Wanna cook like the Queen of Domesticity? Maybe you recognize the term from Martha Stewart Living. In either case, this review shares everything you need to know about the meal kit delivery service that's something as unusual as the collaboration between a German serial entrepreneur and an American TV-star.
So what exactly are we talking about? Martha & Marley Spoon is a meal kit delivery service specializing in meal kits delivered to your door.
Every week, you can choose between 22 recipes guiding you to new, exciting flavors inspired by cuisines from all over the world, with recipes hand-picked by Martha herself.
Martha & Marley Spoon started as Marley Spoon in Berlin back in the days and came to the US in 2015. The partnership with star chef and TV host Martha Stewart in the following year led to the name change.
You can sense the star quality of these meal kits all the way to your kitchen desk – the profile of this brand is quality and class both when it comes to the choice of recipes and selection of ingredients shipped to you.
In this Martha & Marley Spoon review, we've done the research to give you the details on the offerings from Martha Stewart and Martha & Marley Spoon meal kits. How does it work? How many meals per week can you order? What are the different customization options if you're vegan, have allergies, or follow a diet? Ready, set... review!
Martha & Marley Spoon At A Glance
- Best Match For: Anyone looking to cook delicious meals with carefully selected ingredients from small farms and Martha Stewart’s 6-step recipes.
- Commitment Level: Weekly subscription
- Availability: Most of the contiguous US (No Alaska or Hawaii)
- Value: $6.99-$10.99/meal; $8.99 shipping fee
- Type: Fresh meal kits (ready in 30 minutes or less)
How Martha & Marley Spoon Works
Martha & Marley Spoon carefully selects their producers and delivers you meal kits with crisp ingredients that are in season.
The concept is simple: unleash your inner home chef and cook delicious meals with ease, faster than you can say "cream cheese" – without the need to go grocery shopping! The weekly kit literally delivers an answer to the eternal question, "What should we have for dinner?".
Each meal comes with a colorful, easy-to-follow recipe card and lets you cook a chef-class meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes in six simple steps. Ingredients are pre-measured for your convenience. Bring out the apron and your best kitchen skills and start cooking!
Some meals suit diets such as vegan, family-friendly, no-dairy, and low-carb. The service is one of the best vegetarian meal delivery programs and meal kit services with vegan options, as vegetarians are catered for with enough recipes to cover for all four all days that the box includes. For freshness reasons, you can order for up to four days per week.
Each week, 10 days before the estimated delivery day, you'll receive an email letting you review the meals for the coming week – and select which ones you wanna cook.
Nutritionist-Approved Meal Delivery
Martha & Marley Spoon works with their own nutritionist to review recipes and make sure meals are not only seducing your tastebuds – but also securing your daily intake of macro- and micronutrients.
Flexible Subscription
When you sign up, you'll automatically receive one box per week with the possibility to pause or cancel anytime.
There are no set box sizes above the minimum order of four portions – you have the freedom to change delivery frequency, mix and match recipes, and choose the number of servings you'd like to receive from week to week up to a maximum of four day's worth.
This flexibility makes Martha & Marley Spoon not too different from going to the grocery store and buying the foods you like in the amounts you want!
That's why it's a great meal delivery service for families.
Only that you don't need to go to the grocery store or calculate ingredient quantities. Plus, you can choose between a set number of recipes reducing the infinite options to a digestible amount. Talk about taking away the overwhelm!
You can easily cancel by logging in to your account without the need to contact customer service.
Box Options
There are two options: a 2-person and a 4-person box. With both alternatives, you have the freedom to choose how many days or nights a week you'd like to cook with Martha & Marley Spoon. Different dinner options are the basis, with other recipes available depending on season.
For the 2-person box, each recipe you select gives enough for two meals. The 4-person option gives enough food for four adults, meaning that families with young kids can count on some leftovers for the lunchbox the following day. With this option, you can choose up to four meals per week.
Switch Box Type
Maybe you decided to start small with your first box, and want to gear up towards the 4-person box. You can review and change your cooking subscription box under My Account > Settings. Select the Edit Plan button. Note that this changes future boxes – if you also wish to change your current order, you'll have to contact customer service.
What You Can Expect From Your Meal
Martha & Marley Spoon has the philosophy that if the ingredients are exceptional, the result will be exceptional without needing too much preparation and advanced cooking moves.
They collaborate with smaller, family-owned businesses bringing only the best products to the table. Therefore, each producer is carefully hand-picked by Martha & Marley Spoon's culinary food and safety teams and needs to pass through criteria that would make an SAT-exam look like a walk in the park.
They also believe bland food should be considered a sin, and that cooking and eating fun food is your birthright.
Ingredients are in season to support sustainable practices and contribute to a healthy food economy.
Each week's menu is tailored to the current season and holidays such as summer grilling, back to school, and Thanksgiving.
Even though main courses are the standard staple, you can often find surprises in the form of breakfasts, side dishes, and desserts celebrating the season. This also makes Martha & Marley Spoon an exciting and ever-changing meal kit service with lots of variety – you won't risk getting bored!
Besides, you can find extra items such as Protein Variety Packs or pantry staples requested by our subscribers.
To see the recipes for this and the following week, head over to "Current recipes".
Martha & Marley Spoon assumes that you have some staples in your cupboards already, such as salt and oils, and standard kitchen tools. Nothing else is needed!
Upon ordering, you'll get informed about what staples you should have – and you get a reminder with the shipping information again so that you won't end up in a situation where you're missing out on some of the ingredients.
Allergies and Dietary Preferences
The only menu catering to allergies or dietary preferences is the vegetarian menu. All allergens are listed on the recipe cards, making it easy for you to omit specific ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction.
Note that since all foods are produced in the same kitchen, there is still the risk of cross-contamination – make sure to consult your doctor before you order if you are allergic. The customer team is happy to help you out and can be reached via phone or email.
There are some vegan options available every week.
Sample Meals
Martha & Marley Spoon lets you choose meals from five categories: Health & Diet, Vegetarian & Vegan, Meat & Fish, Under 30 Minutes, and Family-Friendly.
Some drool-worthy examples from each menu:
Martha & Marley Spoon works with produce that is local and in season, fresh fruits and vegetables, and trusted suppliers offering quality meat, fish, and poultry. Their producers are smaller farmers and food suppliers that offer exclusive, one-of-a-kind batches to a limited audience to ensure quality standards are met.
Delivery
You can modify your order after it has been placed if you do it 6-7 days before shipping.
You can also select a delivery day that suits you – which is not the case with all meal delivery service companies.
Ingredients are delivered directly to your house in a box with ice packs and insulated liners to ensure they stay fresh. They are shipped to arrive at your doorstep fresher than ingredients found in the supermarket!
The recommendations for storage are as follows:
Martha & Marley Spoon delivers to every zip code in the country, except in Hawaii and Alaska. Materials in the packaging can be used for recycling, and they use paper bags instead of plastics whenever possible. The box has insulation and thus the ability to keep the food in good shape until you get home.
Skip a Delivery
Going for vacation, or feel like taking a break? You can easily skip a delivery by logging in to your account and go to My Account > Settings. This lets you skip delivery from 5 days and up to 7 weeks ahead.
FAQS
Marley Spoon is the name of the original company behind what is now Martha & Marley Spoon. It was founded in Germany by Berlin-based serial entrepreneur Fabian Siegel in 2014 and changed name to Martha & Marley Spoon in 2016 after getting into a partnership with Martha Stewart.
Martha and Marley Spoon starts at $6.39 per portion for four people and six meals per week.
To cancel your weekly Martha & Marley Spoon subscription, simply head over to the Settings link on your Account page and select Stop subscription. Make sure that you do this in time before your next order ships – that is, 5 days before planned shipment.
Marley Spoon changed its name to Martha & Marley Spoon after the partnership with Martha Stewart. Martha & Marley Spoon is a company offering meal kit subscription services with recipes for cooking different meals.
Perfect for those wanting to surprise a friend or three with a home-cooked meal on chef level, or getting recipes and ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and different types of entrees to cook quickly without the issues of making a meal plan or going grocery shopping.
It depends on your plan. The plans start at $6.39 per portion for four people and six meals per week.
Yes, Martha and Marley Spoon offers a perfect combination of pre-portioned meal kits and delicious recipes by Martha Stewart. You have exciting recipes every week, and the ingredients you receive are top-quality. So, you can have a delicious dish ready in less than 30 minutes without having to go to the grocery store.
Martha and Marley Spoon is a meal kit delivery service. They deliver fresh, quality ingredients that are pre-measured and ready to cook, along with Martha Stewart’s recipes for delicious meals.
The majority of meat and seafood are domestically farmed, so almost everything is from the US. There are several premium quality beef options from abroad.
Martha Stewart may have created these recipes, but don’t worry – you don’t have to be a world-renowned chef to make them. In fact, all meals are prepared in six easy steps, and you’ll need less than 30 minutes to do it.
A Marley Spoon plan for two starts at $56.95 per week, while the cheapest box for four is $88.91. By ordering more meals, your total goes up, but your price per serving goes down.
Yes, you can cancel Marley Spoon. Simply go to your account settings and click on “Stop Subscription.” You need to do it before a cut-off date, which is typically 6 days before your next delivery. If you fail to do so, your next order will ship, and you will be charged for it.
Yes, all Martha and Marley Spoon recipes are created to offer balanced nutrition. There is even a unique “Healthy” label that refers to meals under 600 calories.
Yes, Martha and Marley Spoon has keto recipes and meals for other special diets such as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
Yes, you can freeze the meat or the whole meal, and it will last up to 12 weeks in your freezer.
Dinnerly is a meal kit delivery launched by Marley Spoon but separate from Martha and Marley Spoon brand. It’s supposed to be a more affordable service, as most meal kit deliveries are more on the premium side.
Both Martha and Marley Spoon and HelloFresh offer healthy recipes and fresh quality ingredients. So, they are both excellent options if you are looking to improve your diet.
Martha & Marley Spoon Costs
This weekly subscription allows you to order meal kits for entrees and desserts for $6.99-$10.99 per serving. There is an $8.99 flat rate shipping across the US.
Pros and Cons
Martha & Marley Spoon wants you to enjoy healthy, mouth-watering food every day of the week – because why wait for the weekend? Recipes are designed by Martha Stewart herself.
An advantage with meal kit packets is that they give you the joy of cooking, without needing to go to grocery stores to chase for ingredients and spend precious time in lines. It also takes away the planning – both when it comes to taste and nutritional composition. Each meal is delicious and nutritious!
The recipe box comes with recipe cards with beautiful photos and six easy-to-follow steps. The closest you can get to have a chef standing by your side! Plus, it's one of the most popular cheap meal delivery services.
Martha & Marley Spoon offers plenty of meal options and recipes and lots of nutrition per serving. The many recipe choices, and clear directions and cooking instructions – together with the stellar selection of quality foods and chef-class recipes – makes this meal services company a favorite among many customers.
Note that the meals still require some time for cooking – and give quite a lot of dishes in the form of pots and pans. For days when you're in a rush, eating out or ordering ready-made might be the way to go.
Also, the emphasis is on high-quality, tasty meals that you can expect at a restaurant – so other delivery services might be a better choice for someone who's a complete novice.
For those with basic experience who would like an escape from all things meal plans, meal prep and making millions of choices, and feeling stuck in a cooking rut, Martha & Marley Spoon can spice things up. Their meal planning kit services and high-end products add freshness to your menus, and the fancy recipes make every day feel like Friday!
Food for Thought
Martha & Marley Spoon meal kit services are an excellent alternative to meal delivery services for those who still enjoy cooking every now and then and want the chance to advance in the kitchen.
There are menu options offering something for almost all dietary needs: vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, dinners taking less than 30 minutes to prepare, and bigger package options for the whole family to enjoy.
The recipes pack a punch of flavor and are filling both for fitness folks, diet plan eaters, or those somewhere in the middle.
There's a special children-friendly label on meals that have success even among the youngest family members.
Some meals are also suitable for diets like vegan, paleo, keto, and anyone who wanna control their intake of carbs and sugars for weight-loss reasons.
Everything is local, and you have the freedom to pick your favorite recipes to compose your own meal kit, with up to four dishes per week. This is an advantage over some other meal kit delivery services, for which there is a set amount of meals per week.
Martha & Marley Spoon gives you a recipe card with instructions for each dish. A thing to keep in mind is that at times, the brand lives up to its Martha Stewart-class, and recipes can be a bit complicated for the completely green chef.
The result will be worth the effort, though – and chances are the final content on your plates touches your tastebuds for weeks to come! We say bon appétit to that.
Martha & Marly Spoon