Home Chef vs. Tovala Comparison Review and Prices (+11 Features of Each)
Selecting between meal services such as Home Chef and Tovala can be a daunting task. Both promise fresh, tasty meals with minimal prep, yet they offer very different approaches.
Home Chef provides ready-to-cook meal kits with fresh ingredients and simple recipes for those who enjoy hands-on cooking. In contrast, Tovala pairs its chef-designed meals with a smart oven to take the cooking off your hands, automating the process so you can enjoy dinner with almost zero effort. Both options are popular, but how do they measure up in terms of convenience, price, and taste?
Are you looking for the creativity of home cooking without the hassle of prep work, or would you prefer the simplicity of scan-and-cook meals in a smart oven?
In this comparison, I’ll explore what sets Home Chef and Tovala apart, including pricing, meal choices, and cooking experience. I’ll also break down the benefits and drawbacks of each service to help you find the best fit for your lifestyle.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear idea of which service can best suit your needs. Whether you’re looking for an interactive cooking experience or a seamless, no-hassle solution, this guide will help you choose the meal service that aligns with your schedule and taste.
Home Chef vs Tovala Feature Comparison
This table will show you the different features that are present in Home Chef, and those present in Tovala. We will also be discussing the limitations which are present in Home Chef and Tovala, which can make customers pick one over the other.
| Feature | Home Chef | Tovala |
| Delivery areas | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii |
| Price range | $30 to $120 per week for two | $9.99 to $12.99 per serving, $299 Starter Kit |
| Price per plate | $8.99 per plate | $9.99 per plate |
| Difficulty levels | EasyIntermediateExpert | Easy |
| Avg. cooking time | 30 minutes per meal | 20 minutes or lesser |
| Avg. calorie count | 400-600 calories per serving | 400-800 calories per serving |
| Supporting material | Meal description, Nutritional fact, Recipe cards, Mobile app | Code to scan |
| Recipes supported | Vegetarian, Poultry, Without nuts, Without soy, Seafood, Without wheat, PorkCarb-conscious, Calorie conscious | Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Meat, Poultry, Seafood, Calorie-smart, Carb-conscious |
| No. of choices | 13 per week | 15 per week |
| Introductory deal | $20 off in first box with free shipping | $250 off on first order |
| Avg. shelf life | 3-5 days for meat, 1-2 days for seafood | 3-7 days in the fridge |
Types of Plans: Home Chef vs Tovala
| Home Chef | Tovala |
| Oven Ready meals $13 per meal serves two Only needs to be heated in the oven | 4-meal box $9.99 – $11.99 per serving, $49 Smart Oven |
| 15-minute meal kits $9.95 per servingRequires very little cooking time | 6-meal box $9.99 – $11.99 per serving, $49 Smart Oven |
| Entrée salads $9.95 per serving, No cooking required | 8-meal box $9.99 – $11.99 per serving, $49 Smart Oven |
| 10-meal box $9.99 – $11.99 per serving, $49 Smart Oven | |
| 12-meal box $9.99 – $11.99 per serving, $49 Smart Oven |
Home Chef provides consumers with a variety of meal plans to select from. Home Chef offers two-person and six-person meal cartons that can accommodate the requirements of a variety of households. The meal boxes in Home Chef include recipes from a variety of categories, such as entrée salads and 15-minute meal packages, for those seeking a healthier option.
Tovala also offers various plans for customers to opt from, such as the six-meal box, the 10-meal box and even the 12-meal box. These plans come with a range of recipes which the customer can choose from based on their preferences. Tovala also often tosses out discounts for the Tovala smart oven which is recommended to cook the meals.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Types of Plans segment.
Types of Ingredients: Home Chef vs Tovala
| Ingredient type | Home Chef | Tovala |
| Produce | Not always organic produceMore of seasonal produce | Farm-fresh produceSeasonal fruits and veggies |
| Meat, eggs, fish | USDA FSIS approved | High-quality produce meats, seafood and chicken |
| Other ingredients | SeasoningsSpicesSauces | SeasoningsSauces |
Home Chef creates its meal kits using the highest quality ingredients. Local family-run farms source the produce for these meal kits, which primarily consists of seasonal produce. The meat used to create the meal kits in Home Chef comes from USDA FSIS-approved animals and birds.
Tovala focuses more on quick-cooking, but at the same time gives plenty of importance to the health aspect of its customers. The meals in Tovala consist of seasonal produce, while the meat and poultry are of top-quality. Most of the meal kits in Tovala come with the right amount of seasoning and sauces which will need to be sprinkled above the meal before cooking.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Types of Ingredients segment.
Add-Ons: Home Chef vs Tovala
| Home Chef | Tovala |
| DessertSaladBreadFruitSmoothie | Scan-to-cook groceries, Tovala oven accessories |
Home Chef allows customers to add more items to their meal kits to make their meal time even more wholesome. The add-ons in Home Chef range from tasty sides and desserts to bring a better experience to the whole family. Furthermore, everyday staples like bread can also be added to Home Chef meal kits.
Tovala also offers add-on choices for customers. The add-ons in Tovala not only cover food items, but even accessories for the smart oven itself, like sheet trays and grill racks. In addition to these, the customer can add grocery items which can be cooked through the code on them, such as ‘Pop-Tarts’ and ‘Eggo’ waffles.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Add-ons segment.
Packaging of Meal kit: Home Chef vs Tovala
| Home Chef | Tovala |
| Meal boxDividerProduce bagsInsulated linersIce packsPlastic containersRecipe cards | Meal boxMeal insertGarnish trayGarnish cupsSauce packsMeal traysInsulationIce packs |
| Fully recyclable | Fully recyclable |
Home Chef meal kits are fully recyclable curbside. The meal kits come in recycled cardboard boxes which are insulated with denim. The individual ingredients are packed in plastic bag or even in plastic boxes which can also be easily recycled. Home Chef advises the customers to save and reuse various elements of the packaging such as the recipe cards.
Tovala meal kits are also packed in recyclable materials. The packaging elements of Tovala include the meal box itself and the trays, the cups and the insulation. The meals themselves are packed in aluminum trays which can be cleaned and reused. Tovala also provides plenty of information for the customer to recycle each and every element of the packaging.
Winner: Tovala wins the Packaging of Meal kit segment.
Customer Support: Home Chef vs Tovala
| Feature | Home Chef | Tovala |
| Chat support | – | + |
| Email support | + | + |
| Phone support | + | + |
| Availability | Monday-Saturday | Monday to Friday |
Home Chef provides two primary methods of communication for consumer support. The user support team can be contacted via email or phone. Home Chef’s telephone lines are operational from Monday to Saturday; however, communications may be transmitted at any hour.
Tovala has three different ways for customers to reach out. These are in the form of live chat, emails support and even phone support. The live chat is available on all days of the week. However, the phone support in Tovala is not present on all days. This feature of the customer support in Tovala is available only from Monday to Friday.
Winner: Tovala wins the Customer Support segment.
Sample Meals: Home Chef vs Tovala
| Sample | Home Chef | Tovala |
| Sample 1 | Name: Japanese BBQ Burger, Preparation time: 35-45 minsSpice level: Mild, Difficulty: Easy | Name: Garlic Pepper Chicken Thigh with Balsamic Roasted Broccoli, Preparation time: 20 mins, Spice level: Medium, No. of calories: 450 |
| Sample 2 | Name: Korean Fried Chicken, Preparation time: 30-40 mins, Spice level: Medium, Difficulty: Intermediate | Name: Andouille Sausage with Mashed Potatoes and Cajun-Spiced Bacon Gravy, Preparation time: 17:30 mins, Spice level: Medium, No. of calories: 600 |
| Sample 3 | Name: Garlic-Parmesan Crusted Filet Mignon, Preparation time: 35-45 minsSpice level: Not spicy, Difficulty: Expert | Name: Esquites-Inspired Flatbread, Preparation time: 13 mins, Spice level: Medium, No. of calories: 890 |
Home Chef allows the customer to choose from a variety of recipes. Each recipe comes with a recipe card which not only contains the various instructions, but even the nutritional information of the meal. For those who really want to put their kitchen tools to use and also learn new techniques on the way, Home Chef has the Culinary Collection of recipes.
Tovala also has a fantastic number of recipes. The best thing about these meals is that the customer does not need to do any prep-work, since the smart oven will take care of the meals. As an alternative, any normal household conventional oven can also be used for this. To cook the meal, the customer will need to scan the code on the Tovala smart oven.
Winner: Home Chef wins the Sample Meals segment.
App rating: Home Chef vs Tovala
| Platform | Home Chef | Tovala |
| Google Play Store | 2.1 | 3.3 |
| Apple App Store | 3.2 | 4.8 |
| TWP Rating | 3.5/5 | 3/5 |
Final Verdict: The winner in this battle is Home Chef, with its numerous choices and easy to prepare meals.
Home Chef meal packages are available in a variety of cuisines and are specifically designed to meet a variety of dietary needs, including low-carb and calorie-conscious meals. Although Home Chef’s standard meal packages can be prepared in 30 to 45 minutes, the Fresh and Easy menu offers recipes that are exceedingly simple to prepare.
Home Chef also offers a variety of fully-prepared dishes known as Fast and Fresh, which necessitate only a minor amount of preparing in a conventional oven or microwave oven. Additionally, there are Oven Ready dishes, which necessitate the assembly of ingredients on a cooking tray and placement in the oven for a sufficient duration.
Tovala is a little different from other meal delivery services. The main aim of Tovala is to make cooking easier for the customer, and therefore, the Tovala smart oven is also marketed regularly in this meal delivery service. The meals in Tovala are recommended to be cooked using only the Tovala oven and not just any other conventional oven.
The meals themselves cover a range of recipes and cuisines. Customers can expect to find homely and comforting recipes here, and can also enjoy a range of extravagant meals. There are also a large number of pantry staples which can be cooked in the Tovala smart oven, using the scan and cook method.
Comparing Home Chef and Tovala, it can be seen that the clear winner is Home Chef. Home Chef is purely dedicated to making lives easier through its numerous meal kits. On the other hand, Tovala aims to do the same through its smart oven. Home Chef provides very easy-to-cook recipes that are not only more wholesome but even more affordable.
Methodology
In order to provide you with the most comprehensive reviews of each meal delivery service, we conducted primary research on social media platforms, interviewed testers and real-life users, reviewed the information provided by each service on their respective websites, and examined the user reviews of these platforms on a variety of social media sites. Additionally, we have implemented the evaluations submitted by existing consumers of these services on their respective Apple and Google applications.
We will update this page with recordings and images of our experiences as we conduct our own internal review. If they significantly differ from the comments of our external reviewers, we will revise this post to ensure that you have access to both perspectives and can determine which service provider is more appropriate for your requirements based on the aforementioned information.
The primary criteria we have employed to evaluate and assess these meal delivery services include the variety of meals, the inclusiveness of diets and cuisines, the simplicity of the recipes, and the supporting material.
Furthermore, we have prioritized the sustainability and recyclability of the packaging of these services. Finally, we have assessed the delivery services and customer service capabilities of these platforms.
FAQs on “Home Chef vs Tovala”
How long can Home Chef meals stay in the box?
Home Chef meals can stay up to 48 hours in the box. This is mainly because the meal box comes insulated with denim and uses ice packs to keep the ingredients cool and fresh until the customer opens it.
Can you buy Tovala meals without the oven?
No, you cannot buy Tovala meals without the oven. The company touts the oven so that the meals sold can be cooked in it.
Are Tovala meals frozen?
No, Tovala meals are not frozen. Instead, they arrive fresh to the customer. The customer only needs to take the meal tray and pop it into the smart oven. Once the code is detected by the Tovala oven, the cooking will take place on its own without the customer’s intervention.
