover as much ground as possible . My repast included :
How Much Does Green Chef Cost?
Meals from Green Chef start at $ 11.99 per process , with extra charges for premium proteins , customizations , and add - ons . Base pricing stay the same no matter how much you dictate , but shipping costs about $ 10 , reckon on your location .
While you may be able to do better on a budget if you shop and repast architectural plan yourself , I felt that the price point made sense if you prioritise constituent feeding and simpleness .
How the Meals Arrived
Everything make it readily and well chill in a cardboard box seat , with all the factor and cool down packs efficiently layer inside .
in good order on top were the recipes ; brownish theme bag containing the ingredients for each recipe were in the bed below . Ingredients like kale and fleeceable onions were enclose in credit card and place in each bag according to their comparable recipe , so you may easily seize everything you take for a repast in one go — no hunt around . The sore protein were at the bottom of the box on top of the ice packs .
While some packaging could be recycled curbside , like the box itself and some of the interior packaging , most of it was either not recyclable or needed to be have to a facility for recycling , so alas , it mostly ended up in my scraps . The measure of publicity is an issue for meal saving Robert William Service in general , specially for consumers looking to be more environmentally sustainable .
Most of Green Chef meal outfit are made up of whole garden truck , which you need to chop and prep yourself , with preportioned raw meat , ironical goods , and some really excellent and time - preserve prepared sauce and seasonings .
For the most part , the food seemed fresh and of good quality , though not always top tier . In especial , I had a few egress with the green groceries : Half of my Brussels sprout for one dish were inedible , and there was some yellowed kale and really subpar tomatoes .
Cooking the Meals
depend on what you order from Green Chef , you may dial up or dial down how much cooking you want to do . Most of the meals required a flake of effort for prep and multitasking , although it was still much easier than making these dishes from scratch , thanks to the prepared sauces and provided seasonings . You ’re decidedly not nontaxable from the cooking unconscious process , so do n’t believe you ’ll be able to phone it in . But you wo n’t need to dirty every individual wad and pan in your kitchen , either .
My role was mostly to dice and prep crude vegetables , falsify grains and meat , and forgather the last lulu using the sauces and preportioned buttery ingredient like nuts and dried yield . As an experient James Cook , it felt really doable to prep incisively the amount afford and not keep track of anything more complex than a grain cooking beside a browning meat . I did n’t have to dig late for ingredient from my own stores — just salt , white pepper , and cooking oil . I also did n’t need much in the way of specialty equipment . One recipe called for a stovetop - to - oven pan , but I could have improvise if I did n’t have one .
While I do n’t think all the cookery was tiro tier , I make out Green Chef repast kits as a way of find out more about different cooking methods . An payoff in one formula was that the cooking method did n’t quite line up with the constituent , and I ended up with a dry chicken boob because I cook it to the full advocate metre . Overall , though , the recipes were easy to register and the instructions uncomplicated to follow . Nothing was terribly difficult to put to death , but I certainly bring forth my hands unsporting , which is part of the merriment .
The unproblematic dish to cook was the Creamy Truffle - Herb Linguine , which was essentially just boil the pasta and preparing a very introductory sauce with mushrooms , earthnut butter , peas , and a creamy sauce base . It drive less than the allotted 30 minutes , and the only prep work was cleaning and slicing the mushrooms .
The Corn and Bean Stuffed Peppers were the opposite , need the most homework , including cleaning and chopping the vegetables , preparing the rice , make the woof , making the root , and filling and cooking the white pepper . It was still in the approximate range of the suggest time frame , but if you ’re not a quick study , it could well take longer . I was thankful , however , that all the dish aerial , include this one , fare with prepared sauces .
Each of the continue dishes had multiple component to beguile . They did n’t feel as challenging or hit the sweet slur of cooking enough to feel established , but they came together without much friction .
For the Fajita - Style Spiced Shrimp and Steak Tacos , I cooked the two protein separately on the stovetop , preparing the steak first , while I got the veggies into the oven . This was very smart and efficient . None of the elements were over- or undercooked , and all were quick to eat at about the same time . The recipe also called for warming the tortillas , which was a nice touch .
The Herbed Turkey and Kale Bulgur Bowls had a fair amount of tongue workplace to get through , but none of it was awfully complicated and would be a great encyclopaedism experience for a newbie . If you ’ve never cooked whole grains before , this repast provides a great lesson . Aside from those tasks , the sleep involved browning the heart and soul and sautéing the bread while assembling the bulgur radix . The two herby sauces let in lifted this dish antenna , and neither required more work than opening the bundle .
The only dish that gave me trouble was the Mediterranean Chicken With Brussels Sprouts and Pepita Pesto , though it ended up being a favored flavor - wise . This was mostly due to the thin cuts of volaille provide . The recipe calls for a stovetop sear and oven finish , which leave the chicken a bit dry , but this cooking method would have made sense for a thicker excision . The Brussels sprouts turn out fantastic , though , and I would perfectly order this cup of tea again but make my own adaptation to the cookery metre . This beauty was the only one that need a stovetop - to - oven goat god , which is not something every menage has , so the method acting felt extra unnecessary .
Tasting the Meals
feeling was not missing from the Green Chef repast , and there was always a notable visibility that was balanced and robust . However , the overall salt capacity and seasoning was a bit potent . But you could always exclude some of the sauce or add a trivial less salt .
In damage of cookery time and texture , nearly every dish was spot on . Besides the slightly dry chicken in one repast , the kernel were juicy ; the vegetables were snappy ; and each repast was filling and satisfying . I ’d consider ordinate some of my favorite again or flick on those formula to recreate them at home . I could even see ordering some of the meal that were n’t top on our list and making substitutions more to our taste .
The Fajita - Style Shrimp and Steak Tacos were a solid favourite in my house , though we accord it could have used a side dish . The greaser were saporous and succulent , and the instruction did n’t dry out the center at all .
Our next favorite was the Mediterranean Chicken With Brussels Sprouts and Pepita Pesto . While I would have care a saccharide constituent , this meal was one of the low - carb options . It was satisfying and jam with herby , nutty flavors . The pesto had a lot of biff , and the intermixture of feta and sweet almond with the Brussels sprout added richness .
Third on the list : Herbed Turkey and Kale Bulgur Bowls . I am a devotee of whole metric grain , and I really loved this . The prepared sauce gave the nutty bulgur an herby kick , and the apricots and pistachio tree were a dainty textural contrast . Overall , I ’d be glad to eat this or something like it every solar day .
While they did n’t necessarily taste bad , we did n’t care the Creamy Truffle - Herb Linguine and Corn and Bean Stuffed Peppers . Some in my house like the pasta , and I did n’t call up the truffle taste was abominably overpowering , but others did n’t like the truffle flavor . The stuffed peppers just did n’t cater much in the fashion of grain or flavor .
Nutritional Quality of the Meals
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I would have loved to see a bit more information on how Green Chef delineate its label for the gut and brain wellness , Mediterranean , and protein throng menu — I was n’t able to detect much specific information on the web site . In the absence of grounds - based rule of thumb , we ca n’t be sure those claim are n’t deceptive . That said , full aliment selective information , include allergen information , is easily accessible for all dishes during menu extract , so people with nutritious restrictions or headache can make informed choices .
Overall , my passport is to do your due industriousness and reexamine the nutrition information available . Also make certain that you’re able to observe equipoise with some of the nutrients in these meals as you make other daily choices . One meal wo n’t of necessity make or fall apart your health ; it ’s the overall picture that ’s important .
Add-Ons
In addition to the meals , I rate a few add - ons to get a tactile property for what the full software package is if you order regularly . I chose spinach and feta egg cups , lentil and chickpea soup , and a meal kit for Broccoli au Gratin that I was excited to prepare .
While I really enjoyed the loving cup and soup — I would gladly eat up those egg loving cup on a daily cornerstone — the broccoli side dish was missing the star topology element . I was yield a prompt refund only by using Green Cup ’s chat characteristic and having a quick conversation with an broker , but it was unsatisfying to not get the broccoli .
I would have liked to seek some of the frozen smoothie , but they were sold out , even though I placed my order several weeks out .
How Does Green Chef Compare to Other Meal Delivery Services?
In the retiring few years , I ’ve try nigh everymeal delivery serviceon the market , from fresh to frozen , misrepresent it yourself to quick - made . Green Chef , with a monumental menu , ( mostly ) organic produce , and square portions , is a worthy choice in my eye . Its independent competitor , Sunbasket , has a slightly lower start price for meal kits and similar ( if not better ) sourcing protocol , but it does n’t put up as much food for your money . Sunbasket ’s menu feels a piffling more gourmet , but it ’s much smaller . Green Chef may be more reachable to a wider audience or those cooking for shaver or a sept with wide-ranging gustatory modality .
High protein , gluten - free , gut - well-disposed , vegan , vegetarian , less sugar , dairy - complimentary
Is Green Chef Worth It?
Becoming a weekly Green Chef reader get a mountain of gumption if you want help with meals and your principal business concern is organic produce and nutritive - dense food . It would work nifty for couple or families , and can reduce some of your mental loading while still keeping your desire for organic eats richly on the priority list .
Even though I ’m not a stickler for constitutional options , I ’d consider using the service myself for the common component like whole grains and the wealth of vegetable - fill up meals , but I ’d emphatically seek out formula that are gloomy in sodium and pure fat .
FAQs About Green Chef
How We Evaluate Meal Delivery Services Like Green Chef
Everyday Health is lead a thorough review of over 50 meal livery services , expect expert in solid food and aliment to determine which are the best , healthiest , and most deserving govern .
To make a determination , experts like me are go through a distinctive customer experience of order , welcome meals , and cooking our dishes . We ’re evaluating each service through an intensive survey that looks at each part of the experience , from the sign - up to the health information provided and , of course , the quality of the food .
Why Trust Everyday Health
Reyna Franco , RDN , is a New York City – establish dietitian - nutritionist , license specializer in athletics dietetics , and certify personal trainer . She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master copy ’s degree in nutriment and exercise physiology from Columbia University .
In her private practice , she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight unit management , sport nutrition , diabetes , cardiac disease , nephritic disease , gastrointestinal disorders , cancer , food allergy , eat up disorderliness , and childhood nutrition . To attend to her diverse patient , she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and noesis of wonted food practices . She applies the dogma of lifestyle medical specialty to lose weight the risk of continuing disease and improve wellness effect for her patients .
Franco is also a corporate health adviser who direct health counseling and seminar for organization of every size . She taught sports nutrition to aesculapian students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine , learn lifespan bike nutrition and nutriment counsel to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College , and precepts aliment students and medical intern . She make the variation aliment rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship curriculum .
She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’sRegistered Dietitian - NutritionistMember Interest Group . She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , having previously served in many other leadership part for the arrangement , include as past president , awards committee chair , and grant citizens committee chair , among others . She is dynamic in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , too .
Tori Martinet is an Intuitive Eating dietitian , intellectual nourishment writer , formula developer , and food photographer ground in Southern California . She pick up a passkey ’s level in nutrition from Columbia University Teachers College and spend about a 10 as the director of wellness and sustainability for a chancellor food service contractor based in New York City . In her time there she crafted wellness and sustainability programming for clients like Google , Citigroup , The Metropolitan Museum of Art , Harvard Business School , and the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament .
She has been a dietitian for nearly 10 eld and presently works in secret drill , dedicated to helping the great unwashed pursue health without restriction and dieting . She also writes free-lance solid food and victuals content and has been featured in publications likeEating Well , Food & Wine , Shape , The Spruce Eats , U.S. News 360 Reviews , Verywell Health , and many more .
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