Meal kit or groceries: what convenience really costs

Meal kits, the boxes of recipes and pre-portioned ingredients delivered to your door, cost more per serving than shopping at the supermarket. But a straight price comparison misses two things: the food thrown away when you buy more than you need, and the time spent planning meals and shopping. This calculator accounts for both and tells you how much more you spend with the kit and how much your time must be worth for it to pay off.

It works in any currency and for any meal kit service.

How the calculation works

• Effective grocery cost: price per serving divided by the share of food you actually use. If you throw away 20%, every serving eaten costs 25% more.
• Effective kit cost: price per serving adjusted for its waste, plus delivery divided by the week's servings.
• Extra annual cost: difference per serving × servings per week × 52.
• Break-even value of time: extra annual cost divided by the hours saved on planning and shopping.

The verdict is based on the ratio between the two effective costs per serving, which does not depend on the currency.

Waste changes the comparison

Household food waste is far from negligible: according to the UN Environment Programme's Food Waste Index Report 2024, each person wastes on average about 79 kg of food a year at home. With a kit at 6 per serving and 3% waste, groceries at 3.50 per serving, 8 servings a week and 15 minutes saved per serving:

People who waste little really do pay the price difference; people who often throw away vegetables and leftovers recover much of the premium with a kit. Reducing waste from your own shopping, though, saves money without changing how you buy.

How much the kit price matters

With the same assumptions and 20% grocery waste:

Welcome offers often bring the price per serving very low for the first weeks: for a fair comparison, use the full price.

Delivery weighs on small orders

With a delivery charge of 5 a week, a kit at 6 and groceries at 3.50 with 20% waste:

With few servings, delivery raises the cost of each a lot; with many it weighs little, but total annual spending still grows.

The bands of the verdict

• Kit below the grocery cost: counting waste and delivery, the kit comes out cheaper.
• Up to 25% more: a small difference; convenience and variety may be worth the price.
• 25% to 75% more: a noticeable difference.
• 1.75 to 2.5 times: the kit costs about twice as much.
• More than 2.5 times: the kit costs much more than groceries.

Beyond price

Kits can help you cook new recipes, control portions and cut daily decisions. On the other hand, they produce more packaging, offer less freedom in choosing ingredients and still require time to cook. Many people use them only for some dinners a week: in that case, enter only those servings.

Limits of the calculator

The calculation compares equivalent servings and assumes the grocery cost per serving is that of a similar dish. It does not account for staple seasonings already in the pantry, discounts, subscriptions or the value of skipped meals. Waste is a personal estimate: to measure it, note the food you throw away for a couple of weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Is a meal kit more expensive than groceries?

Usually yes per serving, but less than it seems if you throw away part of your shopping. With a kit at 6, groceries at 3.50 and 20% waste, the kit costs about 750 more a year for 8 servings a week.

Why does food waste matter?

Because food thrown away is paid for but not eaten: if you waste 20%, every serving eaten costs 25% more than the purchase price.

How much food is wasted at home?

According to UNEP's Food Waste Index Report 2024, on average about 79 kg per person per year at household level. The share varies a lot from one household to another.

What does the break-even value of time mean?

It is how much an hour of your time would need to be worth for the time saved to offset the kit's extra cost. If your time is worth more, the kit pays.

How much time does a meal kit save?

Mainly the time spent planning meals and shopping; cooking time remains. Enter the minutes you expect to save per serving.

How do I estimate the grocery cost per serving?

Add up the cost of the ingredients for a similar recipe and divide by the number of servings. Use prices from your usual supermarket.

Do meal kits waste less?

Ingredients are pre-portioned, so waste is usually low. Packaging remains, though.

Should I use the offer price?

For a realistic comparison use the full price: welcome discounts apply only to the first deliveries.

Does delivery cost matter?

Yes, especially with few servings: with 2 servings a week a delivery charge of 5 adds 2.50 per serving.

Can I use it for ready meals?

Yes: enter the ready meal price instead of the kit and include cooking in the time saved.

Does the calculator consider packaging?

No, it only considers costs. Packaging and environmental impact should be weighed separately.

Does it work in any currency?

Yes. Enter all prices in the same currency; the verdict is based on the ratio between costs, which does not depend on the currency.