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The Best Recipe Boxes and Food Deliveries of 2023
Break out that recipe rut, once and for all
The market for recipe boxes and food delivery services has never been better. In fact, it’s so good that you need never step foot in a supermarket again, never mind jostle for the last sirloin steak on the shelf.
Whether you're after the finest organic meat, a one-stop weekly shop or even a dinner party menu done for you (well, sort of), there's a recipe box to tick all your boxes – and then some. And if you’re looking for that perfect bottle to serve alongside your meal, we’ve got you covered there too.
How we test recipe boxes
We tasked 10 households up and down the UK to cook up 10 different recipe boxes and provide their honest feedback. They didn’t hold back, rigorously scoring each on the quality and seasonality of produce, ease of preparation, flavour and delivery experience.
These are their picks, marked with the Esquire Approves logo below, plus a selection chosen by the Esquire editors.
Brindisa Paella Kit with Pan
Brindisa Paella Kit with Pan
Brindisa has curated a paella kit complete with everything you need to nail Spain’s national dish – and if you’ve sampled the authentic tapas at its London restaurants, you’ll know you’re in for a treat.
As expected, all the ingredients are first-class. We’re talking aromatic Arbequina olive oil, smoked paprika, piquillo peppers and Calasparra rice, plus an authentic paella pan worthy of any dinner party, but you’ll have to source your own fresh produce, be that shellfish, chicken or vegetables. If you’re looking for a gift for the keen home cook, this is tough to top.
Price: £49.99
Delivery: Nationwide, free
Feast Box
Feast Box
Ever tried to plan a dinner party and felt stumped by the starter? Join the club. Luckily, Feast Box has you covered; simply take your pick from the new weekly menu (the Korean has our vote, with spicy cauliflower wings, glass noodle stir fry and kimchi fried rice), don your finery and pour yourself a glass of something chilled.
Whichever sharing box you opt for, you’ll receive pre-portioned, locally sourced produce from Red Rickshaw to feed 4 to 6 guests, complete with easy-to-follow recipe cards. Take the hassle out of hosting, once and for all.
Price: from £45
Delivery: Nationwide, free
Mindful Chef
Mindful Chef
School friends Giles, Myles and Rob set up Mindful Chef in 2015 with a focus on fresh ingredients, local farming and healthy recipes. The aim is to get you to reduce your intake of sugar and refined carbs, so you’ll never find any pasta, bread or white rice in your big box of neatly packed ingredients.
Instead, you’ll get to rustle up organic meat dishes and experiment with plant-based alternatives that you’ve long shunned on supermarket aisles (shout-out to tempeh). The recipes are straightforward and well explained, the portion sizes are surprisingly generous and, what’s more, the team donates a school meal to a child living in poverty for every meal sold. Win, win.
Price: from £4.38 per portion
Delivery: Nationwide, free
Pasta Evangelists
Pasta Evangelists
Founded by Italian-British entrepreneur Alex Savellia and backed by the likes of restaurant critic Giles Coren, Pasta Evangelists has been making waves ever since it arrived in 2017. And it’s easy to see why.
Proudly made “by Italian hands every day”, the pasta is as fresh as it can reasonably be, the ingredients are largely sourced from the motherland and the authentic recipes are simple to make.
Our panel of testers tried their hand at a malfade with beef shin and Barolo wine ragu – something we’d tend to order at a restaurant, but never attempt at home – and it was seriously impressive, delivering tender meat with a rich umami flavour.
Price: from £7
Delivery: Via Ocado, minimum spend £40
Simply cook? If only it were that easy. That's why it's important to make any cooking you attempt as fuss-free as possible. This letterbox delivery service contains four ‘recipe kits’ (dry ingredients in pots, including pastes and seasonings) that you can use on your own ingredients, along with four straightforward recipes spanning global cuisines and flavours.
If you’re looking to shake up your weekly recipe roster but would prefer the flexibility to choose your protein and veggies, this is the recipe box for you.
Price: £9.99
Delivery: Nationwide, free
The Ethical Butcher
Reader, I had never heard of a lamb noisette before last week. But now I’ve got some. They’re big, and they’re beautiful. The Ethical Butcher’s particularly strong on lamb. A huge, boned, rolled lamb shoulder from them has been rubbed in anchovies, seared and roasted, and is still being reworked four days later, and there’s neck fillets too.
Sure, they do top quality beef, chicken, pork and game from farmers across the country who care about looking after the countryside – as well as curated boxes big enough to cover you for the foreseeable future – but buddy, this lamb is something else.
Men's Health Fuel
Brought to you by the muscular minds at Men's Health, Fuel is a new meal delivery service aimed squarely at your biceps. But unlike those protein shakes gathering dust at the back of your cupboard, this is food that's kind to your tastebuds too, with 180 restaurant-quality meals on offer, each designed to hit specific workout goals.
Whether you're looking to build muscle, burn fat or eat plant-based, there's a plan to suit, and you can pick your delivery days, to make eating healthy even easier than ordering from Domino's.
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