Strap on your aprons, regardless of their color, because it’s time to get cooking with Blue Apron.
After trying what seemed to be an endless number of meal kit options over the last four years, you may be shocked that my kitchen and I are still standing. However, despite all the prepping and tasting, I was hungry for more, and Blue Apron was quick to satisfy that craving.
The meal kit company offers an array of recipes, pre-made meals, grocery items and even baked goods, making Blue Apron one of the most comprehensive that I’ve tested. They work for me, a single twenty-something and provide me with tasty, well-rounded meals and leftovers, but also would be great for larger families, couples or even roommates that like to cook together in the kitchen.
How Blue Apron works
Blue Apron is truly and all-encompassing meal kit brand. Not only do they offer a full suite of traditional meal kits with options for carnivores and vegetarians, but they also have heat-and-eat prepared meals for one and add-ons for snacks, breakfast, lunch and dessert.
The company works similarly to the rest, with a weekly menu to fill your box with and weekly deliveries to your door. The portion sizes include a single serving heat-and-eat meal and then your choice of either two or four servings of their traditional meals.
Typically, you order each week, but there is also an option to skip a week or pause for a few weeks, should you be out of town or not in the mood to cook.
Blue Apron price
Blue Apron is ranked in the middle tier when it comes to price, as compared to other kits we’ve tried. When ordering the highest number of meals per week and servings per week, a meal can be as low as $7.99 per serving.
For two servings, prices range from $9.49 to $11.99 and then four serving plans range from $7.99 to $9.99 per serving.
Shipping is $10.99 per box, but be on the lookout for free shipping deals on your first order or with other coupon codes.
Blue Apron meals
Meals are mostly carnivorous, with a chicken, steak and fish aplenty. However, vegetarians, don’t click away just yet! On the site, they have a page just for you, with weekly meals that look just as good as the meat-eating options. You can also see the little green leaf on the weekly menu, signaling a vegetarian meal.
Each meal comes with a recipe card, which I personally love and choose to save for later use. They are specific enough for me to follow along perfectly and simple enough to not overwhelm. Most menu items only have about five or six steps, even including the premium meal options.
While I love that my cards came printed in the box, they also have the option to follow along online. You can simply download the Blue Apron app for easy step-by-step cooking instructions, with photos included for those who are more visual learners.
Our review
Pros:
- Full-sized ingredients, super fresh produce and large portions
- A bit more in-depth cooking, with great tasting results
- Perfect for a hungry family or those who want to spend more quality time in the kitchen
- Now offer pre-made meals, grocery items and add-ons for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dessert
Cons:
- Not the most sustainable, as each meal and many ingredients are wrapped individually in plastic
- May be more in-depth than some kits
It’s been four years of Blue Apron and I would easily take four more. Not once was I bored with their selection of meals and I do tend to learn something new about cooking (or baking!) each time I make a meal.
For this test, I cooked meat, seafood and baked cookies, to get a full look at the offerings. We also have made the following recipes, should you want to check out our editor-approved picks.
Opting for the Crispy Steelhead Trout and Creamy Dijon Sauce first, I got to work. The card said that I would need 35 to 45 minutes to complete this, but in reality, with a slower oven and quadruple checking of the recipe, it really came in at just under an hour. Chopping fresh Brussels sprouts and marinating fish is actually pretty relaxing, so I didn’t mind using my whole lunch hour on something so fun.
The meals that I had were all insanely delicious, and I think that had something to do with the ingredients. I was stunned to see how huge my sprouts were and all my produce and proteins looked picture-perfect, down to the stems on my peppers.
A nod to the “Knick Knacks,” which is their fun branding for the bag of spices, sauces and other additions needed for each recipe, as the sharp and unique flavors they provide also amp up the gourmet factor. This does increase the plastic-use, but also makes for an easy cook.
The final verdict
If you’re stuck between a few different meal kits to try this week, there may be some lingering questions. Making a list of pros and cons is a good idea, but who has time to look at over 15 different kits? (Well, I did, and you can read all about it here.)
To help you out, Blue Apron is one of the most comprehensive meal kits in terms of offerings for both carnivores and vegetarians. The portion sizes are generous and the meals are delicious, not to mention there are options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.
This is not the kit for you if you are a vegan, nor if you have other health needs that require a specific dietary option. Vegan? Look here.
How we tested
- Ease of ordering: Blue Apron uses a weekly menu that is easy to use.
- Prep, cook and cleanup time: All cooking times vary, but are clearly labeled on each recipe so you can plan your meals accordingly. Blue Apron can be more involved than other kits, but they have options for easier meals.
- Flavor and fullness: Flavor and fullness is 5-out-of-5 stars!
- Sustainability: Since each meal is packaged in individual plastic bags, this isn’t the most sustainable kit. The box and ice packs can be recycled, but there is a heavy plastic use.
- Price: The price is average, when compared to the other meal kits. It gets less expensive the more you order, so this is great for larger families and those that want more meals per week.
FAQ: What to look for when choosing a meal kit
Diet: Pay attention to the dietary options each service caters to, from vegetarian and vegan to Keto and paleo.
Household Size: Count the number of people in your family and then account for how much they eat to best calculate how many servings you need to feed everyone. Some kits detailed above have larger portions, while others are single-serve only.
Budget: Meal kits and services have a wide range of prices. Some offer free shipping, while others have a minimum spend, and other specialty or health-related plans may cost more.
Time: Think about how long you want to be cooking for each night. Some meals require 30 or more minutes to cook, not including cleaning up. Others are microwavable and thus don’t require clean-up time, either.
