My Review: Green Chef (Menu, Meals & More) – Is It Worth It? (2023)

Let's review Green Chef – a meal kit delivery program designed to help you eat healthily.

However, this one is a bit different from other similar services.

On that note, its meals and menu are also more expensive.

You might be wondering now – is it worth it?

In fact, is it even relevant for weight loss?

This article will tell you all there is to know about this program.

Note: This review is based on my own research + analysis of Green Chef.

Review Summary

Full Name: Green Chef by HelloFresh

Product Type: Weight Loss Food

Best Actual Price: $12.99 per meal (2 servings, 4 meals per week).

Cheapest Place To Buy: Its official website

Designed For: Helping with weight loss in a sustainable and organic way.

My Rating: 6 out of 10

Recommended?: Not particularly – it's far from the best option I've encountered:

• only takes care of your dinner
• you have to cook the meal yourself
• rather pricy

As such, I wouldn't say I'm impressed.

If you're looking for a better option that's also more affordable, feel free to check my top recommendation.

What I Liked About It

• Nice option for weight loss
• Provides organic foods
• Promotes a sustainable lifestyle
• Good way to learn more cooking techniques
• Ingredients arrive portioned
• Fresh and flavorful meals (because you cook the dish yourself)

What I Didn't Like About It

• Only provides dinner options
• Delivers 4 dishes per week at most
• Time-consuming 
• Not for people who avoid/don't have time for cooking
• Not as convenient as other similar services
• Quite a few complaints about customer service
• Too expensive for what it offers

#1 – What Is Green Chef?

In essence, Green Chef provides you with organic food that is sustainably sourced.

Plus, most of its menus involve a low amount of calories, meaning they are perfect for weight loss:

• accommodate a large array of diets
• gluten-free
• vegan & vegetarian

Now – here's a basic trait you should be aware of when it comes to how Green Chef operates.

Basically, this is meant to be a meal kit delivery service.

It's quite different from delivering ready-made meals as most similar services do.

Basically, Green Chef sends you all the ingredients you need in order to prepare the dish you choose.

That's right – this program expects you to cook the meal yourself.

So you know right off the bat that if you prefer receiving everything already prepared for you…

Green Chef is likely not what you're looking for.

Here are the 6 meal plans available:

1. Keto + Paleo – low-carb menu that encourages weight loss.
2. Vegetarian – excludes meat while focusing on plant-based ingredients.
3. Mediterranean – cuisine inspired by countries near the Mediterranean Sea.
4. Fast & Fit – foods low in carbs that can be prepared in under 25 minutes.
5. Vegan – meals that are based on proteins derived from plants and/or vegetables.
6. Gluten-Free – a diet that is free of any soy or gluten.

The diversity allows you to choose the plan that suits your lifestyle and preferences best.

Minute details such as calories, allergens, or a list of ingredients can be found on a card.

Basically, each box of meals comes with a card that contains all sorts of useful information about the dishes you chose.

Of course, that also includes the actual recipe that you have to follow.

Let's see more details regarding Green Chef.

#2 – How It Works & History

It's time to speak about the general information regarding Green Chef:

• how exactly it should work
• whether it's good for you or not
• its history

1. How It Works

If you go to Green Chef's website in order to find information as to how it helps people lose weight…

You won't find much, since it looks like this program avoids being too outright when it comes to diet culture.

However, the names of some of their meal plans definitely imply that they are weight loss-friendly:

• Keto + Paleo
• Vegetarian
• Fast & Fit
• Vegan

Of course, Green Chef can also help you maintain the healthy weight you may already have [1].

Keep in mind that this program targets a more specific audience, however.

Therefore, if you're someone who:

• only eats organic food
• follows a paleo, keto, vegan or vegetarian diet
• is familiar with the basics of cooking

…then Green Chef may be something that would interest you.

Naturally, since this program assumes you have to cook, it's more time-consuming than other services.

Carefully consider how okay you are with sacrificing time and comfort for fresh, flavorful meals.

Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, so just choose the one you prefer.

When it comes to how Green Chef plays into your actual weight loss…

I'm afraid there's not much that can be said.

Since this program mainly delivers dinner, you're on your own for the rest of your meals.

So, if your diet for the rest of the day doesn't match what Green Chef sends you as dinner…

It's definitely not guaranteed that you'll lose weight.

Because of this, Green Chef is not the best service from this perspective.

2. History

This program was founded in 2014 in Boulder, Colorado.

It started off as a meal kit delivery service that catered to diets that made it difficult for people to find accessible recipes.

Setting this as their niche, their business started to grow.

Since it also puts an emphasis on organic food, sustainability, and an eco-friendly lifestyle…

It also became one of the only services to be certified as organic by the USDA.

Eventually, it was bought by HelloFresh, another meal kit company.

#3 – Weight Loss Plans (6 out of 10)

Since Green Chef is not very direct when it comes to which of their plans are good for weight loss…

Let's look at the ones that would naturally favor this outcome.

1. Keto + Paleo Meal Plan

This pretty much follows the general outline of a keto diet:

• low in carbohydrates
• high in animal proteins
• reduces appetite
• boosts metabolism

Since a keto diet works best if you don't go overboard with your carb intake…

It's best to mind what you're eating for the rest of the day.

Obviously, that is if you want the best results.

Be mindful that there are also risks that come with such a diet.

For instance, you could have too much protein in your body, which is not ideal [2].

So make sure that you look into what a keto diet entails before you proceed.

2. Vegetarian Meal Plan

Surely you know that a vegetarian diet is free of any meat.

Like most diets, this one comes with good news and bad news:

• increases your immunity against certain diseases
• leaves you prone to a few nutrient deficiencies

If you've never tried it before, a vegetarian diet can seem a bit overwhelming.

You might feel like you have to give up on a lot of foods, which is partly true.

Regardless, it's a good idea to look into the ins and outs of vegetarian diets.

That way, you know what you're in for.

3. Fast & Fit Meal Plan

This plan is for people who would like to lose weight while also spending less time cooking:

• low in calories
• recipes that are ready in 25 minutes (at most)

That being said, it's likely that this is their most flexible plan.

It certainly looks like the sort of meal plan everyone could benefit from.

The website says that choosing this plan also lets you choose meals that are keto or vegetarian.

Overall, it seems like the optimal choice if your diet is not specifically restrictive.

4. Vegan Meal Plan

This plan conforms to what has already been said about veganism:

• mainly plant-based
• free of any products derived from animals

If you didn't know, resorting to a vegan diet means you have to seek certain nutrients.

That's because such a restrictive diet doesn't allow you to get all the vitamins you normally need.

As such, you need to make up for this by consuming starchy carbohydrates along with fruits & veggies [3].

Obviously, there's more to veganism than what I can summarize here.

If this floats your boat, be sure to read up about it.

Conclusion

Again, the lack of details coming from Green Chef is troublesome.

It basically makes you guess which of their plans are going to aid in your weight loss.

Regardless, it's great that they're giving options to those who are vegan.

Not to mention the fact that they also offer plenty of gluten-free meals.

Still, given the fact that this is a program mainly designed for dinner…

It's definitely not the best option when it comes to losing weight.

#4 – Meals & Menu (8 out of 10)

Now that we've reached the most delicious part of this article…

Let's see what Green Chef offers in terms of dishes.

1. The Menu

Green Chef will deliver either 3 or 4 meals per week to you, depending on your choice.

You also get to choose the number of servings you would like: 2, 4, or 6.

Every week, you get a menu that presents you with the meals you can choose to be delivered to you.

This menu also changes at the end of each week, so you will always have some new dishes to look forward to.

Keep in mind that Green Chef also doesn't send you any snacks.

That is a drawback in its own right, but obviously, the bigger issue is the fact that you're only sent dinner.

If you're permanently short on time and need a service that will send you everything ready to eat…

This is definitely not the best option for you.

Not to mention that it also expects you to cook your own dinner.

As such, you're expected to make time for cooking at least a few evenings per week.

Consider this carefully before buying from Green Chef.

2. The Meals

Let's finally get to the dishes.

For reference, the following meals are going to be taken from the weight loss plans we analyzed earlier.

To start off with, here are some Keto + Paleo dinner options:

1. Ground Pork Egg Roll Bowls
2. Chili-Ginger Pork Tenderloin
3. Chimichurri Chicken Bowls

Let's look at some Vegetarian dinners next:

1. Cajun-Spiced Chickpea Power Bowls
2. Creamy Tomato Cavatappi
3. Greek Salad Flatbreads

Now it's time to see what the Fast & Fit dinners look like:

1. Coconut Shrimp Soup
2. Spicy Shrimp Tacos With Pineapple Salsa
3. Sriracha Tamari Beef Bowls

Lastly, here's what the Vegan Meal Plan brings you in terms of dinner:

1. Penne with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
2. Curry-Spiced Sweet Potato Wraps
3. Peanut Udon Noodle Bowls

All of these dishes sound delicious.

You can also view all the details regarding any dish on its respective page.

Obviously, that includes the actual recipe, which you can view even without being a subscriber.

This way, you can make a sound decision when it comes to which meals best suit your needs.

Naturally, the fact that you receive the pre-portioned ingredients comes with an advantage.

That would be the freshness of the meal since it's going to be freshly cooked by you.

Still – you're paying not only with your money but also with your time.

That's because you have to do the most complex task – the actual cooking process.

#5 – Results (6 out of 10)

Although Green Chef is a bit newer on the market, it still managed to get quite popular.

That being said, there are lots of user reviews that tell you everything about this program.

Let's get to the good and the bad regarding this service.

Note: I only considered authentic reviews, not promotional/fake ones.

1. Positive Reviews

As always, let's steer clear of the reviews from the official website.

We all know that they're mostly biased.

Instead, let's look at websites that facilitate a more objective outlook – like TrustPilot.

Here's what people were praising Green Chef for:

1. The cooking instructions are clear and easy to follow.
2. People also liked the flavor and quality of the ingredients they were sent.
3. A few customers said they learned new cooking techniques through Green Chef.
4. They also praised the customer service for how they handled problems.
5. People also said they appreciate the diversity in their meal plans.
6. Customers also said that Green Chef helped them lead a healthier lifestyle.

A customer was also happy with the promptitude shown by customer service when something came up:

These positive reviews prove that Green Chef is definitely working for a certain crowd.

Now – I couldn't find much about how this program helped people lose weight.

Maybe that's because this service avoids talking about diet in general.

Regardless – things are looking pretty alright from this perspective.

2. Negative Reviews

Just like anything on the Internet, this case also has another side to its coin.

Green Chef is not met exclusively with positivity.

This is a good thing for us since we get to take into account as many issues as possible.

That being said, here's what people were dissatisfied with:

1. Some people claim their delivery service is unreliable.
2. Customers also said their ingredients arrived warm instead of frozen.
3. A few people were unable to cancel their subscriptions.
4. Postponing your order if you don't happen to be home is not exactly an option.
5. Someone said if your order is shipped to the wrong address, you are only refunded half of your money.

A customer said there are undisclosed charges that you can encounter:

Obviously, these are pretty problematic.

From what I could see, most complaints have to do with customer service.

That's pretty interesting since some of the positive reviews above praise this about Green Chef.

However, looks like they're rather rigid when it comes to handling their customer's problems.

Most of these complaints had to do with faulty deliveries, melted food, and hidden charges.

So there's definitely something amiss there.

Conclusion

Honestly, people are pretty divided when it comes to Green Chef.

If anything, it seems like people get along with the meals and instructions.

The real problem would be the delivery and lack of flexibility when it comes to postponing a box.

Also, it seems like canceling your subscription is rather tricky.

Overall, this doesn't sound like the best experience.

There are certainly other meal delivery options that will show more respect for your money.

#6 – Side Effects (8 out of 10)

As we have seen, the grand majority of negative reviews about Green Chef were focused on customer service.

Thus, it's pretty difficult to assess the safety of this program when it comes to potential risks.

Despite this, there are a few concerns you should always keep in mind when switching your diet:

• low energy
• fatigue
• bloating

In more severe cases, you might even experience some diarrhea and/or abdominal cramping.

Of course, keep in mind that not everyone runs into these issues.

But it's good to be aware of them in case something goes awry.

Especially since people rarely mention side effects when reviewing this specific program.

#7 – Price (5 out of 10)

It is a known fact that meal (kit) delivery services are pretty pricy.

However, is this also the case for Green Chef?

Let's take a closer look at this aspect.

1. The Exact Price

Keep in mind that this is a service that only provides dinner.

Therefore, the prices are only respective to one dish.

Still – you can choose to get ingredients for multiple servings.

Let's see how this plays out:

• 2 servings, 4 meals per week – $12.99 per serving
• 4 servings, 4 meals per week – $11.99 per serving
• 6 servings, 4 meals per week – $11.99 per serving

Also, as you can see from the picture, you get $135 off throughout your first 5 boxes.

This deal makes giving Green Chef a try a little more affordable.

That way, you get to decide whether it's for you or not…

Without losing too much money.

Regardless – it's still a let-down that they don't even deliver dinner for every day of the week.

2. Competitor's Price

If you're open to signing up for a meal delivery service…

Let me introduce you to my top recommendation for a weight-loss meal plan:

1. Nutrisystem is a lot better if you're looking to lose weight.
2. On top of that, it is also a lot more customizable.
3. My recommendation offers menus that are a lot more diverse.
4. Unlike Green Chef, Nutrisystem also encourages you to snack in between meals.
5. Not to mention that my recommendation delivers meals for the entire day.
6. You also save more time with Nutrisystem, since their meals arrive ready-made.
7. Besides, my recommendation also saves you money, since it starts at $9.99 per day.

This is why I advise you to go for Nutrisystem instead.

You get better value for less money, which is always an advantage.

It saves you the time of cooking while also providing you with food for the entire day.

Not to mention that they encourage snacking! Isn't that wonderful?

Conclusion

In all seriousness, Green Chef is pretty expensive for a service that only delivers dinner.

Not to mention that they don't even ensure your dinner for the entire week.

Because of this, I would definitely say that it's not the most impressive option.

In fact, it's rather expensive. 

The price is even more unreasonable if you are really short on time and don't have time to cook.

As such, I would certainly go for something else.

#8 – Final Conclusions

Since we're almost at the end of the article, let's see the main points regarding Green Chef.

1. Only Delivers Dinner

As we have seen, Green Chef mainly specializes in delivering dinner dishes.

That's definitely a deal-breaker if you're looking for a service that ensures you get all meals in a day.

Plus, this program doesn't even have the option of delivering dinner for the entire week.

You can only get it for 3 or 4 days per week, which is odd.

That being said, I wouldn't consider this a competitive option.

2. Gives Too Much Freedom

Since Green Chef only sends you dinner, you're practically on your own for the rest of the day.

That means that if you're looking to lose weight, you have to plan your diet yourself.

This is a lot of unnecessary pressure for a customer.

Besides, it's not guaranteed that everyone will be disciplined enough to come up with a suitable diet.

You basically have to research what you should or shouldn't eat…

On top of worrying about how or where you're going to get the respective ingredients.

As such, it's better to go for something that gives you everything you need.

3. Not The Most Convenient

Let's not forget that Green Chef is all about cooking dinner yourself.

While this does mean that you get to enjoy a fresh meal, it also takes up more of your time.

In the end, it's up to you to choose which one you would rather have.

But keep in mind that unless you already know the basics of cooking…

You might struggle a bit.

My Verdict – Worth It Or Not?

Short answer: Not necessarily.

It's not the most impressive option out there:

1. Only delivers dinner.
2. Doesn't even give you dishes for the entire week.
3. Expects you to do the cooking yourself.
4. You have to come up with diet options for the rest of the day.
5. Many complaints about the customer service team.
6. Rather expensive for what it offers.

Keeping this in mind, I don't think Green Chef is the best option when it comes to meal delivery services.

It simply feels lackluster in too many ways.

Because of this, it definitely won't be the ideal solution for everyone.

Speaking of this, I happen to know of a much better alternative.

Do you recall Nutrisystem? I mentioned it a little earlier in this article.

That's for good reason since it's my top recommendation for a weight-loss meal plan:

• actually affordable for the amount of quality it offers
• many options for customization
• offers meals for the entire day/week
• includes snacks
• very effective if you want to lose weight

In short, Nutrisystem is the superior option here.

As such, if you're thinking of trying out a meal delivery service…

I believe this is the best contender.

References:

1 – https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/-healthy_eating

2 – https://www.mayoclinic.org/high-protein-diets

3 – https://www.health.harvard.edu/plant-based-diets