Meal Plan Kits in 2024: Revolutionizing Convenience, Nutrition, and Sustainability

Meal kit delivery services (MKDS) are subscription-based platforms where consumers select weekly meals via a website or app and receive pre-measured fresh ingredients and simple recipes. These meal boxes, delivered regularly to households, offer a convenient way to adopt climate-friendly diets, shifting from animal-based to more plant-forward meals. Providers can adjust the box composition dynamically based on sales trends, experimenting with food items and tastes while considering lifestyle preferences [1][2][3]. 

Key words: Meal plan kit, Meal kit delivery services (MKDS), Meal boxes, Home – cooked meals, ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat, online platforms, food. 

Cooking and eating at home can improve public health nutrition and encourage healthy eating habits. Studies have shown that regularly eating at home-cooked meals is linked to better diet quality for both adults and children [4]. Meal kit delivery (MKD) services have become increasingly popular, with more people using them in recent years. MKD is a subscription service that provides pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step instructions for making home-cooked meals. It is part of the broader Online Food Delivery (OFD) sector, which includes services ranging from ready-to-eat meals delivered from restaurants (e.g., DoorDash) to ready-to-cook meal kits that require varying levels of preparation at home. MKD has gained popularity as an alternative to grocery shopping [5].The meal kit market has been growing quickly, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.4% from 2023 to 2024. This growth is driven by factors like cultural diversity, the rise of convenience-focused lifestyles, and increased demand for healthy, fresh meals [3]. Research on MKD usage is still in the early stages, with early studies focusing on its environmental impact, as well as its health and nutritional effects. Recent studies have also highlighted the importance of consumer value in choosing meal kits [5].  

Meal kits primarily fall into two categories: fresh food and processed food kits. Processed food kits undergo processing to extend shelf life. These kits are distributed through various channels, including hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty food stores, small grocery stores, and online platforms. They are also available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. [3]  

Research on meal kit consumers has focused on factors like their purchase status, intention to buy, preferences, characteristics, and the usefulness of meal kits. Studies have shown that meal kit purchases, and consumption vary based on demographic factors such as age, gender, income, occupation, education, and household composition. Among these, personal factors like income and education are the key influences on whether consumers use meal kits. When it comes to purchasing food, the most important factors consumers consider are food quality, safety, and price. These same factors also affect their decision to buy meal kits, their intention to purchase, and their satisfaction with the service. Additionally, consumers often focus on nutritional value, price, health benefits, convenience, environmental sustainability, and packaging when choosing meal kits [6]. 

• Meal kits simplify meal prep by eliminating planning, shopping, and ingredient prep. Designed for two or four people, they reduce food waste by providing exact portions [7][8]. 
• They are healthier than fast food, using fresh, additive-free ingredients and offering balanced meals [7]. 
• However, meal kits are often more expensive than traditional grocery shopping, making them less affordable for some [8]. 
• Excessive packaging for individual meals and ingredients raises environmental concerns [8].