EveryPlate meal kits are easy to prepare and I loved everything I made in multiple rounds of testing. You won't find a lot of foofy, upscale cuisine or complicated recipes, but you will get a lot of satisfying comfort food, such as hoisin meatloaf with mashed potatoes, cheeseburgers, umami pork chops and sweet potato quesadillas.

I tested EveryPlate and was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked the meals. Having tested all of the leading prepared meal delivery service options, Fresh N Lean ran away from the competition, ticking more boxes than any other. The food is healthy, thoughtfully prepared, tastes fantastic, looks appetizing and is fairly affordable, depending on the plan you select.

Fresh N Lean has five meal plans to help keep folks on track with their specific nutrition goals, including low-carb, vegan, paleo and protein-plus options.

The food I tried was all made exceptionally well, made from simple, whole ingredients. This is the perfect service for families with picky eaters trying to eat well on a budget. Much like EveryPlate, Dinnerly has a lot of comfort foods such as ravioli with spinach and parmesan sauce, carne asada tacos and chicken pad thai.

Dinnerly has an enormous menu of recipes -- typically more than 60 to choose from in a given week. The bottom line: This plant-based meal delivery service had some of the best, healthy prepared meals of any service we tried.

I sampled about nine of Mosaic Food's plant-based prepared meal offerings and the vegetarian prepared meal delivery service had an astoundingly high hit rate. Mosaic uses bold and interesting global flavors and employs creative use of meat substitutes such as tofu, jackfruit, cauliflower and vegan sausages to create tasty and satisfying vegetarian meals -- even for this omnivore.

There are some vegan meals, but many of them use dairy products, so vegans must choose their Mosaic meals more carefully. The bottom line: Blue Apron is a classic example of a quality meal delivery service.

One of the original providers of this service, it also stands out for eco-friendliness. Blue Apron is one of the original meal kit services and it's also one of the best. In fact, Blue Apron topped our list of best meal delivery services for with a wide range of excellent recipes, all for an affordable price.

It's true, you can order bistro steaks and roasted trout dinners with Blue Apron's standard plan, where many services charge extra for those premium proteins. In addition to solid meal kits, Blue Apron is the most eco-friendly service of the major players, according to a recent study.

The heartier meals are great too, like the cauliflower rice and pesto harvest bowl with cashews and spinach. You won't need more than a saucepan, toaster or blender to prepare most of the meals, and most can be made in as little as 5 minutes. When I tried Daily Harvest , I loved the interesting smoothie combos such as a chocolate blueberry smoothie with greens, banana and almond butter.

The bottom line : It doesn't get much easier than HelloFresh. This service has tons of cheap meal kit options, more than 50 per week, and allows you to add proteins or extra servings to keep the whole crew fed and happy.

HelloFresh has as many as 25 dinner meal kits per week, so it is nearly impossible not to find something you'll like. HelloFresh also has five or six plant-based recipes a week, making it the best cheap meal kit service for vegetarians. Over the past few years, we've tested nearly every meal kit delivery and prepared meal delivery service we could get our oven mitts on, and that includes the best budget meal delivery services.

Many of the menu options for the meal delivery services we've listed include nutritious plant-based food or high-protein recipes with lots of veggies and lean meats. To test each cheap meal delivery service, I tried at least four and sometimes as many as 10 meals from any given service.

I always choose a range of meals from the various menu and meal plan offerings. For instance, if a meal subscription service offers vegan or vegetarian meals I was sure to try at least one. I also mixed up the cuisine types to include pasta, meat dishes, bowls and other various styles offered by the brand.

To test the best cheap meal kits, there was another set of standards and protocols to adhere to. Here's more on how we test meal kits at CNET. The first big decision you'll make is whether you want meal kits, which require some prep and cooking, or a prepared meal service that sends fully cooked meals ready to heat and eat.

Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few dollars more per serving.

If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services are better than others.

Our list of the healthiest meal delivery services for is a good place to find the most nutritious options. With almost every service, the more meals or servings are in your order per delivery, the cheaper it becomes per meal.

Ideally, you'll want to determine exactly how much food makes sense for your household. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go-around. Services like Daily Harvest and Splendid Spoon have meals for similar prices but are focused more on grain bowls and smoothies and might be better for breakfast or lunch versus dinner.

When it comes to meal kits, your options are many, and most services provide weekly recipes that are low on calories but still filling. HelloFresh has the most recipes per week of any meal kit service, so that might be your best bet for finding consistent meals that keep your diet goals on track.

But all services list the calorie content for each recipe, along with carbs, protein, sugar and sodium. Depending on your weight loss goals, a healthy prepared meal delivery or meal kit service can help. Fresh N Lean, Pete's Real Food and Daily Harvest all have low-calorie meals to choose from.

Some of the services listed here are healthy prepared meal delivery services , sending fully cooked meals -- often frozen or partially frozen -- and ready to eat when you receive them.

Others include health-focused meal kits with premeasured ingredients all boxed up and ready for easy weeknight cooking. There's a stark difference between meal kits and meal delivery, but both make dinnertime easier and can translate into healthier eating choices for you in Plus, we sussed out the best healthy meal services for those on special diets like keto or paleo or for those who wish to eat organic prepared meals and meal kits.

Wellness Nutrition. Written by David Watsky. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement.

David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips. Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom.

Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon. Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week. Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits. See full bio.

Why You Can Trust CNET. Table of Contents Top. Cheapest Meal Delivery Services of What's the best cheap meal delivery service? Cheapest meal delivery services for Cheapest prepared meal services compared. How we test meal kits and meal delivery services. Factors to consider when choosing a meal delivery service.

Why you should trust us. Cheap meal delivery FAQs. Back to selection. See at EveryPlate. Best cheap meal kits overall. See at Fresh N' Lean. Best cheap prepared meal delivery overall. See at Dinnerly.

Best cheap meal kits for picky eaters. See at Mosaic Foods. Best cheap vegan meals. See at Blue Apron. Best cheap meal kits that include steak and seafood.

See at Daily Harvest. In reviews and best lists, Blue Apron and HelloFresh are two of the most popular meal kit services for Fresh N Lean and Factor are some of the most popular options for prepared meal subscriptions. Wellness Nutrition.

Best Meal Delivery Services of We've tested and reviewed more than two dozen meal delivery services. Written by David Watsky. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

Reviews ethics statement. David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips.

Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom.

Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon.

Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week. Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits. See full bio. Why You Can Trust CNET. Table of Contents Top. Best Meal Delivery Services of What's the best meal delivery service? Best meal delivery services of Home Chef.

Meal delivery services compared. Factors to consider when choosing a meal delivery service. How we tested meal kit services. Other meal delivery services we tested. Meal delivery service FAQs.

See at Blue Apron. Best for meal kits. See at Factor. Best meal delivery service for weight loss. See at Pete's Paleo. Best for gluten-free meal delivery service.

See at CookUnity. Best meal delivery with a variety of recipes. See at Mosaic Foods. Best for prepared plant-based meal delivery. See at HelloFresh.

Best meal delivery service for families. See at Purple Carrot. Best plant-based meal kit service. See at Green Chef. Best for organic meal kits. See at EveryPlate.

Cheapest meal kit service. See at Fresh N' Lean. Best prepared meal delivery service. See at Home Chef. Best meal kits for eating keto. FILTER BY all Meal Kit Prepared Meal. Showing 11 of 11 Results.

Show less. Pros Steak and seafood options are included in a standard meal plan Affordable if you choose more than two recipes per week. Cons Fewer recipe options than other services Doesn't allow for much customization. Type Meal kit.

Recipes per week Good for Vegetarian, pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, low-calorie, picky eaters, quick meals. Diet types: Vegetarian, diabetes-friendly, wellness, family-friendly, fast and easy.

See at Blue Apron Best for meal kits Blue Apron. Show expert take Show less. Pros Tons of healthy menu options per week Healthy food to service most diets and nutrition plans. Cons Expensive if you only choose a few meals per week Quality was somewhat inconsistent.

Type Prepared meal. Good for Healthy, low-calorie, pescatarian, vegetarian, keto, paleo, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, Whole See at Factor Best meal delivery service for weight loss Factor.

Pros Quality ingredients including mostly organic meats and produce Great for those avoiding gluten or empty carbs No subscription required. Cons No real discount for ordering a larger volume of meals The website isn't the best. Good for Healthy, paleo, keto, low-calorie, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, Whole30, high protein.

See at Pete's Paleo Best for gluten-free meal delivery service Pete's Real Food. Good for Gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, paleo, vegan, low calorie, low carb, plant-based. See at CookUnity Best meal delivery with a variety of recipes CookUnity.

Editors' choice. Pros Nearly all the meals I tried were good or better Interesting use of global recipes and flavors Affordable, especially for the family plan. Meal options per week Good for Vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, low-calorie. Full Review Read full review. See at Mosaic Foods Best for prepared plant-based meal delivery Mosaic Foods.

Pros More than 50 weekly recipes Good for keeping to specific diets or eating plans. Good for Vegan, vegetarian, keto, gluten-free, low-calorie, Whole30, families, picky eaters. See at HelloFresh Best meal delivery service for families HelloFresh.

Pros Interesting and filling vegan recipes Extremely fresh and high-quality ingredients. Cons Limited to eight recipes per week Expensive. Recipes per week 8. Good for Vegan, vegetarian. See at Purple Carrot Best plant-based meal kit service Purple Carrot. Pros Healthy recipes and mostly organic ingredients Allows you to swap the protein in certain recipes.

Cons On the expensive side Premium recipes incur major upcharges. Good for Organic, healthy, low-calorie, pescatarian, vegetarian, keto, gluten-free, Whole30, gourmet.

See at Green Chef Best for organic meal kits Green Chef. Pros The most affordable meal kit service Most recipes were either good or better Not a ton of plastic waste.

Cons Some produce was past its prime Recipes are somewhat basic Very little customization allowed. Good for Healthy, family-friendly, comfort food, picky eaters, quick and easy.

See at EveryPlate Cheapest meal kit service EveryPlate. Pros Most of the food we tried was good or great Healthy options to service many eating plans. Cons On the pricey side of average No family-sized meals making it expensive to feed a crew. Good for Keto, paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, high-protein.

See at Fresh N' Lean Best prepared meal delivery service Fresh N Lean. Pros Good selection of keto-friendly meal kits Recipes are simple and fast Budget-friendly if you choose a larger plan. Cons Some recipes were clunky and bland Too much plastic used in packaging.

Good for Keto, low-carb, healthy, families, picky eaters, low-calorie, vegetarian. See at Home Chef Best meal kits for eating keto Home Chef. Meal kit versus prepared meal delivery The first big decision you'll make is whether you want meal kits, which require some prep and cooking, or a prepared meal service that sends fully cooked meals that are ready to heat and eat.

Cost After you've picked between meal kits or meal delivery, you'll want to find a service within your budget. Sunbasket : This service has high-end meal kits, but the bloated cost keeps it off our list. While the quality is high, the prices are too. BistroMD : These meals are intended to promote weight loss, but the cost is high, and the flavors aren't good enough to justify the price.

Daily Harvest : Daily Harvest's semi-prepared smoothies, bowls and soups are good and fairly affordable, but the meals are inconsistent and contain a lot of sodium.

Dinnerly : This meal kit service is one of the cheapest, but the recipes were inconsistent. Territory Foods : The food was some of the best I tried, and I found the recipes diverse and interesting. Sakara Life : This fresh food service was tasty and good for a cleanse, but it's also one of the most expensive meal subscriptions we tried.

Trifecta Nutrition : Trifecta's vegan meals are healthy and tasty but also very expensive. Hungryoot : We liked this hybrid service but leans more toward grocery delivery than meal kit. Snap Kitchen : Snap Kitchen has solid prepared meals, mostly under calories.

The portions were a bit small, and some meals were underwhelming. FlexPro Meals : These frozen keto meals were some of the worst I tried. Nutrisystem : Though it's affordable, I disliked most of the meals I tried from this frozen meal subscription.

Rootberry : This vegan meal delivery service is reliable but the food is not to the level of others on our list. Who are meal kits good for? Families seeking an easier way to make home-cooked meals.

Meal kits help you avoid the nightly debate about what you're going to make for dinner and save a trip to the grocery store if you're missing breadcrumbs or flour.

Those trying to eat healthier. Meal kit services all offer in-depth nutritional information, including carbs, calories, sugar, sodium, and protein. Many meal kit services even offer specific diet plans that filter out foods that don't fit a dietary preference or restriction, such as gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, keto or carb-conscious and paleo meals.

Anyone who wants to learn to cook. With all the ingredients sent along and easy recipe instructions, meal kits are a low-pressure way to learn to cook.

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. It was most recently updated by registered dietitian and Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Director Stefani Sassos. As a dietitian and working mother, Stefani is passionate about putting balanced meals on the table for her family without having to spend a ton of time or money at the grocery store.

She personally uses meal delivery services as a way to change up her family's normal dinnertime routine and to get introduced to a variety of new foods and unique preparation methods. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living.

She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Miami University of Ohio and a master's degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. Prior to Good Housekeeping , she worked at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City as a cardiac transplant dietitian.

She has authored numerous chapters in clinical nutrition textbooks and has also worked in PR and marketing for food company start-ups. The Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers. Owala Water Bottle Review.

The 9 Best Multivitamins for Women. Pepper Bra Review. The Best Walking Shoes for Women. Sheertex Tights Review The Best Hair Dryers for Curly Hair. The Best Ice Bath Tubs. The Best Silk Scrunchies for Your Hair. Meal kits will demand more of your time and energy but they'll also cost a little less per serving.

Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few bucks more per serving. While most meal delivery services have healthy options, some are much healthier than others.

If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services will be better than others. Number of meals per week. If you can't imagine yourself cooking more than twice per week, don't order more than two meal kits because they typically won't last more than a week in the fridge.

Most prepared meals either arrive frozen or can be frozen after unboxing. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go around.

Our experts have logged more than 5 years of cooking more than 75 meal kits and tasting more than prepared meals from various services to help land on our list of the best in Meal kits and prepared meal delivery aren't a new concept, but having so many options to sort through is.

To help you find the best fit for a hassle-free dinner, we tested more than two dozen of the top players. We also dove deep into prepared meal delivery subscriptions that require no cooking at all.

In that category, Fresh N Lean was our clear favorite, sending great-tasting premade meals made from healthy ingredients that kept us fueled all week. The best meal kit or meal delivery service ultimately depends on your eating habits, schedule and budget.

To help you find the best service for your money, we tested more than 20 to find the best meal subscriptions in several categories. We also found a few exceptional vegan meal delivery services to satisfy plant-based eaters.

For those looking to accomplish health or nutrition goals, we also tested to find the best meal delivery for keeping to a keto , paleo and low-calorie diet. And if you're wondering if meal kits are worth it, we compared recipes from EveryPlate and Blue Apron to see how they compared with buying the groceries yourself.

Below you'll find the best meal delivery services of , as tested and reviewed by CNET. Why our testers picked Blue Apron : With tasty, premium entrees such as steak and seafood at some of the best prices in the meal kit category, Blue Apron represents the best overall value for any meal delivery service we tried.

Blue Apron is the granddad of meal kit programs in the US and the brand still manages to deliver excellent meals with easy-to-follow recipes all at a fair price. Weekly menu choices available range from simple pasta dishes to inventive global cuisine, with high-end recipes including those for steak and seafood at no extra cost.

Read our full review of Blue Apron here. Factor is a healthy prepared meal service and had some of the best meals I tried in all my testing of prepared meal services, including a zesty pesto salmon and a divine keto cheesecake. Among the hits, however, were the occasional misses, so you may have to learn the menu over time.

Factor puts a focus on healthy meals with plenty of low-carb options, and all the nutritional information is listed on the website before you choose your meals each week. With all the keto and paleo meal options, it's certainly a solid choice for people keeping to either of those plans.

Read our full review of Factor here. Why our testers picked Pete's Real Food : While it's more expensive than other prepared meal services on our list, the quality of food doesn't get much higher than Pete's. The cuisine is designed to fuel those following the precise paleo diet, but even those not keeping to the plan should enjoy this grub.

Pete's Real Food formerly Pete's Paleo won me over in a week-long taste test of its healthy organic and paleo meals, earning a spot as one of the best healthy, organic meal delivery services. Pete's meals are all fully prepared and ready to heat and eat.

The dozen or so Pete's Real Food meals we've tested were all cooked well: meats were tender, vegetables mostly cooked to proper doneness and all the flavors worked.

If you're in training or keeping to a paleo plan and looking for lots of protein, healthy fats and nutrient-filled carbs such as sweet potatoes and beets, Pete's should hit the spot.

Pete's Real Food formerly Pete's Paleo is an excellent meal service if you're adhering to a paleo or whole foods eating plan. Read our full review of Pete's Real Food here. Why our testers picked CookUnity : This is a prepared meal service aimed at those with refined tastes and an adventurous palate.

The best thing about CookUnity is the sheer volume of meal options you can choose from, all originating from chefs -- some famous and some not -- of different backgrounds and culinary styles. I liked almost everything I tried, with recipes ranging from very healthy to more comfort-style food.

There are plenty of options for vegetarians, too, but note that the menu will vary depending on where you live since they pull from local chefs to create the weekly offerings.

Read our full review of CookUnity here. Why our testers picked Mosaic Foods : This plant-based service was one of the best prepared meal services we tried, and not just among vegan options.

I sampled more than 10 of Mosaic Food's plant-based prepared meal offerings and the vegetarian prepared meal delivery service had an astoundingly high hit rate.

Mosaic uses global flavors and employs creative use of meat substitutes such as tofu, jackfruit, cauliflower and vegan sausages to create tasty and satisfying vegetarian meals.

While everything I ate from Mosaic was at least good, some standouts included the bean and jackfruit chili, tomato olive and feta ragout and a tangy Thai noodle dish. Why our testers picked HelloFresh : HelloFresh combines, convenience, selection and family-friendly options for an all-around excellent meal kit experience.

HelloFresh has the most recipes per week of any meal kit service we tried making it a good pick for families and homes with picky eaters. This meal kit service's portion sizes are generous and there are meals to fir eating plans and diets of all sorts.

It's also affordable, especially if you order larger meals. Ya know, for a family. HelloFresh recipes are mostly fast and easy to follow, even for beginner cooks.

Plus, they'll allow you to make substitutions so you can always find a recipe that suits your taste. Why our testers picked Purple Carrot : For authentic, organic, plant-based cooking, Purple Carrot delivered big with a bounty of interesting recipes and fresh ingredients.

Out of all the vegan meal kits I've tried, Purple Carrot's provided me with the best base for cooking vegan cuisine and its ingredient mainstays such as lentils and grains. There are about eight recipes to choose from each week. I tested a full week's worth of meals and enjoyed all of them.

Read our full Purple Carrot review here. Why our testers picked Green Chef : This meal kit service uses almost all organic meats and produce, and offers interesting and healthy recipes for the discerning home cook. While it may be one of the pricier options, we like Green Chef for its versatility in the different specific diet plans available.

The healthy meal kit service also boasts the most organic ingredients of any meal kit service including produce, meats and fish. Green Chef also offers paleo, keto, pescatarian, vegan and vegetarian meals as well as gluten-free meal kit recipes and meals.

Read our full review of Green Chef here. EveryPlate keeps overhead costs low by offering just eight easy meal kit recipes to choose from weekly, which mostly excludes vegetarians and those on special diets, but the eight available meals are full of variety and flavor otherwise. You can expect a lot of comfort food from this meal kit service such as meatloaf, burgers and pasta dishes but everything I made was solid.

Why our testers picked Fresh N Lean : With extremely high-quality meals, tons of healthy options and fair pricing, this service was an easy pick for best prepared meal delivery service.

Fresh N Lean ran away from the competition, ticking more boxes than any other with healthy food that is thoughtfully prepared, tastes great, looks appetizing and is fairly affordable depending on the plan you select.

Fresh N Lean has five meal plans to help keep folks on track with their specific nutrition goals including low-carb, vegan, paleo and protein-plus options. The food was all made exceptionally well using simple, whole ingredients.

Why our testers picked Home Chef : Home Chef is a meal kit service with a sprawling menu that includes tons of low-carb options. Even if you're not going full keto, but just want to curb your carb intake, Home Chef offers 15 recipes per week with less than 15 grams of net carbs in each.

On balance, Home Chef meal kits weren't the best we tried, but the bulk of meals we made took less than 25 minutes and the portions were more than satisfying. That, coupled with its slew of easy, healthy low-carb options, makes Home Chef the best meal kit service for keto eaters.

The first big decision you'll make is whether you want meal kits, which require some prep and cooking, or a prepared meal service that sends fully cooked meals that are ready to heat and eat. After you've picked between meal kits or meal delivery, you'll want to find a service within your budget.

Here we've outlined all the best cheap meal delivery services for Our list of the healthiest meal delivery services for is a good place to find all the most nutritious options. Lastly, you'll want to hone in on exactly how much food you'll want sent to you per week.

Most services allow you to change the number of meals or servings in your plan even after you've started. With nearly every service, the more meals your order per delivery, the cheaper it is per meal. All the meal delivery services may look delicious in their website glamour shots, but that's certainly not enough to convince me.

To settle on this list of the best meal delivery service I tried as many as we could get our hands on, noting everything about them from freshness and flavor to ordering, packaging and delivery. Testing meal kits for CNET means rolling up our sleeves and cooking at least one week's worth of meals from each service, often more.

I ended up using about half the amount of butter called for in the recipe and still found the dish to be plenty rich. In particular, the basil pesto was well balanced and added a nice flavor kick.

However, as with the Swedish Meatballs, the only vegetable was frozen peas, so I added leftover zucchini and peppers from my fridge to make the meal more nutritionally balanced.

Dinnerly is a budget-friendly meal kit service offering family-friendly flavors. Because many of the meals come with premade or premeasured ingredients, the recipes come together quickly and are a good fit for beginners or people who dislike cooking.

All the ingredients arrived in good condition, and my family — even my picky toddler — enjoyed the flavors of each dish. With that said, many of the meals did not include enough vegetables to be considered balanced, so you may want to keep a stash of frozen vegetables in your freezer or pick up a salad kit while grocery shopping.

I also made other changes, including adding a protein source to one recipe and reducing the amount of butter in another. Here is the cost per serving on the four-person plan without promotional deals:. Dinnerly says it keeps its prices low by using fewer ingredients, less packaging, and digital recipe cards in place of printed materials.

On Trustpilot , Dinnerly has an average rating of 3. Many reviewers on Trustpilot express satisfaction with the portion sizes and ingredient freshness. Some say they enjoy the convenience and flexibility that the service provides. However, less favorable reviews mention issues with missing or damaged ingredients and delivery delays.

A few customers also report frustration with the responsiveness of customer service when issues with orders arise. Here is a closer look at how Dinnerly compares with its main competitors: EveryPlate , HelloFresh , and Home Chef :. Dinnerly uses packaging designed to keep food fresh at room temperature for up to 6 hours after delivery if unopened.

Dinnerly portion sizes vary by recipe. While some, like the Swedish Meatballs with Peas, are generously sized, others, like the Low Cal Ginger Rice Noodles, may not provide enough food to satisfy some people. Though Dinnerly is not specifically geared toward weight loss , the service does offer several low calorie options, which contain fewer than calories per serving.

Dinnerly is an affordable meal kit service that provides quick and easy recipes and the ingredients you need to prepare them. However, it may not be a good option for people who have certain dietary restrictions, have severe food allergies, or prefer to eat organic. Easily sign up by selecting the plan that's right for you, then select meals based on your personal preferences - all without a contract.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. VIEW ALL HISTORY. EveryPlate scores 3. Learn more about our experience with this…. HelloFresh and Home Chef are two meal kit services designed to make it easy to cook at home.

Check out our dietitian's in-depth review to find out how…. Meal delivery services can be a challenge for anyone on a budget. See our picks of the cheapest meal delivery services that still deliver on….

We tried the most popular services to help you decide which is right for your family. Here are the 10 best meal kit delivery services to consider….

Home Chef is a meal delivery service that aims to help simplify home cooking. We put Home Chef to the test to see if it's worth subscribing to. Some nutrient-dense foods can be really expensive, yet many healthy foods are actually quite affordable. Here are 28 foods that are healthy and cheap.

CookUnity is a chef-collective prepared meal delivery service offering restaurant-quality meals. However, it isn't cheap. We tried CookUnity for one…. We have tested the most popular meal delivery services on the market to help you decide which ones are worth your money.

Learn how we test each…. Part grocery delivery service and part meal kit, Hungryroot offers a convenient way to meal plan during the week.

We tried Hungryroot for 1 week to…. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based Dinnerly Review: We Tried One of the Most Affordable Meal Kits. Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN , Nutrition — By Kelli McGrane, MS, RD and Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD — Updated on January 23, On this page Basics Pros and cons My experience Final verdict Cost Brand reputation Comparison FAQ Bottom line.

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. It was most recently updated by registered dietitian and Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Director Stefani Sassos. As a dietitian and working mother, Stefani is passionate about putting balanced meals on the table for her family without having to spend a ton of time or money at the grocery store.

She personally uses meal delivery services as a way to change up her family's normal dinnertime routine and to get introduced to a variety of new foods and unique preparation methods. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living.

She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Miami University of Ohio and a master's degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. Prior to Good Housekeeping , she worked at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City as a cardiac transplant dietitian.

She has authored numerous chapters in clinical nutrition textbooks and has also worked in PR and marketing for food company start-ups. The Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers.

Owala Water Bottle Review. The 9 Best Multivitamins for Women. Pepper Bra Review. The Best Walking Shoes for Women. Sheertex Tights Review HelloFresh packages each set of ingredients conveniently into individual brown paper bags.

Once unpacked, I did a quick wash and dry for the produce, and the rest of the meal was pretty straightforward. I timed the cook, and sure enough, it was pretty close to the estimation on the cards — 47 minutes for me for a slightly more well-done steak and an older oven for the crispy potatoes.

The green cousin of Hello Fresh, Green Chef stands out as a traditional meal kit with better-for-you options.

When researching all the kits on the market, I noticed that Green Chef offered the first Keto options for those following a fad diet trend. Now, they offer an array of other options, too, from vegetarian to plant-based to paleo.

I went with the sesame shrimp noodle bowls from their gluten-free menu, which claimed to take 25 minutes to cook. The kit came with everything I needed, sans salt, pepper and cooking oil, so make sure you have those on hand.

A new sister site to the HelloFresh family, Factor is unlike the rest of its siblings in that no cooking is required — unless you consider using a microwave cooking. I decided to cook my pumpkin pancakes in the microwave, to see if they really stand up to the chewy-making effect a micro can have on some frozen foods.

The cons: even though it was a microwave meal, there were a few sticky steps, such as flipping each hot pancake and then making sure the butter was melted all the way through the stack of three cakes. As for the taste, neither a pro nor a con.

They definitely tasted like healthier pancakes — butter and syrup helped — and the addition of the nuts on top was a satisfying touch. To wash it all down, I also grabbed one of the cold-pressed juices — Factor also offers wellness shots in addition to their four juice flavors.

The pineapple turmeric basil juice sounded super interesting, and sure enough, it was as tasty as it was vitamin-packed. The option to go to my fridge instead of a 9-dollar-a-pop juice shop with a hipster barista is worth it in and of itself for me.

There are even dessert options, too — the dark chocolate peppermint keto-friendly cheesecake was my personal favorite.

The very best part of this kit for me was the ability to feel like I was having a fancy meal without any of the work. Not only for Thanksgiving , Gobble is the meal kit that serves up generous turkey-day-sized portions no matter the season.

The first thing I noticed about Gobble was just how much fresh produce I received in my order. For the beautiful Italian flat iron steak meal, which is supposedly two servings, I got a huge bag of ripe cherry tomatoes and an entire bundle of green onions.

For my miso-baked salmon, I got a giant bag of fresh broccoli and a ton of jasmine rice. During the unboxing alone, it was evident that Gobble values quantity and quality. The four balls of cookie dough that came with my meal, not that I had any room left in my stomach after the meal to come.

A second dessert stomach is a thing, right? Another thing to note was the smaller, more compact recipe cards. While they are so much easier to save and store in a kitchen drawer than full-sized pieces of paper, they are also a bit more cramped in terms of directions and information.

The total time for my medium-rare meal came out to 29 minutes and 33 seconds, prep work included. For a full steak dinner that yielded enough for two portions and leftovers of the polenta and veggies, this is the kit for hungry families who want to spend some quality time together in the kitchen.

Though I am a carnivore through and through, I found that Purple Carrot is a great introduction to vegan eating. When choosing a meal to cook, I knew I wanted something that I loved already in its original meaty form, made vegan, to really put the box to the test. After I had chopped everything down to size and foraged for my mushroom heads well, I picked them apart from the woody stems, but it sure felt like foraging , 15 minutes had already ticked by.

The rest of the cook was pretty straightforward, used minimal dishes, and came out almost exactly like the photo, albeit a bit more soupy of a sauce. Did this vegan dupe stand up to comforting chicken and dumplings? Another pro: everything was included in the box except salt, pepper, and oil, as they made sure to package vegan butter, flour, baking soda, and thyme into pre-measured baggies.

For those who do want to eat plant-based for all three meals of the day and then some, the site does offer a lot of different options, changed up every week.

On the site now, curate your box with eight different dinner options, two breakfasts, two lunches and six different snacks from an array of vegan companies. Instead, expect a trifecta of support, with meals, coaching, and tracking, too.

Trifecta is indeed a meal kit company, meaning you can simply order the meals to arrive at your home, fresh and pre-packaged, sent to your door on ice to then be reheated in the microwave or oven.

However, for those who want a whole-body and mind experience when it comes to healthy eating and lifestyle, you can add a lot more from Trifecta. Back to the food at hand — and in fridge — there are a variety of options to choose from when selecting your meal plan.

When receiving my box, I loved that all of the items were packaged with the meals clearly labeled, helping me choose which I wanted to eat now and stick in the fridge and which I wanted to freeze for later — you can freeze the meals for up to three months in the freezer, or leave them for up to seven days in the fridge.

To really put the flavors and textures to the test, I used the microwave, and to my delight, the rice was cooked to perfection, the sausages were left juicy, and the packaging was cool enough to touch.

One note: since these meals are in sustainable packaging, the bottom may get soggy, so it is advised to use a plate underneath. Otherwise, the meals provided enough food for a full meal maybe add fresh fruit on the side and made me feel more energized than if I had grabbed a different freezer meal from the grocery store.

Clean eating has never been easier, with Sakara Life calling the shots for every meal of the day. The plant-based and nutrition-focused meal delivery service is one that can really revamp the way you eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

The meals each come in a take-out style container, with a sticker indicating when I should eat the meal right down to the time and day of the week. The best part for me was the portability and ease of the whole thing, especially as someone who skips breakfast or opts for a muffin when running late.

While heating my dinner bowl, a Sakara burger with chili cashew creme, I decided to browse the site to see what sort of plans they offered. For those who want to try out a weekly meal plan but are a bit timid, they do have a one-week trial to test the waters.

If you like it, you can set up a recurring subscription and have Sakara Life meals all week long. Bonus points for being super customizable, as some may want just a few days a week and others an entire fridge of pre-planned meals for their three squares. With my burger bowl, after incorporating the cashew creme and the other garlicky dressing, I do have to say that while not a burger in my meat-eating eyes, this was one of the best salads I have had — ever.

Even though this bowl was shipped to my door, everything was crunchy and fresh, with no wilted leaves in sight.

As someone who spends far too much money at Sweetgreen only to find myself hungry again, finding filling and yummy salads and bowls that I can bring into the office can be a challenge.

This is where I think Territory Foods fits in nicely. They are also all made without gluten or dairy, which is super great for those with allergies in the house. The coolest part for me, though, was when I took a peek at the packaging and the menu, to find out that my options were actually tailored to my region, partnering with local chefs and restaurants to create the weekly menu of over 35 rotating options.

My Ginger Garlic Chicken Salad was not only ready-to-eat and delicious but was also made by Chef Rachelle Slotnick of Chantilly, VA. Also, a nod to the packaging, the removable slip contains the calories, protein, fat, and carbs of each meal, should you be tracking yours, as well as the eat-by date and the warming instructions if needed on the back.

The last thing that really sets Territory Foods apart is the pricing plan structure. When setting up my account, the first thing to make note of was just how many options for breakfast, lunch and dinner there are. In unboxing, one quick thing to remember is that there is dry ice that comes on top of your order, so make sure to have an adult unpack and dispose of the ice.

As for the meals, the smoothies and wellness shots can be thawed in the fridge or enjoyed as an icy treat. I chose the latter for my mango guava smoothie due to my impatience, and it was a refreshing option that I sipped on during this whole review, and eventually melted into a drinkable smoothie.

The wellness shots are more like a few sips, but great as an ice cube or a liquid — up to you. The soups, however, should be reheated, in my opinion, and can be warmed in the microwave, as the bowls they come in are micro-safe and BPA-free.

Can I hear it for no dishes? Full transparency, we had our very own Matt Levy help with this review, or, more specifically, his toddler did the hard work. While the little one munched, mom and dad also took some bites, deeming the Nurture Life foods parent approved, should there be leftovers when your kiddo is done.

These are chopped up small to prevent choking, and come in a variety of flavors to expose your tike to new flavors and textures. The meal service is great for those parents who are sick of sharing off their own plates as well, as the Nurture Life meals let your kid have their very own plate of yummy food, and a great option for those who need some more variety in their weekly kid-approved cooking rotation.

Starting from the way the package arrived — hand-delivered in a reusable tote, layered with ice to keep the food fresh — the whole CookUnity experience was restaurant-level without ever leaving home.

I was also sent a text to track my order, letting me know an hour in advance so I could be prepared. The food arrived in great shape, with no foggy plastic coverings or soggy cardboard to be found. The only downside to the meals is that they are single-serve, as I would have loved left overs or to be able to serve to a family or crowd — oh, well, more meals for me!

Eat Clean is a prepared meal delivery service, that not only takes the grocery shopping out of the equation like a typical meal kit, but also takes care of most of the prep work, cooking and cleaning.

The meals arrive in a pre-packaged and pre-portioned tray that is microwave safe, or you can opt to open the pack and use an oven-safe dish to reheat the food in minutes. And yes, packaging is recyclable. On to the nutrition aspect, the packaging wrapped around each tray has detailed nutritional information, plus, the website does a great job of describing each menu item, outlining all of the ingredients as well as health information.

For those on a specific diet, you can also choose from plant-based meals, Keto and paleo. I opted for a random selection of meals this go around, but would also like to note that the service does carry a variety of options for breakfast and snacks, in addition to lunch and dinner, should you want to plan for busy mornings or an eventful day with little time to snack.

I went the dinner route, and happily ate BBQ pulled pork with sweet plantain mash off of the traditional menu, as well as Kung Pao chicken with sweet potato noodles from the paleo menu. Both were extremely flavorful, not skimping on seasonings at all. Portion sizes are on the somewhat smaller size, but the meals themselves were filling, each coming with a protein and a veggie for the meals I chose.

Daily Harvest truly means daily, as I happily ate a breakfast, lunch and a dessert in one sitting when diving into my box of frozen meals and snacks. They keep it simple; everything comes frozen on dry ice careful with kids if they help with the unboxing process!

and ready to either reheat, blend, or in the case of ice cream, thaw and enjoy. My sweet potato bowl took about four minutes in the microwave, and I was surprised by how well it turned out. All in all, Daily Harvest is a great kit to have on-hand and in-freezer at all times, whether it be as part of your daily routine or a great fall back when waking up late and needing a quick smoothie or bowl or a dinner for the family on busy nights.

Mosaic is another frozen meal delivery service that sends breakfast, lunch and dinner to your door and can be reheated in the microwave in five minutes or less for a quick and healthy meal. I personally love this style, as it helps to eliminate food waste and saves room in the freezer for exactly what you want.

Each category is priced out differently, but you can mix and match to reach your minimum box order. Furthermore, deliveries are super easy to customize, as you can get a recurring box every week, every two weeks or every four weeks, with the option to pause or cancel should you be out of town.

For my trial box, I ordered a few things from each category but decided on soup and some noodles for lunch. The directions were pretty straightforward, as all you need is a microwave and about five minutes of patience before food is served.

The soup took an initial five minutes and then an additional two, as per the instructions, so be sure to read the packaging for the exact cooking time. I actually had leftovers because it was so filling — always a pro when it comes to plant-based foods.

Sunbasket is truly a ray of sunshine for those who value organic ingredients and getting a healthy and delicious meal on the table. Note that occasionally Green Chef may need to substitute some non-organic ingredients in your box, depending on availability. All of these will be clearly labeled.

For more information, check out our in-depth Green Chef review. Purple Carrot is an exclusively plant-based meal kit service that offers both traditional meal kits and ready-to-heat meals, making it a good choice for vegan families and individuals alike.

Overall, the service has great reviews from customers, although many say that some of their produce items regularly arrive in poor condition. They also offer several gluten-free options each week. Still, it may not be a good fit for families with picky eaters because the recipes tend to feature bold, regional flavors.

However, they have a huge catalog of weekly options, including several that require minimal prep. This makes Dinnerly a better fit for families on a budget who also need meals that come together quickly.

Some of their recent menu options include No Chop! Low-Cal Chorizo Tacos and Ready Made! Cheesy Chicken Penne Alfredo. Many reviewers love the variety that Dinnerly provides, but they do say that occasionally produce arrives in bad shape.

Overall, the sheer variety of Dinnerly—along with its low price—makes it a great fit for most families without special dietary needs. They even offer some low-carb and dairy-free meals. HelloFresh is one of the most well-known meal kit delivery services.

They offer a wide variety of meals each week, including crowd-pleasing choices and more unique dishes. For singles, a two-serving plan provides a dinner and one serving worth of leftovers for lunch the next day. It can save a lot of money compared to dining out for lunch and dinner.

Other than occasional shipping issues, reviewers rate HelloFresh highly—with many saying that they cook at home much more since starting their HelloFresh subscription. Meal delivery services are companies that ship prepared meals or meal kits to your doorstep each week.

There are several different meal delivery services to suit nearly all budgets and diet preferences. Meal delivery services are convenient and they can help you save time and money.

They also may help you incorporate healthier meals into your routine and they can add some variety if you find yourself in a cooking rut.

By eliminating the need to meal plan and grocery shop, meal delivery services provide convenience and save lots of time. Even if you choose a meal kit that requires you to prep and cook the ingredients, you may still save a couple of hours each week of planning and shopping.

If you find yourself eating out or ordering out regularly, meal delivery companies could also help you save money. Many meal delivery services also feature well-balanced, nutritious meals that prioritize fresh produce and healthy protein sources.

They can be a good way to introduce your family to healthier meals. Finally, meal kit services often feature large selections of meals from different types of cuisine. They can add some much-needed variety if your dinners have been feeling stale.

There are two different types of meal delivery services: prepared meal delivery and meal kit delivery. Prepared meal delivery services send single-serving meals that are completely cooked. They only require reheating and they may be sent fresh or frozen.