Hungryroot vs. Green Chef 2025: Which Is Better?

Hungryroot and Green Chef have unique approaches to meal delivery. Hungryroot offers grocery store-like variety, while Green Chef offers organic ingredients and menus for particular health goals. 

We’ve tested both services, and I’m giving Green Chef the nod in a very close comparison. I prefer the quality of the ingredients and the ease of ordering. Hungryroot has some unique features, like the questionnaire, but it wasn’t as good of a fit for me.

All things considered, this was a close race. Based on your needs, Hungryroot might be the more desirable option for you. Keep reading my comparison to find out more.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Menu Variety: Hungryroot Offers More Options

Hungryroot wins this first category. It simply offers more variety and selection than Green Chef. Hungryroot is kind of a hybrid between a grocery store and a meal delivery service. As such, it incorporates the best of both worlds. And that makes it hard to beat.

Menu Size: Hungryroot’s Selection Is Huge

Hungryroot has well over 150 meal recipes, plus all the ingredients required, ready to purchase. In contrast, Green Chef carries over 40. Although 40 meals is undeniably a respectable number for a meal delivery service, it can’t compare to 150. 

But Green Chef is a better option if you're on a specialized diet. It offers more plans than Hungryroot that target specific dietary needs. For some people, its smaller menu may even be more desirable: picking out recipes from 150+ options every week can be a daunting task!

Hungryroot offers omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian options. From there, you can further narrow down your choices with filters for certain tastes and dietary preferences. The grocery-based model means Hungryroot is flexible and customizable, but it also makes the menu more complicated to navigate.

The menu has several dishes inspired by global cuisines, but don’t expect authenticity. Hungryroot’s focus is much more on speed and convenience than culinary accuracy. Even though the food is tasty, if you’re looking for an authentic exotic cuisine experience, you might be disappointed.

Green Chef offers 8 different menus: Mediterranean, Gut & Brain Health, Calorie Smart, Quick & Easy, Plant Based, Protein Packed, Keto, and Gluten Free. Plus, it has added a mix-and-match feature so that you can receive recipes from whichever diet you like. You can also get sides and other extras from Green Chef’s menu.

Menu Extras Bring More Diversity

With its grocery store-like model, Hungryroot has an enormous selection of extra items. This includes bulk meat, snacks, and a whole slew of sides. You’ll be able to find pretty much anything you’d get in a grocery store. 

At the time of my comparison, Green Chef had 50+ extras on offer. These included desserts, snacks, bites, quick meals, and individual proteins, like tilapia and barramundi filets, among other alternatives.

You can also browse kid-friendly meals among Hungryroot recipes. To do so, you have to select the Kids Meals option. An example of a child-friendly meal would be the Classic Turkey + Cheese Sandwich.

In contrast, many Green Chef meals have ingredients with fancy names, so a kid might not know what you’re feeding them. Complex dishes like Moroccan-Spiced Tilapia with Couscous may not be as enticing as the familiar dishes on Hungryroot’s kids menu.

Both companies provide a broad range of meal options suitable for all ages. If your needs range from occasional meals during hectic times to full-week meal planning, your search with either competitor will be simple.

Sample Meals: I Enjoyed the Diversity!

Hungryroot Meals

Hungryroot offers recipes inspired by cuisines from all over the world. However, most recipes are simple and focused on speedy prep, so I can’t vouch for their authenticity compared to the original. Otherwise, I liked the variety and the flexibility when it comes to choosing ingredients. 

The company claims to offer a mix of new recipes and old favorites, but in truth it’s difficult to know if and when new items are added to the menu. The sprawling selection of ingredients and different recipe combinations is big enough to feel endless.

Here are some of the dishes I tried from Hungryroot: 

• Lemony Italian Sausage + Broccoli Pasta: This is a comforting and flavorful weeknight dish. Al dente pasta is tossed with savory Italian sausage, roasted/sauteed broccoli, and a bright, zesty sauce made with fresh lemon juice and parmesan. While not the quickest recipe, it’s simple to prepare, and the result is a satisfying and well-rounded meal.

• Creamy Garlic Chicken Shawarma Wrap: A simplified spin on a street cart favorite that’s big on flavor and short on prep. With just 4 ingredients (pre-seasoned shawarma-style chicken, a colorful ready-to-use veggie mix, soft naan bread, and garlic sauce), it’s a quick and satisfying meal. This dish delivers bold, fresh flavors in minutes.

• Paneer Tikka Masala: This Indian-inspired dish features tender paneer cheese simmered in a flavorful tikka masala sauce, served over rice (I opted for Jasmine rice instead of cauliflower rice) and topped with fresh chives. Quick and easy to prepare, it requires minimal effort. While the sauce may not rival authentic takeout, this dish offers a convenient way to enjoy classic Indian flavors at home.

In my view, Green Chef is more focused on the culinary experience, as it lets you discover new ingredients, cooking techniques, and pairings. I like the menu, and I know it doesn’t shy away from more complex recipes that let you discover the world. While some recipes may take longer, it is a fun educational experience if you like cooking.

When testing these dishes, I wanted to focus on variety, so here are some of the most interesting dishes in my box: 

• 21-Day Aged Rump Steak and Pumpkin Seed Pesto: This one is a bold and intriguing dish that tries to balance contrasting flavors. The tender, aged steak pairs beautifully with sweet, roasted vegetables and a bed of peppery arugula, and the tangy combination of sour cheese and lemon adds brightness to the dish. Still, I think the garlicky pesto was a bit much, as it overshadowed the cheese a bit.

• Creamy Mushroom Truffle Linguine: If you like pasta, you probably made a version of this at home before (I know I have!). Still, I enjoyed the gourmet touches, like the rich mushroom sauce complemented by the earthy depth of Truffle Zest and the satisfying crunch of toasted hazelnuts.

• Harissa and Zhoug Cauliflower: If you want a flavorful vegan dish, you can’t miss this one! It features a perfect balance of textures and tastes, starting with the tender roasted cauliflower and sweet potato paired with a creamy sauce, spicy harissa, and zhoug for a bold, aromatic kick. Crunchy almonds add texture, while fresh arugula brings a zesty brightness to the mix. This one was my favorite!

Meal Customization: Both Services Offer Personalization Options

Hungryroot has more advanced customization tools, offering superior personalization options compared to Green Chef. On the other hand, Green Chef shines with its variety of specialized diet plans. For this reason, I call this round a draw.

Both Services Allow Personalization

Hungryroot provides a meal personalization quiz for customized meal recommendations. A downside is that you'll only see these suggestions after completing the checkout process. Still, you can modify any selections you're not satisfied with once you finalize the purchase.

Green Chef doesn’t have a meal personalization quiz. In other words, you choose your meals yourself, which may have its advantages. Many recipes support ingredient swaps, letting you customize individual meals with upgraded proteins. 

Hungryroot also allows you to swap ingredients or remove them altogether. For instance, when I ordered the Lemony Italian Sausage + Broccoli Pasta recipe, I opted out of the pasta and lemon since I had pasta in the pantry already, and I knew I could easily grab a lemon locally. This is a level of flexibility that’s not usually available with regular meal delivery services.

Menu Filtering & Browsing Options

Hungryroot has 1 of the most effective menu filters I’ve ever seen. It makes navigating the site and tailoring your menu a breeze. This is a necessity thanks to the massive number of items!

On the Recipes page, you can tailor a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or gluten-free diet, among others, in a single click. The service also has a Grocery filter, which filters based on Featured, Protein, Spice Level, and Dietary Needs – much like the Recipe filter.

Green Chef lacks a sophisticated filtering system. On the bright side, it has tags pointing out the key features of every dish. But you'll still have to check out for yourself whether the meal is, for example, soy-, egg-, or peanut-free.

Green Chef uses labels to bring unique and other special meals to your attention. These are Earth Month for meals containing sustainable ingredients and self-explanatory 10-Min Lunches and Chef’s Choice. A few Chef’s Choice meals weekly is a Green Chef outstanding feature. These dishes are ideal for a special occasion like a romantic dinner or some celebration.

Allergens & Other Mentions

Each company notes that it processes most (or even all) of its ingredients in the same facility. This leads to the possibility of cross-contamination even for foods that are supposed to be completely free of some ingredients. However, for gluten specifically, Green Chef is validated by the Gluten Free Safe Spot by the Gluten Free Food Service (GFFS). 

Otherwise, you might want to avoid using either company if you have severe allergies. Check out our 10 Best Allergy-Friendly Meal Delivery Services review for alternatives.

More Is Not Always the Best

In summary, Hungryroot has more advanced personalization tools than Green Chef. But, in my case, the quiz failed to produce a satisfactory result. 

At the beginning of the quiz, I mentioned that we are a family of 3 – 2 adults and a child under the age of 4. I pointed out that I want to get breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for each day of the week and some snacks and sweets.

The result I received was 4 meals (lunch and dinner) for 4 people each. Considering the child wouldn't eat as much as an adult, there would be leftovers for additional meals for us adults, which is fine. But given the large menu – and considering the detail and scope of the quiz – I was expecting a more personalized result.

Ingredient Quality & Nutrition: Green Chef Provides Certified Organic Meals

Green Chef is an undisputed winner in this round. Unlike Hungryroot, which sources organic and non-GMO ingredients whenever possible, Green Chef is a certified organic meal kit service. It’s also the first CCOF-certified (California Certified Organic Farmers) organic meal kit service on the market.

Green Chef works with local and family farms and craft economies. The company carefully selects its food production partners, prioritizing those who practice high animal welfare standards.

Both companies send you seasonal ingredients. They also steer clear of food containing artificial colors, preservatives, and other additions. 

Both providers make the ingredient details and nutritional values of the meals easily accessible. Click on the product, and this information will appear as soon as the window opens. Both competitors list calories, proteins, carbohydrates, and other values. But Green Chef does so more clearly than Hungryroot.

Ordering & Delivery: Green Chef’s Process Is More Streamlined

Green Chef wins this category because its ordering process is far more succinct than Hungryroot’s, and its delivered ingredients are better organized. The ingredients are even color-coded, which is hard to beat.

The Ordering Process Goes to Green Chef

Hungryroot uses a lengthy but pretty straightforward ordering process that consists of several consecutive filters. In my opinion, the questionnaire is too long and doesn’t really narrow down your menu unless you have specific dietary restrictions.

You have to go through about 2 dozen screens before you get to checkout without gaining much information for your time (it takes 10+ minutes). As an added “bonus,” you can’t see pricing or plans without going through the questionnaire and completing the checkout process. By the time you get to decide the foods you want in your box, you’ve already submitted your email address, location, and payment information. 

In comparison, Green Chef is more straightforward – and much shorter! It requires only 5 steps, which are selecting a plan, registration, address and payment details, and picking meals. While I appreciate the care that was put into Hungryroot’s quiz, I prefer the streamlined signup of Green Chef.

Both Services Deliver to Most Zip Codes

Hungryroot delivers to most zip codes in the 48 contiguous United States. At the current time, it doesn’t deliver to Alaska or Hawaii. Delivery times depend on the order finalization date.

I placed my order on a Monday and had 4 delivery day options (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). However, the available days for delivery vary depending on your zip code.

Green Chef also delivers to most areas in the 48 contiguous United States. It delivers Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 8 PM. You’re free to choose the delivery day that works best for you. 

Order Details Are Easy to Change

If you need to reschedule your Hungryroot delivery, you must make the changes before 7 PM EST on the Monday or Thursday prior to your delivery. It’s a pretty simple process. You just have to be aware that once the order is finalized, it can’t be changed.

If you need to reschedule or change a Green Chef delivery, you can do so on the Settings page or in the app. 

You can change the number of your servings, your delivery date, your email/snail mail addresses, your password, and/or payment information. You can also skip/unskip weeks as desired. Just make sure you make all your changes no later than 5 days prior to your delivery, 11:59 PM EST.

Unboxing: Green Chef Provides Recipe Cards & Color-Coded Meal Kit Bags

The Hungryroot box includes a paper cooler and food protector, ice packs, and your food. Aside from the recipes, you’ll get as many individual grocery items as you ordered. These can be snacks, fruit, or whatever. There’s more flexibility in what can go in your box, so there’s no strict organization system.

A Green Chef box contains all your premium pre-measured, pre-prepped ingredients, plus the easy-to-follow recipes required. The recipe cards and the kit bags are all color–coded. That makes cooking a breeze! Since its offerings are more limited and specialized, Green Chef can provide more convenient organization.

What’s Inside the Box?

Hungryroot ingredients are organized by temperature rather than by recipe, like Green Chef. The shelf-stable items are separated from the refrigerated items, which are packed closest to the recyclable ice packs to keep them safe and cold.

All the Hungryroot items are clearly labeled. Plus, since the refrigerated items come in a cooler, it’s easy to just store them in the fridge as soon as you get them. Green Chef is, likewise, clearly labeled with excellent storage instructions.

As a rule, all Hungryroot items that come in the cooler should be cold to the touch. If not, you should contact Customer Service to assist you. Otherwise, the items should be put in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

The same can be said for Green Chef and whatever perishable items you receive in your Green Chef order. Refrigerate them as soon as possible (by the end of the day on the day you received them at the very latest).

Both Are Eco-Friendly Services

Most of the Hungryroot packaging is recyclable. The individual items may require inspection for the details, but the Enviro Ice can be poured down the drain or into the garden. You can recycle the box, paper cooler, and protector with your cardboard.

All the Green Chef packaging is made from materials that are either compostable, reusable, or recyclable. The only exception is those cases in which food safety protocols prevent such. One such example is tofu sent in vacuum-sealed plastic wrap.

While most of the plastic bags are recyclable, I feel Green Chef could reduce its plastic use. I understand the need to use plastic for liquids and products that might leak, but veggies and dry ingredients can be wrapped in paper.

Meal Prep: Both Services Offer Meals That Are Quick to Make

This category was a tie. While Hungryroot offered some shelf-stable and ready-to-eat foods like smoothies and cereal, Green Chef excelled in providing pre-prepped ingredients. You can prepare the quickest Hungryroot meals in like 5 minutes and Green Chef’s in 10 or so. 

However, I recommend taking the cooking times specified on the recipe card with a grain of salt. First, Hungryroot recipe cards are quite minimalist, which can be challenging if you’re new to cooking. Green Chef offers more detailed instructions, but it also has more complex recipes that can be difficult for beginners.

Even if you’re an experienced cook, you should still add 5 to 10 minutes to the specified time. This is usually the time needed for ingredient prep, differences in oven temperatures, and cleaning. 

Both Companies Strive to Make Cooking Easy

You have to prepare Hungryroot meals from the delivered ingredients. They don’t come pre-prepped and frozen. However, you have the option of freezing the meals yourself, and they’ll last 3 months. 

I sent an email asking Hungryroot if the company had any microwave meals. The company said that it does, but when I checked the menu I couldn’t find any. If Hungryroot offers microwavable meals, they must be a rare occurrence.

Green Chef recipes often come with pre-chopped ingredients and pre-made sauces. This isn’t always the case with some vegetables, so you should still expect to do some chopping, slicing, and other preparation work when making a Green Chef meal kit.

Some Hungryroot sauces come pre-made or in packets that require you to mix them up. Even when some effort is required, it’s a far cry from making anything from scratch. Some types of ingredients, like broccoli florets, can come pre-chopped. And in some cases, you can substitute a whole veggie with a pre-chopped 1 (or vice versa).

Customer Support: Hungryroot Has Slightly Better Platforms

To be honest, I wasn’t impressed with the customer support of either company. Hungryroot provided a few options to reach its Customer Support department. These were email form, text, and a limited chatbot that simply searched the FAQs.

In contrast, Green Chef offered a live chat and a phone number. However, when I tried out Green Chef’s “live chat,” I managed to send a message through it but got no response. A few days later, I sent a similar message and the bot just pulled up an FAQ. I was never able to speak to a real person.

Although Hungryroot's Customer Support department wasn’t stellar, it won this category. If Green Chef had a live chat that was actually “live,” it probably would’ve won. But, as I never spoke to a human, I can’t really conclude if it was “live” or not. So, Hungryroot wins.

Pricing: Each Service Offers Budget-Friendly Meal Kits

This category is difficult to call because special discounts make the competing prices a little murky. In the case of Hungryroot, the final cost also depends on the number of meals the service suggests when you complete its questionnaire and your dietary habits. All things considered, I think a tie would be the fairest outcome.

Hungryroot’s lowest price per serving comes with the 16-serving (8 lunches and 8 dinners) meal plan at $8.99. You also get a discount (LIMITED TIME: 30% off + free gift in every delivery) for your first order, so the price per serving can be lower. 

For instance, I got 6 dinners with 2 servings each and paid $96, which amounts to around $8/serving after the discount for the first order. Without the discount, I would have paid over $130 total for an average price of $11/serving.

Green Chef has a starting price per serving of $11.99. However, you can get a discount for your first order (Free Salads for Two Months + 50% Off Your 1st Box), which lowers the price significantly for new customers. I always recommend using a code to try out premium services as it's the best way to work out if the quality is worth the money for you.  

Both companies offer add-ons, but Hungryroot’s offer is bigger and more diverse. This comes from the fact that Hungryroot is basically an online grocery store. However, you can’t purchase grocery items a la carte; you also need a meal plan.

Hungryroot offers free shipping on any order above $70 (which is most orders). Orders below $70 have a $6.99 shipping fee. Green Chef has a standard shipping fee of $10.99. 

The minimum order on Hungryroot is 6 servings (3 meals with 2 servings), which comes out at $70. On Green Chef, it’s also 3 meals for 2 people.

Hungryroot vs. Green Chef – Pros & Cons

Hungryroot

Pros

• A wide range of recipes

• Flexibility in customizing recipes

• Speedy and easy-to-make meals

Cons

• Recipes are pretty basic

• You can’t order just groceries

• Difficult to find new items

Green Chef

Pros

• Fresh, organic produce

• Recipes for specialized diets

• Prepared sauces, marinades, and some veggies

Cons

• A bit on the pricier side

• Customization options are limited

• No ready-made meals

Hungryroot vs. Green Chef – Quick Overview

And the Winner Is: Green Chef

My comparison was close, but Green Chef is the winner. I don't think you can go wrong with either competitor, though, it really depends what sort of meals you want and how you like to cook.

Being an organic certified meal kit delivery service works heavily in Green Chef's favor. It also takes the top spot on our list of the best organic meal delivery services. What's more, the service's eco-friendly practices, low carbon footprint, and reduced food waste play a significant role in its victory here.

Hungryroot leads in meal diversity, outpacing Green Chef in this regard. Its meal customization and filtering capabilities are notably advanced. If the quiz results had more accurately reflected my needs, I'd have found it more impressive.

Another thing to note is the user experience of each site. Whenever I visited the Green Chef site, it worked like clockwork. In the case of Hungryroot, I've experienced times when the site showed a "403 Forbidden" error message. The malfunction could last up to half an hour, which considerably affected my user experience.

FAQ

Are Hungryroot groceries expensive?

Hungryroot groceries might be considered expensive if you’re on a very strict low-income budget. Meals generally run in the $9 to $12 range per serving and the groceries themselves, when bought separately, probably fit best in a middle-class budget.

When you take into account the convenience of ordering from your computer, the savings in gas, and the low shipping cost, it’s entirely conceivable that the average American may actually find that they save money when shopping at Hungryroot.

Are Hungryroot meals healthy?

Hungryroot does provide healthy meals but it doesn’t market itself as a primarily health-oriented meal delivery service. Having said that, Hungryroot’s meals are perfectly fine in terms of health. It’s basically the equivalent of an online grocery store.

The company takes all the necessary precautions to keep its food within dietary regulations.

Is Green Chef good for one person?

Green Chef takes orders for at least 2 people, thus working best for couples and families. Having said that, there’s no reason why you can’t save the second serving for another day. Or, if you have a large appetite, you consume both meals in the same sitting. 

So, Green Chef is fine for a single person as long as that person knows they’ll eat each meal more than once or have an extra-large serving size.