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We tested the best meal delivery services to help you decide which are actually worth subscribing to. Sunbasket, Factor, and Blue Apron are only a few that made the list.

Finding the time to shop for ingredients, plan meals, and cook just isn’t possible for people leading busy lives working, caring for a family, or running a household.

There are a several meal delivery services that can help make meal prep easier. However, they differ in meal types, suitability for various diets, quality of ingredients, variety of flavors, and cost.

Healthline editors and registered dietitians tried 31 of the most popular meal delivery services on the market to help you decide which one is right for you.

Whether you’re looking for meal kits you cook yourself or fully prepared meals that are ready to heat and eat, keep reading to see our picks of the 10 best meal delivery services.

Related: Best Healthy Meal Delivery Services

Disclaimer: All the services tested below were tried by Healthline writers or editors who received the meals for free. All opinions are our own.

Here’s a quick look at how our top picks compare:

Price per serving (entree)ShippingHealthline
score
(out of 5)
Good for
Sunbasket$9.99–$25.99$9.994.6creative dinner recipes
HelloFresh$8.99–$12.49$10.994.2beginner-friendly & family-friendly dinners
Home Chef$9.99–$11.99$10.994.3quick weeknight meals
Green Chef$11.99–$13.49$10.994.2mostly organic ingredients
Factor
(prepared)
$10.99–$13.49$10.994.3prepared lunches and dinners
CookUnity
(prepared)
$11.09–$13.59$9.994.0restaurant-worthy meals
Trifecta Nutrition
(prepared)
$13.79–$15.85• $9.99 for contiguous U.S.
• $49.99 for Alaska and Hawaii
4.2low carb meals for weight loss
Purple Carrot$11–$13.25• free for orders of $99 and up
• $10 for smaller orders
4.0fully vegan meal kits
Blue Apron$7.99–$12.49$10.994.4simple meal kits for beginners
EveryPlate$4.99–$7.49$10.993.5budget-friendly dinners

Narrowing down our favorite meal delivery services wasn’t an easy feat. Here are seven additional services that scored well during testing but fell short of making our top 10:

  • Splendid Spoon (4.3 out of 5): Similar to Daily Harvest, Splendid Spoon is best for people interested in smoothies or light lunches. After trying more than 25 items, Splendid Spoon’s noodle bowls were by far our favorite items. We also liked that you can order meals without a subscription.
  • Martha Stewart and Marley Spoon (4.2 out of 5): With recipes from Martha Stewart, it’s no surprise that we found Martha Stewart and Marley Spoon’s recipes to be rich and comforting. You can also select healthier entrees, though you’ll have to sift through the large weekly menu to find them.
  • BistroMD (4.1 out of 5): A great option if you’re interested in weight loss, BistroMD delivers a week’s worth of low calorie, pre-portioned meals, including breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. The service narrowly lost to Trifecta, which scored higher for ingredient quality, nutritional quality, and sustainability.
  • Epicured (4.1 out of 5): While it’s on the pricier side, if you’re following a low FODMAP diet, then it’s worth considering Epicured. The meals are all gluten-free, low in FODMAPs, and fully prepared. The meals we tested featured fresh ingredients and enjoyable flavor combinations.
  • Territory (4.1 out of 5): Territory is a good, but expensive, option if you follow a specialty diet, such as keto, paleo, low carb, or plant-based. Our tester noted that the meals tasted incredibly fresh and had a good variety of textures and ingredients.
  • Mosaic Foods (3.9 out of 5): Mosaic Foods is another fully plant-based, prepared meal delivery service that’s worth considering. In particular, the company stands out for its family-sized meals that are fully prepared and ready to pop in the oven. Just keep in mind that they can take 90 minutes or longer to reheat.
  • Daily Harvest (3.6 out of 5): Known for its commitment to plant-based, organic ingredients, Daily Harvest is worth considering if you’re looking for nutrient-dense smoothies or light lunches to keep stocked in the freezer. However, it wouldn’t be our pick for heartier, more filling entrees.

Why you can trust us

Our experts have carefully researched and vetted over 11,000 products to make sure everything we feature meets our standards. We fact-check health claims, evaluate ingredients, and look into each brand’s reputation before sharing products on Healthline.

In addition, to select the 10 services on this page, we have:

  • evaluated 70+ meal delivery services
  • evaluated products from 65+ different meal delivery brands
  • tested 31+ meal delivery services ourselves
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At Healthline, we know that meal delivery services aren’t a small investment, which is why we’ve taken the time to test more than 30 of the most popular meal delivery services on the market.

Testers select a week’s worth of meals from multiple menus to get a well-rounded view of the types of flavors and ingredients offered.

During testing, we consider several factors, including the ease of the signup and meal selection process, the variety and nutritional composition of the meals offered, ingredient quality and freshness, how easy the meals are to cook, and, of course, the taste.

Additionally, each service we feature is in compliance with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety and manufacturing regulations and uses a trusted shipper to handle its food products.

Learn more about how we test meal kits.

When choosing a meal delivery service, it’s important to consider the following factors:

  • Meal kits versus prepared meal delivery: If you like to cook and don’t mind prep work, opt for a meal kit delivery service. On the other hand, if you’re short on time or don’t like to cook, a fully prepared meal delivery service is a better option.
  • Meals provided: Meal kits are generally geared toward dinner, as they provide larger portions and take longer to cook. Meal delivery services often offer prepared options suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Some even offer snacks and desserts.
  • Specialty diets: If you follow a specific dietary pattern, such as a vegetarian, vegan, paleo, or keto meal plan, it’s important to choose a company that offers several menu choices that are appropriate for you.
  • Cost: When selecting a service, be sure to have a weekly or monthly food budget in mind. You’ll also want to factor in costs such as shipping and additional groceries you’ll need for the week.
  • Servings: Many prepared meal delivery services provide only single-serving meals. In contrast, meal kits often cater to households of two or four, with some even offering up to six servings per meal.
  • Sustainability: It’s no secret that meal delivery services use a lot of packaging. However, some companies have made strides to be more eco-friendly by focusing on seasonal or local ingredients and using recyclable, reusable, or compostable materials.

Sunbasket, Blue Apron, and Factor scored the highest during testing. We found them all to be great choices for individuals or families looking to add more flavor and variety to their diet and spend less time in the kitchen.

Our reviewers also found Mosaic Foods and Purple Carrot to be very tasty options, especially if you prefer plant-based meals with unique flavor combinations.

Many companies offer fully prepped meals that require little to no cooking.

Factor is our pick as the best prepared meal delivery service. The company offers single-serving, fully prepped meals that are nutritionally balanced and easy to reheat in the microwave.

For families, Home Chef and Mosaic Foods both offer multiserving oven-ready meals.

Meal delivery services may be worth the price tag if you value their convenience.

Many services offer a wide selection of meal kits and ready-to-cook dishes to help streamline meal prep. Some services also offer fully prepared meals, which can be a time-saving alternative to cooking meals at home and may even be more affordable than ordering takeout.

EveryPlate is one of the cheapest meal delivery service options available, starting at $4.99 per serving, depending on the number of meals you select each week. However, there’s also a $10.99 shipping fee on every order.

Although many meal kit delivery services are available, only some offer both nutritious and delicious options.

The meal delivery services listed above have been tested to ensure they provide satisfying, tasty meals. Many also offer dishes that are suitable for a variety of dietary needs, food preferences, and common food allergies.

You can use the list above to choose the best meal delivery service based on your lifestyle and nutritional needs.