Why I love Home Chef food boxes for comfort food for the whole family

There really is nothing better than a home cooked meal, right?

The pressure to provide a hot, healthy – and delicious – Dinner every night can be daunting, with many people turning to fast food or fast food as an easier option. While there is nothing wrong with this for a few nights of the week, may I offer you a better solution? Home chef meal kits.

I’ve tried countless meal kits over the past four years (well, about 25 different brands, if I had to count), so I know a thing or two about what any delivery service is about. I had the pleasure of trying out the Home Chef again in 2024 when reviewing which meal kits would make the cut for my 2025 review, and I can say that it once again stands as one of the best for filling family meals, adding comfort to your dishes. for taste and food.

How Home Chef works

Home Chef is a typical meal kit in the way it works according to a weekly menu program. It gives users the option to add foods to their order and then choose a delivery date that works best for them. The meals come in their own packaging, with ingredients separated for convenience, although this means more plastic waste for those trying to cut back. Proteins are stored in ice packs.

There are options for meat eaters and vegetarians, as well as those who are carb-conscious, dairy-free and nut-free, or who have allergies to soy, peanuts, tree nuts and other ingredients. This kit is one of the most aware of food aversions, with a very comprehensive list once on board.

The other thing that makes Home Chef stand out from the rest is the meal options apart from the traditional sets. Offers a specially priced family meal plan designed for four, express meals ready in 15 minutes or less, oven-ready meals that come with baking trays, microwave-ready meals and a variety of meals extra. – snacks, breakfast and desserts. If you want to eat Home Chef for every meal of the day, you can!

Home Chef Award

The price of the home cook is quite straightforward. Standard meal kit meals start at $9.99 per serving, but each meal also shows the price on the weekly menu so customers don’t have any surprises when they fill their box. Add-ons also vary in cost; for example, my breakfast tamales were $4.49 for two, and the skillet cookie was $8.48.

Shipping also varies, between $10.99 and $13.99 per box, depending on size.

Home cook food

Like many meal kits, the menu varies and includes family favorites like mac and cheese, sandwiches, pasta dishes and soups. The menu tends to lean more towards comfort classics as opposed to fancier culinary choices, which makes it perfect for families and those looking for delicious, tried-and-true recipes.

The ingredients all come fresh and pre-packaged, with produce in their own plastic bags, while other ingredients come in plastic or mini jars. it BEN it increases packing but also makes measurement easier.

I tried:

Even though I have a house with only one, I love Home Chef recipes.

This meal kit really reminded me of my childhood meals at home, with meatloaf, mac and cheese, hearty soups, and even a sprinkle cookie for dessert. If I had kids (not just a fur baby, which appears in one of my other meal kit reviews) I would definitely take a serious look at the Chef’s Family Plan, as meals for four would to be perfect for adults. and children alike.

During my company trials, I’ve tried traditional cut-and-prep boxes, oven-ready options, microwave-ready meals, add-ons, and there’s really no wrong answer. I prefer ready meals in the oven when I don’t want to deal with many dishes. The home chef offers a try at cooking a meal in it, and it even doubles as a leftover container.

However, I like to flex my cooking muscles, so the regular meal kits are great, coming with simple printed instructions, similar to other meal kits I’ve tested. I love that I can mix and match what’s in each weekly box with Home Chef. To this, I was able to add an oven-ready meal, a pre-made lunch, two meal kits and a few extra meals – LOT customizable!

The only thing to note is that since you have a lot of flexibility, be sure to keep an eye on the prices, as some meals can cost more and extras add up. There is a handy price tracker in the top corner of the menu page when you fill up your box as well as the prices for each menu item so it won’t be difficult by any means, just something to keep tabs on so you can don’t be surprised at the box office.

---

Final decision

Home Chef is a great meal kit that offers delicious meals that are filling enough for me and I believe will be quite satisfying for your family. It offers plans that work for families of two and four, plus there are ways to add more food for more customization.

Unless you only microwave meals, this might not be the best for the non-cooking person on the go, but it’s very simple to use if you have basic kitchen skills and at least 15 minutes or so . to save.

How we tested it

• Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, Home Chef is simple to set up and order for each week, but be aware of extras. I always consider how to customize the order, make changes and stop a membership during testing.
• Preparation, cooking and cleaning time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Home Chef takes between 15 and 50 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what the recipe calls for. I still noticed how long it took me to eat a full meal from unpacking to cooking, eating and recycling.
• Taste and fullness: Meal kits are meant to take all the guesswork out of cooking, including seasonings. When I tested Home Chef, I considered whether any of the dishes I ordered needed to be seasoned or changed to make them more palatable. I also thought about how satisfied they left me and for how long.
• Durability: Not all meal kits are eco-friendly or use sustainable practices. To determine where Home Chef stood on the scale of environmental consciousness, I reviewed its manufacturing policy and looked at how it sourced its ingredients. Other things I considered were its packaging and whether it could be recycled.
• Price: Meal kits typically cost between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Home Chef’s cost is in the middle at $9.99 per serving, with some priced slightly higher and some slightly lower. I also consider how many meals per week and how many portions you get for the price.

FAQ: What to look for when choosing a meal kit

Diet: Pay attention to the dietary options that each service caters for, from vegetarians and vegans to Keto and paleo.

House size: Count the number of people in your family and then calculate how much they eat to best calculate how many servings you need to feed everyone. Some kits have larger portions, while others are just for one serving.

Budget: Meal kits and services have a wide range of prices. Some offer free shipping, while others have a minimal charge. Specialty or health-related plans may cost more.

Time: Think about how long you want to cook each night. Some meals take 30 or more minutes to cook, not including cleanup. Others are microwaveable and thus require no cleanup time.