Whether you want to save time regularly or only have a few weeks during which you need help, meal kit deliveries could be the answer.
They save you a lot of time, but will they also save you money? If you’re particularly interested in Chefs Plate, you probably wonder
Is Chefs Plate cheaper than grocery shopping?
Chefs Plate may or may not be cheaper than grocery shopping because it highly depends on the meals you order. Meat eaters are more likely to save money than vegetarians with Chefs Plate.
Keep reading this article to find out what possible savings you could have by choosing Chefs Plate.
What Is Chefs Plate And What Does It Offer?
Chefs Plate is a meal kit delivery service. You sign up for a flexible subscription, and changes must be made four days before your next planned delivery.
Each box contains ingredients for a meal for 2 or 4 people, plus a recipe card that shows you how to prepare each meal.
You can choose each meal yourself or let Chefs Plate choose for you. You can set preferences about which ingredients you do not want and whether you want a meat or vegetarian plan (no vegan option at the moment).
In addition to the ingredients you need for the meals you ordered, you can also order “add-ons” like pizza grilled cheese, pesto garlic bread dippers, and smoked bacon. The selection changes weekly.
How Much Does Chefs Plate Cost?
Chefs Plate boxes cost the same no matter what kind of meals you choose each week; the pricing of this meal kit delivery is pretty straightforward.
| Meals | Cost per serving for 2 people | Cost per serving for 4 people |
| 2 | $9.99 | $8.99 |
| 3 | $9.99 | $8.99 |
| 4 | $9.99 | $8.99 |
| 5 | $9.99 | $8.99 |
This means the most expensive cost per portion is $9.99, and the cheapest cost is $8.99. Unlike most other meal kit delivery services, there aren’t bigger savings when you order more. The only price difference is between ordering for 2 or 4 people.
How Much Would It Cost To Buy Chefs Plate Ingredients In A Grocery Store?
So how do the price plans compare to what you’d pay for the same meals if you shopped for them in a grocery store? To get an idea, I have chosen a popular meal from Chefs Plate menu: the Bistro-style steak frites and gravy with mustard mayo and a side salad.
For two servings, Chefs Plate’s delivery includes
- 285g beef steak
- 690g Russet potato
- 100g shallots
- 1 tbsp cream sauce spice blend
- 3 tsp Montreal spice blend
- 55g Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 56g baby field greens
- 2 tbsp Italian dressing
- 113g baby tomatoes
- 28g seed blend
- 7g parsley
- 2 tsp beef stock powder
Remember, one serving costs $9.99, no matter how many meals you order per week.
If you bought these ingredients in a grocery store, you’d spend, on average
- $5 for beef steaks
- $1 for Russet potato
- $0.45 for shallots
- $1 for a comparable cream sauce spice blend
- $1 for Montreal spice blend
- $2 for a small jar of Mayonnaise
- $2 for a bottle of mustard
- $2.00 for a pack of baby field greens
- $2.00 for a bottle of Italian dressing
- $1 for 113g baby tomatoes
- $4 for a packet of seed blend
- $0.50 for a small bunch of parsley
- $1 for a small pack of beef stock cubes
That’s a total of $23.25 for two servings, which means one serving costs $11.63.
Just looking at this, Chefs Plate appears to be cheaper than grocery shopping. However, you will usually have some of these ingredients at home already, like stock cubes, mustard, Mayonnaise, and maybe even some suitable spices.
If you consider this, you only have to spend about $8-10 per serving, which means shopping for ingredients in a grocery store can be cheaper, depending on what you already have at home.
This meal also includes some steak and other pricier ingredients. A grocery shop for a vegetarian meal will be cheaper than Chefs Plate, so the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might have hoped.
If you love meaty dishes or order some of the premium meals, Chefs Plate will save you money, but if you plan to only eat vegetarian meals or simple meals, you won’t be saving that much – until you also consider the following:
Other Savings If You Use Chefs Plate
Chefs Plate offers free delivery – but going to a grocery store usually isn’t quite as free. You’ll either spend money on petrol for your car, or you’ll pay for public transport. That often is a cost people don’t think about when they ask whether Chefs Plate is cheaper than a grocery store.
In addition, many households have a lot of food waste – this means they buy stuff for a recipe and do not use it all. The rest is forgotten in a cupboard or thrown away. Throwing away food equals throwing away money. This won’t happen with Chefs Plate.
The other thing not to ignore is time. You save a lot of time by not having to plan your shopping and doing your shopping. Time is valuable – and priceless.
Who Is Chefs Plate Suitable For?
Chefs Plate is mainly suitable for meat eaters and vegetarians. Vegans may find one meal per week, but unless you happily eat the same meal twice or more often, it’s not a good option compared to other meal kit delivery services (Hello Fresh is good for vegans).
Chefs Plate is also suitable for people with allergies as long as you carefully read the ingredient list of each meal. For now, Chefs Plate does not offer plans specifically designed for people with allergies and intolerances. Cross-contamination is also possible, so you must be careful if you have a severe food allergy.
Are Chefs Plate Meal Kits Healthy And Filling?
While Chefs Plate meals are not specifically meant only to be healthy, most of them are good when you look at the nutritional information. Some are healthier than others, but you wouldn’t expect a burger-based meal to top the health charts.
Chef Plate meals are also great if you need to learn what a good serving size for an average adult is. That way, it is helpful for people who eat too much or too little.
Of course, a bodybuilder or very active worker in a physically demanding job might find that a plate meant for the average adult contains too little food. Still, generally, a Chefs Plate portion should fill up an adult.
Final Thoughts
While Chefs Plate is mainly only suitable for the two main groups (meat eaters and vegetarians), it offers those two groups an interesting selection of meals each week. There is not as much choice as with Hello Fresh, for example, but you will still be able to find a few meals you’ll enjoy.
Read my related meal kit cost guides: