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It can feel like figuring out what to eat is more complicated than choosing what to wear.
Maybe you embraced home cooking during the early days of the pandemic and now find yourself in a rut. Perhaps you recently resolved to eat at home more often but need help figuring out where to start.
Luckily, meal delivery kits can take the guesswork out of cooking by sending you recipes and all the ingredients to make them.
Statista estimates that the fast-growing industry’s revenue is expected to reach $17 billion in 2023. So the question remains: which kit to choose in a saturated market?
Read on to get our top picks, no matter what your needs are.
Food delivery services are specially-tailored kits with recipes and ingredients you need to make them.
Unlike Seamless, Grubhub, and takeout straight from your local pizzeria, food delivery kits don’t do the cooking for you. Unlike Instacart, the kits come with recipes and specific, pre-portioned ingredients.
We independently researched and selected the services mentioned below based on:
$ Less than $8 per serving
$$ $8 to $12 per serving
$$$ More than $12 per serving
Pricing varies, but we based our ratings on two servings twice per week except where otherwise specified.
Our curated guide to food delivery services offers something for every taste.
Price: $$
Sunbasket’s all-organic ingredients are a popular selling point for the San Francisco-based company, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The service offers plans for every type of diet, from diabetes-friendly to vegetarian and Paleo and everything in between.
The flexibility doesn’t end there—customers can skip a week and cancel anytime. There’s also a fresh-and-ready option that allows you to simply heat a pre-made meal and dig in.
Price: $
Home cooking is often billed as the more affordable option. When you add meal kits to the mix, that perk can go out the window.
As a solution, Dinnerly hails itself as the “affordable meal kit.” And, at less than five bucks per person, that’s not just marketing speak.
Dinnerly uses digital recipe cards rather than paper ones used by other services, and the kits involve fewer ingredients. This is a pro for people who want quick-and-easy meals, but a drawback for those who want to get creative.
Price: $$
Hungryroot combines a grocery store with a meal kit delivery service, and you can access both from the comfort of your couch.
Each month, you’ll get credits that allow you to peruse and purchase from the grocery store and recipes to build your list around.
This flexibility allows you to get your creative juices flowing and truly customize your meal plans. Fans love the freedom to make ingredient swaps based on health and dietary preferences.
Price: $$$
This service is ideal for actual vegans and vegetarians or people who simply want to develop a more plant-based diet. Every meal is vegan-friendly, though people swear it’s won over meat-lovers too.
Recipes include beans and greens ragout with Swiss chard and chili-garlic yogurt and hummus bowls.
Since a decent amount of slicing and dicing is involved in the meal kits, busier types may want to opt for the prepared meal options.
Price: $
Variety is the spice of life at HelloFresh, where users can choose from multiple types of plans, including family-friendly options.
Recipes are rated for difficulty on a scale of 1 to 3, so families with home chefs of various levels can find something for everyone to make. Think black bean pepper quesadillas and sweet chili pork stir-fries. When November rolls around, HelloFresh offers a Thanksgiving box with all the fixings for a feast, from turkey to mashed potatoes and stuffing.
Pro Tip: Though HelloFresh tends to be one of the more budget-friendly options, the company is known for sweetening the pot for people on their email list. Sign up and keep your eyes peeled for additional deals in your inbox from the ubiquitous company.
Price: $$$
These meals take 15 minutes or less and take most of the “prep” out of meal prep.
Vegetables come peeled and chopped—no need to tear up cutting onions.
The recipes are quick and easy, and there are plenty of options for all kinds of diets.
Choose from plans and recipes geared toward single or families, plus those that support low-fat, gluten-free, and dairy-free diners.
Price: $$
Blue Apron was a pioneer in the meal delivery kit space, and it’s evolved to stand up to the rising competition.
Subscribers can add a monthly wine subscription or Beyond Meat boxes to their plans. At its heart, the service still has easy-to-make recipes with diverse ingredients that made it a fast hit in the first place.
Customization is a big part of the offerings, too. When signing up, users can spill preferences. Foodies can choose recipes hand-picked by the test kitchen. Other plans are reviewed by nutritionists and Weight Watchers-friendly, while another is geared toward families.
Price: $$$
Green Chef’s USDA-certified organic meal kits are 90 percent organic. Even the packaging is eco-friendly: it’s made from recycled, reusable, and/or compostable materials.
As for the recipes, they’re varied and simple to follow. Choose from specialty options such as gluten-free, Mediterranean, and vegan.
It’s a bonus — sustainable eating can feel daunting. But Green Chef simplifies it with a three-step process. Mix and match recipes to meet your diverse palate, cook with pre-measured portions of ingredients, and dig in. Recipes include shrimp and kale salads, creamy soups, and protein-packed egg roll bowls.
Price: $$
This meal kit aims to help people broaden their palates without completely leaving their comfort zones. The service recommends ingredients and recipes to try, but customization is the name of the game.
Highlighted options include meals for families, easy-prep recipes for busy chefs, and others focused on fresh ingredients.
Carb or calorie conscious? There are special recipes just for you. Meals typically take half an hour or less to make, and you can see the difficulty level before adding it to your cart.
Price: $$$
The Martha Stewart-backed meal kit delivery service is ideal for more experienced home chefs who want to break out of a recipe rut.
Meals take a bit more legwork and ingredients, but the pre-portioned, doorstep-to-oven-to-fork appeal remains.
Though a bit more complicated, the meals remain approachable and appetizing. Think parmesan chicken and gravy and garlic lime marinated steak.
Food delivery services are growing in popularity as people savor the convenience of kits that answer the question, “What’s for dinner?”
Recipes range in complexity, so beginners and seasoned home chefs can find something that meets their cooking needs.
Beth Ann Mayer is a New York-based freelance writer and content strategist who specializes in health and parenting writing. Her work has been published in Parents, Shape, and Inside Lacrosse. She is a co-founder of digital content agency Lemonseed Creative and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Current Version
Dec 22, 2022
Written By
Beth Ann Mayer
Edited By
Michael Crescione
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10 Meal Prep Delivery Services for Quick, Easy, & Delicious Dinners – Healthline
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Dec 23, 2022