EveryPlate Review: We Tried the Budget-Friendly Meal Delivery Service

With plentiful meal choices and easy-to-make recipes, EveryPlate presents an affordable option for help with weekly meal planning.

Share on PinterestCourtesy of Kelli McGrane

With so many meal kits on the market, it can be tricky to figure out which actually live up to the hype. To help get to the bottom of which are worth trying, we sampled EveryPlate, a meal delivery service best known for its budget-friendly price tag.

Despite its simple menu and low cost, we were impressed by how fresh, flavorful, and convenient the dishes were.

Keep reading for our first-hand thoughts on the service, plus more details on how it works, how much it costs, and whether you should give it a shot.

EveryPlate review score: 3.6 out of 5

REVIEW SCORECARD

EveryPlate

3.6out of 5healthline scoreSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes5Meal variety4Nutrition3.5Sustainability2Ingredient quality3Ease of preparation4Taste2Affordability5GET STARTED WITH EVERYPLATE

What is EveryPlate?

EveryPlate is a meal kit subscription service that provides everything you need to enjoy fresh and tasty dinners at home. It’s more affordable than many similar services, with meal kits starting at just $4.99 per serving.

You can also completely customize your menu and pick from 21 unique recipes each week, including several vegetarian and family-friendly options.

Weekly boxes include recipe cards and ingredients, making it easy to whip up home-cooked meals that are ready to eat in just 30–45 minutes.

Pros

• simple way to enjoy more home-cooked meals each week
• more affordable than most meal delivery services
• saves time on grocery shopping and meal preparation
• may help you brush up on your cooking skills

Cons

• limited options available for certain eating patterns, including vegan, ketogenic, paleo, low carb, and gluten-free diets
• uses mostly conventional ingredients
• may not be suitable for those with severe food allergies
• meals might be too simple for advanced cooks

The meals

EveryPlate says it strives to keep cooking simple, so most meals require just a few ingredients and take 25–45 minutes to cook.

The service offers five recipe preferences:

• Meat & Veggie
• Veggie
• Family Faves
• Quick & Easy
• Nutrish & Delish

Most of the meals provide around 700–1,000 calories per serving, along with 20–40 grams of protein. Nutrish & Delish meals are slightly lower in calories, with 650 calories or less per serving. It does not cater to specific dietary preferences, such as gluten-free, paleo, low carb, or vegan.

According to its website, EveryPlate uses high quality ingredients sourced from a variety of suppliers around the country. But the company provides very limited information available about where ingredients are sourced or what steps it takes to ensure quality.

It also doesn’t provide any details on whether ingredients are sustainably sourced, organic, or produced by local suppliers.

How much does EveryPlate cost?

EveryPlate is one of the competitively priced meal kit companies on the market. According to the company, it keeps prices low by using less packaging and opting for simple ingredients to help maximize value.

Buying more meals each week is the best way to get the most bang for your buck. Here is a closer look at the cost for each plan:

-3 meals/week4 meals/week5 meals/week6 meals/week2 servings/meal$7.49/serving$6.99/serving$6.49/serving$5.99/serving4 servings/meal$5.99/serving$5.49/serving$4.99/serving$4.99/serving6 servings/meal$4.99/serving$4.99/serving$4.99/serving$4.99/serving

In addition to the prices above, there’s also a shipping fee of $10.99 for each order.

EveryPlate also offers a student discount, which provides free shipping and 75% off on your first box, plus an ongoing 15% discount for the next 52 weeks.

How does EveryPlate work?

Signing up for EveryPlate is simple. Once you log on to the site, you simply select your plan and how many servings and meals per week you want to receive.

After selecting your plan, you enter your payment and shipping information and then select the meals that you want to receive in your first box.

There is a rotating weekly menu of 21 meals, which typically consist of a source of protein with vegetables and a starch, such as potatoes, pasta, couscous, or rice. Using the recipe preferences guide, you can build your custom menu and select 3–6 meals per week, each of which contains either two, four, or six servings, depending on your subscription plan.

If you’d prefer to be surprised, you can also let the EveryPlate pick your meals for you.

All meal kits come sealed in insulated boxes packed with ice to keep your items fresh for up to 48 hours without refrigeration.

Each kit includes a recipe and cooking instruction card, plus the ingredients required for that recipe, such as meats, produce, herbs, spices, starches, and sauces. However, certain meals may also require some basic ingredients such as salt, pepper, sugar, butter, or cooking oil.

Because there are no contracts, you can cancel or freeze your plan whenever you want. You can also skip up to 4 weeks at a time or make changes to your weekly order before it’s delivered. Just keep in mind that any modifications must be made at least 5 days prior to your next delivery.

EveryPlate offers delivery in most areas throughout the continental United States. To check if the service is available in your region, simply enter your zip code on their website.

Share on PinterestPhoto by Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

We tried it

Healthline Nutrition editor Kelli McGrane, MS, RD tried EveryPlate and found the service to be simple and user-friendly. She signed up for the ClassicPlate option for two people and chose three meals to try, including:

• Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas: “While the lime crema was zesty and the tortillas were soft, the peppers were a bit too bitter for my taste buds. I also found myself wishing for fresh tomato or avocado slices to make the dish a bit more exciting.”
• Moroccan Chickpea & Apricot Tagine: “This was my favorite dish, as it had a good variety of flavors and textures. In fact, I could easily see myself making this dish again on my own, as it would be great for meal prep.”
• Roasted Bell Pepper Flatbreads with Creamy Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella: “While I had high hopes, this recipe unfortunately fell flat. The sauce wasn’t as creamy as I expected and lacked in flavor. I also wished that there were more exciting toppings.”

“Considering that EveryPlate is almost half the price of similar meal kits and the ingredients arrived fresh and in good condition, I think it’s worth considering if your top priorities are price and convenience.”

— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline Nutrition editor

Here are McGrane’s thoughts about her experience with EveryPlate:

Sign-up process: Getting started with EveryPlate was simple and straightforward. McGrane notes that the recipe options were similar to some meal kits she’s tried, but not quite as exciting as others on the market, like Green Chef.

Finding options suited for her lifestyle and meal preferences was also a breeze, as dishes are labeled on the menu and easy to filter.

Delivery: McGrane’s order was delivered packaged in a recyclable cardboard box. “Despite being loose in the box — rather than packaged individually by meal — all the ingredients were in good condition when they arrived,” she says. “Everything looked fresh, including the chicken, which was nestled close to an ice pack.”

Preparation: “While there’s some multitasking involved, all the recipes I tried were quick and easy to prepare.” In fact, even though some recipes had an estimated cook time of 35–45 minutes, McGrane was able to prepare each in less than half an hour.

The verdict: Although McGrane enjoyed some of the dishes she made and found the service to be fairly user-friendly, she notes that the ingredient and flavor combinations weren’t as exciting or varied as other meal kits she’s tried in the past. She also would prefer using a service offering organic produce and sustainably sourced meat and fish.

“However, considering that EveryPlate is almost half the price of similar meal kits and the ingredients arrived fresh and in good condition, I think it’s worth considering if your top priorities are price and convenience.”

Share on PinterestPhoto by Kelli McGrane, MS, RDShare on PinterestPhoto by Kelli McGrane, MS, RD

Frequently asked questions

Why is EveryPlate so cheap?

EveryPlate is able to keep prices low by minimizing packaging and sticking to simple, low cost ingredients.

EveryPlate is able to keep prices low by minimizing packaging and sticking to simple, low cost ingredients.

Is EveryPlate really worth it?

EveryPlate may be worth a try if you’re looking for a convenient way to prepare more meals at home while saving time on shopping. It’s also a good option if you’re interested in improving your cooking skills and trying new recipes without breaking the bank.

EveryPlate may be worth a try if you’re looking for a convenient way to prepare more meals at home while saving time on shopping. It’s also a good option if you’re interested in improving your cooking skills and trying new recipes without breaking the bank.

Does EveryPlate actually save you money?

EveryPlate might be more affordable than grocery shopping, depending on what you regularly buy at the store.

For example, if you usually make dishes with lots of organic, brand name, or high priced ingredients, switching to EveryPlate could help you save money.

On the other hand, if you’re a thrifty shopper and typically stick to the basics, EveryPlate may be more convenient, but also a bit more expensive.

EveryPlate might be more affordable than grocery shopping, depending on what you regularly buy at the store.

For example, if you usually make dishes with lots of organic, brand name, or high priced ingredients, switching to EveryPlate could help you save money.

On the other hand, if you’re a thrifty shopper and typically stick to the basics, EveryPlate may be more convenient, but also a bit more expensive.

Takeaway

EveryPlate offers fresh, flavorful, and affordable meal kits that you can easily prepare at home. As the meals are simple to make, it may be a good option for those hoping to enjoy more home-cooked meals while also brushing up on their cooking skills.

With that said, the service isn’t suitable for everyone. In particular, it’s not ideal if you’re following a certain diet or have severe food allergies or intolerances. It also doesn’t prioritize sustainable or organic ingredients.

While there are meal delivery services we like better, at $4.99 per serving, it’s worth considering if you’re looking for a more affordable alternative to services like Green Chef or HelloFresh.

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