Green Chef Meal Delivery Review

Green Chef pros and cons at a glance

How does Green Chef work?

Customers create an account and choose their dietary and delivery preferences. They can select a box catering for two, four, or six people, with prices starting at $11.99 per serving. A person can opt to receive three or four meals each week (or two if they sign up for the four-serving plan). After subscribing, people can skip weeks or cancel at any time.

Green Chef delivers premeasured ingredients, including some already prepared, such as chopped vegetables, sauces, and marinades. The company also color-codes the chef-crafted recipe cards and the ingredients so people can easily match them up when making meals at home.

Packaging

“Very eco-friendly. All packaging was recyclable and the ice pack was also able to be dissolved/washed away and recycled.”

– Christy Snyder

Green Chef uses eco-friendly packaging. The company states that people can recycle most of the packaging.

• Corrugated cardboard boxes: These boxes contain a minimum of 40% recycled content. People can recycle their cardboard boxes as they usually do.
• Insulation: The insulation is made of Green Chef’s proprietary plant-based material. People can recycle the insulation with their paper and cardboard.
• Ice packs: The ice packs contain soluble, nontoxic gel. The outer material of the ice pack is low-density polyethylene (LDPE). People can store the ice pack in their freezer for later use, or drain it and recycle the outer material in a recycling center that accepts number 4 plastic.
• Paper bags: These bags are 100% post-consumer recycled paper. People can recycle clean bags in the usual way. If the bags are soiled, Green Chef recommends composting at home or in a composting facility.
• Plastic bags: People can recycle these LDPE plastic bags in a recycling center that accepts number 4 plastic.
• Plastic sauce packets: People can recycle these LDPE plastic sauce packets in a recycling center that accepts number 4 plastic.
• Small paperboard boxes: These boxes are 100% recycled paperboard. People can recycle clean paperboard as usual, and compost soiled boxes at home or in a composting facility.
• Plastic jars: These plastic jars are polypropylene and are not microwave-safe. People can reuse the jars or recycle them at whichever facility accepts number 5 plastic.
• Egg cartons: People can recycle egg cartons as they usually do.
• Plastic herb clamshells: These are polyethylene terephthalate, a number 1 plastic. People can recycle them at facilities that accept number 1 plastic.

Order deadlines and deliveries

A person can modify their meals, skip a week, or cancel their order at any time before the cut-off date. They should complete all modifications to their order 5 days before their delivery at 11:59 p.m. EST.

To skip a week, a person should navigate to “My Menu” and select “Skip Week” in the menu options.

Green Chef currently delivers to most of the continental U.S., excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of Louisiana.

The company delivers Monday through Saturday. Individuals can choose their preferred delivery day depending on their location. The box will arrive between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. If a person requests delivery to a commercial building, Green Chef will try to deliver before 5 p.m.

Who is Green Chef for?

Green Chef may suit people wishing to prepare meals at home containing healthy, organic, nutritious ingredients while supporting local, sustainable suppliers.

Additionally, meals come with easy-to-follow recipes that take about 30 minutes to prepare, suitable for people new to cooking and busy families.

Green Chef offers meal kits to suit a variety of healthy options for people with specific dietary needs and for those looking to manage certain aspects of their diet. Menus include:

• Gluten-Free
• Keto
• Vegan
• Vegetarian
• Flexitarian
• Calorie Smart

Green Chef also offers a Gut and Brain Health menu featuring fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains, a high protein menu for people looking to increase their protein intake, low sugar meals appropriate for managing diabetes, and Sodium Smart meals for people watching their salt intake.

Green Chef points out that processing facilities may cause cross-contamination. Therefore, people with severe allergies should exercise discretion when choosing a meal plan service.

Green Chef menu options

A person can choose menu plans according to their dietary requirements. All meals have labels such as “keto” and “vegan” on the product description and an estimated preparation and cooking time.

Although people can add on breakfast items, sides, desserts, and ready-to-cook proteins, they cannot filter menus by ingredients or labels.

The following are menu examples from each plan.

Keto

• Beef Tenderloin with Garlic-Thyme Butter: This meal takes 35 minutes to prepare. It contains beef tenderloin, thyme, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, garlic, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower rice, and scallions.
• Cheesy Italian Beef Patties: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains carrots, broccoli, ground beef, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and garlic.
• Spiced Chicken with Lemon Yogurt Sauce: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains chicken cutlets, cauliflower rice, pistachios, carrots, and lemon.

Vegetarian

• Southwest Summer Squash Boats: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains jasmine rice, black beans, Roma tomatoes, summer squash, kale, corn, and cotija cheese.
• Greek Salad Pitas with Harissa Hummus: This meal takes 10 minutes to prepare. It contains lemon, grape tomatoes, honey, sour cream, feta cheese, cucumber, almonds, pitta and harissa powder.
• Chana Masala Curry over Basmati Rice: This meal takes 35 minutes to prepare. It contains basmati rice, yellow onions, ginger, paprika-turmeric tomato sauce, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), garlic, cilantro, cumin seeds, and sour cream.

Mediterranean

• Mediterranean Chicken Salad: This meal takes 15 minutes to prepare. It contains chicken strips, artichoke hearts, romaine lettuce, feta cheese, shallots and pistachios.
• Creamy Mushroom Truffle Linguine: This meal takes 20 minutes to prepare. It contains whole wheat linguine, garlic, parsley, mushrooms, hazelnuts, baby plum tomatoes, creme fraiche, and wild rocket.
• Butter Bean Ratatouille: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains eggplant, bell pepper, butter beans, ciabatta, grated hard Italian-style cheese, garlic, baby plum tomatoes, passata, vegetable stock, and fresh pesto.

Calorie Smart

• Spicy Southwest Turkey Soup: This meal takes 35 minutes to prepare. It contains ground turkey, scallions, celery, green bell pepper, Roma tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and pepitas.
• Blackened Shrimp & “Grits”: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains shrimp, green bell pepper, cauliflower “grit,” cheddar cheese, cream cheese, almond flour, and butter.
• Swiss Cheese Pork chops & Mashed Cauli: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains boneless pork chops, Swiss cheese, mushroom broth, butter, cream cheese, cauliflower rice, onion, and garlic.

According to Green Chef, Calorie Smart meals contain 650 calories or less.

Vegan

• Sweet & Spicy Orange Cauliflower Bowls: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains cauliflower, orange, teriyaki sauce, apricot jam, jasmine rice, scallions, red bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, cornstarch, and roasted cashews.
• Baja-Style Potato Tacos with Guacamole: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains potatoes, cilantro, lime, garlic, cabbage, corn, roasted bell peppers, flour tortillas, and guacamole.
• Bahārāt-Spiced Couscous Salad: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains toasted pearl couscous, pine nuts, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), carrots, lemon, radishes, dates, cilantro, and mint.

Gluten-Free

• Tamari Turkey & Broccoli Bowls: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains jasmine rice, snap peas, broccoli, scallions, ground turkey, cabbage, and carrots.
• Creamy Corn Risotto with Shrimp & Bacon: This meal takes 40 minutes to prepare. It contains shrimp, bacon, garlic, short-grain rice, grape tomatoes, chives, coconut cream with corn, corn, and Parmesan cheese.
• Tilapia with Olive Pepper Relish: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains Kalamata olives, lemon, kale, roasted almonds, dates, roasted bell peppers, tilapia, and feta cheese.

Gut and Brain Health

• Turkish-Spiced Sockeye Salmon: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains wild-caught sockeye salmon fillets, dates, lemon, baby broccoli, toasted pearl couscous, pistachios, garlic, parsley, and turmeric-spiced ginger vinaigrette.
• Chili-Lime Barramundi: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains barramundi, lime, Roma tomatoes, pinto beans, cotija cheese, scallions, red onion, cabbage, and corn.
• Tahini-Herb Chicken & Apple-Celery Salad: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains chicken cutlets, mint, celery, garlic, lemon, apple, carrot, and toasted pearl couscous.

Sodium Smart

• Harissa Apricot Chicken: This meal takes 35 minutes to prepare. It contains chicken cutlets, farro, garlic, apricot jam, currants, kale, roasted almonds, and harissa powder.
• Roasted Harissa Carrots with Farro: This meal takes 40 minutes to prepare. It contains farro, granny smith apple, pistachios, yellow onions, ginger, rainbow carrots, kale, mint, and dried apricots.
• Chicken with Scallion Cream Sauce: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains chicken cutlets, scallions, cauliflower, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, carrots, cream cheese, and Italian seasoning.

Sugar Smart

• Cantina Chicken & White Bean Soup: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains cannellini beans, chopped chicken breast, corn, sour cream, flour tortillas, and cheddar cheese.
• Herb Miso-Tahini Chicken Wraps: This meal takes 10 minutes to prepare. It contains flour tortillas, leaf lettuce, fully cooked chicken breast, Mediterranean spice blend, roasted red pepper hummus, Roma tomatoes, and feta cheese.
• Creamy Truffle-Herb Linguine: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains linguine, garlic, creamy mushroom broth, truffle butter, cremini mushrooms, peas, and Parmesan cheese.

Protein Packed

• Turkish-Spiced Chicken Tacos: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains lemon, honey, scallions, pistachios, sour cream, honey, Turkish spice blend, schug sauce, chicken cutlets, and flour tortillas.
• Spiced Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa: This meal takes 20 minutes to prepare. It contains ground pork, pineapple, cilantro, sour cream, Monterrey jack cheese, scallions, lime, spiced enchilada sauce, and flour tortillas.
• Spicy Beef & Broccoli Noodle Bowls: This meal takes 20 minutes to prepare. It contains ground beef, tamari sauce, yellow onions, ginger, udon noodles, broccoli, chili flakes, tapioca flour, roasted red peppers, and black and white sesame seeds.

How does Green Chef taste?

“The ingredients were all very tasty. I’ve had Factor meals as well and I liked Green Chef better; getting to cook and portion out my own meals was really great.

“[The] breaded tilapia was delicious and had a great texture. Loved adding chard to the couscous and having a creamy aspect to the meal.

“The pork tenderloin was fun to cook (getting to sear then finish in the oven). Loved having dates in the meal. And for the pistou chicken bowls, I loved the creamy aspect of the pistou and getting kale and squash in the meal as well.”

— Christy Snyder

Reviews about the taste of Green Chef meals on its Trustpilot page are mixed.

Some customers state that the meals are healthy and tasty. One customer says that the meals tasted similar to those they had eaten at restaurants.

Other customers claim that the meals taste average. Some reviewers state that the taste is very similar to that of other meal kit delivery services they have tried.

However, some customers say that Green Chef meals are bland. Reviewers who left more negative reviews mention spoiled food and watery vegetables.

How much does Green Chef cost?

Green Chef offers six meal plans. People can choose between two and four meals per week for up to six people. Each serving costs $11.99 to $13.49.

Shipping costs $10.99 for all deliveries.

Green Chef allows people to cancel, skip, or change orders up to 5 days before delivery. A person can change their subscription through their profile on the Green Chef website.

Green Chef does not mention a refund policy on its website. People must contact the company’s customer service team to discuss any concerns.

Potential health benefits

The types of diets that Green Chef caters to could have potential health benefits.

For example, the authors of a 2019 systematic reviewTrusted Source concluded that a plant-based diet could have many health benefits, including a positive effect on weight, blood glucose, and inflammatory markers.

Learn more about vegan diets here.

Green Chef also offers keto meal plans. Some people may use a keto diet to lose weight and improveTrusted Source lean muscle mass. However, according to a 2019 viewpoint article, the risks and adverse effects of a keto diet may make it unsuitable for someone to use in the long term.

Learn more about keto diets here.

Paleo meals are also an option with Green Chef. A 2021 reviewTrusted Source indicates that consumption of a paleo diet could improve glucose control and lipid profiles in people with type 2 diabetes.

Learn more about paleo diets here.

Studies have reported that people who plan mealsTrusted Source and eat home-cooked foodsTrusted Source are likelier to have a healthy diet and a lower risk of obesity. A 2019 studyTrusted Source also suggests that meal kit delivery services can provide nutritious meals.

Alternatives

People can choose from a wide range of meal kit delivery services, including:

• Blue Apron: This company offers carb-conscious meals for two to four people that Weight Watchers approves.
• Daily Harvest: This company offers organic vegetarian and vegan smoothies, harvest bowls, snacks, and more.
• HelloFresh: The company offers various meal plans, such as Family-Friendly, Quick and Easy, and Calorie Smart meals.
• Purple Carrot: This company offers a variety of plant-based meals, including gluten-free and high-protein options.
• Splendid Spoon: This company also offers plant-based meals, such as smoothies, noodles, and soups.

Those who do not want to use a delivery service could reduce the time they spend shopping, preparing meals, and cooking by:

• making a weekly meal plan and using an online shopping service
• sourcing quick, healthy recipes on the internet
• preparing fresh salads and chopped vegetables and storing them in portions in the refrigerator
• batch cooking and freezing meals
• using leftovers for the following day’s lunch
• adding chopped frozen vegetables and fruit to meals or smoothies

Green Chef vs. alternatives

All meal kit delivery companies offer similar services. The table below highlights the differences between Green Chef and alternative meal kit deliveries:

Frequently asked questions about Green Chef

Here, we answer some common questions about this service.

Summary

The Green Chef service caters to different diets and preferences and allows individuals to cook healthy meals easily and quickly.

Those new to cooking may find the chef’s tips and recipe guidance helpful. People can choose the number of meals and servings that they require so the service can suit both smaller households and larger families.

Some diets, such as plant-based ones, could have potential health benefits. People should use their discretion when choosing a diet to suit their health and lifestyle. They could also consider discussing any dietary concerns with a dietitian or another healthcare professional.