Green Chef is a popular meal kit delivery service available in the UK that offers a variety of meal plans to suit different dietary needs and preferences. One common question around meal kit delivery services is whether they offer gluten-free options for those who need to follow a gluten-free diet.
What is Green Chef?
Green Chef is a US-based meal kit company that expanded to the UK market in 2018. They deliver pre-portioned ingredients and recipes to customers’ doors so they can prepare home-cooked meals themselves. The meals are designed by chefs and nutritionists to be healthy and tasty.
Green Chef provides a flexible subscription service, with customers able to choose how many meals they want per week and the size of each meal. Customers can select from a variety of recipe plans based on their dietary needs and preferences, including gluten-free, keto, plant-powered, vegetarian, and family-friendly options.
Does Green Chef UK offer gluten-free options?
Yes, Green Chef UK does offer gluten-free meal options as part of their regular menu selections. Customers who need to eat gluten-free can choose the gluten-free meal plan when signing up for Green Chef.
The gluten-free meal plan was introduced in the UK in mid-2018, a few months after the service initially launched. It provides customers with gluten-free breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes each week made without gluten-containing grains, additives or preservatives.
All the ingredients and recipes provided in the gluten-free meal plans are free of gluten, so customers don’t have to worry about cross-contamination or reading labels themselves. Green Chef works with licensed nutritionists to design each gluten-free recipe.
What does the gluten-free meal plan from Green Chef UK offer?
The gluten-free meal plan from Green Chef UK provides the following:
- 8-14 recipes per week, depending on plan size chosen
- Pre-measured fresh ingredients needed for each recipe
- Step-by-step cooking instructions for each gluten-free meal
- Gluten-free breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options
- Recipes free of wheat, barley, rye and oats
- No cross-contamination risk
- Recipes tailored for gluten-free diets by licensed nutritionists
- Flexible delivery options
- Options to customize your plan each week
The meal choices for the gluten-free plan rotate weekly and cover a diverse range of cuisines and cooking styles. Some sample meals include:
- Peri Peri Chicken with Cauliflower Rice
- Tex-Mex Turkey Lettuce Wraps
- Bunless Bacon Cheeseburgers
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Cauliflower Pizza Margherita
How do Green Chef’s gluten-free meals work?
When you sign up for Green Chef’s gluten-free meal plan, each weekly box comes with pre-portioned ingredients and recipes for your selected number of meals. All ingredients delivered are certified gluten-free and clearly labelled.
The recipes are designed to take around 30 minutes to make and have simple cooking instructions. Many of the dishes require minimal work like stir frying, baking or grilling proteins and vegetables. Some assembly may be required for meals like taco lettuce wraps or cauliflower pizza.
Each recipe card also outlines allergen information and nutrition facts per serving. Green Chef tries to include naturally gluten-free whole food options like fresh produce, lean proteins, legumes, nuts and healthy fats.
After cooking, the gluten-free meals simply need to be plated or served just like a regular home-cooked dinner. There’s no need to meal prep or count macros.
What steps does Green Chef take to avoid gluten cross-contamination?
Green Chef has strict processes in place to prevent any cross-contamination for their gluten-free meal plans.
Here are some of the key steps they take:
- Ingredient suppliers must verify no gluten or cross-contamination risk
- All ingredients certified gluten-free are stored separately in Green Chef facilities
- Gluten-free ingredients are prepped and packed separately from other meals
- Meals assembled on sanitized surfaces with dedicated gluten-free tools
- Regular staff training on gluten-free processes
- Extensive labeling to track ingredients and meals
- Routine facility audits and cleaning procedures
Green Chef also avoids using ingredients that tend to have a higher cross-contamination likelihood like oats, malt vinegar and soy sauce in their gluten-free recipes.
Customers are provided with a dedicated phone and email line to discuss any gluten-related questions or concerns with Green Chef’s team as well.
What about gluten intolerance or celiac disease?
The gluten-free meal plan from Green Chef UK is safe for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerances. All meals have been eliminated of gluten-containing grains and ingredients that commonly trigger negative reactions.
The meal kit company works directly with nutritionists who specialize in gluten-related disorders to design appetizing recipes that are free of wheat, rye, barley and cross-contaminants.
Those with celiac disease or sensitivities just need to inform Green Chef of their dietary needs and allergens when signing up. The team can help guide you in selecting the most appropriate menu plan.
Does Green Chef offer other specialty meal plans?
In addition to their gluten-free meal plan, Green Chef also offers several other specialty diet meal plans in the UK including:
- Keto – Low carb, high fat ketogenic recipes
- Vegetarian – Meatless recipes using produce, grains, dairy and eggs
- Vegan – Plant-based recipes without animal products
- Pescatarian – Seafood and vegetarian recipes without poultry or meat
- Lean & Clean – High protein meals for fitness-focused lifestyles
- Quick & Easy – 30-minute meals for busy weeks
- Balanced Living – Well-rounded meals with produce and complex carbs
The gluten-free meal plan can be combined with some of these other offerings for customers who have multiple dietary needs, like going gluten-free and vegetarian.
Green Chef also caters for a range of calories needs from 1200 to over 2500 calories per day. Portion sizes can be increased or decreased as required.
What are the advantages of choosing Green Chef for gluten-free meals?
Here are some of the key advantages that Green Chef offers for gluten-free diets:
- Hassle-free – No meal planning or shopping required
- Nutritionist-designed recipes perfect for gluten-free needs
- Saves time cooking compared to making everything from scratch
- Introduces new gluten-free recipes each week
- Allows for experimentation with ingredients you may not usually buy
- Delivered fresh ingredients mean less waste
- Can customize gluten-free recipes to your tastes
- Avoid cross-contamination risks
- Provides ideas for gluten-free breakfasts, lunches and snacks
- Makes sticking to a gluten-free diet more exciting
The convenience, variety and safety Green Chef provides takes a lot of the challenges and stress out of maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle. You don’t have to worry about finding gluten-free options when eating out or at social occasions either.
What about reviews from gluten-free Green Chef customers?
Overall Green Chef gets very positive feedback from gluten-free customers in terms of flavor, ease and enjoyment. Here are some examples of reviews from TrustPilot:
“I love Green Chef! I do the gluten-free plan and all of recipes have been wonderful! It’s so nice to get exciting meals tailored to my diet. It makes it easy to stick to even with a busy schedule and tight budget.”
“Green Chef is my favorite meal kit service I’ve tried, especially for gluten-free options. The recipes are restaurant-quality and instructions easy to follow. It’s affordable and healthy. I never would have come up with these meals on my own!”
“Green Chef’s gluten-free meals have been life changing! Their nutritionists know what they’re doing. The ingredient quality is amazing and I’ve discovered foods I’d never tried before like jackfruit. I don’t feel limited or like I’m missing out.”
The few negative comments relate more to individual recipe satisfaction and service issues rather than concerns about gluten itself. Green Chef staff also seem very responsive to feedback and quick to offer refunds or credits if customers are ever disappointed with recipes.
How much does Green Chef UK cost?
Green Chef UK offers a few different subscription options to suit various budgets and preferences:
- 2 meals per week for 2 people – £19.80 per meal
- 4 meals per week for 2 people – £17.60 per meal
- 6 meals per week for 2 people – £16.50 per meal
You can also select family plans for 4 people at the same discounted per meal pricing.
The average meal kit from Green Chef costs around £8-12 per portion, so it offers good value compared with alternatives when you factor in convenience and nutrition. However, it is more expensive than conventional grocery shopping and cooking.
Green Chef frequently offers promotions like 50% off your first box for new customers making it more affordable to try. Boxed Green Chef gift cards are available as well.
Can you customize and pause Green Chef deliveries?
Yes, Green Chef allows you to customize and make changes to your gluten-free plan each week. After you select your meals for the week, you can:
- Swap out recipes you don’t want for different gluten-free options
- Increase portion sizes
- Add extra protein servings
- Substitute ingredients you dislike or are allergic to
- Skip weeks or pause deliveries as needed
The customizations allow you to work around changing schedules, events, guests or recipe boredom while still enjoying the convenience of meal kits tailored to your diet. Green Chef’s customer service team is available to assist with making any adjustments required.
You have until the Wednesday before your Sunday delivery to log in and modify recipes for the upcoming box.
Where does Green Chef deliver gluten-free meal kits in the UK?
Green Chef delivers to the following areas in the UK:
- Most of England
- Selected parts of Wales
- Selected parts of Scotland
You can enter your postal code on their website to confirm if gluten-free delivery is available for your location. Green Chef does not currently serve Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands.
Deliveries arrive on Sundays between 8am and 8pm based on a 4-hour delivery window you select. Someone needs to be available to accept the box on delivery day.
How do Green Chef’s gluten-free meals stack up against competitors?
Green Chef is not the only UK meal kit company offering gluten-free options. Competition includes:
- HelloFresh – More limited gluten-free choices but budget-friendly pricing
- Gousto – Large gluten-free selection but more prep required
- Mindful Chef – Organic and ethical with gluten-free filters
- Allplants – Smaller meal kit company, entirely plant-based including gluten-free
Compared to these alternatives, Green Chef tends to rate highly for:
- Breadth of recipes and gluten-free options each week
- Clear labeling and avoidance of cross-contamination risks
- Nutritionist-designed recipes ideal for health conditions like celiac
- More ready-to-cook meals requiring minimal prep and assembly
- Discount pricing for larger meal plan subscriptions
The competition may suit some budgets and preferences better but Green Chef leads for gluten-free variety and safety based on most reviews.
Does Green Chef have any promotions or discounts?
Green Chef offers the following promotions:
- 50% off your first delivery box as a new customer
- Shareable links that give friends 50% off plus you £15 credit when they join
- £30 credit for referring healthcare or diet professionals
- Occasional coupon codes and sales around holidays for percentage discounts
- Free deliveries with codes and referrals
Budget-conscious shoppers can stack these various offers and referrals to maximize savings on their first few boxes. However, regular pricing beyond that may exceed some consumers’ weekly meal budgets.
Green Chef doesn’t offer lower-cost entry level plans like some competitors which keep their baseline pricing around £3-4 per meal.
Is Green Chef worthwhile for gluten-free diets?
For those seeking the convenience of chef-designed meals catering to their gluten intolerance or celiac needs, Green Chef provides an excellent solution. The meal kit service eliminates much of the work, stress and health risks associated with shopping and cooking strictly gluten-free at home.
With its rotating selection of recipes, customizable options and potential savings from promotions, Green Chef adds welcome variety and inspiration to gluten-free eating. While not the most budget-friendly meal kit provider, the specialized nutrition and quality ingredients justify Green Chef’s pricing for many consumers.
For busy professionals, families and singles struggling to find the time and energy for safe gluten-free cooking, Green Chef offers a top contender for making home-cooked meals easily achievable. The service can transform a sometimes restrictive diet into an enjoyable, sustainable and healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion
In summary, Green Chef’s UK meal kits do cater well for gluten-free needs. They offer a diverse weekly selection of recipes free from gluten-containing ingredients and cross-contamination risks. The meal plans are thoughtfully designed by nutritionists to provide satisfying gluten-free options.
Customers report very positive experiences with Green Chef’s gluten-free meal kits in terms of taste, ease of use and dietary suitability. While not the most budget-friendly choice, Green Chef provides high-quality ingredients and specialized recipes to make gluten-free eating more enjoyable. For those struggling with the constraints of a gluten-free diet, Green Chef offers a convenient and healthy solution to simplify home cooking.
