GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Many of you may have made New Year's resolutions to eat healthier or even learn how to cook.
For some, that’s led you down the path of looking into a meal kit delivery service. Is it worth the money?
It may seem like a simple solution that will solve all your problems, but with so many meal kits on the market how do know which is right for you and your wallet?
And how much will you spend compared to buying groceries?
There are many meal kit delivery services available. Some are aimed at helping you lose weight or just taking the guesswork out of dinner.
These options come at a wide variety of different prices.
Of three of the most popular meal kits:
Everly Plate will save you the most money at $5 per serving. A weekly box comes with three recipes with either two or four servings, but the menu is limited.
Hello Fresh is the most recognizable meal kit and has more options for people with special health needs or trying to stick to a diet plan. Prices range from $4.65 to $10 per serving.
Finally, Sun Basket, which some researchers have dubbed the best, is the most expensive price starting at $11.49 per serving and going up to nearly $14 per serving.
How does that compare to spending money at the grocery store?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a family of four spends an average of $850 per month on groceries.
Those meal kit plans at three meals per week come out to an average monthly cost of $480 per month.
But of course, you’re getting more food at the grocery store than you get in a meal kit.
So what are the advantages of meal kits? The service is convenient, makes preparing homemade meals easy, and the food is usually healthier.
However, some of the kits can be expensive and the packaging the food often comes in has raised some environmental concerns.
Meal kits are said to reduce food waste, but they do have to be cooked within a few days of arriving or the food will start to spoil.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.