Meal Kits Vancouver Review (Everything You Need to Know)

It’s no surprise that the Vancouver meal kit scene (sometimes referred to as a food subscription box) offers a bevy of delicious options given the hunger for convenient, easy-to-cook, healthy eating dinner solutions found on Canada’s West Coast. Visual instruction cards provided with every meal make it simple for anyone to whip up delicious new tastes, even with no prior cooking experience.

If you want an in-depth look at the most popular meal kit companies in Canada, check out our HelloFresh review, Chef’s Plate review, and GoodFood review, or simply refer to the best meal kits in Canada page detailing what we look for in a meal kit service.

Vancouver’s Best Meal Kits - September 27th, 2024

#1
Overall rating 98.0%
HelloFresh Review
Plans for
  • Singles
  • Families
  • Vegetarians
  • Picky eaters
Price range/ week
$89 ‐ $211
Pros and cons
  • Wide delivery service area
  • Easily skip weeks as needed
  • Large variety of meals
  • Calorie info provided
#2
Overall rating 98.0%
Chefs Plate Review
Plans for
  • Picky eaters
  • Novice cooks
  • Calorie watchers
  • Busy people
  • Allergics
Price range/ week
$48 ‐ $185
Pros and cons
  • Budget-friendly
  • Wide variety of meals
  • Ability to easily skip any week you choose
  • Delivery to almost anywhere
#3
Overall rating 96.2%
Fresh Prep Review
Plans for
  • Calorie watchers
  • Couples
  • Busy people
  • Families
Price range/ week
$56 ‐ $216
Pros and cons
  • Own independent delivery system
  • Most loved mealkits in western Canada
  • Environmental friendly zero waste kits
  • Produce sourced from Vancouver area
If you’re new to the idea of meal kits, here are the reasons why our team is such massive fans:
  • Healthy eating mapped out for us, and every calory counted. No Googling special “nutritionist recommends” recipes or counting this or that points system.
  • Zero food waste, so no need to guiltily clean out a stinky fridge.
  • The mental lightness of not worrying about what’s for dinner. No thawing meat, and no supper rush hour as you try to throw something together last minute. We have reached a state of “dinnertime zen.”
  • $100+ saved on restaurant meals each month.
  • New meals from world cuisines that even a novice can put together by following the simple, visual instruction cards provided with each meal.

Background on Meal Prep and Vancouverites & British Columbians

Value
Population5,301,000
Food stores per 100,000 people70
Farms per 100,000 people347
Average family size2.7
Average household size2.43
Experience difficulties with food budget31%
Eating fruits/veggies 5+ times a day29%
Time spent eating per day90 mins
Vegans and vegetarians12.7%
Nanaimo Bars – British Columbia traditional dish.

The Vancouver area is the third most densely populated area in the country, with more than five million people living there. Per every 100,000 people, there are 347 farms that supply food and seventy food stores that sell it. Almost 30% of Vancouverites eat fruits and vegetables five or more times a day, and almost 13% are vegetarians or vegans, more than anywhere else in Canada! For them, almost all Vancouver meal kit companies offer vegetarian meals, and some companies have vegetarian plans that include dedicated vegetable-based recipes.

The average family size in Vancouver is 2.8 people, with around 30% having difficulties with their food budget. For families, several Vancouver meal kit delivery companies offer family plans with healthy and kid-friendly meals starting at $10 per serving.

Fun fact: Vancouverites spend 90 minutes a day consuming food, which ranks them second in the nation.

What Is Meal Kit Delivery Vancouver Like?

Most companies serving meal prep Vancouver-side will deliver their subscription box to your door (or wherever you choose to have the meal kit delivered to). Within the box, the meat products will be chilled/frozen in a separate package, and the rest of the ingredients for each meal will be neatly packaged in an easy-to-store bag.

It literally takes less than five minutes of total time commitment to open your app/website, select your meal options, carry the box from your door to your table, open the box, and place the contents in the fridge. No lists, no grocery shopping, no lines, no parking lots, no recipe searches, no getting sick of your “go-to standby meals.” No worries! Vancouver meal kits offer unparalleled convenience, particularly for individuals and families looking to save time without compromising on healthy and delicious meals. By utilizing fresh, locally sourced ingredients, these services cater to Vancouver’s emphasis on sustainability and quality. Whether you’re an experienced home cook or a complete novice, Vancouver meal kits provide step-by-step guidance, ensuring every meal is a success.

The meals take between 15 and 45 minutes to cook up (depending on which meal kit company you choose, your cooking skills, and which recipes you select for that week). Almost all of the meal kits Vancouver companies deliver, arrive in an insulated box with easy-to-use recipe cards with full nutritional information on them. 

While there is obviously a wide variety of meals available, the vast majority of the recipes that we’ve tried have been very healthy. It will depend largely on what you choose (e.g. homemade pizza versus a salad). The fresh ingredients make the meals nutritious, and while there is sometimes a too-heavy reliance on adding oil to meals, you have complete control over this. The overall calorie total comes in on average between 500-900 per serving, or you can choose low-calorie options with many meal kits Vancouver.

How Does Meal Delivery Differ?

Meal delivery Vancouver covers all types of deliveries, including meal kits, restaurant and fast food delivery, and read-to-eat meal delivery. Meal kits Vancouver are nearly always the healthiest option. That’s because you cook the meals yourself so can monitor how much salt, sugar, oil, and butter goes into each dinner. The ingredients are usually very fresh too so you get plenty of nutrients. Find out which companies service your area using our one-of-a-kind tool to search for meal kit companies that deliver to your postal code.

Global Companies Offering Meal Prep in the Area

The most popular meal kit in Canada, HelloFresh, is available nearly anywhere in British Columbia.

As the largest meal kit company in the world, HelloFresh works with local farmers and suppliers on several continents, to help consumers bypass the grocery store and get food “from field to table” as quickly as possible. This commitment to delicious freshness and high-quality ingredients recently nabbed them the top spot in a recent survey of American meal kit companies done by USA Today. This is noteworthy given the extremely competitive nature of the American meal kit scene.

After having HelloFresh meals in Vancouver for almost a year now, we can honestly say that the absolute worst meal delivered to our house would be ranked a six out of ten. By letting you choose from a variety of meals, you can “play to your strengths” as far as choosing meat or vegetarian options that you’re familiar with, or try something new each time. The ingredients are consistently excellent and perfectly ripe.

The lowest-cost meal kits Vancouver has to offer. If you’re looking to dip your toe into the meal kit waters and see how much it frees up your evening routine, this is the least expensive way to do it. Servings start as low as $8.99 per serving. Chef’s Plate was bought out by HelloFresh, but the meal kit companies stay in separate lanes, as HelloFresh operates as more of a premium option with Chef’s Plate targeting the “value” customers in the meal kit world (more on that in our Chefs Plate review).
Based out of Montreal, Goodfood calls itself “Canada’s #1 Meal Kit” and is the decisive third-largest meal kit company in Canada. They ship to Vancouver out of their new Calgary facility that was established to handle Western Canadian logistics. Doubling down on their Canadian identity, Goodfood has teamed up with food celebrities such as media personality Anne-Marie Withenshaw and pro snowboarder Mark McMorris. Goodfood in Vancouver has tried to differentiate itself by adding more menu options, generally includes smaller portions, and is priced closer to the Chef’s Plate end of the spectrum, than the HelloFresh side of things. (More on that in our GoodFood review).

Best Meal Prep Vancouver and British Columbia Based

Thanks to its status as Canada’s healthiest city (and one that attracts folks with a high amount of disposable income), it’s no accident that several smaller Vancouver meal kit companies have sprung up over the past couple of years.

Eat Your Cake

Contrary to what you might think upon reading the name, this food subscription box bills itself as Vancouver’s healthiest meal kit delivery option. Eat Your Cake will actually customize your food box order not just to a basic preference such as vegetarian, but even to fit specific goals such as weight loss or premium athletic performance. Their brick-and-mortar physical location on Broadway allows you to directly engage with staff to answer any questions that you may have. If you are looking for an ultra-specific meal kit such as “paleo” or “keto,” Eat Your Cake is probably your best bet in the meal kits Vancouver scene. (They deliver to Surrey, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Langley, Coquitlam, Port Moody, and Maple Ridge as well.) All cards on the table, though, you will certainly pay extra for this premium service.

Fresh Prep

Launched in 2015 as a Vancouver meal kits company intent on driving a sustainable, locally-driven model for a Canadian food box. Founded by three young Vancouverites, Husein Rahemtulla, Dhruv Sood, and Becky Brauer, Fresh Prep started relatively small as they sought to establish the proper logistics support for their offerings. Rather than ship through established delivery companies, Fresh Prep has gradually built up its own network of drivers and hopes that this will be an advantage over the long haul. In addition to expanding throughout British Columbia, Fresh Prep recently started delivering across Alberta and has plans to grow eastward. Read this detailed Fresh Prep review to find out more. 

FUUD

A Vancouver meal kits company that has recently pivoted to partnering with grocery stores and now label themselves,“A meal kit solution designed for the grocery aisle.” Touting their close relationship with OceanWise seafood and Fraser Valley Farms, FUUD is aiming to offer Vancouver residents a premium, sustainable meal kit option. FUUD employee Ryland Haggis stated in a recent interview: “A critical element of our business is our desire to expose customers to new types of ingredients while remaining as sustainable as possible.” FUUD has experienced a bump in popularity since appearing on hit TV show Dragons’ Den.

2 Guys with Knives

Partners Sergio Pereira and Patrick Carr are the “2 guys” who presumably have knives. In 2013, they founded a meal delivery company serving the Vancouver area. Today they offer a customizable platform and support a wide range of dietary needs and allergy conditions as they believe healthy nutrition should be available to everyone in a convenient and affordable manner. 2 Guys with Knives delivers meals for the week, fully cooked and ready to eat, only requiring reheating. Every week, a new menu is available.

Crave Healthiness

For those of you who prefer to order ready-to-eat meals and save time on cooking, Crave Healthiness offers a new menu every week. You can customize your meals to your tastes and preferences, and the company will cook them and deliver them to your door. All you need to do is to heat them up when you are ready for dinner. Both single orders and weekly subscription plans are available. For your weekly plan, you can customize portion size, the number of days per week, and the number of meals per day.

The Good Stuff

Finally, the last “Vancouver meal kit company” isn’t really a meal kit company at all—unless you consider a smoothie a meal that is! Producing ready-to-go boxes of smoothies ready for your grab-and-go lifestyle, The Good Stuff offers delicious, nutritious smoothies for $6.50 – $7.50 per serving.

Chefs Plate: Try Chef's Plate Meal Kits From $2.99 Per Serving!
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HelloFresh: Get Up to $200 Off + Free Breakfast for Life
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Vancouver’s Best Meal Prep Companies

CompanyYear
Est.
Serviced
Provinces
Google
rating
Dishes
in menu
Subs.
boxes
Order
by dish
Fresh or
frozen
Price/
weekly
Price/
serving
Promo
Crave Healthiness 2020 BC
15 $22-$43 $22-$43No promo
FED 2017 BC
72 $159-$189 $10.6-$12.615% off
Planted Meals 2020 BC
20 $45-$50 $9-$10Free Delivery
2 Guys With Knives 2013 BC
51 $33-$160 $8-$1620% off
Batch Food 2012 BC
180 $40-$400 $6-$4510% off
Mealpro 2013 2
29 $160-$199.5 $10-$16$10 off
Saveurs Santé 2006 BC
70 $125-$150 $5-$254.5% off
Chomp Vegan Eatery 2011 BC
15 $13.5-$149 $2-$165-25% off
Yogi's Kitchen 2018 BC
100 $52-$81 $11-$13$185 OFF
Live fit food 2019 3
112 $96-$159 $7-$145% off

Best Vancouver Meal Kits for Dietary Restrictions

Vancouver’s diverse population means meal kits often cater to a wide range of dietary needs. From vegan to keto, meal kit companies in the area provide flexible options for every preference. Eat Your Cake specializes in ultra-specific plans for weight loss or athletic performance, while 2 Guys with Knives delivers pre-cooked meals tailored to specific dietary goals.

Fresh Prep offers vegetarian and gluten-free plans with clear labeling on all ingredients, ensuring customers can safely enjoy their meals. Similarly, FUUD focuses on fresh, wholesome meals that can be customized to accommodate allergies or dietary restrictions.

Whether you’re looking to avoid gluten, embrace a plant-based diet, or follow a strict paleo regimen, Vancouver meal kit services provide plenty of variety and customization, making it easy to stay on track with your nutrition goals.


Overall Review of the Meal Kits Vancouver Scene

One of the main benefits of living in such a big city like Vancouver is the wide variety of meal kit delivery companies. You can choose from well-established global companies, such as HelloFresh or Chefs Plate, or prefer to support small local companies that have just placed their foot in the door of the meal delivery market. However, if you live in a smaller city in British Columbia, such as Victoria or Kelowna, these meal kits are most likely available to you too, as many companies keep expanding their delivery area. In any case, you can expect high-quality food delivered to your door that you only need to unpack and store in your refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

On average, it takes about 30 minutes to cook a meal from meal kits delivered in Vancouver. It might take you a little longer if you are new to a kitchen or a little bit less if you already have enough experience with pots and pans. All the instructions are clearly described step-by-step, so you don’t need to be an expert to cook a restaurant-quality meal for yourself and your loved ones. The majority of meal kit companies in Vancouver will let you order up to five recipes a week for up to four people, with a minimum order of two recipes per week for two people.

We hope our reviews of Vancouver meal kits will help you find the company that will satisfy your appetite, please your taste buds, fit your dietary needs, and your budget. If you still can’t decide, use one of our discount codes to get heavily discounted meals and compare a few options. Then, you’ll likely know who you want to stick with after the promotion period ends. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is goodfood in Vancouver?

Yes, GoodFood is in Vancouver and is one of the most popular meal kits services in the area. Its main competitors in Vancouver are HelloFresh and Chefs Plate.

Is HelloFresh in BC?
Is Fresh Prep Vancouver worth it?
Chefs Plate: Try Chef's Plate Meal Kits From $2.99 Per Serving!
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HelloFresh: Get Up to $200 Off + Free Breakfast for Life
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