ReviewLifestyle
SimplyCook Review: Restaurant-Style Flavour on a Budget — If You're Happy to Buy Your Own Ingredients
SimplyCook sends chef-blended flavour pots and recipe cards through your letterbox, so dinners taste far better without paying for fresh ingredients by post. It isn't a full meal kit, though, and once you add groceries, the per-serving cost isn't always cheaper than cooking from scratch.
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rating 7.6 / 10
7.6/10
- Best for
- Home cooks who already do a supermarket shop and want new, flavourful recipes each week without the cost and packaging of a full meal kit
- Price
- About £10–£11 per box of 4 recipe kits (plus delivery on some offers); your own ingredients estimated at ~£3–£6 per personsimplycook.com
01 Why We Reviewed SimplyCook
SimplyCook is a UK recipe kit subscription with a different model from HelloFresh or Gousto. Instead of chilled boxes, each letterbox-friendly box contains four recipe kits. Each kit has three flavour pots (pastes, spice blends, stocks or garnishes) "hand-picked and blended by expert chefs," plus a recipe card with a tear-off shopping list. You buy the fresh ingredients yourself, usually 4–6 items. There are 100+ recipes (some sources say about 140), with filters for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, spice level and allergens. Since nothing perishes, you cook in your own time, and you can choose weekly, fortnightly, monthly or six-weekly deliveries.
The honest caveat is the total cost. One money-saving review calculated about £3.25 per recipe for the box before groceries, and SimplyCook estimates £3–£6 per person for ingredients, putting full meals at roughly £6–£9 per serving depending on recipe and household size. That's competitive with meal kits, but more than basic supermarket cooking. One reader also raised sugar content in some meals. Introductory offers vary (free, £1 or 50% off), and cancelling online is easy, sometimes with a retention discount.
02 SimplyCook at a Glance
At a glance
- Founded
- UK recipe kit brand (London)
- Product Category
- Letterbox recipe kits — flavour pots + recipe cards
- Price Range
- ~£10–£11 per box of 4 kits (delivery fee varies by offer) + your own ingredients (~£3–£6 per person)
- Ships To
- UK (letterbox delivery)
- Delivery Frequency
- Weekly, fortnightly, monthly or every 6 weeks
- Warranty
- Issues resolved via customer service
- Return Policy
- Subscription — cancel online any time
- Available At
- simplycook.com, SimplyCook app
- Review Count
- Large UK customer base; independent review score ~3.9/5 (money-saving review)
- FailleGlam Rating
- 7.6 / 10
03 What FailleGlam Found: The Honest Breakdown
-
+01
✅ Big flavour boost. Reviewers found the flavour pots "made a noticeable difference to taste."
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+02
✅ No food waste or rush. Nothing fresh is posted, so you cook when it suits you.
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+03
✅ Letterbox convenience. No need to be home for a chilled delivery.
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+04
✅ Wide, filterable menu. 100+ recipes, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.
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+05
✅ Easy to cancel or pause. Cancel online without phone calls, and choose a delivery frequency that suits you.
-
−01
❌ Not a full meal kit. You still have to shop for 4–6 fresh ingredients per recipe.
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−02
❌ Total cost adds up. £6–£9 per serving once groceries are included.
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−03
❌ Trial charges. Remember to cancel or adjust frequency after the trial to avoid unwanted boxes.
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−04
❌ Nutrition varies. One reader flagged high sugar in some meals, so check the nutrition info.
Our readSimplyCook is excellent for flavour and flexibility. Judge the value on taste, not on price alone.
04 Best Ways to Use SimplyCook
Based on reviews and cost, here's how to get the most from it.
Fortnightly Box (4 Kits)
Best Overall Pick
Two or more new dinners a week without overloading your cupboard. It's the best balance of variety and cost for most households.
Vegetarian & Vegan Kits
Best Value
Cheaper fresh ingredients like veg, pulses and tofu keep total costs closest to the lower estimate.
Monthly or 6-Weekly Delivery
Best for Occasional Cooks
A good fit if you cook new recipes less often. The kits keep, so there's no pressure.
Weekly Deliveries Without a Plan
Approach With Caution
Pots can pile up if you don't cook them all. Match the frequency to how often you'll really cook.
05 What Buyers Are Actually Saying
A money-saving reviewer on taste:
The flavour pots made a noticeable difference to taste.
The same reviewer on what it is:
SimplyCook isn't a full meal kit.
Another reviewer on the effort involved:
Could be off putting for some.
And a reader flagged high sugar in some meals, so it's worth checking nutrition info.
— Reader comment via review site
The pattern: people love the flavour and flexibility, while the drawbacks are the extra shopping and total cost.
06 SimplyCook vs The Competition
| SimplyCook vs The Competition | Our pick SimplyCook | Gousto | HelloFresh UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Ingredients Included | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Box Cost | ✅ ~£10–£11 for 4 kits | ⚠️ Higher | ⚠️ Higher |
| Delivery | ✅ Letterbox | ⚠️ Chilled, be home | ⚠️ Chilled, be home |
| Food Waste | ✅ Minimal | ⚠️ Some packaging | ⚠️ Some packaging |
| Effort | ⚠️ Need to shop | ✅ Everything included | ✅ Everything included |
| Recipe Range | ✅ 100+ | ✅ Very large | ✅ Large |
| Best For | Budget flavour boosts | Families wanting convenience | Convenience seekers |
07 Is SimplyCook Right For You?
Perfect For
People who already shop weekly, want to escape dinner ruts, live alone or in couples, or can't receive chilled deliveries.
Worth Considering If
You're cooking for a family. The box stays cheap, but ingredient costs rise with portions.
Skip It If
You want zero-effort meals with everything included, or you're strictly minimising your food spend.
08 FailleGlam Recommends
SimplyCook
SimplyCook Fortnightly Box — 4 recipe kits
The easiest way to bring restaurant-style flavour into weeknight dinners without meal-kit prices. Use the trial to test it, tear off the shopping lists for your weekly shop, choose vegetarian kits to keep costs down, and set a reminder to adjust or cancel after the trial.
09 SimplyCook — Questions We Get Asked Most
Q.01Is SimplyCook worth it?
For flavour, variety and low waste, yes. It's less suitable if you want everything delivered.
Q.02How much does SimplyCook cost per serving?
Around £6–£9 including your own ingredients, according to one detailed review.
Q.03What comes in a SimplyCook box?
Four recipe kits, each with three flavour pots and a recipe card with a shopping list.
Q.04How do I cancel SimplyCook?
Online in your account. No phone call needed.
Q.05SimplyCook vs HelloFresh — which is better?
SimplyCook for flavour on a budget and letterbox delivery. HelloFresh for full convenience.
10 FailleGlam Scorecard — SimplyCook
