Green Chef Vs. HelloFresh: Find Out Which Meal Delivery Service Is Right For You

HelloFresh and Green Chef are two meal delivery services that bring the comfort of cooking to your door without the need to plan your meals or run to the grocery store. But which is right for you?

In a nutshell:

HelloFresh offers an affordable meal delivery option with tasty recipes. 

Green Chef offers organic meals with a global flavor and can accommodate a range of dietary preferences. 

I’ll take a closer look at these two popular options to help you weigh the pros and cons of each meal delivery service. 

HelloFresh vs. Green Chef summary

HelloFresh and Green Chef are both meal delivery services. But each offers a different set of features that make them stand out. 

As you explore these meal delivery services, consider what you are looking for. Are you looking to expand your taste horizons? Or simple meals with an affordable price tag?

About HelloFresh

HelloFresh has been around since 2012. Since its inception, the company has almost perfected the meal delivery service. Each week you’ll be able to pick from over 22 different meal options. Once you’ve selected your meals, they will arrive with clear instructions and pre-portioned ingredients to help you quickly prepare a home-cooked meal.  

HelloFresh stands out with affordable meal options that can help you save time and money. 

Learn more about HelloFresh in our full review. 

About Green Chef

After launching in 2014, Green Chef made a splash with high-quality organic ingredients. You’ll find the meals offered by Green Chef provide a global flair that allows you to explore unique fare from around the world. 

Green Chef shines with its unique flavors and a focus on sustainability. Whether you’re looking for Keto, Paleo, or other plant-based diets, you’ll find plenty of recipes with Green Chef. 

Learn more about Green Chef in our full review. 

Cost

Here’s how the costs of these two meal delivery services compare. 

HelloFresh cost

A HelloFresh meal starts at $7.49 per serving. With all things considered, that is a great price for a delivered meal. In fact, this is one of the most affordable meal delivery services out there. 

Take a look at the cost breakdown more closely below:

Green Chef cost

A Green Chef meal starts at $11.99 per serving. With organic food and sustainable packaging, the added value comes at a higher price. 

The costs of a Green Chef meal will vary based on your meal plan type. Take a look at the cost breakdown more closely based on three recipes for two people each week:

Time needed to prepare meals

Although you won’t have to deal with the time-consuming process of meal planning or a trip to the grocery store, you’ll still need to set aside time to prepare your meal. Luckily, both of these services offer recipes with relatively little kitchen time required. 

HelloFresh prep time

HelloFresh ships meals that will take around 30 minutes to prepare. When you open the box, you’ll see the time required for each recipe on the cards. With that, you can map out which meals will fit into your schedule best throughout the week. 

Green Chef prep time

On average, you’ll find that the Green Chef meals take around 30 minutes to complete. Before you start the recipe, you’ll see a ‘cook time’ estimate on the recipe card. This can help you plan out your day. 

Personally, it took me a little longer than 30 minutes to complete these recipes. But I built my novice cooking skills with each recipe, and now I expect them to take the required time. 

Meal options available

The major difference between these two services is the type of meals that you can have delivered. Here’s what you need to know. 

HelloFresh meal options available

HelloFresh offers six different menu types:

• Meat and veggies. A sampling of meat, fish, and produce. 
• Family-friendly. Easy-to-cook meals that even kids will love. 
• Quick and Easy. Great meals with minimal cooking time.
• Veggie. Vegetarian meals inspired by seasonal produce.
• Calorie smart. Every meal is under 650 calories.
• Pescatarian. Seafood and veggie options.

Once you’ve selected a meal plan, you’ll be able to choose your meals. A few that look mouth-watering include ‘Black Bean & Poblano Flautas’ and ‘Honey Miso Sweet Potato ‘Shroom Jumble.’

Green Chef meal options available

Green Chef offers a streamlined selection of three menu types to suit your preferences. 

• Keto + Paleo. You’ll only receive meals with a maximum of 35g net carbs and most under 20 net carbs. 
• Balanced Living. A mix of meat, seafood, and veggie recipes will surprise you. 
• Plant-powered. Vegetarian and vegan recipes fuel this plan. 

Each week, you’ll be able to pick from a handful of recipes that fit within your plan. My two favorites are ‘Tangy Apple-Glazed Pork Chops’ and ‘Cuban-Spiced Strip Steaks.’

Availability of meals for different dietary preferences

If you have specific dietary requirements, you’ll want to find out which service can help you manage that need. 

HelloFresh dietary preference availability

HelloFresh does not offer specific plans that can be tailored for specific food allergies. But it can accommodate certain diets such as vegetarian and pescatarian lifestyles. 

If you are worried about a particular food allergy, then checking out each meal’s details before delivery can help prevent any mishaps. But you may not be able to entirely avoid certain food allergens. 

Green Chef dietary preference availability

Green Chef offers certain plans that can help you stay on track with particular diets. For example, the Keto + Paleo plan can help you stick to your dieting plans. Plus, you can go gluten-free and grain-free with the Keto + Paleo plan. 

In terms of food allergens, the plans offered will not help you avoid a particular ingredient. But you can check out the ingredients of each meal before selecting your menu for the week. With that, you’ll have the ability to steer clear of recipes with ingredients that you can’t eat. 

Taste

One of the biggest factors in determining the right meal delivery plan is your taste preferences. 

HelloFresh taste

HelloFresh offers meals that range from familiar flavors to slightly adventurous choices. If you prefer familiar flavors, then the Family-Friendly menu is a great option. It is designed to include flavors that any kid – or adult will love. But if you want to mix things up, then the other menus offer a variety of flavors to choose from each week. 

Green Chef taste

Green Chef prides itself on offering menus with global tastes. If you are always interested in trying a new flavor, then Green Chef is a great fit. Personally, I love the bold options offered by this company. It can help you expand your cooking skills and get more comfortable with new spices. 

Overall quality of service

Customer service is important when you are relying on dinner to be delivered to your door. 

HelloFresh quality of service

HelloFresh has earned 4.4 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot. Although there is a range of reviews from terrible to outstanding, the majority of customers feel comfortable using this service. 

Personally, I’ve had good customer service experiences with HelloFresh. When I encountered a billing issue, the customer service rep was helpful and solved my problem within a few minutes. 

Green Chef quality of service

Green Chef has earned 4.6 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot. A small minority of customers were unhappy. But the vast majority of customers only had good things to say about Green Chef. 

When I was using Green Chef, I never ran into any issues. My meals always arrived on time and tasted great. 

Delivery availability

Both companies offer flexibility in their deliveries. 

HelloFresh availability

You can choose a HelloFresh meal plan with up to five recipes each week. Once you sign up for a plan, you’ll have the option to skip a week at any time. Plus, you can cancel at any time. 

If you want to skip a box or cancel, then you’ll need to make the change at least five days in advance. 

Green Chef availability

You can order up to four meals each week from Green Chef. If you want to skip or cancel your delivery, you have to make the change at least seven days before your next scheduled delivery. 

Promotional discounts available

If you are considering either service, you’ll find discounts for new customers are readily available. 

HelloFresh promotion

GET $80 OFF your first 5 deliveries including Free Shipping on your 1st Box.

Green Chef promotion

Green Chef promotion: Get $90 Off your first 4 boxes.

HelloFresh vs. Green Chef pros

Let’s take a look at the pros that stand out. 

HelloFresh pros

• Meals based on difficulty. As you pick out your meals, you can choose recipes that suit your skill level. 
• Affordable. For a meal delivery service, HelloFresh is a very affordable option. 
• Sustainability. HelloFresh prides themselves on providing smarter, eco-friendly packaging and responsibly sourced ingredients.
• Flexible plans. You can skip weeks if you need to and cancel at any time.
• Kid-friendly. Even picky eaters will be comfortable with the family-friendly options. 

Green Chef pros:

• Keto and paleo options. Green Chef delivers quality meals that fit into your diet. 
• Organic options. A focus on organic food provides high-quality ingredients for your meals. 
• Rotating recipes. Recipies will change each week, so there’s always something new to try!
• Sustainable mindset. The company puts a focus on sustainable options such as eco-friendly packaging and sustainable ingredients. 
• Global focus. Exotic flavors to mix things up. 

HelloFresh vs Green Chef cons

Everything has cons, here’s what stands out to me. 

HelloFresh cons:

• Two-serving minimum. You will need to order at least two servings per meal, which can be inconvenient if you are single. 
• Some prep is required. You’ll still need to chop veggies with this kit. 

Green Chef cons

• Higher cost. Green Chef is significantly more expensive than HelloFresh. 
• Two-serving minimum. You will need to order at least two servings per meal, which can be inconvenient if you are single. 
• More meals are required each week. The service will require you to order at least three meals each week. In contrast, HelloFresh allows you to order just two meals.

Why choose HelloFresh?

Lower costs

If you are looking for more affordable options, HelloFresh is the clear winner. You can keep your costs considerably lower by working with HelloFresh instead of Green Chef. 

New chefs short on time

Do you want to learn how to cook but don’t have a lot of time? You can build your cooking skills with quick 30 minute recipes. The clear instructions can help any beginner learn their way around a kitchen. 

Vegetarians

You’ll find ample veggie options through HelloFresh. Not only will you feel good, but you’ll stay on budget!

Why choose Green Chef?

Global flavors

The global flair included in Green Chef meals is not for everyone. But if you love trying new flavors from exotic inspiration, then this is a good option. Particularly, I enjoyed the opportunity to try out new spices without committing to an entire bottle – or the expense – at the store. 

Organic options

If you want to keep your diet organic, then Green Chef is the way to go. You can’t go wrong with this Certified Organic company. 

Keto and paleo priorities

It can be hard to stick to a diet. But Green Chef has keto and paleo options that will help you avoid the temptation of swerving off your diet. 

Summary

As you consider HelloFresh and Green Chef, you’ll find that both offer a quality service. 

If you are looking for organic meals and global cuisine, then Green Chef is the way to go. If you are looking for affordable meals and more familiar flavors, then HelloFresh is the best option.

Read more:

• HelloFresh Review – The Best Way To Learn How To Cook
• Green Chef Review – My Experience Using Green Chef