The Cook’s Grocer Meal Delivery Review
Don’t have time to grow your own vegetable garden, or wait in line at the farmer’s market? Well, you might like to check out The Cook’s Grocer and let them do the work for you. The meal delivery service offers a range of cooking kits with step-by-step recipes, pre-made gourmet meals, plus vegetable and fruit boxes with seasonal produce.
What is The Cook’s Grocer?
The Cook’s Grocer prides itself on “great cooking made easy”. That’s why they’ve started creating meal box deliveries to help you in the kitchen. Each box contains a recipe card with step-by-step instructions, along with all the local fresh produce you need in the correct portions. The meal delivery service also has a range of gourmet pre-cooked meals sourced from a range of restaurants and cafes in Sydney.
And if you’re looking for variety, The Cook’s Grocer menu changes every Thursday. It usually stocks up on different types of red meat, white meat, seafood and vegetarian options.
How does The Cook’s Grocer work?
To get your hands on The Cook’s Grocer meals, you can browse through its online menu and purchase what you want directly through its website. Meals are also delivered in chilled boxes with icepacks, so you don’t need to be home to receive your delivery.
If you want to subscribe for weekly deliveries, you can sign up for a weekly subscription and order want you want before midnight every Monday. However, if you just want to try The Cook’s Grocer out for one week, you’ll need to place your order by midnight on Wednesdays. Deliveries arrive on Saturday and/or Monday, depending on where you live.
Where and when does The Cook’s Grocer deliver?
The Cook’s Grocer currently delivers to the greater Sydney area, Canberra, Newcastle, the Southern Highlands and the Central Coast.
| Location | Saturday | Monday |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Sydney Metro | Before 7am | Before 7am +
8am – 6pm |
| Sydney Regional | Before 7am | n/a |
| Sydney South West | Before 7 am | n/a |
| ACT / Canberra | Before 12pm | n/a |
| Central Coast | n/a | Before 7am +
8am – 6pm |
| Newcastle | n/a | Before 7am +
8am – 6pm |
| Southern Highlands | Before 7am | n/a |
Source: The Cook’s Grocer, April 2019
How much does The Cook’s Grocer cost per week?
Need to pre-plan your meals for the week? The Cook’s Grocer has a wide selection of set meal plans that require cooking and individual “gourmet” pre-cooked meals to satisfy those individual cravings. If you’ve signed up for weekly deliveries, delivery is free. If you’re just trying out The Cook’s Grocer for one week, delivery charges and a minimum order of $50 apply.
Pre-cooked meals
If you don’t want to fuss over chopping onions or the cooking times, The Cook’s Grocer has a selection of gourmet pre-cooked meals, with a ready to cook side included with each dish. Many of the meals are sourced from “Sydney’s finest restaurants and cafes”, and each item typically costs between $10 and $12. The company also claims that its gourmet pre-cooked meals do not contain artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or “other nasty bits”.
Meal plans
Whether you need enough to feed a couple, group of housemates, or a family of four, The Cook’s Grocers has a few package options to get you sorted.
| Meal plan | 2 Person Box | Family Box | 4 Adult Box |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 meals per week | $59.95 | $79.95 | $89.95 |
| 3 meals per week | $75.95 | $99.95 | $124.95 |
| 4 meals per week | $99.95 | $134.95 | $155.95 |
| 5 meals per week | $119.95 | $159.95 | $194.95 |
Source: The Cook’s Grocer, April 2019
What do you get in each box?
Each meal kit you receive will contain a recipe card and pre-portioned ingredients. The only things not included are the usual essentials like oil, salt, pepper, butter, sugar and milk.
How long does the food last?
The Cook’s Grocer claims its meals can stay fresh for approximately four to six days from the day of delivery. But make sure to check the best before date on each meal kit.
How long does it take to cook each meal?
The meals are said to generally take between 20 and 30 minutes to prepare and cook.
How big are the meal portions?
Meals from The Cook’s Grocer are said to be packed according to weight to ensure that you get a healthy portion that’s also good value for money. For example, the protein in dishes typically weigh around 150g to 200g per person.
Are the meals healthy?
The Cook’s Grocer believes “healthy eating doesn’t mean eating like a rabbit”. That’s why its menu is apparently designed to have a balanced mix of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables.
Can I order fruit and vegetables boxes?
If you don’t have time to go to the farmer’s markets, The Cook’s Grocer offers fruit and vegetable boxes containing seasonal produce.
- Vegetable Box (couple size): $39
- Vegetable Box (family size): $54
- Fruit and Vegetable Box (couple size): $44
- Fruit and Vegetable Box (family size): $68
- Market Fresh Fruit Bag: from $19
Can I pause my subscription when I go on holiday?
Heading out of town? You can schedule your deliveries to fit around your calendar by clicking on the ‘Pause My Delivery’ tab. But make sure to do so by midnight on the Monday before your next delivery.
How do I cancel my subscription?
You can cancel your subscription by heading to the ‘My Subscription’ tab in your account. Remember to do this by midnight the Monday before your next delivery.
Is The Cook’s Grocer worth the money?
If you want to flex your culinary muscles in the kitchen, but don’t have time to hit the shops, you might like to consider checking out The Cook’s Grocer. The recipes are designed to be suitable for all cooking levels, and many of the meals are said to take between 20 to 30 minutes to make from scratch.
The Cook’s Grocer also seems to be pretty flexible when it comes to commitment. If you’re thinking about signing up for the weekly subscription, there are no contracts and you can pause any time you like. Plus, you’re not forced to order every week. There’s also another option to use its service for just one week, although there is a minimum order of $50, plus delivery fees.
Get a taste test of different food meal delivery services by clicking the link below to compare a number of brands available in Australia.
About the author of this page
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.