Are Meal Kits Really Cheaper Than Groceries?

When you come home from a busy day at work, it's not exactly fun to put on an apron and cook a healthy meal. At the same time, you probably don't want to eat a frozen dinner, either. In recent years, meal kits have served as the solution to this problem. They claim to be nutritious, convenient and inexpensive – but are they?

Here's some information on popular meal kit options so that you can make the best decision for your budget.

Meal Kits, Explained

Chances are you've heard about companies like Blue Apron, EveryPlate and Hello Fresh. These services offer home-delivered meal kits that include recipes for customers to create lunches and dinners. You'll also find the specific ingredients to make the dishes. Often, you can choose from different plans that accommodate your lifestyle. For example, you could select vegetarian meals for two people.

Most businesses offer three meal kits every week, which they deliver to your door. It's a lot easier for many busy individuals and families to manage dinner when it's ready within 30 minutes. If you already have the ingredients prepared and portioned, it's a huge time-saver. Even though these services boast wholesome, accessible options, they're not exactly cheap.

Does it make more sense to subscribe to a meal kit plan alongside your weekly groceries? Here's a quick price breakdown.

The Difference Between Costs

The average family of four spends around $200 on groceries every week. Aside from this initial cost, it's also essential to consider time as a factor. This family has to make the trip to the store, as well as find recipes and cook meals. Additionally, they may eat out on occasion – with nearly one million restaurants across the U.S., it's no secret that Americans like to dine.

Therefore, we can expect this family to allocate around $1,000 a month toward food. What if we added a meal kit to the expenses? Most services show prices by portion size. This family would need four plates, so a meal kit priced at $7.99 per serving would amount to nearly $100 for three meals. Some companies offer more inexpensive serving costs for fewer ingredients. These options cost around $70 for three meals.

If you spend $70 to $100 on three dinners every week, you'll still need to shop for four more meals, plus breakfasts and lunches.

Is It Worth It?

While meal kits are cheaper than most restaurants, they're generally comparable to groceries. If you look around for specific recipes, it's easy to feed your family for under $10 per person. That said, meal kits are popular because they require little effort. When you shop for groceries, you're free to buy whatever you like. That's not always the case with kits. At the end of the day, there isn't a huge cost disparity.

Meal Kits Can Save Time, but Not Necessarily Money

For the most part, you can expect to spend the same amount on meal kits as you would for groceries. It's all about whether you value your money or time more.

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