CookUnity’s Meal Delivery Subscription Is The Most Convenient One I’ve Tried

I’m coming clean: I don’t enjoy cooking. I know it’s an important skill, but living alone with a cramped, tiny kitchen (and no dishwasher) takes most of the romance out of the task, to the point that for over a year, I found myself skipping meals or constantly ordering out. I needed to find a way to get my eating habits back on track, and one meal delivery subscription helped me start doing just that.

Last year, I told my dietitian about my dread toward cooking and grocery shopping, particularly for one person when many ingredients and recipes are portioned (and priced) for multiple mouths. By that point, I was eating about one full meal a day, and prep-free snacks that didn’t leave me full.

She suggested I try out a meal delivery subscription. I was skeptical, because I’d already subscribed to HelloFresh several years earlier. I ended up canceling my subscription due to the level of involvement required for each recipe, which wound up taking me much longer than the included cards promised. I’m sure the service is a dream for aspiring home cooks, but I mostly found myself stuck with mediocre leftovers and a sink full of dishes.

My dietitian introduced me to the concept of meal kit services that deliver ready-made meals instead. No prep, no cleanup, and most of the time you don’t even have to turn on an oven. After doing some research, I landed on CookUnity, which offers plans ranging from four to 16 weekly meals, starting at just over $44 total per week.

I was impressed by the variety of available meals.

CookUnity solved many of my problems. For one, each meal is perfectly portioned for one person — no leftovers or food going bad before I can eat it.

And let’s talk about the food itself: the variety is exciting. Each CookUnity meal is crafted by a chef, and the higher quality is worth the price. I was initially worried that the meal trays would be airplane food-esque, but I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve eaten everything from a fresh “superfood bowl” loaded with veggies to indulgent mac and cheese, and dishes from so many cuisines, like curries, enchiladas, pastas and more. Their menu boasts hundreds of dishes, so my meals haven’t gotten too repetitive.

This may not be the healthiest the meal kit option out there, but it depends what you’re looking for in a subscription.

In my case, I wanted the convenience that would encourage me to eat lunch, you know, at all instead of skipping it, and having tasty ready-made meals ready to go in my fridge has been a game-changer. CookUnity shares the nutritional information for each meal and even groups dishes into categories like “carb smart” and “protein boost” on their menu, so you can make the decisions you need to.

Since starting CookUnity, I’ve basically doubled the amount of food I’m eating in a day, and the routine is helping me eat at more regular times. Is it a cure for all my issues with food? Certainly not, but it’s provided a more stable foundation to help me increase my daily intake and avoid getting lightheaded and fatigued daily like I used to.

One of my favorite comfort meals is this mac and cheese.

I also can’t emphasize the convenience factor enough.

Not only can you skip a week, pause your subscription or change the amount of meals you receive as needed, but CookUnity can even choose meals for you, based on the quiz you fill out when you sign up and your past orders. Some weeks I just don’t have it in me to track down eight meals I think I’l like, so I just wait to get the automated text telling me what’s in my cart (this comes through at least 24 hours notice before the order is processed, so you can swap out any of the meals before you get charged).

It takes some trial and error for the app to learn what you consistently gravitate toward, but after using it for several months, there are often weeks I don’t want to swap any of its choices out for something else.

The sustainable packaging can also be almost entirely recycled or reused. Depending on your location, your meals may even be delivered in a reusable, insulated tote bag that you can return the next week simply by giving it to the delivery person who drops off your new meals.

CookUnity isn’t only for cooking-averse solo livers like me, though.

HuffPost senior shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe is also a fan, and previously wrote about her experience with meal kit services after giving birth to her child. “I can safely say that CookUnity kept my wife and I alive and fed for the majority of the postpartum period thanks to its absolutely delicious, zero-effort meals,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d like a ready-made meal service, but I could easily eat it for the rest of my life.”

She acknowledged that “the price point is on the higher end, but that makes sense given the quality of the ingredients and the meals themselves. I absolutely love CookUnity and recommend it to anyone about to have a baby or for those times when you just don’t have it in you to cook but don’t want to eat junky takeout.”

Best of all, right now you can get 50% off your first week if you sign up. If you’ve been looking for a way to make lunches and dinners less stressful and more delicious, take it from me: CookUnity is worth taking for a test drive.

Looking for more meal delivery subscriptions options? Check out these services, as tested by Uribe:

Purple Carrot

Purple Carrot has been a staple in my home this past year, thanks to its creative recipes, fresh produce and quick-and-easy meals. All of its offerings are plant-based, but they’re so nourishing and tasty that omnivores will love them just as much as those with vegan and vegetarian diets. Not a single recipe failed us, which is pretty rare in the meal kit world.

You can also order individual groceries as well as ready-made meals from Purple Carrot, which offers a nice variety. I did find that the quality of the ready-made meals didn’t quite live up to that of the meal prep kits, but they were handy in a pinch.

This plan serves dietary preferences including high protein, gluten-free, low-calorie and lower sodium options.

Hungryroot

I recently tried Hungryroot for the first time and was surprised (and impressed) by the wide range of different meals and foods available. Not only do they deliver traditional meal kit-type dinners, but you can also include snacks, individual ingredients and even tasty treats like chickpea chocolate chip cookies and black bean brownie batter (that I devoured with gusto).

It’s like someone did the work of planning your meals, snacks and stocking your pantry and then dropped off the offerings at your doorstep. All the ingredients are super fresh, healthy and delicious. I loved being able to enjoy Hungryroot’s recipes, ready-to-eat meals and groceries, and it saved me the effort of having to run out and pick up supplemental items to get me through the week.

Hungryroot provides meals that cater to omnivores (eating meat and seafood in most meals), pescatarian, vegan, flexitarian (eating meat and seafood for only some meals) and vegetarian. The company also offers the most customization for allergies (with 12 different selections you can opt out of including shellfish, nut, dairy and caffeine).

HelloFresh

I’ve used HelloFresh meal kits on and off for a few years now, and found its meals to be easy-to-make, tasty and convenient. One of the things I love about HelloFresh is that their high-quality proteins and seasonal veggies are, for lack of a better word, super fresh. It’s in the name for a reason! Their steak dishes are just as scintillating as the plant-based options, which is not an easy feat. I love the variety in meals and cuisines and that you can also order ready-made meals for those extra lazy days.

Not only can you pick a plan based on your food preferences, like pescatarian, omnivore or vegetarian, but you can also customize your kit to include kid-friendly meals, health-conscious dinners or quick-and-easy recipes that will help you save time during extra busy evenings. This hugely popular service has something for everyone and is worth a try if you’re just getting started in the meal kit world.

Note: Hello Fresh also offers its Hero Discount for medical providers, nurses, hospital employees, teachers, first responders, the military and veterans. You get 50% off your first box plus free shipping, 10% off the next eight boxes and a free add-on item for life. You just have to verify your ID!

Blue Apron

Blue Apron is one of the OG meal kit delivery services. It’s been around since 2012 and quickly grew in popularity, helping to spawn an entire industry of copycats. It’s the kit that I used when I first moved to NYC in 2013 and decided that being unable to properly feed myself was no longer cute. I loved the variance in meal choices and it exposed me to flavors and cuisines I hadn’t previously tried while also giving me the basic building blocks of cooking. The portions were just the right size so each meal was satisfying while the recipes were easy to follow while still having interesting flavor profiles. I did find that over time the quality of the ingredients went down slightly, but it’s a great option for anyone starting out their food kit journey or who wants to expand their recipe repertoire.

There are a wide variety of different meal plans, food preferences and cuisines to pick from. It’s also one of the more affordable services out there, depending on which plan you pick. Blue Apron was made famous by its meal kits, but they now also have ready-made meals as well.

Bonus: Unlike some of the other meal plans, Blue Apron actually lets you buy meals piecemeal to try things out without a subscription.

Sakara

There’s a good chance you’ve seen Sakara’s healthful meals scattered across various influencers’ social media pages. This delivery service considers itself a wellness program more than a regular meal kit. All dishes are fresh, vegan and made with nutritional goals in mind.

Sakara offers two nutrition programs, the Signature Nutrition Program and the Level II: Detox. The Signature Nutrition Program is a traditional ready-to-eat meal kit that is customized based on your own preferences, while the Level II: Detox is just that — a cleanse-type kit that includes five days worth of foods, tonics, drinks and supplements to kickstart your health regime.

I tried the Level II: Detox and found that the meals were super tasty, even though after a few days it all started to feel a bit repetitive. It’s definitely a refreshing take on the meal kit and the regime was easy to follow. If you want an ultra-healthy option, this is it. (But it’ll cost you, as it’s the most expensive of all the options on this list.)

Marley Spoon

Marley Spoon is Martha Stewart’s meal kit service, with recipes based on her favorite meals and expertise in the kitchen. I tried a box a few years back and found it to be on par with most other kits, if a bit uninspired. The recipes themselves are easy to follow, with hints of global culinary influence, but are made accessible for all kitchens.

I love that it has various price point options to choose from and that the recipes are rotated out seasonally, so you’re always eating fresh, in-season foods.

Marley Spoon also services various dietary needs and preferences, including low-calorie, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan options.