Over the past year or so, our editors have immersed themselves in all things meal kits – and we bet you have, too. A great addition to any busy schedule, most of them offer pre-portioned fresh ingredients with step-by-step instructions.

So we decided to hone in on the top 3 subscription services - HelloFresh, Home Chef, and Blue Apron. Each is chef-designed and provides convenience, menu variety, and ease of preparation. Plus, subscribers can pause, adjust, or opt-out at any time.

Based on our extensive experience we're prepared to weigh in on the great Meal Kit Debate.

Which of the 3 most popular kits is best: HelloFresh, Blue Apron, or Home Chef? There's a clear winner, so read on!

HelloFresh Overview

HelloFreshoffers 23+ recipes to choose from on their rotating weekly menu, with cuisines from all over the world. Korean Beef Bibimbap with Zucchini, Mushrooms & Carrots and Salsa Verde Enchiladas with Poblano Pepper, Black Beans & Monterey Jack are a mere sample of their tasty meals.

Recipes take about 30 minutes, and there are options for vegetarians, pescatarians, lower calorie meals, one-pot wonders, kid-approved meals, quick 'n' easy, and features a weekly gourmet recipe selected by one of their award-winning chefs.

All recipes have 6 steps max, and their Quick and Easy plan specializes in 20-minute dinners for easy cooking, and minimal clean-up.

Meals start as low as $7.49 a serving before any new customer discount – much cheaper than takeout.

Blue Apron Overview

We give Blue Apron it's due. Its offerings taste pretty good. (Try the Miso-Butter Steaks with Rice Carrots and Bok Choy if you don't believe us.) They have to be – their recipes lack choice so they can quickly become repetitive.

Throw in the fact that their recipe cards don't offer as much information as their competitors and the fact that the recipes are more complicated and take longer to prepare and clean up after…You're looking at a meal kit service perfect for someone with a lot of time but not so great for novices or busy parents.

A final note: Blue Apron's packaging is plastic-heavy – environmentalists take note. Meals start at $8.99.

Home Chef Overview

A really annoying and difficult-to-navigate website means details about Home Chef are tough to uncover. Even worse, you have to sign up and provide your email address and credit card information before you can access the site.

We finally discovered that Home Chef offers 20+ meal options a week in a variety of plans. Their Mexacali Cheesy Penne with Corn & Poblano is loaded with calories and carbs – and this is part of their carb-conscious menu!?! Something does not compute…

The 30-minute prep time isn't inordinately long, and the price per meal starts at $6.99 so it's economical. Here's the thing, though – you get what you pay for. Home Chef's ingredients are lower quality and – worst of all – bland.

Final Thoughts

There's a reason HelloFresh is America's #1 meal kit - it delivers on its promises. When it comes to quality and variety of ingredients, prep time, and taste, it's HelloFresh for the win!

The entire process from menu selection to delivery and meal prep is straightforward and simple. The ingredients are fresh and top-quality, and the meals were delicious.

And did we mention that HelloFresh is the first global carbon-neutral meal kit company? It's true! They offset 100% of their direct CO₂ emissions and use sustainable packaging. So it's good for you and good for the planet.

Home Chef and Blue Apron, you've got some work to do.

HelloFresh is extending an exclusive offer to our readers! Follow this link to Get 14 meals free across 5 boxes including free shipping on the first box!