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Sometimes it can be difficult to choose the right meal delivery service—maybe you’re gluten-free, or perhaps you simply want to try a vegetarian diet. Whether you want to add some more organic eats to your daily diet or are simply tired of cooking at home, these provide an array of choices.
If you want to eliminate spending a long time at the grocery store and at the stove, these services provide healthy, easy ways to make dinner easier. Say goodbye to Sundays spent meal prepping, and embrace the opportunity to try new options.
Best Meal Delivery Services of 2023
- Best Overall: Sunbasket
- Best Budget-Friendly: EveryPlate
- Best Variety: HelloFresh
- Best Organic: Green Chef
- Best Vegan: Splendid Spoon
- Best for Keto: Factor
- Best Heat-and-Eat: CookUnity
- Best for Avid Cooks: Blue Apron
- Best for Easy Prep: Gobble
- Best Gluten-Free: Freshly
Best Overall : Sunbasket
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Sunbasket
Byrdie Star Rating: 5.0
- Starting Price: $9.99 per serving
- Delivery Area: 46 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
Sunbasket offers top-notch ingredients like organic produce, antibiotic- and hormone-free meat, and wild-caught seafood, all wrapped up in eco-friendly packaging.
High-quality meals with top-notch ingredients
All packaging is either recyclable, reusable, or compostable
Multiple dietary preferences accommodated
A bit more expensive than some of its competitors
Cook times can vary
Top-notch ingredients like organic produce, antibiotic- and hormone-free meat, and wild-caught seafood are key at Sunbasket, and that’s reflected in the quality of these meals. Like many other meal delivery services, Sunbasket sends you ingredients and simple cooking instructions to prepare meals that serve two or four. You can also add nuts, crackers, bars, and other snacks to your order. Sunbasket's menu caters to a number of dietary needs, with options including paleo, low carb, low calorie, gluten-free, pescatarian, vegetarian, diabetes-friendly, and Mediterranean.
- Meal Kits: start at $11.49 per serving (price varies depending on selection)
- Fresh & Ready Meals: start at $9.99 per serving (price varies depending on selection)
Meal Kits
- Sea scallops over fresh fettuccine with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach
- Snapper with romesco, vegetables, and almonds
- Burmese chicken and sweet potato curry
- Sirloin strip tacos with zucchini scallion salsa
Prepared Meals
- Broccoli mac and cheese
- Chicken chow mein with broccoli, mushroom, and toasted garlic
- Beef donburi rice bowl with edamame and kimchi-lime vegetables
- Burrito bowl al pastor with plant-based Impossible Beef
Best Budget-Friendly : EveryPlate
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Every Plate
Byrdie Star Rating: 3.8
- Starting Price: $4.99 per serving
- Delivery Area: 48 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
EveryPlate saves time, as the recipes take less than 30 minutes, and it's one of the most affordable options at about $5 per serving.
One of the least expensive options
Can select from 25 different options weekly
Pre-portioned ingredients and simple recipes take 30 minutes or less
No keto or paleo options
Meals need to be cooked within the week
Might need certain appliances like a zester, peeler, and potato masher
EveryPlate is one of the best options out there for people looking for a meal delivery service that saves time but is still affordable (at $5 per serving). Each week you’ll have the chance to select your meals from 25 different options like farmers market penne, Greek chicken pitas, and steak with buttery pan sauce. Your delivery will come with pre-portioned ingredients and simple recipes that take 30 minutes or less.
- 3 meals with 2 servings each: $6.49 per serving
- 3 meals with 4 servings each: $5.49 per serving
- 4 meals with 2 servings each: $5.99 per serving
- 4 meals with 4 servings each: $5.29 per serving
- 5 meals with 2 servings each: $5.79 per serving
- 5 meals with 4 servings each: $4.99 per serving
- Crispy Caesar chicken
- Steak frites
- Blackened shrimp salad
- Hotel butter barramundi
Best Variety : HelloFresh
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Hello Fresh
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.7
- Starting Price: $7.49 per serving
- Delivery Area: 48 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
HelloFresh is all about options and flexibility, sending a box of high-quality ingredients and straightforward recipes that won’t add any stress to your day.
Categories like veggie, meat, family-friendly, and low calorie make it easy to personalize your plan
Diverse menu options
Straightforward and easy recipes
Not ideal for those with food allergies
Reviewers have said that customer service isn’t helpful
HelloFresh is all about options and flexibility. You’ll receive a box of high-quality ingredients and straightforward recipes that won’t add any stress to your day. Ingredients are all responsibly sourced and pre-portioned to eliminate food waste; recipes are designed with environmental sustainability in mind; and the packaging is designed to fit easily in your fridge—all wins in our book and hopefully yours, too.
- 6 meals with 4 servings each: $7.99 per serving
- 6 meals with 2 servings each: $8.49 per serving
- 4 meals with 4 servings each: $7.99 per serving
- 4 meals with 2 servings each: $9.49 per serving
- 2 meals with 4 servings each: $9.49 per serving
- 2 meals with 2 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- Crispy buffalo-spiced chicken
- BBQ cheddar burgers
- Tex-Mex pork with mango salsa
- Pork sausage rigatoni rosa
Best Organic : Green Chef
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Green Chef
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.8
- Starting Price: $11.99 per serving
- Delivery Area: 48 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
Green Chef is a certified USDA-organic company that boasts a rotating weekly menu of flavorful chef-crafted meals.
Certified organic status
Meals serve up to six people
Menu rotates weekly
Shipping costs extra
Limited number of diets accommodated
Green Chef's certified organic status and roster of sustainably sourced ingredients set it apart from the rest. The rotating weekly menu includes 30 globally-inspired recipes featuring house spice blends and sauces to pump up the flavor. Meals accommodate multiple dietary plans and preferences, including keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Additionally, Green Chef is both plastic and carbon offset, and the meal kits reduce food waste by at least 23% compared to grocery shopping, according to the company.
- 3 meals with 2 servings each: $13.49 per serving
- 4 meals with 2 servings each: $12.99 per serving
- 2 meals with 4 servings each: $12.99 per serving
- 3 meals with 4 servings each: $12.49 per serving
- 4 meals with 4 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- 3 meals with 6 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- 4 meals with 6 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- Harissa-spiced shrimp
- Sesame ginger bavette steak and shrimp
- Middle Eastern-style chickpea bowls
- Maple glazed carrots with figs
Best Vegan : Splendid Spoon
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Splendid Spoon
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.1
- Starting Price: $10 per serving
- Delivery Area: 48 states
- Products Arrive: Frozen
Splendid Spoon is a vegetarian- and vegan-friendly option that brings subscribers plant-based smoothies, grain bowls, and soups made from whole ingredients that are GMO- and gluten-free.
All meals are prepared and ready to eat upon delivery
Creative menu options
GMO- and gluten-free
Meals may not be satiating
Some options can be difficult to thaw
Another vegetarian- and vegan-friendly option, Splendid Spoon brings you plant-based smoothies, grain bowls, and soups made from whole ingredients that are GMO- and gluten-free. All meals are prepared and ready to eat upon delivery, taking prep work off your plate. You’ll have options like a Cuban black bean bowl, butternut turmeric soup, and a mint chip smoothie.
Splendid Spoon offers weekly meal shipments for different meal amounts. Prices per meal does not change the more you purchase but you do get a percentage off the box price.
- Seven meal box starts at: $9.99 a meal
- 14 meal box starts at: $9.99 a meal + $10 off each box
- 21 meal box starts at: $9.99 a meal + $25 off each box
Smoothies
- Cacao almond
- Blackberry basil
- Green matcha
- Power greens
- Raspberry cacao
Soups
- Red lentil dal
- Green tomatillo chili
- Lentil and kale
- Kimchi fried quinoa
- Cauliflower tikka
- Cauliflower potato
- Butternut turmeric
- Garden minestrone
Best for Keto : Factor
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Factor
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.2
- Starting Price: $11 per serving
- Delivery Area: 48 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
Factor's menu of gourmet high-protein, low-carb prepared meals is the perfect indulgence for those following a keto diet.
Majority of menu is keto-friendly
Rotating weekly menu of meals, snacks, breakfast foods, and more
Meals are ready in only two minutes
Meals are not customizable
Shipping costs extra
With a rotating menu that changes week to week, Factor prides itself on ready-to-heat, single-serving recipes made with responsibly-sourced ingredients. Choose from mouthwatering entrees like parmesan-crusted chicken, smoked tofu stir-fry, and salmon with mango salsa, along with add-on options like smoothies, shakes, desserts, and healthy snacks. While the menu primarily caters to keto and low-carb diets, it also accommodates other dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Best of all, the meals arrive fresh and only take two minutes in the microwave to enjoy.
- 6 meals per week: $12.99 per serving
- 8 meals per week: $12.49 per serving
- 10 meals per week: $11.99 per serving
- 12 meals per week: $11.49 per serving
- 14 meals per week: $11.19 per serving
- 18 meals per week: $10.99 per serving
- Mango salsa salmon with coconut rice and black beans
- Creamy parmesan chicken with broccoli and tomatoes
- Vegetable ratatouille with mascarpone polenta
- Smoked tofu almond stir-fry with edamame succotash
Best Heat-and-Eat : CookUnity
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.5
- Starting Price: $10.39 per serving
- Delivery Area: 45 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
If you want a meal delivery experience that's truly restaurant quality, look no further than CookUnity's chef-curated menu of gourmet prepared meals.
Meals made by award-winning chefs
Wide variety of globally-inspired dishes
All meals arrive fully-prepared and ready to heat
Single servings only
Doesn't deliver to all states
CookUnity offers up diverse, delicious, chef-driven selections that you might find in restaurants, but instead, get delivered straight to your door. From Esther Choi's bulgogi ramen to Akhtar Nawab's lamb kebabs, the weekly menu features cuisines from all over the globe. CookUnity offers a variety of dietary accommodations, including vegan, vegetarian, low carb, keto, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free, all of which are easy to find and filter on the website. All meals arrive prepared and can be ready to enjoy after only minutes in the microwave.
- 16 meals a week: $11.09 per meal
- 12 meals a week: $11.19 per meal
- 8 meals a week: $11.69 per meal
- 6 meals a week: $12.29 per meal
- 4 meals a week: $13.59 per meal
- Coconut lime hanger steak
- Carnitas street tacos
- Butternut squash ravioli
- Chili roasted shrimp
Best for Avid Cooks : Blue Apron
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Blue Apron
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.6
- Starting Price: $7.99 per serving
- Delivery Area: 48 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
Blue Apron is one of the most well-known meal delivery services out there, and it has options that everyone in the family will enjoy.
Ingredients are responsibly-sourced and perfectly portioned
Inventive menu options
Helpful customer support
Few dietary needs accommodated
May be too much food for one person
Sometimes you want to follow a recipe and do some actual cooking, but can’t be bothered with detailed prep work, leftover ingredients, or heading to the grocery store. If that strikes a chord with you, Blue Apron might be a good fit. After choosing your meals, you’ll get a box containing your recipes and responsibly-sourced ingredients that are perfectly portioned so nothing goes to waste. With dishes like tahini-dressed chicken and kale, pepita and panko-crusted tofu, and a salmon and shrimp poke bowl, a gourmet eating experience couldn't be easier.
- 2 meals with 2 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- 3 meals with 2 servings each: $9.99 per serving
- 4 meals with 2 servings each: $9.49 per serving
- 2 meals with 4 servings each: $9.49 per serving
- 3 meals with 4 servings each: $8.49 per serving
- 4 meals with 4 servings each: $7.99 per serving
Meal Kits
- Togarashi shrimp and vegetable fried rice
- Space Ranger chicken enchiladas
- One-pan white bean and poblano shakshuka
- Baked meatballs and romesco mayo
Heat and Eat
- Sweet and spicy beef bowl with rice, peppers, and edamame
- Chicken alfredo pasta with peas
Best for Easy Prep : Gobble
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Gobble
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.0
- Starting Price: $11.99 per serving
- Delivery Area: 47 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
Want the experience of cooking a fresh meal from scratch but lack the time to make it happen? Let Gobble's 15-minute meal kits take the stage.
Diverse variety of meals and add-ons
Quick and easy preparation
Meals available in two or four servings
Few diets accommodated
Per-serving prices can be expensive for small orders
Whether you're planning a date night or simply want to indulge in a gourmet meal after a long day, Gobble is an excellent choice for quick and delicious dinners. The company offers a diverse selection of chef-prepared meals, plus soups, salads, sides, and desserts. With pre-prepped and portioned ingredients that eliminate numerous recipe steps, each meal is designed to be ready to hit the table in 15 minutes.
- 2 meals with 2 servings each: $16.99 per serving
- 3 meals with 2 servings each: $14.99 per serving
- 4 meals with 2 servings each: $12.99 per serving
- 5 meals with 2 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- 2 meals with 4 servings each: $12.99 per serving
- 3 meals with 4 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- 4 meals with 4 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- 5 meals with 4 servings each: $11.99 per serving
- Scampi-style chicken with linguine in lemon garlic butter sauce
- Chimichurri fish tacos with shredded cabbage
- Grilled king salmon with heirloom tomato panzanella
- Korean bulgogi beef lettuce cups with sweet potato noodles
Best Gluten-Free : Freshly
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Freshly
Byrdie Star Rating: 4.1
- Starting Price: $9.58 per serving
- Delivery Area: 48 states
- Products Arrive: Fresh
Freshly is the perfect option for people who'd rather heat up single-serving options instead of cooking a full meal.
Meals are fully prepared and ready to heat
Nearly all options are gluten-free
Perfect for one person, since the meals are single-serving
Not a meal kit, so don’t expect to experiment in the kitchen
Not as flavorful as some other options
Μore of a “reheat” than a “cook a full meal” type of person? Freshly delivers fresh, individual-sized meals that are ready to be tossed in the microwave, and every option is gluten-free. Various plans let you choose between four to 12 meals per week, which stay fresh in the refrigerator for four to seven days.
- 4 meals per week: $12.50 per serving
- 5 meals per week: $12.40 per serving
- 6 meals per week: $11.33 per serving
- 7 meals per week: $10.71 per serving
- 8 meals per week: $10.37 per serving
- 9 meals per week: $10.22 per serving
- 10 meals per week: $10.00 per serving
- 11 meals per week: $9.81 per serving
- 12 meals per week: $9.58 per serving
- Asian-style chicken and noodles
- Steak peppercorn
- Thai green curry
- Pork chile colorado
Final Verdict
When it comes to meal delivery services that check all the boxes, you can't get much better than Sunbasket. Weekly menus feature an array of tasty, globally-inspired dishes in either meal kit or prepared meal form, plus plenty of add-ons like chips, crackers, cheese, snack bars, and sweets. Sunbasket also puts a special emphasis on sourcing organic ingredients from farmers and producers, and all of the company's packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Do Meal Delivery Services Cost?
Meal delivery service costs can range based on what you’re selecting and how often you’re ordering. If you’re doing a specialty juice cleanse or want enough food for the week, it can cost more than $100. If you’re simply looking for a few smoothies, it could run as low as around $7 per item. Some have free shipping, while others charge for shipping and require you to hit a minimum. Inexpensive services offer daily meals for around $5 per day.
What Do You Get With Meal Delivery Services?
Meal delivery services could send you just breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or all meals plus snacks. Many of them will provide dinner only, and they’ll send you ingredients and recipes that are easy to make and don’t require a grocery shop. Some meals are completely prepared, so they’ll send fresh or frozen foos you simply have to warm up.
Who Should Use Meal Delivery Services?
If you’re tired of grocery shopping and want an easier way to prepare dinner, these are all amazing options. Many are extremely inexpensive and will provide enough food for you and your family for dinner and leftovers. Lots of them are also easy for one person to use, as you can simply save what you don’t eat and have it for lunch the next day. If you’re looking for an easy way to simplify what you cook, all of these options are solid choices.
Methodology
Our team of testers ordered and sampled meals from 40 different meal delivery services. We carefully scored each service based on meal selection, nutrition, sustainability, and customer service, as well as the flavor, freshness, and quality of the food. Our Byrdie tester panel includes dietitians, chefs, and writers, and the one thing they all have in common is their passion for and knowledge of food.
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Byrdie / Designed by Amelia Manley