Fresh Prep Review

About Fresh Prep

Fresh Prep delivers sustainable, convenient meal kits to your door every week. Offering a range of meat, seafood, and plant-based dishes, you can prepare all of the brand’s recipes in under 30 minutes.

Meal kits are an easy and accessible option for those looking for healthy, pre-planned meals. The increasing number of single-person households has also elevated the need for affordable, healthy, options. 

Plus, people like convenient dinner options since they have to spend less time at grocery stores or portioning foods. This topic is further explored in this study^[1] which compares the need for meal kits in single and multiple households. 

Luckily, there’s no shortage of meal delivery services these days to meet the needs of our modern households. If you’re looking to try out this service for yourself, Fresh Prep is a fantastic option.  

Loved for its high-quality, fresh, and locally sourced meals, Fresh Prep is no stranger to praise from media platforms like CBC, Food Network, Yahoo!, and DailyHive. And it currently has a growing following of 23k followers on Instagram.

Interested in shaking up the way you eat? If so, this service may help you do just that. But first, I invite you to read this Fresh Prep review.

Up next, I’ll answer some important FAQs about the brand and its service, reveal customer feedback, and help you decide if it’s the right fit for your appetite and your lifestyle.

Overview of Fresh Prep

Let’s be real here. In a perfect world, we would have all our meals planned out, fridges stocked with fresh and vibrant foods, and cleanup would happen at the press of a button.

But we don’t, and it doesn’t. In reality, oftentimes, dinner is an afterthought, and our fridges are barren wastelands with wilted lettuce, takeout packs of soy sauce, and lonely jars of mayo. And while Asian-style mayo on salad sounds like a way to get creative, the takeout menu on the fridge tends to look more appealing.

Sure, it’s an easy solution. But with takeout often comes plastic or styrofoam waste, sometimes high prices, and usually unhealthy food.

Fresh Prep was created by friends Becky Brauer, Dhruv Sood, and Husein Rahemtulla in 2014 after brainstorming ways to make cooking dinner a little more approachable, fun, and exciting. Taking the stress out of meal planning and prep work, the brand dishes out tasty, creative meals that come together in around 30 minutes.

But Fresh Prep wasn’t created to benefit you only. By sourcing ingredients from sustainable local distributors and using recyclable, reusable, and compostable materials, the brand does a service to local businesses and the earth.

The company contributes to both local and global causes by sourcing ingredients from sustainable distributors. 

The use of recyclable, reusable, and compostable materials is another factor that makes this service unique—especially since biodegradable technology and composting methods are less cost-effective today. 

Yet, according to this study^[2], biodegradable polymers have an important role to play in the future, due to their benefit to the planet. And for Fresh Prep to prioritize it now truly means they’ve put the earth first.

Chomping at the bit to find out what’s actually involved with this service? If so, I don’t blame you. But before we jump right into it, this Fresh Prep review will pause for a moment to fill you in on some highlights.

Highlights

• Range of cuisines to pick from, including 10 different meals each week
• Able to meet dietary preferences
• No limit on orders
• Lets you see a month’s worth of menus in advance
• Offers Zero Waste Meal Kits
• Can pause, skip, or cancel any time
• Get two free meals with your first order
• Fast, reliable delivery

How Fresh Prep Works

Fresh Prep believes that cooking should be fun^[3]. And, we all enjoy the eating part, so why should signing up for a meal kit service be any different? The brand’s service is super straightforward and starts when you create an account.

During that process, you’ll tell Fresh Prep your likes and dislikes, where you live, your hopes and dreams…all of that good stuff aside from maybe that last part. But then again, they seem like the kind of people that would totally hear you out.

You can also let them know your dietary preferences—like if you prefer vegan-only, are trying out a gluten-free diet, or have an affinity for chicken.

From there, they’ll whip up a plan for you, and you can go ahead and start picking meals. You’ll get access to 10 meals each week for the upcoming month, and you can add as many as you like to your delivery.

Once you’ve finished picking meals, you can add on sides, easy breakfast items, or juices to make your days that much easier.

Let’s touch on the topic of food preferences again. In this study^[4], researchers found that when it comes to nutrition, there’s a prevailing lack of variety when people only eat certain food groups. Young women, which was the group of interest, have been proven only to eat the same foods when having dietary preferences. So a meal kit may help diversify that same old routine. 

If this sounds like you and you’d like to shake up your weekly meal rotation then Fresh Prep could be the solution you’ve been looking for!

Need to skip a week? No problem. Pause? Sure. How about canceling? Yeah, that’s easy too. As I said, Fresh Prep is a friendly service that just wants to make you and your stomach happy.

Your prepped meals are sorted, organized, and shipped out in an insulated cooler bag with everything you need to make a recipe inside, including an easy-to-follow recipe card.

What’s The Fresh Prep Difference?

According to the brand’s website, Fresh Prep is “a more convenient and quality meal kit service” than others on the market.

What is it that makes them more convenient, and why do they consider themselves to be of higher quality? This section of my Fresh Prep review will answer those questions.

Let’s take a look at the first one, convenience. Since they pre-cut and portion ingredients, the service saves you time. And shipping all of it to your door saves you even more time, money (for gas, etc.), and the food waste itself.

You might be surprised to find out that food waste is a long-standing issue in a ton of households. This study^[5] discusses food waste in terms of both its environmental and economic impact. Many countries are working towards integrated modeling, to improve this situation. But in the meanwhile, it’s still important that individuals are more conscious of waste. 

If you’d like to do your part in solving this worldwide problem then opting for a meal delivery service could be the way to go. Let’s continue checking out what Fresh Prep has to offer.

Have you ever decided to get creative in the kitchen and dish out $30 on spices you’ll never use again? Well, Fresh Prep gives you those spices in each meal, so you can get creative without spending unnecessary money.

So how about quality? Fresh Prep says they put a lot of time and thought into developing recipes—meaning the brand creates meals with ingredients that make sense.

It also doesn’t prep ingredients that don’t sit well when chopped (such as avocados or tomatoes). However, it dices everything else up for you and promises that it’ll be fresher than what you get at the grocery store.

That may be because of how the brand sources its ingredients, the majority of which are local. Of course, locally sourced ingredients usually taste better and are of better quality.

What’s In The Fresh Prep Zero Waste Kit?

The Zero Waste Kit is Fresh Prep’s newest member of the team. Offering at least one menu item per week sent in these kits, the company aims to increase that number as demand grows.

The earth-friendly kit speaks for itself. It includes virtually nothing that you’ll throw away (food, plastic) and everything you’ll either gobble up or rinse and send back along with the box.

The Zero Waste Kit kind of looks like a toolbox of sorts (your toolbox for saving the planet, maybe?). With pre-portioned, removable containers inside, your reusable box is packed to the brim with everything you need for your meals, like fresh veggies, herbs, and dried starches.

For safety reasons, your meat will still come in plastic to be discarded—the brand can’t take a chance on contaminated food. But for every other container or soft piece of plastic, all you’ll need to do is rinse it with cold water for 20-30 seconds, then pop it back in the box when dry.

What’s On The Fresh Prep Menu?

Aside from eating, browsing the Fresh Prep menu is the most exciting part of the service. The brand makes it possible to view its menu weeks in advance, so you’ll always know what to expect and plan accordingly.

Customers can choose from a mix of meals inspired by a varying selection of Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican cuisines. There are also lots of good old home-cookin’ options. Basically, Fresh Prep serves up a solid range of meats, fish, vegetarian, and vegan dishes.

While everything on the menu looks fresh, creative, and scrumptious, a few recipes, like the Cumin Spiced Chicken Tacos, caught my eye. A Zero Waste Kit, the local, free-range chicken tacos are finished with charred corn salsa, lime crema, and crisp slaw and take just 30 minutes to cook.

My eyes also darted to the Marinated Tofu Sushi Bowls. This quick 30-minute meal is like a deconstructed sushi roll. It includes maple-soy, seared tofu, avocado, nori strips, and a pile of fresh veggies.

Because balance is the key to life, straight from the vegan dish, I eyed up the Vietnamese Beef on Chilled Vermicelli. This light, satisfying meal is full of flavor from the marinated cucumbers and edamame that are covered in a sweet, spicy, and salty sauce.

Overall, Fresh Prep’s meals are super healthy, packed with lots of vegetables and clean antibiotic-free meat, seafood, and plant-based proteins. Among its mix of light fare, you’ll also find fun favorites like ciabatta pizza, sandwiches, stews, and a heap of pasta.

Speaking of antibiotic-free meat, antibiotic-free food options are beneficial in many ways, including the conscious effort to improve the living conditions of livestock.  Plus, research has shown the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections within animals and how consumption may lead to antibiotic resistance in humans.

Of course, nowadays, many people avoid meat altogether and adopt a plant-based diet. And since these diets are extremely common, it’s important for any meal delivery service to provide meals that are high in nutrition and contain zero animal products. Luckily, Fresh Prep has plenty of plant-based meals on their weekly rotation.

And it’s no wonder why so many people are interested in vegan diets these days. Clinical scientists^[6] are finding that plant-based diets may help individuals reduce the number of medications they take for chronic diseases and how it’s considered beneficial in lowering diagnosis.

So, if you’re looking to improve your health by adopting a healthier diet long-term, Fresh Prep has got you covered.

Who Is Fresh Prep For?

Fresh Prep takes the hassle out of cooking, leaving room for just the fun. Plus, you get a delicious, home-cooked meal to look forward to. It’s a great option for anyone who wants to save some time during weeknights, who wants to take the guesswork out of mealtime, or who’d like to cut down on waste.

Even though meal kit delivery services already reduce food waste, Fresh Prep goes a step further with its Zero Waste Kits. This is a fantastic option for those who love meal kit services but avoid them because of the plastic waste they can leave behind.

Comparison: Fresh Prep vs. HelloFresh

We’ve seen HelloFresh everywhere—transit ads, delivery bags outside of apartment doors, TV, social media—you name it. It may be one of Canada’s most popular meal kit delivery services, so I was interested to see how my featured brand stacked up against it.

Browsing the HelloFresh website, I came across a hefty menu selection with 45 different recipes filled with a good variety of meats, vegetarian, and one vegan option. Some of its recipes can be customized to your preferences, and each recipe card clearly notes the time it takes to prepare.

My featured brand has just 10 recipes on its weekly menu, but its selection is similar, including vegan and vegetarian options. And, it has added Zero Waste meals on the menu—something its competitor doesn’t have.

Where the two services differ most, perhaps, is that Fresh Prep doesn’t offer specific plans. With HelloFresh, you can opt for Everything, Family Friendly, Smart Meals, or Vegetarian plans. However, at Fresh Prep, you simply select the recipes that look good to you.

Offering up to 3-4 meals for 2-3 people per week, HelloFresh dishes come out to $9-$12 per serving.

But unlike my featured brand, it charges a $10 shipping fee on all orders. It serves eight provinces, though, whereas Fresh Prep delivers to two. With that said, shipping is included in my feature brand’s meal cost of $10-$12 per serving, so in the end, you may be paying less overall.

Fresh Prep: What Do Customers Think?

Since there are so many different meal kit services around, deciding which one to sign up for may come down to things like its quality, freshness, and recipe selection.

In this section of my Fresh Prep review, I turned to the customers. Ahead, you’ll read a selection of feedback from a few different sources around the web that shed some light on what the brand’s service is really like.

Starting with Meal Kits Canada, I saw that the review site awarded the service a 98% rating—that’s an A+. What was it that impressed their team so much? Its delivery service.

Here’s a snippet from their Fresh Prep review: “What we liked about Fresh Prep is that they established their own independent delivery system, whereas many of their meal kit competitors in Canada have to rely on delivery companies such as Purolator.”

That’s actually a crucial point to bring up, as it helps the brand have more control of the quality of its deliveries, ensuring they arrive on time and that your meal kits get to you in one piece.

Unfortunately, other brands that outsource delivery services often have nightmare reviews when it comes to shipping, so I’m stoked that Fresh Prep has this going for them.

Next, I turned to Google to see if I could find a little more information on the brand’s quality. The search engine showed me Fresh Prep’s 4.5/5 star rating from 27 customers and rows of positive feedback about customer service and tasty meals.

This is one Fresh Prep review I came across that mentioned the quality of the meals: “My favourite meal delivery service! Their produce is always fresh and their recipes are delicious!” Great recipes and fantastic service make for a winning combo, and so far, this meal service looks like it’s one of Canadians’ favorites.

Next, I tried to find details about what arrives in each delivery. To do so I scoped out the brand’s Facebook page, which showed a 4.6/5 star rating and 152 reviews.

This comment from a Fresh Prep Vancouver customer sums up the whole service: “Love this service! Their recipes are awesome, portion sizes are great, delivery is seamless and their web portal makes ordering and modifying orders super easy.” What more could you ask for, really?

Other comments on the brand’s Facebook page mention fresh ingredients, “restaurant quality food,” fantastic selection, and stellar delivery.

Overall, it looks like Fresh Prep really does deserve that A+ rating. With high-quality food, variation in their menu, fresh produce, and reliable delivery, the brand has made quite the name for itself.

Is Fresh Prep Worth It?

Fresh Prep offers a rotating menu of 10 items each week. Even though that’s a smaller selection than some other meal prep services, it includes a nice little variety of dishes that include vegan, vegetarian, different meats, and usually a fish dish.

Like so many others, we really love the fact that Fresh Prep takes delivery into its own hands, solving one of the main issues that customers have when ordering meal kits.

Based on customer feedback, meal kit price, and the general outstanding quality, this Fresh Prep review thinks the service is worth the buy.

Fresh Prep Promotions & Discounts

Fresh Prep saves food waste, makes cooking a little easier, and is cheaper than takeout. But to make things even easier for you, delivery is included with every order, and if this is your first time with the service, they’ll give you two free meals. However, we have an exclusive code for our readers!

• Use code HONEST3OFF to receive 3 FREE meals!

Where to Buy Fresh Prep

The brand just added Alberta to its delivery locations, so get ready Fresh Prep Calgary customers! Live in BC or Alberta and ready to sign up? Head to FreshPrep.ca.

FAQ

Who started Fresh Prep?

Childhood friends Becky Brauer, Dhruv Sood, and Husein Rahemtulla founded Fresh Prep.

Who preps Fresh Prep food?

Fresh Prep meals are prepared by both people and machines. Its facility follows Good Manufacturing Practices, Food Safe requirements, and is certified by the CFIA. Its staff receives consistent training and inspection to make sure all safety guidelines are followed.

How does Fresh Prep source ingredients?

This Fresh Prep review found that the company works with local distributors and sustainable farms to get the freshest ingredients.

Does Fresh Prep accommodate specific diets or allergies?

While Fresh Prep works to design menu items that cater to certain diets—like vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian—it may not be the right service for you if you have extreme allergies.

Since it has just one facility that handles common allergens like nuts, gluten, soy, dairy, shellfish, eggs, and more, the brand cannot guarantee the food in your box will not be cross-contaminated.

What extra precautions is Fresh Prep taking to prevent the spread of Covid-19?

We all need to do our part in stopping the spread of Covid-19, and Fresh Prep is stepping up to the plate. The service has high standards for food safety and handling, deeply cleans its facility regularly, and asks that its employees wash their hands once every hour.

Requiring a tough scrub after employees use the washroom, when they handle raw foods, touch their face, garbage, compost, or swap between different ingredients, the service does its best to ensure zero contamination whatsoever.

In addition to those practices, which are already pretty standard in kitchen environments, Fresh Prep has arranged staggered shifts, extra delivery days, added breaks, and designated washrooms and break rooms for certain shifts.

This Fresh Prep review also learned that all staff must wear PPE while working and walking through the facility, including gloves, a mask, a hairnet, and a smock.

What’s included in each Fresh Prep delivery?

Each delivery will include fresh, prepped, chopped, and pre-portioned ingredients packaged in recyclable, reusable, or compostable materials. Alongside all of the Fresh Prep foods required for that meal, an informative recipe card is tucked inside an insulated cooler bag that you’ll return with each following delivery.

How do I order Zero Waste meals?

Fresh Prep is working on adding more options to its Zero Waste menu. The items are tucked into its normal menu, denoted by a “Packed in a Zero Waste Kit” icon at the top right-hand corner of the item.

All you need to do is select these meals when it comes to picking out your menu for the following week just as you would a normal item.

Can I skip a delivery?

Yep, totally, as long as you get your change in before Wednesday at 11:59 pm the week prior to your next delivery.

How much does Fresh Prep cost?

Fresh Prep pricing varies based on how many meals you order per week. The more you order, the more you save. On average, a dish costs $10-$12 per serving, of which, delivery and tax are already included.

What are returnable items?

Fresh Prep is a Certified B Corp, meaning that it takes sustainability seriously. The brand noticed that though there are a ton of different meal prep services, they all have one flaw—waste.

Fresh Prep sends your weekly meals in materials that are designed to be reused, like cooler bags, plastic packaging, and all items in its Zero Waste Kit. Not everything it sends you can be returned, but some can.

For a list of all items that can be sent back, refer to the list below:

• Cooler Bag
• Soft Plastic (that have been rinsed)
• Fresh Prep salad & other packaging (be sure to rinse these too)
• Zero Waste Kit—all cups and lids (rinsed)

Is there a time commitment for a Fresh Prep subscription?

Fresh Prep is pretty flexible when it comes to memberships. Though the service is subscription-based, you can sign up for a week then cancel if you really want to, or stay on for several months to get the full experience.

How to Contact Fresh Prep

If you need any other information that wasn’t included in this Fresh Prep review, use any of the contact methods listed below to get in touch with the brand directly.

• Phone Toll-Free: 1(800)808-4997/ BC: (604)569-2699 / AB: (403)800-3001
• Email: [email protected]

Interested in working with the brand? Check out Fresh Prep careers at the bottom of the brand’s webpage.

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If you are looking for more ways to get meals delivered to your home, here are a few other options to consider:

Factor 75

Blue Apron Weight Watchers

Everytable

Veestro

Gobble