The 9 Best Meal Delivery Services, According to Our Testers

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We’ve all been there: You’re working long hours and just don’t have time to meal prep a healthy lunch, or you’re trying to follow that supposedly simple recipe that isn’t so easy after all. Or maybe you are trying to lose weight and have no idea where to start with grocery shopping. Instead of guesswork or opting for carryout, a meal delivery service can be a time-saving and convenient solution for healthy eating at home or on the go.

Healthy meal delivery services come in different forms and can support various special diets. For example, choosing a keto meal delivery service can help maintain a low-carb diet, or, if you’re searching for a convenient low-calorie recipes, a meal delivery service for weight loss might be for you. Some offer pre-made meals that can be heated up in the microwave, while others come with recipes and pre-portioned ingredients that you can cook yourself at home.

While there are numerous meal delivery kits to try, our product testers narrowed down the selection to our top picks for the best prepared meal delivery services of 2024. Here’s how each one works and how to pick a meal prep delivery service that’s right for you, according to registered dietitians.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

Our Picks for the Best Meal Delivery Service in 2024:

• Best Meal Delivery Service for Weight Loss: Nutrisystem
• Best Keto Meal Delivery Service: Diet-to-Go
• Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Trifecta
• Best Meal Kit Delivery Service: Home Chef
• Best Healthy Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Factor Meals
• Best Meal Delivery Service for All Dietary Preferences: Hungyroot
• Best Meal Delivery Service For Families: EveryPlate
• Best Vegetarian Meal Delivery Service: Purple Carrot
• Best Frozen Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Mosaic

Best Meal Delivery Service for Weight Loss: Nutrisystem

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and Puerto Rico, with shipping fees ranging from $0 to $49.95 per order, depending on location
• Price range: Starts at around $9 per day
• Diet accommodations: Weight loss, diabetes-friendly, men and women, and over 55
• Preparation skill level: Easy
• Fresh or frozen: Both

As one of the best-known names across the meal delivery service space, Nutrisystem has been a leading brand since launching in 1972. It specializes in meal plans for weight loss. While all of the plans are designed to support weight loss goals, you can pick one of several plans that best fits your specific needs. These include women’s and men’s plans, a diabetes plan, an over-55 plan and a partner plan to embark on a weight loss journey with a loved one. As for the menu, you’ll get two options: Chef’s Choice (Nutrisystem-recommended meals) or picking your own meals.

Nutrisystem offers both frozen cooked meals and pantry-ready meals. Meals are also packed with up to 30 grams of protein, so you can count on staying full for longer. Examples of new entrees include chicken bianca pizza and Asian-style salmon with pasta, and there are also cafe-style soups and sandwiches for lunch. Shipments are delivered every two-to-four weeks, and depending on the plan you choose, you can get anywhere from five to seven days of food.

A few customers complain about small portions and unwanted meal substitutions, but others say they achieved their weight loss goals in just two months of using the program when paired with exercise. “I haven’t been under 200 pounds for over 15 years,” one customer notes on Trustpilot. “This is one diet that works. All you need is the discipline to stay on it.”

Related Post: Nutrisystem for Men

Menu

Some sample recipes and meals that caught our eye include:

• Broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken breast
• Pork BBQ ribs
• Zucchini and potato cakes
• Buttermilk waffles

Pros

• High-protein meals to help you stay full
• More than 130 menu choices
• Men’s and women’s plans
• Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks

Cons

• Single-serve portions are small
• No vegan or gluten-free plans
• Requires ample freezer space

Our testing

Our tester Molly tried Nutrisystem and liked that this meal delivery service included snacks in addition to entrees. "I enjoyed the 'treats' like the morning shakes and the evening desserts. My only issue with the meal plan is that the food tastes pretty bland," she said.

How it works

Once you select a plan and how many weekly meals you want, Nutrisystem will ship directly to your door every two to four weeks. Frozen foods are packed in special coolers with dry ice to keep your meals fresh for up to six hours upon delivery. You can also follow the Nutrisystem app, NuMi, which offers guidance on what to eat and when to eat it. We like that the NuMi app also allows you to track your progress, especially when it comes to weight loss, water intake and activity levels.

Best Keto Meal Delivery Service: Diet-to-Go

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: Continental U.S. with a $19.98 shipping fee for all plans
• Price range: $138.99 to $225.99 per week
• Diet accommodations: Weight loss, diabetes-friendly, keto, Mediterranean and vegetarian
• Preparation skill level: Easy
• Fresh or frozen: Frozen

Diet-to-Go is a meal delivery service that caters to a variety of specialty diets, including keto. Diet-to-Go offers a Keto-Carb30 plan that averages 30 net carbs per day and is similar to the Atkins diet. In addition to the keto-friendly plan, there is a general weight loss plan, a diabetic plan, a Mediterranean plan and a vegetarian plan. Some plans, like Balance (general weight loss) and Keto-Carb30, can be customized to include the original menu or a seafood-free menu.

As one of the simpler meal delivery services on our list, all Diet-to-Go meals are flash-frozen and are ready to eat after two to three minutes in the microwave, with zero prep work required. Plans are also designed by registered dietitians. One feature we really like is that if you’re looking for additional guidance, Diet-to-Go offers customers free health coaching with its dietitian team. You can also get a free diet analysis prior to signing up for a subscription to see which plan is right for you.

A handful of customers say certain meals aren’t the tastiest, and that they wish plans were less expensive, but many are happy with on-time shipping and real-life weight loss results. “I loved their vegetarian and pescatarian options,” one customer says on Consumer Affairs. “I feel that the service is very fast and well-handled,” another buyer notes.

Check out our Diet-to-Go Review for more information on this meal delivery service.

Menu

Here are some sample meal options from Diet-to-Go:

• Mediterranean egg casserole
• Baked Cajun salmon
• Chicken cordon bleu
• Veal parmesan

Pros

• Ability to substitute meals
• Low-carb, keto plan available
• Free health coaching with a registered dietitian
• Subscriptions can be paused, canceled or changed

Cons

• Very expensive
• Doesn’t offer a huge menu variety
• Must order a minimum of two meals per day, five days per week

Our testing

Our SI Showcase team member, Ellie, tested Diet-to-Go. Although she enjoyed the variety of meals offered, she thought they lacked flavor. “I felt like the food was blander than other meal kit delivery services I've tried. The vegetables in particular all tasted under-seasoned, though they did appear fresh consistently,” she said.

How it works

You’ll pick one of five meal plans (such as Keto-Carb30), then customize your plan. You can choose between original or no seafood, followed by five or seven days' worth of meals per week. Lastly, you can select two meals per day (no breakfast) or three meals per day. Once you check out and enter your payment information, you can then view your upcoming meals and make any substitutions for meals that don’t sound appealing to you. Shipments generally arrive weekly, and include detailed food labels with nutritional values so you know exactly what you’re eating.

Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Trifecta

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: Continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii, with a $9.99 continental shipping fee or $49.99 long-distance shipping fee (Alaska and Hawaii only)
• Price range: Starts at around $11 per meal
• Diet accommodations: Clean eating, paleo Whole30, keto and plant-based
• Preparation skill level: Easy
• Fresh or frozen: Fresh

If you’re looking for fresh, not frozen meals, check out Trifecta. It's is our best prepared meal delivery service thanks to its fully cooked, vacuum-sealed entrees and meal prep bundles that make following any diet or meal plan a breeze. Trifecta uses high-quality ingredients and mostly organic produce for its meals which are developed by registered dietitians. You can also select optional meal prep protein, like grilled chicken breast, at an additional cost.

Trifecta is generally geared towards athletes and people who are passionate about clean eating. You’ll be able to choose one of four plans, including a clean meal plan, paleo Whole30 plan, keto meal plan or plant-based meal plan. If you have a food allergy or want to exclude a specific ingredient from your menu options, you can cut out beef, pork, shellfish, spicy, tree nuts, turkey and whole mushrooms. Alternatively, you can opt for a chef-selected menu, or design your own.

With a rotating menu, Trifecta offers more than 25 chef-crafted meals each week. Since meals aren’t frozen, one downside of reheating fresh meals is that some customers report entrees can get watery or mushy. Still, others love the convenience of meal prepping (especially being able to add additional protein). “I started supplementing my own home-cooked meals with Trifecta to keep me on track and [help me] avoid fast food cheat meals,” one satisfied customer says.

Menu

Some of the Trifecta meals that sounded appetizing to our team included:

• Brisket and cheesy cauliflower
• Tex-Mex chicken
• Panang chicken curry
• Tomatillo turkey casserole

Looking for another prepared meal delivery service? Check out our in-depth review of CookUnity.

Pros

• Uses mostly organic produce
• Ability to exclude certain ingredients
• Fresh, vacuum-sealed meals
• Ability to add meal prep bundles

Cons

• Very high price point
• Meals can get watery after reheating
• No options to exclude gluten or soy

Our testing

Kate Meier, a certified personal trainer, tested several meals from Trifecta including a chicken and broccoli casserole and several of the egg scrambles, which she said were her favorite. “I enjoyed how convenient Trifecta is and the marco targeting these meals provide. I was impressed with how many options there were to choose from and never struggled to find something that sounded appealing to me,” Meier said. While she thought each entree was flavorful, they didn’t fill her up. “I enjoyed these meals as a healthy option when I was short on time. However, I thought the portions were small and I was usually still hungry after,” said Meier.

How it works

After you select your plan (clean, paleo Whole30, keto or plant-based), you’ll be able to select how many entrees you want per delivery, which ranges from five to 14 entrees per week. You can also add on seven breakfasts per week. From there, you can select any ingredients you want to exclude, like beef or tree nuts, and choose a chef-selected menu or pick-your-own. Meals are delivered each week in vacuum-sealed containers and shipped in cooler boxes.

Best Meal Kit Delivery Service: Home Chef

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: Delivers to “98 percent of the U.S.,” but you can use a tool to search for your zip code. Shipping costs $10.99 to $13.99 per delivery.
• Price range: Starts at $9.95 per serving
• Diet accommodations: None (but you can find some meals that are keto-friendly, vegan or low-carb)
• Preparation skill level: Moderate to advanced
• Fresh or frozen: Fresh

Meal kit delivery services like Green Chef, HelloFresh and Blue Apron make it simple to cook your own meals at home (with a little guidance, of course), but we think Home Chef reigns supreme. Home Chef is our pick for the best meal kit delivery service because it allows you to pick plans that meet the amount of time and effort you want to spend cooking; quick, convenient meals that require minimal prep, or more advanced plans to help you cultivate your chef skills.

Each week, you’ll get a delivery of fresh ingredients and detailed recipe cards to create a variety of meals at home. The most advanced meals take 30 minutes to prepare, while express meals are ready in just 15 minutes or less. You’ll also have the option of selecting oven-ready meals that arrive in an oven-safe tin and simply need to be popped into your oven. If you’re truly on the clock, there are also fast and fresh meals that can be reheated in the microwave.

One feature we love about Home Chef is that it offers both individual and family plans so that you can cook for an entire household. Some customers say the final portions end up being small (with one buyer saying they are “Lean Cuisine-sized”), but most agree that the meals are truly delicious—and enjoy the process of preparing them. “I get out of my comfort zone of foods and ingredients that I don’t like,” one customer writes on Trustpilot. “[Home Chef] makes trying something new exciting.”

Menu

Some sample menu items that whet our appetite were:

• Peppercorn chicken breast
• Steak strip and broccoli stir-fry
• Balsamic-glazed chicken cutlets
• Asian-style turkey lettuce wraps

Check out our Home Chef Review for more information on this meal delivery service.

Pros

• Plans range from minimal prep to more advanced
• Ability to cook your own meals at home
• Available as an individual or family plan
• Easy-to-follow recipe cards and instructions

Cons

• Requires more time than other services
• Limited specialty diet options
• Plans require minimum weekly spends

Our testing

Our SI Showcase team member, Colleen, tested Home Chef. “I’ve tried other meal kit delivery services before and ended up canceling my subscription because they were too complicated. I really enjoyed how straightforward and easy to cook the Home Chef recipes were,” said Colleen. Colleen cooked and tasted several meals such as Hot Honey Crispy Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Meatballs. “As a working mom, I appreciated that Home Chef allowed me to save time at the grocery store and in the kitchen. I especially like the ‘Express’ meals because those dinners take me about 15 minutes to cook from start to finish,” she said.

How it works

You’ll start by building a box based on how many people you’re cooking for and how many recipes you want to receive per week. From there, you can pick from more than 30 meals and 18 extras. If you don’t need a box on a certain week, you have the ability to skip that delivery. Once your order is placed, you’ll receive pre-portioned ingredients in an insulated box that includes your proteins, veggies, sauces and more. Each delivery will include recipe cards with detailed step-by-step instructions so you can cook and assemble your meals at home.

Best Healthy Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Factor Meals

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: Continental U.S. with a $9.99 shipping fee
• Price range: Starts at around $11 per meal
• Diet accommodations: Keto, low-calorie, high-protein, flexitarian, vegan and vegetarian
• Preparation skill level: Easy
• Fresh or frozen: Fresh

As our best healthy prepared meal delivery service, Factor Meals delivers fresh (not frozen) meals that you can keep for up to seven days in the fridge and heat up in the microwave in just two minutes. All meals are free of GMOs, hormones, antibiotics and artificial preservatives, which is another reason why we love this meal delivery service.

Factor Meals offers five different meal plans that range from flexitarian to keto. Each meal is designed by registered dietitians and requires zero prep work. If you’re interested in add-ons, the service also offers desserts and smoothies that you can purchase for an additional fee. Each week, you’ll be able to select your meals, and the menu will rotate with 35 choices.

Overall, customers give Factor Meals a 4/5 star rating on Trustpilot. Some say veggie portions are small and certain ingredients and tastes (like olive oils) can be too strong, but most say Factor Meals delivers restaurant-quality meals that are worth the higher cost. Others praise on-time delivery and well-packaged shipments, plus the diverse menu choices.

Check out our Factor Meals Review for more information on this meal delivery service.

Menu

A few recipes that we were interested in included:

• Cranberry pecan chicken
• Shredded pork and garlic cream sauce
• Kale and mushroom egg bites
• Autumn spiced pancakes and pumpkin butter

Pros

• Smoothies and desserts available as add-ons
• Microwavable meals are ready in two minutes
• Rotating menu includes 35 choices per week
• Meals are free of artificial preservatives

Cons

• More expensive meal delivery service
• No family plan options (meals are single-serve)
• Plant-based menu choices are limited

Our testing

Our tester, Ellie, tried Factor Meals and said they truly tasted chef-prepared. “Factor Meals are some of the tastiest I have ever had from a meal delivery service,” she said. Another tester on our team, Kayla, said the entrees kept her satisfied and she was impressed with the portion sizes. “With other meals that I have tried in the past, the portions always left me hungry, but not with Factor. I felt full, not stuffed,” she said.

How it works

You’ll create your first box by choosing one of five plans: Chef’s Choice, Keto, Calorie Smart, Protein Plus or Vegan and Veggie. After that, you’ll be able to select how many meals you’d like delivered each week, which can range from six to 18. Like many meal delivery services, Factor Meals’ price per meal goes down with the more meals you choose. Once you've submitted your delivery information, you can then choose your meals for the week. Each week, you’ll get a notification to select that week’s meals, otherwise, Factor Meals will send its own assortment.

Best Meal Delivery Service for All Dietary Preferences: Hungryroot

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: “Most zip codes” in the continental U.S., with shipping fees ranging from $0 to $6.99
• Price range: Starts at $69 per week
• Diet accommodations: Vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, pescatarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, egg-free and shellfish-free
• Preparation skill level: Moderate
• Fresh or frozen: Fresh

Not only is Hungryroot our best meal kit delivery service for all dietary preferences, but it also comes in as one of our favorite vegan meal delivery services in particular. As a cross between your traditional meal delivery service and a grocery delivery service, Hungryroot allows you to browse online grocery aisles and its recipe catalog for a full week of groceries—and recipes—delivered right to your door. It also has 10 diet options to choose from, including omnivore and, of course, vegan.

If you’re not sure how to fill your Hungryroot box, the service also offers suggestions that you can take advantage of. Each week, you’ll receive a combination of proteins, fresh-cut produce, healthy snacks and healthy sweets. You can also pick recipes with up to four servings if you plan on using Hungryroot for a full household. Plus, Hungryroot boxes are recyclable and use biodegradable ice packs, so you’ll generate much less waste than shopping with plastic bags.

Hungryroot receives mostly positive reviews from customers, with many claiming that they eat much healthier while using the service. Some customers note issues with discounts not going through when placing an order or deliveries that don’t arrive as chilled as they would like, but most say Hungryroot groceries actually taste good and that the recipes are easy to make.

Menu

A few Hungryroot meals that caught are attention are:

• Balsamic onion burger and cucumber salad
• Blackened salmon and pepper rice
• Kale pesto pasta salad
• Spiced black bean and broccoli rice bowl

Pros

• You can browse grocery aisles online
• Recipes take 10 minutes to make
• Personalized recommendations
• Multiple dietary options to choose from

Cons

• More expensive than grocery shopping on your own
• Some customers report issues with warm deliveries
• Easy to overestimate how much to buy

Our testing

Certified personal trainer, Kate Meier, tested out Hunrgyroot. “I really love using Hungryroot and am thinking about incorporating it into my routine,” said Meier. She ordered, cooked and taste-tested several meals including the All-in-One Chicken Burrito Bowl and Turkey Meatloaf + Sweet Kale Salad. Meier set a timer to see how long the prep actually took. “Before baking the meal, I prepped for about 10 minutes, which was pretty easy since everything was pre-portioned and I just had to pop it in the oven,” Meier said.

How it works

You’ll start by taking an online quiz that creates personalized suggestions for your meal plan and grocery list. Then, you’ll select how many meals you want per week for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and sweets. Once your box size is determined, you’ll then receive your final price per week. After your payment is complete, you’ll be able to browse the online grocery aisles and build your first box. Extra groceries can also be added for an additional fee.

Best Meal Delivery Service for Families: EveryPlate

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: “Vast majority” of the continental U.S. with a $9.99 shipping fee
• Price range: Starts at $4.99 per serving
• Diet accommodations: Vegetarian
• Preparation skill level: Moderate
• Fresh or frozen: Fresh

If you’re using a meal delivery service to cook for a large family, we think EveryPlate is your best bet. This meal delivery service sends recipes and fresh ingredients straight to your door, and you can choose a meal plan for up to six people. While the plans themselves are rather limited—Meat and Veggie, Veggie, Family Faves, Quick and Easy and Nutrish and Delish—EveryPlate is one of the most affordable meal delivery services on our list, costing just $4.99 per serving.

Each week, you’ll have 21 recipes to choose from, which range from Mexican-inspired to traditional crowd-pleasers like steak and fries. On top of the entrees themselves, you can also purchase add-ons such as garlic bread, salad kits, soups, breakfast bites and dessert.

Customers praise EveryPlate for its cost-effective service, noting its convenience and how much time it saves them grocery shopping. Some buyers, especially those who have been using the service for a while, say serving sizes have become smaller over time, but many say EveryPlate is still worth it thanks to easy-to-follow recipes, tasty meat-and-veggie pairings and on-time delivery.

Menu

Some of the EveryPlate entrees that we thought sounded exciting are:

• Sriracha pork stir-fry
• Steak frites
• Loaded baked potato chowder
• Black bean and pepper jack tostadas

Pros

• More budget-friendly than similar services
• Plans can feed up to six people
• Ability to change delivery day
• 21 recipes to choose from weekly

Cons

• Recipes take longer to make than other services
• Doesn’t cater to specialty diets or allergies
• Minimal meal plans to choose from

Our testing

Our SI Showcase team member, Emma, tested EveryPlate for us. “I can safely say I am far less experienced in the kitchen than the typical adult, but I wasn't intimidated by EveryPlate recipe cards, and I felt like such a pro when I was done,” she said. Emma said she really enjoyed the variety of entrees offered, and thought the meals were delicious. “I could choose vegetarian meals to share with my partner, but for a small up-charge, add proteins like chicken or steak to the box to have for myself,” she said.

How it works

You’ll set up your EveryPlate subscription by choosing one of five meal plans. From there, you can pick how many people you plan to feed, and how many meals you’d like to cook per week. After you input your address and finalize your payment, you can then pick your meals, which include 21 recipes to choose from weekly. If needed, you can also pause a week at any point.

Best Vegetarian Meal Delivery Service: Purple Carrot

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: Continental U.S., with a $0 to $10 shipping fee depending on order size
• Price range: Starts at $11 per serving
• Diet accommodations: Plant-based, gluten-free and high-protein
• Preparation skill level: Easy to moderate
• Fresh or frozen: Fresh

As a meal delivery service designed specifically for plant-based eaters, the aptly-named Purple Carrot ranks as our best vegetarian meal delivery service for numerous reasons. It’s no secret that it can be tough to get enough protein on a plant-based diet, but Purple Carrot makes it a point to offer high-protein meals that are both filling and nutritious. Depending on your needs, you can choose from meal kits that you prepare and cook yourself, or fresh, ready-to-eat meals that can be heated up in the microwave in less than five minutes.

While there are no allergy-specific meal plans (like soy-free), Purple Carrot carefully labels each menu option as gluten-free, nut-free and more, offering plenty of choices for people who follow specialty diets in addition to eating vegetarian or vegan. Plus, if you’re looking for more than just meals, Purple Carrot offers additional plant-based grocery items that you can add to your cart for an extra fee.

Customers admit that the service can be pricey and sometimes includes small portions, but the easy recipes, quality produce and menu variety make subscribing to Purple Carrot worth it for many. Some buyers wish the service would use less plastic in its packaging, yet most agree that it helps them maintain a nutritious diet, and customers especially love the ability to select gluten-free meals (which many meal delivery services don’t have on their menu at this time).

Menu

The Purple Carrot meals that sounded delicious to us include:

• General Tso’s tofu
• Moroccan chickpea soup
• Kimchi udon
• Crisply lentil cakes

Pros

• All meals are plant-based
• Gluten-free menu choices available
• Up to four servings per meal available
• Free shipping with $100 or more orders

Cons

• Can be expensive per serving
• Uses a lot of plastic packaging
• Portions may be on the smaller side
• Produce is not certified USDA Organic

Our testing

Anthony O’Reilly, a certified personal trainer, tested Purple Carrot by ordering the meal kit. He appreciated the fresh ingredients, but thought the instructions could have been clearer. “I thought some of the recipe cards were missing steps, like patting the tofu dry, which are important,” said O’Reilly. He made the Sloppy Joe which substituted tofu for meat. “The Sloppy Joe was my favorite. I was impressed with how good all the meals were, especially for a plant-based meal service,” O’Reilly said.

How it works

You’ll start by choosing your plan type of either meal kits or prepared meals. You’ll also be prompted to pick your serving size and how many meals you’d like each week. From there, you can choose your preferred delivery day, and after your service is paid for, you can schedule up to four weeks of meals and browse all four weekly menus. If you’re interested in add-ons, you’ll also be able to select additional plant-based grocery items like desserts, dried fruit and nuts.

Best Frozen Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Mosaic

Key features & specs

• Shipping cost/area: “Most major metro areas” in the eastern and western U.S., with a $0 to $7.99 shipping fee depending on box size
• Price range: Starts at $8 per serving
• Diet accommodations: Vegetarian
• Preparation skill level: Easy
• Fresh or frozen: Frozen

Unlike most meal delivery services where you’ll choose from a rotating weekly menu, our best frozen prepared meal delivery service, Mosaic, allows customers to purchase meals a la carte. You can purchase your traditional frozen entrees or family meals, but you can also buy soups, pizzas, smoothies and oat bowls, which is why this service comes in as one of our favorites.

Whether you’re opting for an oat bowl or a smoothie, all of Mosaic’s meatless meals and snacks are ready in just a few minutes, making them a convenient choice for busy people on the go. Many of its plant-based meals are also high in protein, another bonus for plant-based eaters who struggle to get enough protein through meal prepping and grocery shopping on their own.

Customers love Mosaic for its fair prices, convenient plant-based foods and higher-protein choices. Some buyers report melted smoothies in their delivery boxes and smaller family-size meals, but the convenience of the service and nutritious meals make Mosaic worth using.

Menu

Some of the meals that Mosaic offers that sounded good to us include:

• Spinach artichoke pizza
• Golden milk and blackberry oats
• Curried lentil soup
• Enchilada verde bake

Pros

• Most meals are high in protein
• Meals available a la carte
• Includes smoothies and breakfast
• Budget-friendly price points

Cons

• Less options for family meals
• Limited low-carb menu choices
• Only delivers to a few regions

Our testing

Lauren Strong, a certified personal trainer, tested Mosaic and said she was nervous to try a plant-based meal service. “I assumed all the meals wouldn’t be satisfying or lack flavor, but I really enjoyed everything I tasted, especially the pizza and the Thai noodle dish,” Strong said. As a personal trainer, she wished the meals offered more protein. “For lifters or athletes the protein content is probably too low, with most meals averaging about 15 grams of protein or less. The high carbs did make me feel full, and I liked that there were low-sugar options,” said Strong.

How it works

Since Mosaic operates on an a la carte model, you’ll simply fill up a box with all of the meals and snacks you want to buy (but remember, you’ll need to order at least six items). However, Mosaic is still a subscription service, so once you select your items, you’ll continue to receive those items at the delivery frequency you choose (weekly, biweekly or monthly) unless you edit your items prior to the next delivery.

What Is A Meal Delivery Service?

A meal delivery service, or meal planning service, is a subscription service that delivers fresh or ready made meals to your doorstep. You can often choose from weekly or monthly deliveries, as well as how many entrees and/or snacks you have delivered in each round. Some people opt to use these services for every meal of the day, especially when following a special diet, while others enjoy the convenience of having a few prepared meals at home for busy days.

Most meal delivery services will offer a variety of entrees to choose from, and some will have rotating weekly menus to ensure that your choices never get boring. Depending on the service, you can often choose entrees that meet specific dietary needs, such as carb-conscious, high-protein or plant-based meals. Most meal delivery services are customizable and if you’re not sure whether a specific menu option meets your needs, the service website will generally include nutritional information for all entrees and snacks.

Many meal delivery services offer subscriptions that meet solo eater needs, but if you’re feeding a large family or cooking for two people, there are services that provide larger meal kits. Meal delivery services differ from grocery delivery services, like a meat delivery service, in that instead of receiving individual items of your choice, you’ll either receive prepared entrees or pre-portioned fresh ingredients paired with a recipe card so you can cook a nutritious meal on your own (without the need to grocery shop).

Benefits of Meal Delivery Services

There are the obvious benefits of meal delivery services, such as convenience and saving time grocery shopping or preparing food, but the benefits go beyond these two perks. If you struggle to cook gluten-free or want to lose weight, a meal delivery service can make it much easier to follow a specific diet since meals are pre-portioned and/or pre-made without certain ingredients.

In addition, if you need to manage your sugar intake for a diabetic diet or reduce your saturated fat consumption for your heart health, following a meal delivery service diet can help you stay on track. However, meal delivery services aren’t just beneficial for health reasons.

“Those who cook just for themselves and want to try new recipes, but don’t want to have multiple days of leftovers, can benefit from choosing meal delivery services,” says Cassidy Reeser, MS, RDN and owner at Cozy Peach Kitchen.

Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, adds that meal delivery services can often be a much healthier alternative than leaning on takeout if you’re too busy to cook.

“They excel in promoting calorie management and deterring the oversized servings often found in restaurants,” she explains. “These services encourage regular eating schedules and discourage skipped meals or unhealthy snacks.”

Precautions of Meal Delivery Services

Not all meal delivery services are created the same, and there are a few things you may want to consider before deciding on a specific program.

“Be wary of services that use low-quality ingredients, lack nutritional information and offer little flexibility to customize your order,” says Kathryn Piper, RDN, LD. “It’s helpful to look at the nutrition labels for sodium content, and try to limit sodium to 600 milligrams or less per serving.”

Price can be another potential pitfall of using a meal delivery service, especially if you opt for a more premium service. Depending on how much money you spend at the grocery store and cooking on your own, you may spend more or less subscribing to a service. Ultimately, if you spend more, you’ll want to determine if the added convenience is worth the extra cost.

How to Choose the Best Meal Delivery Service for You

Meal delivery services elevate regular meal prepping with more variety and convenience.

“With regular meal prepping, you may be eating the same meal every night for five nights in a row,” says Samantha MacLeod, MS, RDN. “With meal delivery services, you can eat a different meal every night.”

However, that doesn’t mean you’ll get the same experience across every meal delivery service. Your dietary restrictions, schedule and overall taste preferences will determine which service is the right fit. Here’s how to choose the best meal delivery service for you.

Dietary needs

Your dietary needs are arguably the biggest factor to consider in selecting a meal delivery service. While many meal delivery services offer different diet plans, like Mediterranean or paleo, some, like Purple Carrot, are better suited to specific needs like plant-based eating.

Certain services will also carry a bigger variety of dairy-free or soy-free meals if you need to avoid specific allergens. Whatever your dietary needs may be, be sure to pick a service that offers diverse choices so you aren’t stuck eating the same three or four meals each week.

Number of meals

Depending on the service and subscription plans that it offers, you may be able to pick from receiving just a handful of meals each week, or getting every meal and snack delivered in your bundle. Generally, the more meals you buy, the more your price per meal goes down.

If you’re looking for nutritious meals to bring with you to work for lunch, you may not need as many meals, but those following specific eating plans like a diabetic diet might benefit from having most or all of their meals delivered, as these meals are specifically designed to be diabetes-friendly.

Ingredients

Ingredients in meal delivery services vary greatly. You’ll find services that use organic produce and organic ingredients, or services that steer clear of artificial fillers. Whatever your preferences may be when it comes to the ingredients you consume, it’s important to choose a service that matches your personal style.

Fresh or frozen

Fresh versus frozen meals both come with benefits and drawbacks. Fresh meals offer more variety for the types of foods you can receive (for example, you can’t freeze a salad), but they’ll have a much shorter shelf life and will need to be consumed in a few days. You also may need to prep and cook fresh meals yourself, depending on the meal delivery service you choose.

Frozen foods, on the other hand, may slightly limit your meal options, but you’ll get the added convenience of being able to eat meals that are ready to go with just a few minutes in the microwave or oven. Consider your schedule and meal preferences before deciding which option best fits your needs.

Portion sizes

If you plan to follow a portion- or calorie-restricted diet, portion sizes are something you’ll want to consider when comparing different services. Be sure to carefully read a nutrition label for caloric content and macros. Many meal delivery services offer weight loss-specific plans with smaller portion sizes, and one of the many benefits of using these services is that all of your meals arrive pre-portioned, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally overeating.

Taste

Taste is another critical factor in choosing the best prepared meal delivery service. On top of overall flavor, which you can find our feedback on in our best meal delivery service roundup, you’ll want to consider your palette when browsing different menus. Some services may lean towards Asian flavors with Thai-inspired meals, while others will have Italian favorites like lasagna or traditional American foods such as burgers. In the event that you’re feeding a picky eater or using a meal service for the entire family, you can also look for family-friendly menus.

Price

Meal delivery service costs range from more affordable services to higher-end, premium services that deliver organic meals and ingredients. As you budget for your service, be sure to consider price per meal, any shipping fees and overall cost. If you plan to do a small grocery shop outside of your food delivery, those are extra costs to consider as well.

Our Methodology: How We Chose the Best Meal Delivery Services

We chose products for our list of the best meal delivery services based on a number of factors reflected in our meal delivery service scoring methodologies. These include:

• Shipping cost and area: We sought out services with a wide shipping area, and prioritized services with low-to-no shipping costs to help keep subscription costs afforable.

• Price range: Meal delivery services range from budget-friendly to premium, so we chose platforms that met a variety of different price points, lifestyles and interests.

• Diet accommodations: From vegetarian options to diabetes-friendly meals, we made sure our best prepared meal delivery services met a wide range of dietary needs. We also factored in services that accommodate common allergies, like gluten-free or soy-free.

• Preparation skill level: Knowing that our readers have different schedules, we made sure to include meal delivery services with ready meals that take just a few minutes to reheat in a microwave, and more hands-on services that deliver recipes with pre-portioned ingredients so customers can enjoy cooking (and learning) recipes on their own.

• Fresh or frozen foods: Some readers prefer fresh ingredients, while others love the convenience of frozen foods that are easy to reheat. We made sure to include a mix of the two to help readers make an informed choice as to which option is best for them.

• Menu variety: Eating the same meal over and over again can easily get boring, so we prioritized meal delivery services with a variety of delicious meals to choose from. In addition to lunch and dinner options, we sought out services with breakfast choices, snacks and smoothies, as well as services with rotating weekly menus.

• Taste: With the help of our team of product testers, we were able to get a firsthand “taste” as to how delicious (or not) different menu options were across our nine services.

• Brand reputation: We made sure to test only reliable, trustworthy brands that have proven themselves as leaders in the meal delivery service space. We also sought out brands that designed menu options with the help of dietitians or advisory boards.

• Customer reviews: Customer reviews helped us gauge important factors such as the convenience of subscription services, taste, and shipping and delivery satisfaction.

We also received input from our panel of expert contributors, which includes registered dietitians and highly credentialed experts in sports nutrition and exercise science.

Learn more about our nutrition and supplement review process and our meal delivery service scoring methodology.

Meal Delivery Service FAQs

Here’s everything else there is to know about meal delivery services.

Do meal subscriptions save money?

Whether meal subscriptions save money will ultimately depend on the price of the subscription, how many meals it provides and how that price compares to grocery shopping and cooking on your own. Some meal subscriptions may save you money, while others will cost more out-of-pocket for the added convenience and time-saving properties that they offer.

What is the tastiest meal delivery service?

Taste is subjective, so what may be tasty for one person, isn’t for another. Still, Factor Meals and Home Chef tend to receive some of the highest marks for taste from both customers and product testers.

Are meal delivery services healthy?

Meal delivery services can range from ultra-processed (and therefore not very healthy), to healthy and conscious of fat and carb intake, sugar and salt content. Luckily, all nine services on our list fall on the healthy side of the spectrum. Still, be sure to carefully read nutrition labels for caloric content, macros and ingredients to determine if a meal kit service is right for you.

Takeaway: Is a Meal Delivery Service Worth It?

A meal delivery service can absolutely be worth it if you struggle to find time to meal prep, or simply want a little guidance for healthy eating and healthy recipes. As for whether a meal kit service will save you money, this will depend on the service and how much you will pay versus cooking and grocery shopping on your own terms. Still, the best meal delivery services can fill nutritional gaps, save you time and reduce how much takeout you buy. If you’re considering a meal delivery service, be sure to check our best meal kit delivery service guide for our top picks.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.