Dinnerly vs Home Chef 2023
If you don’t know what to do to make meal preparation faster and easier, read this Dinnerly vs Home Chef comparison. You will discover two of the best meal kit delivery options on the market. Services such as Dinnerly and Home Chef can make your life easier by helping you prepare healthy, fresh meals in roughly half an hour. Ordering from them enables you to get all the ingredients and detailed recipes right at your door. Learn more in this detailed Dinnerly vs Home Chef comparison.

A few words about Dinnerly from our experts
Dinnerly is one of the yummiest yet cheapest meal kit delivery services. They never fail to amaze customers with high-quality and organic ingredients at such prices. This US-based meal company offers 3-6 recipes per week and encourages the home chefs with easy-to-cook recipes. Dinnerly provides flexibility in their subscription policy, enabling customers to change, pause or cancel it anytime.

A few words about Home Chef from our experts
Home Chef is a well-reputed subscription-based meal kit delivery service. Why? Because they provide pre-portioned meals with easy-to-understand recipe cards for the simplified cooking experience. Their weekly rotating menus contain more than 20 recipes for the customers. Home Chef provides several meal options that require minimal preparation or are oven-ready. You can expect affordable prices, too, starting from $6.99 per serving.
Offered Meals Plans & Pricing
Plan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$5.29 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$10 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$4.99 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$4.99 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$4.89 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
4 ServingsCost Per Serving
$4.99 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
4 ServingsCost Per Serving
$4.99 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
4 ServingsCost Per Serving
$4.89 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
4 ServingsCost Per Serving
$4.69 /meal $8.99 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingPlan name
2 ServingsCost Per Serving
$6.99 /meal $10 ShippingHome Chef offers 2 plans: the Home Chef plan and the Fresh and Easy plan. The menu is not customized according to different diets, but you have full flexibility in choosing the meals you want to order. You can buy meals for 2, 4, or 6 people, and the minimum order is 2 meals per week. The recipes in the Fresh and Easy plan contain all the ingredients ready-portioned, you just have to heat the meals and enjoy them. The meal prices start at $6.99, but you will mainly find only salads at this price point. A lunch meal costs around $7.99 – $9.99 per serving and there are also smoothies and fruits at $4.95.
Dinnerly offers 3 to 6 meals per week and the price depends on the number of meals you order. For three meals per week, the price is $5.89 per portion. If you order 6 recipes, you will pay $5.59 per portion. There are also extra meat options you can include in your menu, as well as sweets such as Chocolate Pudding Cups or White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Dough.
In this first Dinnerly vs Home Chef round, we choose Dinnerly as the winner for its affordability.
Meal Types & Cook Time
Meal Variety
Meal Variety
Prep & Cook Time
Prep & Cook Time
Dietary Preferences
Dietary Preferences
Kids friendly
Kids Meal
Vegetarian
Vegan
Low Carb
Low Calorie
Healthy Eating
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Soy free
Vegetarian
Low Carb
Low Calorie
Healthy Eating
Quality of ingredients
Quality of ingredients
Dinnerly’s menu currently contains more than 15 meals per week. These include dishes you can eat for lunch or dinner. Most of them contain meat, but there are also vegetarian and pescatarian recipes. You also get a few dessert options, and the possibility to add extra portions of meat. The company focuses on using high-quality, sustainable ingredients.
One of their main goals is to provide healthy meat. For this reason, they are also involved in different animal welfare initiatives. Their meals are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes, some require as little as 15-20 minutes of preparation. The recipes are accompanied by labels such as low carb, nutritious, meat, fish, low-calorie, so you can pick them easier based on your diet goals.
Home Chef’s recipes are based on quality, locally sourced ingredients the company purchases from trustworthy farmers. The meat they use is hormone-free and, as much as possible, the company also includes organic ingredients in their meals. The recipes’ preparation time can vary between 15 and 45 minutes.
Home Chef focuses on classic recipes that can satisfy the needs of the whole family. Although the company only offers two plans, they include a variety of dishes from different cuisines including Italian, Asian, Mexican, and American.
Both companies offer quality ingredients and a variety of meals. It’s a tie.
Packaging & Ordering Process
Packaging
Packaging
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Plastic
-
Foil / Cotton Liners
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Ice Packs
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100% Recyclable Package
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Sustainable Forestry Initiative
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Plastic
-
Foil / Cotton Liners
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Ice Packs
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100% Recyclable Package
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Sustainable Forestry Initiative
Ordering Process
Ordering Process
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Fast Delivery
-
In-App ordering
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Fast Delivery
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In-App ordering
Dinnerly is a subscription-based service. It requires an account, but you are able to cancel and skip deliveries easily, with no obligations, by accessing the settings section in your account. The company also offers a user-friendly app where you can manage your account and orders. The meals are delivered in a specially designed box that keeps them fresh. The protein-based meals are placed at the bottom of the box and kept in ice packs. Most of the packaging is recyclable and you can find out more information about the recycling process on the company’s website. You will have to sort the ingredients by yourself once you receive the box as they are not packed separately.
Home Chef’s order process is straightforward. This company also offers an app. Once you create an account, you can place an order in a few minutes and cancel or skip deliveries within seconds. If you’re not sure what meals to order, Home Chef can pick the meals for you. You have to place an order by Friday at noon CST each week. This company also tries to offer eco-friendly and recyclable packaging. The meals come packed in partially recycled cardboard boxes and all the plastic containers are curbside recyclable.
Dinnerly’s boxes contain less packaging, which makes them more sustainable and helps them win in this round.
Customer Support & Shipping
Customer Support
Customer Support
-
Email
-
Telephone
-
Live chat
-
In-App
-
Email
-
Telephone
-
Live chat
-
In-App
Shipping
Shipping
-
Currently ships to most of the West Coast, Midwest, and Southern states
-
$8.99
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98% of the US - not Alaska or Hawaii. Also has blackout areas in parts of Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, California, Oregon, and Washington
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$10 or free shipping when you spend $40 or more
Dinnerly offers customer support over the phone and through a web form. The website is comprehensive and offers multiple information on the order and shipping process, however, to look for answers to your questions, you have to use search terms and access the help center, which might take some time. The company delivers to the contiguous US. Delivery days are flexible. The shipping fee is $8.99.
Home Chef also delivers across the continental US. The company’s shipping fee depends on customers’ orders. Orders that exceed $49.99 have a shipping fee of only $7.99. Those below this threshold come with a shipping fee of $13.99. You can contact Home Chef via their web form or live chat.
In this Dinnerly vs Home Chef battle, we choose Dinnerly for its standard shipping fee.
Sample Meals
Most Ordered Meal
Most Ordered Meal
Beef & Udon Noodle Stir-Fry with Spinach & Scallions
- Prep & Cook Time 20-30 min
-
Difficulty Level
-
Spice Level
Meal Overview
We lean hard on stir-fry when we need to get dinner on the table quickly! This one is loaded with tender udon noodles, fresh spinach, and grass-fed ground beef, with aromatic scallions, garlic, and tamari sauce all bringing the serious flavor.

In Your Box
- 3 baby spinach
- 2 tamari soy sauce
- 10 grass-fed ground beef
- 7 udon noodles
- 1 scallions
- garlic
- neutral oil
- apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- sugar
- kosher salt & ground pepper
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- 800kcal Calories
- 37.0g Fat
- 39.0g Proteins
- 79.0g Carbs
Beef & Udon Noodle Stir-Fry with Spinach & Scallions
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Prep & Cook Time: 20-30 min
-
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Basil Pesto Salmon with grape tomatoes and goat cheese orzo
- Prep & Cook Time 25-35 min
-
Difficulty Level
-
Spice Level
Meal Overview
It looks like a shiny new car, but it’s nothing but rust inside. It looks like a perfectly good apple, but it’s actually full of worms. But this surprise is a good one: orzo looks like slightly large rice, but it’s actually a form of small pasta. A small pasta that becomes tangy and creamy when mixed with butter, Parmesan, and goat cheese, and pairs like a dream with the flaky salmon.

In Your Box
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 1⁄2 Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 2 Savory Seasoning
- 4 Orzo Pasta
- 1 Basil Pesto
- 1 Goat Cheese
- 12 Salmon Fillets
- 3⁄5 Butter
- 4 Grape Tomatoes
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- 815 Calories
- 54g Carbohydrates
- 45g Fat
- 49 Protein
- 1403 mg Sodium
Basil Pesto Salmon with grape tomatoes and goat cheese orzo
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Prep & Cook Time: 25-35 min
-
Difficulty Level:
Moderate
More Meals
More Meals
Crispy Sour Cream & Onion Chicken with Oven Home Fries and Broccoli
- Prep & Cook Time 30-40 min
-
Difficulty Level
-
Spice Level
Meal Overview
It’s tempting to eat a big bag of sour cream and onion chips and call that dinner, but since we’re adults, we know we have to eat a real meal. But get this: we replaced the chips with chicken! And served it with a side of oven-baked home fries and broccoli!

In Your Box
- 10 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 panko
- 2 sour cream
- 1 scallions
- 1⁄2 broccoli
- 2 russet potatoes
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- 790kcal Calories
- 36.0g Fat
- 47.0g Proteins
- 75.0g Carbs
Crispy Sour Cream & Onion Chicken with Oven Home Fries and Broccoli
Read more about the dishHuli Huli Chicken Rice Bowl with charred pineapple
- Prep & Cook Time 30-40 min
-
Difficulty Level
-
Spice Level
Meal Overview
Huli Huli is a cooking method that involves roasting chicken on a spit and serving with a teriyaki-like sauce. In your box with this meal, we’ve got succulent chicken, delicious teriyaki, and sweet pineapple to recreate the huli huli experience.

In Your Box
- 2 Green Onions
- 3⁄4 Jasmine Rice
- 1 Lime
- 4 Slaw Mix
- 21⁄25 Mayonnaise
- 13 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 4 Pineapple Rings
- 2 Teriyaki Glaze
- 1⁄4 Red Pepper Flakes
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- 780 Calories
- 93g Carbohydrates
- 24g Fat
- 46g Protein
- 1401mg Sodium
Huli Huli Chicken Rice Bowl with charred pineapple
Read more about the dishLow-Cal Ranch Steak with Dijon Pan Sauce Roasted Broccoli
- Prep & Cook Time 20-30 min
-
Difficulty Level
-
Spice Level
Meal Overview
Nothing makes me happier than helping create more enthusiastic home cooks. Tender ranch steak and roasted broccoli serve as your hearty base, but the real stars of this show are the Dijon mustard pan sauce and crispy fried garlic chips sprinkled over top. Oooh, you fancy. We’ve got you covered!

In Your Box
- 1⁄2 ranch steak
- 1 Dijon mustard
- 1⁄2 broccoli
- garlic
- red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- sugar
- kosher salt & ground pepper
- neutral oil
- butter
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- 410kcal Calories
- 28.0g Fat
- 27.0g Proteins
- 11.0g Carbs
Low-Cal Ranch Steak with Dijon Pan Sauce Roasted Broccoli
Read more about the dishTex-Mex-Style Pork-Stuffed Peppers with enchilada sauce and Oaxacan cheese
- Prep & Cook Time 40-50 min
-
Difficulty Level
-
Spice Level
Meal Overview
Now let’s make your stuffed pepper experience to a more exciting meals. No time like the present to expand your packed pepper preferences. These poblanos are stuffed with seasoned pork and corn and topped with cheese and cilantro. Delicious and easy-to-make, you’ll be calling yourself a stuffed pepper connoisseur after cleaning your plate.

In Your Box
- 3 Poblano Peppers
- 1⁄4 Cilantro
- 1 Red Onion
- 10 Ground Pork
- 2 Chile and Cumin Rub
- 3 Shredded Oaxacan Cheese
- 4 Red Enchilada Sauce
- 3 Corn Kernels
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- 570 Calories
- 33g Carbohydrates
- 32g Fat
- 40g Protein
- 1565mg Sodium
Tex-Mex-Style Pork-Stuffed Peppers with enchilada sauce and Oaxacan cheese
Read more about the dishOur expert foodies have tried different recipes while doing their research for this Dinnerly vs Home Chef comparison. Their opinion is that Dinnerly offers easy to cook meals, which is a great advantage if you’re busy and you want to spend less than 30 minutes preparing your lunch or dinner. Although their recipes are simpler and only contain half a dozen ingredients, they are tasty.
Home Chef offers a bit more elaboration and creativity in terms of recipes. However, this also means spending more time in the kitchen. They also allow you to customize your meals by switching the protein sources in your recipes, which is a great plus. When it comes to their taste, both services offer delicious meals.
It’s a tie once again.
Overall Winner: Home Chef !
Home Chef is the overall winner as the most subscribed meal kit delivery company. This well-reputed company ensures simplified meal options to customers at reasonable prices while ensuring high-quality meal ingredients and easy recipes. With 2-10 recipes every week, their weekly rotating menu comes with a full customizability option. They offer affordable meal prices with an average price of around $6.99 per serving. Home Chef caters to allergen-free meal plans for customers with food allergies. Get fresh ingredients! Choose your protein source! Enjoy healthy eating!
