This feels less like a meal service and more like grocery shopping, according to GGR head of content and certified personal trainer Kate Meier, who tested out Hungryroot.

The ease of prep was fantastic for a meal kit service, according to Kate. But it was so easy—not a lot of chopping, because everything is prepackaged and ready to throw in a skillet. There is an abundance of variety with Hungryroot, particularly for those with dietary restrictions.

Also, Kate was a bit overwhelmed by the initial quiz at the start—asking lots of questions before you even get to see the meal options. Nevertheless, this is a solid service that provides high-quality ingredients for a relatively inexpensive price. Mosaic is a frozen meal delivery service that offers plant-based options for vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike.

Mosaic has a wide selection of frozen veggie bowls, family meals, pizzas, smoothies, soups, and oat bowls. Dishes vary from smoothies to pizzas and flatbreads, and even soups and oat bowls.

Family-friendly meals were also available, which dietitian Perry Nix, RD, enjoyed. Vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that promote immune health, improve vision, and support strong bones and a healthy metabolism.

Make sure to check if they deliver to you though, as their delivery is limited to certain parts of the U. RELATED: Plant-Based Protein Powder Benefits. Good for: Families needing meal kits with options for all family members.

Blue Apron is a meal kit delivery service that sends you everything you need for a fun, tasty meal right to your door. Blue Apron is our favorite budget-friendly meal delivery service for families.

With wellness and veggie plant-based options available in their preferences, Blue Apron also provides family-friendly options for kid-friendly meals, as well as a fast and easy quick prep option. RELATED: Blue Apron Vs HelloFresh Vs Home Chef. Our tester, Sarah Carlton, enjoys the meal kits overall, although some meals shine brighter than others.

On the other hand, the Salmon was packed with flavor and so good. The quality of the ingredients impressed Perry Nix, RD. These ingredient standards support the environment, farmers, and animal welfare.

A fault that Perry notes is that Blue Apron is fairly limited when it comes to dietary preferences. RELATED: Best Meal Delivery for Weight Loss. There are no subscriptions, you can order at the frequency to like. Our favorite prepared meal delivery on a budget is Clean Eatz.

Clean Eatz allows you to pick six meals from their meal plans—including keto, high-protein, and gluten-free plans—and then a quantity of these six-meal packs.

Only being able to choose six meals at a time with limited variety might not be what some are looking for; still, with a decent amount of protein in each meal and delicious ingredients, Clean Eatz provides good value at a pretty low price. Busy parents will rejoice in picker-eater approved menu items with hidden vegetables and wholesome ingredients from Little Spoon, a kid-specific meal delivery service.

Little Spoon has meal options for babies who are not yet eating solid foods, little ones moving to bite-size pieces, toddlers eating finger foods, and smoothies for on-the-go snacks. Subscription plans offer biweekly delivery cadence that can be skipped, paused, or canceled at any time.

For the picky eaters in your household, we suggest Little Spoon. Providing meals for all age ranges, from infants to toddlers to young kids, Little Spoon exposes kids to a variety of flavors and ingredients at a young age. Dietitian Perry Nix, RD, speaks on the importance of diversifying the foods a child is exposed to early on.

Senior editor and certified nutrition coach Nicole Davis tested out these meals directly with the source: her two oldest children. The kids, being moderately picky in their foods, had mixed reactions to some meals.

Whether or not Little Spoon is right for you and your children will mostly depend on how your children like it. However, with organic ingredients that are non-GMO, this is a great meal service for kids.

You can read our in-depth thoughts in our Little Spoon review. Not every meal service we tried made our top picks; here are a few honorable mentions we tested:. Obviously, one of the biggest factors we accounted for on these meal delivery services was the price that these meal services brought to the table pun intended.

There are more benefits to an inexpensive meal service besides the money. You can still have many of the benefits of meal services while staying on budget. Finding a meal delivery service that fits in your budget will help you save money.

You buy just the meals you need at affordable prices, and can save on the cost of a grocery run in many cases.

Meal prep for the week can take up a lot of time, which is a huge perk of meal delivery services. Meal kits provide just the right amount of ingredients for your meals, with many ingredients prepared already, so it minimizes the time needed to prepare and cook meals.

Additionally, prepared meals can just be put in an oven or microwave to heat up, virtually eliminating prep time completely. Many meal services provide plans and options for people with specific dietary restrictions or needs. Also, anyone following keto, low-carb, paleo, vegan, or pescatarian diets will often find options through meal delivery services.

This takes out a lot of the hassle of having to find the right meals for your exact needs. Often at the grocery store, you may have to purchase more food than you want or need for the week, like purchasing a bag of onions when you only need one.

Plus, many meal services source their ingredients sustainably through local organic farmers, which also impacts the environment in a positive way.

With trying to be frugal with your money, here are some things to look out for:. Many meal delivery services offer a first-time discount, which can vary depending on the company. These discounts can be substantial, although prices may jump back up after a bit of use.

Here are a few of our best picks for meal services that offer consistently inexpensive meal options:. Many meal delivery services have smaller minimums and meal plans to cater for just one person. The cost of HelloFresh varies depending on the number of meal portions you order each week.

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.

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Learn more about our experts. GGR Score: 4. Check Price. Cons Fresh ingredients need to be cooked within 4 days of delivery Meal selection only after signing up and entering payment information. Bottom Line Skip the food shopping and the chopping—Dinnerly is a meal kit service that sends you fresh ingredients right to your door with most of the food preparation already done.

Low minimum of meals Over meals to choose from. Cons Very little customization when choosing meal plans Meals can be pricey. Bottom Line Fresh N Lean is a prepared meal delivery service that has a variety of meal plans to choose from.

Product Highlights Meal service that delivers ingredients and recipes 6 different plans available, including vegan and pescatarian options Can swap out different proteins and sides Can purchase between 2 and 6 meals, in portions to feed 2 or 4 people 40 weekly recipes to choose from Sourced from U.

farmers 6 meal plans to choose from. Check out our links and keep sign-up promotions in mind when reviewing your options. If time management is important to you, Home Chef is an excellent service to try.

Home Chef offers multiple meal choices each week with ample variety to meet dietary needs. While not the most adventurous or customizable meal box out there, Home Chef delivery fresh, quality ingredients and tasty recipes consistently. Home Chef arranges many of their dishes by the time it takes to make them, from minute meals like their prosciutto and fig mini flatbreads to elaborate dinners in their Culinary Collection like the bacon jalapeno popper steak sandwich.

Home Chef can also accommodate many common allergies and dietary preferences, including calorie- and carb-conscious meals, vegetarian dishes, soy- and gluten-free foods, and more.

You can customize your protein too, such as swapping a dish with ground pork for ground turkey, and add a la carte items, including breakfasts and desserts. If the cost of meal delivery kits gives you sticker shock, look at EveryPlate.

This meal delivery service is a much cheaper alternative to most others, including its parent company HelloFresh. EveryPlate is an affordable meal kit company focusing on simple comfort food recipes that are easy to make and tasty.

These meal kits are cheaper than takeout and often groceries, and half the price or less of other meal kit delivery services. To keep costs low, EveryPlate uses simpler ingredients, recipes, and packaging.

You can order three, four, or five meals per week for two or four people. Each week, you choose from a menu of different dishes, which includes vegetarian meal options. You can customize many meals for free or a modest fee by swapping the protein or side.

EveryPlate meals are fuss-free and familiar, not fancy. If you want to kick your dinners up a notch, you can pay extra for premium meals. This costs extra per serving for ingredients like seafood and steak and slightly more sophisticated dishes.

I tried EveryPlate for myself and found the meal kits to be practical and delicious. The recipes were easy to follow and most of the ingredients looked and tasted good.

And while the meal options are more limited than other services, there are still plenty of tasty dishes on the menu, especially if you love comfort food and classic flavors. If you love cooking as much as you love eating and you have an adventurous palette, Blue Apron is the meal delivery service for you.

Blue Apron offers both meal kits you prepare yourself and heat-and-eat meals that are already fully cooked. Ingredients are sourced directly from family-run farms to ensure freshness and quality and recipes are curated by a team of professional chefs.

Blue Apron offers about 19 different meals per week including usually 14 meal kits, three prepared meals, and two ready-to-cook meals that you just put in the oven.

Compared to the price of other meal kit services, Blue Apron is on the higher end of average. When setting up your account, you choose two to five meals per week at two or four servings each.

When I tried Blue Apron, I was impressed by the variety. There were so many different globally inspired, gourmet, and nutritious meals to choose from. The quality of ingredients was excellent and the food was restaurant-quality fantastic. Overall, this meal kit service made me feel like a pro and saved me a lot of time.

Blue Apron would be one of my first choices for people watching their weight too since so many meals are WeightWatchers approved and under calories. This meal kit delivery service is also great for people who want quick prep or prepared meals.

Also, it helps if you have more experience in the kitchen because the recipes can be a little vague, which beginners might find frustrating.

One of the first meal kit delivery services ever and the most popular still today, HelloFresh has meal kits figured out. Fun recipes that are easy and educational make this the best meal delivery service for beginners.

The recipes are easy to prepare with simple step-by-step instructions that anyone can follow, and the pre-portioned ingredients provided are always fresh. HelloFresh offers six different meal plans to choose from, including a vegetarian option, a family-friendly option, and a pescatarian option.

Each recipe includes a difficulty rating and nutrition facts. HelloFresh is better than many meal services at catering to different dietary needs. You can order anywhere from two to six recipes per week — way more options than other meal delivery services — for two or four people each.

I tried three meals from HelloFresh and I loved the whole experience. My favorite things about this company were the packaging and the recipe cards. HelloFresh boxes contain surprisingly little plastic and the meals are separated into individual paper bags, which was way more convenient than sorting through a box full of ingredients.

The recipes, another huge strength, included large pictures of each step and helpful tips. The recipes are easy to follow and there are several kid-friendly dishes on the menu. Plus, HelloFresh lets you customize to your liking. HelloFresh has some balanced meals, but a lot of recipes can be high in fat and calories.

outside their health-forward options. HelloFresh will save you time grocery shopping but might not save you money or might cost more than you spend on dinner now. Sunbasket is a meal delivery service that caters to people valuing sustainable business practices and healthy, organic ingredients.

Sunbasket is the meal kit to choose if you're looking for the freshest ingredients and the healthiest recipes. Although more expensive than competitors, Sunbasket has menus for every diet and lifestyle, whether vegan, paleo, gluten-free, keto-friendly and more. This service prioritizes quality, first and foremost.

Sunbasket has a variety of meals for those who are paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, and more. In addition to their many creative dishes — like the Moroccan-spiced salmon with jeweled couscous and lemon yogurt or the triple-mushroom quinoa with watercress, scallions, and peas — Sunbasket has an online market, similar to Blue Apron, where you can purchase everything from breakfasts to snacks, to quick lunches and even specialty meats.

The catch with Sunbasket is the price tag. The meal kit portion includes ingredients you follow recipes and cook yourself or options for ready-to-eat meals. The actual price is personalized to how much food you order.

Most meals with Hungryroot you prepare yourself are ready in about ten minutes. Hungryroot mixes in some Walmart and Instacart by also offering a grocery delivery service to its meals.

Options include healthy snacks, sweets, fresh fruit, breakfast items and more. Hungryroot uses a credit-based system that assigns grocery items and recipes a credit value when ordering your plan that corresponds to the number of servings selected.

Exclusive to Northeastern U. Outside normal grocery and prepared meal delivery, those in Brooklyn, Manhattan or other delivery zones in New York can also have alcohol delivered with FreshDirect.

Deliveries with FreshDirect can be made up to a week in advance or if you want your groceries quick they can be scheduled for same-day or next-day delivery in selected two-hour windows subject to availability. Alright, food lovers! Enter the modern marvel: Home Meal Delivery Kits!

Most services offer flexible subscription models. You can usually choose how many meals you want to be delivered each week and for how many people.

One of the coolest things about these kits is the variety. Many companies rotate their menus regularly, offering a mix of classic favorites and global dishes that might be new to you. Some companies even offer breakfast, dessert, and snack options. The cost per meal can be higher than if you sourced the ingredients yourself.

Also, while companies are making efforts to reduce packaging, there can still be a fair amount in each box, which could be a concern for the eco-conscious among us. Before we even thought of tasting anything the fun part!

From popular blogs to user reviews on various platforms—think Trustpilot, Yelp, and even Reddit—we dug deep to understand what customers truly want. We prioritized services that offered a range of options.

Once we had our list, it was time for our favorite part: taste-testing! We sampled dishes from numerous services, rating them on flavor, freshness, portion sizes, and overall satisfaction.

Yes, it was as delicious as it sounds! We analyzed the cost per meal, looking for services that provided value for money without compromising on taste. An overlooked but super crucial aspect! And of course, we made some cheeky calls to their customer service to see how responsive and helpful they were.

We favored services that used eco-friendly packaging, had recycling options, or showcased any efforts towards sustainability.

Armed with all this data, our team sat down for some serious discussions and maybe a food coma or two! We debated, discussed, and sometimes even passionately argued to whittle down our choices to the final list.

Gone are the days when ordering food was a rare treat. With the advent of meal delivery services, a plethora of culinary delights are just a click away. Imagine getting gourmet dishes or even simple home-cooked style meals delivered right at your door, without the hassle of grocery shopping or meal prepping.

But with the vast sea of options available, how does one pick the right service? Enter meal delivery services! They cater to a range of preferences, from health-focused meals to indulgent treats. Before you get overwhelmed with options, take a moment.

Think about what you really need. Are you aiming to lose weight? Maybe you need high-protein meals. Or are you a gourmet at heart, seeking new and exotic flavors? Pinning down your priorities can narrow the field significantly.

From those avoiding gluten to vegans, and from keto enthusiasts to pescatarians, the spectrum is vast. Check if your prospective vegan meal delivery service can cater to your specific dietary needs.

We all dream of eating like royalty, but the wallet does have its limits. While exploring, keep an eye on the price tag. Some services might seem affordable at first but can rack up costs with add-ons. Find one that offers the best bang for your buck.

Look into how your chosen service packages its food.