Prep Kitchen alternative
Prep Kitchen takes the guesswork out of cooking, but the cost is steep once the novelty wears off. If you already know what meals you like, Basket List helps you shop for the same ingredients yourself — without the kit markup.
Meal kits work well at first. No planning, no shopping, just cook. But after a few months you're ordering the same meals, the cost hasn't gone down, and you realise you could buy a bag of chicken and some veg for a fraction of the price.
The recipes are simple enough to make from scratch. You just need the ingredients list — and that's what Basket List gives you.
That's what Prep Kitchen costs a couple doing four meals. Families pay double. The same ingredients from a supermarket cost roughly half.
The menu rotates, but after a few months you've tried everything and you're just reordering the hits. Your own collection would give you more variety.
Kit ingredients come from their suppliers. No grabbing the Aldi deal, no picking your own fruit, no seasonal bargains.
Prep Kitchen prices start from around £4 per serving, but most customers pay more once they pick popular recipes or add extras. A box of four meals for two people costs around £32 to £48 per week. Feeding a family of four means ordering more portions, pushing the weekly bill to £65 or above.
Similar meals made with supermarket ingredients may cost less. A chicken stir-fry that costs £5 per serving from a meal kit can sometimes be made for less with supermarket ingredients, depending on brand, offers, and portion size.
For regular meal-kit users, the potential saving can add up over a year. Treat the figures here as examples, then compare them against the meals and supermarkets you actually use.
Prep Kitchen (2 people, 4 meals)
Around £32 to £48 per week. Works out at £4 to £6 per serving.
Prep Kitchen (4 people, 4 meals)
Around £65 to £96 per week. You need extra portions or a larger box.
Supermarket shop with Basket List (4 people, 4 meals)
Around £25 to £40 per week for the same meals. You choose where to shop and what to spend.
Potential saving example: £25 to £40 per week
Based on replacing regular meal-kit dinners with a supermarket shop for similar meals.
Prices and savings are examples only. Recipe-box pricing, discounts, delivery fees, supermarket prices and portion sizes vary. Basket List does not deliver ingredients; it helps you create shopping lists from recipes you choose.
Same meals. You just buy the ingredients yourself.
Step 1
Add the meals your family loves — Prep Kitchen favourites, recipes from cookbooks, or your own creations. Include the full ingredient list so you never have to look them up again.
Step 2
Choose what you want to cook, set how many people you are feeding, and Basket List builds your shopping list. Shared ingredients are merged so nothing is doubled up.
Step 3
Take your list to Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose, or wherever you prefer. Pick the brands you trust. Tick items off as you go and share the list with your household in real time.
The useful part of a meal kit isn't the portioning or the packaging. It's knowing what you're cooking and what to buy. That stays.
You still pick meals, still get the full ingredient list, still know exactly what's going in the trolley. You just do the shopping yourself instead of paying someone to post it to you.
Meal planning
Prep Kitchen: picks meals from a set menu each week. Basket List: you pick from your own saved recipes.
Shopping list
Prep Kitchen: no list — ingredients arrive in a box. Basket List: builds your list in seconds from your chosen meals.
Where you shop
Prep Kitchen: their suppliers only. Basket List: any supermarket, market, or farm shop you like.
Cost (2 people, 4 meals)
Prep Kitchen: £32 to £48 per week. Basket List: £12 to £20 for the same meals.
Your own recipes
Prep Kitchen: limited to their menu. Basket List: add any recipe you want, from any source.
People who've been on meal kits long enough to have their favourites nailed. They don't need new ideas — they need a cheaper way to shop for the meals they already make.
You love having dinner sorted each night, but want more say over the weekly spend. Basket List lets you plan similar meals from your own supermarket shop and compare the difference for your family.
After months with a meal kit, you have your go-to recipes nailed. Save them once, build your weekly list in under a minute, and see whether the supermarket version works better for your budget.
Some people like picking their own fruit and veg, choosing cuts of meat, or browsing the aisles for deals. Basket List gives you the list — you decide where and how to shop.
Meal kits come with a lot of packaging — ice packs, plastic trays, individual sachets. When you shop yourself, you buy only what you need and cut down on single-use wrapping.
Try it for free
Same meal ideas, your choice of shop, and a clearer way to compare costs.
No card needed. One plan covers everyone in your household.
It can be. Prep Kitchen charges £4 to £6 per serving, while supermarket ingredients for similar meals may cost less. The exact difference depends on recipes, supermarket choice, offers, delivery fees, and portion sizes.
Absolutely. Save the recipe, note the ingredients, and shop for them yourself. The end result is identical.
No. Basket List helps you create the shopping list from recipes you choose. You buy the ingredients yourself.
About 15 minutes to add your first few recipes. Weekly lists after that take about 30 seconds.
Yes. One cookbook, shared between your household. Everyone sees the same recipes and lists.
14 days, no card needed.
