Companies Like Home Chef: 6 Best Meal Service Alternatives

Are meal delivery services worth it? We’d like to think so. Today, meal delivery companies like Home Chef have become more popular. Yet, who would blame them? They offer three things cooking at home doesn’t: convenience, variety, and time.

Home Chef has gained a solid reputation among their customers. But you may be looking for services like Home Chef that aren’t as steep in price. Or maybe you’ve stumbled upon some mixed reviews that left you a bit hesitant. Learning how to choose the right meal kit service can be overwhelming. So, let’s dive into our low price Home Chef alternative list. You’ll never run out of choices!

Is Home Chef Worth It?

When considering meal delivery services, many people have been asking: “Is Home Chef worth it?” The answer depends on your lifestyle, dietary preferences, and cooking habits. It’s true that Home Chef meal options include customizable choices and easy-to-follow recipes, making it a convenient choice for many households. The company’s focus on fresh ingredients and diverse menu options appeals to people who enjoy home cooking without the hassle of meal planning.

However, some subscribers find Home Chef’s pricing and preparation times less appealing compared to other options. The reviews for Home Chef are mixed. Check out a few of these Home Chef Reviews: 

Positive:

“Been with Home Chef since November 2017 and 1200 meals. I love their meals and both my husband and I are eating healthy meals.”

-Lois Glover on Trustpilot

Negative:

“I really like the meal selection, products and packaging from Home Chef but the delivery service they have is awful.”

-Pat on Trustpilot

That’s why we wrote this article. Below, we offer several Home Chef competitors for you to explore.

Highly-Rated Home Chef Alternatives

There are a wide range of options. The best one for you will depend on your objectives, diet, lifestyle, preferences for food, and the process for preparing each meal. That’s why we created a quick list that explains how each alternative stands out:

1. Gobble: Best for Busy People Who Still Want a Gourmet Meal
2. Hungryroot: Best for Meal Kits and Groceries
3. Purple Carrot: Best for People With Plant-Based Diets
4. Sakara: Best for Nutrient-Dense Meals
5. CookUnity: Best for Pre-Made Meals
6. Daily Harvest: Best for Healthy Frozen Meals

1. Gobble

Best for Busy People Who Still Want a Gourmet Meal

If we were to do a meal delivery service comparison between Home Chef and Gobble, Gobble would win—hands down!

We offer pre-prepared, gourmet meals that come to life in just 15 minutes. That’s why we stand out as one of the best companies like Home Chef. Gobble is perfect for busy individuals who want to enjoy delicious, high-quality meals.

Our menu is full of diverse and flavorful options, like the:

• Classic Plan
• Lean & Clean Plan
• Vegetarian Plan

Meal Favorites:

• Chicken Korma with Cashews & Coconut Rice
• Yankee Pot Roast with Root Vegetables
• Shrimp & Sun-Dried Tomato Linguine in Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce

Prepared & Ready meals are the latest addition to Gobble’s offers! These single-serving, chef-crafted dishes bring the same gourmet goodness you’ve come to expect from our classic 15-minute kits, but in a heat-and-eat format that’s perfect for quick lunches, on-the-go dinners, or late-night cravings. 

By flash-freezing each meal at peak freshness, our chefs lock in flavor, texture, and nutritional value without using any nasty preservatives or additives. Simply heat them up in the microwave or oven, and you’ll have a restaurant-quality meal in minutes.

But don’t worry, our Prepared & Ready meals aren’t here to replace our signature kits; they’re just another convenient option to make your life easier. From homestyle classics like Chicken Parmesan with Broccoli to globally-inspired favorites like Shrimp Pad Thai (and even a few reimagined Gobble classics), these pre-made meals are ready to store in your fridge or freezer for whenever hunger strikes.

Price:

Gobble’s meal plans start at $11.99 per serving for 5 nights per week. We also have a special offer for two weeks of 6 meals for only $36! This makes us a fantastic low-price home chef alternative. You can pause your contract anytime, so you’re free to enjoy our services at your own pace. 

Pros:

• Many ingredients are pre-cooked or prepared to save time
• Meals are ready in 15 minutes
• Preparation is easy and low effort
• We offer one of the best customizable meal delivery options to suit your taste
• There are dishes for every meal, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and more
• Options for prepared meals

Cons:

• We’re not the cheapest option on this list (but we believe we’re the most cost-effective!)
• Free shipping is only available for one week

Reviews:

“Outstanding meals. I invite my friends to dinner when I get my order. Way too much food for me, but my friends absolutely love the meals and I love serving them. Just excellent!” – Peggy on Trustpilot

“I am loving Gobble! It’s easy, delicious and fun to prepare. At 75, one of my greatest daily challenges is figuring out what to prepare for dinner each night. I started w/ a gift certificate from Christmas and I’ve been doing it 3x per week. Perfect solution. And it’s ready in 15 minutes!” – Denise Klassy on Trustpilot

2. Hungryroot

Best for Meal Kits and Groceries

Personalized grocery delivery is where Hungryroot shines. As one of the six companies like Home Chef, they include easy-to-follow recipes. You can choose meals based on your dietary preferences and goals.

For example, they offer plant-based meals catering to vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets. Also, Hungryroot is one of the best high protein meal delivery services to support your fitness goals.

Hungryroot has meals for every taste and health need, including:

• Anti-inflammatory
• High Protein
• Gluten-Free
• Gut-Friendly
• Vegetarian
• Less-sugar
• Dairy-free
• And more

Meal Favorites:

• Peanutty Tofu + Broccoli Fried Rice
• Carnitas with the Fixings Rice Bowl
• Spicy Broccoli Refried Beans Bowl

Price:

Hungryroot pricing varies based on your chosen plan. The small plans start at $65 per delivery, but you can cancel or skip anytime. It’s one of the best meal delivery services like Home Chef if you’re not worried about saving money.

Pros:

• Through the flexible ordering system, you can order meals, individual ingredients, and snacks
• Offers both groceries and custom meal plans
• For deliveries, they use recyclable packaging

Cons:

• It can be tricky to estimate the right amount of food to order
• It may be pricier than traditional grocery shopping
• A nutritionally balanced recipe may call for extra ingredients

Reviews:

“The food I chose is healthy and the prep time is minimal, as requested in my plan. Delivery was as promised. The free weekly gift, Almond chickpea cookie dough, is pretty good! Only downfalls was that some items went bad before I could eat them (pre-chopped veg and bean salad) and the salmon isn’t labeled wild-caught, which surprised me.” – Kacy Hendrickson on Trustpilot

“The food is decent but not as good as most other meal services I have tried. It’s great to be able to add other groceries though and they do accommodate a TON of food restrictions and some have quick prep time. I was hoping for a lot more vegetables in my meals and have been pretty disappointed that I have to add veggies to get enough in my diet. The other thing I haven’t loved is the amount of waste. I end the week with several half full containers of different sauces.” – Molly on Trustpilot

3. Purple Carrot

Best for People With Plant-Based Diets

If you’re vegan or vegetarian, Purple Carrot will have options for you. It is a fantastic Home Chef alternative if you are transitioning into a plant-based diet.

They specialize in plant-based kits and ready-to-eat meals. Also, they offer a bunch of delicious recipes that are both healthy and satisfying. That’s why it’s one of the best home chef alternatives!

Recently, Purple Carrot has added frozen meals and groceries to its plant-based lineup. 

Meal Favorites:

• Cheddar Apple Melts
• Gingerbread Overnight Oats
• Herby Avocado Toasts

Price:

Purple Carrot’s most popular plan is $8.92 per serving—for the 4-servings per meal, 3 meals per week option.

The price drops to $7.88 per serving for the 4-servings per meal, 2 meals per week option. 

Their prepared meals begin at $10.50 per meal for 10 meals per week. This may not work for you depending on how many meals you eat in a day.

Pros:

• They use creative flavor combinations
• The options include both prepared meals and meal kits
• They offer a rotating menu of vegan and vegetarian entrees

Cons:

• They may not be suitable for those with dietary restrictions or food allergies
• The plans are not suitable for large families or households
• The use of conventionally grown produce in some meals is not ideal for organic eaters

Reviews:

“Convenient service, easy to follow, delicious recipes, and I feel healthier because of it all! Some of the produce isn’t the best (I get a lot of soggy, brown green onions), and even if I need ONE (1) clove of garlic they send a whole bulb, but the food is always very flavorful.” – Customer on Trustpilot

“Good options. Timely delivery (tho I wish it were a little earlier in the day). Good ingredients except for avocados, which are consistently so hard I need to put them on the windowsill for at least 3 days before they’re usable. A little pricey, but worth the convenience.” – Bjh on Trustpilot

4. Sakara

Best for Nutrient-Dense Meals

Sakara is one of the best meal companies like Home Chef. They offer organic, plant-based meals. You can eat these to improve your health and well-being.

Sakara provides nutrient-dense, whole foods that support:

• Optimal digestion
• Energy levels
• Weight management

The company has two nutrition programs, including the signature nutrition program and a new detox program.

Meal Favorites:

• Rise + Shine Lemon Donut
• Forbidden Rice & Greens
• Strength + Protection Noodle Bowl

Price: 

Sakara’s prices vary depending on your meals and the length of the subscription. Plans start at $56 and can reach $420 per week. You can also add a beverage for $39 or a sweet treat for $20 per week. You can customize your plan on their website.

Pros:

• All meals come pre-prepared and ready-to-eat
• Innovative healthy dishes with a wide variety of flavors
• All meals are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free

Cons:

• Pre-set menus have limited customization options
• It’s not ideal for large families
• One of the priciest services like Home Chef

Reviews: 

“Excellent customer service; would be better if you could just talk to someone instead of email though.” – Customer on Google

“Love all the Sakara products. Shipping could be faster…especially when almost out of supplements!” – Customer on Google

5. CookUnity

Best for Pre-Made Meals 

CookUnity offers meal delivery like Home Chef with fresh, chef-prepared meals. They cater to many different dietary needs. Although they focus on pre-prepped meal kits, their menu of 150 meals rotates weekly.

This is one of the services like Home Chef with the most variety. That means you’ll never have to worry about eating the same thing over and over (unless you want to).

An interesting aspect of CookUnity is that the company offers a program called CookUnity For Business, which allows you to get prepared meals in bulk to cater work events or conferences. 

Meal Favorites:

• Classic Mushroom Pot Pie
• Grilled Jerk Shrimp Rasta Pasta
• Blackened Shrimp and Grits

Price:

The cheapest CookUnity plan starts at $11.09 per meal for 16 meals. They offer $11.19 per meal for the 12-meal plan, and $11.69 per meal for the 8-meal plan.

Also, you can choose $12.29 per meal for 6 meals or $13.59 for 4 meals. There’s a 30% discount for the first week.

Pros:

• Restaurant-quality, chef-crafted meals
• Very detailed ratios and macros
• They offer diet-specific options such as keto, paleo, low-carb, plant-based, and more

Cons:

• The price isn’t as low as some of the other prepared meal delivery services
• Even single-serving portions are small
• Not ideal for families

Reviews:

“I would say my experience was moderately happy. Delivery and packaging are excellent. Food quality is good but overall taste deteriorates quickly from the delivery date.” – Peter Newell on Trustpilot

“The delivery was on time and done nicely, the food is much fresher than most and the price is fair. However I wasn’t able to order gluten and dairy free and so got lots of cheese and bland dairy-based sauces that were thin, runny, and tasteless. I think I’m going to hire a personal chef instead.” – Lisa Winston on Trustpilot

6. Daily Harvest

Best for Healthy Frozen Meals

If you want simple frozen meals, Daily Harvest does these well. They have plant-based smoothies, bowls, soups, and snacks made with whole-food ingredients.

Daily Harvest is among the best meal delivery subscriptions. Their ready-to-blend or ready-to-heat meals make them a good option on busy days. It’s like Gobble, a great choice for meal delivery for busy professionals, but for frozen meals. However, Daily Harvest’s prices make it not as much of a low price home chef alternative.

Daily Harvest offers “clean food that fits your lifestyle.” That means they offer tailored meal programs, including gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based.

Meal Favorites:

• Tomato Basil + Portobello Bolognese
• Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash
• Broccoli + Cheeze

Price:

Daily Harvest’s prices range from $5.99 to $11.99 per item. Here are the discounts they offer:

• $5 off for orders under 11 items
• $10 off for orders under 23 items
• $25 off for orders under 26 items

The shipping fee is $9.99.

Depending on your order size, this can be an OK deal for frozen meals out of the six companies like Home Chef.

Pros:

• Most packaging is sustainable
• Healthy and unique items
• Organic ingredients

Cons:

• The majority of the portions are the size of a side dish
• Weekly menus don’t change much
• It is a bit pricey for smoothies and soups

Reviews:

“I love the ease and convenience of this product. Like all the different combinations of fruit… although I usually stick with the same ones. I think it is a little expensive to get these on a weekly basis. There needs to be some kind of reward system put into place…. But 5… get 5 or free or a discounted price” – Stacy on Trustpilot

“I love the products. They are delicious. They are expensive though and right now I can’t afford them. I have tried cancelling and haven’t been able to complete that yet.” – Customer on Trustpilot

Are Meal Delivery Services Better Than Grocery Shopping?

Deciding between meal delivery services and grocery shopping comes down to time, convenience, and cost. Meal delivery services streamline the cooking process, offering pre-measured ingredients or fully prepared meals delivered right to your door. This eliminates the need for meal planning, grocery store trips, and prepping for meal time.

Fully prepared meals are becoming more popular, and our recent blog post explains why. 

Grocery shopping may seem like a more budget-friendly option at first. However, when you compare meal delivery vs. grocery shopping and factor in food waste from unused ingredients (the average is $1,500 yearly), impulse purchases, and the time spent shopping, meal delivery services often prove to be more cost-effective. 

Discover Your Dream Meal Delivery Service

We hope you find the perfect low price home Chef Alternative to try! With this list, you will find the perfect meal delivery service.

Enjoy the benefits of delicious, healthy, and convenient meals delivered to your doorstep. There are so many options for meal delivery companies like Home Chef!

We might be biased, but we still think Gobble is the best. Place your order and see the convenience for yourself!