My role mainly involved dicing and preparing raw vegetables, cooking grains and meats, and assembling the final dish using the sauces and portioned pantry ingredients such as nuts and dried fruit. As an experienced chef, it felt very manageable to prepare exactly the given amount and not keep track of anything more complicated than cooking grain alongside brown meat. I didn't have to dig deep for ingredients from my own stores - just salt, pepper and cooking oil. I didn't need much special equipment either. One recipe called for a pan from stovetop to oven, but I could have improvised if I didn't have one.
While I don't think all of the cooking was beginner level, I loved Green Chef's meal kits as a way to learn more about different cooking methods. One problem with one recipe was that the cooking method didn't quite match the ingredients, and I ended up with a dry chicken breast because I had cooked it to the full recommended time. Overall, though, the recipes were easy to read and the instructions easy to follow. Nothing was terribly difficult to pull off, but I definitely got my hands dirty, which is part of the fun.
The easiest dish to prepare was the Creamy Truffle-Herb Linguine, which essentially just involved boiling the pasta and preparing a very simple sauce with mushrooms, truffle butter, peas and a creamy sauce base. It took less than the allotted 30 minutes, and the only prep work was cleaning and slicing the mushrooms.
The corn and bean stuffed peppers were the opposite and required the most preparation, including cleaning and chopping the vegetables, preparing the rice, making the filling, making the base, and filling and cooking the peppers . It was still within the range of the suggested time frame, but if you don't study quickly it could easily take longer. However, I was grateful that all dishes, including this one, came with prepared sauces.
Each of the remaining dishes had multiple components to juggle. They didn't feel as challenged and didn't get as good at cooking to feel fulfilled, but they came together without much friction.
For the Fajita Style Seasoned Shrimp and Steak Tacos, I cooked the two proteins separately on the stovetop, preparing the steak first while I put the vegetables in the oven. This was very clever and efficient. None of the elements were overcooked or undercooked and they were all ready to eat at about the same time. The recipe also called for reheating the tortillas, which was a nice touch.
The Herbed Turkey and Kale Bulgur Bowls required quite a bit of knife work, but none of it was very complicated and would be a great learning experience for a newbie. If you've never cooked whole grains before, this meal provides a great lesson. Aside from these tasks, the rest involved browning the meat and sautéing the kale while assembling the bulgur base. The two included seasoning sauces lifted this dish, neither requiring any more work than opening the package.
The only dish that gave me any trouble was the Mediterranean Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Pepita Pesto, although taste-wise it ended up being a favorite. This was largely due to the thin pieces of chicken provided. The recipe calls for a stovetop sear and an oven finish, which left the chicken a bit dry, but this cooking method would have made sense for a thicker cut. However, the Brussels sprouts turned out fantastic and I would absolutely order this dish again, but make my own adjustments to the cooking time. This dish was the only one that required a pan from stovetop to oven, something not every household has, so the method felt extra unnecessary.
Tasting the meals
Flavor was not lacking in the Green Chef meals and there was always a striking profile that was balanced and robust. However, the overall saltiness and spices were a bit strong. But you can always leave out some of the sauces or add a little less salt.
In terms of cooking time and texture, almost every dish was perfect. Aside from the slightly dry chicken in one meal, the meat was juicy; the vegetables were spicy; and every meal was filling and satisfying. I would consider reordering some of my favorites or trying those recipes to recreate them at home. I could even see myself ordering some of the meals that weren't at the top of our list and making substitutions more to our liking.
The Fajita Style Shrimp and Steak Tacos were a firm favorite at my house, although we agreed it could have used a side dish. The tacos were flavorful and juicy, and the instructions didn't dry out the meat at all.
Our next favorite was the Mediterranean Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Pepita Pesto. While I would have liked a carb component, this meal was one of the low-carb options. It was satisfying and packed with spicy, nutty flavors. The pesto had a lot of punch and the mix of feta and almonds with the Brussels sprouts added extra richness.
Third on the list: Herbed Turkey and Kale Bulgur Bowls. I'm a fan of whole grains and I really enjoyed this. The prepared sauces gave the nutty bulgur a spicy kick, and the apricots and pistachios provided a nice textural contrast. In general, I would happily eat this or something similar every day.
While they didn't necessarily taste bad, we didn't like the creamy truffle herb linguine and corn and bean stuffed peppers. Some in my house liked the pasta, and I didn't find the truffle flavor very overpowering, but others didn't like the truffle flavor. The stuffed peppers just didn't offer much texture or flavor.
Nutritional quality of the meals
As a dietitian and food industry professional, I am always very attentive to both the quality of the food and to marketing and health claims that require creative freedoms. Health-wise, what I liked about Green Chef were the whole grains and legumes, lean and heart-healthy proteins like fish, and the amount of vegetables in the meals I chose and the menu as a whole. These ingredients are associated with positive overall health outcomes in people who follow a more Mediterranean diet, particularly cardiovascular health. Not only are these ingredients sometimes challenging to incorporate into our diet, but they can also be difficult to find in meal packages. That's why I love Green Chef's approach.
On the other hand, as I have often seen with meal kits, there is a lot of sodium in Green Chef meals, both in the ingredients and in the seasonings during preparation, such as salting pasta water. Most Americans consume more sodium than recommended, which can be a problem. Higher dietary sodium intake is increasingly a concern for people with high blood pressure (hypertension), particularly and also because of its association with cardiovascular risk, even in healthy adults.
I would have liked to see some more information on how Green Chef defines its labels for gut and brain health, Mediterranean menus and high protein menus - I couldn't find much specific information on the website. In the absence of evidence-based guidance, we cannot be certain that these claims are not misleading. That said, full nutritional information, including allergen information, is easily accessible for all dishes during menu selection, allowing those with dietary restrictions or concerns to make informed choices.
Overall, my recommendation is to do your due diligence and review the nutritional information available. Also make sure you can balance some of the nutrients in these meals while making other daily choices. One meal won't necessarily make or break your health; it is the overall picture that is important.