Best meal kits and recipe boxes, taste-tested by a food writer

Keen home cook and food journalist, Kate Ng, reviews Hello Fresh, Gousto, Mindful Chef and more The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.I’ve tested all the biggest recipe box brands, from Hello Fresh to Mindful Chef Kate Ng/The StandardIt wouldn’t be a stretch to say that one of the most dreaded, hum-drum questions in the world is: “What’s for dinner?” Having to plan for and execute dinner every single night – especially with takeaways and eating out becoming more expensive – can be exhausting. Let’s not even get started about what it’s like for families, with different tastes, preferences and dietary requirements to cater to.The best meal kits and recipe boxes have provided a solution to this dilemma for some years now. Major players in the industry like Gousto and HelloFresh have been around since 2012 and became popular among young working professionals, but demand for these boxes – which provide recipes and their ingredients in exact amounts – really boomed around the pandemic in 2020, when everyone was stuck inside and had little choice but to make most meals from scratch almost every day.Fast-forward to 2026 and demand for recipe boxes has fallen as shopping habits have returned to normal, but they are still fairly popular for busy workers and families. There are several different types of kits to choose from, from healthy, low-fat recipes and purely plant-based ingredients to fresh pasta for as many meals as you like, depending on your household’s needs.Best meal kits and recipe boxes at a glance Over the course of a month and a half, I tested nearly 10 recipe boxes. These are the ones worth considering adding to your meal rotation.How I testedKate Ng/The StandardIn order for meal boxes to fit into our busy lives seamlessly, they need to deliver tasty, well-portioned recipes that are simple to follow and as foolproof as possible, with good ingredients. Because there is so much variety with recipe boxes, I tested each one on a few factors, including the website experience, recipe selection and variety, ease of instructions, quality of ingredients, and finally, recipe success. I also took note of the amount of waste generated by each box, with boxes that use less plastic waste being a priority for my household. Other factors I took into consideration were ingredient sourcing, with only a couple of boxes providing adequate information in this regard, and organisation.GoustoKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Overall recipe boxWhat we love: Well-portioned meals, wide variety of recipes, easy-to-follow instructionsTake note: Ingredients aren’t separated by recipe, so some self-organisation is necessaryFounded in the UK in 2012, Gousto was one of the first recipe boxes of its kind in an emerging market – which means it’s had quite a few years to fine-tune its offerings. Most recently, it’s added a feature that allows for more flexibility when ordering, so customers are able to change the type of protein they would like on certain recipes, or add more of a particular ingredient. This only applies to some recipes, however. Overall, I liked the experience of using the Gousto website and the variety of recipes which catered to a huge range of dietary requirements. My household is largely pescetarian, and I was quite pleased to find so many options.Everything arrives in good nick with ice packs. However, I noted that most of the ingredients aren’t organised and the condiments are all packed into one paper bag, so it requires a bit of work to figure out what goes where and to ensure everything is there. Apart from that, the cooking experience was quite seamless. I found the recipes to be simple to follow and reliable. While they weren’t the tastiest meals I’ve ever had, they were well-portioned and had plenty of protein and fibre. I was not a huge fan of all the tiny packets of condiments, as it means a lot of unrecyclable plastic waste, and I’d love to see if more sustainable packaging options are in Gousto’s future. Otherwise, I was quite pleased with the box and the meals went down well with my other half. It’s decent value for money, with a five-recipe box for two people costing £37.00 (£7.40 per serving).Feeds: 1- 5 peopleRecipes: Over 175 recipes per weekBox cost: Starting from £10.25 per serving for a two-recipe box for one person, but the costs reduce with more recipes and more people. A two-recipe box for two people is priced at £7 per serving.Delivery frequency and fee: Delivered every 1, 2 or 4 weeks. First box is free delivery, £3.99 afterwardsMindful Chef Mindful Chef/Kate Ng★★★★★Best: Healthy recipe box with fibre-packed mealsWhat we love: High-fibre meals, well-sourced produce, all-female chef teamTake note: Doesn’t cater to larger familiesThis box is really impressive, and a must-order for anyone looking to eat healthier meals without feeling like they have to restrict certain foods or reduce portions. I genuinely enjoyed every recipe I cooked with this box, which included egg fried rice with king prawns and green pea gnocchi with basil and pumpkin seeds. Unlike some other meal boxes, which have lots of recipes but are mainly catered to meat eaters and those with few dietary requirements, Mindful Chef has plenty of thoughtful recipes for vegetarians, pescetarians and vegans, as well as those with gluten and dairy intolerances. Portions were very generous, and with a couple of meals, I found that I even had enough for lunch the next day. The egg fried rice with king prawns came with such a generous number of prawns that I was surprised by the cost – Mindful Chef meals start from £5.12 for a family box (2 adults and 2-3 children) or £6.75 for a box that feeds two people. I also liked that, for a box that depends quite heavily on vegetables, there was a lot of variation in the types of vegetables and herbs used, whereas some other kits relied on peppers and tomatoes to bulk out a recipe.I was less keen on the amount of plastic waste generated – in some ways, it’s inevitable as herbs and leafy vegetables have to be wrapped separately or risk being crushed by other loose ingredients. But I would love to see both issues be solved in a more environmentally friendly way. Apart from that, I definitely see myself returning to Mindful Chef for healthy recipes that are simple and quick to get on the table during busy periods.Feeds: 1-4 peopleRecipes: Over 28 recipes per weekBox cost: A family box starts from £5.12 per person per portion, based on a box for two adults and two to three children. Meanwhile, a two-person box is priced at £6.75 per person per portion, and a one-person box starts from £11.Delivery frequency and fee: Delivered every 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks. First box is free delivery, £5.99 afterwardsAbel & ColeKate Ng/The Standard★★★★★Best: Easy make-ahead meals in large portions for meal preppingWhat we love: Organic produce, vegetarian and vegan-friendly, one-pot mealsTake note: Fewer recipes than other boxesAbel & Cole is usually known for their organic vegetable boxes, but they are also one of a handful of meal delivery services that offer fully organic produce. Their recipe selection is also a lot smaller than many competitors, with around just 12 rotating recipe choices each week. They have three main categories, which are one-pot recipes, seasonal soups and salads, and a lunch prep kit. Despite the lack of choice, I think it works quite well – particularly for families or bigger households, as most of the recipes feed four people. As a household of two, I found that the recipes also doubled as great batch cooking options for the week ahead.The one-pot recipes were a favourite in my household, as who doesn’t love a one-pot meal? I was genuinely surprised by the amount of food the baked tomato rice recipe yielded, as it was easily enough for dinner for two, and then work lunches for both of us for the next two days. Crucially, it reheated well and still tasted good after being in the microwave. Most Abel & Cole recipes, particularly the soups, bean stews, risottos and other similar dishes, would cope well in an office microwave.I also have to commend the packaging used by Abel & Cole. Most of the smaller ingredients like dried herbs and spices arrived in mini glass jars that can be reused or recycled, and plastic was only used for some of the more delicate vegetables. However, meat-lovers will likely not love this box as it offers very limited meat-based protein options. At the time of writing, none of the recipes on the website included meat, and just two included fish or seafood. However, a mostly vegetarian or vegan household will be well catered for with this delivery service. The meals are healthy and packed with fibre and plant protein, and the recipes are very easy to follow.Feeds: 2-4 peopleRecipes: 12 rotating recipes per weekBox cost: Starting at around £3.50 per serving, with typical weekly kits ranging from £11.50 to £20.00Delivery frequency and fee: Delivered weekly, or on a one-off basis. £3.50 delivery with a minimum spend of £12.RiverfordKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Organic produce sourced locallyWhat we love: Local, organic, seasonal produce with clear information on where it comes fromTake note: Each recipe comes in separate boxes that take up a lot of space, costlier than othersIt can only be a good thing that organic produce from British farmers can be dropped off at our doorstep in this day and age. Riverford is one of the best in the business when it comes to vegetable boxes, but we shouldn’t miss out on their recipe boxes either. Compared to Abel & Cole, they have a wider selection of recipes for meat-eaters, pescetarians, vegetarians and vegans, and customers can take advantage of their multi-buy offers to save money on weekly meals. They also occasionally do collaboration recipes with chefs and cookbook authors, which can make mealtimes a bit more exciting and different.Riverford sources most of its meat from organic West Country farms, so you can eat knowing you are supporting British farmers using ethical, organic practices. The recipes are fantastic, simple to follow and execute, with a very high satisfaction rate in my household. I did order a meat-based recipe to test and was very pleased with my chicken quesadillas, which turned out delicious and made for a great lunch the next day too, as the portions are generous. However, despite one of the tomatoey stews being full of peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables, it was surprisingly plain – so adjust your seasonings according to what your preferences are.The only thing I would fault Riverford for is the packaging. Each recipe comes in individual boxes, which would be fine if I had a huge fridge, but I don’t, and I doubt many readers do. This meant having to take out anything that needed to be refrigerated, and then losing track of what goes into which recipe. Also, some of the dried herbs came in small plastic pots, which I was surprised about considering Riverford is usually very thoughtful when it comes to packaging – most of its plastic bags are compostable, and boxes can be returned to the company to be reused.Feeds: 2-4 Recipes: 12 rotating weekly recipesBox cost: Starting from £15 for a two-person recipe box and up to £24 for a four-person boxDelivery frequency and fee: Delivered every 1, 2 or 4 weeks. Free delivery with a minimum spend of £20PlanthoodKate Ng/The Standard★★★★★Best: Plant-based recipesWhat we love: Chef-made sauces and dressings, some organic produce, fully dairy-freeTake note: No recipe cards, you will need to be able to scan QR codesPlanthood has been around since 2020, but I hadn’t heard much about it until recently – most likely because it’s fully plant-based, which isn’t my preferred diet. But I was really curious about how the meals would taste, especially given that the sauces and dressings come ready-made, made by professional recipe developers and chefs. When I first received the box, I was delighted to see that each meal was separated into paper bags, with labels telling you which recipe the bag contained. All the bags slotted neatly into my fridge and helped me stay organised, which I really appreciated.However, I quickly realised one of the problems is that there are no recipe cards and you must scan a QR code to get the recipe. This QR code appears on a sticker that keeps each bag closed, so if you rip it, as I did, then it can be a bit tricky to try and scan the broken QR code. Luckily, I was able to get around this by searching the name of the recipe on the Planthood website. It also means that if you happen to have a phone that can’t scan QR codes, then Planthood might seem a bit less accessible. It is also quite an expensive recipe box compared to others, with a two-person box starting at £45 for three meals.In terms of the actual recipes, though, I was genuinely impressed and enjoyed everything I ordered. The sauces and dressings were delicious and well-seasoned, and the quality of the whole ingredients was really high. Each recipe was well-written and easy to follow, and the portions were just right. While I already knew that the recipes were dairy-free, I also found that most of the recipes were gluten-free as well. All of Planthood’s packaging is compostable or recyclable, and the company offers a packaging return scheme so you can send liners and ice packs back to them to be reused. Overall, I really liked all the meals I cooked from my Planthood box, which had plenty of variety and flavour, as well as lots of fibre and plant protein.Feeds: 2-4 Recipes: 10 rotating weekly recipesBox cost: £7.50 per meal for a two-person box and £6.50 per meal for a four-person box with a minimum order of three meals per weekDelivery frequency and fee: Delivered every 1, 2 or 4 weeks. Free delivery over £50Nonna TondaKate Ng/The Standard★★★★★Best: Fresh pasta meal kitsWhat we love: Fresh pasta made daily, preservative- and additive-free, very quick to cook Take note: Must be eaten within two to three daysA pasta delivery box is the stuff of dreams, but fresh pasta can be tricky – drying out easily if not stored properly and becoming waterlogged when cooked for too long. But Nonna Tonda makes their fresh pasta daily and sends it out to customers within 24 hours, sealed in compostable bags alongside ready-made sauces that are extremely easy to reheat and throw together. It is a lovely way to discover new pasta shapes and flavours from around Italy that I wasn’t familiar with, as well as enjoy my favourites like carbonara without the faff of accidentally scrambling my eggs and searching high and low for guanciale.The boxes are flat, which makes them easy to store in the fridge, and each recipe came with a recipe card, even though they were such a doddle to make. The only thing I had to make sure of was that the pasta didn’t boil for too long. Apart from that, dinner was ready and served within five minutes of starting, and each meal was tasty, made with high-quality ingredients. There are very few recipes to choose from, but there are always a couple of vegetarian options on the menu – although it is not particularly catered towards vegans or anyone with a dairy or gluten intolerance.Each week, there is also a pizza recipe – I imagine it’s a popular date night activity. This was also the only box that came with a dessert kit, which I loved. We had a peach and mascarpone concoction that was a delightful way to end dinner. The packaging is all either recyclable or compostable, and Nonna Tonda offers a box collection scheme to reuse them.Feeds: 2-6Recipes: 6 rotating weekly recipes, including dessertBox cost: Starting from £6.25 per serving for a two-recipe box and £5.83 per serving for a six-recipe boxDelivery frequency and fee: Delivered every 1 or 2 weeks. Free deliveryCookawayCookaway/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Special chef-prepared meals for impressingWhat we love: Recipes from expert chefs, great way to explore cooking different cuisines, no subscription neededTake note: Can involve a lot of washing upNow and then, I get the urge to cook something really different for dinner. It can’t just all be pasta, stir-fries and salads – venturing out of your comfort zone and trying new cuisines is the stuff of life, so why shouldn’t that be the same at home? Cookaway offers a new way to do this with themed recipe boxes, each developed by professional chefs and recipe developers from different parts of the world who are keen to share their food with the rest of us.I liked that I could get a recipe box that would take me to Greece, Malaysia, Japan, Spain, or elsewhere through Cookaway. I tested a Greek King Prawn Kritharoto, a dish I’d never heard of before, and it was exciting to try something completely new. While this box had enough to feed two to three people – perfect for a lunch the next day – Cookaway can also scale up some recipes for four to five people. This is great for a bigger family or an intimate dinner party (ideal for taking the pressure off planning). The experience was thoughtful and fun, with cards inside the box that told you about the person who developed the recipe and their background, as well as a card with clear instructions and timings. As each box usually involves multiple dishes – in my case, there was a side salad and a main, but other boxes can consist of many different dishes, like Spanish tapas – I would highly recommend reading the cards carefully and getting organised before you start cooking. However, multiple dishes also means using lots of pots, pans and plates, so either task someone else with the washing up or get the dishwasher on.Feeds: 2-5Recipes: There is no weekly menu. Instead, customers can choose from a permanent, chef-curated collection of over 180 global recipes across 9 different cuisines Box cost: Starts from £20 for a two to three-person box, can go up to £125 for a four to five-person boxDelivery frequency and fee: One-off deliveries, no subscription needed. Free standard deliveryGrubbyKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Organised by recipe for each night of the weekWhat we love: Plant-based, whole ingredients, separate bags for each recipeTake note: Needs more seasoning than indicatedIt’s been sometimes suggested that veganism can have a cultish following, and Grubby leans into that with strange marketing paraphernalia that comes in its boxes. I opened up a “newspaper” and was taken aback by the big black text printed across stark white pages, intended to jokingly hypnotise the reader into vegan acquiescence… That shock aside, I was actually quite into Grubby. Like Planthood, the ingredients for each recipe were separated accordingly, with recipe cards inside each bag. These bags also slotted neatly into my fridge and were easy to pull out at dinnertime.I liked the sound of the recipes, which also informed me of whether it would help me reach my five-a-day target and how much protein was in each portion. Most of them are low-calorie and low in saturated fat, which made me feel healthy while cooking and eating them. However, I did find that I needed to add more seasoning to the resulting meals – the lack of salt in the recipe is likely what keeps them healthy. It was a straightforward box, and there are lots of dishes to choose from each month – over 150, to be exact. Grubby also offers frozen meals that can be added to your box, which can come in handy in busier periods. However, I would give them a miss as they aren’t very tasty. If having frozen food is a priority for you, I would order fresh Grubby recipes and cook those, then store them in the freezer for the future, as this would be a much more delicious and satisfying experience.Feeds: 2-4Recipes: Over 150 monthly rotating recipesBox cost: From £5.00 per portion Delivery frequency and fee: Delivers every 1, 2, or 4 weeks. Boxes can be skipped or cancelled any time. Free delivery for the first box, then £2.99 HelloFresh Kate Ng/Hello Fresh/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Low plastic wasteWhat we love: Swapped plastic sachets and bags for paper, lots of recipe choices, premium ingredient optionsTake note: Issues with deliveryHelloFresh is undoubtedly one of the major meal delivery services in the UK, and it’s not hard to see why – the sheer variety in recipes that cater to many dietary requirements and household needs and the ease of ordering online are very appealing, not to mention the regular discounts HelloFresh tends to give customers. In fact, first-time customers typically get 50 per cent off their first box, and subscribing can get you some money off regularly.The recipes are straightforward and have a good balance of carbs, protein and vegetables – although, again, there is an overreliance on peppers and tomatoes to bulk out the fibre content, and I must protest as there are many other vegetables available. But there are plenty of one-pot stews and casseroles or sheet pan roast recipes that are very easy to throw together, and great for batch cooking as well. HelloFresh is also one of the more cost-effective boxes, costing between £3.50 and £7.00 per portion depending on household size and how many meals you order each week.Where the company has really excelled is in sustainable packaging. I really liked that many bags and sachets came in paper packets and most of the box is recyclable or reusable. Of course, some items, such as meat, come in vacuum-sealed packs that can’t be recycled, but you can seek out soft plastic recycling schemes if you are vigilant enough about it. However, a warning: HelloFresh sometimes uses third-party couriers, including Evri, which has a terrible reputation. My first box completely disappeared off my doorstep. Feeds: 2-4Recipes: Between 80 to over 100 weekly recipes to choose fromBox cost: Starting from £3.50 to £7.00 per portion and varies depending on the number of people and recipes per boxDelivery frequency and fee: Delivers every week, with the option to skip or change deliveryWhat are the best recipe boxes and meal kits?Gousto beat out the other recipe boxes tested due to cost-effectiveness, recipe variety and tastiness, but Mindful Chef is also at the top of its game given the high quality of its ingredients and delicious dishes. Vegans are well-catered to by Planthood and Grubby, while households who prioritise organic and seasonal produce will be satisfied by Abel & Cole and Riverford. Meanwhile, for those who adore pasta, Nonna Tonda will bring endless satisfaction, whilst special dinners call for Cookaway boxes. And if you wish to tick the boxes of low cost and low packaging waste, then HelloFresh delivers on these fronts and more.Why trust me?Kate Ng has been reviewing kitchen appliances, cookware and food products over the last five years for major publications, including The Independent and Yahoo UK. She tests everything in her own kitchen and home, making sure they are suitable for everyday life.