We put to the test the popular recipe box brand Green Chef, reviewing their range of recipes and delivery service that's touted as the Number 1 meal kit for eating well.
The verdict's in - we’ve ranked Green Chef as one of the best recipe boxes on the market today. Taking into account value for money, variety of recipes (and how easy they are to whip up), delivery, and packaging, Goodto.com’s Features Editor Emily Stedman awarded Green Chef 4.5 stars and explains her reasons why.
Green Chef began life in the US and was acquired by HelloFresh in 2018. It arrived in the UK in April 2021 and has quickly amassed a following for its healthy and waste-free meal options.
How much packaging does Green Chef use and is it recyclable?
"The first big tick for me was Green Chef's packaging. You could see this is a brand who are environmentally conscious and care about customers receiving food in good condition," says Emily. "The recipes and ingredients arrived in a large cardboard box, that was carefully arranged. Ingredients destined for the fridge were packed alongside an ice pack. Whilst fresh ingredients arrived in clearly labeled brown bags, separated by the recipes they were intended for.
"The box, brown bags, and recipe cards all went in the recycling bin," adds Emily. "And I found a place for the ice pack in my freezer, with the intention to reuse it for summer picnics. I'd argue that a Green Chef delivery leaves you with less plastic packaging than your average supermarket shop, making it a plus in my books."
Onto delivery now, and Green Chef gives you four dates to choose from: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, or Sundays. The delivery hours start from 8 am up to 9 pm at night.
"I was pleased that Green Chef had the option of adding special delivery instructions, including a safe place for delivery - as I was out when my delivery was due," Emily says. "My box was dropped off with my neighbor and I was able to retrieve it without the faff of rescheduling."
Does Green Chef have special diet offers?
Green Chef offers six different meal plans for you to choose from - and all nutritionist-approved. They're leading the way with these six dietary offerings, catering to vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians, and pescatarians, plus those on a low-carb diet or following a keto diet.
After you've selected your dietary plan, you're presented with a variety of recipes to choose from. What's more, the recipes get refreshed each week, so you definitely won't be stuck eating the same thing twice!
"What really impressed me with Green Chef was the vast array of recipes," says Emily. "There's a real mix of cuisines on offer, from Chinese, Indian, American, and Mediterranean to classic British dishes with a twist.
"They also do their best to make recipes accessible to all, so if you've seen a meat or dairy dish that you want to make veggie or dairy-free, you can just tick a box to be sent the alternative."
How easy are Green Chef recipes?
Everything you need to make the Green Chef dishes are covered on the recipe cards. On one side, there's a picture of what the finished dish should look like, plus a breakdown of nutritional information, like calories, allergens, protein and carbohydrate content, and so on.
On the other side, there's a left-hand column outlining the ingredients needed and how much you need of each. It also details here the equipment you'll need to cook the dish.
Next to this column, is a step-by-step guide to cooking the recipe, with images and clear instructions.
"Cooking the Green Chef dishes was a total breeze," says Emily. "Everything was clearly explained and the method was not overcomplicated and all achievable for those who consider themselves a basic-intermediate chef like me.
"Exact measurements and timings to cook ingredients were outlined, which meant it was virtually impossible to mess it up. I also liked the visual of what the dish should look like on the recipe card, which showed me how to serve up the dinner."
What do Green Chef recipes taste like?
Green Chef is all about healthy recipes and dishes that are made using fresh and nutritionally rich ingredients. Their meal plans are designed to feed 2 or 4 people.
"All recipes were full of flavor and filling," says Emily. "I enjoyed tucking into dinners which I knew were healthy, but at the same time weren't boring or tiny in portion size."
Emily sampled the following three recipes:
- Crispy Chickpea and Spiced Pepper Tacos
- Lemon and Za'atar Baked Salmon
- Sweet Potato Bulgur Wheat Risotto
"The Sweet Potato Bulgur Wheat Risotto was definitely my favorite," says Emily. "I'm a fan of sweet potatoes in general but had never cooked with bulgur wheat before. Safe to say I was a bulgur wheat convert after this recipe!
"The dish was creamy with a hint of sweetness running through it - courtesy of the sweet potato. The pumpkin seeds and risotto rice gave it a nice savory note and a bit of texture.
"It gave me two generous portions, one for dinner and another which I packaged in some Tupperware for lunch the next day. I had no problems reheating it - it retained all its flavor and original texture."
Green Chef are committed to no food waste with their recipes. "Sure enough, every ingredient got used and nothing went in the bin," Emily confirms to Goodto.
Is the Green Chef recipe box worth the money?
At the time of writing, prices for Green Chef start from £31.75 (2 people, 2 meals) rising to £85 (4 people, 4 meals). Depending on which plan you choose, a Green Chef meal costs on average between £5 and £7 (per serving).
"If I was cooking for a family of four each week, I'd be very happy with the Green Chef plan," says Emily. "Feeding four people, four nights a week works out at just over £5 per person, which is a great value. The dishes you're getting are exciting and inspiring too - great for introducing young ones to different cuisines or new foods.
"There's also the health element to think about with Green Chef, which for me, makes it worth the money. Sure, you might be able to feed mouths for cheaper - but most of the time this will be frozen or cheap processed foods which lack any nutritional value.
"I'd personally rather pay a bit more and know what I'm eating is ticking my five-a-day and fiber requirements."
Verdict
"Overall I would recommend Green Chef as a great value subscription box. I love that meals are healthy, without you having to think too much about it. Recipes take around 30 minutes to make, following simple technique - and I'm a fan of the no food waste aspect and that deliveries arrive with predominantly recyclable packaging.
"The variety in recipes is also commendable, it's a plan that you won't get bored on," says Emily.
"With meal plans catering to either two or four people, it's great for couples and four-person households. My one request is that Green Chef extends to cater to plans for singletons and larger families too, in the hopes that one day everyone can benefit from this top-rated service."
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