Dinnerly Review: Pros & Cons in 2023

By Valentina Bakers •  Updated: 02/17/23 •  8 min read

Dinnerly offers the most affordable high quality meal kits on the market.

Prices as low as $1.99 per serving!

Click to get up to $160 off 6 boxes!

The cheapest Meal Kit in the US market!

8.3

With expensive exotic meal-kit delivery services all around the place, Dinnerly pops up as a cool shadow on a hot sunny day, with its simple traditional meals to give your taste buds a refreshing change. Famous for its budget-friendly, wide variety of meal options, Dinnerly promises to help you put a home-cooked meal on the table in half the time and effort.

But the question is can it serve the exceptional taste and satisfy our hunger cramps completely. To check their competency, we put the service under rigorous analysis. And here’s a Dinnerly review of our findings.

Pros:

  • Family-friendly, easy to assemble options.
  • Low-cost subscriptions. Holiday meal kits offer great value.
  • Uses minimum recyclable packaging material.
  • Encourages home-cooked meals for a healthier diet.
  • All recipes can be assembled using 6 or even fewer ingredients.

Cons:

  • Limited vegetarian, allergy-friendly and dietary options
  • Shipping services out of the US is limited
  • Comes with a few organic options.
  • Recipe cards are not included and ingredients are loosely packed.

An overview of brand-Dinnerly

Dinnerly is a meal kit service that wields inexpensive ingredients in its recipes and uses cost-cutting measures to maintain its status as the most affordable meal delivery service. The subscription-based service is designed for people who love their cooking time but cannot invest hours and hours in cooking intricate dishes, especially on the weekdays.

The meal kits by Dinnerly consist of five or fewer steps that can be completed within 30 minutes or even less. The meal kits come with a digital recipe card and ingredients to assemble 3 to 6 meals weekly. A rotating weekly menu lets you explore different options every time you order from them. With minimum ingredients required, Dinnerly doesn’t demand grocery hauls before cooking.

About Dinnerly

Being relatively new to the field, Dinnerly made its appearance in 2017. With 14.1k followers on Instagram, Dinnerly has caught everyone’s attention with its different mouth-watering meals. Fabian Siegel, the CEO, and co-founder of Marley Spoon, launched Dinnerly to bring easy-to-make foods on cheaper budgets to your doorstep. The prices are deemed to be a fraction of typical food subscription services.

Dinnerly review by Forbes calls it ‘the budget-conscious spinoff of Marley Spoon.’

How does Dinnerly work?

The service is fast and straightforward to work along. While signing up, you will be asked to choose between a 2-person or family meal option. At this point, you will mention the number of meals you would prefer weekly between 3 to 6. Finally, input your ZIP code and email.

Now select your delivery day and the preferred meals from 30-37 rotating recipes of the week. The meals consist of at least five vegetarian options and one fish-based meal.

The ingredients arrive in an insulated box that can directly be tossed in the pan for instant cooking or storing in a fridge. Do go through the elements of the meals before ordering them.

Their meals are explicitly labeled to differentiate between low calorie, low carb, healthy, dairy-free, one-pot meals, and kid-friendly options. There is also an option to make vegetarian boxes or pick meals from the weekly menus. Besides, Dinnerly comes with a contract-free service that allows you to skip the meal or change subscription plans whenever you wish.

Dinnerly Pricing and Plans

The cost entirely depends on the selected meal plan. Dinnerly’s website reflects that the pricing starts from $4.69 per adult-sized meal serving if you sign up for six meals a week for a family. We analyze that ordering fewer meals or meals for two people increased the cost per serving.

You can order between three to six meals a week, and each meal contains two or four portions each.

*The additional shipping fee costs $8.99 regardless of the box you select.

Once you have signed up, you have officially allowed Dinnerly to send meals weekly and charge through the given credit or debit card. But you can put your account on hold anytime you want. For starters, low-cost ingredients like pasta, Roma tomatoes, nonorganic meats, etc., are used. Besides, to access the recipe, you will have to visit their website; no recipe card will be provided with the meal box.

You can even plan meals for your next two months in advance, or you can also let the brand make choices for you if you do not have any dietary restrictions.

Dinnerly Packaging and Cooking

The orders are shipped with ice packs and insulated liners, which keep the ingredients fresh and intact in transit. Their recipes give a unique balance of vegetables, herbs, spices, and special ingredients that make the meals even tastier.

Their meals are targeted to provide a hassle-free experience; therefore, the meals can even be prepared by beginners using minimum pans and fewer ingredients. Since the meals tend to be simpler consequently, they consist of burgers, chicken recipes, pasta, etc.

Positives:

Who is Dinnerly best suited for?

The cost-effective pocket-friendly option makes cooking and enjoying meals at home a stress-free experience. It lets you stay organized despite busy schedules and the burden of work at hand. Besides, if you are a newbie chef looking for help to polish your cooking skills then Dinnerly can be a great way to start your journey.

It brings a great healthy option to add a home-cooked meal to your diet which is better than fast food options or junkies.

The meal service might not be the best pick for those who have severe food allergies or the ones who are following a keto, vegan, or paleo diet. Besides, we could not find many weight-loss-centric options as compared to the other meal kit services. Therefore if weight loss is your target then Dinnerly might not be very helpful.

Dinnerly Meal Review

Out of numerous mouth-watering options, we bring you our top 3 picks from the menu that are sure to make all your family members the fan of your unbeatable cooking skill

1. Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta with Spinach:

Nutritional Value: Calories 700kcal, Fat 31.0g, Proteins 43.0g, Carbs 71.0g

The delicious creamy pasta is going to be your kid’s favorite that requires no messy chopping and slicing. The recipe is simple to build around and can be prepared within 30 minutes only. The creamy pasta sauce brings beautiful flavors to the overall meal.

2. Air-Fried Shrimp Tacos with Salsa and Guac:

Nutritional Value: Calories 590kcal, Fat 17.0g, Proteins 34.0g, Carbs 70.0g

The special recipe is a perfect instant pot meal that is heaven for seafood lovers. It makes an amazing dinner for your special guests. The recipe is hassle-free and a healthy meal option. Fill up your tortillas with crispy air-fried shrimps, salsa, and guac and see your senses take flight with delight.

3. Pan-Roasted Chicken & Mashed Potatoes

Nutritional Value: Calories 620kcal, Fat 26.0g, Proteins 42.0g, Carbs 56.0g.

The low-calorie meal with some delicious herb gravy, peas, and carrots made us dig into our plates as soon as the meal was served. The easiest recipe is full of nutritional value that is an ideal reward after a tiring day. It can also serve as a star meal on your special occasions.

FAQs

Here are the major FAQs related to the famous meal delivery service Dinnerly.

Can Dinnerly help in losing weight?

The Dinnerly menu does consist of low-calorie meal options, but the entire menu is not dedicated to weight loss journeys. Some meals provide around 800-900 calories per serving which can be huge in a single serving. You can still lose weight if you choose specific meals and balance your total calorie intake.

Is Dinnerly a good service?

Dinnerly is a great option for those who have busy work schedules and want to enjoy healthy homemade meals. The service lets you save money by providing simple packaging and well-thought-out recipes with minimum ingredients required.

Final Verdict

Dinnerly is a low cost family friendly meal kit subscription service that can be of immense assistance in your cooking procedures. The service relieves you from arranging the ingredients yourself and finding a suitable recipe everyday to serve.

The recipes are all quick and easy to follow which even a novice chef can pull easily. The cost as low as $4.29 per serving seems too real to be true but is only possible through Dinnerly. You can also check out the Dinnerly meal reviews online.

People with dietary restrictions, severe food allergies, or organic preference are advised to avoid the meal kit services.

Valentina Bakers

Valentina Bakers

Valentina Bakers is a passionate culinary enthusiast with a keen interest in exploring and evaluating the world of meal delivery kits. For the past five years, she has dedicated her time to researching, testing, and reviewing these innovative meal solutions, becoming an influential voice in the industry. Her love for cooking and baking extends beyond her professional pursuits, as she enjoys spending quality time in the kitchen with her children, sharing her culinary skills and fostering a love for food in their lives.

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