What are the differences between Blue Apron and Home Chef?

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This article compares Blue Apron and Home Chef to find out which meal kit offers the best variety, flexibility, and dietary options.

Please note that no one at Medical News Today, including the writer, has tried these meal kits. All information is research-based and correct at the time of publication.

Blue Apron and Home Chef work in similar ways. With their services, a person can:

• order a weekly box of fresh, pre-portioned ingredients
• choose from a selection of meal options to match their dietary requirements or preferences
• choose serving sizes and the number of meals they wish to receive each week
• receive step-by-step recipe cards for each meal
• place a hold on subscriptions when they are away from home, or cancel at any time

Blue Apron and Home Chef follow a similar structure, with certain menus tailored to specific plans. However, there are differences in the meals they provide.

Blue Apron

Blue Apron currently offers the following plans:

• 2-Serving signature: Choose from two, three, or four recipes per week, with 2 servings per meal.
• 4-Serving signature: Choose from two, three, or four meals from a choice of seven recipes, with 4 servings per meal.
• Vegetarian: Choose from two or three meat-free recipes each week, with 2 servings per meal.
• Wellness: Choose from two or three nutritionist-approved recipes each week, with 2 servings per meal.
• Meal prep: Provides 8 servings per meal.

Within these plans, people can choose from plant-based meals and dishes approved by WW, formerly Weight Watchers. Each week offers a different selection of meal options.

Market, wine pairing, and Heat and Eat

Blue Apron also offers several other services, such as its Market store, wine pairing service, and Heat and Eat meals.

People can use Blue Apron’s Market to purchase meal kits without a subscription and kitchen tools such as pans, knives, aprons, spices, and wine bundles.

Blue Apron also works directly with vineyards to offer a subscription wine service for $69.99 per month, including shipping. Subscribers can choose from wines that complement Blue Apron recipes. The company includes tasting notes, pairing advice, and the background of the wines with each shipment.

Each month, subscribers receive six 500 milliliter bottles, roughly two-thirds the size of a standard wine bottle.

Blue Apron’s Heat and Eat meals are microwaveable, premade main dishes which the company says live up to its standards for quality and flavor. People can add these meals to their accounts after subscribing.

Home Chef

Home Chef currently offers the following plans:

• Meal kits: For meals ready in roughly 30 minutes.
• 15-minute meal kits: For easy and quick meals.
• Oven ready: With pre-prepared ingredients in an oven-safe tin, ready to cook.
• Grill-ready: Add ingredients to a grill-safe bag and grill.
• Culinary collection: These comprise premium meals.
• Fresh & Easy: Minimum preparation meals suitable for people with a busier schedule.

People can customize these plans, select specific dietary options, and choose foods to avoid.

Each week offers a different selection of meal options.

Blue Apron’s prices are described in the following table.

Home Chef prices are similar to Blue Apron, with a standard meal costing $8.99 per serving. The company has a minimum weekly order of $49.95. Some meals come with a “Customize It” option, which means subscribers can choose the proteins they prefer in their dishes.

Blue Apron and Home Chef both support different dietary requirements.

Diabetes

To help people manage diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends balancing portions of non-starchy vegetables, carbohydrates, and protein for each meal while reducing sodium, added sugars, and unhealthy fats.

Blue Apron offers a selection of meals suitable for people with diabetes. The company has partnered with the ADA to create recipes with non-starchy vegetables and limited amounts of:

• calories
• total carbohydrates
• saturated fat
• added sugar
• sodium

Blue Apron also advises people with diabetes to avoid adding salt to their dishes.

Home Chef does not provide meals specifically for people with diabetes, although a person can select meals with fewer calories and carbohydrates while checking the nutritional information for each recipe.

Vegan and vegetarian

Blue Apron offers three vegetarian meal options each week, with 2 servings per meal. They do not currently offer vegan options, but people can choose recipes that exclude dairy products, honey, or eggs.

Home Chef offers a vegetarian menu, and although some may also be vegan, the company currently does not guarantee weekly vegan options. Each weekly menu contains three vegetarian meal options.

Learn more about a vegan diet here.

Gluten-free options

Neither Blue Apron nor Home Chef offers gluten-free meals. Home Chef, however, offers wheat-free recipes.

Blue Apron and Home Chef facilities are not certified allergen-free, so if people live with a severe allergy, it may be best to avoid using either service due to possible cross-contamination.

If a person wishes to buy a certified gluten-free meal kit, they can always consider Green Chef.

Both Home Chef and Blue Apron offer sustainable packaging options.

Home Chef claims its packaging is recyclable or reusable. A person can easily recycle the box, divider, recipe cards, and fruit wrap paper. They may need to check their local recycling to see if they accept the meal and ingredient bags.

Similarly, Blue Apron also states most of its packaging is recyclable. However, some items, such as the bubble insulation, may have to be thrown away. The company claims it is working towards more sustainable alternatives.

With both meal kits, people can opt to skip weeks and cancel their subscription at any time, as long as they do so before their next order.

Home Chef offers serving sizes for two, four, or six people, with 2–6 meals per week.

Blue Apron offers serving sizes for two or four people with 2–4 meals per week, depending on the plan.

People may find that meal delivery kits support home cooking with a busy lifestyle, reducing the time needed for grocery shopping and meal planning.

If a person eats out frequently and wishes to switch to home-cooked meals, meal kits may help. Some home delivery kits also work out less expensive and contain fewer calories than restaurant or takeout foods.

According to a 2013 study, people underestimate the number of calories they consume at fast-food chains by as much as 175–259 calories. Increasing awareness of calorie content by labeling meals clearly may help people make more informed decisions when choosing meals.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommend people plan home-cooked meals in advance to help them make healthful choices.

If people cannot afford home kits and find it difficult to find the time to cook every day, they may wish to consider batch cooking their healthful meals in advance.

After cooking, a person can store these meals in the freezer. When they feel hungry, they can quickly reheat a healthful and convenient home-cooked meal.

Before subscribing to either of these companies, a person may wish to consider the pros and cons.

Below are some advantages and disadvantages of using Blue Apron.

Similarly, people may wish to consider the advantages and disadvantages of using Home Chef.

Many alternatives to Blue Apron and Home Chef are widely available, including:

• Hello Fresh: This company offers a wide range of meal plans and delivers up to six recipes a week. People can choose from more than eight set meals per week that take an average of 20 minutes to prepare. Additionally, the company emphasizes responsible ingredient sourcing and recyclable packaging. Learn more about Hello Fresh.
• Sunbasket: This company uses USDA-certified organic produce and clean ingredients. Subscribers can select from specific diets, such as diabetes-friendly, vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo. Learn more about Sunbasket.
• EveryPlate: This company emphasizes simple to prepare food. People can choose from plans that serve 2–4 people 3–5 meals per week. EveryPlate offers menu options such as the Classic Plate, Veggie Plate, Family Plate, and Easy Plate. Learn more about EveryPlate.