Planning · 3 min read
Recipe boxes vs a meal planning app: which suits you?
Simon Coker, founder of Foray
Updated
Quick answer
Recipe boxes suit people who want pre-portioned ingredients delivered and are happy to pay for that convenience. A meal planning app suits people who want to choose any recipe, keep their usual supermarket and brands, and shop in store or online. Many people use a recipe box to learn new dishes, then switch to planning their own week.
How recipe boxes work
Recipe box services such as HelloFresh and Gousto send a weekly box of pre-portioned ingredients with step-by-step recipe cards. You pick meals from that week's menu, choose how many people and nights, and can usually skip or pause weeks.
How a meal planning app works
A meal planning app helps you choose recipes from anywhere, including its own library, your favourite creators and your own family recipes, then turns them into a shopping list. You buy the food from your usual supermarket, in store or online.
Side by side
| Recipe box | Meal planning app | |
|---|---|---|
| Recipes | That week's menu | Any recipe, including your own and ones from social media |
| Where food comes from | Delivered in a box | Your usual supermarket, in store or online |
| What you pay for | Ingredients, portioning and delivery | Supermarket prices, plus any app subscription |
| Portions | Exact amounts, few leftover ingredients | Supermarket pack sizes; leftovers can be planned into other meals |
| Brands and dietary needs | Set by the menu | You choose brands and avoid foods you don't eat |
| Packaging | Individually packed portions | Normal supermarket packaging |
| Best for | Learning to cook, trying new dishes, no time to shop | Families, budgets, favourite recipes, flexible weeks |
When a recipe box is the better choice
- You are learning to cook and want everything measured out.
- You want to try new cuisines without buying a jar of something you will use once.
- Getting to a shop is genuinely hard, and paying for delivery is worth it.
When a meal planning app is the better choice
- You are feeding a family or a household with different tastes.
- You want to keep an eye on what the weekly shop costs.
- You already have recipes you love, from creators, cookbooks or family.
- You want to choose brands, avoid certain foods or use up what is in the cupboard.
How to compare the cost yourself
- 1Pick a recipe box meal you liked and note the price per serving.
- 2Price the same ingredients at your supermarket for the same number of servings.
- 3Remember the leftover pack quantities: they are food for another meal, not waste, if you plan for them.
- 4Add your time: a planned shop takes one trip, an unplanned one often takes three.
Switching from a recipe box
Keep the recipe cards you liked: you can photograph them and import them into Foray. Start by planning three dinners a week from those favourites, then add a new recipe once the routine sticks. The 20-minute planning method is a good place to begin.
Frequently asked questions
Is meal planning cheaper than a recipe box?
Buying the same ingredients at a supermarket usually costs less than a recipe box, because you are not paying for portioning and delivery. You will have some leftover pack quantities, which are only a saving if you plan them into other meals.
Are recipe boxes worth it?
They can be if you value having everything measured and delivered, or you are learning to cook. If cost, choice or feeding a family matters more, planning your own meals is usually the better fit.
Can I use recipe box recipes in a meal planning app?
Yes, for your own personal use. In Foray you can photograph a recipe card and import it, then add it to your week like any other recipe.
Plan your week with Foray
Choose meals, get one aisle-sorted list priced at real supermarkets, and cook step by step. Free to start on iPhone.
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