TL;DR: Frive and Prep Kitchen both deliver fresh, chilled, high-protein meals that heat in a few minutes, and a week of six standard meals costs almost the same: £47.69 delivered from Prep Kitchen, £47.40 from us. The difference is in the detail. We are 100% UPF free; we couldn't find a UPF-free claim on Prep Kitchen's website. Our median main meal carries 44g of protein and 1.6g of salt, against 40g and 3.15g in Prep Kitchen's standard meals.
You've narrowed it down to two: Frive and Prep Kitchen. Both of us cook fresh, high-protein meals, deliver them chilled and have dinner ready in a few minutes, and a week of six standard meals costs within 30p. So the choice comes down to the detail: what goes into the food, how much salt comes with the protein, how flexible delivery is and what customers say.
Below we take a look at how both brands compare across ingredients, nutrition, meal choices, delivery, pricing and more.
Frive vs Prep Kitchen: a quick comparison
Deep dive: head-to-head comparison
Here's how they compare where it matters.
Meal quality and ingredients
Two meals can look the same on a plate and be made very differently, so it's worth knowing what goes into them.
Frive
We are 100% UPF free. Every meal is chef-crafted and nutritionist-approved, made from 100% natural ingredients with no artificial ingredients, and we cook only with olive, avocado and sesame oils. Our beef, chicken and turkey are Red Tractor approved, our fish is ASC assured, our leafy greens are UK-grown and our herbs are locally sourced. That standard covers the whole meal, sauce and all.
Prep Kitchen
Prep Kitchen uses Red Tractor chicken and free-range eggs, and says it doesn't add additives or preservatives to extend shelf life. We couldn't find a UPF-free claim on its website, so if that matters to you, ask Prep Kitchen directly.
Both of us care where the meat comes from, and Prep Kitchen's chicken is Red Tractor, like ours.
On paper, both brands focus on quality of ingredients being used. If you are looking to cut out UPFs as much as possible, Frive is the go to choice.
Nutrition and protein
Protein gets the headlines. Salt and calories decide whether a high-protein meal works for you every day.
Frive
Our median main meal carries 44g of protein, and 39 of the 43 on this week's menu carry 30g or more, so it's easy to hit a protein target. Gram for gram, that's 12.9g of protein per 100g of food, and 9.0g for every 100 calories. It comes with less salt, too: a median 1.6g a meal, with our saltiest at 2.7g.
Prep Kitchen
Prep Kitchen's standard meals carry a median 40g of protein: 10.7g per 100g and 7.8g per 100 calories. Salt is the number to watch, at a median 3.15g a meal. The NHS says adults should have no more than 6g a day, so that's more than half in one dinner.
Prep Kitchen's Large portions carry more protein per meal, a 54.5g median, because they're bigger: about 500g against our 390g. Gram for gram, ours still carry more (12.9g per 100g against 10.8g), with far less salt. Its standard meals do carry a little more fibre: 6.45g against our 5.8g.
Frive is best if you want more protein in every gram and every calorie, with less salt. Prep Kitchen suits you if you simply want a bigger portion for a bigger appetite.
Menu variety and plans
The best menu is the one you don't get bored of, and one that fits how you eat.
Frive
We put 40+ main meals on the menu each week, and it changes weekly. Alongside them you'll find breakfasts, snacks and desserts, sides, protein smoothies, juices and shots, so the whole day is covered. Our plans follow how you eat: high protein, weight loss, low carb, balanced, vegetarian and vegan.
Prep Kitchen
Prep Kitchen offers "at least 20 meals to choose from each week", in its words, each in Balanced or Lower Carb and in a Regular or Large portion. There's no dedicated vegetarian or vegan section, and only its chicken is halal certified.
Choosing the same meal in two sizes is a neat way to match your food to a goal.
Frive is best if you want a wider weekly menu, with vegetarian, vegan, low carb and balanced meal plans. Prep Kitchen suits you if you want the same meal in a bigger or lower-carb version.
Delivery, preparation and flexibility
A meal service only works if it fits your week: when it arrives, how long it keeps and how fast it's ready.
Frive
Our meals arrive fresh and chilled and keep up to seven days in the fridge, so one delivery lasts the week, and you can freeze them too. We deliver four days a week: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, so you choose the day that suits you. Meals are ready in about three minutes in the microwave or 35 to 40 minutes in the oven, and you can skip or cancel any time on our website or in the Frive app.
Prep Kitchen
Prep Kitchen delivers once a week, on a Sunday or Monday. Meals keep until Wednesday to Saturday, depending on the dish, and can be frozen. They heat in 3 to 4 minutes in the microwave.
Heating time is a draw: both are ready in a few minutes.
Frive is best if you want to choose your delivery day and keep meals fresh for up to a week. Prep Kitchen suits you if one Sunday or Monday delivery fits your routine.
Price: how much does a week cost?
Price per meal is only part of it. Delivery and how you commit decide what you actually pay.
Frive
A meat meal from us is £7.90, vegetarian and vegan £7.80, and seafood £8.80. Six meat-based meals come to £47.40, and because that's over £40, delivery is free: £7.90 a meal, delivered. Seven cost £55.30. There's no long commitment, so you can skip or cancel any time. New customer discount available.
Prep Kitchen
Prep Kitchen's standard meal is £6.95, with Lower Carb and Large from £7.75 to £8.95. Add £5.99 delivery and six standard meals cost £47.69, or £7.95 a meal. Its four-box plan brings that to £39.62 a week, but you pay for four weeks upfront (£158.46).
So Prep Kitchen's standard meal is cheaper before delivery, and its four-box plan is cheaper overall if you're happy to pay upfront. Per gram of protein, we're ahead: on a week of six meals delivered, about 18p from us (£7.90, 44g) and about 20p from Prep Kitchen (£7.95, 40g). Here's what meal prep delivery really saves you.
Frive costs less for a week of six meals delivered, and per gram of protein against Prep Kitchen's standard meals. Prep Kitchen works out cheaper if you sign up to its four-box plan and pay for four weeks upfront.
Want 100% UPF-free, high-protein meals on the delivery day that suits you? See this week's menu.
Customer reviews and reputation
Reviews are the best check on whether a service delivers what it promises.
Frive
We score 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 13,270 reviews, about three times as many as Prep Kitchen, and we've delivered more than 25 million meals since we started cooking in 2016.
Prep Kitchen
Prep Kitchen scores a slightly higher 4.5 from 4,153 reviews.
Frive's 4.4 rests on about three times as many Trustpilot reviews. Prep Kitchen has the slightly higher score, at 4.5.
The pivot: why Frive is the 100% UPF-free choice
Prep Kitchen does high protein well, and it's a close call on price. But if you care about more than the protein number (what's in the food, how much salt comes with it, and when it arrives), you want something else from a meal service.
That's what we make. Frive is natural healthy eating made easy: chef-crafted, nutritionist-approved meals made from 100% natural, whole-food ingredients, and we are 100% UPF free. We launched in 2016 as Lions Prep, rebranded as Frive in 2024 and have delivered more than 25 million meals.
Why Frive is the brand to beat
100% UPF free: every meal is made from 100% natural ingredients, with no artificial ingredients and only olive, avocado and sesame oils.
More protein, less salt: a median 44g of protein (12.9g per 100g) and 1.6g of salt per main meal, against 40g (10.7g per 100g) and 3.15g in Prep Kitchen's standard meals.
Delivery on your terms: four delivery days a week, and meals that keep up to seven days in the fridge.
Plans for how you eat: high protein, weight loss, low carb, balanced, vegetarian, vegan and halal.
Less for a week of six: £47.40 delivered, £7.90 a meal, against £47.69 from Prep Kitchen.
If you want the biggest portion, or you're happy to pay for four weeks upfront to save, Prep Kitchen is a strong choice. Where we win is what's in the food, salt and flexibility. For a three-way view, see Simmer Eats vs Frive vs Prep Kitchen.
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Frive vs Prep Kitchen: the final verdict
Choose Frive if you want meals that are 100% UPF free, less salt per meal, a choice of four delivery days, or a vegetarian, vegan or halal plan.
Choose Prep Kitchen if you want a Large portion option, one weekly delivery on a Sunday or Monday, or the four-box plan's lower price for paying upfront.
1. A week of six standard meals costs £47.69 delivered from Prep Kitchen and £47.40 from us.
2. We are 100% UPF free; we couldn't find a UPF-free claim on Prep Kitchen's website.
3. Our median main meal carries 44g of protein and 1.6g of salt; Prep Kitchen's standard meal 40g and 3.15g.
4. Prep Kitchen delivers once a week; we deliver four days a week, and our meals keep up to seven days.
5. Prep Kitchen scores 4.5 on Trustpilot from 4,153 reviews; we score 4.4 from 13,270.
If you want everything you like about Prep Kitchen with less salt and nothing ultra-processed, that's Frive. Every meal is chef-crafted, nutritionist-approved and 100% UPF free, with a median 44g of protein, ready in about three minutes and delivered fresh on four days a week. Choose from high protein, weight loss, low carb, balanced, vegetarian, vegan and halal plans. New customer discount available: start your plan.
FAQs
Which is better, Frive or Prep Kitchen?
It depends what matters to you. Choose Frive for 100% UPF-free meals, more protein per gram (12.9g per 100g against 10.7g in Prep Kitchen's standard meals), less salt and four delivery days a week. Choose Prep Kitchen for a Large portion option or a cheaper four-box plan paid upfront.
Which is cheaper, Frive or Prep Kitchen?
For a week of six meals delivered, Frive is slightly cheaper: £47.40 (£7.90 a meal, free delivery) against £47.69 from Prep Kitchen (£7.95 a meal, including £5.99 delivery). Prep Kitchen's standard meal is cheaper before delivery, at £6.95, and its four-box plan costs £39.62 a week if you pay four weeks upfront.
Are Frive and Prep Kitchen UPF free?
Frive is 100% UPF free: every meal is made from 100% natural ingredients with no artificial ingredients. We couldn't find a UPF-free claim on Prep Kitchen's website. It says it doesn't add additives or preservatives to extend shelf life, so if UPFs matter to you, ask Prep Kitchen directly.
Which has more protein, Frive or Prep Kitchen?
Frive. Our median main meal carries 44g of protein against 40g in Prep Kitchen's standard meals, and 12.9g per 100g against 10.7g. Prep Kitchen's Large portions carry more per meal, a 54.5g median, because they're bigger, but gram for gram ours still carry more: 12.9g per 100g against 10.8g.
Which has less salt, Frive or Prep Kitchen?
Frive. Our median main meal carries 1.6g of salt, against 3.15g in Prep Kitchen's standard meals and 4.2g in its Large portions. The NHS says adults should have no more than 6g of salt a day, so a typical Prep Kitchen standard meal gives you more than half of that.
Which delivers more often, Frive or Prep Kitchen?
Frive. We deliver four days a week (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday), and our meals keep up to seven days in the fridge. Prep Kitchen delivers once a week, on a Sunday or Monday, and its meals keep until Wednesday to Saturday, depending on the dish.
Which has better reviews, Frive or Prep Kitchen?
Both are rated highly on Trustpilot. Frive scores 4.4 out of 5 from 13,270 reviews, about three times as many as Prep Kitchen, which scores 4.5 from 4,153. Frive has also delivered more than 25 million meals since it started cooking in 2016.
Do Frive and Prep Kitchen offer vegetarian and vegan meals?
Frive has dedicated vegetarian and vegan plans, with vegetarian and vegan meals at £7.80 each. Prep Kitchen says it doesn't currently have a dedicated vegan or vegetarian section, though some meat-free meals appear on its menu. If you eat plant-based, Frive gives you more choice each week.
How much does Prep Kitchen cost?
A standard Prep Kitchen meal costs £6.95, Lower Carb £7.75, Large £8.25 and Large Lower Carb £8.95, plus £5.99 delivery a box. Six standard meals cost £47.69 a week delivered. Its four-box plan, paid every four weeks, brings that to £39.62 a week. These are full prices, before first-order discounts.
Is Prep Kitchen worth it?
For many customers, yes: it scores 4.5 on Trustpilot from 4,153 reviews and offers two portion sizes. It's less suited to you if you want UPF-free meals, less salt (its standard meals carry a 3.15g median), a vegetarian or vegan plan, or more than one delivery day a week.
Is Prep Kitchen healthy?
Prep Kitchen's standard meals carry a median 40g of protein and about 520 calories, and it describes its Regular portions as "best for weight loss". Salt is high: a 3.15g median per meal, more than half the NHS's 6g daily limit. Frive's median main carries 44g of protein and 1.6g of salt.
Can you freeze Prep Kitchen meals?
Yes. Prep Kitchen says all its main meals can be frozen before the use-by date and eaten within a month, defrosted in the fridge rather than cooked from frozen. Frive meals keep up to seven days in the fridge and can be frozen too, though they're at their best eaten fresh.
Where does Frive deliver?
We deliver across mainland UK, except some areas of Scotland, on four delivery days a week: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. That includes cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol and Edinburgh. Enter your postcode at checkout to confirm we cover your address.
Prep Kitchen prices, delivery, menu details and nutrition were checked on its website on 6 October 2026; nutrition medians are from the 24 main meals on its menu that week, in each portion size. Frive figures are from our live menu on 28 September 2026, and Frive portion weights and protein per 100g from our menu on 6 October 2026. Trustpilot ratings were checked in September and October 2026. Prices and menus change.
