15 Best Meal Kit Delivery Services of 2024

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A quick look at the best meal delivery services

Best overall meal delivery: HelloFresh | Skip to review
Best meal delivery service for weight loss: Factor | Skip to review
Best plant-based meal kit: Purple Carrot | Skip to review
Best vegetarian meal delivery: Blue Apron | Skip to review
Best organic meal delivery: Sunbasket | Skip to review
Best meal delivery for diabetes: BistroMD | Skip to review
Best gluten-free meal delivery: Green Chef | Skip to review
Best paleo meal delivery: Trifecta | Skip to review
Best customizable meal delivery: Home Chef | Skip to review
Best for children’s meals: Nurture Life | Skip to review
Best for muscle building: Muscle Meals 2 Go | Skip to review
Best affordable meal delivery service: EveryPlate | Skip to review
Best for healthy pre-prepared meals: Fresh n Lean | Skip to review
Best meal delivery service for families: Dinnerly | Skip to review
Best meal variety: CookUnity | Skip to review

How we chose the best meal kit delivery services

Medical News Today chooses meal delivery services that fit the following criteria:

Nutritional value: MNT chooses meal delivery services that meet the average person’s nutritional needs and promote healthy eating habits.
Ingredient quality: MNT chooses meal delivery services that use fresh, high quality ingredients. Some also use organic produce or sustainably sourced ingredients.
Variety: MNT chooses meal delivery services that feature a range of flavors and ingredients to suit different taste preferences and diets.
Price: MNT chooses meal delivery services with different price points to suit a range of budgets.
Availability: MNT chooses meal delivery services available throughout most of the United States.
Sustainability: MNT chooses meal delivery services that reduce their environmental impact by employing recyclable packaging, carbon neutral shipping, local ingredients, and other sustainable practices.
Reputation: MNT only chooses brands that adhere to industry best practices and have passed our medical vetting process.

Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more.

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Best meal delivery services

Medical News Today has tested some of the services below. Reviewers may have received some products from the manufacturers for free, which does not influence their review. All opinions are the reviewers’ own.

Best overall meal delivery

HelloFresh

Meal type: meal kit
Meals per week: 2–6
Menus: Meat & Veggie, Veggie, Family Friendly, Fit & Wholesome, Under 20 minutes, Pescatarian
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences
Diet friendliness: vegetarian, pescatarian, low calorie, low carb
Ingredients: some organic ingredients
Price per serving: $9.99–$11.49

GET STARTED WITH HELLOFRESH

MNT's review

HelloFresh provides weekly deliveries of fresh ingredients and recipes and offers a multitude of meal plans, including options to suit omnivores, vegetarians, pescatarians, and families.

This meal delivery service offers a wide range of menu options at affordable prices. It can also help people develop cooking skills and confidence as all of its meals are meal kits that come with easy to follow instructions.

Other meal types include Quick and Easy and Fit and Wholesome.

Some meal options include:

organic chicken katsu
spinach caprese salad
hoisin- glazed pork chops

Read our review of HelloFresh.

“There was a good variety [of meals] to choose from. However, I eat very healthy and I found there not to be enough healthy options. There were vegetables in all of my meals but oftentimes the ratio of carbs to protein to vegetable in a meal did not meet my preferences.

“Everything arrived in good condition and the ingredients were flavorful (although the amount of fresh produce in my meals was limited). The taste and texture were one of the best parts of the meal kit. There was a mixture of smooth and crunchy, and I appreciated the garnishes on top of the meal (green onion, bread crumbs, parmesan, etc.)

“The range of meals I chose included:

lemony spaghetti with brussels sprouts
zucchini and sun-dried tomato risotto
hot honey glazed garlic chicken

“Everything arrived in good condition and the ingredients were flavorful (although the amount of fresh produce in my meals was limited). My food was not organic or grass-fed.

I found choosing my meals and delivery date very easy and flexible. It is easy to cancel or skip a week for meals. There were clear instructions for recycling. However, there was a lot of small packages within the meal kit.

“I’m not sure if I’m just a slow cook working in a tiny kitchen but the meals generally took me 10 minutes longer than listed. Plus, it was not necessary but sometimes I would add in an extra lemon or additional spices. I also wish I had added in more vegetables to my meals to make in healthier.

“Overall, HelloFresh is a great option if you are tired of coming up with dinners every night and enjoy cooking but not grocery shopping. I would do your own cooking if you are particular about diet and nutrition.

“I don’t have a lot of time to cook at night so I appreciated having all groceries delivered to me and portioned out. Taking out these additional steps allowed me to cook more elaborate meals than I am normally willing to do.”

— Ariana Howard, Healthline Editor

An MNT reviewer's image of the HelloFresh packaging. An MNT reviewer's image of a HelloFresh meal.

a large variety of meal plans
there are low calorie meal options
it is less expensive than some competitors

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: refunds within 5 days
Shipping: $10.99

Best for weight loss

Factor

Price per serving: $10.99–$13.49
Meals per week: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18
Menus: Chef’s Choice, Keto, Calorie Smart, Vegan & Veggie, Protein Plus, Flexitarian
Diet friendliness: vegetarian, gluten-free, keto, low carb, paleo, and dairy-free
Personalization: specialty diet menus, mix-and-match weekly meal plan
Ingredients: humanely raised meat and poultry
Meal type: prepared meals

$130 Off + Free Wellness Shots for Life

GET STARTED WITH FACTOR

MNT's review

Factor has dietitian-designed menus, including a Calorie Smart and Protein Plus option which may aid weight loss.

The Calorie Smart meals have around 550 calories or fewer per serving, while the Protein Plus meals include 30 grams or more of protein.

Learn about the best meal delivery services for weight loss.

People can also choose keto and vegan meals.

Example meals include:

queso fundido
tomato basil chicken risotto
braised beef and roasted red pepper mac

Read our review of Factor.

“The signup process was super easy to navigate. I had the option to change my delivery date or pause for a certain amount of time if needed. It was very easy to cancel my subscription as well, and gave me the option to pause for no charge if I preferred that.

“I was impressed with the variety of meals to choose from. It seemed to be mostly American, Italian, and Mexican cuisine. However, within these cuisines, I found lots of different options so that I could have variety throughout my week. There were lots of healthy options with different focuses, like low carb, high protein, low calorie. I try to have meals in with higher protein so it was nice to have that category easy to find on the website.

“I tried the following meals:

Baja Shrimp
Sweet & Tangy BBQ Ground Pork
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken
Sweet Potato Grits & Sage Chicken (Favorite!)
Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Ground Pork Chili & Cheddar Mac

“I was blown away by the texture of the chicken, as I am normally very skeptical about reheating meat. The chicken breast was juicy and flavorful, like I had just cooked it. All of the vegetables were very fresh as well, not mushy like lots of other microwavable meals. I found that all the meals I tried were seasoned well, and I could see that if someone wanted to enhance it further, it would be easy to add more spices (however I did not need/want to). The sweet potato grits were amazing and unlike anything I’d tasted before. Overall I was very impressed with the ingredient quality and freshness.

“The packing was extremely eco-friendly. Everything had descriptions on it of how it could be properly recycled, and it was made very clear that the packaging materials were recyclable. The box also stated that their company is carbon neutral, which was nice to know. Even the padding and the frozen packs were recyclable with clear instructions.”

— Heather Riesebeck, Healthline SEO Associate

it offers dietitian-approved meals
none of the meals are frozen
its meals do not contain refined sugar
it offers high protein options

there are a limited number of dishes compared to other brands
it may be unsuitable for people wanting a small number of meals a week
there are limited options for vegetarians
there is a high sodium content in some dishes

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Shipping: $10.99

Best plant-based meal kit

Purple Carrot

Price per serving: $11–$13.25
Meals per week: 2–4
Meal type: meal kits and prepared meals
Menus: Meal Kits, Prepared Meals, Less Prep, Frozen Meals
Personalization: mix-and-match weekly meal plan
Diet friendliness: vegan
Ingredients: some organic ingredients

GET STARTED WITH PURPLE CARROT

MNT's review

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

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 a lower risk of heart disease. Low-calorie vegan diets may also help a person reach or maintain moderate body weight.

Learn about the best plant-based meal delivery services.

The company offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and “plantry” options. Customers can choose either 2 or 4 servings, with three or four dinners per week.

Some meal options include:

tofu peanut stir fry
buffalo cauliflower quesadillas
one-pot black bean enchilada pasta

Read our review of Purple Carrot.

“The Purple Carrot sign-up process is easy and straightforward. All you need to do is choose your plan, fill out your shipping and payment information, and then you can customize your box. Each week, Purple Carrot provides 12 dinner options to choose from, and it’s easy to change the default selections to the meals you want.

“While I only tried the dinner meal kit options, Purple Carrot also offers additional choices for prepared meals that don’t require cooking, breakfast meal kits, lunch meal kits, and “plantry” (plant-based pantry items).

“There was a good variety of meals to choose from. Because everything is plant-based, there isn’t as much variety as there would be if it could include animal products, but I loved how many options Purple Carrot provided for me as a vegetarian. They varied the protein sources (including beans, tofu, tempeh, and veggie burgers), vegetables, grains, and flavors.

“I tried the:

Coconut Tofu
Potato Malai Kofta
Za’atar Spiced Tempah
Green Curry Noodles
General Tso’s Tofu

“I preferred to choose the nutritionally-balanced meals (generally with vegetables, protein, and grains), which were readily available. However, Purple Carrot also offered some less balanced options like grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and pasta dishes.

“My ingredients arrived fresh. The quality was good, and everything tasted great (there were even some meals I wasn’t initially excited for that pleasantly surprised me with their size and flavor). I did not see any options for selecting higher-quality items, like organics.

“For each dish, Purple Carrot provides information on nutrition, allergens, ingredients, and cooking instructions so it’s easy to make sense of the options if you need those details.

“One downside is that I wasn’t able to select my desired delivery date, so my deliveries automatically arrived each Wednesday. (According to the Purple Carrot Help website, boxes are delivered on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays each week, and each person’s specific delivery day is based on their location.

“On the plus side, I found Purple Carrot’s customer service to be quick and helpful. After finalizing my first delivery, I realized I would be traveling the week that my delivery was scheduled. I reached out to Purple Carrot to ask if I could cancel my order, and they said it was too late as they had already begun processing and packaging my meal kits for shipping. Even though the issue wasn’t Purple Carrot’s fault, they credited my account so that I would be able to get another week of meals at no additional charge.”

— Sydney Hanan, Associate Director

An MNT reviewer's image of a Purple Carrot meal. An MNT reviewer's image of Purple Carrot meal kit ingredients.

there are meal plans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
it offers seasonal menu options
people can get free shipping

no allergen-free meal plans are available
not all ingredients are organic
some meal preparation is required in most cases
more expensive per serving than other brands

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Shipping: $10, or free for orders of $99 or more

Best vegetarian meal delivery

Blue Apron

Meal type: meal kit
Meals per week: 2–5
Menus: Chef Favorites, Wellness, Family Friendly, Fast & Easy, Veggies
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences
Diet friendliness: vegetarian, pescatarian, low carb
Ingredients: sustainably sourced fish and seafood

GET STARTED WITH BLUE APRON

MNT's review

Blue Apron offers a dedicated vegetarian meal plan that includes seasonal produce. People can also buy wine, kitchen tools, and pantry staples from the Blue Apron Market. This means people can get a more complete dining experience with this service compared to others.

A person can choose 2 or 4 servings per week. They can also add appetizers or side dishes to their order.

Sample meal options include:

oven baked cilantro rice and bean tacos
couscous-stuffed poblano peppers
paneer and vegetable curry

As for side dishes, people can find:

pineapple and coconut oatmeal
cheesy garlic bread
roasted vegetable and arugula salad

Read our review of Blue Apron.

there is a dedicated vegetarian menu
it allows customers to update orders whenever they want
the brand offers food from a range of cuisines

the menu is more limited than other services
it does not offer gluten-free, vegan, or keto meals

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: $10.99

Best organic meal delivery

Sunbasket

Price per serving: $9.99–$25.99
Meals per week: 2–5
Meal type: meal kits and prepared meals
Servings available: 1, 2, or 4
Menus: Gluten-Free, Paleo, Carb-Conscious, Mediterranean, Pescatarian, Vegetarian, Keto-Friendly, and Diabetes-Friendly
Personalization: specialty diet menus, specialty diet filters, option to set ingredient preferences
Diet friendliness: gluten-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, paleo, keto, low carb, Mediterranean, diabetes-friendly
Ingredients: some organic ingredients, sustainably sourced fish and seafood, grass-fed beef, and humanely raised meat and poultry

GET STARTED WITH SUNBASKET

MNT's review

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

Learn about the best low carb meal delivery services.

There is some skepticism about the effectiveness of low carb diets, and research is ongoing.

People should speak with a healthcare professional before beginning a low carb diet. If a low carb diet is suitable for them, they can consider the following options.

Sunbasket offers either 2- or 4-serving meals and either 2, 3, or 4 meals per week. Prices start from $9.99 per serving.

Some meal options include:

farro risotto with zucchini, porcini mushrooms, and basil pistou
Balinese shrimp with coconut-garlic brown rice and pickled carrots
seared steaks with roasted red pepper ajvar and cauliflower

Read our review of Sunbasket.

Sunbasket offers a wide variety of meal plans
it uses organic ingredients
its prepared meals may help people with limited time to cook

it is pricier than other options
it does not offer an allergen-free menu

Packaging: all packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States except for Montana, North Dakota, and parts of New Mexico
Shipping: $9.99

Best meal delivery for diabetes

BistroMD

Price per serving: $10.99–$14.99
Meals per week: 10–20
Menus: Signature, Heart Healthy, Gluten Free, Keto Flex, Diabetic Friendly, Menopause, Vegan
Diet friendliness: gluten-free, heart-healthy, diabetes-friendly, vegan
Personalization: allergy-friendly, mix-and-match weekly meal plan
Ingredients: sustainably sourced fish and seafood, locally sourced, some organic ingredients
Meal type: prepared meals

GET STARTED WITH BISTROMD

MNT's review

BistroMD specializes in custom diets, and it offers a Diabetic Friendly Program. The company claims that 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.

Some of the meals include:

turkey breast with herbed brown gravy
hickory smoked BBQ pork with broccoli
chicken, rice and cheddar casserole

Read our review of BistroMD.

“I usually don’t know what I want to eat until I feel hungry, and then I forage in my kitchen or go out in search of what I want. For lunch, especially, that might be leftovers, soup, or a salad with some kind of protein. So, I was concerned that I might have difficulty with BistroMD, which pre-plans your daily menus with two full entrees plus snacks, to meet a nutritionally balanced weekly meal program to support weight loss.

“Some of the items and meals I tried included:

Entrees

Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Grilled Salmon with Creamy Pesto
Roasted Tofu and Ancient Grain Salad Bowl
Barramundi Seabass with Sweet Coconut Pineapple Sauce
Manicotti with Vodka Marinara Sauce

Snacks

Dried Chicken Breast with Mango (jerky)
Raw Power Mix
Very Berry Boost
Parmesan Italiano Chips
Cinnamon Almond Cookie Crunch

“There were a good variety of meals. They lean toward more traditional fare (pork tenderloin, meatloaf, chicken piccata) than what I typically eat. But when I scrolled through the full list of options, I was able to find meals that were more to my liking. Regardless of the style of food, all of the meals are nutritionally balanced; that is the crux of the program.

“The meals are all frozen, so there weren’t any fresh vegetables or other. The company says that while they don’t always use organic ingredients, they are committed to using “wholesome” ingredients: environmentally-responsible seafood, always sourcing rBGH-free beef, using hormone-free chicken. Additionally, BistroMD meals are free from trans fats, MSG and artificial sweeteners.

“The meals come in a recyclable cardboard box, filled with dry ice packs and a plant-based and compostable packaging. I wasn’t able to recycle the plastic bags that had contained the dry ice. Everything else could be disposed of responsibly.

“[BistroMD] is designed for weight loss, so I can see how it would be a useful to help you stay on track with your dietary goals. Also, if you want to learn how to eat nutritionally balanced meals and about portion sizing, this offers a good model. I think BistroMD does a good job at explaining and demonstrating how to eat nutritionally balanced, portion appropriate meals for the goal of weight loss.

“Overall I found the balance of being able to choose my preferences and BistroMD recommending what would keep me within the parameters of the dietary plan, pretty effective.”

— Kelle Walsh, Healthline Editor

there are meals tailored to specific health concerns, such as heart health
it offers the opportunity to speak with dietitians
it uses sustainably sourced ingredients

there are no a la carte options
pricier than other services

Packaging: all packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: $19.95

Best gluten-free meal delivery

Green Chef

Price per serving: $12.99–$13.49
Meals per week: 2–4
Meal type: meal kit
Menus: Keto, Mediterranean, Plant Based, Protein Packed, Gluten Free, Delicious Discoveries, Calorie Smart, and Quick & Easy
Personalization: specialty diet menus
Diet friendliness: vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, gluten-free, and keto
Ingredients: some organic ingredients, locally sourced, sustainably sourced fish and seafood, and humanely raised meat and poultry

GET STARTED WITH GREEN CHEF

MNT's review

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.

Learn about the best gluten-free meal delivery services.

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

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

spicy sesame shrimp
pork chops with tomato caper sauce
southwest turkey stuffed peppers

Read our review of Green Chef.

“The ingredients arrived sealed and packaged safely, in very good condition. The ingredients also lasted in the fridge for a week (was a bit behind in cooking my last meal, but everything stayed fresh!) – there were options for organic proteins, which I liked.

“The ingredients were all very tasty. I’ve had Factor meals as well and I liked Green Chef better, getting to cook and portion out my own meals was really great.

“I tried:

Breaded Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce
Pistou Chicken Couscous Bowls
Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Pistou

“I found the meals easy to make — they did require some knife skills and other basic kitchen abilities. I wouldn’t recommend it for someone brand new to cooking, but someone who has some expertise and skill in the kitchen.

“I was really satisfied with the delivery, packaging, quality of ingredients, and the way the meals cooked up. I wouldn’t change a thing!

“I liked the brand and was satisfied from start to finish — honestly. I’d guess the food quality is higher than other similar brands or services. I’d pick this one before trying a different service… it was all just fantastic!”

— Christy Snyder, Healthline Editor

An MNT reviewer's image of Green Chef meal kit ingredients. An MNT reviewer's image of a Green Chef meal.

there are Gluten Intolerance Group-certified gluten-free options
all of its ingredients are non-GMO

people cannot make changes in the 5 days up to their delivery, making it less flexible
its meal kits are more expensive than other brands'

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Shipping: $10.99

Best paleo meal delivery

Trifecta Nutrition

Price per serving: $13.79–$15.85
Meals per week: 7, 10, 14, or 28
Menus: Clean, Paleo Whole30, Keto, Plant-Based
Diet friendliness: paleo, keto, Whole30, vegan, and vegetarian
Personalization: specialty diet menus
Ingredients: some organic ingredients, locally sourced, sustainably sourced fish and seafood, grass-fed beef, and humanely raised meat and poultry
Meal type: prepared meals and a la carte items

GET STARTED WITH TRIFECTA

MNT's review

Trifecta offers a range of organic meals, including paleo options.

Learn about the best paleo meal delivery services.

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 to four meals daily.

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

Some examples of its meals include:

sausage and egg scramble with sweet potatoes
roasted chicken breast with asparagus
Korean beef bulgogi

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

Read our review of Trifecta.

it offers prepared, organic meals, saving people time
there are seasonal menus available
it is unique in that it offers paleo options
people can use the Trifecta app to plan their diet

it is much more expensive than competitors
shipping is very expensive to Alaska and Hawaii

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: United States (Alaska and Hawaii included)
Shipping: $9.99 in the contiguous United States ($49.99 for Alaska and Hawaii)

Best customizable meal delivery

Home Chef

Price per serving: $9.99–$13.95
Meals per week: 2–6
Menus: Calorie-Conscious, Carb-Conscious, Protein-packed, Keto-friendly, Pescatarian, Paleo-friendly, Vegetarian, Family
Diet friendliness: vegetarian and carb- and calorie-conscious
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences, mix-and-match weekly meal plan
Ingredients: some organic ingredients
Meal type: meal kit

GET STARTED WITH HOME CHEF

MNT's review

Home Chef offers customizable meals. People can choose to swap, double up, or upgrade the protein in each meal. This can include swapping chicken for fish, or changing meat to vegan alternatives.

In addition, individuals can opt for recipes with pre-portioned ingredients or meals that require little to no preparation.

To use Home Chef, people must first choose their food preferences and items they would like to avoid, such as shellfish, poultry, or beef. The company then asks customers to select their serving size and provide delivery information.

Home Chef’s menu includes:

sweet chili pork lettuce wraps
BBQ brisket
mustard pretzel crusted chicken

Home Chef has a minimum weekly order value of $50.95 for Home Chef and $82.91 for Family Plan.

Read our review for Home Chef.

it offers customizable protein options
minimal preparation is involved for each meals
meals are also available in some stores

minimum order value of around $50
limited vegetarian options

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: No returns
Shipping: $10.99 - $13.99

Best for children's meals

Nurture Life

4.8 (1.1k+) from Nurture Life

Meal type: prepared meals
Menus: Kids Meals, Finger Foods, Smoothies, Snacks, Super Sammies
Personalization: allergy-friendly, option to set ingredient preferences
Diet friendliness: vegetarian, gluten-free, egg-free, fish-free, soy-free, pork-free, milk-free, coconut-free, sesame-free, beef-free
Ingredients: some organic ingredients
Price per serving: $6.55 - $7.49 ($3.83 per smoothie)
Meals per week: 6, 10, 13, or 16

GET STARTED WITH NURTURE LIFE

MNT's review

Some meal delivery companies offer menus for families, while some companies are dedicated to offering meals only for children.

Nurture Life offers meals and snacks for children and toddlers. The company claims that dieticians and chefs create its dishes.

Learn about the best meal delivery services for kids.

People can choose between 6–15 items per week, and meals can be ready in around 1 minute.

Nurture Life menus include Kids Meals, Finger Foods, Smoothies, and Snacks.

Pricing ranges from $6.55–7.49 per item. Shipping is $8.99 per delivery.

Sample meals include:

chicken taco pockets
mini veggie frittata
oatmeal raisin mighty bites

Read our review of Nurture Life.

it uses organic ingredients
its meals are very quick to prepare
there are allergen-free options

it only offers meals made from solid food, which may not be suitable for some children

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: $8.99

Best for muscle development

Muscle Meals 2 Go

Meal type: prepared meals
Meals per week: 10, 18, 24
Menus: Lean, Train, Gain, Low Carb
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences, allergy-friendly for gluten, lactose, and nuts
Diet friendliness: keto, low carb, gluten-free
Price per serving: $13.95–$19.75

GET STARTED WITH MUSCLE MEALS 2 GO

MNT's review

Muscle Meals 2 Go offers lean, low carb, and extra protein preprepared meals. A person can choose between three plans:

Lean: for weight loss.
Gain: for muscle gain.
Maintain: for custom meal plans.

If opting for a meal plan, a person can choose between 10, 18, or 24 meals every week, two weeks, or just once. A person can also buy meals a la carte if they wish.

The meals are preprepared, and a person only needs to reheat them in the microwave for around three minutes.

Some examples of meals include:

lean turkey and sweet potato
lemon garlic salmon
muscle meatloaf

suitable for people trying to lose weight or gain muscle
people can also purchase a la carte or as a one off
a custom plan is available

it is fairly expensive compared to competitors
shipping is expensive outside of Florida

Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: shipping calculated at checkout

Best affordable meal delivery service

EveryPlate

Meal type: meal kit
Meals per week: 3–6
Menus: Meat & Veggie, Veggie, Quick & Easy, Nutrish & Delish, Family Faves
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences
Diet friendliness: vegetarian
Ingredients: no organic ingredients
Price per serving: $4.99–$7.49

GET STARTED WITH EVERYPLATE

MNT's review

EveryPlate offers a more affordable meal delivery service in comparison to its competitors. However, the company still charges for shipping, which EveryPlate says helps keep meals at a low cost.

EveryPlate provides meal kits, and a person can choose between the following plans:

Meat & Veggie
Veggie
Family Faves
Quick & Easy
Nutrish & Delish

The company does not cater to specific dietary requirements, and prices range between $4.99–7.49 per serving.

Some examples of meals from EveryPlate include:

griddled onion burgers
creamy lemon herb chicken
spicy bean and pepper quesadillas

People can also purchase add-ons to their meals, such as garlic bread, caesar salad kits, and vanilla delight cheesecakes.

it offers much more affordable pricing compared to competitors
many plans and meals are family-friendly

the service cannot cater to specific dietary needs
people cannot make any changes up to 5 days before their delivery

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: $9.99

Best for healthy preprepared meals

Fresh N Lean

Price per serving: $8.99–$15.99
Meals per week: 5–21
Menus: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Mediterranean Diet, Whole30, Standard Vegan, Low Carb Vegan, Vegetarian, Bulk
Diet friendliness: gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo, low carb
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences, allergy-friendly
Ingredients: grass-fed beef, some organic and local ingredients, sustainably sourced fish, seafood, pork, and poultry
Meal type: prepared meals

GET STARTED WITH FRESH N LEAN

MNT's review

Fresh n Lean delivers healthy pre-prepared meals to customers. The company claims it uses ingredients that are USDA-recognized and regulated. They also organically source their meals.

Plans from Fresh n Lean include:

Protein+
Keto
Paleo
Vegan
Vegetarian
Whole30 Approved
Mediterranean Diet
Bulk

A person can also choose from several a la carte options.

Prices range between $10.66–$15.99 per serving.

Some examples of meals by Fresh n Lean include:

bearnaise steak with roasted sweet potatoes
pistachio pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes and broccoli
sesame shrimp with vermicelli and spicy thai almond sauce

A person may also purchase add-ons such as snacks and treats.

it can cater to those following a plant-based diet
it provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner options as well as add-ons
the company provides gluten-free options

there is a minimum order of $85
there are no family or couples plan available
the company only delivers on a Friday

Packaging: all packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: United States (Alaska and Hawaii included)
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: free shipping in the contiguous United States

Best for couples and families

Dinnerly

3.9 (4.8k+) from TRUSTPILOT

Meal type: meal kit
Meals per week: 2–6
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences
Diet friendliness: vegetarian, vegan, low calorie, low carb, dairy-free, no added gluten
Ingredients: some organic ingredients
Price per serving: $5.49–$11.04
Menus: one weekly menu

GET STARTED WITH DINNERLY

MNT's review

Dinnerly offers two plan choices: a couples plan or a family plan. The company provides meal kits and says recipes only contain five simple steps.

People cannot customize recipes or filter out ingredients they do not wish to receive.

Prices range between $45.95–$131.75 per week.

Some of the menu options for Dinnerly include:

buffalo fried chicken tacos
sausage and broccoli pasta
crispy maple-tamari tofu and brown rice

Read our brand review of Dinnerly.

the company caters to couples and families
it offers simple recipes with just five steps
its meals are more affordable than other options

there are limited options for vegans
there are no plans suitable for individuals
a person cannot filter meals based on dietary needs

Packaging: all packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: $11.99

Best meal variety

CookUnity

Price per serving: $11.09–$13.59
Meals per week: 4, 6, 8, 12, 16
Menus: general menu with diet-specific filters
Diet friendliness: keto, paleo, low carb, low calorie, gluten-free, dairy-free, low sodium, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean
Personalization: option to set ingredient preferences
Ingredients: locally sourced; prioritizes seasonal ingredients; sustainably sourced fish, seafood, and meat
Meal type: prepared meals

GET STARTED WITH COOK UNITY

MNT's review

Cook Unity has various cuisines on offer weekly, including Italian, Indian, Chinese, and Mexican. The company also states that it has over 200 recipes available to choose from.

This service caters to various diets, including vegan, paleo, keto, and gluten-free.

Some examples of premade meals a person can choose from include:

mission-style beef burrito
climate-friendly falafel-crusted artichokes
pappardelle with pork ragu

there are various cuisines on offer
it caters to different diets, including vegan and keto
it offers free shipping

it does not ship to all U.S. zip codes
its meals only offer one serving

Packaging: most packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Delivery area: contiguous United States
Returns: no returns or refunds
Shipping: $9.99

Comparing the best meal delivery services

The table below compares each of the meal delivery services in this article on key points:

	Cost	Serving size	Number of meals	Shipping
HelloFresh	$9.99–$11.49 per serving	serves 2–4 people	2–6 meals per week	$8.99 per box
Factor	$10.99–$13.49 per serving	one serving per meal	6–18 meals per week	$9.99 per box
Purple Carrot	$11–$13.25 per serving	serves 2–4 people	three or four meals per week	$10 for any orders under $100
Blue Apron	$7.99–$11.99	serves 2–4 people	2–5 meals per week	$10.99 per box
Sunbasket	from $10–$12 per serving	serves 1–4 people	2–5 meals per week	$9.99 per box
BistroMD	$149.90–$219.80 per week	one serving per meal	10–20 meals per week	$19.95 per box
Green Chef	$11.99–$13.49 per serving	serves 2–6 people	3–4 meals per week	$8.99 per box
Trifecta	$104.93–$110.99 per week	one serving per meal	7–21 meals per week	$9.99 per box
Home Chef	from $9 per serving	serves 2–8 people	2–6 meals per week	calculated at checkout
Nurture Life	from $6.55 per item	one serving size	6–16 items per week	$8.99 per delivery
Muscle Meals 2 Go	$13.95–$16.50 per meal, or from $145 per week	one serving per meal	10–24 meals per week	$9.99 per delivery in Florida, or $25 to all other contiguous US states
EveryPlate	$4.99–$7.49 per serving	serves 2–6 people	3–6 meals per week	$9.99 per box
Fresh n Lean	$10.66–$15.99 per serving	one serving per meal	5–21 meals per week	free on orders over $100, or $9.99 on orders below $100
Dinnerly	$45.95–$131.75 per week	serves 2–4 people	2–6 meals per week	$11.99 per box
CookUnity	from $11.09 per serving	one serving per meal	4–16 meals per week	free

What is meal delivery?

Meal kits are ingredients, recipes, and cooking instructions a company sends out in regular deliveries to its customers. This can make it easier for people to prepare meals at home without needing to shop for groceries or spend too long cooking.

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.

If people would prefer to try preprepared meals instead, there are many options available.

What are the benefits of a meal delivery service?

Meal delivery services may be particularly beneficial for people who do not have the time to source and cook healthy meals every day. This is especially true for people who live in food deserts: receiving meal kit deliveries may be easier and cheaper than driving to the nearest grocery store.

These services may also be good for people looking to make a healthy change to their diet by reducing the amount of takeout they order. Many companies offer meals inspired by traditional takeouts, such as Chinese and Indian cuisines. However, these meals may be a healthier alternative.

Many meal delivery services offer food that is suitable for the whole family. People can choose family favorites that even pickier eaters are likelier to enjoy.

Finally, these services can teach people how to cook or make amateur chefs more comfortable in the kitchen. Most companies offer recipe cards that break down the meal into easy-to-follow steps.

How to choose the best meal delivery service

People should consider the following factors when choosing a meal delivery service:

Diets: Some individuals may prefer choosing a meal delivery service that caters for different diets, especially if they have children and are ordering different meals for family members. People should check if a service caters to their diet. Many brands offer dedicated vegan, gluten-free, or keto diets, and some brands offer menus for those with diabetes or IBS.
Shipping: Many brands do not ship to certain states. People should check where the company delivers to before making an order.
Price: Prices depend on the amount of food a person orders per week. Typically, prices per serving start at around $6. A person should work out how many meals they would like each week and whether their budget suits their chosen brand.
Packaging: People may wish to prioritize companies that use recyclable packaging to reduce their impact on the enviroment.
Convenience: Individuals who have a busy schedule and do not have time to shop for or prepare complicated meals may consider choosing a company that provides easy-to-follow instructions and fresh ingredients.

Frequently asked questions about meal delivery services

HelloFresh is one of the most popular meal delivery services. However, people may wish to choose a meal delivery service that caters to their diet and fits their budget.

There are a variety of premade meal delivery services that prioritize nutritious ingredients, including Sunbasket, Factor, Trifecta, and Purple Carrot.

One of the main differences between Daily Harvest and HelloFresh is that Daily Harvest offers prepared meals, while HelloFresh offers meal kits. People with limited time to cook may prefer Daily Harvest. However, HelloFresh can help people learn cooking skills.

Daily Harvest only offers meals suitable for vegans and free from gluten. People following these diets may find a range of meals for their diet using this service. HelloFresh may be best for those following meat-based diets. Plus, the meals are also suitable for families.

People may consider their dietary needs, time constraints, and budget when choosing between these two meal delivery services.

Factor and HelloFresh offer low calorie menus that may help a person lose weight. People may wish to speak with a doctor before changing their diet.

Summary

Having meal delivery may cut time spent planning and grocery shopping. The best mealy delivery depends on a person’s needs and preferences.

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

People should speak with a doctor before changing their diet, especially if they have existing health conditions.

15 Best Meal Delivery Services: Options, Convenience, Cost, and More

How we vet brands and products

A quick look at the best meal delivery services

How we chose the best meal kit delivery services

Best meal delivery services

Comparing the best meal delivery services

What is meal delivery?

What are the benefits of a meal delivery service?

How to choose the best meal delivery service

Frequently asked questions about meal delivery services

What is the best online food delivery service?

What is the healthiest premade meal delivery service?

Is HelloFresh better than Daily Harvest?

Which meal delivery service is best for diet and weight loss?

Summary

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