What this review covers
- The low-price model: fewer ingredients and less packaging
- Simple recipes and shorter ingredient lists
- Plans for two and four servings
- Digital recipe cards instead of printed cards
- Dinnerly's place inside the Marley Spoon group
Verdict
Dinnerly suits a buyer who wants a meal kit at the lowest possible price and is willing to accept simpler recipes and digital cards to get it. The trade is that recipes are less elaborate, ingredient lists are shorter, and there are no printed cards — recipes live online. It suits a budget-conscious household that wants dinner planned and delivered without paying for premium presentation. It does not suit a cook who wants elaborate recipes, or someone who prefers printed cards in the kitchen.
Pros
- Lowest price tier among major meal kits
- Simple recipes with short ingredient lists
- Less packaging than premium kits
- Two- and four-serving plans
Cons
- Recipes simpler and less elaborate than rivals
- No printed recipe cards — recipes are digital
- Menu narrower than the largest kits
What Dinnerly sells
Dinnerly sells weekly meal-kit boxes at a low price, achieved by simplifying the product: recipes use fewer ingredients, ingredients arrive with less individual packaging, and recipe cards are digital rather than printed, so the customer cooks from a phone, tablet or computer. Plans cover two and four servings, with a choice of recipes per week, and the menu changes weekly, spanning familiar dishes — pasta, tacos, stir-fries, grain bowls and traybakes — with cooking times typically stated as around 30 minutes.
Dinnerly is owned by Marley Spoon, and it operates in the United States and Australia, with availability varying by market. That ownership explains the positioning: Dinnerly is the budget sibling inside the Marley Spoon group, while Marley Spoon itself is the more polished, food-magazine brand. For a buyer, the question is whether the savings justify the simplifications, since the cooking experience is deliberately plainer than a premium kit's.
Boxes, digital cards and the simple kitchen
A Dinnerly box holds the chosen recipes with ingredients portioned per serving, with less individual bagging than a premium kit — ingredients for a recipe may arrive together rather than in separate pots — and chilled items in an insulated bag. Recipes are viewed online, which suits a kitchen with a tablet stand or a phone nearby, but it is a drawback for a cook who prefers a printed card that can get splashed without worry. Recipes assume a basic kitchen and use fewer steps and fewer ingredients than premium rivals, which also means fewer specialised ingredients to buy separately.
Orders are managed online with a weekly cut-off for changes, skips and pauses, and delivery days depend on the local service. The low price is the headline, but the per-serving price should still be compared at the household's actual box size, since introductory offers and plan sizes change the figure, and the digital-card model means there is no printed card to keep for repeating a favourite recipe offline.
Who it is for
Dinnerly suits a budget-conscious household that wants meal kits without the premium price, and it suits a couple or family using the two- and four-serving plans. It suits a buyer who is comfortable cooking from a screen, and it suits someone who prefers simple, familiar recipes over elaborate ones. It also suits a first-time kit buyer who wants to try the category at the lowest cost.
Who should skip it
Skip Dinnerly if elaborate recipes matter, since the menu is deliberately simple, and skip it if printed recipe cards are preferred — there are none. Skip it if the widest menu matters, since the menu is narrower than the largest kits, and skip it if a strict diet needs precise control. Anyone with a serious allergy should check each recipe's allergy information carefully online. This is general information, not medical advice.
This is general information, not medical advice. Anyone with a health condition, taking medication, or unsure about a supplement or dietary change should speak to a qualified professional first.
How to choose before you buy
Compare Dinnerly on total weekly cost, not just per-serving price, since the simpler recipes may need a pantry staple or a side that a premium kit would include. Check whether cooking from a screen works in your kitchen — a tablet stand or a printed screenshot solves it, but it is a real habit change for some cooks.
Try one week with a mix of recipe types to judge whether the simplicity feels like good value or like a missing course. If the recipes satisfy the household and the savings are real, Dinnerly is the right budget pick; if the household misses the premium kit's variety, the saving may not be worth it.
Research-based guide using publicly available brand and label information. Based on publicly available information; no testing or personal use is claimed here. Check the current label and price before you buy, as ranges and retailers change.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dinnerly?
Dinnerly is a low-price meal-kit brand that delivers weekly boxes of pre-portioned ingredients with digital recipe cards, at a lower price than premium kits.
Why is Dinnerly cheaper than other meal kits?
Dinnerly keeps prices down with simpler recipes, fewer ingredients, less individual packaging, and digital rather than printed recipe cards.
Does Dinnerly have printed recipe cards?
No, Dinnerly recipes are digital and viewed online, rather than printed on cards in the box.
Who owns Dinnerly?
Dinnerly is owned by Marley Spoon, and it operates as the budget sibling inside that group.
Is Dinnerly available worldwide?
No, Dinnerly operates in the United States and Australia, with availability varying by market.