Frequently asked questions

FAQs

Need something cleared up?
Here are our most frequently asked questions.

Subscription & Order Questions

How do I subscribe?

Follow this link to our meal plan selection page, then simply click on the plan that suits your health goals best. Select the number of meals you want to order per week, then choose from our delicious menu range! (minimum subscription is one week). Once you have signed up for an account, it’s even easier to order. Order by Wed at 10pm for delivery the following Sunday.

How long am I signing up for? What is the minimum commitment?

The minimum subscription term is just one week (minimum of 4 meals), which is paid for when you place your first order. After that, you can cancel your subscription any time before Tuesday at midday.

How do I unsubscribe?
If you would like to pause or cancel your subscription then you can do so anytime before midday on Tuesday.
Can I change my meals and/or edit the number of meals?
Yes! Log in to your account and click ‘Orders’. Here you’ll see all your current and past orders. You can edit any pending and paid orders from Wednesday at 10pm when the order is generated, until the order deadline the following week on Wednesday at 10pm.
How do I change my subscription?
Log into your account, click ‘Subscription’ then click the ‘Edit’ subscription button. You can then change the variety and number of meals that are on your subscription. This needs to be done before Tuesday at midday to take effect for that week.
When will I be charged?
Payments are taken each Tuesday at Midday.
How do I cancel/pause my subscription?
Simply log into your account, click ‘Subscription’ on the left in the account area, and press the ‘cancel’ or ‘pause’ button. If this is done before Tuesday at midday when your order is paid for you won’t be charged again and will receive no further orders.

Can I order meals from both the Fat Loss and Muscle Gain plans?

Yes of course! If you want to order meals from both the Fat Loss and Muscle Gain plans, this is fine - all you need to do is open separate subscriptions for each. If needed, you can create as many different subscriptions as you like to suit your requirements, using the ‘Add another subscription’ tab in your account.

How much does Prep Kitchen cost?
The cost of your subscription will depend on the type and amount of meals ordered. Our minimum order is 4 meals, and meals start from £6.25 each.

How do I remove meals from my subscription?

Log in to your account, click ‘Subscription’ and then ‘Edit menu’. From there you can edit all of the meals on your subscription.

What is Week A & Week B?
Our weekly menu rotates from Week A to Week B to Week A again. This is so that you receive maximum variety and nothing ever gets boring!

How do I order two, or more, of the same meal?

If you really love a particular meal and want to order more, that’s no problem! Once you have checked out, in your account just click ‘Orders’, followed by ‘Edit’. The menu options will be displayed - go to the meal you want to change and you can increase or decrease the number of servings you receive.

You can edit your meal selection until Wednesday at 10pm, though note that once payment for that week has been taken on Tuesday, you can’t exceed the total number of meals or breakfasts you have paid for that week. 

How do I create an account?

When you subscribe to one of our meal plans, an account will be automatically created for you on our system.

Do you offer any discounts for new customers?

YES! We have a great new customer discount scheme. Simply sign up to our newsletter on the website (using the pop up which will appear) and we will email you a discount code giving you 30% off your 1st week, 15% off your 2nd and 10% off your 3rd week.

Do you offer any discounts for returning customers?

If you used to have a subscription with us and would like to reinstate it, we’d love to welcome you back! Please contact customer service to ask about any active promotions for returning customers.

Meal Questions
What is the difference between Muscle Gain and Fat Loss?
The meals and macro splits between Muscle Gain and Fat Loss are exactly the same, but Muscle Gain meals are 35% larger than Fat Loss meals.
What is the difference between Balanced and Lower Carb meals?
Our Balanced meals contain 1-2 portions of fruit and veg, moderate carbs, moderate fats and high protein and are suitable for most people. Our Lower meals contain 2-3 portions of fruit and veg, have lower carbs, higher fat and even higher protein!
I want to lose weight / gain muscle / tone up etc. What should I eat?
Please see this blog post, or get in touch by clicking Contact Us and we will be more than happy to help!

How do I heat the meals?

Just pop the meals in the microwave for 3-4 minutes (3mins - 900w, 3.5 mins - 800w, 4 mins - 700w).

No microwave? No problem! You can also heat our meals in the oven: just transfer the food into an ovenproof dish and heat for around 15-20 mins from fresh at Gas mark 6/200C/400F/190C (fan oven), or around 30 mins from frozen, until piping hot all the way through. Then enjoy!

Can I freeze the meals?

Yes, all of our meals can be frozen. We deliver every Sunday, and when refrigerated, the meals will typically have a use by date of anywhere between the following Wednesday - Saturday.  However, if you prefer to keep them in your freezer, then freeze on the day you receive them and they will last in your freezer for up to 3 months.

How do I defrost the meals?

If you have frozen your Prep Kitchen meals, then you can cook them straight from frozen. However, if you prefer to defrost them before cooking, simply place the frozen meal in the fridge on a plate for one day to defrost. You can also defrost them in the microwave on the defrost setting. As a rough guide, defrost for double the standard cooking time, though the length of defrost time will depend on the make/model/power of the microwave. Make sure the meal is thoroughly defrosted before reheating, then reheat in the usual way until piping hot. 

Can I cook the meal from frozen?

Yes! Just increase the cooking time by approximately 50%, and make sure the food is piping hot all the way through. Always follow the label instructions. 

If cooking in the oven, transfer the meal to an ovenproof dish.

I have allergies! Do you cater for allergies?

The ingredients for all of our dishes are listed on the menu, as well as on the labels for the meals themselves. The allergens are bolded to highlight them so you can choose the recipes which best suit your individual needs. Our kitchen currently cooks using every known allergen, however, and while every care is taken to make sure there is no cross contamination between dishes, we cannot guarantee this.

Do you use additives, preservative, oils, sugars, salt etc?

Unlike some other meal prep companies, we list all of the ingredients in our meals on our website and the meal packaging.  We don’t use preservatives to extend shelf life, and all added ingredients are approved by the UK food standards agency. For more information about added ingredients, see our Nutrition FAQs.

How is your food prepared?
All of our meal prep is cooked by skilled chefs, trained to the highest level, who have decades of combined experience working in kitchens. Prep Kitchen currently maintains a 5* hygiene rating (the highest you can get!)
Where do you source your ingredients?
Our menu consists of more than 30 different dishes, and where possible we focus on using British suppliers and British ingredients.

How long do the meals last?

Meals delivered on Sunday will last fresh in your fridge until Wednesday - Saturday, depending on the dish.

Can I eat the meals cold?

We do not advise consuming our meals cold. They are designed to be reheated in the microwave or oven before consumption. However, some of our breakfast meals may be eaten cold - refer to the instructions on each individual pack.

Do you offer vegan or vegetarian meals?

Yes, our menus always include a small range of vegetarian meat-free options. Whilst we don’t yet have a dedicated vegan or vegetarian range, this is something we have on our radar for the future. If this is something that would appeal to you, please let us know!

Nutrition Questions

Do Prep Kitchen use any artificial colours, flavourings, or preservatives in their meals?

We are fully transparent about all of the ingredients in our meals.

We don’t use preservatives to extend shelf life, as we utilise Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), a proven and natural method of maintaining quality and freshness. All other ingredients used are approved by the UK food standards agency, and are only used to ensure our meals taste great.

You may notice some ingredients are listed as ‘E’ numbers. These are perfectly harmless. The ‘E’ number term is just used for consistent classification of approved ingredients and does not indicate that the ingredient is ‘artificial’. For example, E300 is ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which is used as an antioxidant, and E322 is lecithin, often used as an emulsifier. Many people choose to take vitamin C and lecithin as supplements.

You might see additional ingredients in some of the condiments we use, such as mustard or soy sauce. In line with our commitment to transparent labelling, the full list of these ingredients will also be shown on the label and our website.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the ingredients in our meals, please contact our helpful customer care team.

Do you source your meat and veg from the UK?
Our protein is all higher welfare sourced from accredited farms across the UK and EU. Our vegetables are sourced mostly from British growers with the exception of some ingredients which are not natively grown in the UK.

Do you offer gluten free / lactose free?

We don’t have a specific dairy or gluten-free range at the moment.  Our kitchen currently cooks using every known allergen, and while every care is taken to make sure there is no cross contamination between dishes, we cannot guarantee this. 

However, many of our meals don’t contain any dairy or gluten-containing ingredients, especially the low-carb options.  The ingredients for all of our dishes are on the menu as well as on the labels for the meals themselves, and the allergens are bolded to highlight them so that you can choose the best dishes for your individual needs. 

Is your meat halal?

Our chicken and turkey are halal, but the rest of the meats we use are not. In terms of other non-halal ingredients such as alcohol, you can check the ingredients lists. These are comprehensive and include all ingredients used, so you can choose the dishes which are best for your individual needs.

How many calories should I eat in a day?
Check out our blog post on calories and which meals to order here.
What meal type suits me? Balanced or Lower Carb?
This largely comes down to personal preference. Most people who train regularly find eating a higher amount of carbohydrates helps fuel their training. However some people thrive on lower carb while training. If you need more personalised recommendations please reach out to customer services, we're happy to help!
Delivery Questions
When will my parcel arrive?
If you are a national customer you should receive a text from DPD on the morning of delivery with a 1 hour time window.

Which days of the week do you deliver?

We deliver twice a week, on Sunday and Monday. With a choice of both weekend and weekday options, you can have your Prep Kitchen meals delivered to your home or the office, whatever suits you best!

You can change your delivery day each week by selecting your preferred option at the checkout, or just update your existing subscriptions if you wish all future deliveries to be delivered on the same day each week. If an order has failed to be delivered on Sunday, simply contact us before 3pm on Monday to receive a reshipment.

*Note that the shelf life of meals delivered on Mondays will be the same as those delivered on a Sunday (typically lasting from Wednesday to the following Sunday).

How will my food be delivered?
All our meals are sealed in trays in a Modified Atmosphere Environment, which maximises shelf life and preserves quality.

What areas do you deliver to?

We deliver to almost all of mainland UK, excluding the Highlands. Check with customer services if you’re unsure whether we deliver to your post code.

Do you offer free delivery?

YES! Delivery on all orders is FREE!

What if I’m not home?
As our meals are delivered fresh, meals cannot be returned to sender. If you aren’t in the delivery driver will follow the instructions given on the checkout page, so please make sure you put down a safe place to leave your box or a friendly neighbour who will take the box in for you.
Will the courier call or notify me when they deliver?
No, please make sure you update delivery instructions on the checkout page, we would also encourage you to download the DPD app.
Can I track my delivery?
Yes. You will receive a text message with delivery instructions on the morning of delivery.
Packaging

Can I recycle the packaging?

The majority of our packaging is fully recyclable.

  • Meal trays: Our new trays are made from 50% recycled material and can be recycled with kerbside plastic collections. At this point, the film is not recyclable but we’re always looking for more sustainable options.
  • Delivery boxes: Our delivery boxes are cardboard and are fully recyclable.
  • Insulation: We’ve replaced our plastic bubble wrap insulation with a fully recyclable paper alternative.
  • Gel packs: Our ice packs (gel and water) are made of LDPE material which can be recycled in normal household collections (if available) or at supermarket plastic bag recycling points. The liquid gel inside the packs should be emptied out first and disposed of in your general waste.

For more information please visit our Sustainability page.

Why are your meals so tightly sealed?

Our priority is to preserve the quality and freshness of our food until the use-by date, and to keep our meals secure during transit.

Easy-peel films, while convenient for use in meals sold to supermarkets, are not a good solution for couriering meals to customers. Instead we aim for the strongest weld seal possible, so your meals arrive undamaged and in top condition week after week. 

What size are your meal trays?

We use a variety of different meal trays depending on the components of the dish itself and the type of meal plan ordered. The types and sizes of the trays we use are as follows:

Shallow square - height 4.2cm, width 17.5cm

Deep square - height 5.2cm, width 17.5cm

Shallow circular - height 5.2cm, width 18.5cm

Company
I want to work for prep kitchen! where do i apply?
We are always looking for hard working, motivated people to join our ever growing team. To get information on current vacancies please fill in this form and someone will get back to you shortly.

Got any other questions? Contact us now!

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