Mindful Chef Review 2025: Is It Worth It?
Mindful Chef is a UK recipe box service specialising in gluten-free and dairy-free meals. They offer 20+ recipes per week. Read on to see how it works and whether it's right for you.
Want ultimate convenience?
Mindful Chef requires cooking. If you'd rather skip the prep, cooking and washing up entirely, try HomeCooks - 200+ ready-to-eat, high protein meals made by independent chefs. Heat and eat in 3-4 minutes.
Quick Verdict
| Price per serving | From £5.00 |
|---|---|
| Recipes available | 20+ per week |
| Dietary focus | Gluten-free, dairy-free |
| Type | Recipe kit (you cook) |
What is Mindful Chef?
Mindful Chef is a recipe box subscription delivering pre-portioned ingredients with recipes to cook at home. All their recipes are gluten-free and dairy-free by default, which sets them apart from competitors.
They've partnered with charities and have a strong sustainability focus with B Corp certification.
Mindful Chef Pricing
Mindful Chef pricing varies by box size:
- 1 person, 2 recipes: From £7.50/serving
- 2 people, 3 recipes: From £5.75/serving
- 4 people, 3 recipes: From £5.00/serving
Premium positioning means higher prices than HelloFresh or Gousto, but quality ingredients and dietary focus justify the cost for many customers.
Mindful Chef Pros
- Gluten-free & dairy-free - All recipes by default
- Quality ingredients - Focus on whole foods
- B Corp certified - Sustainability focused
- Flexible options - Various box sizes and frequencies
Mindful Chef Cons
- You still have to cook - 20-40 minutes prep time
- Premium pricing - More expensive than competitors
- Smaller menu - 20+ recipes vs 50-175 at other services
- Not specifically high protein - Health-focused but not macro-optimised
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mindful Chef worth it?
If you have dietary requirements and enjoy cooking, Mindful Chef is excellent. If you'd rather not cook and want high protein ready meals, HomeCooks might suit you better.
How much does Mindful Chef cost?
From £5.00 per serving for larger boxes, up to £7.50 for single-person portions. Premium pricing reflects quality ingredients.
Is Mindful Chef gluten-free?
Yes - all Mindful Chef recipes are gluten-free and dairy-free by default. This is their key differentiator from other recipe box services.
Is Mindful Chef healthy?
Yes - they focus on whole foods and nutritious recipes. However, they're not specifically optimised for high protein or fitness goals like some meal prep services.
How Does Mindful Chef Compare to HomeCooks?
| Mindful Chef | HomeCooks | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking required | Yes (20-40 mins) | No (3-4 min reheat) |
| Menu size | 20+ recipes | 200+ dishes |
| Type of service | Recipe kit (you cook) | Chef-prepared meals |
| Protein focus | Health-focused | 30-60g per meal |
| Made by | You, at home | Independent chefs |
Want a Mindful Chef Alternative?
Why choose HomeCooks?
Many people start a meal prep service but get bored after a month. The same chicken and rice with a slightly different sauce for the 4th time in two weeks. With HomeCooks it's different.
Because we work with independent chefs and small businesses across the UK, we have constantly changing variety and a huge amount of choice. No food boredom, just great food that's good for you.
- Ultimate convenience - No prep, no cooking, no washing up
- 200+ dishes - More variety than any other meal prep service
- High protein - 30-60g per meal for fitness goals
- Perfectly balanced - Every meal nutritionally optimised
- Super high quality - Restaurant-quality ingredients, not mass-produced
- Independent chefs - Small batch quality, not factory production
- Beautiful presentation - Your meals arrive in lovely bento boxes, like this:
Ready to try HomeCooks?
200+ chef-prepared meals made in small batches by independent chefs across the UK. High protein (up to 60g), healthy, and actually delicious.