About Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon specializes in delivering pre-packaged ingredients, helping subscribers to recreate some of Martha Stewart’s most loved recipes.
Featured in PC, RUE Daily, Fortune, and Rolling Stone magazine, Marley Spoon has been developing recipes to make the gourmet experience easier on those who need a helping hand in the kitchen.
Prepared food delivery services are now the new norm for a fast paced lifestyle. People just don’t have the time or energy anymore to create whole meals from scratch, and of course, not everyone is satisfied with the canned stuff.
Fresh ingredients and an easy step-by-step guide are a blessing, saving your life one dinner at a time. This Marley Spoon review will take a look at some of the subscription plans offered by the brand, customer ratings, promotions, shipping policies, and more, to help you decide whether to sign up for their meals.
Overview of Marley Spoon
Founded in 2014, Marley Spoon is centred around the philosophy that meals should not have to be complicated, and that cooking should be an enjoyable experience no matter what your level of expertise is.
In order to stand out against rival delivery services, the brand focuses on seasonal ingredients, believing that your palette should reflect the times you’re in. This ensures a more sustainable approach to food in the long term.
There are often pros and cons to any delivery service business. So, this Marley Spoon review will break down a few for you below:
Pros
- Fresh ingredients delivered to you weekly
- 29 recipes across five different meal categories
- Ethnic meals and ‘Ready to Heat’ options available
- Vegetarian and low carb meals included
- Boxes and packaging sourced from sustainable materials
- Affiliate program for foodies
- Gift cards and vouchers available
- The brand lists any equipment and supplies you may need
Cons
- Available in a limited number of countries
- No options for single-person households
- No vegan or keto meals
- Limited microwavable options every week
- Meals must be modified 10 days prior to delivery
How Does Marley Spoon Work?
Not sure where to start? Get your apron on and keep reading, as this Marley Spoon review thoroughly breaks down the brand’s subscription plan. First things first, you’d need to make a couple of easy decisions:
- Select a plan according to the number of people in your household (2 to 4)
- Choose between the number of meals you’d like to receive each week (2 to 6)
The price of your subscription depends on how many meals and servings you choose to receive per week. This Marley Spoon review finds that it’s more cost efficient to opt for the maximum amount of meals (for example, 6 instead of 2). But, if you’re not home often, it makes sense to get fewer deliveries.
Once you’ve gone through the entire Marley Spoon menu, you can always swap out a pre-packaged meal for a microwave option. This is ideal for people who may not have access to a full kitchen at all times and want a better value for their subscription.
On Marley Spoon’s website, you can tick off a box to make your subscription vegetarian. This saves you from needlessly scrambling for veggies or doing extra work to swap out meals reliant on meat.
After selecting your meal plan, the site will ask for your zip code and email. Then, you need to fill out some delivery details. This Marley Spoon review came upon the following process:
- You can choose Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
- Select the time slot of 9 am to 8 pm (this is the only option offered)
- Specify a date for your first delivery
The fourth step is the payment process where you key in your billing information. And with that, we’ve arrived at the fun part: browsing some Marley Spoon recipes!
It’s important to note that subscribers cannot purchase any of these dishes individually without signing up for the program. Additionally, the brand requires you to commit to at least one full week.
Marley Spoon Meal Plan Review
Glistening steaks, crispy greens, sauces from around the world…If you’re ready for a taste of Martha Stewart’s culinary magic, this Marley Spoon review will summarize the process of selecting meals in three simple steps.
First, you can choose from 29 recipes that are rotated weekly. We’ll cover some of the most popular dishes in the next segment. At this time, there are two ‘Ready to Heat’ options offered every week and plenty of variety for both meat lovers and vegetarians.
Secondly, you need to confirm the dates for delivery. If you’re no longer home to collect your subscription box, and it’s too late to change a date, the boxes are insulated and will refrigerate your goods for some time. Be sure to skip a week when you’re away on vacation.
Lastly, all you need to do is cook your meals when they arrive by following a 6-step instructional guide. It’s important to have basic kitchen tools, pots, and pans available at home.
Our Favorites from the Menu
To give you a better idea of what the company has to offer in its subscription plan, this Marley Spoon review will take a look at meals from different categories: meat, fish, veggie, and dessert. All of the fresh vegetables featured in these recipes are sourced directly from the farm.
Meal 1: Crispy Beef Gyro
Listed as ‘easy’ in terms of skill level, Crispy Beef Gyro is a Mediterranean dish that packs loads of flavor. You only need to set aside 20–30 minutes of preparation time for this recipe, so it’s perfect for whipping up after a long day at work.
Some health benefits of this meal include the balance between meat and veggies, in addition to the beef sourced from a grass-fed cow as a more sustainable option. The Crispy Beef Gyro is 830kcal and comes with fresh ingredients such as:
- 2 pita bread slices
- Garam masala
- 10 oz of ground beef
- 4 oz of Greek yogurt for the sauce
- Cilantro
- Romaine lettuce
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- Garlic
Meal 2: Roasted Tilapia with Herbed Panko
Taking under half an hour to cook, the Roasted Tilapia with Herbed Panko is ideal for seafood lovers on a diet. The meal is on the leaner side of things with only 600kcal per serving.
This Marley Spoon review thinks the gourmet meal is also appropriate for children. If you have any picky eaters in the family, it might just earn that seal of approval! The tilapia has a mild flavour, and paired with potatoes, this is a winner for trying to get the entire family to eat a healthier meal.
The Roasted Tilapia with Herbed Panko includes all the following items:
- Baby spinach
- Salted almonds
- 10 oz tilapia
- Panko mix
- Fresh thyme
- Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon
- 2 gold Yukon potatoes
Meal 3: Cheesy Baked Quesadillas
A little comfort food now and then never hurts. Having an all veggie meal takes a load off your conscience, so this is a great option for those cheat days when you have a big appetite.
Quesadillas are one of the most iconic and scrumptious foods out there, and this recipe seems to deliver on that front with all the cheese and taco seasoning.
Another easy meal that only takes 20–30 mins, it’s ideal for a family, group of friends, or yourself when your taste buds want something satisfyingly savoury.
Marley Spoon’s Cheesy Baked Quesadillas are 1,010kcal. These ingredients are provided:
- Refried pinto beans
- Taco seasoning
- 1 yellow onion
- 6 tortillas
- Cheddar-jack cheese
- Sour cream
- Garlic
- Tomatillos
Meal 4: Tiramisu Cupcakes
Baking is far more time consuming than cooking, plus it’s an exact science. So what do you do when you’re craving something delicious and indulgent, but don’t have the patience to make a grocery trip?
With a medium difficulty level, the Tiramisu Cupcakes can come to your rescue. It could take you 50–60 minutes to make these, and then an additional 30 after factoring in icing and cooling times. It’s a perfect activity to save for those lazy, rainy Sunday evenings.
This Marley Spoon review would like to point out that if you get a subscription plan for 2 people, then the recipe will make up to 6 cupcakes. A plan for 4 people will yield up to 12 cupcakes.
The Tiramisu Cupcakes are 420kcal, with an ingredients list that includes;
- Confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Espresso powder
- Baking powder
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Mascarpone (similar to cream cheese)
Does Marley Spoon Have Keto?
Currently, none of the Marley Spoon recipes are listed as keto. Your only real option would be the brand’s smoothies. We recommend looking thoroughly over the ingredients list and nutritional facts before selecting or subscribing to specific meals.
Can You Freeze Marley Spoon?
Marley Spoon provides fresh produce, so it’s advised not to freeze any of the meal kits you receive. If you’re willing to do a little extra work, you can divide up your ingredients and store them individually. Staples like onions can always be blended, cubed, and set in a freezer.
You might prefer keeping foods frozen and accessible at any time, instead of having to cook as a daily routine. In that case, you can also opt for the microwavable meal options which can be stored in the freezer and reheated.
Who Is Marley Spoon For?
If you’re a parent, a busy professional, or a tired college student, Marley Spoon was designed for you. The service is suited to anyone who has a flexible diet and needs a meal subscription to keep them on track. It saves hours in the kitchen and reduces stress over grocery shopping.
This Marley Spoon review wouldn’t recommend the subscription to vegans, those who adhere to a keto diet, or have strict dietary restrictions and allergies.
How Much is Marley Spoon?
Marley Spoon’s prices depend on the number of mouths you’re feeding and the amount of servings you’d like to order. Customers have also noted that several condiments (sauces, seasonings, powders) are offered separate from the subscription boxes—so bear in mind that this might be an additional cost.
To avoid muddling our readers with exhaustive price ranges, this Marley Spoon review will group the estimates based on average household sizes.
For a two-person household:
- 2 meals: $11
- 3 meals: $9.49
- 4 meals: $9
- 5 meals: $9
- 6 meals: $8.49
For a four-person household:
- 2 meals: $3
- 3 meals: $8
- 4 meals: $8
- 5 meals: $7.49
- 6 meals: $7
Marley Spoon Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
This Marley Spoon review wouldn’t be complete without looking at some feedback from subscribers. We’ll share some varied opinions to give you a full picture of the brand.
Marley Spoon has a 4.3/5 star rating on Trustpilot, with 64% of customers giving the company an excellent rating. One reviewer had only positive things to say about the freshness of the meals and the delivery service in general. They wrote:
“I have tried ALL of the meal kit companies out there and have clearly saved the best till last. The veggies are so fresh, the meat is fresh, the delivery service is very good. I hope you will keep to the high standards you have presented. It is good when a company presents in such a professional way! Keep up the great work and service.”
Another user on Sitejabber raved about Marley Spoon, “I freaking LOVE Martha & Marley Spoon. This is my first meal kit and I am on my 4th week. We started out with just two meals but quickly added a third after our first week. Every meal we have had has been wonderful restaurant quality tasting food.”
Lastly, we explored some independent blogs such as The Spruce Eats to hear their verdict on the company. While the critic complimented the creativity within Marley Spoon’s recipes, they did warn readers that some cooking experience might be essential:
“Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon offers unique and delicious recipes. We loved how healthy and light the recipes are and they all had an interesting twist to them. There are very few pre-prepared items though, so this service requires a fair amount of cooking experience and prep/cook time.”
Overall, it seems that a majority of Marley Spoon’s subscribers have been enjoying the recipes and the convenience of having restaurant flavors delivered straight to their doorstep. (As long as they didn’t mind setting aside some time to cook the meal.)
Is Marley Spoon Subscription Worth It?
A lot of meal subscriptions fall short when it comes to providing truly delectable options for the average person to try out. Luckily enough, Marley Spoon meals are slightly more elevated. And besides, who wouldn’t be intrigued by the idea that Martha Stewart played a role behind all of this?
As far as pricing goes, this Marley Spoon review found the subscription to be fairly affordable for the average household. Still, it’s important to consider that you might need to do some supplementary grocery shopping every week depending on your needs and how satisfied you are with the brand’s portions.
For those looking to spice things up in the kitchen, this Marley Spoon review generally recommends giving the service a try. Just get your apron and kitchen utensils ready.
Marley Spoon Promotions & Discounts
There are no Marley Spoon coupons or promotions running at this time, but the brand may occasionally offer customers a 1-week free trial. We recommend following the brand on social media for any upcoming deals.
Sign Up For Marley Spoon Subscription
Signing up for Marley Spoon is a quick and easy process. Click on the ‘Choose Your Meal Kit’ button that’s highlighted in the top right-corner of the brand’s homepage. From there, follow these 5 steps:
- Select a plan
- Pick your location or region for delivery + a specific date
- Review all the delivery details with shipping times and taxes
- Fill out some payment information
- Choose your meals
Dishes can be chosen once you’re signed up and any changes can be made by logging in. Make sure that you’re adhering to Marley Spoon’s policy, since meals can only be altered within a specific time frame.
FAQ
How do I cancel my Marley Spoon subscription?
This Marley Spoon review found out a few guidelines around cancelling subscriptions:
- You must cancel your next order 5–7 days prior to the expected delivery date. Simply navigate to the settings under your account page and click on ‘Stop Subscription’
- If you are not able to do so, you must contact someone from Marley Spoon’s customer service team at contact@marleyspoon.com
- All payments are processed automatically. In order to reverse this, contact a representative as soon as possible to receive a refund if applicable
What is Marley Spoon’s Shipping Policy?
Marley Spoon ships from 3 different locations within the United States; New Jersey, Texas, and California. This means that most US residents living in contiguous states can receive subscription boxes without any hassle.
Delivery days and times are dependent on your location, as well as the dates you’ve selected to receive your subscription box. International customers living in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, or Austria must use the appropriate version of Marley Spoon’s website to order from.
Regardless of the size of your subscription (servings and the number of meals you’re choosing) there is a flat shipping rate of $9.
What is Marley Spoon’s Return Policy?
Since Marley Spoon operates under the food sector, they cannot offer refunds. The brand will only reimburse you if the produce is spoiled or arrives in an unsatisfactory condition.
If this is the case, you must contact their customer service team within 5 days of delivery so they can resolve any issues.
How to Contact Marley Spoon
Still have questions beyond this Marley Spoon review? You can contact the brand by submitting a claim online, or calling them at 866-228-4513.
If you are looking for more ways to get meals delivered to your home, here are a few other options to consider:
