Meal delivery services have seen a major uptick in sales during the pandemic as people look for ways to avoid grocery shopping while social distancing, and to de-stress at least one aspect of their lives: Food prep. If you can afford to spend a little more on regular deliveries, meal kits are an easy way to ensure you have everything you need to make healthy meals all week long and cut down on the shopping and chopping.
The field is growing, with specialty purveyors focusing on vegan foods, seasonal ingredients, and smoothies. Some services—like Sunbasket, Snap Kitchen, and Fresh and Easy—send you oven-ready meals that are ready to warm and serve, which can come in handy if you’re cooking challenged or used to getting takeout. For parents who are juggling childcare with working from home these days, there are even services like Yumble and Little Spoon that specifically cater to fussy kids.
With so many options out there, we’ve curated a selection of the best meal kit delivery services to help you choose, all of which send everything you need to make amazing, restaurant-quality meals at home—and take grocery shopping and vegetable chopping off your to-do list. Think exciting and interesting meals, clear-cut and easy-to-follow instructions, and all the ingredients you need in the perfect amounts, so there’s no guesswork and no waste (not to mention no leaving the house or planning ahead).
We’ve had a chance to try most of them firsthand, and we gotta say, they make us feel like accomplished home cooks. Note that because of increased demand for these kits during the pandemic, some ship times may be delayed. We’ve updated this story with any statements from brands that we find on their COVID-19 delivery schedule.
All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
1. Home Chef
Why It’s Worth It:
Home Chef allows you to choose from nearly a dozen meals each week, and in about 30 minutes or less you can whip up tasty dishes that work with your cravings and dietary restrictions. Meat or veg? Avoiding dairy? Cutting out nuts? Soy? Wheat? Home Chef has you covered with fresh ingredients for meals such as shrimp scampi pasta, farmhouse fried chicken, and tomato risotto. Menus are set five weeks ahead, so you can know what’s for dinner more than a month ahead of time.
If you’re really new to this whole cooking-for-yourself thing, the service even has a kitchenware page on its site where you can buy a selection of basic kitchen tools that will get you on the road to slicing and dicing like a pro. Stock up, get helpful meal-prep tips from chefs, and get ready to impress yourself. Beyond entrée-size portions, Home Chef also offers five-minute, oven-ready lunches and dinners you simply have to heat up.
Cost: Meals start at $7 per serving (choose from two or four servings) and can even be customized for an additional fee; different meal options are available on the site. Delivery is free for orders over $49, and $10 for anything less than that amount.
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “Home Chef is where it’s at. My wife is a nurse, and during these crazy times we were looking for an easy option to help with dinners. A friend sent us a promotion for Home Chef where they were offering discounts to frontline workers. We have not looked back! The meals are consistently delicious and easy to make. I have been helping my wife cook dinners, and I must say they are very easy to make and fantastic. Every meal we have had has been a hit. We tried another service (I won’t mention the name), and the experience was horrible. The food was difficult to cook and some of the vegetables were extremely dirty. Home Chef delivers a fantastic meal every single time! I highly recommend it!” —Sascha
Editor’s Note: Home Chef is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule. Read the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: homechef.com
2. Sunbasket
Why It’s Worth It:
The folks at Sunbasket prioritize high-quality ingredients above all else, and it shows. The produce is all organic, the meat is antibiotic-free with no added hormones, and the seafood is fresh-caught in the wild. On top of that, this service offers a variety of meal-plan options catering to special diets such as Paleo, vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian. (You can opt to mix and match recipes from all of these different menus too!) All meals are nutritionist approved. Fans of the program love how fresh everything tastes and note that the recipes are simple enough for weeknights (but never boring or run-of-the-mill).
Offerings range from classics like chicken milanese with charred lemon and braised chickpeas and carrots with quinoa and yogurt to experimental new combinations like farro risotto with zucchini, tomatoes, and soft-cooked eggs. And for the people who are really short on time, Sunbasket also offers pre-prepped meals (ones which come sliced and diced so all you have to do is toss them in a pan), or pre-cooked options that you can reheat and serve.
Weekly deliveries arrive in packaging that’s 100% recyclable and compostable, which is another bonus. Choose between the classic plan—which serves two to four people and offers Paleo, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, and more specialty meal-plan options—or the family plan, which serves four and offers kid-friendly meals as well as a vegetarian option.
Cost: $72 per week for three meals for two people; $88 per week for two meals for four people. Other plans are available on the site.
Availability: Nationwide, excluding Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and parts of New Mexico
Customer Review: “The food, the customer service, and recipes are incredible. It’s made eating healthy easy. I know I will have three great meals every week. The quality of the food is great. The recipes are things I never would pick on my own but are so good. I’m also learning to be a better cook. The customer service has been great, as well. I’ve needed to call a few times to modify orders, and they’ve been so responsive and pleasant.” —Valorie
Editor’s Note: Due to overwhelming demand, customers may experience some delays in shipping as production schedules change. See the brand’s COVID-19 FAQ page here.
Try It: sunbasket.com
3. Green Chef
Why It’s Worth It:
If you’re concerned about the carbon footprint caused by your meal kit habit, this is one of the most eco-friendly plans out there. Green Chef offers USDA-certified-organic meal kits, making sure that at least 90% of the ingredients it sends you are organic. All food is sourced from sustainable and traceable farmers and manufacturers, which is helpful for people who are conscientious of where their ingredients come from. The company has also provided useful guides on its website to show you how to reuse and recycle its packaging whenever possible, and the paper bags and cardboard boxes that its kits are shipped in (plus everything else, from the paper bags to the ice packs) are also either recyclable or sourced from recycled materials.
The meal kit also offers a range of options to choose from, including carnivore, omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan meal plans, plus Paleo, keto, and gluten-free menus. The color-coded recipe cards are easy to follow, and aim to take 30 minutes from start to finish. But don’t expect simple, boring meals just because they’re quick to prep. Green Chef’s meals can definitely push you out of your comfort zone (in the best way) with new flavors and pairings, and often include instructions on how to make speciality sauces and glazes to drizzle over your finished meal. Sample meals include apricot-glazed pork meatballs, butternut and porcini linguine, curry-roasted chickpea bowls, and sesame-crusted chicken.
Cost: From $79 per week for three meals for two people (including shipping, though some dietary options are more); $95 per week for two meals for four people (including shipping).
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “Their sauce is the boss. Very cleverly they have created killer sauces and marinades that I could not replicate. Each one is an explosion of flavor and takes simple kale or spaghetti squash to new levels of taste. We are on the keto plan, and I do not (really) miss the potatoes and starch with all the great stuff that they include in each bag.” —Russ
Editor’s Note: Green Chef is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule (unless notified otherwise by email). Read the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: greenchef.com
4. Blue Apron
Why It’s Worth It:
Blue Apron was the first to popularize the whole meal-kit-delivery-service thing—and now it’s got plenty of competition. Blue Apron’s recipes—like vegetable pad thai and harissa-baked chicken—are developed to keep cooking and prep time to an average of 45 minutes. In fact, the directions are so easy to follow our editor had her six-year-olds help her out. The company has a mission to improve our country’s food system at large by focusing on sustainable farming, direct shipping, and less food waste. Its chefs work directly with farmers to create the meal plans and provide the stories behind the ingredients so you know where your food actually came from.
As an added bonus, it has a monthly wine subscription that pairs specially sized bottles with your meals. And if you’re a non-meat-eater, Blue Apron offers a vegetarian option for the two-person plan and recently added Beyond Meat boxes to its roster so you can whip up a Beyond Burger at home. Sample recipes include customer favorites orange beef and bok choy, cajun-spiced fish, and za’atar-roasted chicken.
Cost: $60 per week for three meals for two people; $96 per week for three meals for four people. Other plans are available on the site.
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “My boyfriend and I have been getting these every week for over a year, and all I can say is ‘Wow!’ Amazing meals. They are consistently good—even the ones I thought I wouldn’t like I end up enjoying! These premium meals are worth the money. Whoever comes up with this stuff is a genius. Even if they forget an ingredient (which is rare), they always make up for it with credits for our next order. Great service! Keep it up!” —Brooke
Editor’s Note: Blue Apron is still up and running, but due to a surge in demand, some changes and disruptions to orders might occur if Blue Apron reaches capacity for orders and isn’t able to fulfill them. Delivery dates and recipes may be tweaked as Blue Apron accommodates demands and works with fluctuating supplies. See the brand’s COVID-19 FAQ page here.
Try It: blueapron.com
5. Gobble
Why It’s Worth It:
Meal kits inherently solve a problem in any busy hungry person’s life—lack of time to shop and decide what’s for dinner—but Gobble takes it a step further by doing all of the prep work for you. That means already-peeled vegetables, minimal-to-no chopping, and a process that goes from pan to plate in only about 15 minutes. It’s almost as low-effort as food delivery, and often even quicker.
Plus, we love that Gobble includes specialty menu options for people who are gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, and vegetarian, and emphasizes kid-friendly options for families. Sample meals: seared salmon with kale, Mexican squash flatbread with cotija cheese, and Chinese five-spice tofu with lime coconut vegetable stew.
Cost: $79 per week for three meals for two people; $151 per week for three meals for four people (both prices include shipping).
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “I love to cook and am anal about following quality recipes (usually the longer, more complicated way) so the end result is good. I don’t like any usual meal shortcuts like frozen meals, canned soup, most frozen veggies, etc. They don’t have a good taste or texture. It got hard to maintain that amount of work, and we started ordering delivery way more than we should have. I decided to give Gobble a try and just love it. The meals are high quality, and everything about dinner is just easier: less decision-making, less shopping, less ingredient prep, less cooking time, fewer dishes, and very little food waste. I can be a picky eater, and there are always multiple menu options that I’m excited to try. Gobble’s also good about using seasonal produce and offering a variety of cuisine, so we’re not eating the same few meals over and over.” —Kati
Editor’s Note: Gobble is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule. Read the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: gobble.com
6. Freshly
Why It’s Worth It:
For anyone who feels overwhelmed by the prospect of cooking for yourself every day, this plan is for you. Freshly meals arrive at your home fully cooked and everything is designed to be ready to heat and serve in under three minutes—so you don’t have to order delivery yet again. Every meal is portioned out for one person in one sitting, though your own mileage may vary (since some of these are low-calorie meals). If you’re someone who gets super hungry, you might need to supplant meals with other sides to feel completely full.
Choose breakfast, lunch, or dinner from a weekly menu of rotating options; the entire menu is free of gluten and peanuts and produced in a gluten- and peanut-free facility, with options to select dairy-free meals, too. Sample menu: golden-oven fried chicken and mash, pulled pork al pastore, and steak peppercorn.
Cost: $50 per week for four meals for one person and up to $108 per week for 12 meals (serves one). Other plans are available on the site.
Availability: Nationwide, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
Customer Review: “Freshly has changed our lives! With Freshly, we don’t have to go anywhere or wait for delivery, and our monthly food bill has been cut nearly in half. We love it.” —Dave
Editor’s Note: Freshly is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule. Read the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: freshly.com
7. EveryPlate
Why It’s Worth It:
EveryPlate prides itself on delivering affordable, delicious meals that even cooking novices could whip up by themselves. Meals on the basic plans net out to $5 per serving, and you can choose between enough to serve two or four people per meal. The goal is to make getting dinner on the table less complicated, so don’t expect gourmet meals—as it says on the company’s website, “Our aim is to bring tasty value and convenience, not make you a chef.” Even so, the selection looks as delectable as any meal-kit service. Sample recipes include a beef bibimbap bowl, apricot sriracha pork chops, and garlic rosemary chicken.
Cost: $39 per week for three meals for two people; $70 per week for three meals for four people (both prices include a delivery fee).
Availability: Available in most areas of the continental United States; input your zip code on the site to see your delivery options.
Customer Review: “I love Every Plate. I get the meal plan for four, and we still have enough left over for a packed work lunch the next day. Everything is packed well and delivered super cold. The recipes have been great, always very tasty, quick, and easy. I work evenings, and I love being able to come home and put dinner on the table without stopping at the grocery store or getting takeout. And the most important factor to me is that I’m on a strict budget and still able to work with Every Plate’s options and keep my food budget in line.” —Donna
Editor’s Note: Every Plate is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out as on schedule. Read the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: everyplate.com
8. Purple Carrot
Why It’s Worth It:
Purple Carrot runs on plant power. If you are lactose intolerant or don’t eat animal products, you’re in luck. Every single dish from Purple Carrot is not only vegetarian but vegan too. But don’t worry, we’re not talking boring grilled veggies here. This box features seasonal produce, herbs, and creative sauces that keep things interesting, and each meal comes prepped in a separate bag. Each week, Purple Carrot chefs create a new selection of plant-based dishes, like cauliflower l’orange, broccoli-cheddar soup, and coffee teriyaki skewers, and provide a handy recipe book so you can follow along with the chef’s detailed instructions.
In addition to being healthy and tasty, Purple Carrot encourages users to appreciate the way eating plant-based meals instead of ones containing meat is environmentally friendly, cutting down on water use and emissions. Choose from quick-and-easy, high-protein, or chef’s-choice plans. There’s also an option for athletes, called TB12, which features gluten-free recipes that are higher in protein and calories and limited in soy and refined sugars.
Cost: $72 per week for three meals for two people; $120 per week for three meals for four people.
Availability: Nationwide, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
Customer Review: “Since trying out Purple Carrot, I feel like a gourmet chef! I get lots of compliments on my meals and gained more confidence in the kitchen.” —Cait
Editor’s Note: Purple Carrot is still up and running, but given increased demand and unpredictable timelines, the brand has stated that it may need to make substitutions with ingredients and meals and will sometimes omit a recipe booklet or ingredient if it doesn’t arrive to suppliers in time. It has also advised to expect delayed ship times. Purple Carrot is also donating a percentage of sales from all its boxes to Feeding America.
Try It: purplecarrot.com
9. Fresh and Easy
Why It’s Worth It:
If you’re already familiar with Home Chef’s 30-minute home-cooking meal kit, prepare to be even more charmed by its new Fresh and Easy plan, which aims to make things even simpler. For the time-starved, Fresh and Easy’s meals come pre-portioned, sliced and diced, and ready to go in oven-safe trays, so you just need to pop them in the oven, set a timer, and grab the silverware. Cold options like salads are also in the mix and only need to be assembled and tossed. Cleanup is simpler than ever, and you don’t even have to worry about getting out your cutting board. Meal plans range from servings for two people to family-size options, and you can choose exactly how many meals you want to arrive per week.
Cost: $60 per week for three meals for two people; $119 per week for three meals for four people (prices include shipping). Other options are available on the site.
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “Home Chef’s Fresh and Easy meals are so delicious. There’s so much to choose from, and you can mix and match these family-friendly meals so everyone gets exactly what they want: I can have pad thai, and my husband can have a three-bean ancho chicken chili on the same night, with no actual cooking required. There are plenty of options, and everything arrives neatly with ice packs all around the meals. It’s so easy to pop them in the fridge and then heat them up when you’re ready for a fresh, filling meal.” —Ann
Editor’s Note: Fresh and Easy is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule.
Try It: freshandeasy.com
10. Daily Harvest
Why It’s Worth It:
We like to think of this one as the grown-up, health-conscious version of a Cup O’Noodles because Daily Harvest’s smoothies, soups, oats, and bites all come in cups you can eat right out of. Of course, the cauliflower-and-leek stew, pumpkin-and-chai oat bowl, and—our personal favorite— the cacao-and-avocado smoothie are a far cry from the ramen soup of our college days.
Daily Harvest even has options for breakfast chia bowls, delicious dairy-free ice cream, flat breads, and savory harvest bowls in case you want something a little heartier. The base comes frozen, and all you have to do is add liquid, blend it in the blender, pour it back in the cup, and enjoy. In a move to make its cups more eco-friendly, Daily Harvest has also recently introduced 100% compostable packaging too.
Cost: $6 to $8 per cup
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “I love Daily Harvest! It is a great way to get a healthy meal quickly! Daily Harvest has really helped me stay on track with my nutrition and health goals. So grateful for Daily Harvest.” —Teri
Editor’s Note: Daily Harvest is up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule. The brand is also helping out with COVID-19 relief efforts by hiring chefs who have lost their jobs to make its flatbreads, sending meals to health care professionals, and even partnered with Neil Patrick Harris to donate 400,000 meals to City Harvest.
Try It: daily-harvest.com
11. HelloFresh
Why It’s Worth It:
HelloFresh lets you pick from curated chef boxes, plus vegetarian-friendly and family-style boxes, to create meals ranging in difficulty on a scale of one to three (they’re very low-lift). You can try mahi mahi piccata, garlic-butter shrimp, or even butternut squash agnolotti with kale. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you can set your meal preferences to cut out meat and seafood. You can also pick Fit meals, which are the three most nutritionally dense recipes of the week; Quick meals, which take 30 minutes max to make; or Variety meals, which, HelloFresh explains, feature “recipes that showcase new ingredients and techniques for those craving something different (but still quick and totally doable).” It’s kind of like your own private cooking-skills class.
The meal kits are designed to fit easily in the fridge, which is super convenient. Choose from classic, veggie, or family plans.
Cost: $60 per week for three meals for two people; $96 per week for three meals for four people (prices include shipping). Other options are available on the site.
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “The meals are original and extremely delicious! This is helping me learn not only how to cook, but how to enjoy cooking. I’m thrilled being able to prepare these meals with my husband and our son. Great family bonding time and then a wonderful meal together! Love it!” —Michelle
Editor’s Note: HelloFresh is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule (unless otherwise notified by email). Read the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: hellofresh.com
12. Fresh Direct
Why It’s Worth It:
If there’s a company that knows a thing or two about delivering food to hungry humans, it’s Fresh Direct. This meal service makes it simple to pick up a meal kit while you shop by listing meal kits like any other product on its site. Choose one, select the quantity you want (most meals serve two, some serve a family), then add it to your cart and schedule your delivery. While you’re at it, you can pick out a bunch of other snacks, beverages, and miscellaneous grocery items and add-ons, since Fresh Direct is more of a grocery purveyor than a meal-kit service. Crowd-pleasers include stir-fry and tacos, and the best part is, you can whip up your dinner in as little as 20 minutes—one of the fastest prep times we found. (As you scroll through the available options, Fresh Direct will give you estimates for cook times.)
Cost: $10 and up for one serving; each meal kit serves two.
Availability: Only in the Northeast
Customer Review: “Their food is always fresh and nicely packaged. I love their meal kits and baked goods. They also have many items that you can’t buy at a regular store, and I love the convenience of not going grocery shopping.” —Maria
Editor’s Note: Fresh Direct is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule. The company is also giving back to seniors and low-income families in all five boroughs of New York through an initiative called Operation 5-Borough Food Drive. Each day it sends 400 family-size boxes of food to each borough, free of charge, to be distributed by community-based organizations in the area.
Try It: freshdirect.com
13. Snap Kitchen
Why It’s Worth It:
Austin-based company Snap Kitchen works with dietitians, chefs, and personal trainers to flesh out breakfast, lunch, and dinner options that are delicious and require absolutely zero prep. Pick from high-protein, keto-friendly, Paleo, dairy-free meal kits, and more, then select a calorie goal, from 1,200 calories to 1,800 calories—or choose a flexible build-your-own meal-kit option that lets you dabble.
Everything ships to you in a container with a recyclable plastic lid and compostable bottom, and meals come ready to plate and serve. Most meals require less than 20 minutes in the oven or microwave for reheating, so they’re sort of like an elevated version of television dinners. As an added bonus, all meals are also gluten-free. Popular meal options include chicken chile enchiladas, chimichurri beef, and almond-butter pancakes.
Cost: Depending on what type of meal plan you select, expect to spend between $29 to $39 per day, which includes three meals and two snacks.
Availability: Snap Kitchen is currently available in select states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Customer Review: “I get breakfast and lunch, sometimes a snack as well, five days a week, so that my work week is taken care of and I don’t have to think about what I’m going to be eating. It’s really helpful…. The biggest benefit for me is that it takes away my cravings. I don’t have cravings for sweets or soda anymore. I still have it every now and then, but I don’t go seeking it out in the grocery store.” —Jasmine
Editor’s Note: Snap Kitchen is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule, per the company’s COVID-19 statement, here. The service is also providing meals to health care workers and first responders in New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
Try It: snapkitchen.com
14. Yumble
Why It’s Worth It:
Yumble knows the struggle of getting fussy kids to actually eat their vegetables, or pulling together meals as a working parent (who may be tackling work and childcare at the same time right now), which is why it created a meal-kit service specifically catered to children between the ages of 1 and 12. Founded by Joanna Parker (a mother to three picky eaters), Yumble even consulted nutritionists for its rotating menu of well-balanced kid’s lunches, dinners, and snacks—all filled with regionally sourced fruits and veggies.
Meals include kid-menu favorites like chicken nuggets or mac and cheese with a side of veggies, and there’s even a specialty Picky Eater box to prevent any meltdowns at the dinner table. Yumble sends along boxes weekly with precooked meals so all you have to do is reheat or assemble on a plate when you get home from work. Easy-peasy. The boxes even include activities for kids to do while they eat, like sticker sheets, and table topics, to keep kids engaged during mealtimes.
Cost: $24 per week for six meals to feed one kid; $48 per week for 12 meals to feed two kids (prices include shipping). Other options are available on the site.
Availability: Most of the East Coast, Texas, and parts of the West Coast and Midwest. Enter your zip code on the website to see your delivery options.
Customer Review: “As a pediatrician and mother of three young children, I have been super impressed with Yumble. The food is not only delicious and nutritious, but it covers all food groups and is well balanced in terms of vitamins and nutrients. This is such a priority for my children and patients when it comes to optimization of health and boosting immunity. The price point and convenience are other wonderful benefits.” —Gaby
Editor’s Note: Yumble is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule.
Try It: yumblekids.com
15. Factor
Why It’s Worth It:
Factor’s menu of ready-to-eat meals is constantly evolving. Every week it switches it up with a new rotation of meals: You can pick and choose what you like, or if you want to save time, Factor can personalize your order based on your meal history and taste preferences. The meals come fully prepared, too. All you have to do is pop them into the microwave and enjoy.
You can choose comfort foods (like shepherd’s pie), filling breakfasts (like a sweet potato bowl bursting with veggies), protein-packed snack plates, or healthy dinners (like a garlic Parmesan chicken breast paired with green beans and cherry tomatoes). Factor also offers meals that fit into keto, Paleo, low-carb, plant-based, vegetarian, and high-protein diets. As for ingredients, Factor is very careful about sourcing—only using organic produce, cage- and antibiotic-free eggs and poultry, plus grass-fed/pasture-raised meat. Even its salmon is certified according to the Best Aquaculture Practices.
Cost: $11 to $15 per meal, based on quantity. Plans start at $60 per week for four meals for one person. Other plans are available on the site.
Availability: Nationwide, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
Customer Review: “This type of meal delivery service is what I have wanted for years, and now it’s finally here. They serve a variety of fresh and high-end protein with vegetables. I cut each meal in half and split it between two dinners and am completely satisfied. I have tried many meal delivery services over the past 10 years (perk of living in a tech city), and this is the first that has delivered consistently delicious low-carb meals with high-end animal protein.” —Rebecca
Editor’s Note: Factor is still up and running, and meals are expected to ship out on schedule. Delivery is contact-free, and all of the team members wear gloves while packing orders. Their kitchen undergoes a deep sanitation daily, and all employees undergo a health screen upon arriving to work. See the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: factor75.com
16. Martha & Marley Spoon
Why It’s Worth It:
Berlin-based meal-kit program Marley Spoon partnered with the domestic goddess herself, Martha Stewart, to bring you this curated, pre-portioned meal plan that helps you avoid waste. The concept is pretty straightforward: You decide whether you want to feed two or four people and how many meals you want delivered per week. Twenty-two new recipe options pop up every week, and boxes come with fresh ingredients and colorful recipe cards so you can follow along at home.
Meals are more ambitious than what you might make on the fly at home, but they’re still approachable, from seared steak and kale salad with Parmesan sweet potatoes to lemon-garlic chicken thighs with brussels sprouts and feta pita crisps (don’t worry, there are vegetarian offerings too, like squash-and-kale flatbread with spicy garlic oil). The idea of this meal kit is that no recipe should take longer than 40 minutes to pull together. For those who want an easier dinner fix, there’s even a selection of 30-minute-and-under recipes.
Cost: $48 to 76 per week for a two-person plan; $76 to $139 for a four-person plan.
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “I have been with Martha and Marley for a while now—actually since COVID-19 started and I didn’t want to go to the grocery store. I have always loved to cook, and Martha and Marley are my new best friends. I started off with two meals a week, and now I’m up to four. Every single meal I have cooked deserves five stars. My husband loves the meals. I love the packaging, the recipe cards (I have started a recipe binder!). I love the seasoning packets, the freshness of the food, and that the ice is still frozen when you get your shipment. I’m getting a box today and can’t wait to unpack it. It’s like Christmas once a week.” —Caree
Editor’s Note: Marley Spoon is still up and running, but due to a surge in demand, expect some delays in shipping, changes in delivery days, and a shorter window to edit your upcoming orders. Read Marley Spoon’s letter from the CEO here.
Try It: marleyspoon.com
17. Veestro
Why It’s Worth It: Here’s another plan for people who don’t love to prep and cook. Veestro’s meals are 100% plant-based and made fresh with organic ingredients (with plenty of options for vegans). You can select 10 to 30 meals per week and tailor your menu to suit your needs. Pick and choose your favorites or, if you’re down to dabble, select the Chef’s Choice option to simply receive abox of the most popular meals on Veestro, including tasty selections like breakfast burritos, pasta bolognese, and Spanish tortas. Everything arrives ready to eat with no prep (other than heating) required.
Cost: From $10 per meal, based on quantity. Plans start at $117 per week for 10 meals for one person. Other plans are available on the site.
Availability: Nationwide, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
Customer Review: “The starter pack is delicious. I really love the food. Easy to prepare and very flavorful. I look forward to eating every meal.” —Dorothy
Editor’s Note: Veestro is still up and running and strictly following best practices outlined by the CDC. Orders ship through FedEx, so you may experience some delays. See the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: veestro.com
18. Dinnerly
Why It’s Worth It: And if your primary concern is price point—meal kits do add up over time, after all—there’s also Dinnerly, the meal kit that bills itself as the “affordable meal kit.” The meal delivery service was originally launched in 2018, and is owned and operated by Marley Spoon (so you can expect the same quality food, as they share the same suppliers). Recipes require only a few ingredients, and they’re generally pretty straightforward to prepare, which is a big plus for people who aren’t used to putting together meals for themselves. To keep things simple, you’ll never have to worry about missing a recipe card, since Dinnerly posts all of their instructions online, too.
The meal kit offers a great selection of homestyle meals and comfort foods, like homestyle chicken and biscuits, or herbed pork cutlets served with mash potatoes and gravy. This probably isn’t the kit for you if you’re a vegetarian (since the menu favors protein-heavy meat dishes, even offering protein packs with meat dishes), but there are a few veggie dishes in the mix, including a bean burrito casserole and tahini noodles with broccoli. Not everything needs to be made from scratch, either: Dinnerly also offers ready-made desserts and snacks like macarons and a cheese dip with crostini.
Cost: Unlike other meal kits that cost around $8 to $12 a serving, Dinnerly’s meals start around $5 per serving.
Availability: Most of the contiguous United States
Customer Review: “My husband and I have enjoyed Dinnerly immensely! We are recent empty nesters and I am not very great at just making dinner for two, when for years it was dinner for four. The meals are easy and delicious. The meat is very high quality and I like that each recipe has tips on how to dress up the meal if you want it a bit heartier or more fancy. Best of all, the option to order additional servings for any dish is great! It gives us the freedom to invite our vegetarian daughter out for dinner and know that I have something great to serve her!” —Jenika
Editor’s Note: Dinnerly is still up and running, though due to overwhelming demand, customers may experience some delays in shipping as production schedules change. You’ll also have less time to make changes to your existing order. See the brand’s COVID-19 statement here. Dinnerly donated $25,000 to GENYOUth last year, a nonprofit supporting the delivery of free school lunches to vulnerable students while classrooms and cafeterias were closed due to COVID-19.
Try It: dinnerly.com
19. Little Spoon
Why It’s Worth It: Like Yumble, this meal kit understands that busy parents don’t always have the time to put together nutritious meals for their kids, especially if they’re juggling childcare and working from home these days. While Yumble offers solid foods for toddlers and children, Little Spoon extends their meal plans to the littlest members of our families, and are best known for their range of pureed organic baby food, or “Babyblends,” that read like delicious smoothies: Beet Banana Mango, Pitaya Pineapple Spinach Banana Coconut Oil, and Carrot Mango Coconut Milk Turmeric are just a few of the fruit and veggie blends they offer.
The perks of receiving ready-made baby food are many for a new mom who doesn’t have the time to make her own, and you can rest assured that Little Spoon’s food is of the highest quality for your little one, sourced from organic fruits and veggies, without any preservatives or additives. Each Little Spoon meal plan is personalized, developed with the help of pediatricians and nutritionists, and will adapt to your baby’s needs. Little Spoon takes into account your baby’s developmental history to deliver a selection of curated meals for your baby in each shipment.
The brand also recently expanded into food for toddlers and children, as well, with plenty of “hidden veggies” in each. All of their dishes sound very grown-up, though, and importantly also factor in things that kids love. Meals include chicken potstickers with a quinoa veggie stir fry and edamame, cauli croquettes with veggie millet poppers and carrots, plus a three cheese tortellini with kale pesto.
In case you want to test the waters, following your first box, you can skip, pause, or cancel at any time before Little Spoon’s 6 p.m. EST Saturday cutoff.
Cost: The “babyblends” plan starts at $3 per meal, while “plates” for kids and toddlers start at $5 per meal.
Availability: Nationwide, except Alaska and Hawaii.
Customer Review: “Prior to Little Spoon, I made all of Olivia’s baby food. I wanted to be sure she was getting the best of the best. After being introduced to Little Spoon, I am no longer spending so much time each Sunday making food for the week. Little Spoon comes up with creations that I would have never thought of she has been able to enjoy such a wide variety of foods! Olivia loves Little Spoon, and I love it too! The second she sees her Little Spoon food container she is banging on her tray out of excitement. It almost takes two of us to feed her because she wants to eat it so quickly!” —Olivia
Editor’s Note: Due to increased demand, you may experience delays in your Little Spoon order. Little Spoon has also been dedicated to giving back for COVID-19 relief, and has donated more than 120,000 meals to Feeding America, plus over $15,000 to nonprofit Every Mother Counts for improving maternal health.
Try It: littlespoon.com
20. Hungryroot
Why It’s Worth It: Vegans and vegetarians are well taken care of at Hungryoot, where healthy, plant-based foods are the focus. This one’s more of a one-stop shop for ingredients, pre-packaged snacks, and food stuffs, rather than a cut-and-dried meal plan with a menu. Hungryroot consults chefs and customization experts for its well-stocked array of food that covers pretty much all your bases for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between (like tea time and snack time). There are Hungryroot-branded food staples, and also lots of other grocery items that you’d find in a fancy grocery store.
That includes lots and lots of building blocks for diets that have specific needs or exclusions, from plant-based proteins like Beyond Meat to wheat alternatives like Banza pasta. And if you’re a meat lover or omnivore, don’t feel too left out. Hungryroot also offers a nice selection of wild-caught fish, lunch meats, chicken sausage, patties, and more. Other notable add-ons include a pantry section filled with Pukka teas, Purely Elizabeth granola, and pancake mixes—they really do have everything!
Cost: $69 to $129 for weekly meal plans, plus $6 for shipping.
Availability: Nationwide
Customer Review: “I love the offerings by this company! My children and I have truly enjoyed the dishes so far, and as a working mom, this simplifies things for me when I am running low on time and energy. I care about taste in addition to healthy dishes, and these are delicious and nutritious. The customize option is helpful when you want orders every other week or when you want to request specific dishes. I wish I had subscribed earlier!” —Christine
Editor’s Note: Hungryroot is still up and running, but due to shipping carrier constraints, you may experience some delays in shipping. Read the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: hungryroot.com
21. Butcherbox
Why It’s Worth It: Perhaps you’ve got the regular groceries covered, but want a meal delivery service that will send you premium cuts of meat and fish (without needing to scour your local butcher or fish market). Butcherbox specializes in high-quality, humanely-raised meat and fish that are sourced from farms, fisheries, and pastures which uphold ethical standards for raising livestock: You can choose from free-range organic chicken, fresh-caught seafood, heritage-bred pork, and grass-fed beef. The grass-fed beef comes all the way from Australia, while much of the fish and seafood is wild-caught in the North Atlantic. See more on Butcherbox’s sourcing here.
Currently, the meal delivery service offers four curated boxes—whether you prefer all-beef, or a mix of meats—and a popular Custom Box that includes up to 21 different cuts of your choosing (whew!). Butcherbox packages are packed with dry ice, so they should arrive either partially frozen or refrigerator-cold.
Cost: Pre-curated boxes contain eight to 11 pounds of meat and cost $129, and the custom box contains nine to 14 pounds of meat and costs $149.
Availability: Nationwide, except Alaska and Hawaii
Customer Review: “I have enjoyed ordering my meat from here..especially during the pandemic. They have different package deals you can get with grass fed beef, premium pork, and gourmet chicken breasts for great prices. Good quality and affordable. The shipping is free and it always comes fresh. The New York strips are my favorite! You can get it customized and pick your own products or you can get a surprise box. I love having cookouts and this helps me relax and have a good time and I enjoy it. Convenient! Easy! I will purchase again and I recommend trying it.” —Meg
Editor’s Note: New customer orders might be delayed or waitlisted in order to prioritize existing recurring shipments from Butcherbox members. Due to changes in production, some substitutions may need to be made to existing orders, as well. See the brand’s COVID-19 statement here.
Try It: butcherbox.com
Related:
- The Best Healthy Meal Delivery Services Available in 2021
- 21 Subscription Boxes That’ll Make Your Life a Million Times Easier
- The 12 Best Wine Subscription Services That Deliver Right to Your Door
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