Gobble Review
Quick, Easy, and Delicious
Pros:
- Super tasty, delicious food
- A delicious meal that's ready in 15 minutes
- Minimal meal prep work
- One-pot recipes
- Add-ons available
- Vegetarian meals available
Cons:
- Limited options for special diets
- Not the cheapest
- Shipping costs extra
My Verdict:
I tried (and loved) the Gobble meal delivery service for the first time several years ago, and I'm still a huge fan. It's not the cheapest meal kit delivery service, but I think the convenience of not having to do any meal preparation more than justifies the price. Ingredients come par-cooked and pre-prepped to help you get dinner on the table in 15 minutes, and the one-pan recipes are designed for quick cleanup. Best of all? The food is some of the tastiest I've ever had from a meal kit.
ACTIVE DEAL: Limited Time Only! Get 6 meals for $36. No coupon needed - just use this link.
This box was sent to us at no cost to leave a Gobble Review. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Gobble
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Plans & Pricing
- 2-Person Plan: 3-4 meal kits per week (each serves 2) for $11.99 per serving + $6.99 shipping
- 4 person plan: 3-4 meal kits per week (each serves 4) for $11.99 per serving + $6.99 shipping
When you sign up, you'll choose between the standard "Dinner" plan and the "Lean & Clean" plan. Both meal plan options offer the same convenience and flexibility, but "Lean & Clean" recipes feature lean proteins, healthy fats, and are under 600 calories per serving. I'll dive into the difference between these Gobble meal options more when I talk about the menu.
You can also add on soups, sides, breakfasts, and desserts to your order. Desserts start at $1.99 per serving, sides start at $2.99 per serving, breakfast options start at $3.99 per serving, and soups start at $5.99 per serving.
Minimum Order Quantities: Only looking for a couple of meals per week? Gobble's order minimum is two 2-person meal kits; however, if you only order two meal kits per week the price per serving increases to $13.99 per serving + $6.99 shipping.
Gobble delivers to most states in the contiguous United States. They do not deliver to Montana, Hawaii, or Alaska, and there is currently limited service in Nebraska and New Mexico. Enter your zip code on the sign-up page to see if they deliver to your area.
My delivery was couriered by FedEx (depending on your area, your box may be handled by a different delivery service). Good to know:
- Delivery days vary from area to area.
- You don't have to be home to accept the box.
- Food stays cold with insulating liners, gel packs, and cooling material.
Here's a quick overview of how to recycle the packaging you recieve with your Gobble delivery:
- Gobble box: Break down and recycle curbside or as you would other cardboard.
- Gel packs: Cut off a corner of the pack and empty the gel contents into the trash. Recycle the outer plastic. (Or use them again! You can pop ice packs back in the freezer and reuse them for packed lunches or lunch picnics.)
- Plastic Bags: You can drop these off at a store or recycling center that handles plastic shopping bag recycling.
- Insulating liners: These are recyclable, but Gobble recommends checking with your city before putting them out with the rest of your recycling. (I get the impression that not all cities are equipped to handle this type of material.)
Gobble's Menu
Every week, Gobble offers subscribers 15 options to choose from. I don't have any dietary restrictions (though my diet often skews vegetarian and pescatarian), so that feels like a good amount of choice to me. If you're looking for something more specific, you'll likely appreciate that menu options are labeled with tags like "kid-friendly" and "quick & easy." Additionally, potential allergens (like fish, milk, soy, wheat, etc.) are called out.
Vegetarians will have at least three menu options to choose from each week, and there are "Lean & Clean" options for those looking for healthy meal options that are grain-free, made with lean proteins and healthy fats, and are under 600 calories. (If you would only like to receive meals that are vegetarian or "Lean & Clean," you can set this preference in your account settings.)
In addition to the standard meal kits, Gobble also offers add-ons each week. You'll be able to add salads, soups, side dishes, breakfasts, and desserts to your box for an additional charge.
Gobble's meal kit service sends sends you all of the ingredients you'll need like proteins, grains, sauces, and produce. They do expect you to have a few basics on hand, though.
Here are things you should have stocked in your kitchen:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oil
You'll also need to have some core kitchen equipment. The tools you'll need for each dish are listed on the front of the recipe card and include things like:
- Nonstick sauté pans
- Sauce pots
- Cooking spoons
- Knives
- Cutting board
- Pasta strainer
- Tongs
- Oven mitts
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
- Paper towels
- Aluminum foil
If you're a vegetarian or looking for healthy, low-calorie meals, Gobble has you covered. But if you follow a specific diet (like Paleo or keto) or have food allergies, you might come up short. Here's what Gobble has to say about dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free meals:
Each week there are meals that are dairy-free, nut-free, or gluten-free or can be prepared as dairy-free, nut-free, or gluten-free by withholding certain ingredients that will be packed separately in the dinner kit. At this time, we do not guarantee a full menu that caters to each specific diet. We always list all of the ingredients in each dinner kit’s description and recipe card.
If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, I'd recommend taking a closer look at the upcoming weekly menus to see if there are options that might work for you. I also want to point out that there isn't a lot of information on Gobble's site about their production process and possible cross-contamination risks, so definitely do your homework and proceed with caution. (Especially if your allergies are severe.)
One thing to mention is that full nutrition info isn't listed on the menu cards (only a calorie estimate and allergens), but it is available. Here's more information about this from Gobble's website:
Calorie estimates and nutrition information are available up-front on your Delivery Calendar when you click to explore any menu item. More nutrition information is available when you subscribe to our weekly Nutrition email. Please contact our Customer Success team, and we will gladly share full Nutrition Facts labels for every meal.
My Gobble Review
Why Gobble?
I've tried a lot of meal kits over the years, but Gobble has stuck with me in a way many others haven't. I tried my first box back in 2016, and I still vividly remember two of the meals I got all these years later. When it came time to try it again for this review, I was excited. Would the food be as good as I remembered? Would the meals be as easy to prepare?
I'll talk about the food in a minute, but let's start by navigating the sign-up process and recipe selection.
Signing Up
Gobble makes signing up quite easy:
- Go to their website.
- Enter your details in the sign-up box.
- Build your plan.
- Add your delivery address and choose a delivery day.
- Put in your payment info.
- Now you get to choose meals!
Meal Selection
Unfortunately, I can't access past menus on the Gobble site, so I can't show you menu pics from the week I ordered; however, the above images should give you an idea of what the menu selection page looks like. I had a total of 15 dishes to choose from, and I had a really difficult time deciding! Here are some of the meals I personally found most tempting:
- Chicken Parmesan with Spinach & Marinara Sauce
- Sweet Chili Shrimp with Coconut Rice & Thai Coleslaw
- Cheddar & Potato Pierogi with Sautéed Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts
- Winter Squash Panzanella Salad with Arugula & Beets
- Peking Chicken with Mu Shu Vegetables & Bao Buns
- Baja Shredded Pork Pasta with Cilantro Pesto & Cotija Cheese
Believe me when I tell you I spent way too long debating which ones to choose. I decided to pick a variety of different types of dishes, so I selected the Sweet Chili Shrimp, Winter Squash Panzanella Salad, and Baja Shredded Pork Pasta.
My Box
My Gobble box arrived on time and looking pristine; however, when I took it inside and opened it up, I discovered that a bag of shrimp had sprung a leak in transit. Luckily, the spill was pretty well contained. None of my other ingredients were affected. Just to be safe, I decided to discard the shrimp and substitute some of my own I had on hand in the freezer.
I was sent this box at no cost for review, so seeking out a refund wasn't really appropriate. However, I got in touch with customer service who let me know that there was an issue with one of their shrimp suppliers that has since been resolved. Should subscribers ever encounter a similar issue with missing or damaged ingredients, here's what they can expect from Gobble:
If there is ever an issue with the delivery or one of the meals, customers can always contact our Customer Success team via email at [email protected] or via phone at (888) 405 - 7481. If an ingredient is damaged or leaking, we'll always do our best to send a replacement or credit customer accounts.
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My box included info about an upcoming special offer.
My Meals
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Meal Pick #1: Sweet Chili Shrimp with Coconut Rice & Thai Coleslaw
My husband is gung-ho for any meal that's even vaguely tropical. (He lovingly calls these dinners "island time.") So as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to pick it. And man-oh-man, this dish transported me straight to the beach.
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I should start out by saying that coleslaw is not one of my favorites (I think maybe the sogginess puts me off), but this was unlike any coleslaw I've ever had. It was a mix of shredded cabbage, fresh herbs, and Thai sweet chili sauce, and it was fresh, sweet, and crunchy. It was a fantastic accompaniment to the coconut rice and the fried shrimp topped with rich, creamy Thai sweet chili aioli. No kidding, if this exact dish was served to me in a beachside cafe I would eat it happily and pay "tourist prices" without blinking. It really was that good. The only downside (apart from the damaged shrimp) was that it took me slightly longer than 15 minutes to prep and fry off the shrimp. I'd say I had dinner on the table in about 20 minutes.
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Meal Pick #2: Baja Shredded Pork Pasta with Cilantro Pesto & Cotija Cheese
Something about this dish was calling out to me. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to jazz up pasta, but I tend to draw inspiration from Italian or Californian cuisine. These Mexican flavors intrigued me right away.
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The dish did not disappoint. First of all, the portion of shredded pork was generous. Once the dish was prepared, I certainly did not have to hunt around the bowl to find chunks of meat. There was plenty. This dish came together quickly (right around the promised 15 minutes), and the flavors were great. After warming up the meat and adding in a mix of peppers, onions, and jalapeño (the jalapeño was sent separately so it could be easily excluded by those who prefer non-spicy food), I stirred in pre-prepared carnitas sauce before plating the dish with cilantro pesto, sour cream, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. I loved how many toppings there were, and the portion sizes were quite large! The flavors all worked together really well, and I found this to be an altogether hearty and tasty meal.
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Meal Pick #3: Winter Squash Panzanella Salad with Arugula & Beets
Panzanella salad is a fairly recent discovery for me, and I love how big chunks of toasted bread can elevate a traditional salad into a super satisfying meal. Delicata squash is also a recent discovery, and to say I'm obsessed is kind of an understatement. (When you roast delicata squash just the right way, it gets this caramelized crust that is utterly craveable.) So this recipe seemed like it was written with me in mind.
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It was another winner. The combination of veggies (arugula, tomatoes, shallot, beets, and squash) was tasty and perfectly appropriate for a chilly fall day. I loved the big toasted chunks of baguette, and the balsamic vinaigrette was just tangy enough to make each bite fresh and light. My only gripe with this salad was that the recipe instructed to mix the squash and beets into the salad right out of the oven which resulted in the arugula getting a little wilty. Now, I know warm arugula isn't a deal-breaker for most people, but it's not my personal preference. I ate the salad the second it was ready, so it wasn't too much of an issue, but if I was going to make this again I'd wait until everything was cool before tossing it together.
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Bonus: Chocolate Chip Cookies
My box also contained four chocolate chip cookies! Baking instructions were printed on the back of the plastic wrapping.
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Chocolate chip cookies are always a good idea in my book, so I was happy to receive these as a complimentary extra in my first box! The baking instructions were spot on, and the cookies were fab.
Is Gobble worth it?
So, let's cut straight to the bottom line: Gobble costs $11.99 per serving, so it's definitely not the cheapest meal kit subscription out there. That said, I absolutely love how the fresh ingredients come pre-prepped and par-cooked to expedite the cooking process. Getting dinner on the table in 15 or 20 minutes is something I can handle even on my busiest days, and I feel a lot better about eating this than ordering food delivery or take-out. (Which, to be fair, would cost me more than $11.99 per serving.)
Did it taste good?
Heck yes. Of all the meal kit companies I've tried (and I've tried quite a few), Gobble meal delivery kits are some of the tastiest I've had. I think their flavors are on point, and the pre-prepared sauces have not disappointed me yet.
How hard were the recipes?
Given that most everything comes pre-prepped and the 15-minute meals are designed to be cooked in one pan, I'd say Gobble's recipes are some of the easiest out there. However, if you're new to cooking, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with a dish before adding it to your box to make sure you're comfortable with the steps involved. Novice cooks should also keep in mind that it might take them a bit longer than average to prepare meals.
Was it convenient?
I'm not sure Gobble could be any more convenient. I don't have to go grocery shopping. I don't have to plan a menu. Prep is limited. Cooking time is short. Clean up is easy. The only real downside is the cost, but that's the trade-off, isn't it? You could spend less to plan out a menu and shop for yourself, but if you're super busy, I think Gobble is a great way to save time while still cooking at home.
Is it easy to skip a week or cancel?
It is! To skip a future delivery, sign in to your account and navigate to the "delivery calendar." Click "manage delivery," and you'll be able to make changes. Note that the deadline to skip or modify upcoming orders is Wednesday at 11:59 pm for the following week's delivery.
If you'd like to cancel, you can do it online. You can follow the instructions in your account or click on "FAQ's" at the bottom of the page and search "cancel" in the search bar. You'll be taken to a page where you'll find a link to cancel.
Should YOU try Gobble?
I'd recommend Gobble to anyone who:
- Is limited on time but wants to cook at home.
- Values streamlined cooking and easy cleanup.
- Doesn't mind paying a bit more for convenience.
- Wants restaurant-level flavors that can be thrown together in a snap.
Ready to try Gobble for yourself? Save on your first order here:
Or if you've tried Gobble already, tell us about your experience! Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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