In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging. Meal delivery services offer a convenient solution, providing pre-portioned, ready-to-eat meals that cater to various dietary needs and preferences. This article provides a comprehensive review of several popular meal delivery services, highlighting their pros, cons, and unique features.
CookUnity: Restaurant-Quality Meals at Home
CookUnity stands out for its gourmet-style prepared meals crafted by professional and often award-winning chefs. This service aims to deliver a restaurant-quality experience to your home, with meals arriving fresh and never frozen.
How It Works
Upon signing up, you can set dietary preferences such as gluten-free or sodium-wise to filter meals. CookUnity allows you to choose from four to 16 meals per week, with menus posted two weeks in advance. You can either select your own meals or allow CookUnity to choose for you based on your preferences. Each dish comes with a use-by date and simple heating instructions.
Why We Like It
The quality of the meals is exceptional, with each dish tasting freshly made. Testers have praised the service, noting that the meals are simple to prepare and delicious. One tester commented, "The meals were simple to prepare and absolutely delicious." Another tester raved about getting meals from one of their favorite chefs, Einat Admony, and feeling like they were dining at her restaurant, Balaboosta.
Take Note
Since the meals arrive fresh, they have a shorter shelf life, typically lasting a few days in the fridge. CookUnity's delivery area is still somewhat limited, although it is expanding. While there are plenty of lighter, health-focused options, some meals lean more indulgent or higher in calories, so it's worth checking the nutrition information if that's important to you.
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Cost and Packaging
Meals start at $11, plus $10 for shipping. The insulated box liners and cardboard shipping box can be placed in your home recycling bin.
Availability
CookUnity ships to over 90% of the continental United States.
Daily Harvest: Plant-Based Convenience
Daily Harvest offers a wide variety of vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free meals and snacks, emphasizing sustainable packaging and nutrient-dense ingredients.
How It Works
Daily Harvest has expanded its lineup to include an impressive variety of plant-based meals, such as harvest bowls, soups, pasta dishes, and snack bites. Everything is vegan, gluten-free, and largely organic, made from high-quality ingredients designed for simple, nutritious eating. You can easily manage your orders online or through their app, choosing anywhere from nine to 26 items per week. Additionally, you can now purchase Daily Harvest products at retailers such as Target, Kroger, and Costco.
Why We Like It
The brand's balance of convenience with real flavor and freshness stands out, even though all meals arrive frozen. The savory pastas have become a favorite in my household, and testers also raved about the smoothies and snack bites. One tester noted, "Despite being frozen, the food tastes really fresh." Favorites included the mint cacao smoothie, dark chocolate protein smoothie, white bean and spinach pesto, and the broccoli "cheeze" bowl. Another tester summed it up perfectly, "I would order it for the smoothies alone. So easy to have everything together and so delicious." Bonus points to Daily Harvest for its commitment to sustainable packaging.
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Take Note
Portions here tend to be lighter, with some meals feeling more like snacks or sides than full entrees. The frozen delivery offers flexibility, but you'll need enough freezer space to store your weekly order. It's also worth mentioning that following a 2022 recall involving their French Lentil & Leek Crumbles, Daily Harvest revamped its ingredient vetting process and discontinued the use of novel ingredients, such as tara flour.
Cost and Packaging
Menu items range from $6.49 to $10.99, with a flat shipping rate of $9.99. The box, liner and divider are curbside recyclable.
Availability
Delivery is available in the continental United States, and Daily Harvest products can also be found in grocers nationwide, including Target.
Factor: Keto-Friendly and Calorie-Conscious Options
Factor offers innovative and flavorful keto-friendly options, with a large selection of weekly rotating dishes and complimentary consultation with a dietitian.
How It Works
Factor offers several plans, including Keto, Low Carb, High Protein, Calorie Smart (under 550 calories), Fiber Filled, GLP-1 Support, and Flexitarian. You can choose between six and 18 meals per week, plus optional add-ons like smoothies, snacks, and desserts. The registered dietitians and chefs design dishes, and there's an option to book a complimentary nutrition consultation, which I found surprisingly helpful.
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Why We Like It
The variety of the menu is impressive, especially for low-carb and keto meals. It doesn't feel repetitive, which is something I've run into with other services. Favorites of mine included the southwestern-style turkey and mac, ginger teriyaki salmon, and gluten-free shredded chicken and pesto creamed spinach tortellini. One tester noted, "Microwaving didn't compromise the texture or taste-everything heated nicely," and I had the same experience. I also appreciated the optional add-ons, such as smoothies, juices, and high-protein snacks, which helped make my week more complete.
Take Note
While the convenience and flavor are strong, some meals are high in fat and sodium (especially in the keto category), so it's worth reading the nutrition labels if you're keeping an eye on those. There are also limited meat-free and dairy-free options, so this isn't the service for those who are exclusively vegan.
Cost and Packaging
Meals range from $11 to $13, with shipping costing $11 per delivery. Boxes and insulation are curbside recyclable.
Availability
Factor delivers in the contiguous United States.
Trifecta: Macro-Focused Meal Plans
Trifecta caters to health and fitness enthusiasts with prepared meal subscriptions designed with specific macro goals in mind.
How It Works
The service features premium ingredients, including grass-fed beef and wild-caught seafood, with meal plans tailored to specific macro goals, such as keto, paleo, and GLP-1-friendly dishes. You can select your own dishes or let Trifecta's chefs choose for you, and dishes average between 350 and 550 calories. Meals arrive vacuum-sealed and are good for six to 10 days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to three months. Add-ons, such as breakfasts and meal-prep proteins, are also available.
Why We Like It
Trifecta makes it easy to stay on track when you're trying to stick to a specific nutrition plan. I found the app surprisingly helpful for logging meals and syncing with fitness goals (it's beneficial if you're tracking macros or trying to build muscle or lose fat). The portions felt balanced and satisfying, and testers agreed. One person said, "The convenience is nice, and the meals are healthy, which is a hard combination to get." Another noted the meals were "well balanced" and appreciated the variety across keto and paleo plans. Being able to add-on proteins like grass-fed burgers, steak, and more was a game-changer for meal prep during the week.
Take Note
While the nutrition quality is solid, the meals aren't the most flavorful I've tried, and some felt bland or didn't reheat as well as I'd hoped. Add-on proteins, such as burgers and steak, held up much better after reheating, which made a significant difference for me when meal prepping. Still, if your main goal is performance or meal consistency, Trifecta delivers on that front.
Cost and Packaging
Meals are about $16 each, with a flat rate $9.99 shipping fee for all states except Alaska and Hawaii (AK and HI ship for $49.99). The plastics are all 100% recyclable, as well as the ClimaCell panels.
Availability
Trifecta delivers everywhere in the United States including Alaska and Hawaii.
BistroMD: Doctor-Designed for Health Goals
BistroMD was developed by a medical doctor to provide meal plans tailored to specific health goals like weight loss, diabetes management, heart health, and menopause support.
How It Works
They also offer gluten-free, keto-flex, and vegan options. Meals are chef-prepared, fresh, and then frozen for delivery. All you need to do is heat them for five minutes or less and enjoy. You can view full nutrition details for every meal when ordering. You start by choosing a meal plan that aligns with your health goals, such as the Signature, Diabetic, Heart-Healthy, or Menopause programs. Then, select your weekly menu from over 150 options, including breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. Meals are prepared by professional chefs, flash-frozen for freshness, and delivered to your door in insulated packaging. Once they arrive, all that’s left to do is heat and eat.
Why We Like It
The meals are designed by dietitians to be balanced and focused on nutrition, with most dishes keeping sodium low and calories in check. The Heart Healthy program was a special standout, with meals that have good fiber, low saturated fat and added sugar, and mainly use olive oil. Testers appreciated how filling the meals were despite moderate calorie counts, with favorites like salmon and BBQ beef making healthy eating more enjoyable. "Good quality of food, interesting variety, and good taste," one tester said. "Plus, I actually lost weight." If the standard plans don't suit you, BistroMD's dietitians can create a customized program just for you.
Take Note
Some of the meals were a bit bland but provided specific macronutrients. And because meals are frozen after fresh preparation, you’ll need freezer space to store them. And there is a minimum of 10 meals per week for delivery.
Cost and Packaging
Meals cost $10.99 to $14.99 per meal, plus a $19.95 shipping fee. Entrees arrive in a 100% post-consumer recycled shipping box with dry ice and a biodegradable, eco-friendly liner for insulation.
Availability
BistroMD delivers to the contiguous United States.
Sakara Life: Plant-Based Wellness
Sakara Life is a premium prepared meal delivery service rooted in wellness and designed around nourishing, fresh ingredients.
How It Works
Every dish is plant-based and gluten-free, making it ideal for those following a vegan lifestyle or hoping to incorporate more whole foods into their diet without the hassle of preparation or planning. Sakara used to offer more variety, but now centers around two main structured programs:
- Signature Nutrition Program: offers breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner for three to five days a week.
- Level II Detox: more intensive five-day reset with a set menu, teas, supplements, and wellness guidance.
Seasonal and limited-edition programs occasionally pop up-like the Radiant Refresh Program, which I'm currently enjoying-designed to jumpstart healthy habits or reinvigorate your routine. Meals arrive fully prepared and ready to eat or heat, making it incredibly easy to stay on track with nutritious eating, even during busy weeks.
Why We Like It
The meals genuinely feel like something you'd be served at a luxury wellness retreat. It's heavy on fresh salads, but also includes innovative stews, noodle bowls, chili, and even creative takes on comfort food classics, such as gluten-free focaccia, donuts, waffles, and enchiladas. What surprised me most was not just how flavorful everything was, but how filling the meals were, even without meat. Testers agreed, with one saying, "The food was delicious and I felt full the entire day with the three meals. They were vegan and flavorful, and I didn't miss any meat at all." Everything is very carefully packaged, too, with greens kept separate from salad toppings, for instance, so nothing gets soggy. "The packaging was done right; I could tell a lot of thought went into packaging each item," another tester noted.
Take Note
Sakara is one of the most expensive options, designed for those seeking a high-end, structured meal plan. You'll be committing to a set weekly menu with limited flexibility, making it less ideal for customization. That said, testers and I never found the meals repetitive, but one or two dishes included ingredients I'm not a fan of (looking at you, olives), and with no way to swap them out, that felt like a bit of a miss given the price point. Still, if you're looking for a premium, no-effort way to eat well and feel great, Sakara does deliver and feels like an investment in your health.
Cost and Packaging
Programs start at $140 per week, with meals averaging between $22 and $34. All packaging (boxes, liners and meal containers) are 100% curbside recyclable.
Availability
Delivery is available to all cities within the contiguous United States.
Splendid Spoon: Plant-Based and Ready-to-Eat
Splendid Spoon offers a low-effort way to eat more plant-based meals during the week, with a menu that is 100% vegan, gluten-free, and made without artificial sweeteners.
How It Works
The meals arrive fully prepared and frozen-just heat and eat. You can choose six, 12, or 18 meals per order, and there's a wide menu to pick from, including smoothies, soups, grain bowls, and noodle dishes. I appreciated being able to filter by goals, such as high-protein or low-sugar.
Why We Like It
Take Note
Lighter fare. No fresh salads or sandwiches
Cost and Packaging
Availability
Meal Kits: A Broader Perspective
While prepared meal delivery services offer convenience, meal kits provide a balance between convenience and cooking. Several meal kit services are available, each with its unique offerings.
EveryPlate: Affordable and Family-Friendly
EveryPlate focuses on providing fresh produce and high-quality proteins at an affordable price. Each standard meal is $5.99 per serving, and the plans are customizable for households of two, four, or six people, with options for three, four, or five meals per week. EveryPlate does an amazing job of providing fresh produce and high-quality proteins without excess packaging to minimize waste.
- Ease of ordering: Simple to set up and order for each week, with a marketplace and add-on options.
- Flavor and fullness: No need to add additional seasoning or spices, and almost always had leftovers.
- Sustainability: Packaging can be recycled.
HelloFresh: A Traditional Meal Kit Experience
HelloFresh has been on the market since 2012 and is known for its fun and flavorful recipes. The instructions are easy to follow, and the food arrives in good shape. HelloFresh is ideal for those who’ve surpassed the boiling water stage in their cooking career but would like to (easily) up their game.
- Ease of Use: Create an account, choose your cadence of meals, fill your box each week, and it gets delivered.
- Flavor and Fullness: The meal kits are very easy to use and come with all the flavors you will need, except salt and pepper (which I added to most meals). They always yielded more than enough for leftovers and the meals themselves were hearty and filling.
- Sustainability: HelloFresh does use packaging to separate meals and most ingredients, including plastic. You can recycle the box and the ice, but not everything.
Home Chef: Customizable and Convenient
Home Chef operates on a weekly menu schedule, with the ability to add meals to your box and then choose a delivery date. The meals come in their own packaging, with ingredients separated out for ease (although this does mean more plastic waste for those trying to cut back) and proteins stored on ice packs.
- Ease of ordering: Simple to set up and order for each week, but do note the add-ons.
- Prep, cook, and cleanup time: Takes between 15 and 50 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what the recipe estimates.
- Flavor and fullness: Thumbs-up when taking into account how satisfied I was after each meal and whether I needed to alter recipes in any way to make them taste better.
- Sustainability: Not all meal kits are eco-friendly or use sustainable practices.
Dinnerly: Simple and Affordable
Dinnerly sends fresh ingredients and simple recipes to your door weekly. The menu rotates and offers an impressive 100-plus to choose from, with options for carnivores and vegetarians. Each recipe has only six steps or fewer, making it easy to follow and a great option for families who want to cook together.
- Ease of ordering: Simple to set up and order for each week.
- Flavor and fullness: Never needed extra seasonings, and only had to use my own ketchup or mustard once or twice. Everything was filling and I typically had leftovers.
- Sustainability: Pretty sustainable, and they now send paper recipes.
Factor: Health-Conscious and Pre-Portioned
Factor is a great meal kit option for those who want health-conscious, pre-portioned meals in a snap. The meals arrive on ice and can be immediately eaten or refrigerated for later.
- Ease of ordering: One of the easiest kits to order, as they are all single size and you do not need to worry about meal prep or planning.
- Prep, cook, and cleanup time: There is zero prep and zero cleanup, so all you need is two minutes and a microwave to enjoy.
- Flavor and fullness: Flavors are pretty good, especially for pre-cooked food. Some meals are more filling than others, like those with steak or pasta, while others are lighter and may require some snacks.
- Sustainability: If done right, Factor can be very sustainable. The box and ice packs can be broken down and recycled and if you rinse out the tray of all food particles after eating, so can the package and cardboard sleeve, leaving only one piece of plastic to throw away.
Marley Spoon: Martha Stewart's Gourmet Option
Marley Spoon is a gourmet option that provides fresh and seasonal ingredients with some of Martha Stewart’s own recipes.
- Ease of ordering: Simple to set up and order for each week. They also offer pre-made meals, add-ons and other fun items on the menu, so be sure to take a look whenever you visit the site.
- Prep, cook and cleanup time: Takes between 30 and 60 minutes per meal, sometimes longer than what the recipe estimates.
- Sustainability: Meals are relatively sustainable, but they do use plastic wrappings and containers to separate ingredients.
Blue Apron: Variety and Flavor
Blue Apron offers a variety of recipe offerings that rotate every week, with options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and even desserts.