I tried five meal kit services over the course of about six months. Some were good. One sent me a box where the chicken had leaked all over the vegetables. One was so complicated that a “20-minute recipe” took me 45 minutes and dirtied every pan I own.

Here is what I found across the major services — not affiliate links, just the conclusion of someone who cooked a lot of meals out of cardboard boxes.

HelloFresh — Best for Beginners

HelloFresh has the widest selection and the most forgiving recipes. The instructions are clear, the prep is minimal, and the meals feel like real cooking without being overwhelming. The portions are generous — I usually got lunch leftovers from dinner kits. Price is about nine to eleven dollars per serving depending on your plan size.

The downside: after about two months, the menu starts to repeat. You will see the same spice blends and the same potato-and-green-bean side combos over and over. Good for learning to cook. Less good for variety long term.

EveryPlate — Cheapest, Simplest

EveryPlate runs about five to six dollars per serving. The recipes use fewer ingredients and skip the fancy garnishes. You will chop more vegetables yourself — HelloFresh sends pre-chopped, EveryPlate does not. If you do not mind a little extra prep work, this is the best value. The ingredient quality is a step down from HelloFresh but not by much.

Home Chef — Best Customization

Home Chef lets you swap proteins on most meals — chicken for shrimp, steak for pork — without changing the price. They also offer “oven-ready” meals that come in an aluminum tray you just put in the oven. These are great for nights when you cannot face a cutting board. Price is similar to HelloFresh, around ten dollars per serving.

Green Chef — Best for Special Diets

If you are keto, paleo, or gluten-free, Green Chef is the one. Every ingredient is organic and the meals are built around dietary restrictions rather than forcing you to pick from a limited subset of the regular menu. It costs more — about twelve to thirteen dollars per serving — and the prep can be involved. Worth it if you have dietary needs the other services do not handle well.