Meal Kits vs. Grocery Shopping: Which Is Cheaper in 2023?

When meal kits hit the scene, many people see them as a charming — and, frankly, expensive — date night project. Meal kits have since become more affordable, with leading food delivery brands such as Blue Apron and HelloFresh Fishing is less of a special event and more of a utilitarian service for busy families and home cooks with limited experience to make mealtime quick and easy.

In our measure, EveryPlate is the cheapest meal kit service, for about $5 or $6 per serving depending on the plan you choose. That makes me wonder if EveryPlate is more expensive than buying the same groceries.

To determine the cost difference between EveryPlate and cooking from scratch, I priced the cost of two meals from service versus cost of groceries required to make exactly the same two recipes. The difference is about a buck, and maybe closer to even, if you factor in the gas needed to get to the store.

Here’s how I got the numbers and what I learned meal kit cost and value in 2023.

Are meal kits more expensive than buying groceries?

If you’re wondering how much more expensive meal kits are compared to shopping for all the groceries yourself, I’ve done the math. While some meal kit services still fit comfortably in the splurge category — Sunbasket and Green Chef to name two — the cheapest meal kits clock in at around $5 or $6 a serving.

After calculating the cost difference between buying groceries and ordering meal kits for two recipes offered by my favorite budget-friendly meal kit service, EveryPlate, a small dollar separates the two dinner procedures. The perception of meal kits as an expensive date night splurge may be more myth than reality.

How I do the math

To calculate the cost of meal kits versus buying groceries, I took two EveryPlate recipes and priced the ingredients. To keep things consistent I use the cheapest results filled FreshDirectis a popular online grocery delivery service here in the Northeast.

Since spices are usually sold in 1- or 2-ounce bottles, I divided the cost by 20 because each bottle of spices contains roughly 20 servings. So are ingredients like sour cream and soy sauce that are also sold in large quantities. I’ve broken down the total cost by roughly how much you’ll need to execute each recipe.

How much does a meal kit service like EveryPlate cost?

EveryPlate is one of the cheapest meal kit services, with most plans for about $5 a serving. For a meal plan for two people and three meals per week, it’s less than $5.99 a serving. I use the more expensive two-person plan to compare to the cost of buying your own groceries. There is also a $9 flat shipping cost that I split across the three meals. When all is said and done, EveryPlate will cost you $7.48 a serving for the two-person plan. Choose meals for four and it will cost only $6.50 per serving.

How much do meal kits cost if you buy the individual groceries

Below is a breakdown of what both are EveryPlate recipes cost if you buy the groceries yourself. These prices are calculated from FreshDirect in April 2022. I did not include delivery charges for a grocery service or the cost of gas needed to get to and from the store. It’s also worth noting that the grocery prices listed below are significantly lower than what I found at my local Brooklyn markets.

Minced pork chops with home fries and carrots (2 servings)

• Carrots (12 ounces): $1.50
• Five Yukon gold potatoes: $1.50
• One yellow onion: $0.90
• Two scallions: $0.50
• Two 5-ounce pork chops: $4.93
• A packet of chicken concentrate: $0.60
• Cayenne pepper: $0.20
• Sour cream (4 ounces): $1.50

Total: $11.13

Cost per serving: $5.56

Cherry meatballs with zucchini and garlic mashed potatoes (2 servings)

• Five Yukon gold potatoes: $1.60
• White bread (two slices): $0.50
• A zucchini: $1.50
• Ground beef (8 ounces): $4.30
• Cherry jam (1 ounce): $0.85
• Garlic powder: $0.10
• Sour cream (4 ounces): $1.50
• Soy sauce (1 ounce): $0.50

Total: $10.85

Cost per serving: $5.42

How much more is a meal kit than buying groceries?

Compared to the cost of buying all the necessary groceries at the store, EveryPlate clocks in around $2 more per serving. If you choose one of the plans with servings for four, it’s more like $1 more. So, it is very dirty.

At the end of the day, it’s the convenience​​​​that you pay a little extra for. But if you choose a budget-friendly service like EveryPlate or Dinnerly, that little extra turns into almost nothing.

What about the environmental costs, packaging and waste?

There’s no doubt that meal kit services use more plastic than if you buy your own groceries. As such, cheaper services have found ways to reduce costs. In many cases, that means using less packaging.

EveryPlate, for example, is one of the most eco-friendly services I’ve tried. The company puts all its products and other ingredients in a cardboard box, while others pack each ingredient individually, creating a lot of waste. Most packaging, including cooler boxes and ice packs can be recycled at the curb.

On the other hand, since meal kits usually give you exactly what you need for each meal and nothing more, you don’t have as much. fOOD garbage Who hasn’t thrown away those last few ounces from a tub of sour cream or a couple of scallions you can’t see using before they wilt?

What about other meal kit services?

EveryPlate is the most affordable meal kit service, with supper. The most expensive clothes — Sunbasket, Green Chef and Martha Stewart and Marley Spoon — costs closer to $10 or $13 a serving. The added cost is often due to premium ingredients such as grass-fed beef and organic produce. With this, you will find a greater delta between the cost of the meal kit and what it costs to make the meal at home. Services such as HelloFresh, Blue Apron and Chef at Home fall somewhere in between with meal kits ranging from $9 and $10 a serving.

Not interested in cooking? I tried all the top players to find the best prepared food services in 2023.