In a previous story, we crunched the numbers to find out how much meal kits cost versus buying the same groceries. In reviews and best lists, Blue Apron and HelloFresh are two of the most popular meal kit services for Fresh N Lean and Factor are some of the most popular options for prepared meal subscriptions.
Wellness Nutrition. Best Meal Delivery Services of We've tested and reviewed more than two dozen meal delivery services. Written by David Watsky. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks.
If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement. David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips.
Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom. Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon.
Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week. Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits. See full bio. Why You Can Trust CNET. Table of Contents Top.
Best Meal Delivery Services of What's the best meal delivery service? Best meal delivery services of Home Chef. Meal delivery services compared. Factors to consider when choosing a meal delivery service. How we tested meal kit services. Other meal delivery services we tested. Meal delivery service FAQs.
See at Blue Apron. Best for meal kits. See at Fresh N' Lean. Best prepared meal delivery service. See at Pete's Paleo. Best for gluten-free meal delivery service. See at CookUnity.
Best meal delivery with a variety of recipes. See at Mosaic Foods. Best for prepared plant-based meal delivery. See at HelloFresh. Best meal delivery service for families. See at Factor. Best meal delivery service for weight loss.
See at Purple Carrot. Best plant-based meal kit service. See at Green Chef. Best for organic meal kits. See at EveryPlate. Cheapest meal kit service. See at Home Chef.
Best meal kits for eating keto. FILTER BY all Meal Kit Prepared Meal. Showing 11 of 11 Results. Show less. Pros Steak and seafood options are included in a standard meal plan Affordable if you choose more than two recipes per week.
Cons Fewer recipe options than other services Doesn't allow for much customization. Type Meal kit. Recipes per week Good for Vegetarian, pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, low-calorie, picky eaters, quick meals.
Diet types: Vegetarian, diabetes-friendly, wellness, family-friendly, fast and easy. See at Blue Apron Best for meal kits Blue Apron. Show expert take Show less. Editors' choice. Pros Most of the food we tried was good or great Healthy options to service many eating plans.
Cons On the pricey side of average No family-sized meals making it expensive to feed a crew. Type Prepared meal. Meal options per week Good for Keto, paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, high-protein.
Full Review Read full review. See at Fresh N' Lean Best prepared meal delivery service Fresh N Lean. Pros Quality ingredients including mostly organic meats and produce Great for those avoiding gluten or empty carbs No subscription required. Cons No real discount for ordering a larger volume of meals The website isn't the best.
Good for Healthy, paleo, keto, low-calorie, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, Whole30, high protein. See at Pete's Paleo Best for gluten-free meal delivery service Pete's Real Food.
Pros Tons of healthy menu options per week Healthy food to service most diets and nutrition plans. Cons Expensive if you only choose a few meals per week Quality was somewhat inconsistent.
Good for Gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, paleo, vegan, low calorie, low carb, plant-based. See at CookUnity Best meal delivery with a variety of recipes CookUnity.
Pros Nearly all the meals I tried were good or better Interesting use of global recipes and flavors Affordable, especially for the family plan.
Good for Vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, low-calorie. See at Mosaic Foods Best for prepared plant-based meal delivery Mosaic Foods.
Pros More than 50 weekly recipes Good for keeping to specific diets or eating plans. Good for Vegan, vegetarian, keto, gluten-free, low-calorie, Whole30, families, picky eaters.
See at HelloFresh Best meal delivery service for families HelloFresh. Good for Healthy, low-calorie, pescatarian, vegetarian, keto, paleo, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, Whole I was very pleased," a tester said.
Another commented, "It's always hard to find new dinner ideas; these are a perfect variety to keep everyone in your family happy and full. Those looking for more plant-based fare will appreciate the hearty vegetarian offerings from Mosaic. You'll find everything from veggies and pizzas to smoothies, soups and oat bowls.
The brand uses high-quality ingredients, choosing organic and local options when possible. How it works: Start by selecting your plan, which includes six, 12 or 18 options per box you'll get more savings the more you order. Then fill your box with a variety of plant-based breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
Meal filters include vegetarian, vegan, wheat-free, nut-free and high-protein. Select what you'd like or have Mosaic build a box for you based on customer favorites. You'll then determine how often you'd like to receive deliveries, ranging from weekly to monthly.
All of the meals are delivered frozen with free shipping on 12 and 18 item boxes. Testers were impressed with how tasty the veggie-forward meals were, with one saying, "Delicious! So flavorful for frozen meals. We were impressed. Made eating plant-based so easy.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute , we test all types of food products and services, from healthy snacks and supplements to food subscription boxes and meal delivery services. Our experts are committed to bringing you the best of the best when it comes to quality, performance, flavor, nutrition and more.
In our most recent study of meal delivery services, we recruited more than at-home testers across the nation, while our in-house experts also tested the services in our Labs. All in all, we evaluated over 40 different meal delivery services , ranging from traditional kits that come with pre-measured ingredients and a follow-along recipe card to fully prepared options.
We tested the services over the course of three months. For each service, we tried a total of 15 or more meals across our experts and testers.
We are currently and constantly testing new offerings in this category to keep readers up-to-date. In the end, we made our selections based on expert evaluations and tester feedback in the categories of overall satisfaction, food quality, cost, recycling efforts and availability.
Our top picks cater to a wide variety of dietary preferences, including gluten-free, low-carb, high-protein and more. Although taste is subjective, we ultimately chose companies that scored high points overall with testers.
When finding the best meal delivery service to fit into your lifestyle and budget, there are a few key things to consider:. There are also options that fall in between: Food is partially prepped and requires minimal extra work to get a balanced meal on the table quickly.
You'll want to take a look at the plans the different services offer and keep in mind that while some services may start at a low price that is for a large order. You'll typically be able to check the price ahead of ordering, so you can see how much it will cost for your specific needs and servings per week.
If you are cooking for more than four people, check to make sure the service will accommodate your family, as some services only serve a max of four people per meal. Frozen meals can avoid waste whereas fresh options can spoil if not eaten immediately.
Most services allow you to skip a week and adjust your plan along the way, which can be a strategy to help keep costs down if you can't use the food quickly.
Some options, like Dinnerly, have robust vegetarian menus, for example, whereas other services may offer only a handful of vegetarian meals to choose from each week.
Certain services will let you customize further and swap out proteins, which can be beneficial. Most services will give you a discount on the first box and additional discounts if you are a first responder or in the military.
And if you know a friend or family member who is using the service, you may both get a discount for the referral. Some meal delivery services can be pricey — and most also involve shipping fees.
But it's worth keeping in mind that they also tend to be healthier and less expensive than takeout. There's also the benefit of skipping a trip to the grocery store and not having to spend time coming up with meal ideas and hunting for recipes. Many meal kits offer assistance with meal prepping, chopping and more , cutting down on prep time too.
You'll also get the opportunity to learn new cooking techniques and try new foods that may not be in your regular mealtime rotation.
If you'd rather not bust out all your pots and pans every night, prepared meal delivery services can also offer a smart solution. While prepared options do come at a premium, you're ultimately paying for the convenience, which may be worth it for you. These types of melas are typically comparable with the cost of takeout but have one standard shipping fee since the meals come together.
This article was originally written by registered dietitian Amy Fischer. It was most recently updated by registered dietitian and Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Director Stefani Sassos. As a dietitian and working mother, Stefani is passionate about putting balanced meals on the table for her family without having to spend a ton of time or money at the grocery store.
She personally uses meal delivery services as a way to change up her family's normal dinnertime routine and to get introduced to a variety of new foods and unique preparation methods.
Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Miami University of Ohio and a master's degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. Prior to Good Housekeeping , she worked at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City as a cardiac transplant dietitian.
She has authored numerous chapters in clinical nutrition textbooks and has also worked in PR and marketing for food company start-ups. The 9 Best Multivitamins For Men. The Best Thread Count for Sheets. The Best Japanese Knives. The Best Mattresses for Kids of All Ages.
The Best Down Comforters. The Best Comforters. Best Mattresses for Back Pain The Most Comfortable Couches Ever. The Best Portable Carpet Cleaners. Now, they offer an array of other options, too, from vegetarian to plant-based to paleo. I went with the sesame shrimp noodle bowls from their gluten-free menu, which claimed to take 25 minutes to cook.
The kit came with everything I needed, sans salt, pepper and cooking oil, so make sure you have those on hand. A new sister site to the HelloFresh family, Factor is unlike the rest of its siblings in that no cooking is required — unless you consider using a microwave cooking.
I decided to cook my pumpkin pancakes in the microwave, to see if they really stand up to the chewy-making effect a micro can have on some frozen foods. The cons: even though it was a microwave meal, there were a few sticky steps, such as flipping each hot pancake and then making sure the butter was melted all the way through the stack of three cakes.
As for the taste, neither a pro nor a con. They definitely tasted like healthier pancakes — butter and syrup helped — and the addition of the nuts on top was a satisfying touch.
To wash it all down, I also grabbed one of the cold-pressed juices — Factor also offers wellness shots in addition to their four juice flavors. The pineapple turmeric basil juice sounded super interesting, and sure enough, it was as tasty as it was vitamin-packed.
The option to go to my fridge instead of a 9-dollar-a-pop juice shop with a hipster barista is worth it in and of itself for me. There are even dessert options, too — the dark chocolate peppermint keto-friendly cheesecake was my personal favorite. The very best part of this kit for me was the ability to feel like I was having a fancy meal without any of the work.
Not only for Thanksgiving , Gobble is the meal kit that serves up generous turkey-day-sized portions no matter the season. The first thing I noticed about Gobble was just how much fresh produce I received in my order. For the beautiful Italian flat iron steak meal, which is supposedly two servings, I got a huge bag of ripe cherry tomatoes and an entire bundle of green onions.
For my miso-baked salmon, I got a giant bag of fresh broccoli and a ton of jasmine rice. During the unboxing alone, it was evident that Gobble values quantity and quality.
The four balls of cookie dough that came with my meal, not that I had any room left in my stomach after the meal to come. A second dessert stomach is a thing, right? Another thing to note was the smaller, more compact recipe cards.
While they are so much easier to save and store in a kitchen drawer than full-sized pieces of paper, they are also a bit more cramped in terms of directions and information.
The total time for my medium-rare meal came out to 29 minutes and 33 seconds, prep work included. For a full steak dinner that yielded enough for two portions and leftovers of the polenta and veggies, this is the kit for hungry families who want to spend some quality time together in the kitchen.
Though I am a carnivore through and through, I found that Purple Carrot is a great introduction to vegan eating. When choosing a meal to cook, I knew I wanted something that I loved already in its original meaty form, made vegan, to really put the box to the test.
After I had chopped everything down to size and foraged for my mushroom heads well, I picked them apart from the woody stems, but it sure felt like foraging , 15 minutes had already ticked by. The rest of the cook was pretty straightforward, used minimal dishes, and came out almost exactly like the photo, albeit a bit more soupy of a sauce.
Did this vegan dupe stand up to comforting chicken and dumplings? Another pro: everything was included in the box except salt, pepper, and oil, as they made sure to package vegan butter, flour, baking soda, and thyme into pre-measured baggies. For those who do want to eat plant-based for all three meals of the day and then some, the site does offer a lot of different options, changed up every week.
On the site now, curate your box with eight different dinner options, two breakfasts, two lunches and six different snacks from an array of vegan companies. Instead, expect a trifecta of support, with meals, coaching, and tracking, too.
Trifecta is indeed a meal kit company, meaning you can simply order the meals to arrive at your home, fresh and pre-packaged, sent to your door on ice to then be reheated in the microwave or oven.
However, for those who want a whole-body and mind experience when it comes to healthy eating and lifestyle, you can add a lot more from Trifecta.
Back to the food at hand — and in fridge — there are a variety of options to choose from when selecting your meal plan. When receiving my box, I loved that all of the items were packaged with the meals clearly labeled, helping me choose which I wanted to eat now and stick in the fridge and which I wanted to freeze for later — you can freeze the meals for up to three months in the freezer, or leave them for up to seven days in the fridge.
To really put the flavors and textures to the test, I used the microwave, and to my delight, the rice was cooked to perfection, the sausages were left juicy, and the packaging was cool enough to touch.
One note: since these meals are in sustainable packaging, the bottom may get soggy, so it is advised to use a plate underneath.
Otherwise, the meals provided enough food for a full meal maybe add fresh fruit on the side and made me feel more energized than if I had grabbed a different freezer meal from the grocery store. Clean eating has never been easier, with Sakara Life calling the shots for every meal of the day.
The plant-based and nutrition-focused meal delivery service is one that can really revamp the way you eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The meals each come in a take-out style container, with a sticker indicating when I should eat the meal right down to the time and day of the week.
The best part for me was the portability and ease of the whole thing, especially as someone who skips breakfast or opts for a muffin when running late.
While heating my dinner bowl, a Sakara burger with chili cashew creme, I decided to browse the site to see what sort of plans they offered. For those who want to try out a weekly meal plan but are a bit timid, they do have a one-week trial to test the waters.
If you like it, you can set up a recurring subscription and have Sakara Life meals all week long. Bonus points for being super customizable, as some may want just a few days a week and others an entire fridge of pre-planned meals for their three squares. With my burger bowl, after incorporating the cashew creme and the other garlicky dressing, I do have to say that while not a burger in my meat-eating eyes, this was one of the best salads I have had — ever.
Even though this bowl was shipped to my door, everything was crunchy and fresh, with no wilted leaves in sight. As someone who spends far too much money at Sweetgreen only to find myself hungry again, finding filling and yummy salads and bowls that I can bring into the office can be a challenge.
This is where I think Territory Foods fits in nicely. They are also all made without gluten or dairy, which is super great for those with allergies in the house. The coolest part for me, though, was when I took a peek at the packaging and the menu, to find out that my options were actually tailored to my region, partnering with local chefs and restaurants to create the weekly menu of over 35 rotating options.
My Ginger Garlic Chicken Salad was not only ready-to-eat and delicious but was also made by Chef Rachelle Slotnick of Chantilly, VA. Also, a nod to the packaging, the removable slip contains the calories, protein, fat, and carbs of each meal, should you be tracking yours, as well as the eat-by date and the warming instructions if needed on the back.
The last thing that really sets Territory Foods apart is the pricing plan structure. When setting up my account, the first thing to make note of was just how many options for breakfast, lunch and dinner there are.
In unboxing, one quick thing to remember is that there is dry ice that comes on top of your order, so make sure to have an adult unpack and dispose of the ice.
As for the meals, the smoothies and wellness shots can be thawed in the fridge or enjoyed as an icy treat. I chose the latter for my mango guava smoothie due to my impatience, and it was a refreshing option that I sipped on during this whole review, and eventually melted into a drinkable smoothie.
The wellness shots are more like a few sips, but great as an ice cube or a liquid — up to you. The soups, however, should be reheated, in my opinion, and can be warmed in the microwave, as the bowls they come in are micro-safe and BPA-free.
Can I hear it for no dishes? Full transparency, we had our very own Matt Levy help with this review, or, more specifically, his toddler did the hard work. While the little one munched, mom and dad also took some bites, deeming the Nurture Life foods parent approved, should there be leftovers when your kiddo is done.
These are chopped up small to prevent choking, and come in a variety of flavors to expose your tike to new flavors and textures. The meal service is great for those parents who are sick of sharing off their own plates as well, as the Nurture Life meals let your kid have their very own plate of yummy food, and a great option for those who need some more variety in their weekly kid-approved cooking rotation.
Starting from the way the package arrived — hand-delivered in a reusable tote, layered with ice to keep the food fresh — the whole CookUnity experience was restaurant-level without ever leaving home. I was also sent a text to track my order, letting me know an hour in advance so I could be prepared.
The food arrived in great shape, with no foggy plastic coverings or soggy cardboard to be found. The only downside to the meals is that they are single-serve, as I would have loved left overs or to be able to serve to a family or crowd — oh, well, more meals for me!
Eat Clean is a prepared meal delivery service, that not only takes the grocery shopping out of the equation like a typical meal kit, but also takes care of most of the prep work, cooking and cleaning.
The meals arrive in a pre-packaged and pre-portioned tray that is microwave safe, or you can opt to open the pack and use an oven-safe dish to reheat the food in minutes.
And yes, packaging is recyclable. On to the nutrition aspect, the packaging wrapped around each tray has detailed nutritional information, plus, the website does a great job of describing each menu item, outlining all of the ingredients as well as health information.
For those on a specific diet, you can also choose from plant-based meals, Keto and paleo. I opted for a random selection of meals this go around, but would also like to note that the service does carry a variety of options for breakfast and snacks, in addition to lunch and dinner, should you want to plan for busy mornings or an eventful day with little time to snack.
I went the dinner route, and happily ate BBQ pulled pork with sweet plantain mash off of the traditional menu, as well as Kung Pao chicken with sweet potato noodles from the paleo menu. Both were extremely flavorful, not skimping on seasonings at all.
Portion sizes are on the somewhat smaller size, but the meals themselves were filling, each coming with a protein and a veggie for the meals I chose. Daily Harvest truly means daily, as I happily ate a breakfast, lunch and a dessert in one sitting when diving into my box of frozen meals and snacks.
They keep it simple; everything comes frozen on dry ice careful with kids if they help with the unboxing process! and ready to either reheat, blend, or in the case of ice cream, thaw and enjoy.
My sweet potato bowl took about four minutes in the microwave, and I was surprised by how well it turned out.
All in all, Daily Harvest is a great kit to have on-hand and in-freezer at all times, whether it be as part of your daily routine or a great fall back when waking up late and needing a quick smoothie or bowl or a dinner for the family on busy nights.
Mosaic is another frozen meal delivery service that sends breakfast, lunch and dinner to your door and can be reheated in the microwave in five minutes or less for a quick and healthy meal. I personally love this style, as it helps to eliminate food waste and saves room in the freezer for exactly what you want.
Each category is priced out differently, but you can mix and match to reach your minimum box order. Furthermore, deliveries are super easy to customize, as you can get a recurring box every week, every two weeks or every four weeks, with the option to pause or cancel should you be out of town.
For my trial box, I ordered a few things from each category but decided on soup and some noodles for lunch. The directions were pretty straightforward, as all you need is a microwave and about five minutes of patience before food is served. The soup took an initial five minutes and then an additional two, as per the instructions, so be sure to read the packaging for the exact cooking time.
I actually had leftovers because it was so filling — always a pro when it comes to plant-based foods. Sunbasket is truly a ray of sunshine for those who value organic ingredients and getting a healthy and delicious meal on the table.
For my box, I decided to do a mix of everything, getting one oven-ready meal that was gluten-free, dairy-free and pescatarian and one regular meal kit to be cooked up. For the instant option, I was sent a shrimp paella with fire-roasted tomatoes and bell peppers, instantly taking me back to Spain where I tried the dish for the first time.
Instead of a bulky pan to cook my paella, I was given a microwave safe container, cutting my cook time to just six minutes total. I was wary of overcooked and rubbery fish with dry rice, but the dish came out moist and delicious, so either I have a magic microwave or the people at Sunbasket knew what they were doing when it comes to microwavable meals.
They have a full breakfast menu with options for different types of eggs, oatmeals, breads and spreads, and even juice, smoothies and a coffee-in-a-can that looks awesome.
I would suggest you can try Blue Apron because this is one of the best meal delivery services at an affordable price in the market fair-wind.club › eat › affordable-meal-delivery Discover affordable meal delivery with EveryPlate. Enjoy high-quality ingredients and incredible dinners for less than $5. America's Best Value Meal Kit
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