Are Meal Plan Subscriptions Worth the Cost?

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Let’s face it. Cooking or the need to eat happens on a daily basis.

My attitude about meal plan subscriptions has always been – not needed. Why should I pay for someone to plan out my meals? This is something I can do myself.

Meal planning shouldn’t be hard.

Nope, I totally got this handled. No need for someone to plan out my meals. We have a stack of favorite recipes to pick from.

And then, I hit a rut and have zero clue what to make for dinner.

Have you ever felt that way, too?

Recently, I took part in a 7-day plant-based meal plan. It was great! Plus the family loved the dinners. It was a win-win!

Each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and snack were planned out. I didn’t have to think about what was for dinner. I just had to pull up the meal plan, read the recipe, and cook. Simplicity. (If you are interested in learning more, go here.)

That was the point when I realized the meal planning subscription could be extremely helpful.

Also, if you aren’t ready to dive into paying for a subscription, then learn how to meal plan for a month.

Okay, now for you to decide if a meal plan subscription is worth it for your household.

Yes, that one experience changed the way I looked at meal plan subscriptions. So, I decided to sign-up for one. With the intention of checking them all out, then I can let you know my personal favorite and the best meal plan subscriptions.

But, the question remains are meal planning companies worth the cost.

What is a Meal Delivery Subscription?

A meal plan subscription is a service that offers pre-measured ingredients and other necessary items for preparing healthy meals at home. Most plans also come with recipe cards, photos, and instructions to make the process easy and delicious!

These subscription-based services provide you with an assortment of healthy, easy-to-prepare meals for the whole month. The subscription gives members access to hundreds of recipes and meal plans so they can create their perfect plan each time.

It’s a no-contract service, which means your subscriptions are always ongoing and changes anytime without any hassle or commitment.

It also offers free shipping worldwide along with having low monthly fees compared to other services in this industry

Most Popular Meal Delivery Subscriptions:

• Purple Carrot
• SunBasket
• HelloFresh

What is a Meal Planning Subscription?

A meal planning subscription is a service that provides recipes and ingredients for pre-planned meals. It allows the subscriber to choose from a variety of different menus, as well as dietary restrictions.

A meal planning subscription helps you find recipes, change servings size, and create a grocery list.

You still shop for your ingredients.

In this post, you will find the most popular meal planning subscriptions.

What is the Difference Between Meal Delivery Services vs Meal Planning Subscriptions

Both help you get dinner on the table.

However, there is a BIG difference and it depends on your needs and your budget.

You have to decide for yourself. Are meal delivery services worth the cost? Or is a meal planning subscription worth it?

Let’s dive into the differences first.

1. Meal Delivery Service

First, a meal delivery service offers you meals delivered directly to your home. Some may be cooked and ready to be reheated. Others you will prepare yourself.

This is a healthy option than eating out on a regular basis. Plus you are given proper meal serving sizes.

The price may be comparable to eating out. But, you are still paying a higher price than buying groceries and planning to make it yourself.

2. Meal Planning Subscriptions

A meal planning subscription will help you create your own meal plans.

You can shop for your own ingredients and make sure you stay organic, vegan, or gluten free easier than using a delivery service.

Plus a meal planning subscription is a fraction of the most. Most of the best meal plan subscriptions are under $5 a month.

That is cheaper than getting takeout!

Are Meal Plan Subscriptions Worth the Cost?

Meal plan subscriptions are definitely worth the cost, but it’s important to be aware of how the service works. You want the best bang for your buck.

Meals include many of your family’s favorite recipes plus you can try new recipes. These meal plan subscriptions are more helpful when changing to a new diet or way of eating.

Let’s dig into the benefits of meal plan subscriptions…

1. Convenience

Yes, it is a small price to pay for the convenience of a meal plan.

Someone else spent the time and effort to make sure you are eating a balanced, healthy meal. It makes the task of cooking much easier because you have a guide to follow.

2. Cheaper than Eating Out

Eating out one time can cost a family at least $20. (Yes, that is on the low side.)

So, with the help of a meal plan company, the cost is minimal compared to eating out. It is quick and easy to swing by and pick something up because you don’t know what to make for dinner.

By utilizing a meal planning company, you are able to save tons of money each month because dinner is planned without the headache of figuring out yourself.

3. Break from Planning

Let’s be real. This is the #1 reason I enjoy paying for meal planning service. As a mom, I feel like I have to structure and plan everything out in order to make our family run smoothly. It is a nice break to have someone else tell me what to cook.

Choose from 18 healthy & delicious recipes a week from Sun Basket! Save $45 if you order today!

4. So Easy!

No need to search through cookbooks to plan out what is for dinner.

The struggle to decide what is for dinner is over. No fuss. No irritation. The problem of figuring out what is for dinner is gone.

Problem solved on what’s for dinner. Win – win!

5. Chance to Try New Recipes

This is probably my next favorite reason I enjoy using a meal plan subscription.

It is the chance to try new recipes!

And maybe even a new way of eating.

Many of the companies offer gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, whole30, and clean eating options. Plus, they have been tested, so they are family approved.

6. Balanced Meal

As a mom, I am always trying to create a balanced meal.

We all “know” how much of the basics we should be getting right? But, in the craziness, how often do we actually serve up a meal like that?

One of the first things I noticed when taking part in the 7-day plant-based meal plan was the hunger wasn’t there. I was constantly full.

Truly, I believe it is because more time and effort was spent creating a nutritious meal. Many of the companies have trained nutritionists to create their meal plans.

Why not benefit from all of their knowledge?

Related Post: Earn Money with Cash Back Apps for Groceries

7. Extra Time

While meal planning on your own doesn’t take a lot of time (at least most of the time). Even if the extra time is less clutter in your own mind!

One thing off your ever-ending to do list. It does free up time you can use in another way.

This is one of the first steps to reaching time freedom!

8. Save Money

Whether you are meal planning on a budget or trying to trim your overall grocery budget, you will save money.

By utilizing a meal plan subscription, you are buying fewer groceries and everything has a plan, so there is less waste.

Did you know that right there is one way to shave 25% off your grocery budget? Also, the temptation to grab a quick bite to eat will save money.

Related Reading: What is the Best Cheap Food to Buy When Broke?

9. Less Stress

Feeding a family each and every night can be stressful.

In today’s busy society, there are so many demands on us. Why not use a meal plan subscription in order to have less stress in your life?

One less demand on you.

10. Cheapest Way to Hire Help

If you are looking to push tasks off your plate, then this is the cheapest way to do it.

A house cleaner is going to cost you $50 and up to clean your house. Someone to drive your kids to and from activities starts at $15+ for each hour.

You can spend $5-12 per month and have someone else plan your meals for your family.

Types of Meal Plans

There are three types of meal plans: a day-by-day, a weeklong, and a monthlong. Day-by-day meal plans have the most flexibility when it comes to scheduling.

If you’re looking for a meal plan, the best subscription is one that not only offers many different food options but also allows customization.

Meal plan subscriptions allow you to choose from a variety of different meals and snacks for your family. You can mix and match the types of food offered, such as:

• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Low-carb
• Keto
• Organic only

Types of meal plan subscriptions are not limited to the type you choose.

Each recipe includes detailed nutritional information that can be used by people with dietary restrictions, making it easier for them to make healthy choices while staying on a budget.

Best Meal Planning Subscriptions:

Here are the healthiest meal delivery services at the best prices!

Sun Basket

Sunbasket offers pre-prepped meals that take 10 minutes or less. Their meal kits are also some of the best for you and your family to eat healthy and save time in the kitchen.

As a huge appeal to many, Sunbasket has lots of organic, non-GMO ingredients and uses sustainable ingredients in their meals.

This meal kit service has been praised by the media for its quick and easy meals. The company offers an assortment of vegan and gluten-free recipes, which would appeal to people with dietary restrictions or who want to try something new.

• What it Costs: As laow as $9.99 per serving.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Get your first box delivered.

Purple Carrot

The Purple Carrot meal plan subscription is an online service that delivers healthy, plant-based recipes.

They offer wholesome and organic food. They offer home-delivered meals, as well as their own line of cookbooks along with online recipes to help you create delicious dishes the old-fashioned way.

Their website features seasonal recipes and recyclable packaging, which is an example of being environmentally conscious.

• What it Costs: $9.99-11.99 per serving.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Use the coupon code carrot30 for $30 off with this link only.

Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh has the most flexible and diverse selection of plans, which include options for vegetarians, people who want to eat gluten-free or dairy-free, and those with dietary restrictions that they can customize.

They provide weekly recipes and market items with pre-measured ingredients. You can choose from different menus or create your own, then save it for later.

• What it Costs: $7.99-9.49 per serving.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Get 14 free meal + free shipping with this link only

Green Chef

Green Chef is a meal planning service that sends you an assortment of pre-prepared and prepackaged meals for your family. The variety of plans allows for fuss-free entrées at your doorstep, and the price point makes it affordable to anyone with a small budget.

They offer dishes like the “Greensome” which consists of kale with roasted sweet potatoes and red pepper pesto. They also offer meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Green Chef offers a variety of tasty menu options, each week. The company also provides its customers with weekly cooking videos to help them keep up on the latest recipes while reducing food waste.

• What it Costs: $10.49-11.99 per serving.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Start your service with this link only

Home Chef

Home Chef is a meal planning service that offers options for those looking to improve their culinary skills, minimize food waste, and more.

It is a subscription service that delivers pre-portioned ingredients in the form of fresh ingredients. The cost for this service starts at $5 per week, with options to purchase packages ranging from three meals up to 12 meals.

THier meal delivery service offers over 100 dishes from around the world. One of its most popular offerings includes antibiotic-free protein instead of standard meat, and it also has Impossible Beef as an option for plant-based meats.

• What it Costs: starts at $6.99 per serving.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Take the quiz to see which type of chef you are.

Fresh and Easy

Fresh and Easy is a meal plan subscription service that delivers healthy meals to your door and no actual cooking is required. Delivery usually takes about 15 minutes, so you can have dinner on the table in no time.

Fresh and Easy takes convenience to the next level by making all of the ingredients on hand, no pre-cooking required! The prepared foods come with ready-made produce and proteins of various consistencies. The food even comes with a microwave heating tray, meaning you don’t need to do any pre-heating before boiling water!

You get guaranteed fresh, healthy ingredients. You can choose how many meals you would like to come per week and the company delivers them right to your door.

• What it Costs: starts at $6.99 per serving.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Start Today

Blue Apron

Blue Apron is a meal-kit delivery service that provides fresh, pre-portioned ingredients to make delicious and nutritious meals. Blue Apron offers several plans for each member of the family with different dietary needs and lifestyles.

The company offers seven different menu options, depending on what you prefer.

Blue Apron is a service that delivers all the ingredients you need for your recipes, so you can prepare them yourself. The meals are pre-portioned to fit in your refrigerator and freezer, saving money on food shopping.

• What it Costs: $7.49-8.99 per serving.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: New customers received 18 free meals + free shipping on your first box with this link only.

Best Meal Planning Services:

Here are cheapest options to help you meal plan, find recipes, and make grocery list. But, you are still in charge of the shopping.

eMeals

eMeals helps you plan out your weekly meal plans using recipes that best fit your needs each week.

Now, you can send your shopping list directly to major grocery chains like Walmart, Kroger, Instacart, Shipt or Amazon.

Enjoy delicious meals at home that take little effort and your family will love.

• What it Costs: as low as $4.99 a month.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Start your 14 day free trial with this link only.

MyFreezEasy

Individualized freezer meal plans for busy home chefs! This is a lifesaver for any busy family!

You’ll love the flexibility and benefits that freezer meals provide. When you know you have food ready for later, this is very enticing, particularly because it takes the stress away of trying to cook for your family every evening.

Thier budget-friendly meal recipes will make sure your tummy’s happy and your wallets full. Their site is designed with tools and apps to cater to the specific types of meats on sale at different grocery stores each week. If you can stop paying sky-high prices for meat, you’ll save loads off your grocery bill. Plus, you’ll save endless hours by only having to cook four times a month!

• What it Costs: as low as $8.00 a month.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Give freezer cooking a try with this FREE Freezer Cooking 101 Workshop.

$5 Meal Plan

$5 Meal Plan is a weekly meal plan service that can make your meal planning as simple as possible.

Spending two hours a week on meal planning is the average amount of time families surveyed say they spend–and they often hate it.

For just $5 a month, we send you a meal plan where most meals cost about $2 per person and in some cases less. Erin cooks each meal for her family of six for just $5 a pop!

They will save your hard-earned cash, partner with you on time management, and reduce the stress of staring down countless hours of menu planning each week.

• What it Costs: as low as $4.00 a month.
• Promo Code / Buy Now: Start your 14 day free trial with this link only.

Personally, my recent experience has changed my thinking on using a meal planning company.

It is the simplest way for me to get extra time in my day and have less on my mind.

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Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!