It’s 6:00 PM. The fridge is open. You are staring at a block of cheddar, half an onion, and a vague sense of dread.
We have all been there. The “what’s for dinner?” paralysis is real.
For many home cooks, the solution has been full-service meal kits like HelloFresh or Gousto. But those come with a heavy price tag and a fridge full of ingredients you have to cook right now before they spoil. Enter SimplyCook. This service takes a radically different approach to getting dinner on the table. It promises restaurant-quality flavor without the heavy lifting or the heavy subscription cost.
But is it actually worth it? Does a box of pastes and rubs really transform a meal, or are you better off buying a jar of spice from the supermarket?
We tested the service to see if it lives up to the hype.
What Actually Is SimplyCook?
SimplyCook is not a traditional meal delivery service. You won’t find a box of wilting spinach or bruised tomatoes on your doorstep.
Instead, they focus on the “flavor engine” of the meal. They send you a letterbox-sized package containing four recipe kits. Each kit includes three distinct pots of blends, pastes, marinades, or stocks, along with a step-by-step recipe card.
The core concept is simple:
- They provide the complex flavor elements (wild mushroom stock, ancho chilli paste, garlic herb rub).
- You provide the fresh ingredients (chicken, tofu, rice, veggies) from your local shop.
This model keeps the cost down and the flexibility up. If you decide to go out for dinner on Tuesday, your SimplyCook kit isn’t going to rot in the crisper drawer. It will wait happily in the cupboard until you are ready.
The Taste Test: Breaking Down the Recipes
The marketing claims you can cook these meals in around 20 minutes. But how do they actually taste? We looked at three of their most popular staples to gauge the authenticity and flavor depth.
1. Louisiana Jambalaya
If you want a taste of the Deep South, this is a strong contender. Jambalaya is historically a complex dish, requiring slow-cooked roux and a precise balance of aromatics.
SimplyCook shortcuts the labor without sacrificing the punch. The kit typically includes:
- Garlic Paste
- Jambalaya Stock
- Cajun Seasoning
You just add rice, peppers, celery, and your protein of choice—chicken, chorizo, or prawns all work beautifully. The result is smoky, spicy, and incredibly hearty. It manages to capture that “cooked all day” depth in about 25 minutes.
2. Jerk Chicken
Caribbean food relies heavily on marinades and time. This kit attempts to replicate the scotch bonnet heat and allspice warmth of Montego Bay.
The flavor pots usually feature a jerk paste, a jerk seasoning rub, and a coconut stock for the rice. This is where the model shines. To make this from scratch, you would need to buy thyme, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, soy sauce, and scotch bonnets. That is an expensive shopping trip for one dinner.
With the kit, you just grab chicken thighs, basmati rice, kidney beans, and a tin of coconut milk. The result is rich, creamy rice and peas paired with chicken that has a genuine kick.
3. Crispy Chilli Tofu
Meat-free cooking often suffers from a lack of texture. This recipe tackles that head-on. It’s a riff on the Chinese takeaway classic, aiming for that elusive sweet-and-sour profile with a crunch.
The “magic” here is usually a cornflour coating mix included in the kit (or suggested), combined with a soy-based glaze and a chili paste. It transforms a bland block of tofu into something moreish and sticky. It’s sweet, sour, and ready in 20 minutes.
Why This Matters: The Economics of the Spice Rack
Here is the biggest selling point that most reviews miss: Waste reduction.
How many times have you bought a £4 jar of Chinese Five Spice, used one teaspoon, and then let it sit in your cupboard for three years until it turned into flavorless dust?
SimplyCook eliminates the “ingredient tax.” You aren’t buying full bottles of vinegars, oils, or exotic spices. You are using exactly what you need for that specific meal. For budget-conscious households, this allows you to cook globally—Thai on Monday, Indian on Wednesday, Mexican on Friday—without maintaining a professional-grade pantry.
Pros and Cons
To be an authoritative shopper, you need to look at the drawbacks as well as the benefits.
The Pros
- Letterbox Delivery: No need to stay home for a courier. The box fits right through a standard mail slot.
- Long Shelf Life: The kits are shelf-stable. You can stockpile them for months.
- Low Commitment: It is easy to skip weeks or cancel compared to fresh food boxes.
- Dietary Filtering: Good options for gluten-free, vegetarian, and lower-calorie meals (under 600 calories).
- Reduced Food Waste: You buy only the fresh food you need.
The Cons
- You Still Have to Shop: If you hate the grocery store, this doesn’t solve your problem. You still need to buy the chicken, veg, and sides.
- Hidden Costs: The monthly subscription is low, but your grocery bill adds up on top of it.
- Portion Sizes: Most kits feed 2-4 people. If you have a large family, you might need to use two kits or bulk it out heavily with extra veggies and rice.
Loyalty Programs and Seasonal Sales
SimplyCook is aggressive with their customer acquisition, which is great news for new users.
The “Free” Trial Box: Almost no one pays full price for their first box. You can typically find a trial offer where you get your first four recipes for just the cost of postage (usually around £1 - £3).
Referral Scheme: Once you are a member, the loyalty program is robust. Each box comes with referral codes. If a friend signs up using your code, they get a free box, and you typically earn a credit toward your next box or exclusive rewards. It is very easy to cook for “free” for months if you have interested friends.
Seasonal Specials: Keep an eye out during holidays. In December, they often release festive specials (think glazed duck or festive stuffing risottos) and sometimes offer discounted gift boxes which make excellent stocking fillers for the foodies in your life.
Expert Tips for Getting the Most Out of It
After testing the service extensively, here are a few tips to maximize value:
- Check the “Cupboard Items”: Before you shop, check the recipe card. They assume you have basics like oil, sugar, and salt. Make sure you actually do.
- Swap Proteins to Save Money: The recipes are versatile. If a recipe calls for expensive prawns, swap in chickpeas or chicken thighs. The flavor comes from the pots, so the dish will still taste great.
- Bulk It Out: If you are feeding a hungry family, add a tin of beans or extra frozen veggies to almost any stew or curry recipe. The flavor pastes are usually potent enough to handle the extra volume without becoming diluted.
The Verdict: Who is SimplyCook For?
SimplyCook occupies a brilliant middle ground.
It is not for the person who wants zero effort; you still have to chop onions and go to the store. It is not for the professional chef who insists on grinding their own curry paste from toasted seeds.
It is for the busy home cook who is bored.
If you are tired of Spaghetti Bolognese every Tuesday, this service injects excitement back into your kitchen. It creates the illusion of being a worldly chef with minimal effort. The recipes are foolproof, the flavors are punchy, and the flexibility is unmatched by fresh-food competitors.
If you are ready to ditch the dinner rut, it is worth grabbing a trial box. Just remember to check the MeetVoucher website for any extra deals or discounts before you check out to ensure you are getting the absolute best price on your first delivery.