Recipe boxes have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering a convenient solution to meal planning and weekly trips to the supermarket by delivering pre-portioned ingredients directly to your home.
Many food subscription services offer similar services, but Green Chef recently caught my attention as they try to break down the barriers to healthy eating.
The UK-based brand aims to remove the stereotype that healthy food is bland and features flavorful and creative nutritionist-approved recipes. We also prioritize sustainability by using recyclable packaging and ethically sourced raw materials from UK farms and suppliers wherever possible.
Green Chef subscription service
Green Chef subscription service
As a busy Londoner with minimal time to prepare meals or experiment with recipes, I often rely on instant meals, or my trusty pesto pasta, which is filling but not particularly nutritious. So the Green Chef recipe box has given me the opportunity to try out healthy meals every night.
Green Chef: What you need to know
Green Chef offers boxes for two or four people, with up to five recipes per pack. However, you can also add additional options such as granola, yogurt, and soup for breakfast and lunch options. The menu changes every week, so you can’t wait to try out new dinners.
There are six dietary preferences: Keto, Low Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, and Flexitarian, but you can access and choose recipes from all categories, giving you more flexibility. Each meal includes a step-by-step guide, calorie information, preparation tips, and a cost breakdown for each dish so you know what you’re getting for your money.
Green Chef sends you easy-to-follow recipe cards and ingredients.
With a focus on sustainability, our cardboard packaging and recipe cards are 100% recyclable and FSC certified. When it comes to ingredients, most of the meat is sourced from British farmers, the fish is sustainably sourced and everything comes pre-measured to reduce food waste.
review: My experience with Green Chef’s Recipe Box
When I ordered my first box, I selected the low-carb option and was presented with a rich and varied selection of recipes, from Mexican rice bowls to spiced rump steak naan. The whole process was easy. Select your food, enter your details and you’re ready to go.
In terms of cost, it came out to £64.98 (£5.70 per meal) and I added an extra 3 to my basket (about £2.50 each). Being a new subscriber, delivery was also free and his first box was 40% off, bringing his total to £37.19. In comparison, I usually spend £60 a week on groceries, so it’s slightly more expensive (without the discounts) than it would normally be.
I paid an extra £2.99 for express delivery, but it arrived a day late. However, it was early in the morning. That aside, the parcels contained colorful recipe cards for each meal and fresh ingredients for the dishes I chose, all neatly separated into separate bags to avoid mix-ups.
The Green Chef Box arrived packed with fresh ingredients.
Admittedly, I’m not a confident cook, so I had some trepidation when tackling the recipes, but the step-by-step instructions were clear and thorough. In particular, we had tips on what ingredients needed to be chopped and what tools we needed in advance, which minimized the risk of mess in the kitchen.
The first recipe, Harissa-Spiced Eggplant Couscous with Lemon Yogurt Drizzle, took about 35 minutes to cook (exactly as the sheet predicted) and was flavorful and fresh-tasting. It did require some chopping and preparation, but it wasn’t too difficult. This was true for other dishes as well.
The first recipe — harissa-flavored eggplant with couscous and lemon yogurt drizzle — took about 35 minutes to make.
Both my partner and I agreed that the taste and quality of ingredients was what you would expect from a restaurant. I was skeptical about how tasty these “healthy” meals would be, but with options like pork burgers and fish and chips, I didn’t feel like I was missing out. All were less than 750 calories, but the portions were satisfying enough that I wasn’t tempted to reach for dessert afterwards.
Green Chef’s recipes included healthy versions of pork burgers (left) and fish and chips.
When I had evening plans, I used lunch ingredients instead. However, my delivery guy also allowed me to adjust my subscription up to 5 days in advance to reduce the number of meals for the week or otherwise pause it. I’m going home for dinner.
Green Chef Recipe Box: The Final Verdict
Green Chef Recipe Boxes offer everything you want from a subscription service: convenience, variety, and sustainability.
All recipes are expertly designed to be as healthy as possible while remaining delicious and filling, and we appreciated the variety of dishes available. It’s easy to set up and adjust, even if you need a week or two off. You can also customize shipping options to suit you. However, it did not fully live up to its promise of next day delivery.
As for the cost, it’s slightly more expensive than I would pay at a weekly shop, but the portions are generous and it’s made with fresh, ethically sourced ingredients, so it’s worth the investment in quality. there is.
The best part is that Green Chef has greatly improved my confidence, stimulated my creative side in the kitchen, and made cooking a more enjoyable experience. Since then, I’ve tried a few recipes, sometimes inspired by Green Chef Meals, and it’s been fun trying new flavors and ingredients I hadn’t thought of before.
Overall, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, easy, and nutritious dinner, whether they have a busy schedule or want to live a healthier lifestyle.
You can sign up for Green Chef here. For the first box, he automatically gets 40% off.
