Price
Starts at $8 per serving
Type
Meal package
Recipes per week 20
Good for
Pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, low-calorie, choosy eaters, households, fast meals.
Sample menu
Pork stomach fried rice; Lemon-caper salmon; Poblano and sausage gnocchi
Shipping value
$10
Minimum order
2 meal kits
Delivery frequency
Weekly
Pros
Good stability of consolation meals and wholesome recipes
Standard plan contains steak and seafood recipes
Good worth in case you order a big plan
Eco-friendly packaging
Cons
Doesn’t permit for a lot customization
Expensive in case you solely order two meals per week
Extra $10 for transport
No vegan choices
Meal kits aren’t a one-size-fits-all service, and there are dozens of meal supply choices to select from. While you needn’t lock your self into one meal package — in truth, it is least expensive to attempt a number of earlier than you choose one — figuring out which providers excel at particularly areas will assist you to discover the very best meal package.Blue Apron has all the time been one in every of our top-rated picks. This 12 months, the grandfather of US meal kits overhauled its enterprise mannequin, eliminating the subscription requirement and revamping its menu choices. Getting that month-to-month recurring charge off your again is a giant win for the subscription-phobic, however none of it issues if the meals is not pretty much as good as we keep in mind. That’s why we enlisted a trio of CNET editors — one meal package skilled, one well being and wellness reporter and one self-proclaimed novice prepare dinner — to check and evaluation Blue Apron from three distinctive views. We’ve discovered that Blue Apron ticks loads of containers. It affords good worth with steak and seafood recipes alongside different tempting meal kits, together with vegetarian choices, every week for a similar worth or decrease than different midrange meal kits. And to make this meal package much more fascinating, you now not want a subscription to attempt it.After many exams, together with ones after Blue Apron’s revamp, we have come to the conclusion that this package earned its option to primary on our meal package listing. Here’s why. Steak and seafood recipes at no extra value are Blue Apron’s ace within the gap. David Watsky/CNETHow Blue Apron works If you have used any meal package service, Blue Apron operates otherwise than most others within the class since a subscription is now not required. You’ll begin by plugging in your e mail and deciding on meal kits or ready meals to purchase. You can select meal kits for 2 or 4 individuals and order as many or few as you want. There’s a $10 transport value for every supply until you subscribe to Blue Apron Plus, which offers you free transport on each field and extra perks. Ordering meals and altering orders by way of the app is straightforward You can do absolutely anything you want by way of the Blue Apron app, together with altering and canceling orders and monitoring your shipments. Between the web site interface and cellular app, Blue Apron makes it simple to skip weeks, change out recipes or pause your subscription (in case you select a recurring order). Any adjustments have to be made six days earlier than the following supply date. Read extra: Blue Apron vs. HelloFresh: Which Meal Kit Is Right for You?How a lot does Blue Apron value? If you don’t join autoship and as a substitute select Blue Apron’s meals á la carte, every meal will range in value. Some examples embody Italian hen and tomato sauce with farro and zucchini for $9.99 a serving; miso glazed salmon with veggie fried rice for $12.89 a serving; and Calabrian shrimp and orzo with tomatoes and parmesan for $11.49 a serving.Blue Apron subscription pricing as of November 2025 Number of individuals Recipes per weekTotal servings per weekPrice per serving2 12$122 24$11.752 36$11.672 48$11.632 510$11.604 28$11.634 312$11.584 416$11.564 520$11.55 Shipping is $9.99 per field until you subscribe to Blue Apron Plus and the 5% auto-ship low cost is constructed into the pricing above. This is what the auto-ship choice appears like on Blue Apron Blue ApronPast providing high-end recipes for worth, Blue Apron can be essentially the most environmentally pleasant meal package service with a decrease total carbon footprint than grocery procuring. Speaking of groceries, we did the maths, and utilizing Blue Apron can be about as low cost — generally cheaper — than shopping for all these groceries your self. What Blue Apron meals are like Most Blue Apron meals are wholesome, with lean proteins, recent greens and wholesome grains. On the facet of the transport field, there’s now a Produce Origin List displaying the place all the fruits and veggies comes from. If you need to splurge slightly, there’s all the time a pasta dish or two, together with consolation meals corresponding to meatloaf with mashed potatoes or French bread pizza. Blue Apron now includes a produce origin listing on the facet of every field. Anna Gragert/CNETBlue Apron’s customary weekly menu contains recipes that different meal package providers would classify as premium. There is commonly a steak recipe or some fish like trout, salmon or tilapia. Of all of the providers I’ve examined, Blue Apron additionally had essentially the most attention-grabbing steak and seafood recipes obtainable in the usual plan. I cooked a superb bavette steak and a memorable garlic shrimp dish, each of which value much less by way of Blue Apron than they’d have if I purchased the components myself. Blue Apron’s steak and seafood recipes are the very best I’ve had from an ordinary meal package plan. David Watsky/CNETBlue Apron incorporates attention-grabbing spice mixes, sauces and facet dishes that you just may not discover with different meal package providers. Photogenic Romanesco broccoli is paired with tofu Banh Mi sandwiches, as an illustration, or a pan-seared steak dish is served with crispy gnocchi as a substitute of been-there-done-that mashed potatoes. How simple are Blue Apron meals to organize? Blue Apron meals are largely simple to organize and do not require any fancy cooking coaching or extended kitchen expertise. Some extra concerned recipes just like the mushroom risotto take as much as 45 minutes, however most are between 25 and 35 minutes from begin to end. One factor our wellness editor Anna Gragert preferred most in regards to the Blue Apron meal kits is that all the sauce packets have lower traces which can be simple to open, which may save time and be useful for somebody with a dexterity incapacity. The packaging can be labeled with the load of the components, making them simple to determine. My Blue Apron field laid out on the counter. Anna Gragert/CNETOur flex editor Corin Cesaric who’s new to cooking appreciated that the meals had been pretty easy to prepare dinner, however did not appear overly easy. Meaning they nonetheless boasted distinctive flavors and appeared spectacular after they had been plated up. Despite my standing as a brand new residence prepare dinner I made this seared salmon with cumin and Sichuan glaze. Corin Cesaric/CNETWith much less expertise below her belt, our new to cooking editor liked that Blue Apron did have her cooking up ancho chile-marinated steak fajita bowls and seafood for the very first time. Her favourite meal of the week, although, was the sesame-hoisin hen and rice bowl with bok choy, which had the right crunch due to a little bit of cornstarch sprinkled on the hen and crushed up peanuts. Although the recipes did say they vary between 30 and 40 minutes to prepare dinner, they did take her nearer to an hour with preparation included, however she was nonetheless happy with the time-frame. After all, she remains to be perfecting her chopping abilities.Oven-ready meals require lower than 10 minutes of labor The oven-ready meals are the quickest to organize and normally require solely combining components right into a baking tray and sticking the entire thing within the oven to prepare dinner. My Thai coconut curry hen meal with rice and inexperienced beans took not more than 5 minutes of precise labor, after which one other 45 to prepare dinner. Blue Apron’s oven-ready meals take virtually no time to organize. Just mix the components and pop them into the oven. David Watsky/CNETIn a earlier spherical of testing, I attempted Blue Apron’s Super Bowl meal package recipes, which had been meant for a gaggle, so a few of these took a bit longer, such because the hen bacon ranch flatbread pizza. Others from the Super Bowl unfold, together with the spinach and artichoke dip and steak lettuce wraps, took lower than 25 minutes to whip up. Is Blue Apron good for vegetarians?After having examined 4 vegetarian meals from Blue Apron, our wellness editor, a vegetarian of 20 years, discovered that the meal package service is sweet for vegetarians. She was impressed with the range and veggie-friendly flexibility these recipes supplied, together with how recent the produce tasted. The sauces Blue Apron created for every vegetarian dish had been unimaginable, and she or he appreciated that spice could possibly be adjusted based mostly in your choice. While Blue Apron’s recipes do have you ever season each layer of the dish, she was conscious about how a lot salt she added to cut back her sodium consumption. Nutrition info is made available. Blue ApronIs Blue Apron wholesome?According to our wellness editor, Blue Apron affords nutritionist-approved, Weight Watchers-recommended and vegetarian-friendly recipes, so there’s a good number of dietary choices for these involved about their well being. The recipes additionally embody recent produce, wholesome grains (like farro), totally different protein choices and a pleasant number of components. However, she recommends checking your recipe’s diet label on-line to ensure you’re not including an excessive amount of salt to the dish and that it really works on your particular eating regimen. She discovered the recipes to be simply adjustable, particularly for vegetarians and people making an attempt to cut back their sodium consumption. What we cooked and the way it went All the makings for cauliflower shawarma, one in every of Blue Apron’s hearty plant-based recipes. David Watsky/CNETWe tried 12 Blue Apron recipes in whole. Three had been from the present Signature Meal and three had been from a earlier take a look at of ordinary recipes in 2022. Our wellness editor notes that her field was delivered to a next-door neighbor, so she recommends paying shut consideration to your monitoring data so your field would not find yourself sitting exterior for too lengthy. Our flex editor additionally tried three recipes, plus two ready and prepared meals, and had no points with packaging or supply.In all of our deliveries, Blue Apron containers arrived undamaged with every thing neatly packaged. Produce, fish, meat and different components all appeared recent, apart from one purple pepper that had some indicators that it was previous its prime — nevertheless it was nonetheless very a lot usable. Nothing was lacking, though Blue Apron had made one alternative, swapping flank steaks for bistro steaks to make sure a well timed supply. The customer support workforce even notified me of the change beforehand by way of e mail. Spoiler alert: The flank steaks had been excellent. Signature recipes Bavette steak with caper aioli, potatoes and kale: This dish turned out splendidly and felt like such a cut price for the per-serving worth. The steak, which I need to modestly admit I cooked completely, was restaurant high quality: tender, flavorful and never in the least powerful or stringy. Bavette steak with potatoes and kale. David Watsky/CNETChicken thighs in Thai peanut curry with rice and inexperienced beans (oven-ready meal): This meal required about 5 minutes of prep — largely placing all of the components within the aluminum tray — after which baking for 45 minutes. I feared the inexperienced beans could be mushy, however they weren’t. The rice was a tad softer than I prefer it, so I’d most likely pull again the cooking time on this one to about 40 minutes. This oven-ready recipe of hen in Thai coconut curry over rice with inexperienced beans couldn’t have been simpler to organize. The excellent factor for a busy weeknight. David Watsky/CNETGarlic shrimp over Spanish-style potatoes: This was the quickest meal to make, and likewise one in every of my favorites. It wasn’t overly heavy however loads filling. It was stuffed with recent garlic and toasty spices. Garlic shrimp over Spanish-style potatoes. David Watsky/CNETGochujang steak lettuce cups: This one was additionally tasty and straightforward as heck. The steak was tender and the gochujang (a candy and spicy Korean barbecue sauce) was a complete smash. It took lower than 20 minutes from begin to end. The plant-based cauliflower shwarma was one in every of my favourite recipes of the bunch. David Watsky/CNETShawarma cauliflower grain bowls: I preferred this recipe. Any time a recipe could make me neglect I’m consuming one thing wholesome, I name it a giant success, and that is what occurred right here. It did take a stable 35 minutes to organize, however properly price it and the parts had been plentiful. Special abilities embody searing scallops. David Watsky/CNETPan-seared scallops with capers, pickled peppers and orange salsa (premium meal): If this recipe feels like a chaotic mess of competing flavors all jousting for dominance, that is as a result of it’s. It’s a clear-cut instance of one in every of Blue Apron’s massive swings nevertheless it was a swing and a miss for me. On the intense facet, the scallops had been recent. On the flip facet, I ruined recent scallops. Steak fajita bowls with cilantro bitter cream: This meal was scrumptious and pretty easy to make. It took the longest to prepare dinner, however was properly price it in the long run. The ancho chile paste marinated the steaks properly whereas I ready the extra components. The steak on this meal was scrumptious and tender due to the marinade. Corin Cesaric/CNETSesame-hoisin hen: This was a success in my home and was fairly easy to organize. Once the veggies are prepped up, the cooking course of was impressively simple and the recipe helps get the timing proper. Sesame-hoisin hen with bok choy and peanuts Corin Cesaric/CNETSeared salmon & cumin Sichuan glaze: The high quality of the salmon was nice, and it was a beneficiant quantity. This editor appreciated that the straightforward recipe additionally included the inner temperature wanted for salmon, since she had by no means cooked it earlier than. Vegetarian Blue Apron recipesWhite bean and veggie grain bowls: This meal was fast (15-20 minutes), simple to organize (particularly for the reason that farro was already cooked) and scrumptious. Our wellness editor liked the purple pepper pesto. As somebody who cannot deal with loads of spice, she appreciated that she might management the quantity of Calabrian chile paste added. She was additionally cautious about how a lot salt she added, for the reason that diet data states that the dish is 62% of your day by day worth. On the plus facet, it has 82% of your day by day fiber and 50% of your day by day worth of iron, together with 25g of protein. If you take away the goat cheese, this might be an excellent vegan meal. Anna Gragert/CNETRoasted cauliflower and farro salad: This meal took longer, about 40 minutes, as a result of the farro needed to prepare dinner and the Romaneso cauliflower required roasting within the oven. However, it was price it in the long run as a result of this was our wellness editor’s favourite recipe. The tahini yogurt sauce, which solely required mixing the sauce packets collectively, was extremely flavorful and actually elevated the dish. She liked including the lemon slices as a considerate garnish. Some attention-grabbing diet information: 27 grams of protein, 57% day by day worth of dietary fiber, 72% day by day worth of vitamin A and 120% day by day worth of vitamin C (111mg). The latter should not be a problem, until you eat over 2,000 mg/day. Blue Apron’s roasted cauliflower and farro salad with feta and tahini. Anna Gragert/CNETLoaded veggie burritos: This was an excellent, filling vegetarian burrito that took about 40 minutes. It got here with tomatillo sauce, bitter cream and a cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese mix. Interestingly, the recipe additionally included brown sugar, which our wellness editor did not thoughts, however her accomplice thought made it too candy. Our wellness editor’s notes that her accomplice cooked this meal and had two difficulties: getting the long-grain white rice to prepare dinner correctly and never burning the burritos when browning them in a pan whereas trying to soften and crisp the cheese on the identical time. This seemingly comes right down to variability in fuel stoves. He was additionally cautious in regards to the quantity of salt added, for the reason that recipe’s diet label states that one serving is 75% of your day by day worth. On the opposite hand, you get 50% of your day by day worth of dietary fiber and 30g of protein. This plant-based burrito was massive and satisfying. Anna Gragert/CNETThai-style curry noodles: This recipe could be made with hen, however Blue Apron supplied eggs and purple bell pepper for the vegetarian model. It took round 35 minutes to make and was scrumptious and filling. Both our wellness editor and her accomplice had leftovers for lunch the following day. She thought the fried egg was a pleasant vegetarian contact. The recipe is 97% of your day by day worth of ldl cholesterol, however most of that seemingly comes from the egg. It additionally accommodates 73% of your day by day worth of sodium, so she didn’t add any additional salt. You do get 28g of protein, 90% of your day by day worth of vitamin A and 80% of your day by day worth of vitamin C. Thai-style curry noodles topped with a fried egg and peanuts. Anna Gragert/CNETSpecial menu recipes Chicken, bacon and ranch pizza: This recipe took slightly longer to organize because you needed to prepare dinner the hen and bacon first, assemble the pizza and prepare dinner it once more, nevertheless it was price it. The consequence was like one thing you’d get at a gastropub or upscale sports activities bar. Perfect game-day meals. Spinach and artichoke dip with pita bread: I’m a sucker for “spin dip” and this model delivered, plus it was easy to make, creamy and tangy with a pleasant stability of components. I preferred that I might add salt to style as a result of generally premade or restaurant dips are too salty for me. Chorizo quesadillas: Another crowd favourite, however definitely not WW-approved. I preferred this game-day dish, though it was a tad greasy and heavy in the long run. Chorizo quesadilla with cilantro bitter cream. David Watsky/CNETPrepared and prepared mealsRed Curry Noodle Bowl: This meal was fairly scrumptious with a slight kick and our flex editor was impressed with how tender the meat was regardless of it being cooked within the microwave. Although it does have an honest quantity of saturated fats (80% of your beneficial day by day worth,) it nonetheless falls below carb aware, 600 energy or much less and diminished sodium part. This meal solely took three minutes to heat up within the microwave and made a flavorful and filling lunch. Corin Cesaric/CNETCreamy mushroom hen with orzo and peas: This meal was fairly nice too and fairly wholesome. It had a pleasant cheese and mushroom stability and the orzo wasn’t mushy. It is sweet to notice, nevertheless, that these premade meals should not freezer pleasant. Blue Apron’s premade meals are a stable lunch choice for busy days. Corin Cesaric/CNETFour-Cheese Enchiladas with Rice: Our wellness editor stated this was a really filling meal. She loved the greens, rice and chile sauce however wished the dish contained much less cheese. It is 570 energy and accommodates 980mg of sodium (43% of your day by day worth), 27g of protein, 690mg of calcium and 610mg of potassium. Blue Apron’s ready meals are tasty but additionally extraordinarily salty. Anna Gragert/CNETSweet and spicy tofu udon noodles: Our wellness editor seen that these ready meals felt extra filling than the meal kits. For this dish, she liked how the tofu was cooked, the tenderness of the udon noodles and the number of veggies. It additionally wasn’t too spicy. It accommodates 510 energy, 1060mg of sodium (46% of the day by day worth), 11g of protein, 30g of whole sugar (38% of the day by day worth), 80mg of calcium and 530mg of potassium. CNET’s wellness editor loved the ready meals as a lot or greater than the meal kits. Anna Gragert/CNETWhat our editors considered the service Editor identify Cooking experienceFood preferenceCNET roleKey opinions on Blue ApronDavid Watsky Experienced chef and meal package expertGluten-freeCNET’s Kitchen & Home tech Senior Editor•Blue Apron affords subtle recipes at a budget-friendly worth.
•The service has the essentially the most attention-grabbing steak and seafood recipes obtainable in the usual plan in comparison with different providers.
•Interesting spice mixes, sauces and facet dishes that weren’t frequent in different meal package providers.
•Easy to organize, with prepare dinner occasions between 25 and 35 minutes.
•Oven-ready meals required little or no prep time.
•The most environmentally pleasant of the main meal package providers.Corin Cesaric Novice cookMeat & veggies, plus plant-based choices CNET’s Health & Home Flex Editor•Meals had been easy to prepare dinner however nonetheless had distinctive flavors
•Loved that Blue Apron had her cooking new forms of protein for the primary time.
•Found that meal prepare dinner occasions took her nearer to an hour with preparation included.
•Had no points with packaging, supply or ingredient high quality.Anna Gragert An skilled residence prepare dinnerVegetarian, health-consciousCNET’s Health & Wellness Editor•Impressed with the range and adaptability of vegetarian recipes.
•Liked how recent the produce tasted.
•Appreciated the flexibility to regulate spice ranges.
•Found the ready meals to be filling.
•Could enhance with the usage of compostable or biodegradable packaging. Who ought to attempt Blue Apron? Blue Apron meal kits are nice for households for the reason that worth per serving drops to $8 a portion in case you select 4 recipes for 4. With a Weight Watchers integration constructed into the menus and app, it is a sensible choice for somebody following that plan (however not for many different diets). It’s additionally typically meal package service for anybody seeking to lower corners at dinner or enhance their cooking abilities. The recipes are elevated, but simple to organize and provide good worth, making them additionally an excellent choice for brand spanking new cooks or choosy eaters who’re hoping to develop their palate. There are most likely higher meal kits obtainable for somebody who eats vegetarian or vegan. Purple Carrot is one apparent choice because it affords 100% plant-based (and scrumptious) meal kits. Even non-vegan package providers corresponding to Sunbasket and Green Chef have extra and higher choices for meat-free dishes on their weekly menus. Blue Apron Market Blue Apron additionally has a connoisseur market the place you should purchase cooking provides, together with spice mixes, cookware, devices, wine bundles and kit. Prices from the market are pretty cheap.Packaging and environmental friendliness In my preliminary evaluation of Blue Apron, I assumed there was room for enchancment when it got here to single-use plastic and total waste. In this newest take a look at, I discovered a marked enchancment with not practically as a lot wasteful plastic wrapping. A latest unbiased evaluation discovered that Blue Apron meal kits have essentially the most environmentally pleasant packaging. Blue ApronOur wellness editor, nevertheless, does suppose Blue Apron can do higher in terms of its packaging. Inside the transport field, there was a QR code for locating a recycling drop-off web site close to you, however the code solely led her to the recycling data — no drop-off location. That was on a separate web page. In specific, she needs she might ship the ice packs again for reuse, or maybe they may arrange some kind of donation partnership with meals banks, group fridges or meal applications. Anna Gragert/CNETAs for the plastic packaging that wraps the produce and components, she needs they’d exchange it with a compostable or biodegradable different. After all, the components are already sealed of their packets and it’s a must to wash the produce anyway. She was so impressed with Blue Apron’s whole course of that she’s assured the corporate might give you a special, extra eco-friendly packaging setup.What she does like is that she undoubtedly wasted much less meals with these meal kits. She additionally appreciated that Blue Apron companions with Feeding America Network, permitting them to ship 32% of meals that might be wasted to native meals banks.The remaining verdictThe 2025 model of Blue Apron is the very best up to now. Not solely is the weekly menu stuffed with simple and attention-grabbing recipes, nevertheless it has essentially the most choices for steak and recent seafood with out having to subscribe. I preferred practically all the 9 recipes I made, though some had been higher than others, and just one felt like a dud. Blue Apron affords among the most subtle recipes you will get at a budget-friendly worth. Outside of premium meals, essentially the most you may pay is $10 or $16 a serving. There are cheaper meal package providers, like Dinnerly and EveryPlate, however neither has recipes as attention-grabbing or refined as Blue Apron and people require a month-to-month charge to maintain the meals coming. The ordering course of was easy and the components arrived on time and in good situation. If you are a Blue Apron subscriber, it is also reassuring to know that you just’re utilizing some of the environmentally pleasant main meal package providers.