Meal kit services like Hello Fresh and Blue Apron are all the rage. They provide weekly deliveries of recipes and fresh, measured ingredients right to your door, so you don’t have to worry about finding the time to make healthy meals at home.

Meal services are an innovative offering, especially if you are trying to avoid eating out or if you don’t have the time to meal plan or shop for groceries. The meal service does all the prep work and thinking for you. And while it’s not as expensive as eating out, meal services aren’t exactly cheap. There are some pros and cons to consider before trying out a meal kit service. Consider your lifestyle, your budget, and what your food goals are, which are all important to the process.

Following are some pros of meal kit services:

Convenience.

Unless you love grocery shopping and meal planning, or you have endless patience to think of what to cook each night, a meal kit service is a great option. Services like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh provide measured ingredients once a week for that week’s planned meals, along with the recipes and cooking tips in case cooking isn’t your forte. Skipping the store without having to go out to eat every night can save you a lot of time and money, allowing you to spend more time doing things you love.

Variety of recipes and cooking tips.

Sometimes I hate cooking because I can’t think of what to make. After making your favorite dish a few weeks in a row, it’s easy to get bored. Meal kit services provide a variety of options, and some are vegetarian and gluten-free depending on your dietary restrictions. And if you’re not so experienced in the kitchen? Meal kit services provide tips along with recipes for making a great meal.

Allows you to stick to your health goals.

If you're on a diet or if you're trying to eat healthier, a meal kit service is a good option. All meals come in measured portions, and are made with fresh ingredients (not processed, boxed foods that add preservatives).

Following are some cons:

They can be expensive.

Grocery shopping can be a lot more economical than a meal kit, especially if you’re a bargain shopper. But while you might save money, you also waste money in terms of time spent shopping and also unused produce and meat that gets thrown away at the end of the week. Meal kit services cost roughly $10-$15 per person per meal, starting with regular services like Blue Apron and up to more gourmet-focused services like Plated.

Only provide 3-4 meals per week.

No matter what, you’ll still be stuck planning and shopping for your own meals some nights per week, or you will have to resort to eating out. But the good news is, you’ll also have new recipes in your arsenal, which means you won’t get bored by making the same dish twice in two weeks. You know that other new dishes will be coming.

If you’re busy and want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, meal kit services are a great option.