Blue Apron Review

Wednesday, January 22nd

2025 High Protein Meal Delivery Reviews

Blue Apron

• Price per serving: Starts at $12.49
• Weekly meals: 6, 8, or 10
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Dinner
• Calories per meal: 400-500
• Grams of protein per meal: 30
• Number of recipes: Under 10

Blue Apron, established in 2012, was born out of a simple yet relatable frustration: the hassle of grocery shopping and meal planning. Who hasn't felt overwhelmed by the weekly grocery run and the endless "What's for dinner?" question? The founders aimed to simplify the food system, making it more accessible, sustainable, and community-focused. Their collaboration with farmers for quality ingredients and an environmentally-conscious approach reflects a commendable effort to improve our eating habits. The name "Blue Apron" is a nod to chefs in training, who wear said garment while learning. It's a charming touch, reminding us that every meal is an opportunity to learn something new.

Blue Apron offers promotional discounts...

Discounts can be a major draw, and Blue Apron knows this. They offer a hefty 65% off and free shipping for their first box to an array of professionals and students. However, during our visit to the Blue Apron website, there was a distinct lack of general discounts for the average Joe. Moreover, customer feedback paints a picture of caution: when promotions are found, they might not always be as straightforward as they seem, with issues like early expiration or unapplied discounts causing frustration.

...but you may not get them

Two customers shared their negative experiences with Blue Apron's promotional discounts. The first customer signed up for a promotion offering $110 off their first four box deliveries. However, they were charged $60.95 instead of the expected $33. They contacted customer service, who informed them that the promotion had expired before their last delivery. The second customer received an email from Blue Apron offering a $160 discount on their first four boxes if they re-opened their account. However, they were charged full price for their first box. When they reached out to customer service, they were told that the discount would not be applied, and no good reason was given.

Not as much variety as promised

Blue Apron boasts "80+ weekly options" prominently on their website, but here's the catch - this variety is spread across all plans, not within each one. For those looking at the high-protein plan, for instance, the options aren't as plentiful as one might hope. Also, for the breakfast lovers out there, you might be a bit disappointed to learn that Blue Apron focuses solely on dinner options.

High protein plan is only for microwave meals

Blue Apron's pricing strategy places it firmly in the average bracket for meal delivery services, with its Prepared & Ready single-serving meals priced between $13.49 and $12.49 each depending on how many weekly meals you choose (6, 8, or 10). This is where you'll find the high-protein plan (plainly titled 30g of Protein). Other services may advertise an "average 35+ grams of protein per serving," but you often find dishes with less than 30 grams - so we appreciate that Blue Apron seems to guarantee a minimum of 30 grams of protein in every meal. However, if you're into meal kits that you can prepare yourself, you won't find a high-protein option here, which might be a bit of a letdown for cooking enthusiasts.

Eat within four days

On the other hand, Blue Apron's Prepared & Ready meals are the epitome of convenience for those with a hectic lifestyle. These single-serving meals come with the promise of quality ingredients, non-frozen and chilled for freshness, and they're ready in a flash - under 5 minutes in the microwave or oven. It's a time-saver for sure, especially on those days when cooking is the last thing on your mind. However, keep in mind that these meals are best consumed within four days of arrival and are not suitable for freezing. While this ensures freshness, it does require a bit of planning to avoid waste.

Selection process is a bit of a hassle

When it comes to choosing your meals, Blue Apron could do with a bit more user-friendliness. Having to provide billing information before even getting a glimpse of the menu feels a bit backward. You can still browse the current week's meal offerings, but there's no way to specifically see the ones on the protein plan. The meals are clearly labeled based on which plan they belong to, but you'll have to sift through the ones that are not relevant to you.

Meal variety: could use some spicing up

We hope you like poultry - there are a lot of repeats of these dishes with only an enchilada dish for some variety. A few days with Blue Apron might look like this:

• Southwestern-Style Turkey with Brown Rice & Monterey Jack Cheese (400 cal, 32g protein) on Monday
• Chicken & Quinoa Grain Bowl with Feta & Vegetables (470 cal, 31g protein) on Tuesday
• Italian-style Grilled Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Pesto, & Almonds (450 cal, 30g protein) on Wednesday

Price is a little disappointing

For the price you're paying, you might find yourself wondering if these meals are truly offering something you couldn't whip up yourself at a lower cost. Preparing a batch of grilled chicken and veggies at the start of the week could achieve similar results without the hefty price tag. (Or if you're really short on time, there's always the option of going to town on a $5 Costco rotisserie chicken. With your bare hands. In the parking lot. Not that we're speaking from experience.) If a service is charging so much for pre-prepared microwavable meals, we want to see something fancier than a chicken breast and potatoes.

Transparency about sourcing is appreciated

Blue Apron scores points for transparency in sourcing their ingredients. They openly share details about their suppliers, ranging from local producers like Severino Pasta and Vermont Creamery in the USA to international ones like Rumi Spices in Afghanistan. This level of openness is quite refreshing and adds a layer of trust. However, for individuals with severe food allergies, Blue Apron might not be the best fit. Their facility processes a wide range of common allergens, and the nature of their pre-packaged meals means there's little room for customizing ingredients to accommodate specific allergies.

Buy from Market with no commitment necessary

If you prefer, you can also make purchases from Blue Apron's Market without committing to a subscription. The Market offers various featured meal kits, such as the Customer Favorites Meal Kit for $79.99, the Fast & Easy Family Meal Kit for $94.99, the Ready to Cook Meal Kit for $60.95, and the Wellness Meal Kit with 45 grams of protein for $60.95. Most of these kits contain 2-3 recipes with 2-4 servings each. These options could be a thoughtful gesture if you have a friend who is sick or grieving and you want to do something nice for them without committing to a subscription. Blue Apron also provides gift cards if you're unsure about your friend's food preferences.

Typical shipping costs

Blue Apron's shipping cost sits at $10.99, which is pretty standard in the meal delivery industry. While most deliveries go smoothly, there are typical instances of occasional missing items or damaged boxes. However, it's reassuring to note that customer service seems to be responsive and effective in addressing these issues. It's always a bit frustrating when something goes awry with your order, but a helpful customer service team can make a big difference in such situations.

Cancel 5 weeks ahead

Blue Apron offers a commendable level of control and flexibility in managing your subscription. The ability to skip orders up to five weeks in advance is a useful feature, especially for those with fluctuating schedules. Canceling or pausing your account seems straightforward and hassle-free, which is a breath of fresh air compared to some services that can turn cancellation into an ordeal. It can be done right from your account - no hoops to jump through except an exit survey.

Most reviews reference Meal Kits

When it comes to reputation, Blue Apron has mixed feedback. They have a "D-" rating from the Better Business Bureau, mainly because they frequently don't honor discounts. This is a concern and shows that they need to improve how they handle promotions and customer expectations. However, they have a 4.2 rating average on Trustpilot, based on almost 6,000 reviews, which is more positive. Note, though, that reviews are mainly for their Meal Kits, not their Prepared and Ready meals. One review we found does praise the quality of their microwaveable meals, saying they are the best microwave meals the person has ever had. This feedback suggests that while Blue Apron may have some operational and customer service issues, their actual product can be very satisfying.

Deception about promotions tanks their score

Blue Apron is not as bad as some meal delivery services we've seen when considering customer reviews. They are responsive to customer concerns. However, the high protein options are overpriced for what you get. There is a lot of repetition and not much variety or interesting cuisine. We appreciate their transparency about their suppliers, but we strongly disapprove of how they deceive their customers with discounts that they don't honor. This factor and the lack of variety contributes to their middle-of-the-pack ranking.