With ALDI now selling its own meal kits for under $4, we can finally say goodbye to overpriced takeaway and hello to cheap and convenient cooking at home. The German supermarket’s meal kits come with almost all ingredients you need, already chopped up and ready to be cooked. But how do ALDI meal kits compare to other budget options from the likes of HelloFresh and Marley Spoon? Here’s the lowdown.
What are ALDI meal kits?
ALDI’s meal kits cost just $3.99 a pop which can serve a family of four each (amazing) and are sold in-store, which means you can pick them up anytime during your weekly grocery. This is the main benefit and big point of difference from other meal kit providers like HelloFresh and Marley Spoon, which only sell their food kits online, and require you to subscribe to a meal plan before you can make an order. Many of these services also have a minimum spend.
The main downside to the German supermarket’s meal kits is that they only include your chopped veggies and sauce bases, which means you’ll need to buy your meat and carbohydrates separately at an additional cost. However, you can still feed a family of four for around $10 (about $5 per person) and each kit comes with a QR code to give you recipe ideas with suggested sides and optional extras so that you can easily sub in and out items.
ALDI’s meal kit range is also limited to only a few recipes including:
- Pad Thai
- Chilli con carne
- Butter chicken
- Green curry
- Pho soup
HelloFresh meal kits compared
HelloFresh is arguably one of the best-known meal kit delivery services in Australia. It’s a subscription-based service which offers various meal plans and recipes to suit different dietary needs, lifestyle and household sizes. This platform requires you to select a plan, after which you can curate your food box with recipes available on the weekly ‘menu’. Your HelloFresh food box then gets delivered to your door with pre-portioned meals and step-by-step recipe cards to help you in the kitchen. HelloFresh offers food box subscriptions for between two to four people, for three to five nights a week.
Prices for HelloFresh meal kits range between $7.33 and $9.99, with the following meal plans available:
- Family-friendly
- Meat & veggies (most popular)
- Veggie
- Calorie smart
ALDI meal kits vs HelloFresh
| Meal kit | ALDI meal kits | HelloFresh |
| Price (per serve) | $3.99 | From $7.33 |
| Meal range/variety of recipes | Only five recipes to choose from | 15-20 recipes each week |
| Introductory offer | N/A | $90 off your first box |
| Delivery cost | In-store | From $9.99 |
Marley Spoon meal kits compared
Marley Spoon is another popular meal kit provider that allows you to order and get pre-portioned meal kits delivered to your door for dinner. It also operates on a sign-up subscription plan, although it’s easier to navigate than most, with only two simple meal plans on offer. These include a two-person and four-person box, with each plan allowing to choose the number of meals you want per week. These can also be tailored to your dietary requirements. Prices per portion range between $9.35 and $11.25.
ALDI meal kits vs Marley Spoon
| Meal kit | ALDI meal kits | Marley Spoon |
| Price (per serve) | $3.99 | From $9.35 |
| Meal range/variety of recipes | Only five recipes to choose from | 27+ recipes per week |
| Introductory offer | N/A | Regular discounts available |
| Delivery cost | In-store | From $8.95 |
EveryPlate meal kits compared
EveryPlate is a budget meal kit delivery service that offers ‘no frills’ food kits. Similar to other services mentioned, each recipe comes with pre-measured ingredients and a printed four-step recipe card so that you can cook dinners from scratch without the fuss. Plans available include for two, four, or six people, with up to six meals available per week in each plan. EveryPlate meal kits start from $4.79 per plate.
ALDI meal kits vs EveryPlate
| Meal kit | ALDI meal kits | EveryPlate |
| Price (per serve) | $3.99 | From $4.79 |
| Meal range/variety of recipes | Only five recipes to choose from | 12 recipes per week |
| Introductory offer | N/A | From $2.87 per plate on your first box |
| Delivery cost | In-store | From $9.99 |
Does ALDI have premade meals?
ALDI sells both ready-to-eat and frozen meals, including gourmet options like chicken fajitas and pork carnitas, seasoned chicken and pulled pork, vegan meatballs, etc. The German supermarket also sells premade salads and snack packs for school lunches. ALDI also launched its own meal kits range, with meal options available for less than $4 per serve.
Do supermarkets sell meal kits?
Yes, Coles and ALDI both have their own range of meal kits. The Coles What’s for Dinner range is perhaps the more extensive with up to 48 recipes available, while ALDI’s range is limited to only five recipes, which may not be ideal if you have fussy eaters at home or specific dietary needs.
What is the best meal kit delivery service?
Compare Healthy Meal Delivery Services
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