EveryPlate Review
If you like the idea of meal kit services but find them overpriced, EveryPlate was designed for you. It is currently one of the most affordable meal kit services in America.
This New York-based service was launched in 2018 by HelloFresh, one of the biggest names in the meal kit industry. It promises high quality at a low price and the main goal of this EveryPlate review is to reveal whether there is truth to this claim. We have tested this affordable meal delivery service and we’re eager to share the results with you. Although we think you can already tell that we like it.
Our EveryPlate box has arrived! If you have ordered from HelloFresh, you can notice that the design is strikingly similar. We hope that the food is just as good as well.
What Is EveryPlate
EveryPlate is a popular subscription-based delivery service that provides everyday-cooking meal kits at the lowest price in the industry. Every week, it brings fresh recipes and pre-measured ingredients to homes across the continental United States.
Since EveryPlate has opted for the subscription business model, that means that by placing your initial order, you agree to receive meal kits on a regular basis until it no longer works for you. Fortunately, the subscriptions are highly flexible, as we will explain later on.
The service is advertised as ‘the affordable meal kit for everyone’. However, while it does fit virtually every budget, it does not suit all dietary needs. In fact, it offers no options for special diets, which is something you should definitely keep in mind when deciding whether EveryPlate is the right choice for you.
As we are unboxing our Everyplate delivery, we are glad to see that everything is neatly tucked into a recyclable insulated liner and there seem to be no spills or damages.
On the plus side, the company offers simple recipes that are mostly classics and suit all cooking skill levels. Its ingredients may not be organic, but they are always of good quality and packed at peak freshness.
Furthermore, you do not need any expensive equipment in order to cook EveryPlate meals. Most of the time, you just need a pot, a pan, a cutting board, and a good knife, along with some baking sheets. Occasionally, you may need some inexpensive additional tools and resources, like a peeler, a strainer, a whisk or aluminum foil.
The company’s prices are only rivaled by that of its main competitor, Dinnerly. That is why EveryPlate is at the very top of our list of the cheapest meal kit services.
How Does EveryPlate Work
EveryPlate offers 2 meal plans, one designed for 2 people and the other for families of 4. As a subscriber, you get to choose should you receive 3, 4, 5 or 6 meals per week. All the recipes are dinner ideas and they are crafted with carnivores, vegans, vegetarians and omnivores in mind. Just to make this section of our EveryPlate review perfectly clear, as we want to explain to you in detail how EveryPlate works, let us get into nitty gritty.
The maximum amount of meals you can order per week is 6 meals for 4 people which equals to 24 meals. And the minimum amount of meals is 3 meals for 2 people which equals to 6 meals. Of course, the more meals you order, the more meals will be cheaper. And don’t forget that you can order 24 meals even if there’s just two of you. It’s not like someone is going to check up on you.
Once you choose your meal plan and recipes, the service obtains and measures all the ingredients necessary to make the meals and sends them to your home. Along with the food, you get handy recipe cards featuring step-by-step cooking instructions.
EveryPlate recipe cards feature a lovely design and all the information is perfectly organized. If you are a visual person, you are sure to appreciate the helpful photos of everything from ingredients through steps to the delicious final result.
You can choose from 26 delicious and affordable recipes that change with every week. However, if you’re not home for a week, don’t worry, they got you covered. The company has made the skipping process perfectly easy. All you need to do is log into your EveryPlate account and choose the week you want to skip. If you change your mind, you can unskip with equal ease. The same goes for modifying your order and changing the delivery day and your payment and shipping information.
Even more importantly, you can cancel your subscription anytime since you are not bound by any legal contract. Thus, you do not have to worry about being stuck with a subscription that does not suit your changing needs.
There is only one fact you need to remember and that is the deadline for order modifications and skipping or canceling your subscription. If you want to make any changes or do not wish to receive your next order, you need to state your intentions and desires by midnight 5 days before your next delivery is scheduled.
What Makes EveryPlate Different
Indeed, EveryPlate differs from most of its competitors in both good and bad ways. Starting with the positive qualities, we need to emphasize once again that you currently cannot get meal kits at a lower price, at least not in America. Plus, based on our experience and the experiences of home cooks who have ordered from EveryPlate, the ingredients are fresh and of rather high quality, the recipes are easy, and the meals are suitable for picky eaters. These are all very good reasons to give EveryPlate a try.
EveryPlate ingredients are not the best of the best, but they are fresh, natural, flavorful, and carefully portioned and packed. Honestly, they are much better than we expected for the price.
On the downside, the low price is reflected in the selection and numerousness of the recipes. Granted, the recipes change every week, so you get to experience plenty of variety, but there are just 9 of them on the menu, compared to more than a dozen on the weekly menus of some of EveryPlate’s top competitors. Second, the service is only suitable for people who eat meat and do not suffer from any major food allergies. This significantly reduces the number of potential customers.
In other words, EveryPlate’s offer confirms the well-known fact that you cannot have it all. With this service, you get quality food and great convenience at a virtually unbeatable price. However, you should not expect anything fancy and if you want your meals to be customized to suit any special dietary preferences, you need to customize them yourself.
You do not need any expensive equipment in order to cook EveryPlate meals. Most of the time, you just need a pot, a pan, a cutting board, and a good knife, along with some baking sheets.
EveryPlate Meals And Recipes
Now, let us talk about the menu. So far in this EveryPlate review, we have covered the basics. There are 9 recipes per week, 3-5 recipes of your choice in your delivery, 2 or 4 servings per recipe. If you choose to get 2 servings per kit, you can receive 3, 4 or 5 kits in your weekly delivery. If you are cooking for 4 people, the only option is to order 3 kits per week. There are no recipes for vegans, there is only 1 recipe per week for vegetarians, and the meals usually include the most common allergens, like wheat, dairy, and nuts.
EveryPlate Bacon Mac And Cheese – As deliciously comforting as it looks and the best part is that it took just half an hour to cook.
On the plus side, you are more than likely to enjoy the dishes on offer. You can expect filling pasta, sticky roasted chicken, delicious steaks, meatballs, pork chops, comforting soups, risottos, grilled cheese, sloppy joes, fajitas, quesadillas, and other favorites. The recipes are rarely exotic and they can hardly be classified as haute cuisine. The chefs aim to please everyone by opting for familiar textures and flavors and all-around safe choices. However, for those who want to make their meals special, the company does offer upgradeable recipes that allow you to replace standard ingredients with those of premium quality. If you are interested in this option, just look for menu items labeled Premium.
Apart from being family-friendly and pretty satisfying, EveryPlate meals are also easy to make. Normally, there are just 6 simple steps that you need to complete before enjoying your meal. There are not too many ingredients, so the prep process does not take long. Many of the dishes can be prepared in a single pot or pan. The average cook and prep time is about 40 minutes, with times ranging from 30 to a maximum of 45 minutes.
EveryPlate Cowboy Skillet Pie fresh out of our kitchen. It belongs to the 45-minute category, but it is well worth the time and effort. We particularly love the nice smoky boost it gets from the Southwest spice blend. We will be sure to use this meat, veg, and spice combo again.
The portions are medium-sized, meaning they are large enough to satisfy everyone but those with a particularly big appetite. The meals are rarely low in calories, normally ranging between 500 and 750 calories per portion. Calorie count and allergen and nutrition information are provided for all recipes.
Deliveries include all the necessary ingredients, apart from pantry staples like salt, pepper, and oil. The ingredients are fresh, natural, and pre-measured. However, they are not sorted by recipe and not all of them are labeled, so you need to learn how to tell parsley from cilantro or basil.
EveryPlate Hotel Butter Steak is classified as a premium meal for a reason. It is fancier than other items on the menu and perfect if you want to impress someone at the table. Plus, it only takes 38 minutes to prepare.
Apart from being family-friendly and pretty satisfying, EveryPlate meals are also easy to make. Normally, there are just 6 simple steps that you need to complete before enjoying your meal.
How Much Does EveryPlate Cost
EveryPlate pricing is perfectly simple. Regardless of whether you opt for the 2-person or the 4-person meal plan, you pay just $4.99 per serving. In case you want to get premium ingredients instead of the standard ones, you pay $3 more per serving. As expected, since the price per meal is so low, shipping does not come free of charge.
For every delivery, you pay an $8.99 shipping fee. This may seem a little steep, but you still get to save quite a lot. In comparison to ordering from some of the most popular meal delivery services that offer free shipping, you get to save $40 or more per delivery if you are ordering for 4 people, which is rather great.
| 2-person plan | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal kits per week | Price per week | Price per serving | |
| 3 | $29.94 | $4.99 | |
| 4 | $39.92 | $4.99 | |
| 5 | $49.90 | $4.99 | |
| 4-person plan | |||
| Meal kits per week | Price per week | Price per serving | |
| 3 | $59.88 | $4.99 | |
Where Does EveryPlate Deliver
When it first started out, EveryPlate delivered to the majority of the US. Now it ships its meal kits to all 48 contiguous US states. Alaska and Hawaii shipments are not available and the company has no plans to expand its delivery area at this point.
The packages are delivered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, between 8 am and 8 pm. You can choose the desired delivery day and change it at any time. Tracking links are provided for all shipments.
EveryPlate changes its packaging in accordance with the season, so even if the weather is hot, your food is sure to stay cool for at least 48 hours after it is shipped. We unboxed our delivery 2 hours after it arrived and everything was still perfectly fresh.
EveryPlate Pros And Cons
To make sure EveryPlate meets all your standards and expectations, it is important to know its biggest advantages and disadvantages. With a short overview of its pros and cons, you can easily decide if EveryPlate is the right meal kit service for you.
- Fresh, quality, pre-portioned ingredients
- Suitable for all cooking skill levels
- Picky-eater-friendly menu
- New meal ideas every week
- Meal plans for couples and families
- Highly affordable prices
- Flexible subscription
- Not all ingredients are labeled
- Few items on the weekly menu
- Lacks options for special diets
Sample Dishes
If you subscribe to EveryPlate, you can easily prepare culinary masterpieces using only the ingredients and recipes found in your meal kit box. You may not be a pro chef just yet, but with EveryPlate, you can easily make restaurant-grade meals. You don’t have to take our word for it – check out the images below to get a better idea of the types of dishes you can enjoy with EveryPlate.
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- Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl
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- Chili Cherry Pork Chops
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- Easy Chicken Fajitas
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- Gravy Lover s Meatballs
Bottom Line
Finishing off this EveryPlate review, we can conclude that this meal kit service is designed to fit every budget, but it is not designed to fit all dietary needs. It is perfect for omnivores and carnivores who want to save cash and time, cook with absolute ease, and enjoy delicious and nutritious home-cooked meals on a regular basis. At $4.99 per serving, its kits are as affordable as they get and the service does not compromise on the quality. Thus, if you have no special dietary requirements that may prevent you from giving EveryPlate a try, we warmly recommend ordering from this reliable and budget-friendly service that delivers on its promises and makes home cooking a breeze.
EveryPlate FAQ
Does EveryPlate have keto options?
No, this affordable meal kit delivery service does not have specially designed keto options.
How much is EveryPlate shipping?
For every delivery, EveryPlate customers pay an $8.99 shipping fee. Find out more here.
How do you cancel an EveryPlate subscription?
Log into your account, go to your profile and choose Settings > Plan Settings > Status > Deactivate Account. Follow the prompts to complete the process. To avoid charges for the next week, you have to cancel 5 days prior to your upcoming delivery.
HORRIBLE! I was scheduled to receive my order on Wednesday and when I didn’t, I tracked the package, and the delivery date was changed to Thursday (with no notification). The order arrived late in the day and EVERYTHING was HOT. Both packages of cheese were even melted! Given this, I would never consider consuming any of the meat. I contacted customer service, was on hold for 37 minutes, and was disconnected. I called back, and am now on hold for what is 53 minutes with no answer. My daughter’s delivery was also scheduled for Wednesday and she has not yet received her’s as of today (Thursday). BUYER BEWARE!!!!
We were very happy with the first 2 boxes ordered. The next 2 boxes were then missing ingredients. Was not able to make any of the recipes in this week’s box without going to the store to purchase full-sized versions of the missing ingredients. To EveryPlate’s credit, I was given a full refund (not just a credit, which they tried to give me to start with). The meals are mostly all delicious and fairly easy to make. I’m not much of a meat eater, so I would like more vegetarian options, but my husband will usually eat the meat that I don’t, and I’m satisfied with the veggies and rice/potatoes. I think the quality of the ingredients for the price is excellent.
Would not recommend! Just spoke with a spokesman very dissatisfied!
I enjoyed two weeks of meals. They are simpler and quicker than most meal delivery services but the recipes were tasty and filling. Really enjoyed the cherry glazed meatballs! The price is great too. My ingredients were fresh and the instructions were easy to understand. Overall very good – I would recommend.
We’ve been using EveryPlate for a couple of months. We’ve found it very comparable to other meal boxes we’ve tried only much cheaper. The food has always been fresh (minus one zucchini that appeared to get damaged in shipping) and very nicely packaged. The recipes are easy to follow and very tasty. Best of all their customer service is top notch. A few weeks back I needed to skip the week and went online to cancel close to the cut off time. Although it showed on my end as having been skipped it apparently didn’t go through in time and charged my bank account. I called them up and explained and they fully refunded me without any hassle and still sent the box since it was already being processed. That is the type of customer service I look for. I love the app they’ve now developed and it makes it very easy to see the recipes choices for the week and also to skip a week or multiple weeks if needed. I highly recommend this box and have yet to find a meal box our family likes better. The only thing I’d like to see is a bit more variety in their meals and more options offered for vegetarians, gluten free, dairy free, etc.
I had every item except the apricot jam in my pantry, fridge, garden or freezer. Just to clarify my review, I cook every day and it’s kind of my passion. The ingredients I received were well packed and fresh. The recipes were clear. But my family found the apricot dijon pork chops very sweet. The spicy honey butter chicken was bland, and the creamy penne gratin had too much thyme. I think I’ll stick with my own recipes. And, I found the portions were small. For someone who doesn’t cook, this would be a great service.
I’m not sure how the ratings are so high. I just received my first order from EveryPlate and it was very disappointing. There were missing food items, produce that was bruised, and the meat is processed or derived from a csn. All in all, this looks like a delivery from a food bank or government food issue program, circa 1983.
This is the worst company I have ever used because they make you put your credit card number in before you get to see what type of foods there are and I did that and saw that I did not like the food that was offered so I CANCELED and the next thing it said was your box will be shipped to you by Wednesday of next week…I called customer service immediately and she assured me she canceled the order because I didn’t order anything I didn’t pick the food and I surely didn’t want to participate in this and guess what they charge my card and ship the box of food I didn’t even order!!!!!! I am so aggravated and calling my bank to put a stop payment and it’s companies like this that make people not want to place orders with anyone else online so beware of this company do not give them your credit card
I’m on my second week of Every Plate and am really liking it. I live by myself. The 2 person choice wit 6 meals works well for me and last an entire week for 3-4 lunches and 3 suppers. The office I work in has lunch at the minimum twice a week and that supplements my Every Plate.
Most dishes have enough to be divided into 3 meals for me, This makes Every Plate even more economical for me. My main reason to try it was to keep me from spending so much in the grocery store buying ingredients for various dishes. Every Plate has only the amount of ingredients I need. Their choice of menus each week suits my taste well.
I love Everyplate and highly recommend it. I’ve tried around five different food delivery services and I chose to stick with Everyplate over all of them. I do wish they’d offer more meal choices as well as had an app, but I have loved every single meal from them so far so I forgive the two drawbacks, lol.
EveryPlate is fresh and convenient. It comes with step by step instructions (with pictures) and is easy for my 15 year old daughter to have dinner ready when I get home from work.
I really liked everyplate but having problerms receiving what I ordered.so I had to go out to the store to purchase what I needed. I spoke to someone and they promised a discount which I never received.this happened more than once. I even received pork instead of steak.these boxes are no good unless u receive what u ordered. a discount makes things better but not when u never receive it.it is a shame for a company to lose business cause the workers don’t pack a box properly or they promise a discount for their mistake but u never receive it. I have canceled before and then come back but this is just to much to deal with.
This is the exact same issue I have had. Two out of four boxes have been missing vital ingredients and I can’t make any of the recipes in this week’s box without going to the store to purchase the full-size items that are missing.
When I first started using everyplate I thought it was great and decently priced. Then I recieved a box with bad chicken and a rotten pepper. It made me never want to eat meat again and I actually switched my diet to a plant based diet. When I called for this issue they would not give me a refund but gave me credit towards another box. I skipped boxes for weeks and forgot to deactivate my account until I realized I was charged for it again. It’s 4 days before the delivery is supposed to come and I contacted the company to ask to stop the delivery as I cannot eat the food and get a refund. Of coarse again they cannot give me a refund. So I spent $40 on food I cannot eat. I do not recommend everyplate to anyone.
Sounds to me like you got a bad box, was appropriately comped, forgot to cancel the service, got another box, got appropriately comped again, and then ran here to bash them for your own mistakes. Fail.
Why would you leave a negative review for the company because YOU screwed up?
I’m sure there are people who wouldn’t be happy with it because they expect more, but we love it. I spend less when I cook with everyplate then when I buy the food myself and I don’t have to spend time planning meals. The recipes are simple, nothing impressive, but it’s always tasty, quick, and enough for my hubby and me. And I like that I can pronounce all the ingredients, other services charge you more for some fancy stuff you may not even like.
Pros: Good quality, great price, decent portions, easy recipes. Cons: I see that I’m not the only one bothered by the absence of labeling. Some of the ingredient bags have the contents printed on them, but not all of them and not all ingredients come in bags. That’s just lazy. I don’t want to have to guess what the ingredient is and compare box contents with the ingredient lists on the recipe cards. I know the prices are low, but how much could a couple of labels cost, I mean, it’s not a huge deal, but it is annoying.