Dinner's on Dinnerly—and it could very well be my new meal-planning sidekick
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Review: I Tried a Dinnerly Meal Kit and It Was Basic in the Very Best Way
Updated on Nov. 13, 2024
Dinner was an easy enough riddle to solve when I lived by myself. I’d make what I wanted when I wanted. But now that I live with my boyfriend, supper’s a little less simple. We have multiple food sensitivities and preferences to consider. And that’s not to mention the fact that we’re buying and cooking double what we used to. This adds up, both in time commitment and cost, which is why Dinnerly reviews initially piqued my interest.
The meal kit service claims to be affordable and flexible, but is it really? I tested it to see how it performs—and how it compares to some of my other favorites, Gobble and Green Chef. Then, to be sure, we tested it again—this time two years later, with the help of our expert Product Testing Team. So, how did this meal kit subscription perform?
What is Dinnerly?
Dinnerly is a meal kit delivery service specializing in so much more than just dinner. Like some other services, such as HelloFresh, Dinnerly has branched into breakfasts and lunches. Even so, the company remains true to what it does best: serving up hearty entrees, such as the apricot-glazed harissa chicken and seared cheddar bratwurst that I received, for as low as $4.99 per serving.
EMIKO FRANZEN FOR TASTE OF HOME
We Tried It
Dinnerly Meal Kits
Eat well (on a budget!) with this smart meal kit service. We've tried it multiple times and it still lives up to the hype.
Dinnerly Meal Kit Features
Each week, you choose from a list of more than 100 customizable recipes labeled with helpful signifiers such as “low-cal,” “easy cleanup” and “no chop.” You can also filter by tags including “kid-friendly,” “one pot meal” and “healthy,” making this a great meal service for families.
I was so impressed by the wealth of selections, which tops out at around 65 per week. Almost every meal has an alternative to suit your tastes. For example, there’s an Oklahoma-style smash burger available with either ground beef or ground turkey. The same goes for the oven-baked taquitos. This is so genius because it let me, as a customer, feel like I had control over my meal planning, even when using a service with a preset menu.
In each insulated box of hand-picked suppers, you’ll find all the makings you need for your meals (save a few staples such as olive oil or salt and pepper). Each box can contain as few as two meals for two people or as many as six meals for four people, depending on your needs. Plus, you can customize most dishes—things like replacing beef with Impossible Meat or doubling the amount of the proteins included.
According to Dinnerly reviews, the brand utilizes as little packaging as possible to save paper. Deliveries take place any day except Thursdays, making this a fairly flexible service. All ingredients for all meals arrive intermixed with one another, so you’ll need to set aside some time to sort them.
The online recipe pages include a description of the recipe, cooking time, level of difficulty, allergens, nutritional information, list of ingredients and tools, step-by-step instructions and a photo of the completed recipe. And, if you’re planning on subbing out your weekly grocery runs with this service, Dinnerly makes it pretty easy. It also offers lots of little grocery items like pre-made meals, snacks and additional produce. It’s almost like a mini grocery store!
How We Tested It
Unboxing
My Dinnerly box arrived on a Tuesday morning, but I didn’t have time to prepare the meals until Thursday and Friday. Despite this, the produce and other ingredients remained in tip-top shape—comparable to the quality of what I’d find in a produce delivery box like one from Misfits Market. Apron on and ready to go, I sifted through the ingredients to separate those for the apricot-glazed harissa chicken from those for the seared cheddar bratwurst.
To do so, I referred to the recipes on the website (I’m not one for phone apps). I was so excited to see name-brand fixings, like Bonne Maman preserves (a favorite of our Test Kitchen) and Schaller & Weber bratwurst, items I might not even splurge on at the supermarket.
Seared Cheddar Bratwurst
The brats and potato salad were estimated to take me between 20 and 30 minutes, and in all, I needed 34 minutes to get them on the table. Not too bad!
I will note that one of the excluded ingredients was red wine vinegar, meaning you needed to have some at home, and I’m not sure I’d consider that a universal pantry staple. Plus, the list of tools wasn’t comprehensive. The recipe page stated I’d need a microwave, rimmed baking sheet and skillet, but I also used knives, a cutting board, a microwave-safe dish, mixing bowls and more to dice the vegetables, chop the dill, cook the potatoes, prep the sauces and sear the sausages. All of these steps were clearly outlined for me on the recipe webpage.
For this dish, the homemade sauces made all the difference. I’m a major horseradish fan, so the creamy drizzle for the brats knocked it out of the park, and the dill dressing for the potato salad was tangy to the nines. They were incredibly simple to stir together, but nothing was quite as simple as microwaving the potatoes. Genius! As instructed, I popped the cubes into the microwave and then broiled them in the oven. This first step made certain the Dinnerly reviews delivered on their promise of a speedy supper.
Although I could’ve done without quite so much dressing on the salad and quite so much food on my plate overall, the dinner was absolutely delicious. It was filling, fancy-feeling and foolproof. It was as close to a 10 out of 10 as they come!
Apricot-Glazed Harissa Chicken
I have equally complimentary things to say about the chicken dish. It was incredibly straightforward and took me the allotted time of around 30 minutes. This restaurant-quality entree would be the perfect elevated weeknight meal. Plus, I really appreciated that the zucchini (and the potatoes from the last recipe) were loose within the box because it reduced the amount of waste. Produce doesn’t need plastic packaging!
2024 Tests
We originally wrote and published this piece in 2022. Since then, we’ve tested this service again to ensure our opinion remains current. Secondary tester Dylan Fischer found that our favorite things remained the same, including the cost and quality of the meals.
He tried the Japanese pulled pork rice bowl with green beans and steamed rice, creamy ravioli with spinach and Parm, Buffalo chicken salad, chicken shawarma burger and low-carb Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers with cheddar-jack cheese sauce. His favorite? The chicken shawarma burger.
“The entire time I was cooking the patties, the meat was very fragrant and aromatic. If you’re familiar at all with chicken shwarma, then you know this is a very good thing,” he says. “And the payoff lived up to the hype. The meat was juicy and tender, and had that slight bit of sweetness to it from the spice blend. The tzatziki sauce was the perfect condiment for the patty. Thick, creamy and just a tiny bit of zest. Combine that with the tomatoes and lettuce, and you have yourself an all-around very satisfying burger to eat.”
Pros
- Zero food waste
- Accurate preparation times
- Fresh, oftentimes name-brand ingredients
- Sizable portions
- Delicious final results
- Eco-conscious packaging
Cons
- No hardcopy recipe cards
- Ingredients arrive loose in box and require sorting
- More cleanup than some competitors
FAQ
How much does Dinnerly actually cost?
The weekly price of Dinnerly varies depending on the amount of meals and servings you purchase. The price will incrementally decrease the more you buy. For example, two meals for two people cost just over $44 per week, which equals about $8 per portion, plus $12 shipping. Six meals for four people, however, cost around $132 per week, which means each meal costs $5, plus $12 shipping.
Does Dinnerly have healthy options?
Yes, Dinnerly has healthy options, and thankfully, it’s very easy to identify them. When ordering, keep an eye out for tags pertaining to carbs, calories, gluten and dairy content, vegan or vegetarian status and more. Psst! Did you know there are meal kit services that are specifically keto, diabetic-friendly and gluten-free?
Is Dinnerly owned by Marley Spoon?
Yes, Dinnerly is owned by the same company as Marley Spoon, Martha Stewart’s meal kit service. It’s no wonder we love them equally!
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
Dinnerly has garnered a big fanbase, and members shout their love online in their Dinnerly reviews.
One reviewer of the tortellini marinara with pesto and Parm said, “If you can boil water, you can easily make this meal.” I’m not sure what could better underscore the simplicity of Dinnerly’s meals and recipe instructions.
If you’re not naturally inclined in the kitchen, fear not! A reviewer of the chicken shawarma pita with sour cream, which is flaunted as a “no chop” meal, called it “the perfect low-effort meal for the exhausted and unmotivated.”
It’s worth noting that other customers’ experiences with Dinnerly seem to be a mixed bag. Some users report quick and effective responses to their inquiries, praising the support team for resolving issues efficiently. Conversely, others have faced delays or difficulties with account management, such as challenges in canceling orders or updating their meal preferences. This inconsistency in customer service can be frustrating and may affect the overall satisfaction with the Dinnerly experience.
Product Comparison
Meal delivery services are here to stay, and because of that, there are now tons saturating the market. The most obvious comparison is to Marley Spoon, which is owned by the same company as Dinnerly.
Dinnerly seems to be the affordable option of the two, as the cheapest meals on Marley Spoon cost nearly $9. The meals on Dinnerly, though categorized with similar tags and labels, appear to be a bit more elementary, but there’s nothing wrong with that!
We could also compare Dinnerly to other services, such as Green Chef. Green Chef, unsurprisingly based on its name, focuses on sustainability by offsetting 100 percent of delivery emissions and 100 percent of plastic in each box. That being said, Dinnerly created less waste—including less food waste—than Green Chef.
Green Chef is also significantly more expensive than Dinnerly and even Marley Spoon. The cheapest meals are $12 per serving. Plus, there are fewer menu items each week, and I found the quoted cooking times to be less accurate.
Final Verdict
The Dinnerly reviews are in! Although it’s been a while since I’ve considered subscribing to a meal delivery service long-term, Dinnerly just might be the one to get me to do it. The customization options are unparalleled, and the recipes are so delicious. Of the handful of meal kits I’ve tested from various services, the seared cheddar bratwurst was a standout.
Plus, the numbers don’t lie. Dinnerly is shockingly inexpensive. Unlike many competitors, it actually costs similar to what a weekly grocery run would. I can confidently say Dinnerly is a kid-friendly meal service, ideal for small families and couples who are looking to spice up suppertime and cut down on food waste—all while sticking to a budget.
Why You Should Trust Us
We back all meal delivery service reviews, including this Dinnerly review, by testing from different Taste of Home team members with varying degrees of cooking expertise. Our testers’ needs, wants and budgets reflect those of the average shopper. We aren’t new to testing this product category, either. In addition to over a dozen meal kits, our team has reviewed meat and chicken delivery services like ButcherBox, Snake River Farms and Good Chop. Our testing extends to grocery services, like Misfits Market and Thrive Market, as well.
Product Tester and former editor Annamarie Higley oversees Taste of Home’s product testing team and daily operations in our testing lab. She and her team assess online trends, search traffic and audience engagement to determine which items warrant testing firsthand in our dedicated office space or our homes. This includes everything from kitchen appliances to beauty products to power tools. Knowing we sourced, saw and tested these products ourselves, readers can feel confident in our recommendations and, ultimately, secure in their purchases.
Where to Buy Dinnerly
EMIKO FRANZEN FOR TASTE OF HOME
We Tried It
Dinnerly Meal Kits
Serve up scrumptious dinners (and breakfasts and lunches) on the cheap with a Dinnerly subscription.
Purchase your first box directly from the Dinnerly website and consider the dinner dilemma solved!
