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With a wide range of meal kit delivery services available, people with various dietary needs have an abundance of options to choose from.

A quick look at some of the best meal delivery kits

This article explores why these kits might suit people with particular health conditions and diets.

Medical News Today chooses services that meet the following criteria, where possible:

  • Business practices: Services meet MNT‘s business standards.
  • Quality: Services use fresh ingredients, and they seal packaging to ensure the product’s freshness upon delivery.
  • Menus: Services offer a wide variety of ingredients, menus, and meal plans.

A person subscribes to a food delivery service, and a company sends them boxes that include portioned ingredients and recipes. The idea is that the person can prepare meals at home without needing to shop for groceries or spending too long in the kitchen.

Companies offer a variety of customizable subscription plans. A person can request meals for the whole week or just a few days.

People with certain conditions, such as diabetes or gluten intolerance, and those following paleo or plant-based diets, for example, can often find delivery services that meet their needs.

Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these services. All information is research-based and correct at the time of publication.

Weight loss happens when a person burns more calories than they consume, which experts call calorie deficit.

If an individual pairs exercise with consuming a lower calorie diet, they may begin to see changes in their body weight.

A person should always consult a doctor before starting a weight loss diet.

Learn more about weight loss here.

HelloFresh

HelloFresh provides weekly deliveries of fresh ingredients and recipes and offers a multitude of meal plans, such as the Fit & Wholesome meal plan.

Each of these meals, which the company claims have a dietitian’s approval, contains around 650 calories per serving.

HelloFresh offers a variety of meal plan sizes, but the most popular is the plan that offers three meals per week for two people. This plan costs $8.99 per serving, with other meal plan sizes ranging between $8 and $11 per serving.

Some meal options include:

  • cranberry dijon pork tenderloin
  • spicy Tunisian bulgur bowls
  • mushroom ravioli in a tomato cream sauce

Once a person is set up with HelloFresh, the company will assign them a delivery day for their meals to arrive. HelloFresh ships to the 48 contiguous states, and there is an $8.99 shipping fee.

If customers want to skip their order, they need to do so at least 5 days prior to the billing date.

Pros

  • a large variety of meal plans
  • low calorie meal options
  • less expensive than some competitors

Cons

  • a shipping cost of $8.99
  • no allergen- or gluten-free meal options available
  • no specific diet plans, such as keto or vegan, on offer
Sign up now for HelloFresh

People following a vegan diet do not consume any animal-derived foods, including meat, eggs, and dairy.

Research shows that there are some benefits to veganism, including lower risk of heart disease. Low calorie vegan diets may also help a person reach a moderate body weight.

Meal delivery kits suitable for vegans may help those looking to try this diet learn how to prepare vegan meals.

Purple Carrot

Purple Carrot is a meal delivery service that provides ingredients and recipes for plant-based meals.

The company offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and “plantry” options, and customers can choose either 2 or 4 servings, with three or four dinners per week. Prices range between $4.99 and $15.99 per serving.

Some meal options include:

  • sticky apricot seitan with green beans and quinoa speckled rice
  • kimchi grilled cheese sandwiches with jalapeno and sesame butter
  • blood orange chia pudding with pumpkin seeds and vanilla yogurt

Once a person chooses a meal plan and selects their meals, they will need to select a delivery day. Shipping is free, and the company ships across the United States, with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii.

A person can skip, pause, or cancel their order, as long as they do so by the Tuesday the week prior to their delivery.

Pros

  • meal plans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • seasonal menu options
  • vegan diet possibly aiding in weight loss

Cons

  • no allergen-free meal plans available
  • not all ingredients are organic
  • in most cases, some meal preparation required
Sign up now for Purple Carrot

Although there is some skepticism about low carb diets, some evidence suggests this diet plan has certain benefits. For instance, some older research shows that low carb diets may help curb a person’s appetite and lower blood sugar levels.

It is advisable to seek guidance from a healthcare professional before beginning a low carb diet.

Sunbasket

Sunbasket delivers organic, sustainably sourced meals to its customers weekly. It has a wide variety of meal kit options, including the Carb-conscious plan, which contains 25–35 net carbs per serving.

Sunbasket offers either 2- or 4-serving meals and either 2, 3, or 4 meals per week. Prices vary between $10.99 and $13.99 per serving. Fresh & Ready meals — which are meals that are preprepared — can range between $8.99 and $11.99.

Some meal options include:

  • pecan chicken with roasted butternut squash and green beans
  • white bean turkey chili
  • spicy Southwest beef and sweet potato skillet

Customers can choose their delivery day, and shipping costs $7.99. Customers can skip meals, as long as they do so by the Wednesday the week prior to their delivery.

Pros

  • a wide variety of meal plans
  • organic ingredients
  • preprepared meals on offer

Cons

  • pricier than other options
  • a shipping cost of $7.99
  • no allergen-free menu offered
Sign up now for Sunbasket

Anyone with diabetes needs to manage their blood sugar levels carefully to prevent the levels from spiking and complications.

In terms of the diet, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports that people with diabetes should focus on:

  • vegetables, including starchy and non-starchy types
  • lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, and beans
  • whole grains
  • low fat dairy products
  • fruits, including apples and bananas

Planning meals can be challenging, and some meal delivery companies provide diabetes-friendly options.

Learn more about healthy foods for people with diabetes here.

BistroMD

BistroMD specializes in custom diets, and it offers a Diabetic Meal Plan. Dietitians knowledgeable about diabetes plan these meals, and chefs prepare them. Each meal contains at most 25 grams of net carbohydrates.

A person can choose to receive breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 5 or 7 days, or a simpler lunch or dinner plan. Depending on the choice, prices range between $9.50 and $13.00 per serving.

Some of the meals include:

  • lasagna with garden marinara sauce
  • salmon with dill mustard sauce
  • meatloaf with bourbon glaze

BistroMD has a schedule that does not allow for customized deliveries. Customers receive tracking information, and the company delivers throughout the continental U.S.

A person can skip or cancel their order without any charge, as long as this happens before 5 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the next order.

Pros

  • a wide variety of meals on offer
  • meals tailored to specific needs, such as heart health
  • possibility to speak with dietitians

Cons

  • no a la carte options
  • pricier than other services
Sign up now at BistroMD

According to a 2017 review of the available evidence, celiac disease affects 1% of the U.S. population, while nonceliac gluten sensitivity affects around 6% of people in the U.S. For someone with either health issue, having a gluten-free diet or significantly reducing their intake of gluten can be crucial.

Learn more about gluten-free foods here.

Green Chef

According to Green Chef, it is the first meal delivery service to have received certification from the Gluten Intolerance Group’s Gluten-Free Food Service program.

Gluten-free options are currently only available on the company’s keto and carb-conscious meal plans. There is currently no vegetarian and gluten-free plan.

Meanwhile, Green Chef has also received certification from U.S. Department of Agriculture and CCOF for its organic ingredients.

Most meals take 25–30 minutes to prepare, and some examples include:

  • Memphis-style pork patties
  • cheddar BBQ pork patties
  • BBQ chicken with pineapple salsa

The meal plans start at $6.99 per serving. The company delivers to most of the contiguous U.S. for a flat fee of $8.99. A person can pause or skip shipments up to 7 days before the next scheduled delivery.

Pros

  • meals per serving less pricy than other options
  • Gluten Intolerance Group-certified gluten-free options

Cons

  • no free shipping
  • no specific gluten-free plan available
Sign up now at Green Chef

A vegetarian diet does not include meat but may include some other animal products, such as eggs, and it is largely plant-based.

A plant-based diet may benefit health in several ways, including reducing the risk of:

It is important to be sure that the diet includes the essential nutrients and contains a wide variety of whole, nutrient-dense foods. A plant-based diet that is high in processed foods can be unhealthy.

A person following a vegetarian diet may also need to supplement any nutrients that are missing, which may include:

People, particularly those with health issues, should check with a doctor before starting any restrictive diet.

Veestro

This meal delivery service provides fully cooked, 100% plant-based meals. These include gluten-free and high protein options.

A person can choose from 10–30 meals on the a la carte menu or leave it up to Veestro, with its Chef’s Choice option.

It also offers a weight loss plan, which involves choosing three meals per day for 5–7 days.

Some examples include:

  • oatmeal breakfast pie
  • Hawaiian chili
  • farro ragout

Meals start at $9.90, the company delivers to the 48 contiguous states, and shipping is free. A person can skip meals or pause the service at any time, as long as this happens before the company processes the payment.

Pros

  • plant-based meals
  • organic meals on offer
  • a la carte options available

Cons

  • shipping unavailable in certain states
Sign up now at Veestro

The paleo diet focuses on foods that were available to humans during the Stone Age. This means that processed foods, including healthy options such as tofu, are not part of the diet.

According to some research, a paleo diet may be low in calcium. However, a well-planned paleo diet rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods and fiber-rich vegetables can be healthy.

People, especially those with health problems, should check with a doctor before starting any restrictive diet.

Learn more about the paleo diet here.

Trifecta

Like other meal kit companies, Trifecta aims to take the stress and guesswork out of meal planning. A person can opt for 5–7 days’ worth of meals, including one–four meals per day.

Trifecta says that its produce is seasonal, ethical, sustainable, and organic.

Some examples of its meals include:

  • chicken pesto pasta
  • salmon and wild rice
  • roasted chicken breast with asparagus

All the meals are organic, and menu options depend on the meal plan a person chooses.

Trifecta aims to deliver on Saturdays so that a person can prepare for the coming week.

Prices range from $13.80 to $15.50 per serving, depending on the number of meals selected, and free shipping is available in all 50 states.

A person can skip or pause deliveries at any time before the company processes the payment.

Pros

  • prepared, organic meals
  • seasonal menus

Cons

  • more expensive than competitors
Sign up now at Trifecta

Having meal kits delivered may cut time spent planning and grocery shopping. The best type depends on a person’s needs.

Several companies offer specialized kits for individuals with some health conditions, such as diabetes, and specific diets, such as a vegan diet.

It is a good idea to check with a doctor before starting any restrictive diet, especially for people with health issues.