Frequently asked questions

Cookaway is not just another recipe box, it’s a culture unpacked in your kitchen. You are free to order a recipe box or kit as and when you like. With no subscription to tie you down, you can enjoy a Cookaway when you’re feeling the love for cooking.

Absolutely. We work with established chefs who have a real passion for their cuisine and culture. These are recipes with heritage, created with care as they would be cooked and enjoyed in real homes.

Most of our menus are available throughout the year, with some exceptions like seasonal BBQ or limited edition menus.

We have a range of menus for all skill levels that require varying levels of effort, time and equipment. Our menus are enjoyed by those who love to cook, dinner party enthusiasts, couples who love a night-in, families who love cooking together as well as aspiring chefs.

Yes, you can add multiple menus to your shopping cart and choose different delivery dates for each menu.

Yes, everything you need will be included in your Cookaway, including fresh meat, fish, dairy products and vegetables. We even include the specialist cooking oils, vinegars and other condiments you’ll need, because we think these are vital to the quality and result of your cooking.

Most menus are designed to be a full meal and include one main dish and one accompanying dish. Sharing menus come with a wider selection of recipes, curated by the chefs.

Our Recipe Boxes are available in servings for 2–3 or 3–4 people, with generous portions in every box. Our sharing Recipe Boxes serve 3–4 or 5–6 people, making them perfect for family meals, dinner parties and gatherings.

We deliver across mainland UK, Tuesday to Saturday, via our trusted delivery partner DPD.

Your recipe box will arrive on the delivery date you select at checkout. Ordering multiple Recipe Boxes? You can choose a different delivery date for each one.

All orders are delivered by our trusted courier partner, DPD. You'll receive tracking information and a one-hour delivery window by email or SMS on the day of delivery.

If you're out, DPD can leave your Recipe Box in a designated safe place. Simply update your delivery preferences directly with DPD before your delivery.

Our insulated chilled packaging and gel packs keep your ingredients fresh on your doorstep for up to 6 hours. For the best quality, we recommend refrigerating your ingredients as soon as possible and enjoying your Recipe Box within 48 hours of delivery.

Yes. You can choose your preferred delivery date at checkout, with deliveries available Tuesday to Saturday.

Yes. Upgrade to Delivery by 12pm if you'd like your Recipe Box to arrive earlier in the day - ideal for hosting, celebrations and gifting.

If your order hasn't arrived as expected or you have any delivery concerns, please contact our Customer Service team at hello@thecookaway.com and we'll be happy to help.

We currently don’t deliver to Scottish Highlands, Northern Island and Channel Islands.

Additional fees might be charged for some postal regions in Mainland Scotland. 

Recipe boxes cannot be delivered to the following postal regions in Scotland

Aberdeen AB31 – AB35
Aberdeen AB41 – AB54
Northern Highlands AB36 – AB38
Northern Highlands AB55 – AB56
Argyll FK17 – FK21
Northern Highlands HS1 – HS9
Northern Highlands IV1 – IV63
Arran KA27
Argyll KA28
Northern Highlands KW0 – KW14
Orkney Shetland KW15 – KW17
Argyll PA20 – PA78
Dundee PH15 – PH18
Northern Highlands PH19 – PH29
Northern Highlands PH32 – PH33
Northern Highlands PH45 – PH48
Argyll PH30 – PH31
Argyll PH34 – PH44
Argyll PH49 – PH50
Orkney Shetland ZE1 – ZE3

• Specialist ingredients
• Fresh produce
• Authentic recipes
• Cooking guide & recipe cards
• Sustainable packaging
• Award-winning British meat

In the unlikely event you are missing an ingredient, please make sure to carefully check the contents of your box, including recipe bags, chilled bag and any loose packaging as smaller ingredients can get “lost” in the box. If you still can’t find it, please contact our team on hello@thecookaway.com and we will try our best to help resolve any issues.

Your ingredients are divided into three categories: chilled, fresh and long life pantry ingredients..  

The chilled ingredients (meat, fish, dairy etc.) will be packaged together in a cool bag.  All the fresh ingredients (veggies, fruit, eggs etc.) will be packed together in paper to minimise bruising. Finally, your long life pantry ingredients (spices, oils etc.) are packed in paper bags, one for each recipe.

As soon as you receive your box, please refrigerate the chilled and fresh items. Read the cooking guide to prepare ahead. When you are ready to cook, begin by organising and prepping your ingredients for each recipe.

Some ingredients are used across different recipes, please remember to check quantities carefully.

Yes. Our free-range British chicken is vacuum sealed to lock in freshness during transit. When you first open the packaging, you may notice a slight odour caused by the vacuum sealing process. This is completely normal and should disappear within a few minutes once the chicken is exposed to air.

If the smell persists or you have any concerns about the quality of your ingredients, please contact our Customer Service team at hello@thecookaway.com and we'll be happy to help.

We have a range of menus for all skill levels that require varying levels of effort, time and equipment and full instructions are supplied. Our menus are enjoyed by those who love to cook, dinner party enthusiasts, couples who love a night-in, families who love cooking together as well as aspiring chefs.

All our recipes can be easily created using everyday equipment and appliances. If we think you’ll need something special, we’ll make that clear on the menu details section for each menu on the website.

Estimated prep & cook time is shown under the menu details section for each menu on the website however the times can vary slightly depending on skill level of the cook. The average cooking time for each recipe in every menu is shown under the recipe details section of the website, and also on the recipe card in your kit.

Yes. If your recipe card is missing or arrives damaged, please let us know within 48 hours of delivery by emailing hello@thecookaway.com and we'll be happy to send you a digital copy. 

We offer vegetarian and vegan menus for each of our cuisines, plus a number of gluten free options. Any allergens are shown on the individual menu pages of our website.

Our menus are planned by experienced chefs in collaboration with our Head Nutritionist. Our philosophy is that a balanced diet is a healthy diet, so we design our menus to provide high levels of nutrients including protein, slow-release carbohydrates, fats, fibre, plus vitamins and minerals. Our menus always include plenty of fresh seasonal vegetables too.

Please email us at hello@thecookaway.com and we’ll do our best to give you the information you need.

Our meat comes from British farms that adhere to the highest levels of animal husbandry and welfare, and is packed for us by an award-winning family butcher. Our fishmonger is committed to sustainable practices and can trace our catch back to an individual boat. They also supply Michelin starred restaurants, so you know your fish will be of the highest quality.

Not every ingredient will be certified organic, but we always seek out suppliers who carry relevant best in class accreditations such as Soil Association, Red Tractor or Fairtrade.

On average across all our products, 95% of our packaging is made from natural and renewable resources.  52% is paper-based, 38% glass and 5% metal.  The percentages shown above are calculated across our whole product range, so don’t worry if your Cookaway box seems to contain more or less of some packaging types.

Absolutely, 100% of our packaging is recyclable through widely available local council facilities. We don’t use any non-recyclable plastics or alternatives such as starch derived PLA (Polylactic Acid) that claim to be compostable, but for which the infrastructure does not currently exist in the UK.

Yes, we continue to research and test new packaging that will deliver your food to you in tip top condition without sacrificing the environment along the way.

You will find all the information on our sustainability page including a full list of the different types of packaging we use and how to recycle.

Our packaging has been designed using materials that are widely recyclable across the UK. However, recycling facilities do vary so please check with your local council if you are at all unsure. If your council is unable to recycle any of our packaging, we’d love to know about it.

If you have any further questions or suggestions for how we can improve our packaging, please contact us via email on hello@thecookaway.com or submit a contact form below.