{"id":1830125,"date":"2022-12-05T14:50:28","date_gmt":"2022-12-05T19:50:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1830125"},"modified":"2025-05-14T06:49:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T11:49:38","slug":"marley-spoon-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/marley-spoon-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Marley Spoon Review: I Tried Martha Stewart’s Meal Delivery Service"},"content":{"rendered":"Martha Stewart is known for her delicious recipes for everything from impressive desserts to everyday meals. But what if all the ingredients and step-by-step instructions for those dishes could be shipped right to your door? Well, they can!\r\n\r\nWith the same convenience as other meal kits, Marley Spoon<\/a> is a meal delivery service<\/a> with more than 100 recipes to choose from each week\u2014all of which can be part of a healthier lifestyle.\r\n\r\n\"If you're often relying on convenience foods or takeout because you're too busy, don't like to cook, or don't know what to make to fit your nutrition goals, a meal delivery kit can be a game-changer,\"<\/span> says Kelsey Kunik, a registered dietitian and founder of Graciously Nourished<\/a>. \"Choosing a meal kit that aligns with your health goals can make it simple to stick to your plan, even when you're busy.\"<\/span>\r\n\r\nAs a big fan of Martha's, I knew I had to put this service to the test. If you're curious about Marley Spoon reviews, I cooked through several recipes to see what this meal delivery service was all about.\r\n\r\n[SINGLE_AFFILIATE_PRODUCT superlative=\"We Tried It\" product_name=\"Marley Spoon Meal Delivery\" short_description=\"Marley Spoon meal delivery service, which offers dozens of meals per week, is a fresh, convenient way to keep your household fed.\" image=\"2065683\" image_credit=\"VIA MERCHANT\" pr_name=\"Marley Spoon\" pr_url=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=131817X1598243&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarleyspoon.com%2Fselect-plan%3Futm_medium%3Dnetwork%26v%3DAFF235W%26awc%3D6988_1734368930_f46c4bbcdb3491c108115303869dbf58%26CLID%3Dnet%26utm_source%3Daff%26utm_campaign%3DAWIN_US%26utm_term%3D78888%26source%3Daw\" pr_display_text=\"Shop on Marley Spoon\" \/]\r\n

What is Marley Spoon?<\/h2>\r\nMarley Spoon<\/a> is a meal delivery service much like HelloFresh<\/a>, Dinnerly<\/a> and Green Chef<\/a>. Each box includes the ingredients needed to make your chosen meals, along with an instruction card to follow. The options on the menu each week are recipes from Martha Stewart, with a focus on full meals with great flavor. Choose from 100+ different rotating options, including meals that are plant-based<\/a> and family-friendly<\/a>. You can also choose from snacks, smoothies and desserts.\r\n\r\nEach week, go online to choose your menu. From there, pre-packaged ingredients and instruction cards are delivered to your home. I knew the exact day my box would be delivered, but the perishable ingredients were still packaged in a separate cold bag in case they needed to sit for a while. It was simple to unbox and put ingredients away either in the fridge or pantry until I was ready to dive in and start cooking.\r\n

Marley Spoon Features<\/h2>\r\n\"We\r\n\r\nWhen you choose your meals on the Marley Spoon<\/a> website, you can select a plan for two or four people. You can also choose from two to six meals per week. My box arrived well-packaged, causing no concern for the foods that needed to be kept cold. The insulated bag and ice packs kept things fresh, and everything nonperishable was wrapped and stored in a paper bag.\r\n\r\nIngredients such as eggplant, red peppers, onion and sweet potato, as well as the packaged meat, came very fresh. Other ingredients, such as small squares of Parmesan cheese or a mini container of ricotta, were portioned individually, making measuring simple and eliminating extra food waste.\r\n\r\nThe three dishes I tried were far more flavorful and interesting than I anticipated, which makes me want to try more of what's on the menu. I love that the recipes aren't the same each week. At first glance, the pictures of the final product and even some of the methods seemed intimidating. However, each recipe was divided into six steps, with helpful photos of each step that made it easy to follow along. Plus, with the recipe and instruction cards, I now have the option to make the meal again on my own time.\r\n

How We Tested Marley Spoon<\/h2>\r\n\"Marleyspoon\r\n\r\nTo truly see what Marley Spoon<\/a> was all about, I tried multiple meals over the course of a week in November 2022. Then, to ensure the service still lives up to the hype, our Product Testing Team re-tested Marley Spoon in October 2024. Here's what we learned after over 10 meals and years of testing.\r\n

Ordering and Delivery<\/h3>\r\nWe found the Marley Spoon ordering process was pretty standard. To order, start by selecting the number of people you\u2019ll be cooking for (either two or four as well as the number of meals you\u2019d like to receive per week (between two and six). At this step, you can also select if you\u2019d like to make your box vegetarian. Next, you\u2019ll enter your zip code and email address, set up delivery details and payment information\u2014and then it\u2019s time to choose your meals. Your cart will automatically populate with their suggestions, but you can change it to fit your personal taste.\r\n

Dietary Restrictions and Special Diets<\/h3>\r\nThe Marley Spoon site proudly displays that it offers dietary-specific meals for those who are calorie-conscious, dairy-free and vegetarian. There are even \"gluten-free friendly\" meals\u2014however, it's hard to say whether there is the possibility of cross-contamination in the production facilities. Unfortunately, that's where the dietary catering stops. There are no available dedicated meals or plans for vegans, keto diets or allergy-friendly options. If your diet is restrictive in any of these ways, Marley Spoon may not be for you.\r\n

Cooking Time and Effort<\/h3>\r\n\"Sesame\r\n\r\nMarley Spoon's weekly menu typically displays the meals available that week\u2014the brand boasts over 100 options per week\u2014and sometimes includes the cooking time. More specifically, it highlights certain meals that should take \"under 30 minutes\" to prepare. That said, our experience suggests the suggested cook times are probably only accurate for seasoned home chefs prepared beforehand. In practice, these meals could take longer to cook\u2014a common complaint on forums.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the kits don't actually include all the ingredients you need for the meals. Many of them require you to have kitchen staples\u2014like olive oil, salt and\/or vinegar\u2014on hand. This could be frustrating for some users who aren't prepared ahead of time and poses a major roadblock for anyone unprepared. After all, you won't be able to complete a meal if it calls for vinegar and you simply do not have any in your kitchen. We recommend carefully reading your meal ingredients and instructions before you order so you can be prepared with those kitchen staples ahead of time.\r\n

Recipes<\/h3>\r\n[SINGLE_AFFILIATE_PRODUCT product_name=\"Skillet Beef Moussaka\" image=\"2028454\" pr_name=\"Marley Spoon\" pr_url=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=131817X1598243&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarleyspoon.com%2Fmenu%2F72019-skillet-beef-moussaka-with-tomato-eggplant\" pr_display_text=\"Shop on Marley Spoon\" \/]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe first dish I made was the Skillet Beef Moussaka<\/a>. In the box, I found eggplant, onion, canned tomatoes, fresh parsley, mascarpone cheese, Parmesan cheese and a specialty spice blend. The process of cooking this meal took a bit longer (and required more dishes!) than I expected, but the results were certainly worth it. The final dish was hearty comfort food full of flavor. I loved the combination of ground beef, eggplant and other veggies, and the seasoning was well-balanced. Another major bonus: I ended up with plenty of leftovers to enjoy the next day.\r\n\r\n[SINGLE_AFFILIATE_PRODUCT product_name=\"Italian Sausage Ragu Pasta\" image=\"2028455\" pr_name=\"Marley Spoon\" pr_url=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=131817X1598242&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarleyspoon.com%2Fmenu%2F139915-italian-sausage-ragu-pasta-with-ricotta\" pr_display_text=\"Shop on Marley Spoon\" \/]\r\n\r\nNext up was the Italian Sausage Ragu Pasta<\/a>. This kit was quick and easy, with red bell pepper, pork sausage, fennel seeds, cherry tomatoes, linguine pasta, fresh parsley, ricotta and Parmesan cheese included. The prep for this recipe was super simple, as well as the cooking method. I was shocked by how flavorful this dish was with so few ingredients. It easily stacked up to a restaurant-quality bowl of pasta\u2014a fantastic weeknight meal<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[SINGLE_AFFILIATE_PRODUCT product_name=\"Sheet Pan Piri Piri Chicken\" image=\"2028456\" pr_name=\"Marley Spoon\" pr_url=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=131817X1598243&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarleyspoon.com%2Fmenu%2F139908-easy-prep-sheet-pan-piri-piri-chicken-with-sweet-potatoes-brussels-sprouts\" pr_display_text=\"Shop on Marley Spoon\" \/]\r\n\r\nLast but certainly not least was the easy-prep Sheet Pan Piri Piri Chicken<\/a>. After first reading the recipe card, I didn't have high hopes for this dish. The method of broiling chicken seemed a bit odd to me, and I imagined such a simple dish might be bland. But it pleasantly surprised me. The box included shallot, sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, chicken breast, honey and a delicious piri piri spice blend. It required a bit of prep to chop the veggies and roast them in separate steps, but the results were amazing. The flavor of the seasoned vegetables and chicken, paired with the drizzle of piri piri vinaigrette, was incredible. I ended up eating every single piece of the roasted veggies in one serving\u2014they were that good.\r\n

Portion Sizes and Leftovers<\/h3>\r\nAs mentioned, Marley Spoon's meals are portioned for either two or four folks. This means they're not designed for leftovers. However, if you are a pair and you order meals for four, you'll be getting two meals per person per recipe. This is also a way to increase portion sizes, should you so desire. Another means of increasing portion sizes or ensuring you have leftovers is by adding side dishes, which are also available through the service. That said, the brand's meals are based on the US's standard dietary guidelines<\/a>.\r\n

Sustainability and Packaging<\/h3>\r\n\"Marley\r\n\r\nThankfully, Marley Spoon is very forthcoming about its packaging's recyclability\u2014just check out the brand's how-to recycling page<\/a>. For the most part, the packaging is highly recyclable. The boxes and produce trays are made from cardboard that can be recycled anywhere, and the liners are made from paper and plant-based foam. The films and bags (including ice packs, which need to have their non-toxic contents dumped in the garbage before recycling) are made of thin layers of #1 (PET) and #4 (LDPE) plastic, which are also recyclable but can take a bit more effort, requiring some customers to travel to a grocery store or recycling center to turn them in.\r\n\r\nAll told, Marley Spoon does appear to be doing its best to make its packaging as sustainable and recyclable as possible on such a large scale. Still, some of the packaging may be inconvenient to dispose of.\r\n

Ready-Made Meal Options<\/h3>\r\nAlong with the brand's cook-it-yourself meals, Marley Spoon also has a collection of ready-made meals<\/a>, which are even more convenient for those in a time crunch (or who lack culinary skills). These provide a quicker alternative to the meal kits and are designed for microwave or oven reheating. While they're not as varied in their ingredients and styles, they're an outstanding, quick alternate option.\r\n

Pros<\/h3>\r\n