The Real Cost of Convenience: Meal Kits vs. Meat Boxes vs. Wholesome Farms

In 2025, meal kit and meat box delivery services offer undeniable convenience—but their price per serving can quickly climb, especially for those watching budgets. Let’s break down the economics and see how Wholesome Farms delivers exceptional value.

Industry Costs: What You’re Really Paying

Meal kit services typically cost between $7 and $14 per serving. According to Wired, this makes them cheaper than dining out—but still pricier than most grocery meals. WIRED

• Bon Appétit names EveryPlate the most affordable at about $5.99/serving, with Dinnerly at $7.99 and Home Chef at $7.99–$9.99. HelloFresh averages $9.99/serving. Bon Appétit
• NerdWallet confirms HelloFresh plans start at $9.79–$12.49/serving, depending on your plan—and that’s before shipping. NerdWallet
• MoneyLion adds that HelloFresh’s shipping fee (~$10.99/week) can raise your per-serving cost to over $15. MoneyLion
• ButcherBox: Boxes start at $169 for 9–14 lbs of meat, which works out to $5.63 per serving when divided across servings. There’s no veggies included. Source: ButcherBox.
• USDA Average Cost of a Meal: $4.23 per person in the U.S. (2025). Source: Top Nutrition Coaching.

That means many households pay 2–5× more per meal than they would for home-cooked dishes—even if provided ingredients are pre-portioned and accompanied by easy recipes.

Wholesome Farms: A Better Value Without Compromise

Wholesome Farms takes a different—and more affordable—approach. Here’s the breakdown:

• Box contents: 14 lbs of hormone- and steroid-free meats + organic vegetables + bonus “free gift” like filet mignon medallions.
• Serving math: For 2 adults, eating 0.5 lbs/day = 28 servings in a month.
• Cost per serving: $169 ÷ 28 = $6.02, ÷2 = $3.01 per serving.

That’s half the cost of budget meal kits like EveryPlate—and 1/5th to 1/6th the cost of higher-tier services like HelloFresh when factoring shipping. Bon AppétitMoneyLionWIRED+1

Why Wholesome Farms Delivers More Value

1. Premium Quality
   • Beef is pasture-raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free.
   • Chicken is humanely raised, air-chilled, and USA-sourced.
   • Pork is crate-free and vegetarian-fed.
   • Vegetables are organic and U.S.-grown.
   • Check out the Wholesome Farms for more info
2. Zero Food Waste
   • Carefully portioned to your needs—no leftover bits forgotten in the fridge.
3. User-Friendly Meal Planning
   • Each box comes with a custom meal plan, so you know exactly what to cook—and when.
4. Smart Value, Not Marketing Markup
   • We strive to keep costs low by cutting waste—not by cutting corners or bloating prices to afford big marketing.

Real-World Comparison Table

Final Takeaway

If budget and nutrition matter, the math favors Wholesome Farms. You still get the convenience of a box—plus real, ethically sourced ingredients—without sacrificing quality or breaking the bank.

With Wholesome Farms, homemade meals don’t just taste better—they are better value.