How to Increase Meal Prep Average Order Value (AOV): 10 Practical Strategies to Grow Revenue

Growing a meal prep business doesn't always mean finding more customers. Sometimes, the biggest opportunity is getting more value from the customers you already have.

Think about it. You've already invested time and money into attracting customers, building trust, preparing meals, and managing deliveries. If those customers spend a little more each time they order, your revenue can increase without having to acquire additional customers.

That's where meal prep average order value (AOV) comes in.

Increasing AOV is one of the most practical ways to grow revenue, improve operational efficiency, and potentially increase profitability. The key is encouraging customers to purchase more while making sure those additional sales actually contribute to your bottom line.

Here are 10 strategies you can start testing in your meal prep business.

What Is Average Order Value (AOV) in a Meal Prep Business?

Average order value measures how much customers spend per transaction.

The formula is simple:

Average Order Value = Total Order Revenue ÷ Number of Orders

For example, let's say your meal prep business generates $5,000 from 100 orders in one week.

$5,000 ÷ 100 = $50 AOV

Your average customer spends $50 per order.

Now imagine increasing that average to $60 while maintaining the same number of orders.

• Current weekly revenue: 100 orders × $50 = $5,000

• New weekly revenue: 100 orders × $60 = $6,000

• Additional weekly revenue: $1,000

• Potential additional annual revenue: $52,000

That's a 20% revenue increase without adding a single new customer, assuming order volume stays consistent throughout the year.

Of course, additional revenue doesn't automatically mean additional profit. You'll still need to account for ingredients, labor, packaging, delivery, and other expenses.

But the opportunity is clear: small improvements in order value can create meaningful growth.

1. Create Meal Bundles That Encourage Larger Orders

One of the easiest ways to increase meal prep average order value is to offer bundles.

Instead of requiring customers to select every meal individually, give them convenient packages that match their needs.

For example:

• 5-Meal Starter Pack: Ideal for customers trying your service for the first time.

• 10-Meal Weekly Pack: Designed for busy professionals who want convenient meals throughout the week.

• 15-Meal Value Pack: A larger option for customers planning multiple meals each day.

• Family Meal Bundle: Multiple servings designed for households.

Bundles work because they simplify the buying decision.

A customer who originally planned to purchase five meals might choose a 10-meal package when they see the convenience and value.

However, don't automatically offer large discounts just to increase order size.

Calculate your costs first and determine whether larger bundles improve your contribution margin.

If you need help understanding your pricing, explore our Meal Prep Biz 101 podcast, including our discussion on pricing meal prep businesses profitably.

2. Set Smart Delivery Minimums and Free Delivery Thresholds

Delivery fees can influence how much customers order.

A customer with $42 worth of meals might be willing to add another item if doing so qualifies the order for free delivery.

For example:

• Minimum delivery order: $35

• Standard delivery fee: $6

• Free delivery on orders of $65 or more

At checkout, you could display:

"You're only $8 away from free delivery."

This gives customers a clear reason to add another meal or snack.

But here's something important: free delivery isn't actually free for your business.

Before setting your threshold, calculate your average delivery cost and the additional contribution margin needed to cover it.

A higher order value only helps when the added revenue justifies the expense.

For a deeper breakdown, read our guide on How to Price Meal Prep Delivery.

3. Offer Simple Add-Ons at Checkout

Sometimes customers don't need another complete meal. They just need something that complements what they're already ordering.

That's where add-ons become valuable.

Consider offering:

• Extra chicken, beef, or tofu

• Additional vegetables

• Healthy snacks

• Protein shakes

• Breakfast items

• Extra sauces or dressings

• Side dishes

For example, a customer ordering a $12 chicken meal might add a $3 protein upgrade.

That small addition increases the transaction value by 25%.

If 40 customers purchase that upgrade during the week, that's an additional $120 in revenue.

The best add-ons are easy to understand, convenient to prepare, and profitable to produce.

Start with two or three options rather than overwhelming customers with choices.

4. Introduce Premium Meal Options

Not every customer is looking for the lowest price.

Some customers are willing to spend more for premium ingredients, larger portions, or unique menu options.

You might offer:

• Standard grilled chicken meal: $12

• Premium steak meal: $17

• Signature salmon meal: $18

Premium meals give customers more choices while creating opportunities for higher-value orders.

The important part is communicating why the premium option costs more.

Is it the ingredient quality? Portion size? Preparation method? A more specialized recipe?

Make the value clear.

And remember, premium ingredients often come with higher food costs. Always calculate the actual margin before assuming a more expensive meal is more profitable.

For more information on controlling ingredient expenses, read How to Control Food Costs in a Meal Prep Business.

5. Encourage Larger Recurring Orders With Meal Plans

Recurring meal plans can make revenue more predictable and encourage customers to establish consistent ordering habits.

For example, instead of asking customers to place a new order every week, offer a recurring 10-meal plan.

Customers benefit from convenience, while your business gains greater visibility into future demand.

Possible options include:

• Weekly 5-meal plan

• Weekly 10-meal plan

• Weekly 15-meal plan

• Family meal subscription

You could also offer incentives such as priority menu selection or a modest discount for recurring orders.

However, subscriptions don't automatically increase average order value.

A customer who switches from a $100 one-time order to a $90 weekly subscription may actually reduce AOV while improving purchase frequency and retention.

That's why it's important to measure recurring revenue, customer retention, and AOV separately.

The goal is to build predictable, profitable revenue rather than simply increasing the number of subscriptions.

6. Use Three-Tier Pricing to Guide Customer Decisions

Pricing presentation can influence which option customers choose.

Instead of displaying a long list of individual meals, organize your offers into three clear packages.

For example:

Basic Plan — $60

5 meals at $12 each.

Most Popular — $110

10 meals at $11 each.

Premium Plan — $157.50

15 meals at $10.50 each.

This structure helps customers compare value quickly.

The middle package can become an attractive option because it balances convenience, quantity, and price.

Highlighting one package as "Most Popular" can also simplify decision-making, provided the label accurately reflects customer purchases.

The goal isn't to manipulate customers into spending more. It's to make your offers easier to understand and help customers choose the package that best fits their needs.

7. Run Limited-Time Bundles and Seasonal Offers

Limited-time offers can encourage customers to purchase larger quantities.

For example:

Weekend Meal Prep Bundle

Order 10 meals and receive a discounted breakfast add-on.

Or:

Holiday Family Pack

A limited seasonal menu featuring family-sized portions and convenient reheating options.

These promotions can work particularly well around:

• New Year's fitness goals

• Back-to-school season

• Holidays

• Local sporting events

• Seasonal menu launches

Just be careful about relying too heavily on discounts.

If customers learn that a sale happens every week, they may stop purchasing at regular prices.

Use promotions strategically and make sure any limited availability or deadline is genuine.

8. Make Your Checkout Process Easier

A complicated checkout experience can cost you sales.

Customers should be able to select meals, review their order, and complete payment without unnecessary steps.

Look for opportunities to simplify the process:

• Make meal quantities easy to adjust.

• Display pricing clearly.

• Show delivery fees before the final payment step.

• Offer convenient payment options.

• Recommend complementary products.

• Make ordering simple on mobile devices.

You can also introduce a small checkout suggestion such as:

"Complete your weekly meal plan with two breakfast meals."

A well-placed recommendation can increase order value without disrupting the buying experience.

Start with one relevant suggestion and measure whether it improves results.

9. Build a Loyalty Program That Rewards Valuable Orders

Loyalty programs can encourage customers to return and increase their spending over time.

For example, you might offer:

• Points earned for eligible purchases

• Rewards after a certain number of orders

• Exclusive meal bundles for returning customers

• Referral credits

• Special offers for consistent weekly customers

You could also create a reward tied to order size.

For example:

"Spend $100 in one order and earn bonus loyalty points."

However, rewards should be designed around your margins.

Giving away too much can increase revenue while reducing profitability.

Start with a simple program that customers can understand and that your business can afford to maintain.

10. Use Menu Engineering to Promote Your Most Profitable Meals

Not every meal contributes equally to your profits.

Some meals may be popular but expensive to produce. Others may have excellent margins but receive very little attention.

Menu engineering helps you understand which products deserve more visibility.

Start by reviewing:

• Selling price

• Ingredient cost

• Packaging cost

• Production labor

• Popularity

• Contribution margin

• Preparation complexity

For example, imagine two meals:

Meal A

Selling price: $14
Variable cost: $9
Contribution margin: $5

Meal B

Selling price: $13
Variable cost: $6
Contribution margin: $7

Although Meal A sells for more, Meal B contributes more toward covering fixed expenses and generating profit.

That makes Meal B a potentially better product to promote, assuming demand and production capacity support it.

Place profitable, popular meals prominently on your menu and test whether their visibility improves sales.

The goal is to increase profitable revenue, not just sell more expensive products.

How to Increase AOV Without Sacrificing Profit

One of the biggest mistakes meal prep business owners make is focusing on revenue while ignoring the cost of generating it.

A larger order isn't always a better order.

For example, imagine a customer increases their order from $50 to $70.

That's a 40% increase in order value.

But if the additional $20 requires $17 in extra ingredients, packaging, labor, and fulfillment costs, the order only contributes $3 more before fixed expenses.

That's why every AOV strategy should be evaluated alongside profitability.

Before introducing a new bundle, discount, or promotion, ask yourself:

• How much additional revenue will this generate?

• What will it cost to fulfill?

• Will it require additional labor?

• Does it create more packaging or delivery expense?

• Will customers continue purchasing at regular prices?

• Does it make production more efficient or more complicated?

If you want to improve your understanding of business costs, explore the Meal Prep Biz 101 tools and resources, including tools for planning expenses, forecasting revenue, and tracking business performance.

How to Measure Whether Your AOV Strategies Are Working

Increasing average order value should be a measurable business objective.

Start by tracking these five metrics.

1. Average Order Value

Total order revenue divided by total orders.

This tells you how much customers spend per transaction.

2. Add-On Attach Rate

The percentage of orders that include an additional product.

If 25 out of 100 orders include an add-on, your attach rate is 25%.

3. Revenue Per Customer

Total revenue divided by the number of unique customers during a defined period.

This helps you understand customer spending beyond individual transactions.

4. Contribution Margin Per Order

Order revenue minus the variable costs associated with fulfilling that order.

This helps determine whether larger orders are actually contributing more toward profitability.

5. Repeat Purchase Rate

The percentage of customers who make additional purchases within a defined period.

This helps you understand whether your offers encourage customers to return.

Review these numbers weekly and monthly.

Where possible, test one change at a time so you can better understand what's driving the results.

A Simple 30-Day Plan to Increase Meal Prep Average Order Value

You don't need to implement all 10 strategies immediately.

Start with a focused plan.

Week 1: Understand Your Current Numbers

Calculate your average order value using recent sales data.

Identify your most popular meals, highest-margin products, and common order sizes.

Set a realistic improvement target, such as increasing AOV by 10%.

Week 2: Introduce One Bundle

Create a meal bundle that encourages customers to purchase more meals per order.

Make sure the pricing is attractive without sacrificing profitability.

Promote the bundle on your menu, website, and social media.

Week 3: Add One Checkout Upsell

Choose a simple, profitable add-on that complements your existing meals.

Test the offer during checkout and monitor how frequently customers purchase it.

Week 4: Review the Results

Compare your results against the previous period.

Look at AOV, conversion rate, total orders, add-on sales, and contribution margin.

Keep what works, adjust what doesn't, and expand gradually.

A small, measurable improvement is more valuable than launching several promotions without understanding their impact.

Frequently Asked Questions About Meal Prep Average Order Value

What is a good average order value for a meal prep business?

There isn't one ideal AOV for every meal prep business.

Your target depends on meal pricing, customer preferences, delivery costs, portion sizes, and your business model.

A company selling individual $12 meals will naturally have a different AOV from one specializing in large family meal packages.

Focus on improving your own baseline while protecting profitability.

How can I increase meal prep sales without finding new customers?

Start by offering bundles, relevant add-ons, premium meal options, and convenient recurring plans.

These strategies encourage existing customers to purchase more or order more consistently.

Do meal bundles increase profitability?

They can, but only when the additional revenue exceeds the costs and discounts involved.

Always calculate ingredient, packaging, labor, and fulfillment expenses before launching a bundle.

Should I offer free delivery to increase AOV?

Free delivery thresholds can encourage larger orders, but the threshold should be based on your actual delivery costs and margins.

Test different thresholds rather than copying another company's pricing.

How often should I track average order value?

Weekly tracking helps identify short-term changes, while monthly tracking provides a clearer picture of overall performance.

Use consistent revenue definitions and account for refunds and discounts so comparisons remain meaningful.

Final Thoughts: Grow Revenue by Making Every Order Count

Increasing your meal prep average order value isn't about pushing customers to spend money they don't need to spend.

It's about creating better offers, improving convenience, and helping customers get more value from your service.

Bundles simplify ordering. Add-ons provide flexibility. Premium meals offer variety. Recurring plans create consistency.

But none of these strategies should come at the expense of profitability.

Start with your numbers. Identify opportunities that make sense for your customers and operations. Test small changes, measure the results, and build on what works.

Remember, growing a successful meal prep business isn't just about selling more meals.

It's about building a business where every order contributes to sustainable, profitable growth.

Ready to Build a More Profitable Meal Prep Business?

At Meal Prep Biz 101, we help meal prep entrepreneurs build stronger businesses through practical education, systems, tools, and real-world strategies.

Explore our business resources and training, or visit the Meal Prep Biz 101 blog for more guides on pricing, operations, marketing, and sustainable growth.

Build smarter. Price profitably. Grow with purpose.