EveryPlate stands out as the most budget-friendly meal kit service tested to date, offering surprisingly viable vegetarian options despite its generally meat-centric focus. While not ideal for strict vegans, the service provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive plant-based kits or high weekly grocery bills. A standard box of four meals for two people costs $7 per serving—sometimes as low as $3 with discounts—making it cheaper than many supermarket hauls, even in high-cost cities like New York.
Transparency and Customization
EveryPlate excels in transparency, allowing users to preview weekly menus before committing to a subscription. Unlike competitors that lock in payments before revealing choices, EveryPlate shows up to 36 meals per week, including roughly ten vegetarian options. Users can filter by preferences (calorie-conscious, quick prep, family-friendly, veggie) and see future weeks’ selections, ensuring they aren’t stuck with unwanted meals. CustomPlate allows substitutions, like adding chicken or beef to vegetarian dishes if desired.
The Cooking Experience: Simple, But Not Always Fast
The service emphasizes simplicity, relying on grain-heavy dishes with a “hero” flavor. Meals take roughly an hour to prep and cook, despite advertised times of 20–30 minutes. Ingredients arrive together in one refrigerated box, requiring manual sorting. Recipe cards offer basic instructions but assume pantry staples (salt, pepper, oil, butter) are already available, keeping costs down.
Meal Examples: Tasty, But Sodium-Heavy
The tested vegetarian meals included hearty bean soup with feta, creamy zucchini penne, a stir-fried pepper and broccoli bowl, and fig-and-onion pizzas. While flavorful, the sodium content is high in some dishes (over 2,200mg in the soup). Customization is encouraged; the reviewer substituted vegan mayo for dairy options. Despite some time discrepancies, the meals were satisfying enough to look forward to leftovers.
EveryPlate balances affordability with convenience, making it a practical option for those seeking simple, budget-friendly meal kits, even with dietary restrictions. The service’s transparency and customization options further enhance its appeal, though strict vegans should be aware of the dairy-heavy vegetarian choices.
