ReviewLifestyle
Gousto Review: The Best Recipe Choice in the UK — Just Check Every Box When It Arrives
Gousto offers the widest menu of any UK recipe box, with 70+ recipes a week, many under 30 minutes, and good value on larger boxes. But around one in five complaints involves missing or damaged ingredients, so check your box on delivery and report issues straight away.
rating 7.6 / 10
7.6/10
- Best for
- UK households that want to stop the "what's for dinner" stress, cook more at home, and try new cuisines, especially families ordering bigger boxes
- Price
- From £3.20 per serving (4-person, 5 recipes) up to ~£10.25 per serving (1-person, 2 recipes) + £3.99 deliverygousto.co.uk
The shortlist
04 PRODUCTS · PRICES CHECKED AUTOMATICALLY
-
Best Overall Pick 4-Person Box, 4–5 Recipes £3.20 Gousto
-
Best for Couples 2-Person Box, 3–4 Recipes — ~£5.38/serving Gousto
-
Premium / Upgrade Pick Premium / Special Recipes Gousto
-
Approach With Caution 1-Person Box — ~£10.25/serving Gousto
How this works — Links to shops may earn FailleGlam a commission. It never decides what we recommend, the score, or the order. Prices are read from each shop and shown with the time we last checked. How we review →
01 Why We Reviewed Gousto
Gousto was founded in London in 2012 and has grown into the UK's best-known recipe box, with more than 50,000 Trustpilot reviews. Each week you choose from over 70 recipes, from "Ready in 10" quick meals and kid-friendly dinners to vegan, low-calorie and international dishes. Ingredients arrive pre-measured in colour-coded bags with step-by-step cards and app videos. Most meals take under 30 minutes, and packaging is now described as fully recyclable. The subscription is flexible: you can skip, pause, change or cancel any week.
The honest caveat is consistency. Gousto's Trustpilot score is 3.6 / 5, much lower than its popularity suggests, with complaints focused on missing or damaged ingredients, wilted produce, courier delays and cold-chain problems in hot weather. Pricing also changes a lot depending on box size. Small boxes cost over £10 per serving, and heavy introductory discounts can hide the real ongoing cost. Gousto replies to 98% of negative reviews, usually within 24 hours, and generally credits accounts for missing items.
02 Gousto at a Glance
At a glance
- Founded
- 2012 — London, UK
- Product Category
- Recipe boxes / meal kits with pre-portioned ingredients
- Price Range
- £3.20/serving (4 people, 5 recipes) / £5.38 (2 people, 3 recipes) / £10.25 (1 person, 2 recipes) + £3.99 delivery
- Ships To
- UK (plus a separate Ireland service)
- Made In
- UK-packed; transparent meat sourcing and origin labelling
- Warranty
- Account credit/refunds for missing or damaged items
- Return Policy
- Perishable — no returns; issues handled via credit
- Available At
- gousto.co.uk, Gousto app
- Review Count
- 50,700+ Trustpilot reviews (3.6/5, 64% five-star); 98% reply rate to negative reviews
- FailleGlam Rating
- 7.6 / 10
03 What FailleGlam Found: The Honest Breakdown
-
+01
✅ Biggest menu in the UK. 70+ recipes a week, with filters for vegan, vegetarian, low-calorie, kid-friendly and quick meals.
-
+02
✅ Strong value on bigger boxes. Family boxes cost as little as £3.20 per serving, which competes with supermarket shopping once you count less waste.
-
+03
✅ Genuinely easy cooking. Colour-coded bags, clear recipe cards, app videos and most meals under 30 minutes.
-
+04
✅ Flexible subscription. Skip, pause, change or cancel at any time through the app or website.
-
+05
✅ Quick complaint response. 98% of negative reviews get a reply, usually within a day, with credits for problems.
-
−01
❌ Missing or damaged ingredients. This is the most common complaint, and one analysis of reviews suggests it comes up in around one in five problem boxes.
-
−02
❌ Produce quality varies. Wilted vegetables and odd-sized items come up, along with cold-chain issues in hot weather.
-
−03
❌ Small boxes are expensive. 1-person boxes cost over £10 per serving plus £3.99 delivery.
-
−04
❌ Discounts hide the real price. Big introductory offers fade after a few boxes, and some reviewers say they'd only stay on offer.
Our readGousto delivers on variety, convenience and ease. The weak points are delivery consistency and the full-price cost of small boxes.
04 Best Gousto Options Worth Considering
Based on pricing and reviewer feedback, here's how to get the most out of Gousto.
Gousto
4-Person Box, 4–5 Recipes
This is where Gousto makes the most sense: family-friendly recipes at a per-serving cost close to supermarket levels, with less food waste and no meal planning. Choose a mix of quick and slower recipes for the week.
Gousto
2-Person Box, 3–4 Recipes — ~£5.38/serving
It's a good middle ground for couples who want variety without big leftovers. Add more recipes to lower the per-serving price.
Gousto
Premium / Special Recipes
These restaurant-style dishes, such as steaks, seafood and fakeaways, cost extra per portion but make great weekend treats. Keep them occasional to protect your budget.
Gousto
1-Person Box — ~£10.25/serving
It's convenient for single households, but over £10 per serving plus delivery makes it the priciest way to use Gousto. A 2-person box with leftovers for lunch often works out better.
05 What Buyers Are Actually Saying
A customer on overall experience:
All fresh ingredients, easy to use app, price great, easy use instructions.
Another on value:
Really enjoy it when the price is on offer, it's tasty and delicious food.
On the concerns side, a customer on box contents:
Missing ingredients and the potatoes… were smaller than the tomatoes!
And one on billing and delivery:
Charged twice, never got the box.
The pattern: customers love the recipes and convenience, while problems focus on packing errors, produce quality and courier issues.
06 Gousto vs The Competition
| Gousto vs The Competition | Our pick Gousto | HelloFresh UK | Mindful Chef |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per Serving | ✅ From £3.20 | ⚠️ Similar/higher | ❌ Higher |
| Weekly Recipes | ✅ 70+ | ✅ Large | ⚠️ Smaller |
| Quality / Ingredients | ⚠️ Mostly good, some inconsistency | ⚠️ Mixed | ✅ Premium, health-focused |
| Flexibility | ✅ Skip/pause/cancel anytime | ✅ Flexible | ✅ Flexible |
| Family Options | ✅ Up to 5 people | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Limited |
| Complaint Handling | ✅ 98% replied | ⚠️ Mixed | ✅ Good |
| Unique Strength | Choice + value | Brand scale | Healthy, gluten-free |
| Best For | Families & variety seekers | Similar needs | Health-conscious cooks |
07 Is Gousto Right For You?
Perfect For
Busy families and couples who want to cook more at home, cut food waste, stop weekly meal planning and try new cuisines.
Worth Considering If
You live rurally, where delivery slots can be limited, or you're a single-person household. Check slots first and compare the per-serving cost with a 2-person box.
Skip It If
You're strictly budget-shopping at discount supermarkets, you can't be home to receive chilled deliveries, or you'd only use it while discounted.
08 FailleGlam Recommends
Gousto
Gousto 4-Person Box with 4–5 Recipes
The family box is where Gousto's value really shows. Use the introductory offer to test it, check every box against the recipe list on delivery, and report missing items in the app the same day for credit. Pause any week you don't need it.
09 Gousto — Questions We Get Asked Most
Q.01Is Gousto worth it after the discount ends?
Yes for 3–5 person boxes with 4–5 recipes. Small boxes get expensive at full price.
Q.02How much does Gousto cost per serving?
From £3.20 (4 people, 5 recipes) up to about £10.25 (1 person, 2 recipes), plus £3.99 delivery.
Q.03Gousto vs HelloFresh — which is cheaper?
They're similar. Gousto often wins on larger boxes and menu choice.
Q.04What should I do if my Gousto box has missing ingredients?
Report it in the app or on the website on delivery day. Gousto usually credits your account.
Q.05Can I pause or cancel Gousto?
Yes. You can skip, pause or cancel any time through your account or the app.