Blue Apron vs. HelloFresh: Which meal kit service is best in 2021?

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• We put Blue Apron and HelloFresh head to head to determine which meal kit wins our hearts and our bellies. 
• HelloFresh is ideal for simplicity, speed, and convenience, while Blue Apron is better for creativity and trying new flavors.
• Read more: The best meal kit delivery services
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If ever there was a cure to your Seamless obsession, it's another kind of delivery - the meal kit delivery. Here to save you from the never-ending rotation of takeout, these meal kits are re-introducing you to your kitchen in all its wonder. As it turns out, your stove is just as important as your microwave.

Both Blue Apron and HelloFresh are veritable giants on the meal kit scene; in fact, they're among our favorite meal kit delivery services. They've been around for years, and have built up a loyal base thanks to their tasty recipes, wide selections, and ability to cater to various dietary restrictions. Both feature solid produce and protein options and are fantastic for a date night activity.

But there are certainly some aspects in which Blue Apron and HelloFresh begin to differentiate themselves from one another, and that's really how you'll be making your decision. Here are our thoughts after testing both.

Ease of use  

If we're thinking in terms of pure convenience, HelloFresh is a bit easier to use than Blue Apron. While both are extremely convenient, HelloFresh is more focused on providing meals that are truly no fuss, and as a result, can be ready in just a matter of minutes.

Blue Apron, on the other hand, sometimes requires just a bit more prep work or expertise - as a tradeoff, however, you may find Blue Apron's meals a bit more complex and interesting.

I've found many of HelloFresh's recipes to be a bit more straightforward and easy to follow, which is ideal for the beginner chef. If you're just looking to dip your toe into culinary waters and are beginning to make your way around four burners and an oven, then HelloFresh certainly seems a bit less intimidating.

While both Blue Apron and HelloFresh's directions are very clear, it often seems as though HelloFresh's recipes simply require fewer steps. Not only is that ideal for the beginner chef, but it's also well-suited for folks who perhaps are in a bit more of a rush. And if your main draw to a meal kit is convenience through and through, then HelloFresh is the way to go.

Winner: HelloFresh

Recipe quality and creativity

What Blue Apron may lack in convenience, it makes up for in creativity. The meal kit service is looking to put a bit of a gourmet spin on home cooking, and consequently, if you're looking to expand your horizons a bit, you'll be able to do so with Blue Apron.

I appreciate the internationally-inspired meals like Mushroom Tempura Rice Bowl or Crispy za'atar Chicken Tenders, which have the capacity to introduce cooks not only to new flavors but perhaps new techniques as well. Indeed, it's not all that often that you'll find meal kits making use of ingredients like fregola sarda, but Blue Apron could make it a staple in your kitchen.

For slightly more experienced chefs, Blue Apron is an ideal way to begin to expand horizons and check out different flavor combinations in a relatively risk-free environment. I've also had a number of friends adapt Blue Apron recipes to their own needs, something that seems more unique to this particular meal kit service than any other that I've tried.

Winner: Blue Apron

Ability to cater to dietary preferences

HelloFresh has recently become something of a meal kit behemoth, acquiring a number of smaller meal kit services including Green Chef. As a result, HelloFresh now offers a wide range of menus, including pescatarian, paleo, and vegetarian options.

While Blue Apron also offers some menus that are catered specifically toward these various dietary preferencers, they're not quite as well-curated as those of HelloFresh. As a result, if you're really looking to satisfy very specific dining or cooking habits, you may have a slightly easier time picking out your weekly menu through HelloFresh.

While Blue Apron also caters to different needs, it's a bit more difficult to actually narrow down your search by way of specific filters, so HelloFresh is a clear winner in this category.

Winner: HelloFresh

Taste

Perhaps the deciding factor when it comes to picking a meal kit, taste is inevitably a subjective metric. I will say that given the variety of meals that I've been able to experience through HelloFresh with its many different menu options, there is more room for exploration through this service.

However, it's not always the case that all recipes are equally delicious. I've found that some HelloFresh meals are much more interesting than others and that there's more variation in terms of the level of quality.

Blue Apron, on the other hand, seems a bit more reliable in terms of quality. Though there may be a slightly lesser range of options available, I know that all options will be equally delicious.

Winner: Blue Apron

Price

The best way to compare meal kit prices is by meal and serving. 

Blue Apron plans start at $9.99 per serving and $7.99 in shipping if you opt for three recipes that feed two people a week, totaling around $68. HelloFresh will cost you $8.99 per serving for three recipes that feed two people a week and will also tack on an additional $8.99 for shipping, totaling around $63. If we're going by this math, there's only around a $5 difference between the two plans. 

However, there are ongoing introductory deals that'll drop the cost down a bit, though the deals might change over time. Currently, HelloFresh is giving new subscribers 12 free meals but we've not been able to find a current deal for Blue Apron. HelloFresh also has a webpage for its current discounts and prices are while Blue Apron doesn't so you'd have to do some digging on Google. We suggest shopping around or even waiting a bit to see if a promo code becomes available.

Even though Hello Fresh has a lower base price when you compare three weekly recipes for two people, the various discounts make it too difficult to call one of these services as the true winner. 

Winner: Too close to call 

The bottom line: Too close to call

The choice between HelloFresh and Blue Apron ultimately comes down to convenience and your desire for new flavor profiles. If your priority is a quick, convenient, and delicious dinner, then HelloFresh becomes the obvious winner.

On the other hand, if you're looking to do a bit more exploration with your cooking and are eager to try out new techniques, then Blue Apron is the one for you. Either way, you'll be doing yourself a favor by giving takeout a day off.