From Gousto to Hello Fresh, from Riverford to Abel & Cole, here are the best recipe boxes and meal prep delivery services for 2023 - the majority of which have been tried and tested by us.
If you're bored of the same old dinner day in and day out, or you're looking for something a bit fancier than your usual Saturday night takeaway, a recipe box is a great option. A recipe box is a meal prep subscription service that delivers food to your front door. Not just any food though, specific quantities of fresh produce such as vegetables, meat, pulses, etc. along with recipe instructions for cooking yourself.
"If you like to cook but sometimes struggle to think of recipes or apply portion control to your diet, meal prep delivery services are a great option," says Senior Food Writer, Jessica Ransom. "Some recipe boxes go even further and deliver all the food you need for a day—including snacks. Some even have oven-ready meal options too. You pay for the convenience of having planned recipes and pre-portioned ingredients delivered to your door without the hassle of shopping or meal planning. Meal kits are a great way to try new recipes and foods you wouldn't eat on a regular basis too."
Once you've chosen your recipe box provider; be it Gousto, Simply Cook, or Mindful Chef to name a few, sign up for the recipe box subscription service (a variety of options are available for each) and you choose from a range of different meals that you'd like to recreate at home. And just like that, you have a pre-planned meal or five, on the way to you without the hassle of meal prep or food shopping. A time saver to say the least.
Best recipe boxes for 2023
Why we love it: Abel & Cole's big selling point is its high-quality, organic produce. The company was founded in 1988 and describes itself as an expert in ‘organic, seasonal, wild food that’s extra special'
Working with smaller suppliers, a subscription to Abel & Cole is a surefire way to ensure you're supporting local trade, and the company tries to keep all produce as green as possible through farming and delivery methods. There are plenty of vegan and veggie options, and while there are no specific diet recipes, the recipes are generally for healthy, fresh, and light meals. Meal prep and cooking time varies in length from recipe to recipe, but as a general rule, you can expect to spend a little more time in the kitchen with this recipe box.
"I can see why people opt for recipe boxes as they’re a great convenience - all the thinking and food buying is done for you, you just have to have a bit of extra time in the evenings to create your masterpiece, which is why it would be a weekend treat for us if we were to have Abel & Cole again in the future," says reviewer Emily.
Price: Minimum order is £12, with a £1.99 delivery charge - choose from a meal kit that serves 2 or 4
Why we love it: If you’re trying to lose weight, but don’t have the time (or the energy) to count calories or plan delicious, healthy meals you’ll actually look forward to eating – then Balance Box is for you.
Delivered twice weekly; each box contains all you need for either three or four days, including your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with two snacks. The portions are controlled, and carefully balanced to keep cravings and hunger at bay and you can choose a plan that totals either 1200 or 1800 calories. There are plenty of meat, meat-free, vegan, and gluten-free options, with dishes including mango and chia seed yogurt with granola, smoked salmon ceviche salad, lamb curry and coriander rice, and Japanese miso cod and oriental style quinoa.
"Put the price of Balance Box to one side and you've got an ingenious idea for those who really want to control what they eat, eat healthier, and lose weight in the process. It was so handy having every meal pre-planned for the day," says reviewer Maria.
Price: Prices start from £26.99 a day for the lighter plan to the market plan from £32.99 a day
Why we love it: Riverford is all about locally-sourced products, so you know you’ll get fresh ingredients for delicious meals
You can customise your recipe box by choosing from a selection of meals catering to plant-based, vegetarian, fish, or meat-eaters. They also have a weekly guest chef recipe created by a professional chef. Think roasted asparagus with harissa bulghur and turmeric yogurt, quick Thai fish curry or Normandy pork, and cider with garlic roasties. Riverford doesn't just do recipe boxes either, they do fruit and vegetable boxes too.
“The majority of the recipes on Riverford are for two people. We did notice a couple that fed more but we'd be very limited for our family of four if we were to go with Riverford again. It was the perfect choice for a date night dinner for me and my husband though. We both love cooking, and cooking together made the prep and cook time even quicker," says Food Editor, Jessica Dady.
Price: From £12.75 per meal for two, and can go up to £17.95 per meal for two for prime cuts of pork for example.
