Meal delivery services can be a great way to change up a redundant dinnertime routine and get you excited to try new recipes and cuisines. But since these kits only provide exactly what you'll need for the individual recipes, you'll still have to make a trip to the grocery store to gather other provisions for the week ahead.
Hungryroot, a hybrid meal and grocery delivery service, aims to solve this problem by offering a one-stop shop that takes the guesswork out of healthy meal planning. But the service does come at a premium, so you may be wondering if Hungryroot is really worth the cost. I tried the service firsthand myself, and even sent Hungryroot kits to five different GH+ testers across the nation for real life feedback on their experiences preparing the food in their homes over the course of three months. Here is everything you need to know about Hungryroot, including the quality of recipes and who the service is best for.
Pros
- Offers both groceries and recipes
- Large assortment of health-conscious foods
- Includes fresh produce, premium proteins and pantry goods
- Large database of 3,000+ recipes
- Accommodates for different dietary preferences
- Most recipes are quick and easy
- Deliveries can be customized
- Materials are recyclable
Cons
- Pricier than traditional grocery shopping
- Some meals could be more inventive
- Not ideal for larger families
| Cost | Meals start at $9.69 per serving. |
|---|---|
| Availability | Delivery to most zip codes in the 48 contiguous states. |
| Shipping | Free for orders over $70. |
What is Hungryroot?
Hungryroot describes itself as a "personalized grocery service that makes it easy to eat healthy." It's essentially a master meal planner — the service will generate a list of groceries for you paired with recipes for the week and ship everything straight to your door. You can have the service just handle dinners or opt for lunches and breakfasts too. This two-in-one grocery and meal delivery service takes the hassle out of having to meal plan or keep your fridge restocked, and saves you a trip to the grocery store.
How does Hungryroot work?
Start by taking a quiz to tell Hungryroot about any of your dietary needs, who you're feeding, allergies and more. Multiple dietary preferences can be met, including dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, omnivore, soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and more. You'll then input your payment information and the service will create a grocery plan and fill your cart with suggested groceries and recipes to meet your needs. You can always edit the delivery to get exactly what you'd like (just made sure to do so before the cut-off time prior to your upcoming delivery).
You also have the option to add on individual grocery items like snacks, breakfast foods, fruit and more if desired. All of the items that Hungryroot offers are free from partially hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and artificial preservatives. You can give feedback on your groceries and recipes so the service can improve deliveries each week.
How are the Hungryroot groceries and recipes?
Groceries include everything from fresh produce to premium proteins and health-conscious shelf-stable items. You'll also find Hungryroot prepared sauces which can help add a great dose of flavor to mealtime in a pinch. Recipes are abundant (there are over 3,000 to choose from) and include everything from grain bowls to pasta dishes, tacos and stir-fries. There is even a section of kids meals and family meals. The volume of meals can feel overwhelming, so it's nice that the service does provide suggestions.
Our Hungryroot Testing Experience
I tested the service myself several times and also sent Hungryroot to five different GH+ tester homes across the nation for their real-life feedback. Testers rated Hungryroot as one of the best services in our evaluation, saying that the meals were so easy to prepare and that the portion sizes were generous. Busy families appreciated that the cart would auto-fill and generate not just groceries but also corresponding recipes.
One tester said, "It was so fresh, the variety was amazing and everything was so quick to put together. Loved that everything came precut and prepackaged." Another tester commented, "I really enjoyed the recipes that were provided, and I liked that most of the ingredients were prepared (salsas, sauces, chopped veggies), so cooking was simple and quick. Specifically, I really enjoyed the delicious sauces!"
For my most recent Hungryroot testing experience, I tried the following recipes:
- Seared Sirloin Steak with Mushrooms and Potatoes
- Pesto Linguine with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli
- Juicy Chicken Fajita-Style Tacos
The website was easy to navigate and I chose to accept the groceries and recipes that the service recommended, but it's nice that you can opt to change items in your delivery. As far as the actual delivery, all items arrived cold but organization could have been better as some of the products seemed to be tossed around in transit.
In addition to the recipes, I also received some other groceries in my box including a salad kit, chicken tikka naan toastie, classic fruit salad, almond chickpea cookie dough and more. I wouldn't have put the toastie or the cookie dough in my cart, but those were pleasant surprises. The toastie made for an easy and flavorful lunch paired with the salad kit, and the cookie dough was a nice vegan sweet treat after a long day that I could eat out of the container but ended up baking for a delicious warm cookie.
As a dietitian, I was impressed with the assortment of items and that many of the offerings were on the health-conscious side, like the cauliflower linguine which had a great texture and paired well with the sauce provided and the riced broccoli which was in a convenient 90-second microwaveable pouch. Even my steak was good quality, grass-fed beef sirloin steak from Rastelli's, one of our favorite meat delivery services. "The quality of the ingredients was amazing, the variety was excellent, I loved everything in the shipment, and the recipes are easy to follow," one tester noted.
The kit has little time savers that make the world of a difference during meal prep, like the pre-washed potatoes that just had to be sliced, the pre-chopped veggies and the prepared sauces, which made the recipes quick and easy. I liked that the recipes were included on the packing slip, or I could scan the QR code to go to the site or app for my recipes. The recipes were each different and quite simple to prepare. They weren't the most inventive or unique but I felt that they were true crowd-pleasers for the whole family.
"My 12-year-old son followed the recipe cards and made the tortellini and chicken sausage dinner himself without any assistance," one tester even said. But the sauces are really what make the dishes, so don't skimp on those — without the sauces and condiments, the recipes would have been very bland. I do wish that the kit had included more spices and maybe some citrus like a squeeze of lemon or lime, but I was able to make do with what I had on hand. Everything was in good condition except for the fruit salad which could have been fresher, although another tester said that all of their fruit was fresh and nothing was rotten or bruised. Even the pre-cut vegetables and the meats in my box were good quality.
I had a few leftover ingredients, and the brand provides a virtual cookbook with an index of thousands of recipes that can put your food to use, so you don't have to worry about waste. I also appreciated the option of rating my food, so the service can give even better suggestions and recommendations in the future. I reached out to customer support via their contact us form and text support and received prompt responses.
How much does Hungryroot cost?
Cost ultimately depends on how much food you order and which groceries you choose each week. Meals start as low as $9.69 per serving and deliveries can have anywhere from three to eight recipes that serve two or four people. The brand offers free shipping for orders over $70. However, there is a $6.99 shipping fee for smaller orders. We did find the cost to be a bit high compared to standard groceries, likely since some of the items are already prepared or semi-prepared.
Where does Hungryroot deliver?
Hungryroot delivers to most zip codes in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. All of their deliveries are shipped via 1-day or 2-day transit time. Communication about delivery was great — I received timely emails from the brand on when to expect the shipment, as well as links to my recipes and tips on making the most of my order.
Sustainability is always top of mind for us at GH, so it was nice to see that the box, food protector and paper cooler that comes in the Hungryroot shipment can be recycled with cardboard and paper materials. The gel inside the ice packs can be discarded down a drain and then you can recycle the #4 plastic bag. "I loved that the box that everything was shipped in was eco-friendly but also kept everything cold. The ice packs could be reused or used as plant food," one tester said. As far as the food packaging, you'll want to check the package for instructions. Since much of the groceries come pre-prepared or pre-cut, we felt that there was definitely more food packaging and single-use plastic in this box than other services we have tested.
Who is Hungryroot good for?
I'd recommend this service for singles, busy couples or families of four who are looking to make more health-conscious choices at mealtime. Since the service combines meal planning and grocery shopping all in one, it can be a true time-saver for putting together healthy meals. The recipes are well-balanced and family-friendly, but if you're an experienced home cook looking for more inventive meals then the recipes may fall short. "I would recommend this service especially to busy families who don't have the time to meal plan because everything comes ready to make so it eliminates the stress of trying to come up with meals that the whole family will enjoy," one tester commented.
Is Hungryroot worth it?
If you're trying to make healthier choices in 2024 but don't have the time to meal plan or even get to the grocery store, Hungryroot can be a great solution. This hybrid grocery and meal delivery service checks a lot of boxes, delivering not just fresh groceries but also curated recipes directly to your door. You'll pay a premium, but the service cuts out the middleman and takes the guesswork out of healthy meal planning. Plus, it accommodates for a wide variety of dietary preferences to keep the whole household happy.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
As a dietitian and working mother, registered dietitian and Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab Director Stefani Sassos is passionate about putting healthy meals on the table for her family without having to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. She personally uses meal delivery services as a way to change up her family's normal dinnertime routine and get introduced to a variety of new foods and unique preparation methods. Stefani has led meal delivery testing efforts for the brand for the past four years and is well-versed in the current meal delivery landscape.
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition and Fitness Lab, where she oversees all nutrition and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women's Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
