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Meal Kits

Meal Kits

Looking to try a Meal Kit? You’ve come to the right place! Our team of expert Nutritionist’s have compiled some of Australia’s best meal kits providers and have compared and rated services based on cost, quality of ingredients, taste and ease of preparation. Check out the information below to find the right meal kit for you!

By
Alex Hamlin

Written by

Alex Hamlin
Certified Nutritionist

Alex Joy Nutrition supports busy individuals with health goals, offering holistic nutrition guidance to reduce stress and foster balanced, healthy habits. Specialising in empowering high achievers, Alex emphasises a preventative and management-focused approach to health. As a clinical nutritionist, Alex provides individuals with tools and education for taking control of their health. She advocates for optimal nutrition as the cornerstone of wellness, employing a food-first approach complemented by holistic treatments. With evidence-based practices, Alex offers personalised guidance to help individuals reach their health goals, prioritising health at the forefront. In health content creation, Alex delivers concise, informative, and engaging material rooted in evidence-based practices, educating, inspiring and guiding others on their wellness journey.

Edited by
Lauren Parchi

Written by

Lauren Parchi
Clinical Nutritionist

Lauren is a qualified clinical nutritionist (BHSc) who has a strong passion for making nutrition easy and accessible for everyone. Lauren uses evidence-based research to inform her content and always aims to distil the latest information, so it is simple and clear for consumers. Lauren also has a passion for plant-based health after adopting a plant-based diet a number of years ago. She uses her experience and knowledge in this area to educate others through recipes and evidence-based content. Lauren has a comprehensive understanding of clinical nutrition and aims to create content that educates and inspires others to make a positive difference to their health.

Updated December 2, 2024
Fact checked Fully qualified and expert nutritionists have reviewed and checked this content to ensure it is as accurate as possible at the time of writing.

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How do meal kits work?

Meal kits are a delivery service created to inspire and provide convenience to consumers with arrays of recipes to choose from. All ingredients are pre-proportioned (besides pantry staples i.e. oil, eggs etc) and delivered to your doorstep, ready to cook from the comfort of your home.

Meal kits were created to take the stress and time out of shopping for ingredients, sourcing a recipe, measuring portions and eliminating unnecessary waste. A meal kit takes care of all the dreaded steps often associated with cooking and leaves you to enjoy the fun parts of cooking – choosing recipes, how many meals you require and of course the cooking! 

When using a meal kits service, you will choose how many people you are feeding,  and then how many meals weekly you would like to receive. There are usually options to tailor to dietary preferences such as a vegetarian, or meat and vegetables, with further options such as vegan, low calorie or pescatarian available with some providers. You then choose the recipes you wish to cook for the week ahead. The meal kits are delivered straight to your door with all the pre-portioned ingredients and recipe instructions. It is worth noting typically pantry staples such as milk, eggs, oil aren’t included – however you will be instructed if there is anything additionally required that is not included in the meal kits.

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Best meal kit delivery service in Australia

hello-fresh-cook

Our team of Nutritionist’s have tried and tested a large variety of meal kit delivery services across Australia. What makes a meal kit the ‘best’ we consider the provider ticking the box for consumers wants, such as: a variety of recipes, regularly updated recipe options, competitive pricing, bang for buck, high quality ingredients, minimal to no waste, delivery options and of course – meals that taste delicious! 

With all the above said, HelloFresh is our top pick. It is a household name for a reason, they are one of the original meal kits providers to hit the market and have since maintained popularity and preference in a lot of Australian homes. They often have deals and discounts for first-time triers which allows you to try before you buy, or receive meals at a seriously tempting discounted rate!

Visit Hello Fresh

Benefits of meal kit delivery services

Meal kit delivery services offer a convenient way to plan and prepare meals. Here’s why they’re worth considering:

  • Time-saving: Pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes save hours on meal prep and grocery shopping.
  • Reduced food waste: Ingredients are pre-portioned to match recipes, cutting down on unused ingredients.
  • Cost-effective options: With budget-friendly plans, meal kits can help avoid the expense of dining out, and in some cases may be cheaper than a supermarket shop.
  • Culinary exploration: Meal kits allows you to try new cuisines and recipes that you may not have tried or felt confident to cook before.
  • Customisable for dietary needs: Many meal kit services cater to preferences such as gluten-free, vegetarian, or low-calorie meals, allowing you to tailor the meal kit to suit your health goals.
  • Eco-friendly packaging: Providers are increasingly using sustainable packaging to reduce environmental impact.

Meal kits are an excellent solution for busy individuals or families looking to save time, eat well, and reduce waste.

Are meal kits healthy?

Often marketed as a healthy option, it is important to remember that not all meal kits are created equal!  

A study in 2019 by the Univerity of Sydney analysed a random selection of 12 different meals from a number of meal subscription services. The nutritional composition of each meal was obtained and the conclusion was made that meal kits were shown to be a good source of vegetables yet they may be too high in fat and salt and could do with more fibre. 

Meal kits are a good substitute for takeaway and convenience foods and even some home-cooked meals and often have health-promoting qualities. Keep in mind each provider offers recipes that are health conscious and also indulgent. There are a wide variety of recipes considering a number of different dietary requirements and each provider varies. Overall they provide a quick, easy and convenient solution to fuss-free healthy eating. 

Before committing to a meal kit, check the ingredient list and nutritional breakdown to ensure they meet your individual needs. Check out the below for Key factors and pro’s and con’s when comparing meal kit companies.

If you are interested in learning how to correctly identify individual ingredients in your meal kits, read our “How to read a food label in Australia” guide. 

Meal kit

Meal kits vs supermarket costs

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Meal kits can sometimes compete with supermarket costs, but whether they’re cheaper depends on your shopping habits and household size. According to Canstar Blue, the average Australian household spends $185 per week on groceries. In comparison, meal kits range from $9 to $13 per serving, which covers pre-portioned ingredients, recipes, and delivery.

For individuals or couples, meal kits can reduce food waste and minimise impulse purchases from the supermarket, making them a cost-effective alternative to traditional shopping. However, larger households and families may find supermarkets cheaper, especially when buying in bulk.

While meal kits might not always be cheaper than the supermarket, their convenience, reduced food waste, and replacement of takeout meals can make them a valuable option for time-poor households seeking variety and ease.

Most popular meal kit delivery in NSW

HelloFresh

HelloFresh offers a range of regularly updated delicious recipes with an option for everyone. Their Meat & Veggies Plan is the most popular plan, however they also offer a vegetarian range which can also be home-tailored to create vegan options. They offer delivery Australia wide, and often have a range of discounts and offers – staying competitive with other providers online!

hello-fresh-food
Check out HelloFresh!

Most popular meal kit delivery in VIC

Every Plate

EveryPlate offers meal kits focusing on simple recipes with big flavours! They currently consider themselves to be Australia’s cheapest meal kit with meals starting as low as under $5. 

Every Plate gluten free meal kits
Check out EveryPlate!

Most popular meal kit delivery in QLD

Dinnerly

Dinnerly is popular for a reason! They are best known for their affordable meal kits, with wide delivery ranges. Each meal is focused on feeding more for less, utilising fewer ingredients, less paper and minimal packaging. Dinnerly offers two plan types – a two-person box or a family box.

Vegan Meal Kit
Check out Dinnerly!

Most popular meal kit delivery in other states

Marley Spoon

Marley Spoon offer delivery to most areas in Australia including NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, TAS. They focus on customer convenience and creating inspiration around meal time! All ingredients are locally sourced, pre-portioned and are chosen to eliminate waste around meal preparation. They currently offer a 2-person and 4-person meal kit box!

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Check out Marley Spoon!

Pros & Cons of meal kit delivery services

low carb meals pros and cons

Meal Kit Pros

  • Time-saving - Our favourite pro! With most of the work done for you from grocery shopping, finding a recipe and planning you can focus on the more important things!
  • Takes the stress out of meals - Planning meals for the week can be stressful and often you can feel like you keep turning back to old favorites like spaghetti bolognaise. Choosing a meal kit to freshen up meal times can keep dinner excited, all whilst getting the family involved! Have your family pick out their favourite meal for the week ahead.
  • Ingredients are all pre-portioned - Pre-portioned ingredients save the need for consumers to buy more of an ingredient than what they really would use or need. This reduces waste and can be cost-saving.
  • Can be cost effective - As meals are prepared in bulk by providers, this allows for meals to be marked at competitive prices which can be a huge saving bonus for consumers. With meal kits becoming more and more competitive market prices are often promotionally discounted or have referral incentives which makes the prices even lower. Big win for consumers looking to cut costs around meal times!
  • Can reduce household waste - The lowered waste can be associated with the pre-portioned amounts of ingredients which not only prevent consumers from having to buy ‘whole’ quantities of ingredients, but packaging and wrapping are commonly eco-friendly and eliminate harmful plastics.
  • Tailor to dietary needs - Whilst not every meal kit delivery service caters to the full range of dietary preferences or allergies, the majority do have options to suit your health goals. You can typically find services that offer vegetarian, gluten free, vegan, low calorie and keto options.

Meal Kit Cons

  • Doesn’t necessarily educate consumers around food choices - A negative to draw from meal kits is that although it does get consumers cooking meals, it doesn’t actively educate consumers on how to make healthy choices. Most meal kits are standard meals and don’t cater to a health goal, this means consumers need to be savvy around comparing choices instead of applying blind trust.
  • No meal kits for singles - Unfortunately there aren’t any meal kits for one on the market yet, most boxes include a 2-person or a 4-person option.
  • Some meal kits may be expensive - Meal kits are typically a cost effective option for 2-4 people, however larger households who require a higher number of weekly meals, may find better value for money from their supermarket shop or when buying in bulk.
  • Delivery may be restrictive due to freshness and sourcing of ingredients - If you live in rural areas or even just outside of metro areas your delivery likelihood may decrease

Key factors when comparing meal kit delivery services

When choosing the right option for you, consider the following factors:

Price Per Meal, Per Week

Compare meal kits by cost per serving or per meal! It’s also important to look at the discounted rates that are used to incentivise buying more for less. Ordering multiple meals for the week ahead can be more cost-effective in comparison to just 1-2 dinners a week.  

Sustainability & Environmental Efforts

Compare providers on their efforts in lowering their environmental impacts and making more eco-friendly choices. Most companies will highlight their packaging standards and environmental contributions on their website as it is a huge influence on consumer choices.

Freshness & Quality

Compare providers on the quality and where ingredients are sourced from. There are many providers prioritising sourcing high quality ingredients from local Aussie suppliers and consumers are demanding higher-quality products. There are also more providers leaning towards free-range products through meal kits. 

Meal Customisation

Consider your dietary needs when choosing the right meal kit for you. While you are still unable to edit individual recipes within meal kits, many services offer vegetarian options, with some providers offering gluten free, low calorie and keto options.

Meal Kit Delivery FAQs

As meal kits are prepared and portioned using bulk ingredients and set menus meeting individual allergy needs can be out of reach. However, most meal kit providers offer customisation for dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and low calorie, with a smaller number of services offering gluten free, diary free and nut free options.

EveryPlate proudly claims to be the most affordable meal kit in Australia starting from as little as $2.39 per plate, followed by Dinnerly starting from $4.85 per serve.

Yes, Marley Spoon, Hello Fresh and Dinnerly offer vegan meal kit options, however, there is not a huge variety. Just Add Vegan and Veg Me Up are two 100% vegan meal kit providers that offer a huge variety of vegan recipes to select from each week.

Having a meal kit is a great way to reduce food waste, as everything is pre-portioned according to the number of meals you have selected,  typically avoiding food waste.

 

 

Most meal kit providers have made huge efforts to create environmentally conscious steps in reducing waste. According to a University of Michigan Study, Hellofresh’s carbon footprint is 25% lower than meals bought from the grocery store. This can be associated with an efficient supply chain and distribution which in turn lowers greenhouse gas emissions.

At this stage there aren’t any meal kits for one, only a 2-person meal kit offering can be found on the market.

Not always. Meal kits cost $9–$13 per serving, while the average weekly grocery bill is $185 (Canstar Blue). For individuals or couples, meal kits can reduce food waste and save time, but larger households often find supermarkets more cost-effective. Their convenience, however, adds value for many.

It is unlikely ingredients are frozen in meal kits as most providers pride themselves on using fresh high-quality ingredients. However, this will depend on the provider and you will need to check with the company prior to ordering if this is something you want to avoid.

Pepperleaf has a family box for 4-6 people, 2-5 meals per week.

EveryPlate has a family box for 4-6 people, 3-6 meals per week.

Not all meal kits come gluten-free you will need to check if the provider offers gluten-free meal alternatives. Hellofresh offers naturally gluten free meal options on their menus which lets consumers choose recipes for the week ahead! 

Hellofresh offers recipes on their weekly menu for consumers to choose a low carb meal from their regularly updated menu. The reduced carb meals will say under 30g carbs and customers can add this to their weekly planned meals. Marley Spoon also offers low carb recipes, with less than 25g of carbs per meal.

Yes! There are many kid-friendly meal options available among meal kit providers, making meal kits the perfect family friendly activity to include the kids in the process! Have kids pick their favourite meal to cook for the week!  Hellofresh and EveryPlate have an array of children-friendly recipes that are regularly updated keeping the kids excited each week for new flavours!

Everyone’s weight loss journey is different, and you will need to consider your own needs before purchasing a meal kit. We recommend speaking with your trusted health professional before buying a low-calorie meal kit. 

 

HelloFresh does offer recipes that are under 650kcal, these can be ordered within the weekly rotating meals.

Search and compare wellness and health delivery services in Australia including meal kits, ready to eat meal delivery, vitamin subscriptions and much more at Wellhub. All content and information on this site is provided by qualified Australian nutritionists to ensure accurate representation of all products reviewed. Learn more about our expert team here.