Could meal kit delivery services cost you less than a trip to the grocery store?

Meal kit delivery services are often thought of as an expensive alternative to grocery shopping, but with the cost of groceries these days, could these meal subscriptions cost you less than a trip to the store?There are so many meal kit services to choose from, so we wanted to hear from you. We posted on Facebook asking which meal kit services you've tried and if it saves you money. Viewers across the Tri-State weighed in.

Kathy Hanas commented that she likes Home Chef. Hanas said it's overall cheaper than eating out and more convenient than grocery shopping. Tim Raisor commented he hasn't found a cost-effective service for larger families.



Hear more about what Tri-State residents had to say about meal kit programs: Do meal kits from companies like Home Chef or Hello Fresh save you money on groceries?Meal kits send you pre-portioned ingredients, which can help avoid impulse buys and buying more than you need."When I walk into those stores, I always go off the list. Like right now, I have to avoid the Reese's peanut butter eggs, Candace Lancaster said.

Abigail Pratt said she doesn't mind paying more for convenience and easy meal planning.John Barker, president of the Ohio Restaurant Association, said convenience is worth money to many people."American consumers, we love to eat," Barker said.

"And any way we can get it to come to us easier, we seem to be willing to do that."Many meal kits don't make it easy to see how much it's going to cost you. Some even make you select meals before you can see the pricing.

We compared the prices for you. Here's how they stacked out.Every PlateThe cheapest meal kit we found was Every Plate.

Meals start at $1.99 per serving, but the average meal is around $5.99 per serving.

3 meals per week for 4 people: Starting at $60 per week Shipping: $9Dinnerly Meals cost about $5 to $8 per serving. 3 meals per week for 4 people: $77.88 Shipping: $11.

99Hello Fresh Meals start at $9.99 per serving. 3 meals per week for 4 people: $119.

38 Shipping: $10.99 Discount: 50% off your first Hello Fresh boxBlue Apron Blue Apron meals start at $9.49 per serving.

3 meals per week for 4 people: $113.88 Shipping: $10.88Home Chef Standard meals average at $9.

99 per serving. The cost per serving will vary depending on the size of your order. The minimum weekly order is $50.

95, but that includes shipping. The Family Plan is $82.91.

FactorFactor meals are slightly more expensive; however, the meals are already cooked. You just have to microwave them. They have six, eight, 10, 12, 14 and 18 meal plans.

The six-meal plan starts at $13.49 per serving. The more meals you purchase, the less it costs per serving.

The 18-meal plan is $10.99 per serving. Factor also has add-ons such as breakfast, juice, and snacks that typically cost between $3 and $5.

Joe Wilson, president and CEO of OW Private Capital, said if you're trying to save money, know how much you spend on food weekly and stick to your budget."We have to really sit down and say, this is what we're going to allocate to food and you might not have the luxury of paying for convenience," Wilson said.Many of the meal kits offer promotional deals to try to get you to sign up.

Many of the subscriptions automatically renew weekly after you sign up. Don't forget to cancel, that way you don't waste your money."Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc.

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