How to Budget for Meal Kits: A Complete Guide
Meal kit services cost $8-$13 per serving, or $240-$520/month for a family of four at 3 meals per week (NerdWallet 2024). While 30-40% more expensive than grocery shopping, meal kits cost 40-50% less than dining out and reduce food waste by up to 60%.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Compare Cost Per Serving Across Services
Hello Fresh averages $8.99/serving, Blue Apron $9.99, Home Chef $8.99, and EveryPlate $4.99. For 3 meals/week for two people, that ranges from $120 (EveryPlate) to $240 (Blue Apron) per month. Compare this to your current grocery + dining out spending for the same number of meals to determine if it saves or costs money.
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Step 2: Calculate Your Break-Even Versus Groceries
A home-cooked meal from groceries costs $4-$6/serving. Meal kits at $8-$13/serving cost 40-100% more. However, if meal kits replace $25 delivery orders or $40 restaurant meals, you save money. The sweet spot: use meal kits for 2-3 dinners per week that would otherwise be delivery or dining out, and grocery shop for the rest.
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Step 3: Start with a Promotional Trial
Most services offer 50-65% off the first box, and second/third box discounts of 20-30%. Use these trials to evaluate quality, portions, and whether you actually cook them. Cancel before full-price kicks in if the value is not there. Rotate through multiple services free trials before committing.
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Step 4: Customize Box Size and Frequency
Order only what you will realistically cook. Start with 2 meals/week for 2 people ($70-$100/month) rather than 4 meals ($140-$200). You can always increase. Most services let you skip weeks — skip any week you have dinner plans, travel, or leftover overflow. Skipping 1-2 weeks/month saves $35-$100.
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Step 5: Use Meal Kit Recipes with Grocery-Bought Ingredients
After 2-3 months, you will have a collection of meal kit recipe cards. Recreate favorites using grocery store ingredients at 40-60% lower cost. A $10 meal kit recipe typically costs $4-$6 to recreate from scratch. This "graduate and replicate" strategy gets you cooking variety without the ongoing subscription cost.
Recommended Budget Breakdown
| Category | Recommended % | Estimated Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Meal Kit Subscription | 65% | $0.00 |
| Supplemental Groceries | 20% | $0.00 |
| Pantry Staples (Oil, Spices) | 10% | $0.00 |
| Occasional Add-Ons | 5% | $0.00 |
NerdWallet & University of Michigan Sustainability Study 2024
Meal kit services cost $8-$13 per serving, or $240-$520/month for a family of four at 3 meals per week (NerdWallet 2024). While 30-40% more expensive than grocery shopping, meal kits cost 40-50% less than dining out and reduce food waste by up to 60%.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Compare Cost Per Serving Across Services
Hello Fresh averages $8.99/serving, Blue Apron $9.99, Home Chef $8.99, and EveryPlate $4.99. For 3 meals/week for two people, that ranges from $120 (EveryPlate) to $240 (Blue Apron) per month. Compare this to your current grocery + dining out spending for the same number of meals to determine if it saves or costs money.
Step 2: Calculate Your Break-Even Versus Groceries
A home-cooked meal from groceries costs $4-$6/serving. Meal kits at $8-$13/serving cost 40-100% more. However, if meal kits replace $25 delivery orders or $40 restaurant meals, you save money. The sweet spot: use meal kits for 2-3 dinners per week that would otherwise be delivery or dining out, and grocery shop for the rest.
Step 3: Start with a Promotional Trial
Most services offer 50-65% off the first box, and second/third box discounts of 20-30%. Use these trials to evaluate quality, portions, and whether you actually cook them. Cancel before full-price kicks in if the value is not there. Rotate through multiple services free trials before committing.
Step 4: Customize Box Size and Frequency
Order only what you will realistically cook. Start with 2 meals/week for 2 people ($70-$100/month) rather than 4 meals ($140-$200). You can always increase. Most services let you skip weeks — skip any week you have dinner plans, travel, or leftover overflow. Skipping 1-2 weeks/month saves $35-$100.
Step 5: Use Meal Kit Recipes with Grocery-Bought Ingredients
After 2-3 months, you will have a collection of meal kit recipe cards. Recreate favorites using grocery store ingredients at 40-60% lower cost. A $10 meal kit recipe typically costs $4-$6 to recreate from scratch. This "graduate and replicate" strategy gets you cooking variety without the ongoing subscription cost.
Recommended Budget Breakdown
- Meal Kit Subscription: 65%
- Supplemental Groceries: 20%
- Pantry Staples (Oil, Spices): 10%
- Occasional Add-Ons: 5%
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Subscribing and Not Cooking the Meals
Meal kit services report that 15-20% of boxes go partially or fully unused. A $60 box that sits in the fridge until ingredients expire is a 100% waste. Only subscribe for weeks you know you will cook. Pause or cancel immediately if you skip more than one meal per box.
Ordering Meal Kits AND Continuing Full Grocery Shopping
Meal kits should replace some grocery purchases, not add to them. If you order 3 meal kit dinners, reduce your grocery shopping by 3 dinners worth of ingredients ($15-$25). Without this offset, you are double-spending on food and your total food budget inflates 20-40%.
Not Accounting for Premium Add-Ons
Premium meals ($3-$5 extra/serving), add-on sides ($5-$8), and desserts ($6-$10) can push a $9/serving plan to $14-$18/serving. Stick to the standard menu options for the first 2-3 months. Premium add-ons increase the average box cost by 25-35% according to industry analyst data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are meal kits cheaper than groceries?
No — meal kits cost 40-100% more per serving than grocery shopping ($8-$13 vs $4-$6). However, meal kits are 40-50% cheaper than dining out ($15-$25/person) and 50-70% cheaper than delivery ($20-$30/person). Meal kits save money only if they replace higher-cost food sources, not home cooking from scratch.
Which meal kit service is the cheapest?
EveryPlate ($4.99/serving) and Dinnerly ($5.49/serving) are the budget leaders. Hello Fresh ($8.99/serving) and Home Chef ($8.99/serving) offer mid-range pricing with more variety. Blue Apron ($9.99/serving) and Sun Basket ($12.49/serving) are premium. For a family of four at 3 meals/week, the range is $240 (EveryPlate) to $600 (Sun Basket) per month.
Do meal kits actually reduce food waste?
Yes, significantly. The University of Michigan found meal kits generate 62% less food waste than equivalent grocery-cooked meals because ingredients are pre-portioned. The average American household wastes $1,500/year in groceries (USDA). If meal kits reduce your waste to near-zero for those meals, the effective cost premium shrinks considerably when accounting for thrown-away grocery ingredients.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
-
Subscribing and Not Cooking the Meals
Meal kit services report that 15-20% of boxes go partially or fully unused. A $60 box that sits in the fridge until ingredients expire is a 100% waste. Only subscribe for weeks you know you will cook. Pause or cancel immediately if you skip more than one meal per box.
-
Ordering Meal Kits AND Continuing Full Grocery Shopping
Meal kits should replace some grocery purchases, not add to them. If you order 3 meal kit dinners, reduce your grocery shopping by 3 dinners worth of ingredients ($15-$25). Without this offset, you are double-spending on food and your total food budget inflates 20-40%.
-
Not Accounting for Premium Add-Ons
Premium meals ($3-$5 extra/serving), add-on sides ($5-$8), and desserts ($6-$10) can push a $9/serving plan to $14-$18/serving. Stick to the standard menu options for the first 2-3 months. Premium add-ons increase the average box cost by 25-35% according to industry analyst data.
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Learn More About New Day BudgetingFrequently Asked Questions
Are meal kits cheaper than groceries?
No — meal kits cost 40-100% more per serving than grocery shopping ($8-$13 vs $4-$6). However, meal kits are 40-50% cheaper than dining out ($15-$25/person) and 50-70% cheaper than delivery ($20-$30/person). Meal kits save money only if they replace higher-cost food sources, not home cooking from scratch.
Which meal kit service is the cheapest?
EveryPlate ($4.99/serving) and Dinnerly ($5.49/serving) are the budget leaders. Hello Fresh ($8.99/serving) and Home Chef ($8.99/serving) offer mid-range pricing with more variety. Blue Apron ($9.99/serving) and Sun Basket ($12.49/serving) are premium. For a family of four at 3 meals/week, the range is $240 (EveryPlate) to $600 (Sun Basket) per month.
Do meal kits actually reduce food waste?
Yes, significantly. The University of Michigan found meal kits generate 62% less food waste than equivalent grocery-cooked meals because ingredients are pre-portioned. The average American household wastes $1,500/year in groceries (USDA). If meal kits reduce your waste to near-zero for those meals, the effective cost premium shrinks considerably when accounting for thrown-away grocery ingredients.