Meal Kit Delivery Costs UK
Meal kit delivery services have revolutionized home cooking in the UK, offering convenience, variety, and reduced food waste for busy households. These subscription boxes deliver pre-portioned ingredients with recipe cards directly to your door, eliminating meal planning stress and reducing trips to the supermarket. From budget-friendly options to gourmet experiences, the meal kit market has expanded dramatically with major players like HelloFresh, Gousto, and Mindful Chef competing for UK customers seeking convenient cooking solutions.
Understanding meal kit costs compared to traditional grocery shopping helps determine whether these services represent good value for your household. While per-meal prices are higher than shopping yourself, the savings in time, reduced food waste, and elimination of impulse purchases can offset the premium. This guide breaks down meal kit costs across different providers, portion sizes, and dietary preferences in the UK for 2025.
How Much Do Meal Kits Cost in the UK?
Meal kit prices in the UK vary by provider, number of meals, and portion sizes. Here's a comprehensive breakdown:
HelloFresh (Market Leader): £4.99 to £7.49 per portion depending on plan size. A box for 2 people with 3 meals (6 portions) costs £29.94 to £44.94 weekly. Family boxes (4 people, 3 meals) range from £39.96 to £69.96 weekly.
Gousto: £3.99 to £6.99 per portion with more flexible options. Two-person boxes with 2-4 meals cost £15.96 to £55.92 weekly. Larger orders (4 meals for 4 people) offer better per-portion value at around £4.50-5.50 per serving.
Mindful Chef: £7.99 to £9.99 per portion for premium healthy meals. Focus on organic ingredients and specific diets (gluten-free, dairy-free) commands higher prices. Two-person, 3-meal boxes cost approximately £47.94 to £59.94 weekly.
SimplyCook: £9.99 for 4 recipe kits (you buy fresh ingredients separately). This budget option provides just the recipe cards and spice/sauce sachets, costing £2.50 per meal for the kit plus your own ingredient costs.
Green Chef: £5.99 to £7.99 per portion with organic ingredients and specific diet plans (keto, vegan, balanced). Premium positioning similar to Mindful Chef but slightly cheaper at £35.94 to £63.92 for typical boxes.
Delivery Costs: Most services offer free delivery on orders above £35-40, with delivery fees of £3.99 to £5.99 for smaller boxes.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Meal Kits in the UK
🍽️ Number of Meals and Portions
Per-portion costs decrease with larger orders. Ordering 2 meals for 2 people costs around £6-7 per portion, while 5 meals for 4 people drops to £4.50-5.50 per portion. The minimum order sweet spot for value is typically 3-4 meals per week for 2+ people.
🥗 Dietary Requirements
Standard omnivore meal kits are cheapest at £4.99-6.99 per portion. Vegan and vegetarian options cost roughly the same. Specialized diets (keto, paleo, gluten-free) command premiums of £1-2 per portion due to specialty ingredients. Organic-only services like Mindful Chef cost 30-40% more than standard equivalents.
🎯 Recipe Complexity
Basic recipes with 5-6 ingredients cost less (£4.99-5.99) than gourmet meals with premium proteins and 10+ ingredients (£6.99-9.99). Most providers let you choose recipe difficulty and price point each week, giving flexibility to balance cost and culinary ambition.
📦 Subscription Frequency
Weekly deliveries cost more per month than bi-weekly or monthly options. HelloFresh weekly (4 weeks) costs £120-180 monthly, while alternating weeks reduces this to £60-90. All services allow skipping weeks or pausing subscriptions at no penalty.
🎁 Promotional Offers
New customer discounts are substantial—often 50-60% off first boxes plus free delivery. A box normally £50 costs £20-25 with intro offers. Referral codes give existing customers and friends £15-25 off each, making promotional shopping between services worthwhile.
How to Save Money on Meal Kits in the UK
🎟️ Use Promotional Codes
Never pay full price for your first order. Search for discount codes offering 50-70% off plus free delivery, saving £25-40 on first boxes. Some promotions extend discounts across first 3-4 boxes, potentially saving £80-120 total. Sign up with different email addresses to access multiple intro offers across providers.
⏸️ Skip Weeks Strategically
All major services allow skipping weeks without canceling. Use meal kits when busy or uninspired, skip when you have time to shop normally. Alternating weeks saves £50-100 monthly while maintaining subscription flexibility and avoiding delivery fees.
📊 Compare Per-Portion Prices
Calculate actual per-portion costs including delivery. A box at £45 with free delivery (6 portions) costs £7.50 per portion. Another at £40 plus £4.99 delivery costs £7.49 per portion—barely different. Larger orders almost always offer better value.
🔄 Rotate Between Providers
Use introductory offers at multiple services then cancel or skip. HelloFresh one month, Gousto the next, each with promotional discounts, keeps costs low. Most services make cancellation easy, though they'll offer retention discounts if you try to leave.
🥘 Choose Simpler Recipes
Within each service, select quicker/easier recipes which typically use fewer expensive ingredients. A 20-minute chicken stir-fry costs £5-6 per portion versus a 45-minute gourmet recipe at £7-9 per portion. Both fill you equally but simple options save £10-20 weekly.
FAQs
Are meal kits cheaper than grocery shopping UK?
Meal kits cost £4.99-7.99 per portion, more expensive than cooking from scratch where meals cost £2-4 per portion. However, meal kits eliminate food waste (saving £60-90 monthly for average households), reduce impulse purchases, and save 2-3 hours weekly in planning and shopping. For busy professionals valuing time, the convenience premium of £20-40 weekly is often worthwhile.
Which is the cheapest meal kit delivery UK?
Gousto offers the lowest regular prices at £3.99-5.99 per portion when ordering larger boxes. SimplyCook is cheapest at £2.50 per recipe kit but requires buying fresh ingredients separately. With promotional offers, HelloFresh often works out cheapest for new customers at £2.50-4 per portion after discounts. Compare current intro offers as they change frequently.
Can I cancel meal kits anytime?
Yes, all major UK meal kit services allow cancellation anytime with no penalties or notice periods. You can also skip individual weeks rather than canceling entirely. Most services try to retain customers with discount offers (£20-40 off next box) when you attempt to cancel. The flexibility makes meal kits low-risk to try.
How much is HelloFresh per week UK?
HelloFresh costs £29.94 to £69.96 per week depending on your plan. The most popular option (2 people, 3 meals, 6 portions) costs £29.94-44.94 weekly. Family boxes (4 people, 3 meals) range £39.96-69.96. Per portion prices are £4.99-7.49, decreasing with larger orders. First-time customers usually get 50-60% off bringing first box down to £15-25.
Do meal kits save money UK?
Meal kits don't save money versus careful grocery shopping but can prevent expensive takeaways and restaurant meals. If meal kits at £6 per portion replace takeaways at £10-15 per meal, you save £16-36 weekly. They also reduce food waste worth £60-90 monthly for average UK households. The main value is time savings (2-3 hours weekly) rather than direct cost savings.
Conclusion
Meal kit delivery services in the UK cost between £30 to £80 per week depending on household size and chosen provider, working out to approximately £4 to £8 per portion. While this represents a premium over traditional grocery shopping, the convenience, reduced food waste, and variety make meal kits worthwhile for many busy households. The true value lies not in direct cost savings but in time saved on meal planning and shopping, reduced stress around "what's for dinner," and the ability to cook restaurant-quality meals at home.
To maximize value from meal kits, take full advantage of generous introductory offers saving £25-40 on first boxes, skip weeks when you don't need them, and choose appropriate portion sizes for your household. The flexibility to pause, skip, or cancel subscriptions without penalty means you can use meal kits strategically—perhaps ordering weekly during busy work periods and skipping during holidays when you have more time to shop and cook. For the right household, the £120-320 monthly investment in meal kits is money well spent on convenience, variety, and quality home-cooked meals. 🍽️
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Jane Smith |
| Am British, live in London (1985–present) |
