Woop review
How does Woop work, what meal plans do they offer and how are they different from other meal providers? We tried out the various plans and cooked 12 meals from this provider to give you an idea of what you can expect when you subscribe to Woop.
Updated 31 May 2022
Our review covers:
Our review covers:
Overview of Woop
- Woop provides meal kits with pre-prepared sauces and precisely portioned ingredients to ensure there is no waste. Their main objective, other than to provide quality meals, is to minimise their impact on the environment, by reducing food waste, ensuring all the packaging is fully recyclable, sourcing ingredients from local providers and offsetting the carbon footprint of all deliveries.
- Woop offers 5 different meal plans to suit various needs: “Foodie” for gourmet-style meals, “Balance” for healthier options, “Classic” for family-friendly meals, as well as meals for “Vegetarian” and “Gluten Free” diets.
- There is no contract, meaning you can cancel your subscription at any time; you can also switch between plans, skip deliveries or pause your subscription with one week’s notice.
- Woop makes a point of having a low impact on the environment, so when the courier delivers the food box, they can collect all of your previous week’s packaging (cardboard box, ice packets and individual containers), provided all items have been washed thoroughly.
Prices, plans and availability
As mentioned before, Woop offers 5 different plans, with frequencies of 3 to 5 times per week and suitable to feed 1, 2 or 4 people. Not all plans are available for all these combinations, below we have listed the plans available, for how many people and on which frequency.
The plans offered by Woop are:
The plans offered by Woop are:
- Classic Box - family friendly recipes to suit most tastes. This plan allows you to select recipes (from six possibilities).
- Foodie Box - vibrant recipes inspired from around the world. This plan allows you to select recipes (from six possibilities)
- Balance Box - healthy balanced recipes
- Vegetarian Box - vegetarian recipes
- Gluten-Free Box - combination of recipes from the above plans, adjusted to use gluten-free ingredients.
The Foodie, Balance and Vegetarian Plans are available in all combinations:
Plan |
No. of people |
No. of recipes |
Price |
Price per meal |
Foodie |
1 |
4 |
$105 |
$26.25 |
Foodie |
1 |
5 |
$125 |
$25 |
Foodie |
2 |
3 |
$135 |
$22.5 |
Foodie |
2 |
4 |
$177 |
$22.12 |
Foodie |
2 |
5 |
$209 |
$20.9 |
Foodie |
4 |
3 |
$209 |
$17.42 |
Foodie |
4 |
4 |
$259 |
$16.19 |
Foodie |
4 |
5 |
$309 |
$15.45 |
Plan |
No. of people |
No. of recipes |
Price |
Price per meal |
Balance |
1 |
4 |
$112 |
$28 |
Balance |
2 |
3 |
$137 |
$22.83 |
Balance |
2 |
4 |
$179 |
$22.37 |
Balance |
4 |
3 |
$212 |
$17.66 |
Balance |
4 |
4 |
$262 |
$16.37 |
Plan |
No. of people |
No. of recipes |
Price |
Price per meal |
Vegetarian |
1 |
4 |
$105 |
$26.25 |
Vegetarian |
2 |
3 |
$121 |
$20.16 |
Vegetarian |
2 |
4 |
$158 |
$19.75 |
Vegetarian |
4 |
3 |
$179 |
$14.92 |
Vegetarian |
4 |
4 |
$219 |
$13.68 |
The Classic plan is not available for fewer than 4 people, as shown below:
Plan |
No. of people |
No. of recipes |
Price |
Price per meal |
Classic |
4 |
3 |
$180 |
$15 |
Classic |
4 |
4 |
$220 |
$13.75 |
The gluten-free box is available for 1, 2 and 4 people but only with 3 recipes per box:
Plan |
No. of people |
No. of recipes |
Price |
Price per meal |
Gluten-free |
1 |
3 |
$93 |
$31 |
Gluten-free |
2 |
3 |
$138 |
$23 |
Gluten-free |
4 |
3 |
$222 |
$18.5 |
Woop is available in the following areas: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Napier & Hastings and Rotorua.
Check out Woop’s upcoming menus here.
Check out Woop’s upcoming menus here.
What’s in the box?
Inside the box you will find the ingredients for the week’s meals, all items (except the vegetables) are colour-coded so you can easily identify what ingredients belong in each recipe. There are ice-packs mixed in with the various ingredients, meaning that the items that need to be kept refrigerated are not in a separate section like in other meal kits. You will also receive the recipe cards for the week, these contain:
- A bit of insight behind the recipe’s inspiration
- Nutritional details (energy in kilojoules, protein, carbohydrates and fat content)
- The list of ingredients necessary for the recipe
- Step by step instructions for cooking each meal
- An indication of whether you should cook the meal earlier than others
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Check out Woop’s upcoming menus here. |
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Recipe evaluation
We carried out an investigation of the various plans on offered by Woop, choosing a different plan to feed 4 people each week. Our aim was to evaluate the recipes based on the estimated cooking time, the number of utensils/ equipment required, and whether or not it would be easy to repeat the meal if you were to source all the ingredients yourself (expecting that if you were to repeat them, they wouldn’t necessarily be on the same level of quality as the Woop sauces are especially made instead of mass-produced). Since taste is subjective, we didn’t aim to rate the recipes based on this criterion.
In this section you will find photos summarising the cooking process from start to finish, starting with the ingredients as provided by Woop, the oven trays and frying pans required to cook the meal, and the finished meal served in individual plates so you can have an idea of the portion sizes.
In this section you will find photos summarising the cooking process from start to finish, starting with the ingredients as provided by Woop, the oven trays and frying pans required to cook the meal, and the finished meal served in individual plates so you can have an idea of the portion sizes.
Vegetarian plan
We first evaluated 3 recipes from the vegetarian plan. Averaging the information from the recipe cards, the expected cooking time was 25 minutes and 725 calories per meal and we considered 33% of them would be easy to replicate by sourcing the ingredients independently. Full details can be found below.
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Vegetarian plan meal 1: Roasted eggplant ratatouille
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Expectation
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Ingredients / Cooking process
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Finished meal
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Vegetarian plan meal 2: Tandoori Paneer and Peas
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Expectation
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Finished meal
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Vegetarian plan meal 3: Cacao Kumara Tacos
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Finished meal
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Balance Plan
We then evaluated the Balance plan. According to the recipe cards, the average cooking time is 22 minutes and 565 calories per meal, and we considered 66% of them would be easy to replicate by sourcing the ingredients independently. Full details can be found below.
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Balance plan meal 1: Sesame Katsu Chicken
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Expectation
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Ingredients / Cooking process
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Finished meal
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Balance plan meal 2: Seared Beef Sirloin
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Ingredients / Cooking process
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Finished meal
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Balance plan meal 3: Chipotle Chicken Tacos
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Finished meal
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Classic Plan
From the three meals we evaluated for the classic plan, as per the recipe cards they averaged 614 calories per meal and 25 minutes to cook, and in our opinion all of them would be easy to replicate by sourcing the ingredients independently. Full details can be found below.
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Classic plan meal 1: Teriyaki Beef and Rice
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Expectation
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Ingredients / Cooking process
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Finished meal
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Classic plan meal 2: Creamy Bacon & Mushroom Carbonara
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Finished meal
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Classic plan meal 3: Peri-Peri Chicken
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Finished meal
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Foodie Plan
Finally we tried the “foodie” plan, the meals we tried averaged 713 calories per meal and an estimated 20 minutes to cook, we considered 66% of them would be easy to replicate by sourcing the ingredients independently. Full details can be found below.
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Foodie plan meal 1: Sherry Vinegar Glazed Salmon
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Expectation
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Ingredients / Cooking process
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Finished meal
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Foodie plan meal 2: Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Marsala
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Finished meal
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Foodie plan meal 3: Cumin and Paprika Spiced Lamb Kofta
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Finished meal
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I subscribe?
Can I make changes to my subscription?
Once you've signed up for a plan, you can choose between weekly or fortnightly deliveries. You can change plans, update your address, skip or schedule a delivery up to 3 months in advance. The weekly deadline to make changes for that coming week's delivery is Monday midnight.
Do I get notified of deliveries?
Yes, you receive a text message to your registered mobile number on the day of delivery to alert you that the box is being delivered on that day and when to expect it. You also receive a text after the box has been delivered.
When are the boxes delivered?
This depends on the region where you live; the available delivery slots are as follows:
- 2pm - 8pm on Sunday in Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Rotorua and Tauranga
- 2pm - 5pm on Monday on Waiheke Island
Are the recipes easy to follow?
Yes, Inside the box, you'll receive the recipes printed in large cards, detailing what you need to do step by step. You can also find the instructions online in your account if you lose the card or prefer to read the instructions from your phone or tablet.
Does Woop have a mobile app?
No, but the website is mobile-friendly, so you can manage your account and follow the recipe from your tablet or phone when you're cooking.
What do I do with the packaging?
Woop has ensured most of the packaging is recyclable in your curbside recycling. On top of that, you also have the option to return your packaging when your box is collected, and Woop ensures that it is sustainably recycled in New Zealand.
You can find out more about how you can return your packaging and Woop's Back to Base program here.
Your soft plastics (like salad bags, and the wrapping used for herbs and meats and ice pack bags) can be taken to your local soft plastics bin for recycling; you can find your nearest location here.
You can find out more about how you can return your packaging and Woop's Back to Base program here.
Your soft plastics (like salad bags, and the wrapping used for herbs and meats and ice pack bags) can be taken to your local soft plastics bin for recycling; you can find your nearest location here.
Can I cancel or pause my subscription?
Subscriptions are flexible, and you can pause or cancel the subscription at any time. If you need to cancel your subscription, please check out this article on How To Cancel.
Please note that while you can cancel your subscription at any time, Woop cannot process cancellations of confirmed deliveries after the cut-off time of Monday at midnight.
Please note that while you can cancel your subscription at any time, Woop cannot process cancellations of confirmed deliveries after the cut-off time of Monday at midnight.
Can I switch plans?
Yes, you can switch plans, number of people and frequency of deliveries on the account section on the website; you just need to keep in mind the cut-off time for changes.
Can I select my recipes?
Yes, but only for 2 of the plans: Classic plan and Foodie plan; you can choose from a selection of six recipes. For the other plans, the recipes are pre-selected. More details can be found here.
Where is Woop available?
Woop is available in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Napier & Hastings and Rotorua.
Does Woop cater for food allergies?
The only special dietary need that Woop addresses is Gluten, with their Gluten-free plan. However, the recipe cards clearly highlight when common allergens such as dairy or nuts are present, so these items may be set aside if required, as they are often packaged separately.
Does Woop provide nutritional information?
The recipe cards provide information on energy in kilojoules, protein, carbohydrates and fat content.
Are there any loyalty offers and perks?
There are various ways to save on Woop subscriptions:
As a subscriber, you are also eligible for gifts like cooking kits, chocolate boxes and luxury candles after receiving X number of deliveries. At the time of writing, you are eligible to receive a free gift after your 7th, 13th and 20th delivery.
- Coupons: Woop usually offers a discount on your first box (30% at the time of writing)
- Friend referrals: If you are referred to join Woop by an existing subscriber, you can have a discount on the first box (30% at the time of writing). Your friend needs to share their referral link with you to receive this discount.
As a subscriber, you are also eligible for gifts like cooking kits, chocolate boxes and luxury candles after receiving X number of deliveries. At the time of writing, you are eligible to receive a free gift after your 7th, 13th and 20th delivery.
Woop - Our Conclusion
- Woop offers meals that use high-quality ingredients and are quick to prepare, suitable for different diets.
- In general, we found that the recipes take longer to prepare than what is stated in the recipe cards, but this would depend on the person's ability to do the cooking. Some recipes can take almost twice as long to prepare as what it says on the card, but this is similar to what we have found with other meal providers we reviewed.
- The average estimated time per meal according to Woop was 23 minutes. In contrast, the average time it took us to cook them, in reality, was closer to 40 minutes (with one person doing all the cooking), but again, this will depend on the individual's ability. We suggest allowing extra time to be on the safe side.
- Since Woop provides pre-made sauces and sometimes pre-cooked vegetables, food preparation is faster than with other meal providers.
- We also like that there is no food waste and that packaging can be collected by the courier delivering the week's food box.
- Another positive aspect is their loyalty program, which gives you a gift after a certain number of deliveries.
