EveryPlate is one of countless meal kits on offer in Australia right now, and one of the most popular due to its affordable and simple-to-make meals.
Like its competitors, subscribers to the service have a box of pre-portioned ingredients dropped off at their doorstep every week that can be used to create a range of pre-planned recipes.
With meals starting at just $2.19 per serving (more than half the price of similar food subscription boxes), it’s been widely touted as one of the best, if not the best, meal kit on offer right now.
But is EveryPlate really worth it? And does the low price point mean that taste, recipe variety, and ingredient quality are compromised? To find out, we reviewed a week of EveryPlate recipes.
An honest review of EveryPlate
When given the opportunity to review EveryPlate, I was prompted to download the EveryPlate app, which allowed me to pre-select the meals that would be delivered the following week from a lengthy list.
Through the app, I selected the following meals to make at home:
- Classic Beef Cottage Pie with Hidden Veggies and Cheesy Potato Top
- Bacon & Roasted Greens Risotto with Baby Spinach and Parmesan
- Tuscan Chicken Traybake with Roasted Veggie Medley
- Honey-Glazed Persian Lamb Koftas with Spinach Couscous and Charred Corn
- Roast Chorizo and Veggie Garlic Couscous with Fetta and Herby Mayo
- Cheat’s Pork Sausages and Gravy with Garlic Mash and Salad
THE DELIVERY
The delivery was relatively straightforward, and the ingredients arrived on time when EveryPlate told me they would. As I opened the box, all the ingredients were sealed individually in plastic bags, with added ice packs for ingredients that required refrigeration.
A negative was that the ingredients weren’t organised by meal, so it did take me some time to sort through. Some of the vegetables had also been bumped around during the delivery process, which made them visually unappealing. Overall, however, the delivery of my six meals for the week was straightforward, and there were no missing ingredients or recipe cards.
While some might be concerned that the low cost of EveryPlate means the meals and ingredients used to make them would mean a compromise on quality, I found my delivery to be of a high standard.
THE MEALS
For each meal that I selected, I was cooking six servings to account for my family. While I was concerned that these would be small servings, I was pleasantly surprised as each serving for each meal was more than generous.
Personally, favourites included the Honey Glazed Persian Lamb Koftas, Tuscan Chicken Traybake, and the Bacon and Roasted Greens Risotto.
While all recipes allowed me to preserve the mental energy that comes with planning meals for the week and the subsequent shopping for ingredients, I did find that some of the recipes weren’t as simple as they were described, and took me longer to whip together than I expected. This was especially a challenge for mid-week meals when I returned home late from work and wanted a quick and easy meal.
That being said, I really enjoyed cooking dishes outside of my usual recipes that I rotate through, and thoroughly enjoyed consuming each dish.
THE VERDICT
For the savings alone, I would recommend EveryPlate to friends and family, and would even try it again myself.
It’s convenient, cost-effective, and offers users a way to expand the variety of meals and food they consume. While there isn’t a huge library of recipes to choose from in the weekly meal plan, the recipes on offer are relatively healthy, delicious, and simple to make.
While I wouldn’t recommend relying on EveryPlate for every meal, I do recommend the meal delivery service to those wanting to spice up meal time a few times a week, without breaking the bank.
Is EveryPlate better than HelloFresh?
For those unawares, HelloFresh is the parent company of EveryPlate. While both have their benefits, Hello Fresh is often considered the more high-end, premium option, with EveryPlate being the budget-friendly alternative.
Another difference between the two is that HelloFresh offers a larger variety of recipes, many of which are gourmet, while EveryPlate focuses on simple recipes that can be cooked in no time.
In short, neither EveryPlate nor HelloFresh is “better” than the other; both have their advantages. But if you are looking for an affordable meal kit, with recipes that are easy to follow and taste delicious, EveryPlate is the food box we recommend you subscribe to.
Are EveryPlate meals healthy?
With an emphasis on affordability and convenience, not every recipe on EveryPlate may suit the dietary requirements or specific health goals of any one user.
However, EveryPlate does deliver pre-portioned ingredients which can aid in portion control, uses fresh ingredients in their recipes, and allows subscribers to select recipes for the following week that are healthier than others.
Most meals are also relatively balanced and contain a good mix of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and vegetables; however, for those wanting to choose recipes that suit a specific diet (eg, low fat or high protein), EveryPlate recipes are not wholly suited to those health goals.
You can, however, select recipes from several basic categories, including classic, family, flexitarian, vegetarian, and extra convenient. Users can also select the number of servings per meal ( 2 – 6) and meals per week ( 3 – 6).
Overall, however, EveryPlate meals are healthy, and an easy option for those wanting to eat well, without breaking the bank.
Is EveryPlate cheaper than groceries?
We’d forgive you if you said you felt overwhelmed by all the meal kit subscriptions on offer in Australia right now.
While it may seem like it’s easier to stick with your regular trips to the supermarket for groceries, this doesn’t necessarily mean it is more affordable!
In fact, research conducted by HelloFresh has revealed that more than 8.2 million Australians overspend on their weekly grocery shop. And with the cost-of-living crisis only worsening, this figure is sure to grow as groceries continue to increase in price.
So if you’re looking to save, EveryPlate just might be the perfect solution with meals starting at just $2.19 per serve.
It’s cheaper than all the other meal kits available in Australia right now, something it achieves by using less packaging and fewer ingredients, and will help you cut down on cost, food wastage, and any impulse spending.
If EveryPlate doesn’t sound like the right fit for you, click here for some of our other favourite food subscription boxes.
