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Feeling hungry?
I hope not, because then reading this review may be torture. I’ve been reviewing meal kits for more than four years now, including a few stints with Hungryroot. This time around, I wanted to do a deep dive into the service, highlighting both the meal kit features and the grocery delivery options that result in a balanced and well-stocked fridge — no grocery store trips required.
How Hungryroot works
Hungryroot is a bit different than a traditional meal kit, in that it combines recipes and grocery items all in one big box. However, the ordering and delivery process is very much the same, following a weekly delivery cadence and with a very easy-to-add menu of items and meals.
You can fill your box with a mix of recipes and groceries, or just one or the other — the choice is totally yours. The site uses weekly credits, so you “pay” for each item as you go. This system allows for customization, making for a great option when you need more meals over groceries one week or pre-made meals the next week.
According to a recent article in New York Times, more Americans are leaning away from calorie counting. Part of this has to do with the rise of GPL-1s, but dieting fatigue also plays a role. Meal plans and even meal kits don’t necessarily work for those seeking a more intuitive way of eating. For this reason, Hungryroot is an excellent option, allowing users to have freedom to select the produce and non-perishable items that they want, while also giving recipe ideas that are simple and nutrition-conscious.
To shop Hungryroot, simply follow the prompts on the site.
- First step: Fill out the quiz, so Hungryroot can get an understanding of how many people you are shopping for and your main goals, such as saving money, eating healthier, etc.
- Provide your weekly budget: Here is when you select how much you want to spend. While you can’t put in the actual price, you can select from a price range.
- Share your food preferences: This is the most lengthy part of the process, but stick with it by sharing your favorite food types, diet and the flavors you gravitate to. You’ll also select the meals you want to shop for.
Once you’ve answered all the questions, Hungryroot will build your shopping cart for you — but you get the final say on what goes and what stays. It’s like having a personal shopper.
A screenshot of what our cart looked like after selecting options for multiple meal types and snacks. New York PostHungryroot price
The pricing structure for Hungryroot is a bit unique. Plans start at $70 per week, but then each item or meal is priced out individually. Meals start as low as $3.99.
The total price will be dependent on what you order, but similar to the grocery store, you can tweak your cart to your comfort level.
Hungryroot meals
Hungryroot meals tend to be on the lighter side, featuring lots of salads, sandwiches, and stir-fries. They work well for both fast dinners and yummy lunches, especially for those who work from home or like to meal prep.
Hungryroot offers a full kid’s menu, as well as a family menu, so it’s equally perfect for those with kiddos. You can spend your credits across menus, allowing you to add some meals for them and a few for you each week.
As I’ve already mentioned, there’s also a full selection of groceries. In that section, you’ll find both Hungryroot’s brand, which is delicious, and other name brand items that I have now become obsessed with (looking at you, Pipcorn chips.) Many of these items are health-conscious, with vegan or vegetarian options and all-natural ingredients.
Our review of Hungryroot
Sophie CannonHungryroot is my kind of meal kit since I am the type to leave grocery shopping until I have just one egg, a block of cheese, and a singular tomato left in my fridge. My friends and I call it “Bachelor Fridge,” and it’s not a good look — and this is where Hungryroot saves the day.
I love this service, as it focuses more on groceries and whole ingredients than pre-portioned meal kits, although it does provide recipes and step-by-step instructions if you still want that.
I opted for a mix of both groceries and recipes and would continue to do that if signing up for the service long-term. I absolutely loved how each item, regardless of whether it corresponded to a recipe or not, was full-sized and not pre-portioned, as I could keep the leftovers and also see exactly where it came from. With meal kits, sometimes you only get a bit of a pepper or a sprinkle of cheese and you don’t see the whole bag, nor do you get to keep it for later. The only downside, of course, is that there is more prep work, but many of Hungryroot’s recipes are very simple.
If you do like hearty, complex cooking, this isn’t for you. But, for lighter, easy meals that can be done in five to 30 minutes, this is perfect. Many of the meals had only three steps to complete, with very little chopping or mixing required, and maybe two pots and pans maximum. They also offer pre-made meals, which are fresh and delicious, if you prefer no cooking at all.
The last perk of Hungryroot for me is the ability to try new grocery items that I may not have ever grabbed if strolling the aisles myself. I learned about my favorite Pipcorn chips thanks to the service, and I recently was able to try the new tiramisu cup with my leftover points.
The final verdict
Hungryroot is a great option for those who seriously hate grocery shopping, love having an excuse to try new food and drink brands, and don’t mind a lighter lunch and dinner. This is also a great plan for those with young kids, as the kid’s menu has finger-friendly meals that I think children will love.
Skip this meal kit and go for one of the other 15-ish I tried if you prefer a heartier dinner or a different pricing structure, but it may be worth a try just for the grocery discoveries alone.
How we tested
- Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, Hungryroot is simple to set up and order for each week, but do note the grocery section as well. I always take into consideration how to customize the order, make changes and pause a membership when testing.
- Prep, cook and cleanup time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Hungryroot’s meals take between five and 30 minutes, sticking very closely to what the recipe estimates. I still noted how long it took me to have a complete meal from unpackaging to cooking, eating and recycling afterward.
- Flavor and fullness: Meal kits are meant to remove all the guesswork from cooking, including seasoning. When testing Hungryroot I took into account if any of the dishes I ordered needed to be seasoned or altered to become more palpable. I also considered how satisfied they left me and for how long.
- Sustainability: Not all meal kits are eco-friendly or use sustainable practices. To determine where Hungryroot stood on the eco-conscious scale, I reviewed its production policy and looked into how it sourced its ingredients. Other things I took into account were its packaging and whether it could be recycled.
- Price: Meal kits typically run between $8 and $15 per serving. Hungryroot has a unique pricing system, with each item ranging from $3.99 and $8.99. I also take into account how many meals per week and how many servings I received for the price.
FAQ: What to look for when choosing a meal kit
Diet: Pay attention to the dietary options each service caters to, from vegetarian and vegan to Keto and paleo.
Household Size: Count the number of people in your family and then account for how much they eat to best calculate how many servings you need to feed everyone. Some kits detailed above have larger portions, while others are single-serve only.
Budget: Meal kits and services have a wide range of prices. Some offer free shipping, while others have a minimum spend. Specialty or health-related plans may cost more.
Time: Think about how long you want to be cooking for each night. Some meals require 30 or more minutes to cook, not including cleaning up. Others are microwavable and thus don’t require clean-up time.
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