As much as meal delivery kits can be a convenient solution for busy weeknights, one of the biggest barriers for many households is cost. With grocery prices climbing and takeout becoming less sustainable, affordability is a major factor when choosing a meal service. That’s why more people are seeking options that balance convenience, nutrition and price.
EveryPlate positions itself as a solution by offering simple, filling and tasty dinners at a price point that is more budget-friendly than many competitors. But do their meals actually deliver when it comes to flavor, ingredient quality and nutrition?
To find out, I tried three of EveryPlate’s plant-forward options and compared them to over 50 other meal services tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab. With insights from home cooks and expert analysis from our Lab team, this review will help you determine whether EveryPlate is worth your time, taste buds and grocery budget.
What is EveryPlate?
Pros
- The meals are appropriately portioned
- Quick and easy meals in 30 minutes or less
- A wide selection of meals featuring various global cuisines
- Affordable pricing compared to other meal delivery services
Cons
- Limited customization options
- Not suitable for those with strict dietary requirements
- Some meals contain high sodium and saturated fats
EveryPlate is a budget-friendly meal delivery service that helps you prepare simple and filling dinners at home without overspending. Unlike many meal kits with a higher price tag, EveryPlate focuses on affordability by offering meals starting at just $5.99 per serving. The company keeps costs low by streamlining its menu options, limiting packaging and sending pre-portioned ingredients, which also helps reduce food waste and prevents unnecessary grocery purchases.
The recipes are designed to be approachable and typically involve six straightforward steps, making them manageable for cooks of all experience levels. EveryPlate works with established suppliers to provide quality ingredients and emphasizes practical meals that can be prepared quickly. For those seeking convenience and value over gourmet variety, EveryPlate offers an accessible way to get dinner on the table.
How do EveryPlate meals work?
EveryPlate is a weekly meal kit subscription that delivers pre-portioned ingredients and simple recipe cards straight to your door. Each week, you can choose from a rotating menu of 27 meals, with options to swap proteins, add extras like snacks or breakfast items, or stick with basic dinners, depending on what works for your household. The meals are designed to be easy to follow and typically take around 30 minutes or less to make, so they fit well into a busy weeknight routine.
You can select from several meal preferences, including meat and veggie combos, vegetarian dishes, kid-friendly meals and recipes labeled as quicker to prepare or lighter. Everything arrives in one box, organized by recipe, so there’s less prep and cleanup to worry about. And if your schedule changes, it’s easy to skip a week or cancel your subscription as long as you do it at least five days before your next delivery.
How much does EveryPlate cost?
EveryPlate is pretty affordable, with meals starting at just $5.99 per serving. On top of that, there's a flat shipping fee of $10.99 each week. Your total cost will depend on how many people you're feeding and how many meals you want per week. For example, if you're getting dinner for two people three times a week, it'll cost you around $46.93 weekly. If you go for five meals a week, it'll be about $70.89. For four people, three meals a week comes to about $82.87, and five meals a week would be $130.79. Plus, if you use a voucher or discount, your price for the first few boxes could be even lower.
My experience testing EveryPlate
Ordering and meal selection
Once I signed up for EveryPlate, I quickly realized how much control I had over my meal plan. I could easily review my pre-selected meals or swap them out before each delivery. I loved the pop-out categories like Smart & Fit, Vegetarian, Top Rated, Family-Friendly, Premium and Quick & Easy. They made it much easier to pick meals, and it helped me narrow down my choices quickly. For my delivery, I went with a variety of veggie-packed meals to keep things fresh and exciting.
I selected the Honey Dill Chickpea Bowls, Thai Style Spicy Peanut Noodles and Saucy Cumin Lime Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I loved how each option offered something different, from hearty chickpeas to vibrant noodles and light, flavorful lettuce wraps. The variety was perfect, and I looked forward to trying all the fresh ingredients and bold flavors.
The menu rotates every week, so there's always something new to try. Plus, with EveryPlate Extras, I had access to over 50 additional options like proteins, sides, snacks, desserts, breakfast and even grocery items. It was great to add extra items to complement my meals.
One of the best things about EveryPlate is how flexible the plans are. I didn't have to commit long-term, which I appreciated, and I could skip deliveries or even cancel my account whenever I wanted. While EveryPlate offers a lot of variety, it's worth noting that they don't cater to specific diets like keto, gluten-free, paleo or vegan. But with dozens of new recipes each week, I still found plenty of options that fit into my regular diet.
I noticed there’s a lack of customization with EveryPlate. While the “CustomPlate” option lets you swap proteins or sides on select dishes (for an extra fee), the choices are limited. It may feel too limited if you have specific dietary needs or want more control over ingredients.
Allergen information is provided on the recipe cards and ingredient packaging, which was helpful. If you have any sensitivities or restrictions, it's a good idea to double-check the ingredients before placing your order. EveryPlate also recommends reviewing the ingredient list on their website to ensure everything fits your needs.
EveryPlate has a handy app that lets you easily pick your meals, schedule deliveries and manage your account all in one place. It's super user-friendly, making staying organized and controlling your meal plan simple. The service is available in most of the continental U.S., but unfortunately, it's not available in Alaska or Hawaii.
Unboxing and condition of food on arrival
My EveryPlate box arrived packed with everything I needed to make three meals, except for a few pantry staples like salt and pepper. I also appreciated the recipe cards; they were the perfect size, with clear photos of the ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, making the whole process straightforward. The recipes themselves seemed simple to make, which was a nice touch! The ingredients weren't as carefully packaged as other meal kits, so I had to sort through the box to determine which items went with which recipe. But this wasn't a deal-breaker for me. As Good Housekeeping Nutrition Lab Director Stefani Sassos pointed out, the packaging isn't as meticulous as some other kits. However, she highlighted that this can be a positive because it reduces plastic waste, which I agree with.
The simpler packaging felt like a more eco-friendly approach. One tester said: "The food was fresh on arrival, even with UPS being delayed a day. It sat on my porch all day at 98 degrees, and everything was still cold and fresh." Another tester noted, "The recipe cards were the perfect size, with nice photos of ingredients and recipe steps, making it easy to follow."
Additionally, EveryPlate made recycling simple. A tester appreciated this, saying, "I'm glad they included directions on how to recycle the cooling packages." Their boxes and separators are 100% curbside recyclable, and they include clear instructions on recycling the gel ice packs and box liners, which was really helpful. The packaging kept everything cool and fresh, even when I wasn't able to get it inside right away.
EveryPlate's effort to be more sustainable was noticeable. They also recommend enjoying your meals within a week of delivery for maximum freshness and storing the items properly is important. Some ingredients do best in the fridge, while others (like herbs) should be kept at room temperature.
Recipes and nutrition
I enjoyed trying all three meals from EveryPlate. Each one had its own unique flavor, but I did notice some differences in their nutritional profiles. The Saucy Cumin-Lime Chicken Tacos were super satisfying with a huge boost of protein (71 grams), but they did come in a bit heavy with 770 calories and 1,010 milligrams of sodium, which was on the higher side. They also had 8 grams of saturated fat, which is worth noting. For a lighter option, you can swap out the flour tortillas for lettuce wraps like I did, which cuts down on calories and carbs without sacrificing flavor.
I also tried the Thai-Style Spicy Peanut Noodles, which were lighter in calories (490), but the sodium was still pretty high at 1,010 milligrams and the protein was a bit low (only 11 grams). My favorite meal for balance was the Honey Dill Chickpea Bowls, which had 10 grams of fiber, a decent 18 grams of protein and lower sodium (800 milligrams), though the carbs were a little higher at 90 grams. The saturated fat here was 8 grams, similar to the chicken tacos, but overall, I felt like the Chickpea Bowls were more balanced. Overall, the meals were simple and enjoyable, but if you’re watching your sodium or saturated fat intake, I’d closely read the nutrition facts on EveryPlate's website before ordering.
EveryPlate makes checking your meal’s nutrition easy, providing estimates for each recipe in the "Nutrition Values" section. Recipes range from 610 to 880 calories per serving. You can also download full nutritional details up to five days before delivery by clicking “View complete nutritional info” on the recipe page.
As for prep, EveryPlate recommends having some basic kitchen tools like a pot, pan, baking sheet, knife and cutting board. Some recipes might call for extra tools like a zester or whisk, but nothing too crazy. All the recipes are available online, and you can easily print them out by selecting the week of your delivery on their homepage, so it’s super convenient.
EveryPlate offers a variety of meals, from Mediterranean-inspired dishes like Chickpea Rice Bowls and Greek Salmon to options from Asian, American and European cuisines. One tester mentioned that their favorite was the Linguini with Italian Sausage, saying it was perfectly flavored and easy to make, thanks to the clear instructions and helpful images.
According to the Good Housekeeping Institute's Nutrition Lab, EveryPlate’s meals were rated 3.6 out of 5 for ease of preparation and heating. The instructions scored a solid 4.2 out of 5 for being straightforward to follow, though some meals took a little more time or effort to prep. For satiety, EveryPlate scored 4.0 out of 5, with testers saying the meals were satisfying and filling, definitely good for keeping hunger at bay while enjoying a flavorful dish.
Taste
When it came to taste, everything was fresh, and the seasoning was on point. EveryPlate's meals received a solid 4.2 out of 5 rating for flavor from the Good Housekeeping Nutrition Lab, and I can see why many of the testers enjoyed the meals. I found that the flavor here was good but not groundbreaking. None of the meals stood out in a way that made me say, "wow!" but it could've also been the specific meals I chose. That said, the Thai-Style Spicy Peanut Noodles tasted the best. The combination of cilantro, scallions, crispy fried onions, sweet Thai chili sauce, peanut butter, garlic powder and mushroom stock brought the dish to life. It had a nice balance of creamy and spicy with great texture.
The Saucy Cumin-Lime Chicken Tacos had good flavor, thanks to ingredients like ancho chili powder, cumin, red onion, garlic and chicken stock. However, while it was enjoyable, I didn't find it as exciting as the Thai noodles.
The Honey Dill Chickpea Bowls didn't quite meet my expectations. The couscous pilaf with crispy spiced chickpeas, chopped Israeli salad and lemon zest, all drizzled with a sweet, savory and creamy honey dill sauce, sounded amazing, but it wasn't as great as I thought it would be. It's a unique flavor combo, so it could be right up your alley if you like those ingredients. Overall, while the meals were tasty, the experience would be even better with a little more standout flavor and balance across the dishes.
Who should order EveryPlate?
EveryPlate is ideal for anyone who wants a budget-friendly and straightforward meal delivery service. It's perfect for people who prefer easy, quick meals that can be prepped in about 30 minutes without too much fuss. If you're looking for an affordable way to enjoy home-cooked meals with fresh ingredients and don’t mind basic yet satisfying flavors, EveryPlate is a good choice. It works well for couples or small households, especially if you want filling meals that come in generous portions. If you’re not too concerned about highly intricate flavors and enjoy a no-nonsense approach to cooking, you'll likely enjoy the variety EveryPlate offers.
However, if you value gourmet dishes, have specific dietary needs (like gluten-free or low-sodium) or are looking for meals with more complex or refined flavors, you may want to explore other options. EveryPlate's meals are tasty and straightforward, but they might not be enough for those seeking more customized or flavor-packed meals. All in all, EveryPlate works well if you’re after a practical, cost-effective meal service with easy recipes that deliver satisfying results without breaking the bank.
The bottom line: Is EveryPlate worth It?
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly meal kit that keeps things simple and helps you get dinner on the table without much stress, EveryPlate is worth considering. It’s not the most gourmet option out there, but that’s kind of the point: It focuses on easy-to-follow recipes with familiar ingredients that don’t require fancy equipment or advanced skills.
While I didn’t find every meal to be a flavor standout, they were filling, well-portioned and came together quickly. I appreciated the convenience of having pre-portioned ingredients and clear instructions, especially on busy weeknights. Nutritionally, some meals were a bit high in sodium, saturated fats or heavier in calories. Still, there were also some nice balanced options if you take a few minutes to scan the nutrition info beforehand.
Ultimately, if you want to save time, stick to a budget and don’t mind keeping things a little more straightforward in the kitchen, EveryPlate offers great value.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we carefully evaluate a wide range of food products and services, including meal delivery options, healthy snacks and supplements. For our latest analysis, we reviewed over 50 meal delivery services, including both meal kits with pre-measured ingredients and recipe cards, as well as fully-prepared meals. We enlisted more than 300 at-home cooks across the country, alongside our in-house experts, to test these services in our Lab. Over the span of three months, we focused on key factors such as overall satisfaction, food quality, cost, sustainability and availability to give you the most thorough results.
Valerie Agyeman, a women’s health dietitian with over 10 years of experience in nutrition and wellness, has reviewed various meal delivery services, including Gobble, Factor, HelloFresh, Thistle and Sakara Life in the Good Housekeeping Nutrition Lab. This included testing the meals for taste, convenience and how well they fit into a healthy lifestyle. She also evaluated ingredient freshness, portion size, ease of preparation and how these services help make healthy eating easier for busy people.
Valerie Agyeman (she/her) is a women's health dietitian and the host of the Flourish Heights podcast, where she produces science-driven content covering overlooked nutrition, wellness and women’s health topics. She has over 10 years of combined nutrition communications, corporate wellness and clinical nutrition experience. Valerie is a trusted expert in the media, regularly appearing on networks such as Fox 5 DC, PIX-11, and ABC’s Good Morning Washington. She is also a contributing expert to publications like Women’s Health Magazine, Prevention, Good Housekeeping, and The Everygirl.
