The meal kit delivery service provides quick, easy, creative dinners thanks to pre-prepped ingredients and sauces. Purple Carrot's menu is filled with inventive, satiating, and tasty plant-based meals. Recipes were confusing at first, but worth the learning curve. Meal kit delivery services are a saving grace for so many people who want fresh home-cooked meals without having to think about recipes, quantities, and a precise grocery list.
It changes how you cook—and it needs to align with your needs. Luckily, after years of testing more than a dozen meal kits, we're here to guide you through choosing the best meal delivery service for your family.
Our pick for the best meal kit delivery service is HelloFresh. It delivers big flavor and consistently excellent recipes with fresh ingredients, and enough variety to satisfy most diets. For specially curated kitchen deals, cooking and hosting tips, and product recs, follow us reviewedkitchen on Instagram!
Big portions, affordable prices, and straightforward recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner make the service our top recommendation. HelloFresh also offers a large variety of add-ons from desserts and snacks to side dishes and charcuterie boards. The service has expanded over the years and we've tried many of the offerings with great success.
If you're looking to learn new recipes or kitchen skills, there are many classic and premium choices, but they'll require a bit more time in the kitchen so choose them if you enjoy the cooking process. We were especially impressed with the variety of international flavors on offer.
Recipes we've requested multiple times include the za'atar-crusted grilling cheese served with lemony couscous and roasted veggies, and the bánh mi burger , which puts an American twist on the classic Vietnamese sandwich with lightly pickled veggies and sriracha mayo.
Our main gripe about HelloFresh is the relative inaccuracy of the recipe timing—we found that HelloFresh recipes were rarely on the table in the amount of time the recipe cards promised.
However, we were consistently impressed by the flavor, which often made the extra time worth it. While HelloFresh offers a wide variety of dishes, it still lacks many vegan offerings.
But it does offer a variety of meal options for other specialty diets, like vegetarians and pescatarians. HelloFresh has made strides over the years to improve its variety as well as its ordering interface. With so many choices, meals are categorized effectively and you can use either the website or the app to change your meal selections, add items, skip deliveries, and manage your account.
Our only ongoing complaint with the ordering process is that you have to pay close attention to your email, or schedule your own reminder, so you don't miss the deadline to customize your order each week.
If you do miss it, HelloFresh sends you its selections for you according to the preferences you set in your account. If you set those preferences with intent, you should always get meals you'll like, but it's still nice to tailor your selections to your mood or plans for the week.
We love the clearly labeled, recyclable paper packaging used to contain each meal. But you'll still have to dispose of the large ice packs and cardboard boxes each week. Cost: Visit HelloFresh for updated pricing.
You can choose your combination of desired servings and recipes each week. The valuable convenience of most meal kit delivery services come at a price—but not at Dinnerly. But cutting down on price doesn't mean cutting down on quality. When we tested Dinnerly, we were taken aback by the flavor and portion sizes of each meal.
Dishes with global flair like chicken satay and Moroccan-spiced chicken soup felt akin to ordering takeout from an international restaurant. Better yet, Dinnerly is devoted to simple, fuss-free prep. That means every recipe has just five steps or less, and uses minimal pots and pans so post-dinner clean-up is a breeze.
And a lot of the dishes we tested were actually ready faster than the estimated recipe time. There are a few minor downsides we found, though, like disorganized packaging and fewer included ingredients.
The ingredients are not organized according to each recipe, which means you'll have to sift through a pile of produce and packaged spices before cooking each meal.
Dinnerly also doesn't deliver printed recipe cards, so you'll have to refer back to your email as you cook. We also found that you may need to have some staples on hand before your package gets delivered, like fresh garlic and apple cider vinegar.
But don't worry: Dinnerly will send you a list of ingredients via email before the box arrives. Despite these minor hiccups, we think Dinnerly delivers major value for the price, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better meal delivery service with such excellent value.
Read the full Dinnerly review. Favorite meal: Soy-ginger pork tenderloin with garlic rice and green beans. Cost: Visit Dinnerly for updated pricing. Subscriptions can serve two or four people, and you can choose anywhere from two to six meals per week.
Like its name suggests, Home Chef provides customers with the tools necessary to become true masters of the kitchen. Home Chef also offers oven-ready meals which come with their own cooking trays and the option to swap out proteins, making it appealing to an even wider swath of busy cooks.
Aside from classics like the farmhouse fried chicken with mashed potatoes, green onion gravy, and corn , Home Chef also offerings meals that are diverse enough to include healthy meal options. It also accommodates almost any dietary preference, including vegetarians and vegans.
The menu offers at least 25 dinner options per week, as well as a handful of oven-ready meals. There are also some lunch and snack choices as add-ons to its main menu.
We were impressed by the depth of flavor in the yang-yang beef with shishito peppers , a lighter alternative to traditional American Chinese food, and loved the hot honey salmon with zucchini and tomatoes for its summer simplicity. What we love most about Home Chef is its organization.
Ingredients are divided per meal into labeled bags that easily slide into the fridge, recipe instructions are consistently clear, and time estimates are always accurate. Plus, the website is easy to navigate, allowing you the freedom to choose what you want and skip delivery weeks at will.
One of its only downsides is the lack of variety on the weekly menu. We would describe most of Home Chef's recipes as American-style, with a few Italian or Mexican-inspired options each week. HelloFresh, on the other hand, offers a wide range of dishes with international flair every week, like Peruvian chicken and Indian-inspired curry.
Home Chef would be also wise to incorporate more biodegradable packaging into its existing model. Read the full Home Chef review. Favorite meal: Farmhouse fried chicken with mashed potatoes, green onion gravy, and corn.
Cost: Visit Home Chef for updated pricing. Subscriptions can serve two, four, or six people, and you can choose anywhere from two to six meals per week. Paneer Tikka Masala was our favorite dish we tested from Gobble, our pick for best pre-prepped meal kit.
That means your box will contain pre-portioned ingredients, pre-made sauces, and partially-cooked starches that require simple reheating, plus pre-sliced, -diced, and -minced veggies. We were pleasantly surprised by the ingredients' freshness, and found that everything survived a day or two in the fridge before cooking.
Our biggest qualm with Gobble is that not all recipes are created equally. While some dishes were inventive, balanced, and super flavorful, others had us wishing we tweaked some of the ingredients ourselves.
That said, most of what we tried was very tasty and we would definitely make most of the dishes again. But because Gobble preps most of the veggies for you, there's unnecessary albeit recyclable packaging for things like chopped onions, which means more stuff for you to dispose of.
Read the full Gobble review. Favorite meal: Paneer and cauliflower tikka masala with garam masala basmati rice. Cost: Visit Gobble for updated pricing. Although we found some flaws with this fully vegan meal delivery service a few years back, our second time testing proved most if not all of our issues had been remedied.
We tried Purple Carrot for two weeks—trying meals from both the meal kit menu and the prepared meals section—and were impressed by the results. Previously, we found the brand to suffer from confusing recipes, bland flavors, and unsatisfying portions. This time around, we were excited by the menu's international variety, protein-packed ingredients, and overall tastiness.
Standout plant based meals included the tamarind cauliflower with gingered fried rice and cashews , which was addictively tasty, and the buffalo tempeh quinoa bowl , which had a satisfying balance of heat and freshness.
We also tried the brand's single-serve prepared meals, which arrive ready to eat after a few minutes in the microwave. These meals weren't to the same level of deliciousness as the freshly made stuff, but they were still hearty, balanced, and decently tasty.
We were happy enough to take them to work on in-office days. Subscribers to Purple Carrot can choose between either two or four servings a week for a meal kit subscription, or three or four meals a week for a prepared meal subscription.
You can also add prepared meals to your meal kit subscription for an additional cost—that's what we did. There are about a dozen meals to choose from each week, and several are conveniently labeled for folks with dietary restrictions, like Gluten-Free or Nut-Free.
There are even a few Less Prep options, which feature pre-mixed sauces, pre-cut veggies, and recipes that require fewer pots and pans. The service also offers breakfast and lunch dishes, plus add-ons think snacks and pantry staples from the cleverly named Plantry.
There were still a few minor hiccups during testing, like an unusual recipe card format and slightly inaccurate cook times. But once you get used to this learning curve it's not a dealbreaker. Whether you're a longtime vegan or just someone looking to add more plant-based ingredients into their life, we recommend subscribing.
Read the full Purple Carrot review. Favorite meal: Tamarind cauliflower with gingered fried rice and cashews. Cost: Visit Purple Carrot for updated pricing. Unlike the other services in this roundup, CookUnity delivers fresh, fully prepared meals directly to your door—no cooking required.
CookUnity wowed us from the moment we created an account and started browsing the hundreds—yes, hundreds —of meal options that are offered in any given week. Each dish on the website is curated by one of CookUnity's featured chefs, who typically specialize in a certain style of cooking. Subscribers can choose to filter the overwhelming number of offerings by anything from diet type think vegan and keto , ethnicity think Mexican, African, or Mediterranean , or by featured chef once you become familiar with them.
When we tested these meals, it felt like we were dining at a restaurant. Each dish was flavorful, fresh, and enticing; they felt like they had been cooked fresh—but the prep took mere seconds.
The meal packaging prompts you to choose between a typical pre-made meal preparation read: microwave or a chef-suggested preparation. The latter requires popping the tray into the oven or transferring the food into a pan.
We opted for the chef's suggestions—and it was worth it. A few of the dishes we tried had smaller portions and left us craving more of a balance of protein, carbs, and veggies.
But this issue can easily be avoided by reading the in-depth meal guides on the website to see what's featured in each dish and what its nutritional information is.
Rated as our best overall meal delivery kit , Blue Apron offers high-quality ingredients, inventive recipes and lots of options for different dietary needs, including WW.
How it works: Choose to feed two or four people, and select from two to four meals per week. Their signature chef's faves menu offers a mix of meat, fish and WW-recommended recipes; the vegetarian menu highlights meat-free dishes with seasonal produce and the wellness menu focuses on balanced meals approved by nutritionists and WW-recommended dishes.
Lab results: Everything in the kits came well packaged in little bags to keep things organized. Full nutrition facts labels are available on the site, along with the complete recipes and ingredient lists.
Our registered dietitians also loves the variety of WW-recommended meals for those trying to get creative in the kitchen and still manage their dietary goals. Both our pros and testers agree that the ingredients are fresh and high-quality, with testers giving the service rave reviews and noting that the recipes were creative and full of flavor.
The recipe cards offered simple step-by-step instructions, and the meals had substantial portions. The ingredients are perfectly measured, packaged well and fresh.
Home Chef offers boxes that feed up to six people per meal , which is more than other services. They provide plans that include both pre-portioned ingredients with easy-to-follow cooking instructions, as well as low- or no-prep meals for busy families. How it works: Users begin the process by taking an online quiz to determine which meal plan is the best for them, including answering questions on any dietary preferences and restrictions.
Lab results: Our experts love just how many different meal kit options Home Chef offers, whether you're looking to get something on the table fast for the family or want to indulge in a more special premium cooking experience.
And you don't have to order a crazy number of meals to unlock their lowest pricing. While it may not be the lowest-cost meal delivery kit on the list, it's definitely less than other big names out there, and the quality is top-notch. You can check to see what items you'll need to have on hand for each meal and also get full nutrition facts readily available for every recipe on their website, but our registered dietitians do point out that the sodium content is very high on some of the meals.
Great taste! 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. All of the options in our list allow you to skip a week, pause your subscription, or cancel any time before a weekly deadline. We researched 40 different meal delivery services and narrowed them down by price.
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The Cheapest Meal Delivery Services Can Help You Save and Simplify Your Dinners Dinnerly and EveryPlate offer the least expensive meals for home delivery. By Kalisa Marie Martin Kalisa Marie Martin.
Kalisa Marie Martin a is classically trained chef, content creator, and travel entrepreneur of Jamaican heritage. Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process. and Kayleigh Drake Kayleigh Drake.
Kayleigh is an associate food editor for the Performance Marketing team at Dotdash Meredith. She has nearly a decade of combined experience in both the media and culinary industries. Continue to 5 of 8 below. Frequently Asked Questions What Is a Meal Delivery Service?
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6 Best Cheap Meal Delivery Services, Tested and Reviewed · Our top picks: · Dinnerly · Dinnerly · EveryPlate · EveryPlate · Blue Apron Blue Apron 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 big.kim › showcase › nutrition › cheapest-meal-delivery-services
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