Meal Kits – Waste Saver or Waste Maker?

Meal Kits – Waste Saver or Waste Maker?

Meal Kits – Waste Saver or Waste Maker?

During a busy week, the idea of having dinner ingredients delivered straight to your door feels like a lifesaver. That was my thinking when I tried a Canadian meal kit service, Chefs Plate. Everything comes portioned out, with recipe cards, and just enough of each ingredient to make dinner.

And I’ll admit — it was convenient. But as I unpacked each box, the amount of packaging was staggering, especially when I think about people doing this every week or two. The meal kit trend is growing – so where does that leave us waste-wise?

The Convenience Trade-off

Here’s how it works – you choose your meals online and a delivery date, and a box of ingredients arrives at your doorstep. The Chef’s Plate box has two labeled paper bags for each meal with pre-measured ingredients (one with the ingredients that need refrigeration, and one for room temperature). The meal kits assume you’ll already have things like oil, salt and pepper but it does include pre-measured plastic packets of condiments and sauces. All of this is great for food safety and organization, but, wow, does it make for a LOT of paper and plastic packaging.

After a six-meal order, I was left with:

  • the delivery box
  • paper bags from each meal (2 x 6)
  • plastic wrap from measured pasta or wrapped produce (herbs and greens were wrapped, potatoes etc. were loose).
  • plastic vacuum packs from meat
  • plastic/foil packets from sauces and condiments
  • paper recipe cards
  • single use ice packs

The meals are designed to be cooked and eaten that week. There is no real way to save things for later. If you order a meal with meat, it is pre-frozen to stay cool during shipping, which means, if you follow food safety guidelines, you shouldn’t freeze it again later. You’re on the clock to cook it all.

Faced with this pile of packaging, I figured there was no way that meal kits were helping reduce waste. Turns out the pros and cons aren’t so immediately visible.

What the Research Says

While packaging is an issue, so are carbon emissions and food waste. A life-cycle study from the University of Michigan found that meals made with kits like Blue Apron (an American equivalent to Chef’s Plate) average 6.1 kg CO₂e per meal, compared to 8.1 kg CO₂e for the same meals prepared via grocery store shopping—a drop of about 33%. Why? Because packaging and delivery emissions are outweighed by reduced food waste and efficient logistics. 

In particular:

  • Food waste from leftover or unused ingredients at home is significantly higher than in meal kits, which portion exactly what’s needed.
  • Last-mile delivery by truck is more efficient: only about 4% of emissions per meal, versus 11% when driving yourself to the store—and back.
  • Even though meal kits have more packaging, some studies show packaging has a smaller environmental footprint compared to producing food that ends up wasted.

Canadian Context: Packaging and Food Waste

In Canada, the problem of food waste is massive—35.5 million tonnes per year, worth about $21 billion CAD, with 58% of food produced going to waste.[Source] 

Meanwhile, Canadians produce around 3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, but only 9% actually gets recycled, and the rest mostly ends up landfilled. [Source] 

So, meal kits may cut food waste—but their packaging ends up in a recycling system that’s already strained. It's a serious trade-off.

Innovations and Canadian Meal-Kit Players

Some Canadian providers are trying to tackle this head-on. Fresh Prep, a Vancouver-based company, launched a Zero Waste Meal Kit, helping save over 22,800 kg of single-use plastic in 2024 alone. However, they do not serve Saskatchewan yet.

Other companies like Goodfood and HelloFresh are working with recyclable or compostable materials, shifting toward recyclable boxes, paper insulation, and reusable packaging options. [Source]

Final Thoughts

Trying Chefs Plate gave me a window into this tension: the ease of “just cook this,” versus the pile of plastic in my recycling bin. So, are meal kits better or worse from a waste standpoint? It isn’t black and white. They shrink food waste and can lower carbon emissions—especially if your routine involves buying more than you use, then tossing the rest.

My personal take? If meal kits spur you to cooking instead of takeout, reduce wasted food, and the provider uses thoughtful packaging, they can be worth it. But for someone like me, who feels comfortable managing bulk buys, composting scraps, and making weekly menus, the trade-off didn’t quite balance.

Sources/Additional Reading

University of Michigan News -- Those home-delivered meal kits are greener than you thought, new study concludes  - April 22, 2019

World Economic Forum -- Meal kits beat groceries in emissions head-to-head - Apr 30, 2019

EcoWatch -- Concerned About Food Waste? Study Finds Meal Kits May Be Greener Than Grocery Shopping - April 26, 2019

Food in Canada -  Meal kits: convenience vs. packaging -  April 24, 2018

Verona Ontario -- Sustainability in the Canadian Meal Kit Industry: What You Should Know - Sept 10, 2024

Wikipedia - Food Loss and Waste 

Wikipedia - Recycling in Canada