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Takeaways are everyone’s guilty pleasure, but for some, ordering home delivery can become more of an every day thing rather than a one-off treat.
Don’t worry, we get it. With Covid restrictions back on the rise, excitement can be low on the ground, sometimes only gleaned through something new for lunch. Weekly shops may be tricky - especially if you’re self-isolating or shielding -, or you may not have prowess in the kitchen. Not to mention the effort of trying to source an obscure ingredient in an otherwise appealing recipe.
But don’t let any of that stop you from whipping up something fresh, delicious and satisfying, sometimes in as little as ten minutes. What is this sorcery, you ask? Behold: the food subscription box.
Offering an all-in-one solution containing all the produce needed, as well as pre-measured spices and other precise ingredients, they’ve really taken off in the last couple of years, catering for every imaginable cuisine, taste and dietary requirement - think all-vegan, gluten free and dairy free.
From salads you’ll actually want to eat to warming dishes of pasta and stew to steer you through winter, these boxes contain - often down to the last cinnamon stick - you need to whip up nutritious meals easily and quickly at home. It’s not all virtuosity though: many food subscription boxes have an indulgent side with takeaway-inspired ideas that are still much healthier than anything you’ll order off a food delivery app.
Clear step-by-step cards will see even the shakiest chef transform into a gastronomic genius by the time the dish is ready to plate up.
If you're looking for vegan-only boxes, read our list on the best Vegan Subscription Boxes.
Ready to reclaim your meal times? Here are the best food subscription boxes to help you on your way.
Gousto
If nothing turns you off like eating the same meal, day in, day out, Gousto is here to rescue you from the monotony. The company sends all the ingredients and seasonings you’ll need to cook a hearty yet wholesome meal in as little as ten minutes. The only things they won’t send are store cupboard essentials you’ll likely already have, like salt and pepper, milk and vegetable oil.
With The Body Coach Joe Wicks as the brand’s ambassador, there are a host of healthy recipes to make. You’ll soon see that they really are as easy as the bouncy health guru makes out.
The best thing about Gousto is that once delivered, you'll have everything you need - so there's no excuse to order a takeaway or drag yourself around a supermarket hoping for inspiration to strike. The recipe cards are designed to be kept on file (and you can even order a free binder to keep your favourites safe) so that you can whip them out to make again if you find yourself daydreaming over a now-devoured dish.
With 60+ exciting recipes to choose from every week and a variety of nutritional needs catered for, including plant-based, gluten free and dairy free, Gousto puts a tasty spin on favourites like cottage pie, mac ‘n’ cheese and curries. There’s also a limited Plant Bistro range designed for vegans or anyone curious about trying a plant-based diet.
As you're making everything from scratch there's nothing to stop you from modifying a recipe to your tastes; say less chilli, using spray oil instead of bottled or bulking out burgers with slices of grilled halloumi that need using up in your fridge.
Packaging-wise, the box is large but the company has taken the time to clearly explain how to recycle every element (which includes wool to insulate), plus none of the veg is wrapped in single-use plastic (although herbs are). Best of all, they offer delivery seven days a week, so you'll never be without a good meal or at a loss over what to cook for dinner.
If you're not sure about your plans in the week, ordering one-off boxes when you need them through the app is a better option than a subscription. New customers can score 50 per cent off their first box right now too.
Abel & Cole Recipe Box
Around since 1988, Abel & Coe is synonymous with organic fruit and veg. On a mission to fill the country’s fridges and bellies with better, fresher food, the company offers a selection of packages for fruit, veg, or a mix of both, stuffed to the brim with seasonal and wild fare.
Ordering a box is a great option if you want to cook more but find it difficult to get decent high-quality produce nearby. It’s commitment-free to: pause or skip a box any time.
Mindful Chef Recipe Box
It’s aimed at the health conscious, a clear audience once you see all Mindful Chef’s meals are free from dairy, gluten, refined carbs and refined sugars. Delivery days are on either Monday or Sunday so you can start the week on the right foot with a good balanced meal, making it a positive choice you’re more likely to continue.
From £4.50 per box | Mindful Chef
Mooli Indian Thali
The Indian food delivery service is as far from bland ready meals as you can imagine, although they do need a microwave to heat them up. Don't hold this against them though, the meals are so deliciously authentic they would give my Indian grandma a run for her money (sorry nana).
Choose between veggie and meat options which come with snacks, sides and even dessert. They’re delivered so fresh that they must be devoured within two days, even if kept in the fridge. You'll have no trouble though, especially if you're dining a deux: we polished off two plates (meant for four people) at lunchtime in the ES HQ, attracting a torrent of longing looks from sarnie-munching colleagues.
Customers can join the monthly subscription ‘Thali Club’ to receive a delivery every four weeks for the special member’s price of £31.50, with 50 per cent off your first box, as well as access to exclusive new menus and promotions.
From £35 (serves two) | Shop now
Thrive Boxes
This beef recipe box brand offers nothing but pasture-fed home-grown meat, making it perfect for anyone who wants to be more mindful about their meat consumption. Recipe boxes include ideas like beek koftas with kefir garlic dressing, a beef and rice bowl with kimchi, and spicy beef ramen. From £5.38 per person.
Pasta Evangelists
If your mouth fills with saliva at the mere thought of fresh pasta, boy do we have a treat in store for you. Pasta Evangelists sends fresh pasta, garnishes and sauces in insulated letterbox-sized packages to hungry households, with a prep time of as little as five minutes.
This means there’s no need to linger by the door for the post; your food will be waiting for you on the doormat whenever you get home. Sign up to enjoy authentically Italian restaurant-quality dishes on the regular, without the hassle of stepping foot inside a crowded supermarket.
Simply select your dishes from the online menu, set your delivery frequency - and you’re good to go. Don’t worry if your plans change and you’re not able to make the meals right away; they should stay fresh in your fridge for up to three days.
Options for the next few weeks are displayed online alongside stunning photography designed to whet the appetite; think Free range turky and chesnut cannelloni, sausage and roast potato caramelle drenched in sage-spiked butter and the 'carbonara of dreams', perfect for warming up long winter nights.
Every package comes with a glossy booklet of the week's recipes, each colour coded to the pasta and sauce packets, so you can see what you need to make a dish at a glance. This system is really helpful if you're storing things in the fridge or can't easily see what goes with what (the fresh pasta comes in opaque brown packets).
The sauces are what really make Pasta Evangelists shine. Every mouthful carries the care and attention that's gone into crafting the sauce, the hours spent by Pasta Evangelist’s chef to shrink your cooking time at home. It's that level of culinary expertise that will leave you scraping the plate for every last scrap. New customers can get 50 per cent off the cost of their first box.
Green Chef
With all the food subscription services now available on the market, it’s tough to stand out from the crowd but Green Chef certainly manages it. What it comes down to first and foremost is the pure choice. No matter your dietary requirements, you’ll be able to find delicious and nutritious meals to liven up the mid-week slog.
Keto, low carbs, balanced, vegan or vegetarian - this recipe kit delivery has them all. You don’t have to stick to just one either; mix and match to your hearts content. Next, the quality of the ingredients really is worth noting. We had a steak one night and the result was truly restaurant-worthy. Most of the meals can be whipped up in around 30 minutes or less, which is a godsend for those looking for great tasting meals after a long day of work (whether that’s at home or otherwise).
Tastily prepared meals
Tastily offers 32 pre-made meals made by Michelin-trained chefs designed to feed time-squeezed customers who are accustomed to restaurant-quality food - more of a thing now many of us have returned to WFH.
Delicious and nutritionally balanced, the brand uses cutting-edge packaging technology to keep each lunch and dinner dish fresh for seven days so there's no need to freeze.
We loved the variety and flavour on offer, as well as the fact each meal tops out at 500 calories, comes with at least two servings of veg and needs just three minutes in the microwave before eating. The menu spans meat, veggie and vegan options and the subscription can be gifted - it's a thoughtful idea for anyone moving into a new home or starting uni. We'll be going back for the Three Bean Chilli; a delicious light supper.
Hello Fresh Food Box
On a budget? Say hello to Hello Fresh, which offers ingredients to make meals for just £3.25 per serving.
Recipe boxes are packed with pre-measured locally-sourced ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes that should take no longer than half an hour to make. Prepare to bring back the excitement to dinnertimes.
There are subscription options for single people as well as families, as well as dishes for vegetarians and the time poor with a section dedicated to 15min meals.
Feast on platefuls of Hoisin Chicken & Plum Stir-Fry, Pork Kofta Gyros (pictured) and Pork & Apple Burgers complete with wedges and salad. If you’re a new customer, you can get started with a 60 per cent discount on your first order.
A new collection now focuses on speedy lunch ideas like fresh salads and sarnies, ideal whether you’re heading back into the office or continuing to WFH. The menu includes delicious-sounding sarnies like Vietnamese Style Chicken Sandwich with Sriracha Mayo and Slaw and Serrano and Mozzarella Roll with Fig Jam and Rocket while salads include Pesto Chicken and Avocado Salad with Lettuce and Croutons and Falafel, Peashoot and Beetroot Salad with Dill Yoghurt Dressing. Bid goodbye to boring lunches with Hello Fresh.
From £3.25 per meal | Hello Fresh
Khuraaki recipe boxes
Offering 100 per cent halal meals, this new London-based recipe box is perfect for Muslim customers who want healthy, delicious meals within 30 minutes. There are 20 recipes to choose from each week, starting at just £3 per diner. You can set your delivery date and choose the number of eaters, from couples to small and larger families. You ingredients, including HMC Certified meat and poultry, will come carefully packed, ready for you to enjoy.
Riverford Recipe Box
Cooking for two? Head to Riverford for their recipe boxes made with freshly-plucked organic ingredients. Every recipe comes with clear instructions and takes just half an hour from start to finish – perfect for after work when you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
The menu selection changes on a weekly basis, so you’ll always have something new to tuck into. Unlike many of the other options on this list, each box is a one-off purchase so you can stop and start when it suits you.
You can also buy boxes full of fruit, veg or both and with or without meat if you’re just after a produce delivery.
Giving veganism a go? Check out their vegan recipe boxes, packed with animal-free ingredients and ideas.
Vegetarian Express
Now available for personal home delivery, Vegetarian Express has been serving contract caterers and independent restaurants in the UK for over 30 years. Specialists in vegetarian and vegan food, the colossal menu serves as a full-flavoured supermarket buffet offering everything from prepacked boxes to build it yourself shopping.
Prefer preplanned buying? There are 7 boxes available starting at £40, shuffling from fan favourites like Quick Indian and Vegan Shakes, to more everyday items like the Essential Cupboard or Healthy Snacks Box.
Vegetarians and vegans looking to accomplish a weekly or monthly shop will be impressed by the ample offering and the bulk buying sizes will easily accommodate large households. But that doesn't mean couples or singles should forgo a kilo bag of almonds or tub of hummus: many products have a long shelf life and will compliment multiple mealtimes.
The frozen section is an admirable assembly that will keep restaurant-worthy eats on standby—think aromatic Vegan Shawarma Kebab, Sriracha Jackfruit and Vegan Miso Chocolate Ice Cream.
You can also shop vinegars, oils, spices, baked goods, drinks, desserts—anything you would find in an all-vegetarian supermarket minus the queues.
Boxes from £40 or shop per product | Vegetarian Express
Love Yourself meal subscription box
In the age of #SelfLove, we should all be paying much more attention to what’s on our plates. This subscription box helps to up your nutrition with pre-made (but still fresh) meals that fall into one of five categories: vegetarian, gluten free, balanced (meat, fish and veg), performance and options for keto diet followers.
You can order five days’ worth of calorie-controlled meals for a one-off cost of £99, or make it a weekly thing and subscribe for a bit less. If you're thinking it's a bit steep consider this: for this price you will get breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner – a total of five meal/snack options every day. Compare that to an average daily spend of £4 for coffee, another £7-10 on lunch and still having to sort your evening meal, and you’re easily spending more than that every week while making poorer choices and putting in more effort.
With Love Yourself, there’s no cooking involved (particularly helpful for keto first-timers), just the peace of mind that every mouthful is full of fresh, seasonal ingredients.
From £90.25 per week | Love Yourself
Diet Subscription Boxes
Losing weight can be tough, especially when you don’t have the time to shop for the right ingredients, measure portions and count calories. These food subscription boxes do the heavy lifting for you.
Jane Plan
Drop the celery, this plan will see you sitting down to everything from Channa Dahl, Chicken Arrabiata Hot Pot and Veggie Chilli. The Jane Plan comes in one, three or four month plans, but whichever option you choose, you’ll get breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a snack for every day.
You can swap meals or reduce the number of times you get the same one online, giving you greater control and variety of what ends up on your plate. Thanks to great packing, the meals have an impressive fridge life so you can always save them for later on the nights you want a cheat meal.
Calorie counting is sorted too; most menus tot up to under 1,200 calories per day, but you needn’t worry about going hungry. The portions are generous and the food is actually tasty.
There’s also a support service in place, so you get to speak to a qualified nutritionist at the beginning of the plan and during if you need to. If you have a week where you go off track, the superb support service will help you to work out your next steps.
From £6.57 per day | Jane Plan
Nosh Detox
With an almost medical looking website, Nosh takes weight loss seriously right from the get-go.
Applying a nutritionist-heave approach to shedding pounds, Nosh offers plans that are sugar-free, alkaline-friendly, a four-day liver cleanse and even a vegan keto option, notoriously difficult to prep if you’re doing it on your own. There are also juice fasts, cleansing and IV drips to help you reach your health targets in a safe, considered way.
Everything is freshly made using seasonal produce, so you’re eating in sync to the time of year. Dairy and gluten free, Nosh’s food programmes are ideal for giving your digestive system the break it deserves – particularly helpful after a period of over-indulgence like Christmas.
It’s expensive, but if you’ve tried everything else under the sun to shift the pounds and failed, Nosh is certainly worth a try.
Balance Box
Dieting done easy, even if you live in a remote part of the country. Balance Box is one of those companies that pleasingly, does exactly what it says on the tin.
There are four plans to choose from: classic, vegetarian, pescatarian and free-from, perfect for those with food intolerances. Balance Box even offers two portion size options, the lighter at 1,200cal a day and the market plan which totals to around 1,800 calories a day.
Whichever one you go for, you can be sure to open a box containing breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks each day – everything you need and removing any possible temptation to go off plan as you won’t need to go to the shops at all.
What’s more, all the food is ethically sourced and produced with no unnecessary additives or preservatives, perfect for those trying to reduce their intake of processed food.
Each meal is colourful and beautifully presented in a sturdy tub, handy for taking to work. The breakfasts are particularly generous, although all the portions are well-sized.
As a final incentive the company is currently offering £40 off your next order using code: 2020.
From £22.99 per day | Balance Box
My Food
When you decide to embark on the often tricky task of weight loss, it can be hard to know where to start. Kick-start your motivation with My Food, a weekly food subscription services that promises to help you on your path to a healthier regime.
The company offers customers weight management, macro diets, bodybuilding and halal plans, and you can also choose calorie-controlled options too.
All the meals are made to order and come in pouches, convenient for the fridge. Portions are very generous and will leave you feeling full until your next meal.
Try before you buy with a one-day trial, which offers a taste of what you can expect.
Bodychef
If your weight loss goals are within sight and you just need a little boost to get to the finish line, Bodychef can help. Go online to pinpoint your personal target different goals and pick from 15 diet options to suit your needs; think halal, vegan and paleo.
The next step is to select the calorie options for each diet, which you can adjust depending on your goals. You’ll get three square meals a day as well as a fresh fruit for a snack and dessert. Ingredients that you don’t like or can’t eat can be excluded and you can even switch between plans if you want to shake things up a bit.
You’ll have to make a lot of fridge space since the food comes individually packaged and the majority must be chilled straight away.
From £15.98 per day | Body Chef
Best Meat Subscription Boxes
Want better quality meat? These monthly boxes offer the finest cuts, delivered directly to your door.
Cure & Simple
If you believe no issue can’t be soothed with bacon, get yourself signed up to Cure and Simple immediately. The meaty subscription service posts a packet of the finest bacon to your door, ready to give everything from butties to pasta dinners a serious upgrade.
The company uses meat from pigs that have been bred in the outdoors and it hasn’t been plumped up with water – so no need to worry about it shrinking to comically miniscule sizes in the pan. Each rasher is hand-seasoned by hand and cured for up to twelve days, ensuring the very best flavour.
Perfect for a friend or if you just really love bacon, choose your subscription and make a box of your favourite flavours (such as Whisky Smoked and Oak Smoked).
From £5.95 per week | Cure & Simple
Farmison & Co Monthly Meat Box
Let’s face it, the plastic boxes of grey meat are hardly the most appetising ingredients to encourage you to cook. Put better cuts on your plate with a Farmison box, which sends a haul of everything from sausages and burgers to rib-eye steaks, meatballs and pork chops every month.
The company is run by master butchers who are passionate about high quality meat and want to inspire the same in their customers. To that end, Farmison uses heritage breeds in the hope of preserving them.
Sign up, and be sure that the meat in every box is seasonal and all lamb and beef is grass-fed, so you can feel reassured everything within is of the highest quality.
The Family Meat Box is £70, The Couples Box is £36.50 and the Classic Meat Box £50 every month on subscription.
Best Cheese Subscription Boxes
Can't get enough of the curd-stuff? These monthly boxes packed with cheese will help you get your fill.
The Cheese Geek
A thoroughly modern cheesemonger, The Cheese Geek is here to satisfy all fromage fanatics with their medley of subscription services.
Connoisseurs of fine cheeses, they offer cheese boxes like The Elvis, a box filled with up to 5 premium UK cheeses as well as the Jimi box which delivers a selection of cheesy goodness on a 1-2 month basis.
If that's too much of a cheese tsunami for you to handle (lightweight), there are seasonal boxes containing up to 30 cheeses. The box also includes score cards and bullet point information detailing the best wine for each cheese, as well as its origin and tasting notes - hence the "geek" in Cheese Geek. If you know what you like, try the pick ‘n’ mix option for wedges to suit your tastes.
The internal packaging is also made from recycled wool rather than shredded cardboard which is a rather nice consideration.
From £27.50 a month | The Cheese Geek
The Cheese Society
How serious are you about cheese? If the answer is ‘very’, let us introduce you to The Cheese Society, which sends you a thrilling ONE KILOGRAM of cheese which should be just about enough to satisfy your love until your next delivery.
The Society’s origins are humble, starting life in a family-run shop so you can rest assured everything is chosen with the utmost passion and expertise.
From £34 per month | The Cheese Society
Pong
The most flexible option on this list, Pong lets you to tailor your monthly subscription of cheesy goodness to your liking, so you won’t be disappointed with any unwanted flavours.
Prices stay the same per week however many boxes you choose to receive in a month and each one comes with a pamphlet explaining how to properly store the cheese and what to pair it with to enhance the addictive flavours.
From £22 per month | Pong Cheese
Paxton & Whitfield
Bouji cheese is but a click away at Paxton & Whitfield’s Cheese Club, which offers a gorgeously presented curation of the finest curds going. A monthly box contains four artisan cheeses from all over the world, delivered on the second Thursday of every month.
With a history stretching back more than 200 years, there’s not much this cheesemonger doesn’t know about its produce. Expect nothing but the best.
From £35 | Paxton and Whitfield
Verdict
With a rotating menu of mouthwatering dishes and clear instructions, there’s not much we don’t love about Gousto. For novice cooks it offers an easy guide into kitchencraft, helping you learn and develop new skills and for regular home chefs bored by their dinnertime routine it offers an effortless way to shake up your menu. And with 50 per cent off your first box, it’s far cheaper than a supermarket shop.
