CookUnity is a meal delivery service that sets itself apart with “small batch meals crafted by top culinary talent.” On their website, they list the names of over 50 partner chefs, including the likes of Akhtar Nawab, Marc Forgione, and Pat LaFrieda. As a guy in NYC who often doesn’t have the time or inclination to cook, I was looking for a service that could offer the following:

1. Meals that are “healthy” in the sense of fresh, whole ingredients, but don’t necessarily have to check any low-carb, vegetarian, or paleo boxes.

2. Meals that were large enough to actually be satiating for dinner

3. A price point that would be significantly lower than delivery

4. And most importantly, meals that tasted good!

In short, CookUnity fits the bill – and to an extent that I’ve never experienced with other meal delivery services. I’ll use this review to describe the food (of course), but also describe the ordering and shipping process, which I believe CookUnity does better than most. Ok, let’s get started.

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Ratings Breakdown

‍Taste ★★★★

CookUnity offers food that tastes better than any food delivery service I’ve tried before. It takes a few weeks to find your faves on the menu, but when you do, you can count on your choices.

Quality ★★★★★

CookUnity meals are made with almost all whole and natural ingredients. Ingredients and sourcing are transparent for all meals. You won’t see any preservatives or unpronounceable additives here.

Price ★★★

In short, CookUnity is pricey. The headline price for my 4 meal plan is $13.59/meal. With “shipping taxes and fees” through, this comes out to $18.33 — significantly more expensive than cooking, but still cheaper than delivery.  

Experience ★★★★★

The experience of signing up and then choosing meals weekly is easy and consistent. CookUnity is constantly offering new recipes. When I have had questions about my order, support has typically responded within a few hours. 

Dietary Flexibility ★★★★★

CookUnity caters to your diet and allows you to filter by meals by diet type: Paleo Vegetarian, Keto, Vegan Low Carb, Low Calorie, Pescatarian, and Mediterranean. You can filter by meals you’ve tried, favorites, and chefs and sort by calories, fat, carb, sodium and customer review.

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What is CookUnity?

CookUnity is a subscription-based meal delivery service that delivers chef designed meals to your home. Meals are delivered fresh in a fabric zipper container and chilled with ice packs. The company offers to pick up your empty packaging and ice packs when you receive your next delivery. 

The service does cater to various dietary preferences, allergies, and restrictions. They have a rotating menu, and introduce new meals every week. The company offers a wide variety of dishes and cuisines to choose from – 134 different recipes at last count!

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Signing Up, Choosing Meals, and Receiving Deliveries

Signing up for CookUnity is straightforward. After creating an account, I was presented with an array of subscription plans, ranging from 4 to 16 meals per week, and $13.49 to $10.49 per meal, respectively. (But do note, they add additional fees for shipping and taxes!")

The website's design, particularly on mobile, made it easy to browse through various dishes, with clear images, descriptions, and nutritional information provided for each meal. However, do note that some meals cost extra – as much as $9.99 in some cases.

The delivery process is consistent. I chose my delivery day (Friday) andI received a tracking number when my meals were shipped and SMS updates on my delivery day.

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The Food

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Of course, the actual food is the most important part of any meal delivery service. Check out the unboxing above before we dive in.

I’ll review the meals in my last delivery, and also keep this review updated as I try additional meals. When choosing meals, I actually sort by calories and scroll to the bottom so I can be sure that each of the meals I receive will be filling enough for dinner. While microwaving is an option, I typically follow the oven directions (I use a toaster oven — it's a perfect fit) to best maintain flavor and texture. You'll notice the different branding on some of the meals. I'm guessing CookUnity is just transitioning slowly to a more bold colorful look.

Levantine Chicken Bowl ★★★★★

This chicken bowl is one of my favorites, especially when I want to feel particularly healthy. This is like a Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl with a Middle Eastern twist. Tender chicken breast is marinated in muhammara, a spicy-sweet Levantine dip made from roasted red peppers and walnuts. Baby kale, spinach, quinoa, toasted almonds, and dried currants add A LOT of bright, complex flavor and textures that really work together! But my fave part is the tahini. Unassuming in its little tub, it’s creamy, rich, flavorful, and brings all the ingredients together.

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Chicken Tikka Masala and Roasted Chickpea Daal ★★★

I love Indian food, and I was really excited to try this healthier take on chicken tikka, a meal that combined tikka seasoned chicken with the roasted chickpea dal. I’ve gotten this meal a couple times – despite the promise of the tikka (a spiced yogurt mixture) it was actually quite bland the first time. Both the chicken and daal were under seasoned.

I’m not sure if my first time was a fluke or they improved the recipe, but on my second try, the flavors of the tender chicken, marinated in the rich, aromatic tikka masala sauce, really came through. The roasted chickpea daal tasted fresh with the right amount of firmness. My first meal was a two and the second a 4, so we’ll score it a 3 until I try it again.

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BBQ Chicken and Gooey Mac n' Cheese ★★★★★

The BBQ Chicken and Gooey Mac n' Cheese lived up to its billing as a comforting and indulgent meal. The tender and juicy leg of chicken is smothered in a tangy, sweet BBQ sauce. It’s served over a bed of creamy and crunchy mac and cheese, made with a blend of three cheeses and topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs. This meal is hearty and very satisfying, but definitely one with a higher count of sugar and carbs.

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Savory Crepes with Creamy Spinach ★★★★

This dish features golden brown crepes (after heating) filled with spinach, swiss cheese, and a savory mushroom pan sauce, and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It’s a vegetarian dish that would do well as a brunch or lunch option. The crepes are light and the filling quite hearty and flavorful. I am a big crepe fan: the flavors were spot on, but as you can imagine, crepes are not the best pre-prepared foods: I’d love if this was crispier: maybe packaging the crepes separately?

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Vs. The Competition

This review is definitely not a head to head competition but I did want to mention my experiences with CookUnity vs. some competitors. I’ve tried Freshly (recently shut down after its acquisition by Nestle), which paired mostly bland, sometimes processed food with small portions – definitely not restaurant quality. Factor, a brand that focuses on clean food, was interesting, but at the time laser-focused on keto and general low carb options (the main ingredient in some of my meals included “heavy cream.”) Factor definitely puts a premium on low-carb eater, and I would not be able to eat their meals more than a couple times a week.

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The Verdict

CookUnity has become a part of my weekly routine. The proof is in my membership: I’ve been a subscriber for over a year. That’s a claim I can’t make about any other meal delivery service I’ve tried. The food is tasty, high quality, and packaged well. I’ve been satisfied with the customer service experience and ability to filter by my preferences. The only real downside is a big one: and that’s price. But if CookUnity works for your budget, it’s almost definitely your best choice!

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