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Blue Apron and Home Chef are two meal kit services that simplify meal prep and make it easier to enjoy more healthy homemade dinners.
But while these two services may seem similar, several key differences set them apart.
This article takes a closer look at both Blue Apron and Home Chef to see how the services stack up against each other.
| Blue Apron | Home Chef | |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | Provides meal kits with preportioned ingredients Signature plan: 2–4 recipes per week with 2 or 4 servings each Vegetarian plan: 2–3 recipes per week with 2 servings each Wine pairings available for an additional fee | Provides meal kits and oven- or grill-ready dishes 2–6 recipes per week with 2, 4, or 6 servings each Allows you to build a weekly box with recipes from the full menu |
| Cost | Starts at $7.49 per serving Most plans offer free shipping | Starts at $6.99 per serving Shipping costs $6.99 for most plans |
| Availability | Delivery throughout the contiguous United States Wine delivery available only in certain states | Delivers to 98% of the United States Available in select grocery stores |
| Ingredients | Non-GMO ingredients Partners with suppliers who use sustainable farming practices Offers a variety of meal kits | Limited information on sourcing available Provides a variety of meal kits and oven-ready dishes |
| Customization | 7–12 meals per week on the Signature plan 3–4 meals per week on the Vegetarian plan Allows you to swap the protein source in select meals | 19–22 meals on a rotating weekly menu Allows you to swap the protein source in select meals |
| Diet friendliness | Vegetarian options, WW-approved meals, and at least one carb-conscious recipe per week Unsuitable for people on restrictive diets or those with severe food allergies | Vegetarian, calorie-conscious, and carb-conscious options Unsuitable for people on restrictive diets or those with severe food allergies |
| Packaging | 85% of the packaging is recyclable Works with family-run farms that use sustainable farming practices | Most packaging is recyclable or reusable Limited information on other sustainable practices |
| Customer service | Phone and email support FAQ on website | Online help tickets and phone support FAQ on website |
Blue Apron delivers preportioned ingredients and detailed recipe cards to help you prepare healthy meals at home.
The service offers a Signature and Vegetarian plan, both of which feature a rotating menu with meals that are ready to enjoy in 20–50 minutes.
You can order 2–4 recipes per week with the Signature plan, which can include 2 or 4 servings each. With the Vegetarian plan, you can order 2–3 recipes per week, each of which includes 2 servings.
Blue Apron also offers wine delivery for an additional fee, featuring wines that complement the recipes.
Home Chef is another meal delivery service offering an extensive menu of meal kits, entrée salads, and oven- and grill-ready dishes.
You can choose 2–6 recipes per week, with either 2, 4, or 6 servings each.
Unlike Blue Apron, Home Chef doesn’t offer specific plans but instead allows you to create a custom menu using recipes from the full menu.
Blue Apron ranges in price depending on the plan and number of servings you select, including:
- 2-Serving Signature Plan: $9.99 per serving
- 4-Serving Signature Plan: $7.49–$8.99 per serving
- 2-Serving Vegetarian Plan: $9.99 per serving
Most plans include free shipping. However, if you order only 2 recipes per week with 2 servings each, shipping costs a flat fee of $7.99.
The cost of Home Chef also varies, but prices start at $6.99 per serving.
If you order just 2 recipes per week with 2 servings each, shipping costs an additional $13.99. Shipping for all other plans costs a flat fee of $6.99.
Blue Apron is available throughout the contiguous United States.
However, Blue Apron wines are only shipped to select states. You can check the company website to see whether wine delivery is available in your area.
Meanwhile, Home Chef delivers to 98% of the United States. Availability is determined based on your zip code.
Additionally, Home Chef is available at certain grocery stores throughout the United States.
Blue Apron is committed to using high quality ingredients and partners with suppliers who practice sustainable farming practices whenever possible.
All meals are free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and some ingredients are certified organic.
Examples of recipes that Blue Apron offer include Zesty Pork Chorizo Tacos, Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese, and Creamy Pasta and Kale.
Home Chef also strives to provide high quality ingredients for all meal kits, but limited information is available on ingredient sourcing. Additionally, although organic products may be used in select recipes, availability depends on the weekly menu.
Compared with Blue Apron, Home Chef offers a larger menu with more variety, including meal kits, 15-minute meals, and dishes that are oven- or grill-ready.
Some of the options available from Home Chef include Sausage- and Mushroom-Stuffed Peppers, Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs, and Coconut Jasmine Rice Bowl with Fried Plantains and Corn Pico de Gallo.
Blue Apron offers 7–12 choices per week on their Signature meal plan and 3–4 options on their Vegetarian meal plan. You can select recipes from your plan’s weekly menu to build your own box.
Blue Apron also recently introduced a feature called Blue Apron Customized, which allows you to swap the type of protein in certain meals on the Signature plan.
Home Chef’s weekly menu typically includes 19–22 weekly meals from which you can freely choose to create your own box based on your preferences. Plus, you can customize the protein source in select recipes.
Blue Apron offers a Signature and Vegetarian plan.
These may include select meals approved by Weight Watchers (WW). Additionally, the weekly menu contains at least one carb-conscious meal that provides fewer than 48 grams of net carbs per serving.
Although Home Chef doesn’t have specific plans, you can filter the full menu to find options that suit your personal food preferences. In particular, Home Chef offers meals that are vegetarian, calorie-conscious, or carb-conscious.
However, both Blue Apron and Home Chef provide limited options for people with more specific or restrictive dietary restrictions or preferences, including ketogenic, vegan, and paleo diets.
Furthermore, neither service is recommended for those with severe food allergies, as the meals are packaged in facilities that also process many major allergens.
Over 85% of Blue Apron’s packaging by weight is recyclable, and detailed recycling instructions are available on the company website.
What’s more, Blue Apron works with suppliers that adhere to strict animal welfare standards and partners with over 100 family-run farms that employ sustainable farming practices.
Similarly, Home Chef uses packaging that’s mostly recyclable or reusable and provides information on how to dispose of each component online.
Home Chef also collaborates with suppliers that follow animal welfare standards defined by trade associations, including the National Chicken Council.
That said, limited information is available on how Home Chef sources other ingredients and whether the business implements any other sustainability practices.
If you have any problems with your order, you can reach Blue Apron customer service representatives by phone or email.
Similarly, Home Chef allows users to submit help requests online or call customer service to resolve any issues.
Both services also have an online help center that includes answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.
Blue Apron and Home Chef are similar in many ways. Both services can be an easy way to save some time on your weekly meal prep.
Although Blue Apron features a smaller weekly menu, it uses non-GMO ingredients and partners with many family-run farms to promote sustainability.
Blue Apron also includes free shipping with most plans and offers several WW-approved meals, benefiting those following the WW program to lose weight.
On the other hand, Home Chef boasts a larger menu, more customization options, and cheaper per-serving prices.
Home Chef also offers a mix of meal kits and recipes that require minimal preparation, which may be a better option for those who are short on time.
Blue Apron and Home Chef are two popular meal kit services that share many similarities.
Home Chef is slightly more affordable, and it offers a larger menu featuring additional customization options and a mix of meal kits and oven-ready entrées.
Meanwhile, Blue Apron uses non-GMO, sustainably sourced ingredients and offers WW-approved meals, which some people may prefer.
Be sure to consider these factors and check the weekly menu for each service to determine which one is right for you.
