HelloFresh VS Chefs Plate (Pick the Right Meal Delivery Service for You)
HelloFresh is a successful meal kit delivery service that offers meals cooked with local ingredients to Canadians. Chefs Plate is a Canadian meal kit delivery service offering healthy, affordable meals. If you want to try out a meal kit delivery service but aren’t sure which one to try first, take a look at how HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate compare to help you decide.
Summary review
Both HelloFresh and Chefs Plate are popular meal delivery services in Canada. HelloFresh offers more variety in its weekly menu and has low-calorie and low-carb options available. Chefs plate is the more economical option per serving, and delivery is free on most plans too.
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What is a meal delivery service?
A meal delivery service sends fresh ingredients to prepare meals at home or frozen ready-made meals to customers’ doors. Brands like HelloFresh and Chefs Plate deliver pre-portioned ingredients along with recipe cards so you can cook meals without having to shop or look up recipes.
At a glance brand comparison table
✔ pricing
✔ meal plans
✔ recipes
✔ dietary needs
✔ prep time
✔ packaging
✔ discount
HelloFresh
Meals start from $9.25
6-20 servings per week
35+ recipes each week
No recipes for allergies, reduced
KCal and carb options
20 to 30 minutes
Recyclable or compostable
Students, Refer a Friend Program
Chefs Plate
Meals start from $8.99
4-20 servings per week
24 recipes each week
No recipes for allergies, limited dietary options
15 to 30 minutes
Recyclable or compostable
Students, Seniors, and Military
Key takeaways
Both brands are comparable on many levels. However, there are some aspects where they differ, and these may help you choose the right one for you.
HelloFresh is the first global carbon-neutral meal kit company and is perhaps the most eco-friendly brand on the market. However, both brands use similar packaging that can be either recycled or composted. Since ingredients are delivered pre-portioned per recipe, food waste shouldn’t be an issue either.
When it comes to cooking time, you’re looking at a minimum of 20 minutes for HelloFresh’s recipes and 15 minutes for Chefs Plate’s recipes. For some customers, this could be the deciding factor. You can also choose a selection of meals for the following week/s based on how busy you’ll be.
The starting price per meal is similar: $9.25 for HelloFresh and $8.99 for Chefs Plate. This gap widens if you’re looking for just a few meals per week. For example, three meals for two people works out at $12.16 per meal with HelloFresh and $9.99 per meal with Chefs Plate.
On top of this, you don’t pay for delivery with Chefs Plate (except for the smallest plan), whereas HelloFresh doesn’t offer free delivery.
Pros & cons
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of these meal kit delivery services to help you compare HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate.
HelloFresh
- Fresh, high-quality ingredients
- Website and phone app intuitive to use
- Recyclable packaging
- Sustainable - carbon neutral company
- Can customize some recipes
- Plenty of variety each week
- Discount for students
- No free delivery
- More expensive than Chefs Plate
Chefs Plate
- Budget-friendly
- Free shipping possible
- Fresh, high-quality ingredients
- Recyclable packaging
- Discount for students, military, and seniors
- Offers a smaller plan than HelloFresh
- Limited dietary options
- Less weekly variety than HelloFresh
Pricing and shipping charges
The cheapest meal with HelloFresh is $9.25, which comes as part of the box with five meals for four people ($185.00 per week). The most expensive standard meal works out to be $12.16, and it’s part of the plan that gives you three meals for two people ($73.00 per week).
HelloFresh also gives you the option of at least one special meal per week. These recipes cost an extra $5.99 to $11.99 to order as they include exotic ingredients and more premium cuts of protein. The HelloFresh delivery fee is $9.99, except in Newfoundland where shipping is $19.98. The delivery price is the same regardless of your subscription choice.
The cheapest meal with Chefs Plate is $9.25, which comes as part of the box for five meals for four people ($179.80 per week). The most expensive meal works out to be $9.99, which comes as part of the box for two meals for two people ($39.96 per week). Delivery is free on all plans, so you essentially get one free meal per week with Chefs Plate.
Premium surcharges apply to some of Chefs Plate’s recipes. These can be for 15-minute meals where pre-made sauces and pre-chopped produce will be delivered to save you time. They can also be for premium meals where unique ingredients are used.
HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate pricing table
HelloFresh
Meals per week / person
3
4
5
Number of people
2
$73.00
$95.00
$115.00
4
$130.00
$165.00
$185.00
Chefs Plate
Meals per week / person
2
3
4
5
Number of people
2
$39.96
$59.94
$79.92
$99.90
4
$71.92
$107.88
$143.84
$179.80
Chefs Plate Customer Service:
- FAQ
- Live chat
- Phone number 1 (855) 420 2327
- [email protected]
HelloFresh Customer Service:
- FAQ
- Phone Number 1 (855) 272 7002
- [email protected]
Meal Plans and customization
If you have a picky eater at home, HelloFresh makes it easy to swap ingredients. All of the recipes with a ‘Custom Recipe’ label let you customize the meal (e.g. swap ground beef for turkey).
HelloFresh offers a wide range of categories that meals fall under: mostly meat, family-friendly, smart meals (less than 650 kcal or 50g of carbs), vegetarian, quick and easy, pescatarian, high protein, and flexitarian. You can choose your preferred categories and recipes from your selection will be shown first each week.
Chefs Plate doesn’t have as wide a selection as HelloFresh but you can still choose from the following categories to show these meal preferences first: meat and vegetables, vegetarian, and family-friendly. There are no customizable meal options with Chefs Plate.
Recipes, ingredients, and prep time
Convenience is a priority for both brands and you’ll receive just about every ingredient you need. You only need to keep a few pantry staples like salt, pepper, butter, milk, oil, and sugar.
HelloFresh has over 35 recipes to choose from each week plus a changing selection of sides, snacks, and desserts. Recipes cover worldwide cuisines so you never get bored and can choose your favourite. Most recipes take 30 minutes or less to make but some take a little longer. They also have some dedicated 20-minute recipes if you know you’ll be extra busy one week.
Some sample HelloFresh recipes:
- Mediterranean tortellini with pesto sauce and roasted veggies
- Honey sriracha roasted salmon
- Savoury braised chickpeas with feta and lemon-garlic toum
- Seared steaks and gremolata aioli
HelloFresh sources ingredients from suppliers across Canada and they try and buy local ingredients, where possible.
Chefs Plate has 24 recipes to choose from each week. Recipes take 15 to 30 minutes to make and they also cover global cuisines to keep your tastebuds happy.
Some sample Chefs Plate recipes:
- Cajun beef and dirty rice – with jalapeños and green onion mayo
- Crispy Mexican-inspired tortillas – with refried black beans and fresh salsa
- Harissa sweet potato bowls – with halloumi and crispy kale
- North African-inspired fish stew – with pearl couscous
Chefs Plate sources poultry and meat directly from local and national farmers and suppliers.
Dietary friendliness
Neither brand offers dedicated recipes for special diets or allergies.
HelloFresh does have Calorie Smart options (650KCal or less) and Carb Smart (less than 50g of carbs) meals. You can also swap ingredients in some of their recipes, so this is an advantage if there’s something you or your loved ones don’t like or can’t eat.
There is no vegan plan with HelloFresh or Chefs Plate but there are vegetarian recipes.
Discounts and promo codes
HelloFresh gives you an excellent discount on your first box with more than 50% off on most plans (or close to). They also offer a student special. Students can get up to 22 free meals in the first month if they register with UNiDAYS to verify their student status.
Another discount open to all is the Refer a Friend Program. HelloFresh will credit your account with $25 every time a friend subscribes using your referral code. Your friend will benefit from $40 off their first delivery and $25 off their second and third.
Chefs Plate offers an even greater discount on your first box (and the subsequent two)! All of the plans benefit from well over 50% off in the first week and significant discounts in the second and third-week orders too.
Chefs Plate has a long-term Senior Discount (for those over 60). Seniors get 50% off the first box, plus 10% off every following box. Military Discount (CF1 Members) also get 50% off the first box, plus 10% off every following box.
A Student Discount is also offered. Students will receive 50% off their first box, 25% off their second box, and 20% off their third and fourth boxes.
Packaging and delivery
HelloFresh delivers to Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Québec, Newfoundland, and the Maritimes. This covers 95% of Canada’s population. Their delivery fee is $9.99, except in Newfoundland where shipping is $19.98. However, the first delivery is free for every user.
Chefs Plate delivers to Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba. Unlike HelloFresh, Chefs Plate offers free delivery on all of their plans except the two-person plan with two meals per week, which has a $6 delivery charge.
When it comes to packaging, both brands use boxes that are 100% recyclable and kit bags that are 100% compostable.
Our final verdict: HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate
Ultimately, HelloFresh and Chefs Plate offer very similar services. This is to be expected since they are part of the same company (HelloFresh acquired Chefs Plate in 2018). Both get good reviews and are well-respected meal delivery companies.
There are some areas where HelloFresh stands out though. If you’re someone who gets bored easily or likes to try new meals, then HelloFresh offers a better variety. Some meals are also customizable, so you’re just about guaranteed to find (or build) the meals you want each week.
On the other hand, Chefs Plate doesn’t offer quite the variety but this makes it a more affordable option for the budget conscious. The free delivery is a nice touch too and will save you even more money.
One of the best things about both of these brands is they let you cancel at any time. If you still can’t decide between the two, you could always try a week or two with each to compare the meals and the service. Then you can pick which is right for you.
HelloFresh VS Chefs Plate: FAQs
How much is HelloFresh a month?
It depends on the type of plan you choose. Prices are per box, per week, and range from six to 20 meals. The cheapest option is $9.25 per serving.
How much is Chefs Plate a month?
It depends on the type of plan you choose. Prices are per box, per week, and range from four to 20 meals. The cheapest option is $8.99 per serving.
Is HelloFresh healthy?
HelloFresh is a much healthier option than ordering fast food or dining in or taking away from many restaurants. The ingredients are fresh and you can control how much salt and sugar you add. It will largely depend on the meal you choose as to how healthy it is (e.g. pizza versus fish and veg).
Is Chefs Plate healthy?
Chefs Plate is a much healthier option than ordering fast food or dining in or taking away from many restaurants. Sizes are portion-controlled, and ingredients are fresh. Just how healthy a meal is, depends on the recipe you choose (e.g. a burger versus a salad).
Does HelloFresh let you choose your meals?
Yes, you can choose meals up to four weeks in advance. There are more than 35 recipes to choose from each week.
Does Chefs Plate let you choose your meals?
Yes, you can log in every week and choose your meals as long as you pick them before your deadline (11:59 pm PST, four days before delivery). There are 24 recipes to choose from each week.
Can you cancel HelloFresh anytime?
Yes, you can cancel your HelloFresh subscription at any time. To do so, follow these steps:
- Log in to your account on the website
- Click on your ‘name’ and go to ‘Account Settings’
- Click on ‘Manage’ next to the subscription you want to cancel
- In the ‘Status’ section, click on ‘Cancel Plan’
What kind of meals are in HelloFresh?
HelloFresh offers a good selection of meals in the following categories: mostly meat, family-friendly, smart meals (less than 650 kcal or 50g of carbs), vegetarian, quick and easy, pescatarian, high protein, and flexitarian.
Is Chefs Plate owned by HelloFresh?
Yes, HelloFresh owns Chefs Plate (since 2018). The two brands share many similarities and deliver high-quality fresh food to customers’ doors.
Is Chefs Plate any good?
Chefs Plate was founded in 2014 in Canada and focuses on providing good-quality food and easy-to-follow recipes. Delivery is free and you can cancel anytime, so it’s obligation-free.
Where does Chefs Plate come from?
Chefs Plate was founded in Toronto in 2014 by Patrick Meyer and Jamie Shea. Today, Chefs Plate is owned by HelloFresh and delivers to Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba.
What is the difference between Chefs Plate and HelloFresh?
Both Chefs Plate and HelloFresh offer meal kit delivery in Canada. The main differences between them are pricing structure, and the variety and types of recipes offered.
