How to Work Out the Real Cost of a Meal Kit (Beyond the Intro Offer)

An intro offer tells you what the first box costs. It does not tell you what you will pay in week five. This worksheet walks you through the real monthly cost of a meal kit, using the numbers from the order page, so you can decide before you give out a card number.

If you are still deciding between kits and ready-made meals, start with meal kits vs prepared meal delivery and our guide to choosing a healthy meal delivery service.

Step 1: Find the regular price per serving

Intro offers are built to make the first order look cheap. The FTC says an automatic renewal might charge more than you paid last time, which can happen if you initially had a promotional rate. So write down two prices: the first box and the regular box.

1. Pick your plan: number of recipes per week and servings per recipe.
2. Find the regular box price before any discount, usually in the plan details or the checkout summary.
3. Divide by the total servings in the box. That is your regular price per serving.

If the site only shows a discounted per-serving figure, look for the line that says what the price becomes after the promotion ends. If you cannot find it, treat that as a warning sign.

Step 2: Add the costs outside the box price

Many of the extras do not show up until checkout. Go through the cart to the last screen without paying and note each line.

• Shipping. Is it per box, per order, or free above a certain order size?
• Taxes. Does the total change once you enter your address?
• Add-ons. Premium proteins, extra sides, desserts and larger portions often cost extra.
• Minimum order. Is there a minimum number of meals, and does a smaller plan change the per-serving price?
• Fees. Look for service, packaging or processing fees.

The FTC says that if a “free” trial asks you to pay for shipping or fees, it is not really free. Count those charges as part of the cost.

Step 3: Count skipped weeks and the food you still buy

Ask how skipping works. Can you skip a week without a charge, and how far ahead must you do it? The FTC suggests asking whether you can skip or change shipments if you do not want to fully cancel, and whether you have a limited time to respond.

Then add what the box does not include: cooking oil, salt, butter, a side dish, bread, breakfast and snacks. Most kits expect you to have some staples at home. If you must buy a new bottle of something for one recipe, add a share of it.

The cost worksheet

Fill in one column for the first box and one for a regular box. Use the numbers from your own checkout screen.

Line I matters: if you toss a meal or skip a week, you are spending the same money on fewer servings.

A worked example (example only)

To show the arithmetic, this example uses made-up “units” instead of money. A unit is not a dollar or any real currency, and these are not prices from any company.

In this made-up case the first box works out to 2.5 units per serving, while the box you will keep paying for is 4 units. The gap is why you work from the regular column.

Compare it with cooking from a grocery list

Pick three recipes from the kit’s menu and price the ingredients at your usual store. Include the pantry items you would need to buy, but remember you will have leftovers of some. Divide by servings, as in line J.

Our healthy grocery list on a budget guide helps you price a week of meals. A kit may still be worth it for the saved planning and shopping time, fewer last-minute takeout orders, or the recipes. That is your call. The point is to know the actual premium. If you want to see how services are scored side by side, our meal delivery comparison is a good next stop.

Read the subscription terms

Most meal kits are subscriptions. The FTC explains a negative option as when you are automatically billed for something when you did not specifically say not to bill you, and says it is a common practice, often used with free trial offers and subscriptions. Before you enter a card:

• Find the terms and conditions. For a free trial offer, the FTC says they should tell you exactly what you are agreeing to, the length of the trial, and how and when to cancel.
• Look for pre-checked boxes that may give permission to keep charging you or sign you up for more products.
• Make a calendar note to cancel or review before a trial or promotion ends.
• Save screenshots of the offer, the terms and your order confirmation.

Food waste is part of the cost

Pre-portioned ingredients can reduce waste, but only if you cook them. Check each week’s menu against your schedule before the order locks. If you know you will eat out Thursday, skip that meal or that week. Cook the shortest-shelf-life recipes first, and plan leftovers into lunch. Leftovers only save money if they are safe to eat: FSIS says leftovers must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. The meal prep basics guide has storage tips.

Meal kit cost checklist

• Write down the first-box price and the regular price per serving.
• Open checkout and note shipping, taxes, fees and add-ons.
• Check the minimum order and how plan size changes the price.
• Find out how to skip a week and the deadline for doing so.
• Estimate the groceries you will still buy.
• Price three of the same recipes from a grocery list.
• Read the cancellation steps and save a screenshot of the terms.
• Set a calendar reminder before any trial or promotion ends.
• Review your card statement after the first two boxes.

For more guides on choosing and managing delivery, visit the Meal Delivery, Kits & Programs hub.