In this info-rich blogpost, we have discussed and compared the features of HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef and Sunbasket. These are meal kit delivery services that mostly operate in the United States, while some may operate in other countries as well. Meal kit services like these are popular since they make meal planning and cooking much easier.
In the end, we will give you our opinions on which of these four may be the better choice based on first-hand experiences.
HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
The following table has depicted the main characteristic features which you can find in HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef as well as those in Sunbasket. You will also be able to check out the delivery areas along with the variety of recipes present in these meal kit delivery services.
| Feature | HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Delivery areas | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii,UK,France,Germany,Netherlands,Belgium,Luxembourg,Austria,Switzerland,Australia,Canada,New Zealand,Denmark,Sweden | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii |
| Price range | $120 to $460 per month | $50 to $180 per week for two | $30 to $120 per week for two | $10.99 to $13.99 per serving |
| Price per plate | $7.49 per plate | $4.99 per plate | $8.99 per plate | $11.49 per plate |
| Difficulty levels | Easy,Intermediate,Expert | Easy,Intermediate,Expert | Easy,Intermediate,Expert | Easy,Intermediate,Expert |
| Avg. cooking time | 20 – 50 mins per meal | 25 – 35 mins per meal | 30 minutes per meal | Up to 50 minutes |
| Avg. calorie count | 500-800 calories per serving | 500-700 calories per serving | 400-600 calories per serving | 650 calories per serving |
| Supporting material | Recipe cards,Nutritional facts,Meal description | Recipe cards,Mobile app,Blog,Nutritional facts | Meal description,Nutritional fact,Recipe cards,Mobile app | Meal description,Nutritional fact,Recipe cards |
| Recipes supported | Calorie-smart,Carb-smart,Vegetarian,Pescatarian,Beef,Chicken,Beans and Legumes,Grain | Beef,Fish,Lamb,Pork,Poultry,Shellfish, Vegetarian,Carb-conscious | Vegetarian,Poultry,Without nuts,Without soy,Seafood,Without wheat,Pork,Carb-conscious,Calorie conscious | Soy-free,Gluten-free,Protein plus,Vegetarian,Calorie-conscious |
| No. of choices | 30 per week | 12 per week | 13 per week | 17 per week |
| Introductory deal | 60% off on first box | $110 off on first box with free shipping | $20 off in first box with free shipping | $90 off + 1 free gift |
| Avg. shelf life | 3-5 days for meat,1-2 days for seafood | 3-5 days for meat,1-2 days for seafood | 3-5 days for meat,1-2 days for seafood | 5 days for meat,3 days for seafood |
Types of Plans: HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
| HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Meat & Veggies Meal kits containing meat and veggies | 2-serving Signature 2 or 3 or 4 recipes per week,2 or 3 or 4 choices per week | Oven Ready meals $13 per meal serves two, Only needs to be heated in the oven | Fresh & Ready Meal plan $9.99 – $17.99 per meal + shipping charges, Serves 1, Only needs to be heated |
| Vegetarian Plant-based meals, Not always vegan | 4-serving Signature 2 or 3 or 4 recipes per week,7 choices per week | 15-minute meal kits $9.95 per serving,Requires very little cooking time | Quick & Easy plan $12 – $18 per serving + shipping charges,Prepared in 10 minutes,Require only a single plan |
| Family Friendly Kid-approved meals | Vegetarian Plan for 2 3 vegetarian recipes every week | Entrée salads $9.95 per serving,No cooking required | Lean & Clean $12 – $18 per serving, + shipping chargesCalorie-conscious meals,Contains lean meat and seafood |
| Calorie-Smart meals 650 calories or less in each serving | Meal Prep 8 servings of ready-to-go meals with 2 types of protein per week | ||
| Quick and Easy Meals which can be cooked within 30 minutes | |||
| Pescatarian Meals containing seafood proteins |
In HelloFresh, the user is free to choose among lots of options. The meal kits in HelloFresh cover meat & veggies options as well as vegetarian options. Furthermore, there are also quick-cooking meals in HelloFresh which can be prepared in a very short span of time. HelloFresh also offers seafood options for its users.
Blue Apron is known for its meal kits which are not only easy to cook but are delicious as well. Blue Apron also has fully prepared meals which only need to be heated for a few minutes in the microwave oven or a conventional oven. There are also multiple vegetarian options in Blue Apron for plant-lovers.
Home Chef and Sunbasket also have a number of options for their users. Home Chef offers easy-cooking meal kits which can be prepared in about 15 minutes and also features prepared salads which can be added to the meal box. Sunbasket meal options include lean and clean meals for those who are trying to eat healthy, and also quick and easy meals for those who are time-poor.
Winner: Blue Apron wins the Types of Plans segment.
Types of Ingredients: Hello Fresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
| Ingredient type | HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Produce | Farm-fresh produce | Family-run farms | Not always organic produce,More of seasonal produce | Organic fresh produce,Seasonal ingredients |
| Meat, eggs, fish | Hormone-free,Antibiotic-free | Hormone-free,Subtherapeutic antibiotic-free meat and poultry,Sustainable seafood | USDA FSIS approved | Antibiotic-free,Hormone-free,Sustainably-sourced seafood |
| Other ingredients | Seasonings, Spice blends | Seasonings,Sauces,Spice Blends | Seasonings,Spices,Sauces | Seasonings,Marinades,Spice rubs,Sauces |
All these meal kit delivery services bring the best ingredients for their customers. When it comes to HelloFresh, Blue Apron and Home Chef, the ingredients are sourced from local vendors and partners. The meat, poultry as well as the seafood in these meal kits are sourced from very sustainable sources.
Sunbasket tops the rest when it comes to sourcing the ingredients. The ingredients in Sunbasket are completely organic and GMO-free. In order to guarantee the very best of ingredients for customers, Sunbasket partners with local vendors and partners. The meal kits here come with the required seasonings and spices.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Types of Ingredients segment.
Add-Ons: HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
| HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Garlic bread,Yogurt dip,Garden salad,Cheesecake Mousse Parfait | Dessert,Appetizers,Sides,Extra meals | Dessert,Salad,Bread,Fruit,Smoothie | Grocery items, Breakfast,Lunch,Snacks |
HelloFresh allows customers to add more items to their meal boxes in the form of add-ons. The add-ons include not only tasty garlic bread and yogurt dip, but even garden salads. Blue Apron also offers a number of add-ons such as sides, appetizers and even a large selection of desserts for its users.
Home Chef also presents a number of add-on options for the customer. The customer can choose from delicious desserts, sides and even bread in Home Chef. Furthermore, bread, fruit plates and breakfast smoothies are available here. Sunbasket’s add-ons include staple grocery items, breakfast items, lunch items and even snacks for the user.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Add-ons segment.
Packaging of Meal kit: HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
| HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Cardboard box,Kit bag,Separator,Insulator,Ice packs | Plastic cups, trays and lids,Metal cans,Glass bottles,Cardboard box,Molded fiber,Recipe cards,Ice packs,Produce bags | Meal box,Divider,Produce bags,Insulated liners,Ice packs,Plastic containers,Recipe cards | Box,Paper insulation,Bags,Denim insulation,Ice packs,Fiber trays and sleeves,Recipe cards,Egg containers |
| Fully recyclable | Mostly recyclable | Fully recyclable | Fully recyclable |
All of these meal kit delivery services use easily recyclable elements for their packaging. HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef as well as Sunbasket use recycled cardboard to make the meal kit box, while the ice packs use a non-toxic gel which can be emptied into the trash or mixed with the soil to help plants grow.
Winner: HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef and Sunbasket win the Packaging of Meal kit segment.
Customer Support: HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
| Feature | HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Chat support | + | – | – | + |
| Email support | – | + | + | + |
| Phone support | + | + | + | + |
| Availability | All days of the week | All days of the week | Monday-Saturday | All days of the week |
Customer support is highly important for any meal kit delivery service since the user may run into difficulties at any time. In HelloFresh, the customers can seek help or assistance through the live chat feature as well as the phone lines, which are in operation throughout all days of the week.
Blue Apron’s customer support can be reached through email as well as through phone support which is present on all days of the week. Home Chef’s customer support is present only from Monday to Friday and live chat is not present here. Sunbasket’s customer support can be reached through live chat, email support as well as phone support at any time and any day.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Customer Support segment.
Sample Meals: HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
| Sample | HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Sample 1 | Name: Hearty Steak and PotatoesPreparation time: 40 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Wonton Noodle Stir-FryPreparation time: 25 minsSpice level: MediumNo. of calories: 560 calories | Name: Japanese BBQ BurgerPreparation time: 35-45 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Black Angus rib-eyes with romesco and artichoke-olive saladPreparation time: 15 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy |
| Sample 2 | Name: Winner Winner Chicken Orzo DinnerPreparation time: 30 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Chipotle Chicken ChiliPreparation time: 45 minsSpice level: MediumNo. of calories: 640 calories | Name: Korean Fried ChickenPreparation time: 30-40 minsSpice level: MediumDifficulty: Intermediate | Name: Vietnamese shaking beefPreparation time: 25-35 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy |
| Sample 3 | Name: Ginger Beef Stir-FryPreparation time: 30 minsSpice level: MediumDifficulty: Easy | Name: Seared Cod & Olive TapenadePreparation time: 40 minsSpice level: MildNo. of calories: 680 calories | Name: Garlic-Parmesan Crusted Filet MignonPreparation time: 35-45 minsSpice level: Not spicyDifficulty: Expert | Name: Seared pork with blueberry-apricot sauce and sautéed greensPreparation time: 20 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy |
The recipes in HelloFresh are highly popular since they consist of comfort meals along with newer tastes and flavors. On the other hand, Blue Apron’s recipes are intended to not only bring delicious meals to the dinner table in a short span of time, but also help the customer learn new cooking techniques and skills.
Home Chef recipes range in their difficulty levels and thus both easy and complex recipes can be found in this meal kit delivery service. The nutritional facts of the meals are openly mentioned in the meal kits. In Sunbasket, the recipes are designed to cater to different diets along with the various nutritional requirements that users might have.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Sample Meals segment.
App rating: HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket
| Platform | HelloFresh | Blue Apron | Home Chef | Sunbasket |
| Google Play Store | 3.4 | 4.2 | 2.1 | 4.5 |
| Apple App Store | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 4.7 |
| TWP Rating | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
Final Verdict: Sunbasket wins this intense battle due to the variety of recipes along with organic ingredients.
HelloFresh is perhaps the most popular meal kit delivery service today, mainly because of its large international placement. HelloFresh not only has the standard meal kits, but also easy-cooking meal kits which can be prepared in a very short span of time. This meal kit delivery service has a very high customer satisfaction level.
Blue Apron is more popular among aspiring home chefs who are eager to learn new cooking skills and techniques from the comfort of their own kitchen. The recipes here come in various difficulty levels, but even the most challenging recipes here can be easily attempted by amateurs through the detailed instructions in the recipe cards.
Home Chef is a very straightforward meal kit delivery service that clearly does not play around. The options in Home Chef can easily cater to a number of dietary requirements along with nutritional needs. The add-ons in Home Chef can also make the lives of any busy person much easier.
Among these four, Sunbasket clearly takes the cake. Firstly, the ingredients in Sunbasket are organic and thus of the best quality. The recipes in Sunbasket can easily accommodate any diet or nutritional requirement that the customer may have. Due to the presence of many additional factors like add-ons and amazing customer support, Sunbasket takes the crown here.
Methodology
To bring you the best reviews of each and every meal delivery service, we spoke to testers and real life users, reviewed the information provided by each service on their respective websites, carried out primary research on social media platforms and checked out the user reviews of these platforms on various social media sites. We have also used the reviews presented by current users of these services on their respective Google and Apple apps.
We are currently conducting our own internal review and we will update this page with videos and pictures of our experiences. If they differ extensively from what our external reviewers said then we will update this post so you get both points of views and can decide which service provider is more suited to your needs based on the information above.
The main types of criteria which we have used in order to assess and evaluate these meal delivery services is the simplicity of the recipes, the variety of meals in the service, the inclusiveness of diets and cuisines and even the supporting material.
In addition to these, we have also taken into regard the sustainability and recyclability of the packaging of these services. Lastly, we have also considered the delivery services and customer services of these platforms.
Frequently asked questions: “HelloFresh vs Blue Apron vs Home Chef vs Sunbasket”
What types of meals are in HelloFresh?
In HelloFresh, the types of meals which are present include those containing meat and vegetables, only vegetables and even seafood meals. There are even low-calorie and low-carb meals in HelloFresh for those who are trying to lose weight.
Can Home Chef Heat and Eat meals be frozen?
No, Home Chef Heat and Eat meals cannot be frozen. These meals are fully prepared and arrive in a chilled state to the user. These meals can be stored in the refrigerator for the entire period of the shelf life and can be heated when the user is ready to consume.
Is Sunbasket processed food?
No, Sunbasket is not processed food. The food in Sunbasket is completely organic and thus very healthy to consume on a long-term basis.
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Citations
Charlotte brooke
Hi, I am Charlotte, I love cooking and in my previous life, I was a chef. I bring some of my experience to the recipes on this hub and answer your food questions.