Packaging is one of the biggest frustrations with food boxes - a great dinner is less appealing if it leaves a bin-bag of plastic behind. These are the services that do best on packaging: plastic-free, returnable or fully recyclable.
Plastic-free and returnable packaging
| Box | Type | Our rating | Value | Subscription | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverford | Veg Box | 8.5/10 | from £16.50 | One-off available | Read review |
| Abel & Cole | Veg Box | 8/10 | from £14.50 | One-off available | Read review |
| Oddbox | Veg Box | 7.9/10 | from £11.99 | Subscription only | Read review |
Ratings are our own editorial scores. Value shows price per portion where a box is priced that way, or the cheapest full-price box otherwise. Prices were checked in June 2026 and exclude introductory offers.
Why veg boxes win on packaging
The organic veg boxes lead by a distance. Riverford uses reusable, returnable packaging with minimal plastic, Abel & Cole runs its Club Zero returnable scheme, and Oddbox keeps packaging minimal. Because they deliver whole produce rather than portioned ingredients, there is simply less to wrap.
What about meal kits?
Meal kits are harder. To keep ingredients fresh, safe and pre-portioned, most still use some plastic - so none are truly plastic-free. The best use fully recyclable packaging: Green Chef and Mindful Chef both claim 100% recyclable, and Gousto is working towards it. If packaging is your priority, a veg box will always beat a meal kit.
Frozen and ambient
Frozen ready meals use insulated packaging and ice packs that are harder to recycle. The exception is Parsley Box, whose ambient, long-life meals need no cold-chain packaging at all.
Frequently asked questions
Are meal kit boxes recyclable?
Most are largely recyclable - Green Chef and Mindful Chef use fully recyclable packaging - but ingredients usually still come in some plastic. The organic veg boxes go furthest, with returnable and plastic-free packaging.
Which food box has the least packaging?
The organic veg boxes (Riverford, Abel & Cole) and Oddbox use the least packaging, with returnable or minimal options, compared with meal kits that wrap each ingredient.