If you’ve ever stared at your fridge after a long day and hoped dinner would magically appear, you’re not alone. That’s the promise meal-kit services like My Food Bag have been delivering to New Zealand homes for over a decade. This guide pulls together the pricing, menu options, and the fine print on cancellation, so you can decide whether the box is worth the weekly ritual.

4 related posts

Recipes per week: 30+ · Founded: 2013 by Nadia Lim and others · Stock exchange listing: NZX (My Food Bag NZX) · Typical price per serving: $10–15 · Delivery areas: Nationwide New Zealand

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact ownership percentages of major shareholders are not publicly detailed
  • Whether all ingredients are 100% locally sourced every week cannot be confirmed from published materials
  • Exact cancellation timeframes for different plan types are not explicitly stated
3Timeline signal
  • Company founded in 2013, nationwide expansion by 2015, IPO on NZX in 2021 (My Food Bag cheapest kits page)
4What’s next
  • Continuing menu expansion and app updates; comparison with HelloFresh intensifies (My Food Bag vs HelloFresh)

Six quick facts to anchor the numbers behind My Food Bag’s operation.

Label Value
Founded 2013
Founder Nadia Lim, Carlos Bagrie
NZX listing MFB
Weekly recipes 30+
Avg. price per serving $10–15
Delivery area New Zealand (nationwide)

What is better, HelloFresh or My Food Bag?

Both services land on New Zealand doorsteps, but their recipes, pricing, and packaging differ in ways that matter to different households. The pattern: My Food Bag leans into local branding and a wider price range, while HelloFresh leans on global scale.

Menu variety and recipe quality

  • My Food Bag offers 30+ recipes weekly across brands including Bargain Box, Fresh Start, and Ready Made (My Food Bag official comparison page).
  • The Spinoff reported in 2021 that HelloFresh had more than 20 recipes to choose from, compared with Bargain Box’s eight at the time (The Spinoff NZ media comparison).
  • Canstar Blue notes My Food Bag includes family favourites, healthy, veggie/vegan, gluten‑free, and quick 15‑minute prep options (Canstar Blue New Zealand consumer ratings site).

Price per serving comparison

Four meal‑kit price points reveal one clear contrast: Bargain Box claims the lowest entry price.

Service Starting price per serving Source
Bargain Box (My Food Bag) $6.95 My Food Bag official comparison
HelloFresh $9.42 My Food Bag official comparison
My Food Bag (standard) $10–15 My Food Bag
Gourmet add‑on (via My Food Bag) +$3.99/plate Canstar Blue

The implication: price-conscious households get the best deal with Bargain Box, while those wanting gourmet options pay a clear premium.

Delivery and packaging

  • My Food Bag delivers nationwide with cold‑pack insulated packaging and free delivery on most orders (My Food Bag).
  • The Spinoff noted HelloFresh applied an extra $5 delivery fee for South Island addresses in 2021 (The Spinoff).

Customer satisfaction and reviews

  • Consumer NZ reported that a My Food Bag family shop cost $241.99 including delivery, while a supermarket equivalent was $56 to $60 cheaper (Consumer NZ independent testing body).
Bottom line: My Food Bag vs HelloFresh is not a clear winner — it’s about what you value. Price‑conscious families: Bargain Box wins. Recipe variety seekers: HelloFresh had more choices historically. Kiwis who want local ownership and celebrity‑chef recipes: My Food Bag leads.

Is My Food Bag worth it?

The value equation depends on how much you pay for time saved and how much you spend at the supermarket. The pattern: My Food Bag costs more than grocery shopping but less than eating out — and the gap changes with plan size.

Cost vs. grocery shopping

  • Consumer NZ found My Food Bag’s family box cost $241.99 delivered, about $60 more than buying the same ingredients at a supermarket (Consumer NZ).
  • The Spinoff in 2021 calculated My Food Bag’s regular five‑meal plan for six people could be as low as $6.30 per plate (The Spinoff follow‑up comparison).

Time saving benefits

  • A My Food Bag delivery eliminates meal planning and shopping trips; recipes are pre‑portioned and designed to be cooked in 30–45 minutes (My Food Bag).

Food quality and freshness

  • My Food Bag sources ingredients locally where possible and uses cold‑pack insulation to maintain freshness during delivery (My Food Bag).

Flexibility and dietary options

  • The service allows switching between My Food Bag and Bargain Box week‑to‑week, and offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten‑free, and quick‑prep recipes (My Food Bag; Canstar Blue).
Bottom line: For time‑poor Kiwis who would otherwise spend $20+ on takeaways, My Food Bag is worth it. For budget‑conscious households who enjoy grocery shopping, the premium may not justify itself.

Who owns My Food Bag now?

The ownership story begins with a well‑known face in New Zealand cooking and ends with a public company on the NZX. The key fact: the company is no longer privately held.

Founding team and current ownership

  • My Food Bag was founded in 2013 by Nadia Lim, Carlos Bagrie, and others (My Food Bag official site).
  • Nadia Lim remains a co‑owner and the public face of the brand.

Public listing on NZX

  • The company listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 2021 under the ticker MFB (My Food Bag).
  • As a publicly traded company, ownership is distributed among institutional investors and the public.

Major shareholders

  • Exact ownership percentages are not detailed in public materials, but the NZX filing discloses top holders periodically.
The pattern

My Food Bag’s journey from celebrity‑chef startup to NZX‑listed company gave it scale but also public accountability. For customers, that means greater transparency on financial health — and potentially less flexibility than a private startup could offer.

How much does My Food Bag cost?

Pricing varies by plan size, number of recipes, and any add‑ons. The headline figure: per‑serving costs typically fall between $10 and $15, but can go lower with Bargain Box or higher with gourmet.

Standard My Food Bag pricing

  • For a typical 3‑recipe, 2‑person plan, the per‑serving price is around $12–$15 (My Food Bag).
  • The NZ Herald reported in 2026 that a five‑night, six‑person My Food Bag order cost $308.99 (NZ Herald premium lifestyle section).

Vegetarian and family plan options

  • Bargain Box starts at $6.95 per serving, making it the cheapest meal‑kit option in My Food Bag’s portfolio (My Food Bag).
  • Vegetarian and family plans are included at no extra base cost; a gourmet upgrade adds $3.99 per plate (Canstar Blue).

Delivery fees and discounts

  • Delivery is free for most orders over a certain threshold; first orders typically receive a promotional discount (My Food Bag).
Bottom line: For a couple using the standard plan, expect to pay about $110–$130 per week. Families can drop that to under $100 with Bargain Box. The trade‑off: more prep time and fewer recipe choices.

How do I cancel my subscription to My Food Bag?

Cancelling is straightforward and penalty‑free, but timing matters. The official process requires a few clicks before the weekly billing cut‑off.

Cancelling through the My Food Bag website

  1. Log in to your My Food Bag account at myfoodbag.co.nz.
  2. Go to “Subscription” in the account menu.
  3. Select “Cancel Subscription” and follow the on‑screen prompts (My Food Bag Help Centre official support).

Using the My Food Bag mobile app

  1. Open the My Food Bag app and tap the account icon.
  2. Navigate to “Subscription” and choose “Cancel Subscription”.
  3. Confirm the cancellation; you’ll receive an email confirmation within minutes.

Contacting customer support for cancellation

  • If you cannot cancel online, the help centre can process cancellation by email or phone (My Food Bag Help Centre).

What happens after cancellation

  • No cancellation fee is charged.
  • Your subscription stops after the current paid‑for week.
  • You can pause instead of cancelling, or skip individual weeks (My Food Bag Help Centre).
  • After cancellation, you lose access to any active referral codes or loyalty discounts.
What to watch

Cancellation must be completed before the weekly billing cut‑off — usually 48 hours before delivery. If you miss that window, you’ll receive one more box. For those who aren’t sure, pausing is safer than cancelling and re‑joining later, because returning customers may not get the first‑order discount again.

Related reading: My Food Bag vs HelloFresh · Cheapest meal kits in New Zealand

Additional sources

hellofresh.co.nz, stopee.com, moneyhub.co.nz

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Frequently asked questions

How often are My Food Bag deliveries made?

Deliveries are weekly, with the option to skip any week via the subscription management page.

Can I skip a week without cancelling?

Yes, you can pause or skip individual weeks through your account dashboard without losing your subscription.

What happens if I am not home when the box arrives?

The insulated box keeps ingredients cold for several hours. My Food Bag recommends leaving a cool spot or asking a neighbour to take it in.

Does My Food Bag use organic ingredients?

Most ingredients are conventionally grown; My Food Bag highlights local sourcing but does not guarantee organic certification.

How do I update my payment method?

Log in to your account, go to “Billing” and update your card details. Changes take effect for the next billing cycle.

Can I add extra items to my box?

Currently My Food Bag does not offer a la carte additions. You can switch to a larger plan or add the gourmet upgrade.

Are there gift cards for My Food Bag?

Yes, gift cards are available through the My Food Bag website for any dollar amount.