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Blue Apron Reviews [2023] - Fresh and Eco-Friendly Meal Kit To Your Doorstep

Cons:

  • All-vegetarian subscription available
  • Wine and grocery add-ons
  • Step-by-step cooking instructions

Cons:

  • Not many vegan options
  • Not the best option for people with food allergies

Average Rating: 4

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There’s nothing quite like a good, home-cooked meal. Despite having the option to order take-out, the food you prepare still has its charm. The only trouble is that home-cooked meals take time to plan, organize, and get all the necessary ingredients together.

If you’ve been looking for unique online food delivery services, then you have probably come across reviews on Blue Apron and wondered what it is all about.

Today, as luck would have it, we are giving you the complete Blue Apron review, including pricing, features, and quality of service. Heck, we’ll even put it up against a few other options and find out why Blue Apron comes out on top when it comes to the best meal-kit delivery service.

Contents:

  • Blue Apron Company Overview and Highlights
  • What’s in the Box?
  • How Does It Work?
  • Blue Apron Pricing and Subscription
  • Pros and Cons
  • Online Reviews and Ratings
  • Blue Apron Alternatives
    • Blue Apron vs. Home Chef
    • Blue Apron vs. Sunbasket
  • Conclusion
  • FAQs

Blue Apron Company Overview and Highlights

Blue Apron is a well-known meal kit service that promises to deliver up to four customized recipes right to your doorstep weekly. In fact, Blue Apron started doing this back in 2012, as Matt Wadiak, Matt Salzberg, and Ilia Papas’ worked hard to turn their vision into reality.

Presently, they deliver 4+ million meals a month, and their main office, which is in the city of New York, the US, makes sure this reality continues to thrive.

What does Blue Apron deliver? What sort of items are in the box?

Their meal kit contains all of the necessary ingredients you need to prepare a specific recipe. At the same time, this is also considered one of the most affordable options out there for home-delivered meals.

Blue Apron is one of the more talked about meal delivery services mainly because of the value it offers the customer and the health-conscious ingredients your package comes with. Blue Apron is persistent in buying from local farmers who grow their food without GMO and hormone presence in their fruits, veggies, and meat.

Who is it best for?

Fortunately, Blue Apron offers an extensive range of recipes, a combination of simple and complex meal preps. In short, the Blue Apron meal kit service offers something for everyone, regardless of whether you are a beginner who has a hard time boiling an egg or someone who can prepare a creme brulee within a snap of their fingers.

So, is Blue Apron worth it?

Yes, this meal delivery is worth it. Numerous Blue Apron customer reviews support this statement (but more on it later in the review).

Those who are always short on time and can’t make the trip down to the grocery store will consider this service a true blessing! Since, this meal delivery service will hook you up with delicious recipes delivered right to your doorstep, alongside ready-to-cook ingredients, which makes preparing a meal a walk in the park.

What’s in The Box?

Of course, the first thing you’ll notice is the fresh ingredients you need for the meal you choose. These come with step-by-step instructions (a recipe) on using the products for the meal you need to cook.

What’s great about it is how carefully packed and arranged the ingredients are. Blue Apron uses recyclable ice packs and insulated packaging to keep them cool and fresh until they reach you. Another fantastic feature of this meal service is that the Blue Apron freezer pack can be dumped down the drain. This isn’t something you can do with the packaging of other similar service providers; Since they contain a non-toxic gel, you can throw them in the trash can instead.

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Blue Apron Packed Food Box

How easy are Blue Apron meals to prepare?

This depends on what kind of meal plan you choose. Nonetheless, Blue Apron meal-kit delivery service is famous for giving users the freedom to enjoy a complete meal without making a big fuss in the kitchen. You also get a detailed recipe card with each Blue Apron meal kit and takes the guesswork out of preparing a meal.

The cooking instructions that are on the recipe card are written keeping the user in mind. You don’t have to be a professional chef to understand how to put all of the ingredients together to prepare the meal. Most recipes that come in the Blue Apron meal kit take more or less 30-45 minutes to cook and require just a few pots and pans to prepare the entire recipe.

Are there any Blue Apron Add-Ons and Extras?

Yes, Blue Apron indulges their food lovers with some add-ons and extras.

  • Exclusive Delicious Wines

The main course cannot be complete if there’s no wine next to it. With that said, Blue Apron has you covered; their wines come with a full bio (about its taste, which meals does it combine best, etc). In other words, you’ll make the perfect pairing, a great meal complimented by a glass of delicious wine.

This meal prep company offers all kinds of whites and reds; you can also mix the two. The price per bottle is $10, and they have an option where you can order six 500 ml bottles (of your choice) for the cost of nearly $70 a month + delivery included.

  • Appetizers and Desserts

These are regarded as add-ons to their already existing menu. If you opt to try some, you’ll find them in their weekly menu.

They made sure to include more veggies in their dinner menu, focusing on tasty yet healthy dishes. When it comes to appetizers, they are restaurant-like, and the desserts are something you’d think you could never pull off on your own – Blue Apron proves you wrong 🙂

  • A dedicated ‘Market Section’ that includes bulk wines/wine bundles, kitchen, and pantry tools

The Market Section is very well equipped. You can find fine summer wines/bulk wines, and you don’t need a monthly subscription to get one.

The kitchen and pantry section offers high-quality tools that can’t be found in the store next door. You’ll discover Japanese chef’s knives, handcrafted knives, non-stick grill skillets, etc.

There are other extra perks that Blue Apron indulges its customers with, like a meat-free menu and a gift box.

A Blue Apron Vegan Menu

Are you looking for a Blue Apron vegan menu? You won’t be disappointed since there’s a Vegetarian for Two option that gets you two to three recipes a week. This menu boasts tasty, vegan meals. For example, roasted red pepper pasta, spicy zucchini, tofu, chipotle, cauliflower, etc.

The Gift of Home Cooking

The brand prides itself by offering the Gift of Home Cooking even to those who don’t know their way around the kitchen, which is why they also offer the Blue Apron gift box.

With this option, customers get to choose a gift type (wine or meal), and the gift amount ranges from $60 to $240; users also have the chance to enter an amount of their liking.

Note that the $120 gift covers a two-week delivery of 3 recipes, on any 2-serving meal plan.

E-Gift Cards

E-Gift Cards are subject to Blue Apron’s Gift Card Terms, and as such, aren’t refundable.

What are the shipping costs?

The shipping costs are usually included in the price of your order. For instance, if you opt for the offer of six standard-size wine bottles, the shipment delivery will be included in the price you’ll pay. The delivery price for the same is less than ten dollars. However, if you head over to their ‘Market Section,’ you’ll find out that the shipping is included only on orders which are above $50. You also get free shipping on orders of three or more Vegetarian, or Signature meal plans a week.

Is Blue Apron redeemable?

Yes, it is. You can redeem Blue Apron vouchers following their terms and conditions. But one of the main selling points is that you can cancel a Blue Apron order. Furthermore, if you’re unsatisfied, go ahead and ask for a full refund on all items returned, which don’t include food, wine, or gift cards, within thirty days.

Users can also cancel and restart at a later date, which is the ideal choice for those who are looking for flexibility with their meal delivery service.

Is Blue Apron refundable?

You’d be surprised to hear they have a ‘Freshness Guarantee.’ In other words, if in any case a specific ingredient is missing in your food box order, or it arrives in a bad condition, they’ll refund/replace it. All you need to do from your side is to contact their Customer Experience team.

How Does It Work?

Getting started with Blue Apron is incredibly easy. However, before you get to the fresh food and delicious recipes, you’ll have to go through a simple Blue Apron login process.

Step 1 – Open their website in your browser and look for the orange ‘SIGN UP’ button in the top right corner of your screen.

Step 2 – A click on the ‘SIGN UP’ button will automatically transfer you to a different window. You can use your Facebook ID, Apple account to sign up, or you could type in a valid email address and think of a good password.

Step 3 – Now that the signup process is completed, you can toggle from the many different recipes available in each two and four-meal plan. It is important to note that the shipping costs are going to differ depending on the meal plan.

Step 4 – Afterward, you will arrive at a page where you need to enter your delivery information and select a payment option (currently, they accept credit card payments, as well as Apple Pay payments).

Step 5 – Now, wait for your meal kit to arrive, unpack and admire the way everything’s organized inside the box, and enjoy cooking.

We have to mention that Blue Apron’s signup process is by far one of the quickest we’ve seen in a while, and it is a refreshing upgrade that many of its customers are going to appreciate.

Blue Apron Pricing and Subscription

Blue Apron is, in fact, a subscription model. And the best thing about it is that their menu is fully customizable. Meaning, you choose the recipes you like, you also schedule the delivery time, and there’s no problem ordering a plus box in case you have guests stopping by.

Moreover, if you feel like taking a break from cooking, go ahead and pause your subscription for as long as you want. Keep in mind that some deliveries are free, but not all of them. But, even when the delivery isn’t free, still, they manage to rank high among the cheapest meal delivery services. Let’s check out the Blue Apron menu prices.

They offer four different plans:

  • 2-servings of Signature dishes
  • 4-servings of Signature dishes for Four
  • Vegetarian for Two
  • Wellness for Two

2-servings of Signature dishes

The plan consists of two, three, and four recipes specially meant to serve two people. The recipes you choose come with detailed cooking instructions and fresh ingredients.

The prices are the following:

–  2 meal plans – $9.99 a serving + $9.99 delivery
–  3 meal plans – $8.99 a serving + Free Delivery
–  4 meal plans – $8.99 a serving + Free Delivery

4-servings of Signature dishes for Four

A convenient meal plan that is capable of delivering plates for four people. You can also pick your recipes or let the Blue Apron Chefs do it for you.

The prices are as follow:

–  2 meal plans – $8.99 a serving + Free Delivery
–  3 meal plans – $7.99 a serving + Free Delivery
–  4 meal plans – $7.49 a serving + Free Delivery

Vegetarian for Two

As the name would have it – this dish plan is perfect for vegetarians or people who aren’t that big of meat fans.

This is the pricing it comes with:

–  2 meal plans – $9.99 a serving + $9.99 delivery
–  3 meal plans – $8.99 a serving + Free Delivery

Wellness for Two

This is the perfect meal plan for those looking after a specific diet. For instance, the plan comes with carb-conscious recipes, up to 600 calories a plate kind of meals, and WW-approved dishes.

This is the price for these dishes:

–  2 meal plans – $9.99 a serving + $9.99 delivery
–  3 meal plans – $8.99 a serving + Free Delivery

Are there any Saving Opportunities? Any deals/promotions?

Blue Apron does offer some saving opportunities. For instance, first-time users receive an original voucher link and code. You can redeem these for discounts on subscriptions or Blue Apron gift cards. Regular users, too, get credits with each purchase – the same will eventually be good for further meal orders.

As far as deals and promotions go, you’d be happy to hear there are plenty of coupons and deals you can stumble upon on various dedicated sites.

Here are some excellent and reliable discount-offering sites you can use to save up on Blue Apron’s services:

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Step-by-step cooking instructions
  • Range of flavors
  • Wine and grocery add-ons
  • All-vegetarian subscription available
  • GMO and hormone-free products

Cons

  • Not the best option for people with food allergies
  • Not many vegan options
  • Not suitable for people on gluten-free, keto, paleo diets, etc.

Online Reviews and Ratings

Unless your consumers speak up and publish their opinions about your services, you don’t know how good or bad you are. With no further ado, let’s see how great or not that great Blue Apron ranks on some of the best rating websites.

Name of rating website Rating and number of customer reviews
ConsumerAffairs 2.5-star rating, out of 5, based on more than 380 reviews.
PCmag 4.5-star rating, out of 5.
Trustpilot 4.2-star rating/5, based on 3.633 reviews.
Sitejabber 3.6-star rating/5, based on over 220 reviews.
DeliveryRank 9.4-star rating/10.

Customer Reviews

This is a section that is divided into two parts: Positive and Negative Reviews.

Why is that? Well, for the mere reason that every person has its taste, expectations, and each experience is unique.

Positive Customer Reviews

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The screenshots are from verified Blue Apron consumers left on ConsumerAffairs, Trustpilot, and Sitejabber.

Negative Customer Reviews

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The screenshots are from verified Blue Apron consumers left on ConsumerAffairs, Trustpilot, and Sitejabber.

Blue Apron Alternatives

Though Blue Apron is considered one of the most valuable and complete meal-kit-delivered services, they’re not the only ones out there. This is why we chose two of its best alternatives/competitors, Home Chef, and Sunbasket. Let’s compare it against these two and see what it is superior at and what it lacks.

Blue Apron vs. Home Chef

While both of these meal kits could go head to head in terms of pricing, Home Chef does fall short on delivering the number of options available with Blue Apron.

Also, Home Chef meal kits are not available in all US states, whereas Blue Apron meal kits are readily available throughout the USA. Another area where Home Chef falls short of its service quality as compared to Blue Apron is that the former doesn’t provide any information on the sourcing of the ingredients used in its dishes. On the contrary, Blue Apron boasts of using non-GMO ingredients, vegetables, and ingredients that come from sustainable farming practices.

When it comes to the packaging, above 85 percent of Blue Apron’s packaging is recyclable, though the same can be said for Home Chef. Meaning, they also use non-toxic recyclable ice packs (99 percent made of water) — in brief, Home Chef takes safety measures using deliverable materials that can be recycled.

Blue Apron vs. Sunbasket

To start with, both Blue Apron and Sunbasket’s menus embrace international recipes and offer quite a number of them. However, Sunbasket, unlike Blue Apron, has meals prepared for those on a variety of diets: paleo, diabetes-friendly, and Gluten-free.

It is easy to see that both try hard for their food boxes to contain easy and fun cooking lessons, here and there with some extra information on the ingredients they come with.

However, Sunbasket overruns Blue Apron in terms of dish categories. For instance, Blue Apron offers main dishes, appetizers, and desserts. But, Sunbasket comes with more to choose from: breakfast, lunch, pasta and sauces, proteins, and snacks. On the other hand, Sunbasket doesn’t have a selection of wines to pair it with their dishes, while Blue Apron does.

Conclusion

All in all, Blue Apron is an excellent option for those who like to shake things up in the kitchen and break the monotony of tasting the same foods every day of the week. This is one of the reasons why Blue Apron is one of the more well-known food subscription boxes available on today’s market. Though, this could have the opposite effect on those who prefer to keep things simple.

The service has also been offering ready-to-cook meals for a while now and seems to have perfected the art of delivering meal plans, pricing, and add-ons that most customers look for in service of its kind. It’s understandable why they have become the go-to choice when it comes to delicious meal kits that you can prepare and enjoy alone or with friends and family.

Bottom line, it is so easy to agree with the many online reviews on Blue Apron that we found during our research. We have nothing else to add except to go ahead, browse their site or mobile app and start inviting friends over for a hot and delicious plate.

FAQ

1. How do I recycle my Blue Apron packaging?

More than 80% of Blue Apron’s packaging and wrapping is recyclable, which means you don’t need to throw all of it in the trash. You can also visit their site, where you will find detailed information on Blue Apron’s packaging along with the best ways of getting rid of them in an eco-safe manner.

2. Are the ingredients organic?

One of the main selling points of Blue Apron’s meal kits is the fact they contain organically sourced ingredients. At the same time, free from any harmful contaminants or chemicals.

3. Can I update my dietary selections?

Sure, Blue Apron allows users to update their dietary selections, depending on their mood and needs.
Go straight to ‘Meal Preferences,’ it’s in the ‘Account Settings.’ Once you find it, all you have to do is to uncheck/check the no longer desired preferences in ‘Dietary Selections.’ You can save your changes by clicking on the ‘Update’ button.