HelloFresh vs. Green Chef: How The Healthy Meal Delivery Services Compare

There's no shortage of meal kit delivery services to choose from. HelloFresh launched in 2012 as one of the first big players on the scene and has since acquired other meal delivery services, including Green Chef, a popular choice for people who value clean eating and ethically sourced ingredients. As a registered dietitian, I was eager to compare HelloFresh and Green Chef.

Meals per week: 2 to 6 meals per week

Cost per meal: from ~$9 per serving

Meals per week: 2 to 4 meals per week

Cost per meal: from ~$12 per serving

Next, you'll select how many meals (2 to 6) you wish to receive each week, and for how many people (2 or 4). The price per box depends on these numbers (more on that later). Before you finish and pay, you're able to see the soonest delivery date available for your box. Once your account is set up, you can then select the specific recipes you want for your first week. 

Recipes will be suggested based on the dietary preferences you selected at the beginning, but you'll still have access to choose from all available recipes for that week. Plus, you can always update your meal preferences in your account later.    

Each meal delivery box is insulated and contains ice packs to keep ingredients chilled and fresh during transportation. Printed recipe cards for your selected meals are included in the box—and the recipes are also available online, in case you accidentally throw those materials out.

Plan sizes range from 2 to 4 meals per week for 4 or 6 people, meaning you can feed a larger family than with HelloFresh, but you can't select as many meals per week.

In terms of shipping, the ingredients also arrive in an insulated box. Many ingredients for Green Chef meals arrive pre-measured and pre-prepped (think already cubed butternut squash), which is incredibly convenient and cuts back on food waste. 

In my experience, the ingredients from both services were high quality and arrived fresh, even though both were delivered when I was out of the house.

Green Chef meals are a bit more expensive than HelloFresh. The cost per serving falls between $12 and $14, whereas HelloFresh meals typically range from $9 to $12 per serving. Note, both services do charge a flat shipping fee of around $10 per box. 

I tried three meals from HelloFresh and four meals from Green Chef. In full transparency, I have no food allergies, intolerances, or aversions—so both companies' entire menu selection was fair game for me. 

HelloFresh offers 40+ recipes to choose from each week, while Green Chef has 32 possible meals. Both menus are rotating, meaning new recipes are added or swapped out weekly. I personally get bored with meals easily, so I appreciate that both companies offer this level of variety. That said, recipe selection is more limited if you are specifically looking for gluten-free, keto, vegetarian, or vegan meals. 

I specifically wanted to try meals with varying protein sources, so I chose one meat, one fish, and one vegan option from HelloFresh. I also focused on selections with lots of vegetables, which excluded many of the pasta and rice dishes. 

Now let's dive into the specifics. While I enjoyed almost every meal I tried from HelloFresh and Green Chef, the only recipe that did not sit well with me was the Keto Cinnamon Ricotta Pancakes. The meal was too dense for my taste, and the pancakes were a bit grainy. Albeit, they may have been a good option for someone following a keto diet (or, of course, with different taste preferences). 

In terms of freshness and flavor, there wasn't a clear winner. Each box contained two recipes I adored, and one that left me satisfied but not super excited (the Pecan-crusted trout and the Sunny Southwest Beef Patties). 

The Green Chef menu selection was more appealing to me than HelloFresh. I loved the focus on vegetable-forward recipes and the fun sauce and spice mixtures I likely wouldn't have come up with on my own. 

HelloFresh and Green Chef account for similar dietary preferences, including gluten-free choices. Green Chef does offer keto-friendly and low-carb options, and it's a better choice if you follow a keto, paleo, or low-carb eating pattern. 

HelloFresh provides some "carb-smart" meals, but those recipes still contain at least 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrates per serving. For comparison's sake, two of the Green Chef recipes I received had a total of 15 to 17 grams of carbohydrates per serving. 

While neither service is positioned as a weight loss tool, Green Chef's Fast & Fit preference and HelloFresh's Fit & Wholesome offer lower-calorie recipe choices.  

Both HelloFresh and Green Chef disclose common allergens for each recipe, but you can't filter menu items by allergen—and both brands note that all foods are produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat. 

HelloFresh offers a robust add-on selection with soups, breakfasts, bakery items, flatbreads, lunch specials, and seasonal treats. 

In general, meal kits don't have a great reputation when it comes to sustainability. Fortunately, Green Chef and HelloFresh each make an effort to reduce environmental impact. Green Chef proudly calls itself the No. 1 Sustainable Meal Kit, touting that the company offsets 100% of its direct carbon emissions and plastic packaging. 

In 2022, a HelloFresh analysis found that its meals have a 31% lower life-cycle carbon footprint than those of the same size from a grocery store.

Boxes, plastic-packing, and ice packs from both brands are recyclable—just be sure to double-check the websites to see what's eligible for curbside pickup in your area. Check out this page for more details on HelloFresh's recycling information and this page for Green Chef.  

As we've mentioned, Green Chef guarantees its produce and eggs come from USDA-certified organic farms. The website states that animal proteins are sourced from farms that meet the brand's strict animal welfare standards. Unfortunately, we were unable to track down exactly what those criteria are. 

HelloFresh may provide some organic ingredients, but it varies. The brand says it undergoes a "rigorous process" to choose responsible ingredient suppliers, in an effort to contribute to a "greener future." The website also clearly states its chicken welfare policy. 

HelloFresh and Green Chef are both subscription services. However, you can cancel, pause, or skip weekly deliveries at any time, all through your online account. What's more, it's easy to reactivate your plan if or when you're ready to come back.