Are meal kits cheaper than groceries? The short answer
In most cases, no. A meal kit usually costs more per serving than the same meal cooked from ingredients you buy yourself in a shop. It can still cost less than takeaway, and it can beat a grocery routine where you throw away a lot of food.
So are meal kits cheaper than groceries for you? That depends on five things: the price per serving, shipping and extra fees, how much food you waste, what you would eat otherwise, and how much your time is worth. This guide shows you how to put a number on each one. You only need a receipt, a calculator and ten minutes.
Prices differ a lot between countries, cities and weeks. So we do not quote real prices here. All examples use a made up currency called "units". They are only there to show the method. Replace them with your own numbers.
What does "cost per serving" actually mean?
Cost per serving is the total money you spend on a meal, divided by the number of real portions you get from it. It sounds simple. Most bad comparisons fail because people leave something out of the top number or use the wrong number at the bottom.
Here is the formula:
- Total cost = food price + shipping + fees + tax + tip, if any + the share of pantry items you used.
- Real servings = the number of full portions you actually ate, not the number printed on the box.
- Cost per serving = total cost divided by real servings.
Two points matter most. First, a "serving" on a box may be smaller or larger than what you eat. If a recipe feeds two on paper but you and your partner need a side dish to feel full, the real cost is higher. Second, you must compare the same meals. A simple pasta dinner from a shop is not the same as a restaurant style recipe with fresh herbs, a special sauce and a protein you would never buy alone.
How do you work out the cost per serving of a meal kit?
Use the full bill, not the headline price. Many kit sites show the lowest price per serving on the front page. Your real price comes at checkout. Follow these steps.
- Pick one typical order. Choose the plan you would really use, such as three recipes for two people.
- Write down the box price. Use the price at the end of the first discount period, not the introductory price.
- Add shipping. Add any delivery fee, service fee and tax shown at checkout.
- Add paid upgrades. Premium recipes or bigger proteins often cost extra. Include them if you tend to choose them.
- Count the servings. Multiply recipes by people. Three recipes for two people is six servings.
- Add what you need to supply. Oil, salt, butter or a side dish count too.
- Divide. Total cost divided by real servings gives your number.
Example, not real prices: A box has three recipes for two people. The box costs 60 units. Shipping is 6 units. Total is 66 units for 6 servings. That is 11 units per serving. If you add a 1 unit side dish for each serving, it becomes 12 units.
How do you work out the cost per serving of the same meals from groceries?
Do the same exercise with a shopping list for the same three recipes. Many people skip the hard part here. A shop sells whole packs, so you often buy more than one meal needs. The unused part is not always waste. It may go into next week's meals. You need to decide honestly what happens to it.
- Copy the recipes. Write the full ingredient list for each meal in the kit.
- Price the items at your usual shop. Use your normal store, not the cheapest store you would never visit.
- Add the full pack price. If a recipe needs one spoon of paste, you still buy the jar.
- Subtract what you will really use later. Only subtract items you will truly eat in the next week or two. Be strict.
- Add the cost of waste. Anything you will probably bin stays in the cost.
- Add a pantry share. A small amount for oil, spices and salt is fair.
- Add delivery or travel costs. This matters if you order online or drive far.
- Divide by real servings.
Example, not real prices: The shopping bill for the three recipes is 42 units. You will use 12 units of leftovers in meals later in the week. Pantry share is 3 units. Real cost is 42 minus 12 plus 3, which is 33 units. For 6 servings that is 5.50 units per serving. In this example the kit costs double.
Now test a worse case for groceries. You bill 42 units, reuse nothing, and add a 5 unit delivery fee. Total is 47 units, or about 7.80 units per serving. The kit at 11 units is still higher. The gap shrinks, but it does not close. That is typical. The kit has to be very cheap, or your grocery habits very wasteful, for the kit to win.
What hidden costs change the result?
Hidden costs can push the answer either way. Check each of these before you decide.
Hidden costs on the meal kit side:
- Price after the offer ends. First box discounts do not last. Compare with the normal price.
- Shipping and service fees. A small fee on every box adds up over a month.
- Paid upgrades. Premium meals, extra portions and add on items raise the average.
- Auto renewal. If you forget to skip a week, you pay for a box you do not want. Check the skip deadline.
- Portion size. If the portions leave you hungry, you will buy extra food anyway.
- Packaging. Some areas have no easy recycling for the packing. This is not a cash cost, but it may matter to you.
Hidden costs on the grocery side:
- Food waste. Half used bunches of herbs, open jars and spoiled produce are real money.
- Impulse buys. A trip for three recipes can turn into a much bigger bill.
- Travel. Fuel, parking or transport fares count if you shop often.
- Delivery fees and minimum spend. Online grocery orders often have both.
- Extra staples. If you start cooking new cuisines, you must buy new spices and sauces.
One more hidden cost is the cost of the alternative. If a kit stops you ordering takeaway twice a week, it may save money even if groceries are cheaper still. Compare the kit with what you would really do on a tired Wednesday, not with your best intentions.
What mistakes make the comparison wrong?
These are the errors we see most often. Each one can flip the result.
- Comparing the intro price. The first box is often much cheaper than the fifth. Use the regular price.
- Ignoring shipping. A low price per serving can hide a delivery fee that raises it by a lot.
- Comparing different quality. Cheap pasta from the shelf is not the same as a kit with a fresh cut of fish. Match the meal, or match the budget, but be clear about which.
- Counting only the used part of groceries. If you never use the rest of the pack, you must count it.
- Counting all leftovers as saved. Be honest. Leftover cream that sits in the fridge until it spoils is waste.
- Using one week only. Compare at least four weeks. One week can be unusual.
- Forgetting the skipped meals. If you pay for six servings but eat out twice, your real servings are four.
- Valuing time without proof. Saying "my time is worth a lot" is not a measure. Ask if the time saved really goes to paid work or something you value more.
A quick test: track your next four weeks. Keep every grocery receipt. Note which meals you ate and which food you threw away. Then compare to one kit order for a similar length of time. Real data beats guessing.
When does this advice not apply?
The general rule, that groceries are cheaper per serving, can fail. Here are the cases where kits may make sense, and cases where groceries are even better.
A kit may be worth it when:
- You live alone. Many grocery packs are made for families. You may waste a lot. Check if the kit offers a one or two person size.
- You have no good shop nearby. If shopping takes an hour of travel, delivery has real value.
- Your main rival is takeaway. If the kit replaces a meal that would cost much more, it can save money.
- You want to learn to cook. A kit teaches recipes with no wasted ingredients. Some people then switch back to groceries and keep the skill.
- You have a limited diet and shop at specialist stores. In that case the grocery price may be higher than you think. Always check.
Groceries are even better when:
- You cook large batches. Bulk rice, beans, lentils and frozen vegetables are very cheap per serving.
- You have a big family. Kit prices rise with every extra portion, while grocery packs get relatively cheaper.
- You use sales and store brands. This can cut a bill sharply.
- You already plan your meals well. Good planning removes most food waste, which is the one thing a kit really solves.
Also, kit availability and pricing vary by country. Some regions have many services, others have few or none. Do not assume the same result as someone in another market.
Can you use this method for other food deliveries?
Yes. The method works for any home delivery that replaces something you buy in a shop. Work out the total cost, count what you really use, and divide. The same idea works for baby food, snack boxes, ready meals and pet food.
As one example from our current list, Nextrition Pet (US) offers "Home Delivered Cold-Pressed Dog Food". This was listed on 2026-11-06 and may have changed. It is not a meal kit for people, and we do not quote a price. If you feed a dog, compare it by cost per day of feeding. Take the total order price, add delivery, and divide by the number of days the order lasts for your dog. Do the same for your current food, then compare the two numbers.
We may earn a commission if you use a link on our site. That does not change the method above, and you should still check every price yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Are meal kits cheaper than eating out?
Often yes. A kit meal usually costs less per serving than a restaurant meal or delivered takeaway. The saving shrinks if you add shipping, upgrades and drinks. Compare against what you would really order, not the most expensive option.
Are meal kits cheaper than groceries for one person?
Sometimes the gap is smaller. A single person often wastes more food from large grocery packs. Still, kits for one are not always available, and the per serving price is often higher for small orders. Do the seven step calculation with your own waste figure to see.
Do meal kits reduce food waste?
They can. Ingredients come in the amounts a recipe needs, so you do not buy a whole jar for one spoon. But you can still waste food if you skip cooking nights or dislike a recipe. Waste only falls if you actually cook what arrives.
How can I make a meal kit cheaper?
Choose the plan with the lowest cost per serving that fits your household. Skip weeks when you will not cook. Avoid paid upgrades. Check the price after any introductory offer ends. Cancel if the real cost is above your budget.
Do meal kit prices include shipping?
It depends on the service and your location. Some show the delivery fee only at checkout. Always add it to the box price before you divide by servings, and include any tax.
Is a meal kit worth it for the time saved?
It can be, if the time saved has a real use for you. A kit removes meal planning and most shopping. If you would otherwise spend that time on paid work, family or rest, you may accept a higher price. If not, groceries will likely give you the better deal.
