Exploring Green Chef: Crucial Information to Consider in 2024
Green Chef provides a meal delivery service that caters to various dietary preferences, utilizing organically certified ingredients and promoting eco-friendly living. This analysis delves into Green Chef's offerings, price, and delivery choices, as well as the dietary benefits of the meal plans.
This assessment is based on the insights of Christy Snyder, an editor from Our Website, who received a complimentary kit from Green Chef to assess.
Green Chef's advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Supplies an extensive array of meal options suitable for various diets
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic company
- Pre-measured and prepped components to help save time and effort
- User-friendly to skip weeks or cancel a subscription
- Commitment to the environment
- Customers can customize their meal plans according to their dietary requirements by picking suitable ingredients from the sub-sections
- Easy-to-follow recipe cards with photographs for precise execution
Disadvantages
- Costlier than other meal delivery services
- Limited selection for individuals using low-sodium diets
- Offers fewer weekly meal options per plan than other meal delivery services
- Many recipes have high calorie content
- Food preparation may require more time compared to ready-prepared meals
- $10.99 shipping fee
- The absence of preservatives in Green Chef’s ingredients might mean they arrive after their optimum freshness
Green Chef operation
Customers establish an account and select their dietary and delivery preferences. They can opt for a box catering to two, four, or six individuals, with prices starting from $11.99 per serving. Customers can choose between receiving three or four meals per week (two if they opt for the four-serving plan). After subscribing, they can skip weeks or cancel at any time.
Green Chef delivers pre-measured components, including some pre-prepared components such as chopped vegetables, sauces, and marinades. Green Chef also color-codes the chef-crafted recipe cards and the ingredients for seamless matching during meal preparation.
Packaging
“Extremely eco-friendly. All packaging can be recycled, and the ice pack can also be dissolved or recycled.”
– Christy Snyder
2 to 4 meals for 2, 4, or 6 people
Green Chef uses eco-friendly packaging. The company maintains that most of the packaging can be recycled.
- Corrugated cardboard boxes: These boxes consist of a minimum of 40% recycled content. Customers can recycle their cardboard boxes as usual.
- Insulation: The insulation is made from Green Chef's proprietary plant-based material. Customers 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). Customers can store the ice pack in the freezer for future use, drain it, and then recycle the outer layer in an LDPE-accepting recycling center.
- Paper bags: These bags are 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Customers can recycle clean bags as usual. If the bags are dirty, Green Chef suggests composting them at home or in a composting facility.
- Plastic bags: These LDPE plastic bags can be recycled at LDPE-accepting recycling centers.
- Plastic sauce packets: These LDPE plastic sauce packets can be recycled at LDPE-accepting recycling centers.
- Small paperboard boxes: These boxes are 100% recycled paperboard. Customers can recycle clean paperboard as usual, and compost dirty boxes at home or in a composting facility.
- Plastic jars: These plastic jars are polypropylene and are not microwave-safe. Customers can reuse the jars or recycle them at whichever facility accepts number 5 plastic.
- Egg cartons: Customers can recycle egg cartons as they usually do.
- Plastic herb clamshells: These clamshells are polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a number 1 plastic. Customers can recycle them at facilities that accept number 1 plastic.
weekly
Order deadlines and deliveries
Customers can modify their meals, skip a week, or cancel their order at any time before the cut-off date, which is five days before the delivery at 11:59 p.m. EST.
6 meal plans with weekly menu options
To skip a week, customers should navigate to “My Menu” and select “Skip Week” from the menu options.
Green Chef serves the majority of the continental U.S., excluding parts of Louisiana, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Skip, reschedule, or cancel up to 5 days before the next delivery.
Green Chef delivers on Monday through Saturday. Customers can choose their preferred delivery day depending on their region. The box will be delivered between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. If a customer requests delivery to a commercial building, Green Chef will attempt to deliver before 5 p.m.
Green Chef's target audience
start from $11.99 per serving
Green Chef may appeal to individuals who wish to prepare nutritious meals at home with healthy and organic ingredients while supporting local, eco-friendly providers.
Additionally, meals come with simple-to-follow recipes that take about 30 minutes to prepare, making them suitable for novice cooks and busy families.
$10.99
Green Chef offers meal kits for various healthy options ranging from people with specific dietary needs to those looking to manage certain aspects of their diet. Menus include:
- Gluten-free
- Keto
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Flexitarian
- Calorie Smart
Green Chef also provides a Gut and Brain Health menu featuring fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and a high-protein menu for people looking to boost their protein consumption. Green Chef also offers low-sugar meals suitable for managing diabetes and Sodium Smart meals to help individuals maintain their salt intake.
Green Chef advises caution for people with severe allergies, as processing facilities could potentially cause cross-contamination.
2 to 4 meals, each serving 2 people
Individuals can customize their meal plans based on specific dietary restrictions. Each dish comes labeled as "keto" or "vegan," along with an estimated preparation and cooking time. While users can include additional breakfast items, sides, desserts, or ready-to-cook proteins, they cannot filter meals by ingredients or labels.
Here are some menu samples from each plan:
weekly
Keto
- Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Garlic-Thyme Butter: This meal takes 35 minutes to prepare. It includes beef tenderloin, thyme, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, garlic, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower rice, and scallions.
- Italian Beef Patties with Cheese: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains carrots, broccoli, ground beef, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and garlic.
- Spiced Chicken with Lemon Sauce: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It consists of chicken cutlets, cauliflower rice, pistachios, carrots, and lemon.
5 meal plans with weekly menu options
Keto Sample Meal: Beef Tenderloin with Garlic-Thyme Butter
The meal's nutritional information is as follows:
Skip or reschedule up to 5 weeks in advance, and at least three to five days before the delivery date. To cancel, people need to contact the Customer Experience team.
- Calories: 810
- Fat: 65 g
- Saturated fat: 30 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
- Sodium: 680 mg
Vegetarian
start from $7.99 per serving
- Southwest Stuffed Summer Squash: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains jasmine rice, black beans, Roma tomatoes, summer squash, kale, corn, and cotija cheese.
- Greek Salad Pita with Harissa Hummus: This meal takes 10 minutes to prepare. It consists of lemon, grape tomatoes, honey, sour cream, feta cheese, cucumber, almonds, pita, and harissa powder.
- Chana Masala Curry with Basmati Rice: This meal takes 35 minutes to prepare. It contains basmati rice, yellow onions, ginger, paprika-turmeric tomato sauce, garbanzo beans, garlic, cilantro, cumin seeds, and sour cream.
Vegetarian Sample Meal: Southwest Stuffed Summer Squash
$10.99
The meal's nutritional information is as follows:
- Calories: 940
- Fat: 51 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 93 g
- Sugar: 12 g
- Fiber: 14 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
- Sodium: 1,410 mg
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 includes 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 consists of eggplant, bell pepper, butter beans, ciabatta, grated hard Italian-style cheese, garlic, baby plum tomatoes, passata, vegetable stock, and fresh pesto.
9, 14, or 24 items
Mediterranean Sample Meal: Mediterranean Chicken Salad
The meal's nutritional information is as follows:
weekly or monthly
- Calories: 700
- Fat: 54 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
- Sodium: 1,000 mg
Calorie Smart
no specific menu plans. People can choose the number of items they want to receive
- 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 includes 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 consists of 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.
Pause or cancel before 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Calorie Smart Sample Meal: Spicy Southwest Turkey Soup
The meal's nutritional information is as follows:
start from $6.79 per item
- Calories: 610
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
- Sodium: 1,150 mg
- Zesty Orange Cauliflower Bowls: This dish takes 30 minutes to prepare. It comprises of cauliflower, orange, teriyaki sauce, apricot jam, jasmine rice, green onions, red bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, cornstarch, and roasted cashews.
- Mexican-Inspired Potato Tacos with Avocado: This dish takes 30 minutes to prepare. It includes potatoes, cilantro, lime, garlic, cabbage, corn, roasted bell peppers, flour tortillas, and avocado.
- Middle Eastern-Flavored Couscous Salad: This dish takes 30 minutes to prepare. It consists of toasted pearl couscous, pine nuts, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), carrots, lemon, radishes, dates, cilantro, and mint.
$9.99
Sample dish: Zesty Orange Cauliflower Bowls
The nutritional information for this dish is as follows:
- Calories: 720
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 93 g
- Sugar: 33 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
Gluten-Free Option
2 to 6 meals for 2 or 4 people
- Teriyaki Soy Chicken & Snap Peas Bowls: This dish takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains jasmine rice, snap peas, broccoli, green onions, ground chicken, cabbage, and carrots.
- Coconut Cream Corn Risotto with Shrimp & Bacon: This dish takes 40 minutes to prepare. It includes shrimp, bacon, garlic, short-grain rice, grape tomatoes, chives, coconut cream with corn, corn, and Parmesan cheese.
- Grilled Lemon Pepper Tilapia: This dish takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains Kalamata olives, lemon, kale, roasted almonds, dates, roasted bell peppers, tilapia, and feta cheese.
Sample dish: Teriyaki Soy Chicken and Snap Peas Bowls
weekly
The nutritional information for this dish is as follows:
- Calories: 530
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 3.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 67 g
- Sugar: 17 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
- Sodium: 1,460 mg
9 meal plans
Gut and Brain Health
- Turkish-Spiced Salmon with Date Sauce: This dish takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains wild-caught salmon fillets, dates, lemon, baby broccoli, toasted pearl couscous, pistachios, garlic, parsley, and turmeric-spiced ginger vinaigrette.
- Spicy Lime Barramundi: This dish takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains barramundi, lime, Roma tomatoes, pinto beans, cotija cheese, scallions, red onion, cabbage, and corn.
- Herbed Tahini Chicken & Apple-Celery Salad: This dish takes 25 minutes to prepare. It contains chicken cutlets, mint, celery, garlic, lemon, apple, carrot, and toasted pearl couscous.
Skip, reschedule, or cancel by 11:59 p.m. PST, 5 days before the next delivery.
Sample dish: Turkish-Spiced Salmon with Date Sauce
The nutritional information for this dish is as follows:
startfrom $9.99 per serving
- Calories: 740
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Sugar: 13 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
- Sodium: 450 mg
Low-Sodium Options
$10.00
- Harissa Apricot Chicken: This dish 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 dish 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 dish takes 30 minutes to prepare. It contains chicken cutlets, scallions, cauliflower, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, carrots, cream cheese, and Italian seasoning.
Sample dish: Harissa Apricot Chicken
The nutritional information for this dish is as follows:
- Calories: 780
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 78 g
- Sugar: 24 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
- Sodium: 490 mg
2 to 4 meals for 2 or 4 people
- Spiced Up Chicken & White Bean Soup: This dish requires 30 minutes of preparation. It includes cannellini beans, sliced chicken breast, corn, dollops of sour cream, and flour tortillas wrapped around strips of cheddar cheese.
- Herby Miso-Tahini Chicken Roll-Ups: This easy meal takes only 10 minutes to prepare. It comprises flour tortillas, crunchy lettuce leaves, grilled chicken breasts seasoned with a blend of Mediterranean spices, roasted red pepper hummus, juicy Roma tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Creamy Truffled-Herb Pasta: This meal takes 30 minutes to prepare. It features linguine, sautéed garlic, creamy mushroom sauce, truffle butter, sautéed cremini mushrooms, peas, and finely grated Parmesan cheese.
Sample dish: Spiced Up Chicken & White Bean Soup
weekly
The nutritional information for this dish is as follows:
- Calories: 890
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrate: 63 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Dietary fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 51 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
- Sodium: 1,720 mg
4 meal plans with weekly menu options
Protein-Rich
- Flavorful Turkish-Spiced Chicken Wraps: This meal takes 25 minutes to prepare. It includes lemon juice, honey, chopped scallions, crushed pistachios, dollops of sour cream, honey, and a Turkish spice blend, as well as schug sauce, tender chicken cutlets, and flour tortillas.
- Spiced Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa: This meal requires 20 minutes of preparation. It contains ground pork, chopped pineapple, cilantro, sour cream, sliced Monterey jack cheese, scallions, lime juice, a spicy enchilada sauce, and flour tortillas.
- Spicy Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry: This meal takes 20 minutes to prepare. It features ground beef, tamari sauce, chopped yellow onions, grated ginger, cooked udon noodles, raw broccoli florets, chili flakes, mixture of tapioca flour and water (for thickening), roasted red bell peppers, and a sprinkle of black and white sesame seeds.
Skip, reschedule, or cancel on the Tuesday 1 week before the next delivery.
Sample dish: Flavorful Turkish-Spiced Chicken Wraps
The nutritional information for this dish is as follows:
start from $11.99 per serving
- Calories: 740
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrate: 56 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Dietary fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
- Sodium: 630 mg
What's Green Chef like in terms of taste?
free
"The ingredients were all very flavorful. I've tried meal delivery services like Blue Apron and HelloFresh, but I found Green Chef's meals to be consistently tasty.
The breaded tilapia was a standout—it was crispy and juicy. Adding fresh chard to the couscous added a nice texture and a bit of sweetness.
The pork tenderloin was a fun and easy meal to prepare—simply sear it in a pan and finish it in the oven. The dates added a nice sweetness to the dish, and for the pistou chicken bowls, I loved the creamy pistou sauce and the addition of nutritious kale and squash.
— Sarah Thompson
7, 14, and 21 meals per week
Reviews on Green Chef's Trustpilot page are mixed. Some customers rave about the taste of Green Chef's meals, calling them "delicious," "flavorful," and "filling." Others, however, are not as impressed, reporting that the meals are "bland," "dry," or "too salty."
How much does Green Chef cost?
weekly
Green Chef offers a variety of meal plans, from 2 to 4 meals per week, for 2 to 6 people. Each serving costs between $11.99 and $13.49. Shipping is an additional $10.99. Customers can cancel, skip, or change orders up to 5 days before delivery through the Green Chef website.
Green Chef does not have an advertised refund policy on its website. Customers should contact Green Chef customer service directly for more information.
6 meal plans
Health benefits of Green Chef meals
Green Chef offers a variety of meal options, including plant-based, paleo, and keto meals, which can have potential health benefits. For example, some studies have shown that plant-based diets can help reduce weight, improve blood sugar, and reduce inflammation. Keto diets can help with weight loss and decreasing insulin resistance, but they may also have negative health effects, such as nutrient deficiencies, constipation, and kidney stones.
Skip, reschedule, or cancel by 4 p.m. ET on Thursday for Wednesday delivery, or by 4 p.m. on Sunday for Friday delivery.
Paleo meals can also have health benefits, such as improving blood sugar control and lipid profiles. However, it is important to note that a paleo diet may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with certain medical conditions or dietary restrictions.
Nutritional resources
startfrom $9.99 per serving
For more information on nutrition, visit our dedicated nutrition hub.
Other meal delivery services
free with 10 or more meals. $12.99 if less
There are many meal delivery services available, including:
- Blue Apron
- HelloFresh
- Home Chef
- Sun Basket
- Plated
- Green Chef (of course!)
Each service has its own selection of meals, so it's worth trying a few to see which one fits your taste and dietary needs best.
- Blue Apron: This company provides low-carb meals suitable for two to four individuals, which are endorsed by Weight Watchers.
- Daily Harvest: This company offers organic vegetarian and vegan alternatives such as smoothies, bowls, snacks, and more, all of which are made from natural ingredients.
- HelloFresh: This company provides various meal plans including Family-Friendly, Quick and Easy, and Calorie Smart meals, ensuring there's something for everyone.
- Purple Carrot: This company offers a wide variety of plant-based meals, including gluten-free and high-protein options, catering to different dietary needs.
- Splendid Spoon: This company also provides plant-based meals, offering a selection of smoothies, noodles, and soups to choose from.
Reducing the time spent on grocery shopping, meal preparation, and cooking can be achieved by:
- Creating a weekly meal plan using online shopping services
- Finding quick, healthy recipes online
- Making fresh salads and chopped vegetables, which can be kept in the refrigerator for later use
- Preparing meals in batches and freezing them for future use
- Using leftovers for lunch the following day
- Adding frozen vegetables and fruit to meals or smoothies
For more reviews on Green Chef alternatives, check out:
- Blue Apron review
- Daily Harvest review: Is it worth it?
- HelloFresh review: Meals, benefits, subscriptions, and more
- Purple Carrot reviews
- Splendid Spoon review
Green Chef vs. Alternatives
The following table highlights the differences between Green Chef and other meal delivery services:
| Number of meals | Delivery frequency | Menu options | Subscription plans | Meal cost | Shipping cost || --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- || Green Chef | 2 to 4 servings for 2 to 6 people | Weekly menu options | 6 plans available | Cancel, reschedule, or skip up to 5 days prior to delivery | $10.99 | $11.99 per serving || Blue Apron | 2 to 4 servings for 2 people | Weekly menu options | 5 plans available | Skip or reschedule up to 5 weeks in advance | $10.99 | $7.99 per serving || Daily Harvest | 9, 14, or 24 items | Weekly or monthly | No specific plans | Pause or cancel before 6 p.m. ET on Sunday | $6.79 per item | $9.99 shipping || HelloFresh | 2 to 6 servings for 2 or 4 people | Weekly menu options | 9 plans available | Skip, reschedule, or cancel up to 5 days prior to delivery | $10.00 | $9.99 shipping || Purple Carrot | 2 to 4 servings for 2 or 4 people | Weekly menu options | 4 plans available | Skip, reschedule, or cancel on Tuesday 1 week prior to delivery | $11.99 per serving | Free shipping || Splendid Spoon | 7, 14, or 21 meals per week | Weekly menu options | 6 plans available | Skip, reschedule, or cancel before 4 p.m. ET for Wednesday delivery, or 4 p.m. on Sunday for Friday delivery | Free shipping on 10 or more meals | $12.99 per serving for less than 10 meals |
Frequently Asked Questions about Green Chef
- Is Green Chef a legitimate company?Yes, Green Chef is a legitimate company, with an A+ grade from the Better Business Bureau.
- Does HelloFresh own Green Chef?Yes, HelloFresh owns Green Chef.
- How much does Green Chef cost per week?Green Chef costs between $80.94 and $287.76 per week, depending on the number of meals and servings selected.
- How can I cancel my Green Chef subscription?To cancel your Green Chef subscription, log in to your account on the website, navigate to your account page, and cancel your subscription.
- What is the difference between HelloFresh and Green Chef?Green Chef offers higher-quality ingredients and caters to different dietary needs, while HelloFresh is more affordable with a larger menu but a limited selection for people with dietary needs.
- Does Green Chef offer a low-calorie menu for weight loss?Green Chef does not have a specific low-calorie menu for weight loss, but it offers options suitable for low-carb or plant-based diets that may help with weight loss.
Certain diet plans, like vegan ones, might provide some potential health perks. Individuals should exercise caution when deciding on a diet that aligns with their wellness and daily routine. They might also think about discussing any dietary uncertainties with a dietitian or another medical expert.
Join GREEN CHEF TODAY
- Green Chef's frozen meal options allow customers to enjoy their meals even when they can't cook right away, enhancing the overall convenience of their service.
- When customizing their meal plans, customers can choose from a variety of diet-specific options, including low-sodium meals, to meet their specific dietary needs.
- It's worth noting that while Green Chef offers a selection of low-sodium meals, some customers may find that the available options are limited compared to other meal delivery services.
