Best Meal Delivery Services 2022

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Meal delivery services may be designed with convenience in mind, but that doesn’t mean they should skimp on deliciousness. No, the best meal delivery services on the market offer quick gratification and gourmet eats all in one. These genius meal kits typically deliver pre-portioned ingredients straight to your door, or offer you a fully-prepped meal that’s already ready for you to dive right in. There’s no need to waste time at the grocery store: Instead, good, quality food is always at your fingertips—and even if you do need to heat it up, chop ingredients, whip together a sauce or plate a salad, you can rest easy knowing that minimal effort is required. (Our top pick is HelloFresh, which offers a range of options for all types of eaters.)

Of course, not all of the best meal delivery services offer the same types of food. There are vegetarian meal kits, not to mention options designed for vegan, paleo and keto customers. Some plans are specifically created to support weight loss, while others still focus on meal delivery services for families. Ahead, find our ranking of the absolute best meal delivery services on the market—then, get ready to make room in your fridge for fresh, delicious food.

Best Meal Delivery Service Overall

A Service That Lets You Feel Like An Expert Home Chef

Type: Kit | Price per serving: $10 and up | Lifestyle options: Vegetarian, family-friendly, pescatarian

HelloFresh is one of the most popular meal kit delivery services out there, and for good reason—it’s easy to use, offers a wide range of options and is budget- and family-friendly to boot. The company lets you choose whether you’d like to receive anywhere from two to six recipes per week, each of which, in turn, serves between two and four people. Select from a range of dietary preferences, too, including meat and veggies, pescatarian, family-friendly and even a “quick and easy” option for when you know you won’t have the time to spend on a more involved meal.

Once your kits arrive, just whip out the included ingredients, follow the directions printed on the menu cards and enjoy. Some chopping and dicing is required, so don’t expect it to be a total cakewalk to prep these dishes. But most dishes don’t have a ton of ingredients, so they really are easy enough to make. The menu cards can also be stowed away for later, allowing you to recreate your favorite dishes at your leisure.


Best Budget Meal Delivery Service

An Inexpensive Option That Starts At Less Than $10 Per Serving

Type: Pre-made | Price per serving: $8.99 and up | Lifestyle options: Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, low-carb, weight loss

While the concept of prepared meal deliveries might seem like a luxury, thanks to Freshly, you can take advantage of the opportunity to have high-quality, fresh meals delivered to your doorstep for less than the price of take-out lunch. Freshly offers prepared meal services for as low as $8.99 per serving when you sign up for their subscription service. You can choose from 4, 6, 10 or 12 meals per week.

The menu rotates weekly and includes more than 30 appetizing options, with new dishes added often. While the standard meal plans don’t follow specific diets, Freshly also recently introduced FreshlyFit, which offers lower-carb, higher-protein meals that lend well to keto and paleo diets. All recipes are also gluten-free (Freshly is a certified gluten-free food service according to the Gluten Intolerance Group).

One unique thing about Freshly meal delivery service is the fact that every meal arrives fresh, not frozen. Just “heat and eat” is the company’s motto. Of course, you can freeze the individually vacuum-sealed trays if you don’t plan to eat the meals right away.

forbes.comFreshly Promo Codes | $150 Off In August 2022 | Forbes


Best Meal Delivery Service For Weight Loss

Delicious, Healthy Meals Created By Registered Dietitians

MOST POPULAR

Type: Pre-made | Price per serving: $8.25 and up | Lifestyle options: Gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, heart-healthy

Jump start your weight loss routine by planning out every meal the easy way. BistroMD offers meals designed by a dietitian to support your weight loss goals and caters to specific needs like gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, and heart-healthy. There’s even a menu plan designed specifically for women experiencing menopause to support the unique needs of this life stage with well-balanced nutrition.

After choosing your diet preference, you select how many meals you want. The full program is the easiest way to eliminate guesswork from your meal planning and includes breakfast and lunch for 7 days, and dinner for 6 days— you get to treat yourself to a favorite meal one night a week. You can also opt to receive just lunch and dinners for five days.

There are more than 150 recipes in total available each week, making it easy to stick with the eating plan without becoming bored. BistroMD is a recurring subscription model, but you can pause or cancel at any time. Registered dietitians create a meal plan based on your needs, goals, and preferences. You’re not left out of the loop, though—you can approve or remove meals from your menu rotation at any time.


Best Gourmet Meal Delivery Service

High-End Meals Crafted By Celebrity Chefs

Type: Pre-made | Price per serving: $13 and up | Lifestyle options: Vegetarian, pescatarian

Splurge on restaurant-quality meals with Home Bistro, a leading gourmet prepared meal delivery service. Far from a generic TV dinner, these culinary creations feature upscale selections. For a case in point, Home Bistro offers this savory dish: Lemon-Caper Piccata Steak with Roasted Garlic Marble Potatoes and Tunisian Cauliflower Gratin with a zesty artichoke-lemon butter sauce. It’s a mouthful to say but a delight to savor.

You can order meals a la carte, with prices ranging from about $13 for vegetarian selections to $27 for meat-based fare, or choose from a variety of meal combos. Many of the available meal bundles from Home Bistro will yield some savings, with the average price per meal hovering around $18. While it’s pricier than other prepared meal services, think of it as fine dining from the comfort of your home.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Variety

A Sous-Vide-Friendly Option

Type: Pre-made | Price per serving: $11.47 and up | Lifestyle options: Vegetarian, low-carb

Real Eats makes it real easy to enjoy a variety of fresh, flavorful meals with minimal effort. Each vacuum packed meal simply needs to be boiled “sous-vide” style, or can be popped out of its packaging and into the microwave for a quicker heat-and-eat option. The food pouches are 100 percent food-safe and BPA-free.

Scanning the menu, you’ll find at least a dozen options for lunch and dinner, including three bestsellers and several Chef’s Picks. You can also order protein and sides a la carte, giving you a chance to craft your own meals—while someone else does the cooking. Real Eats is also unique in that it offers a wide variety of add-ons, such as smoothies, snack bars, cheese, hummus and more.

This meal delivery service keeps its eye on quality and variety and delivers everything you need for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks—just supply your own beverage of choice (or check out these beer delivery services to put your libations on autopilot, too).  


Best Pre-Made Meal Delivery Service

Meals That Arrive Fresh, Not Frozen

Type: Pre-made | Price per serving: $9.33 and up | Lifestyle options: Vegetarian, low-carb, keto, common allergens

While many prepared meal services ship frozen entrees, Fresh n’ Lean only sends you fresh, never frozen meals that preserve the taste and texture of the foods inside. Ingredients are organic, non-GMO and free of preservatives. Each vacuum sealed tray has a shelf life of 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator, though you can freeze the meals to stretch their shelf life to 6 to 8 weeks if necessary.

Fresh n’ Lean offers a variety of menu plans to fit your dietary preferences, such as keto, vegan (and a low carb vegan alternative), protein+, bulk, and Paleo. You can switch plans at any time or cancel your subscription altogether. One of the best things about Fresh n’ Lean’s meals is the option to exclude up to 3 ingredients from your meal plan—either because of dietary restrictions or taste preferences. A separate option lets you omit the most common allergens from your meal. The cost depends on how many meals you select for the week, but the average cost is $9.33 per meal.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Keto

A Service That’s Exclusively Keto-Friendly

Type: Pre-made | Price per serving: $11 and up | Lifestyle options: Keto-friendly

Formerly known as Factor75, Factor_ is a popular prepared meal service for anyone serious about committing to a ketogenic diet or looking to streamline their weekly meal prep routine. Factor_ offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options to make it easy to stick with your food and fitness goals. You can also order keto-friendly snacks, desserts, and shakes to introduce variety in your eating routine.

The ordering process is simple: select from 4 to 18 meals per week, then pick out any additional items you’re craving (keto truffles, anyone?). Prices range between $11 and $15 per entrée, depending on how many meals you order for the week. You can also pause or cancel your subscription any time.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Whole30

A Thoroughly Gluten-Free And Whole30-Compliant Service

Type: Pre-made| Price per serving: $12 and up | Lifestyle options: Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free

Finding a Whole30-approved meal delivery service is no easy task, but The Good Kitchen nails it. Many meals, like Beef Shepherd’s Pie and BBQ Rubbed Salmon with Sweet Potato Hash are Whole 30 compliant, making it easy to match your dietary needs with the ready-to-go options from TGK. Meals that aren’t a fit for Whole30 are still made with wholesome ingredients and appropriate for other dietary preferences, like paleo.

With an emphasis on farm-to-table cooking and sustainability, The Good Kitchen (TGK) aims to do good for your family and the environment. If you’re on the fence, you can try The Good Kitchen’s Sample Pack, which includes five meals for $72. From there, opt for bundle packs or a subscription plan—both of which will offer additional savings. Depending on how many meals you need, expect to pay between $12 and $14 per meal. Subscription deliveries ship for free and arrive weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. You can also pause or cancel anytime.


Best Meal Kit Delivery Service

An Option Offering Everything You Need to Craft A Delicious Dish

Type: Kit | Price per serving: $3.24 | Lifestyle options: Vegetarian, family-friendly, weight loss

Blue Apron gives you a lot of options when it comes to dinnertime. All ingredients in the company’s kits are sourced from suppliers that focus on sustainability, and the produce is top-notch. You can pick meals based on a qualifier, like “fast & easy,” which is ready in 30 minutes, to help you minimize time in the kitchen. Choose from two- and four-serving plans and up to four recipes per week. Menus change weekly, allowing you to select new choices that feature meat, fish or plant-based proteins. Pretty menu cards show you how your dishes should look and can be saved for later use.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Vegan Diets

A Plant-Based Option That All Eaters Will Appreciate

Type: Kit, pre-made | Price per serving: $13.25 | Lifestyle options: Vegan

Purple Carrot only serves up plant-based meals, so you never have to stress about a stray piece of steak winding up in your delivery box. Choose from four plans—High-Protein, Gluten-Free, Quick & Easy or Chef’s Choice—or create your own box by choosing meals from a menu that changes weekly. There are a lot of options for getting your food, including two- and four-serving plans and up to four dinners a week. You can even pick whether you prefer to create your own dishes or heat up pre-made meals. There are also Celebrations boxes that focus on serving more people for special occasions. Worth noting: The company isn’t fully organic, but it does have plenty of organic options.

forbes.comFood & Drink

Are Meal Delivery Services Worth It?

Meal delivery services come with a lot of perks. Prepped meals offer pre-portioned servings that help you stay on track with your health and dietary goals and make it less tempting to order takeout on a whim (a decision that can benefit your health and your wallet). Having a refrigerator (or freezer) full of prepped meals can also reduce stress since you don’t have to figure out what you’re having for dinner. While the upfront cost of a meal delivery service may be more expensive than preparing the meal yourself, the time and forethought you save often proves invaluable.

Are Meal Delivery Services Cheaper Than Grocery Shopping?

If you break down the price per meal, you may end up paying more for prepped meals delivered right to your door than you would if you cooked the same meals from scratch, but it’s important to consider all factors. Do you have a lot of food waste when you buy groceries? Do you end up eating out more often because you don’t feel like cooking? Do you eat larger portions when you make your own meals? These are all things that will affect your overall food costs.

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