Food subscription services: is the cost worth the convenience

Food subscription services offer easy, healthy alternatives for weeknight meals. We look at the pros and cons of these services and some alternatives that you can try.

  • 26 February 2019

    Food subscription services have grown in popularity over the last few years – there are even food delivery services for dog food. According to finder.com.au, there are over 35 delivery services in Australia and research published in 2018 by market research group Nielsen predicts that “one million Australian homes could be buying meal kits” by May 2019.

    Close shot of a woman holding a bowl of fruit, eating it with a spoon.

    These services provide an alternative to fast food when a busy day catches up to you. For around $10 per meal, per person (depending on the delivery service), you can have fresh ingredients or ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door.

    With the demand for these services set to increase, it’s worth asking whether or not they’re really the best value for you and your family.

    Benefits

    Ease of use

    If you work long shifts or irregular hours, taking the stress out of planning and shopping for meals is the most significant advantage with any of these services. You order online or via an app, and the pre-packaged meals or fresh ingredients are delivered straight to your door. For the meals you cook yourself, recipe cards are included and all ingredients are labelled, so you know what’s what. You can even save the recipe cards and shop for the ingredients the next time you want to make the dish, but don’t want to order through the service.

    Sign-up offers and referral bonuses

    It’s easy to find sign-up offers for discounts on your first few orders. These companies want you to spread the love, so they’ll often give you referral codes to share with friends, family and co-workers. These codes will provide a discount to the person who redeems it, as well as offering you a discount in return for the referral. If you’re able to refer people regularly, the rewards can help keep the ongoing cost down.

    Fresh local produce and less food waste

    Fresh food delivery services like HelloFresh and Marley Spoon both offer local, seasonal Australian ingredients where possible. Ingredients are portioned according to how many people you’re feeding – you tell them this when you order your boxes. It’s estimated that Australians throw out up to $8 billion worth of food every year and having only the ingredients you need can go a long way towards reducing what gets thrown in the bin.

    Pre-packaged services provide food already prepared and ready to eat or heat up as required and are a good option for an easy, healthier meal while you’re at work. Each meal is portioned for a single serving, so there is no wasted food unless you don’t eat it!

    These companies also put thought into their environmental impact. HelloFresh cooler bags are made from corn and can go into your green organics bin, while youfoodz will recycle the empty containers for you.

    Drawbacks

    Set menu options

    While there is usually a decent variety of meals to choose from each week, you’re locked into what’s on offer, which can be a challenge if you have picky eaters to worry about.

    Extra costs

    HelloFresh will set you back $69.99 per week for a two-person, three meal per week box^. Youfoodz will set you back $139.25 per week for one person ordering breakfast, lunch and dinner for five days on the female weight loss plan^. You often still have to buy extras for the week that your meal kit doesn’t include, such as pantry staples, snacks, breakfast items and options for fussy eaters in your family.

    Delivery delays

    Having everything delivered to your door is what’s so great about these services. But, if there’s a delay with your delivery, you could find yourself without anything for dinner.

    Getting food you don’t want

    The subscriptions are recurring, so if you don’t want to get a delivery one week, you’ll have to cancel that delivery manually. If you don’t pause the service by the cut-off time, the food will be delivered, and you’ll be charged for food you might not want or need.

    Alternative options

    If the subscription services aren’t for you, but you still want to free up some time during the week, try one of these alternatives.

    Prep your meals in advance

    Make a week’s worth of breakfasts, lunches or dinners in one go. Choose a handful of ingredients that you can use in multiple meals to keep some variety, and store single serving portions in your fridge to quickly reheat. You can find meal prep ideas on Pinterest and YouTube.

    Order from your supermarket

    Shop online and have your groceries delivered, or ready to pick up at your local store at a time that suits you. If you have a local farmers’ market, greengrocer or butcher, see if they offer a delivery service or will take an order over the phone for you to pick up.

    What’s right for you?

    Finding the right option comes down to what you want. If you like to cook, want to free up some of your week, or just need a little inspiration, then a subscription box service like HelloFresh, Marley Spoon or Dinnerly might be a good option. If you don’t like to cook, don’t have the time to shop and cook, or are looking for calorie-controlled meals, opting for a pre-packaged delivery option like youfoodz or Light n’ Easy might be the way to go.

    The cost will also be a factor. You’ll need to decide if the convenience is worth the weekly subscription, especially when you’ll likely need to buy additional items each week on top of what you get in the deliveries. Keep in mind that when you do your own shopping, you can plan meals around what’s on special at your local store or buy in bulk to save.


    ^Prices based on information found on HelloFresh and youfoodz websites and are correct at time of writing, February 2019, for the scenarios given.

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