HelloFresh vs Gousto vs SimplyCook vs Mindful Chef vs Green Chef – Which Meal Kit Is Best in 2026?
Recipe boxes have exploded in popularity across the UK, promising to save you time, reduce food waste, and teach you new cooking skills. But with so many options, how do you choose? We have tested, compared, and broken down the five biggest UK meal kit services side by side so you can find the right one for your budget and lifestyle.
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Quick Comparison: UK Meal Kit Prices at a Glance
We compared prices based on the most popular box size: 4 meals for 2 people (the sweet spot for value). Prices include delivery.
| Service | 4 meals for 2 (full price) | Price per portion | First box discount | First box price per portion | Delivery fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HelloFresh | from £42.98 | from £5.37 | Up to 60% off | from £1.85 | £4.99 |
| Gousto | from £39.48 | from £4.94 | Up to 70% off | from £1.47 | £3.99 |
| SimplyCook | £11.98/month (4 recipe kits) | from £3.00 | First box £5 | £1.25 | Free |
| Mindful Chef | from £45.10 | from £5.64 | Up to 40% off | from £4.40 | £5.99 |
| Green Chef | from £42.98* | from £5.37 | Up to 40% off | from £3.91 | £4.99 |
Prices correct as of June 2026. SimplyCook is a recipe kit service (spice blends and sauces, not full ingredient boxes) so the price per portion reflects the kit cost only – you add your own fresh ingredients. Green Chef pricing varies by plan.
HelloFresh Review
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The basics
- Portions: 2 or 4 people
- Recipes per week: 2, 3, 4, or 5
- Recipes available: 30+ each week
- Delivery: £4.99 per box (free on some offers)
- Diet options: Vegetarian, pescatarian, low calorie (under 650 cal), family-friendly, quick recipes (20 mins)
What we like
HelloFresh is the UK’s most popular meal kit for good reason. The recipe cards are genuinely easy to follow with step-by-step photos, making it a great choice for beginners. The portion sizes are generous – in our tests, HelloFresh portions were consistently larger than Gousto’s. The variety is excellent too, with 30+ recipes to choose from each week spanning global cuisines.
Their first-box discount is one of the most generous in the market at up to 60% off, which brings the per-portion cost down to around £1.85 – genuinely cheaper than buying the same ingredients from a supermarket.
What could be better
HelloFresh is slightly more expensive than Gousto at full price, and the delivery fee is £1 higher. They also have fewer vegetarian options than Gousto each week. The packaging can be excessive – multiple small plastic sachets for sauces and seasonings.
Best for: Beginners, families, and anyone who wants generous portions with easy-to-follow recipes.
Gousto Review
The basics
- Portions: 1, 2, or 4 people
- Recipes per week: 2, 3, 4, or 5
- Recipes available: 50+ each week
- Delivery: £3.99 per box
- Diet options: Vegetarian, vegan, healthy, quick, family, dairy-free, gluten-free
What we like
Gousto is the best value meal kit at full price. With 50+ recipes each week (the most of any UK service), it offers incredible variety. The single-person box is unique – no other major UK meal kit offers meals for one. Gousto also has the widest range of dietary options including dairy-free and gluten-free, and its delivery fee is the lowest at £3.99.
The 70% first-box discount brings the price per portion down to just £1.47 – the cheapest introductory offer available.
What could be better
Portion sizes tend to be smaller than HelloFresh, particularly the protein portions. The recipe cards are less visual than HelloFresh’s (fewer photos). Some premium recipes carry a surcharge.
Best for: Single households, vegetarians/vegans, and anyone watching their budget at full price.
SimplyCook Review
The basics
- Portions: 2 people (each kit serves 2)
- Recipe kits per month: 4 (one box per month)
- Recipes available: 140+ on rotation
- Delivery: Free
- Diet options: Vegetarian, healthy, quick
What we like
SimplyCook is completely different from the other services here. Instead of sending you all the ingredients, it sends you 3 expertly blended flavour pots (spice blends, pastes, sauces) along with recipe cards. You buy your own fresh ingredients from the supermarket. This means the monthly cost is just £11.98 for 4 recipe kits – by far the cheapest option overall.
It is also the most flexible – you choose exactly which ingredients to buy, so you can use whatever you have in the fridge. No waste, no excess packaging, and you control the quality of your fresh produce. The first box is just £5 including delivery, making it a very low-risk way to try.
What could be better
Because you have to buy your own ingredients, SimplyCook requires more effort than a full meal kit. You also need access to a decent supermarket. The flavour pots are designed to serve 2, so it is not ideal for families wanting 4 portions from one kit.
Best for: Confident cooks who want to upgrade their weeknight meals without the cost of a full meal kit.
Mindful Chef Review
The basics
- Portions: 1, 2, or 4 people
- Recipes per week: 2, 3, 4, or 5
- Recipes available: 20+ each week
- Delivery: £5.99 per box
- Diet options: Healthy, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free
What we like
Mindful Chef focuses on healthy eating. Every recipe is nutritionist-approved and under 650 calories, with clear macro information provided. It is the only major UK meal kit that offers single-person boxes with genuinely healthy recipes. The ingredients are high quality – free-range meat, sustainable fish, and organic produce where possible.
What could be better
Mindful Chef is the most expensive option, both at full price and with discounts. The highest first-box discount is only 40%, and the £5.99 delivery fee is the steepest. There are fewer recipes to choose from each week (20 vs HelloFresh’s 30+ and Gousto’s 50+), and many recipes carry a premium surcharge.
Best for: Health-conscious eaters, single-person households wanting portion control, and anyone tracking calories or macros.
Green Chef Review
The basics
- Portions: 2 or 4 people
- Recipes per week: 2, 3, or 4
- Recipes available: 20+ each week
- Delivery: £4.99 per box
- Diet options: Keto, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, low carb, gluten-free
What we like
Green Chef stands out for its specialist diet plans. If you follow keto, paleo, or a specific low-carb diet, Green Chef has dedicated meal plans that the others do not offer. The organic ingredients and pre-prepped vegetables save significant prep time. Portion sizes are generous, similar to HelloFresh.
What could be better
Green Chef is priced similarly to HelloFresh at full price, but with fewer recipes each week and lower discounts available (typically 40% max vs HelloFresh’s 60%). The specialist plans (keto, paleo) can carry premium surcharges. Delivery is £4.99, same as HelloFresh.
Best for: Keto and paleo dieters, and anyone who wants organic ingredients with specific dietary requirements.
Head-to-Head: How They Compare
Cheapest first box
Gousto wins with up to 70% off (£1.47 per portion), closely followed by HelloFresh at up to 60% off (£1.85 per portion). SimplyCook’s £5 trial box is the lowest absolute cost, but remember you still need to buy your own ingredients.
Cheapest at full price
SimplyCook is the cheapest overall at £3 per week for 4 recipe kits (plus your own ingredients). For full meal kits, Gousto is the cheapest at £4.94 per portion for 4 meals for 2 people including delivery.
Most recipes to choose from
Gousto wins with 50+ recipes per week, followed by HelloFresh at 30+, Green Chef and Mindful Chef at 20+, and SimplyCook at 140+ on rotation (4 per month).
Best for families
HelloFresh is the best family option thanks to its generous portions, family-friendly recipe category, and 4-person box. The recipe cards are also the most beginner-friendly with clear photos.
Best for healthy eating
Mindful Chef is the healthiest choice (all meals under 650 calories, nutritionist-designed). Green Chef is best for specific diets like keto or paleo.
Best for single households
Gousto is the only full meal kit that offers single-person boxes. Mindful Chef also offers 1-person boxes but at a higher price.
Best for reducing food waste
SimplyCook wins here since you buy only the fresh ingredients you need. For full meal kits, all services pre-portion ingredients, but HelloFresh and Gousto both report reducing household food waste by up to 36% compared to supermarket shopping.
Meal Kit Money-Saving Tips
- Hop between services for endless discounts. All five companies offer 30-70% off for new customers. Once your discount ends, cancel and switch to another. Most services welcome you back with a new discount within 2-4 weeks of cancelling.
- Order bigger boxes to save up to 30%. Ordering 4 meals for 4 people instead of 2 people can cut the per-portion cost by up to 30%. Even if there are only two of you, cook for four and save half for the next day.
- Use cashback sites. Check Quidco and TopCashback before signing up – they often offer £5-15 cashback on meal kit subscriptions.
- Cancel and re-subscribe. Most services will offer you a discount to stay when you try to cancel. HelloFresh and Gousto both frequently offer 40-50% off to returning customers.
- Share a box. If you live alone, consider sharing a 2-person box with a friend or neighbour to split the cost.
Which Meal Kit Should You Choose?
| Choose this if… | Best option |
|---|---|
| You want the cheapest first box | Gousto (up to 70% off) or HelloFresh (up to 60% off) |
| You want the cheapest ongoing price | SimplyCook (£3/week + your own ingredients) or Gousto (cheapest full meal kit) |
| You are a beginner cook | HelloFresh (easiest recipe cards, most photos) |
| You are cooking for one | Gousto (only full meal kit with single-person boxes) |
| You want maximum variety | Gousto (50+ recipes per week) |
| You are watching your calories | Mindful Chef (all meals under 650 cal) |
| You are on keto, paleo, or low-carb | Green Chef (dedicated diet plans) |
| You already cook and just want better flavour | SimplyCook (cheapest, most flexible) |
| You want the most generous portions | HelloFresh (consistently largest portions in testing) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HelloFresh worth it?
HelloFresh is worth it if you use the first-box discount (up to 60% off makes it cheaper than buying the same ingredients from a supermarket). At full price, it is more expensive than cooking from scratch but comparable to ready meal prices, with the advantage of learning new recipes and zero food waste. Try HelloFresh with up to 60% off your first box →
Is Gousto cheaper than HelloFresh?
Yes, Gousto is cheaper than HelloFresh at full price. For a 4-meal box for 2 people including delivery, Gousto costs £39.48 vs HelloFresh’s £42.98. Gousto also has a lower delivery fee (£3.99 vs £4.99) and a bigger first-box discount (up to 70% vs 60%). However, HelloFresh portions tend to be larger, so the value comparison depends on how much you eat.
What is the cheapest meal kit in the UK?
SimplyCook is the cheapest at £3 per week for 4 recipe kits (plus your own ingredients from the supermarket). For full meal kits where everything is included, Gousto is the cheapest at full price, and Gousto’s 70% first-box discount makes it the cheapest way to try a meal kit for the first time.
Can I cancel meal kit subscriptions easily?
Yes – all five services let you cancel or pause anytime with no penalty. HelloFresh, Gousto, and Mindful Chef all let you skip weeks too. SimplyCook operates on a monthly subscription. You typically need to cancel 5-7 days before your next delivery date.
Do meal kits reduce food waste?
Yes. Because every ingredient comes pre-portioned exactly for the recipe, you use everything you receive. Studies have shown meal kits can reduce household food waste by up to 36% compared to supermarket shopping. SimplyCook is the most waste-free option since you buy only the fresh ingredients you need.
Which meal kit has the best vegetarian options?
Gousto has the widest vegetarian selection with 20+ veggie and vegan recipes each week. HelloFresh also has a dedicated vegetarian category with 8-10 recipes per week. Mindful Chef offers vegetarian and vegan options across its entire menu.
Last updated: June 2026. Prices and offers may change – check each service’s website for the most current pricing.
