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CookUnity Review: Is This Meal Delivery Service Right for You?

CookUnity is a great, if pricey, prepared meal delivery service that mails you fresh meals for a variety of different palates, cuisines and budgets.
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If you’re intrigued by meal kit delivery, but just don’t have the time to cook, a prepared meal delivery might be the best option for you. CookUnity delivers fresh, single-serve, prepared meals right to your door. Let’s explore what CookUnity meal delivery involves and whether it is the right fit for you.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

CookUnity At a Glance

  • CookUnity delivers fresh (not frozen) prepared meals to your home in sustainable, compostable, recyclable and reusable packaging. Even the ice packs are environmentally friendly.
  • CookUnity meals are packaged in one-serving containers, making this a great option for people living alone.
  • CookUnity offers meals from many different cuisines and to suit many dietary needs and preferences. It has meals that are allergen-friendly, vegan, paleo, dairy-free, low calorie, gluten-free and more.
  • The more meals you buy per week, the cheaper the cost of each individual meal.
  • Nutritional information is included for each meal.

Pros

  • Tons of meal choices for many different diets and food preferences, including plant-based and vegan meals
  • Restaurant-quality meals created by up-and-coming chefs
  • Flexible meal delivery options; choose your own delivery day
  • Delivery to 47 states
  • Sustainable, reusable and recyclable packaging
  • Two ways to reheat

Cons

  • Portion sizes vary between meals
  • Some meals last in the fridge or freezer better than others, so choosing your delivery options for the week involves some planning
  • Single serving options aren’t ideal for couples or families

What Is CookUnity?

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CookUnity is a subscription service that delivers fresh (not frozen) prepared meals to your home in single-serving portions. It offers meals from many different cuisines such as Korean, Creole, Mediterranean and more. You can easily use its website to browse meal options by dietary preference or restriction, though you can’t see the full menu until you make an account.

CookUnity meals are delivered fully prepared, meaning you only need to reheat them to eat. Each meal comes with two sets of heating instructions, a fast method (with microwave instructions) and a chef’s method (which often involves heating different meal components with different methods, such as the stove or a double boiler). Using the chef’s method to reheat your food will take a bit longer and involve more kitchen equipment, but the food will taste better. You can find both heating instructions written on your food packaging and via web link through the QR code on the packaging.

CookUnity offers add-on options like desserts, snacks and breakfast meals.

How Does CookUnity Work?

CookUnity is a meal subscription service. You commit to receiving a certain number of pre-made meals (four, six, eight, 12, 16) per week. When you order a larger number of meals, the cost per meal goes down. You can change your subscription, skip a week or cancel at any time. You are also able to choose your preferred delivery day to receive your meals on the day most convenient for you.

CookUnity Meals

CookUnity stands out for its commitment to featuring chefs who cook many different cuisines. You’ll find meals from cuisines like Japanese, Korean, American, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Chinese, Italian, Mexican and more. We like that these meals also work for folks with allergies or dietary preferences. CookUnity has meal options that are vegetarian, vegan, high in protein, low-calorie, dairy-free, paleo, keto, gluten-free and more. Some popular meals include:

  • Shrimp Moilee Coconut Curry with Tomato Pepper Chutney and Curry Leaf Rice
  • Udon Noodle Soup with Shrimp with Vegetables and Puffed Tofu
  • Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl with Green Tahini-Herb Sauce
  • Spicy Braised Short Ribs with Glass Noodles and Roasted Potatoes, Carrots and Shishito Peppers
  • Marinated Chicken Shawarma over Pearl Couscous with Caramelized Onions and Pickled Red Cabbage
  • Chicken Patties with Sweet Potatoes with Lemon Aioli and Sweet Potato Fries
  • Chicken Tinga Tacos with Fresh Guacamole

CookUnity Pricing

Since CookUnity is a subscription, you’ll get a better price the more meals you buy at once.

  • For four meals per week, you pay $13.59 per meal
  • For six meals per week, you pay $12.29 per meal
  • For eight meals per week, you pay $11.69 per meal
  • For twelve meals per week, you pay $11.19 per meal
  • For sixteen meals per week, you pay $11.09 per meal

While it’s tough to put a price on the convenience of having fresh, delicious meals delivered to your home, CookUnity is a more expensive option, especially if you only want to receive a few meals each week. Depending on where you live, these prices are similar to what you might pay in a restaurant for a cooked-to-order meal.

CookUnity offers a 30% discount on your first order using the code: SI30. 

Who Should Use CookUnity

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CookUnity is great for working professionals who are looking for healthy, delicious meals that require no preparation. They would be excellent for bringing to the office for lunch, or for a quick, convenient meal after a trip to the gym. Cooking for one can be expensive and difficult, so CookUnity would also be a convenient option for anyone who lives alone. It may be best suited for people who don’t like cooking lunch in the middle of the work day, since the smaller portion sizes are a bit more suited to lunch than dinner.

Who Should Not Use CookUnity

CookUnity isn’t the best budget option because of its relatively high cost per meal. If you’re on a tight budget, you might want to look into a more affordable prepared meal delivery service, or take the time to prepare your own food. It also won’t work well for families or couples, because the meals come in single servings only. If you live with a partner or spouse, you could order one of the subscriptions with 12 or 16 meals per week and split the meals between you.

What Customers Are Saying About CookUnity

Customers love how convenient, delicious and sustainable CookUnity’s meals are. There are tons of meal choices, so you can keep your subscription going without getting tired of the meals on offer. Customers also love that CookUnity works with so many dietary restrictions and preferences including vegan, paleo, low sodium, high protein, gluten-free and other options. Whatever your wellness and fitness goals, you should be able to find some healthy, restaurant-quality weekly meals from CookUnity.

CookUnity doesn’t deliver everywhere in the United States. Though most customers find that their food is delivered cold and on their preferred delivery day, there are always shipping incidents that occur. Some users find that some meals last better in the fridge than others, or that some reheat dramatically better with one heating method over the other. There are also some complaints about radically different portion sizes, which can be frustrating at this price point.

Generally speaking, though, CookUnity customers are satisfied with the taste, convenience and ease of the food delivery service, and we highly recommend it.

About CookUnity

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CookUnity describes itself as the sustainable, restaurant-quality alternative to frozen meals and meal kit delivery services. It prioritizes sustainable, reusable and recyclable packaging. Each of the meals is created by a chef, often a celebrity chef or another well-known individual in the cooking world. This gives its meals a broad diversity of flavors, cuisines, approaches and backgrounds. It lets individuals sample different cuisines and cooking styles without the hassle, inconvenience and expense of trying many new restaurants. Its most famous chefs include Esther Choi, Einat Admony and Dan Kluger.

CookUnity vs. Fresh N Lean

You might have come across another prepared meal delivery service, Fresh N Lean. If you’re considering both Fresh N Lean and CookUnity, here are some things to keep in mind.

  • CookUnity places more emphasis on chef-made meals, and many of its most popular meals were designed by famous or award-winning chefs.
  • Fresh N Lean is more tailored to those with particular dietary or fitness goals. Its various subscription options include options for the Mediterranean diet, two different vegan diets, Keto, Paleo and high-protein diet options.
  • CookUnity allows you to choose from a very large, relatively fixed catalog of fresh prepared meals on the CookUnity menu. Fresh N Lean features a smaller menu of meals each week, but rotates them out regularly. Both meal subscription services give you plenty of choice in your food for a given week.
  • Fresh N Lean emphasizes its use of organic ingredients and low-carb options.
  • At the lower subscription levels (in which you purchase just a few meals per week), CookUnity is more affordable than Fresh N Lean. Exact prices vary based on the meal plan you choose.

Cookunity FAQs

How long do CookUnity meals last?

According to its website, CookUnity meals last four to seven days in the refrigerator. Though the meals arrive fresh, you can always freeze the meal yourself when you receive it in order to prolong freshness.

Do you freeze or refrigerate CookUnity meals?

CookUnity meals arrive fresh and are intended to be refrigerated. However, if you know you won’t get to one of your meals within the suggested eat-by window, you can freeze it yourself.

Is the CookUnity container oven safe?

CookUnity meals come in sustainable packaging that is oven and microwave safe. If you prefer not to heat your meal in the package it comes in for any reason, each meal does include more detailed heating instructions that can add a bit of extra flavor.

Is CookUnity a subscription?

Yes, CookUnity is a meal delivery subscription service. You can choose your own meals, as well as change, pause or cancel your subscription at any time.

Are CookUnity meals pre-cooked?

Yes, CookUnity meals are pre-cooked and fresh (not frozen). They include two sets of heating instructions; one for the microwave (faster and more convenient) and a set of chef’s instructions that involve a bit more time, but give you a better-tasting result.

Is CookUnity Worth It?

CookUnity is a prepared meal delivery service that is perfect for anyone who lives alone, or who simply wants an easy way to eat restaurant-quality food without going out to eat or ordering takeout. Its single-serving portion sizes are useful for portion control; anyone who cooks for their family may prefer a different meal service. CookUnity meals taste great and make eating well convenient for even the busiest person. We highly recommend them.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.

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