So, what’s the best prepared meal delivery service for you? The answer will depend on what you want from your food—whether you’re looking for the best value, the most options, or the healthiest ingredients. Here are the best heat-and-eat delivery meal services for every type of customer.
Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services of 2022
Best Overall: Freshly Best Value: Daily Harvest Best Variety: CookUnity Best Gluten-Free: Epicured Best for Keto: Factor Best Vegan: Mosaic Best Organic: Sprinly Best for Weight Loss: bistroMD Best for Seniors: Magic Kitchen Best Allergy-Friendly: The Good Kitchen
Pros and Cons
Overview
Freshly offers a large menu of fresh, already-prepared, single-serving meals and focuses on nutritionally dense, unprocessed ingredients. Menus change weekly so there’s always something new to try, but dishes rotate throughout the year, so you can revisit favorites if you like. The entrées can be reheated in the microwave (which lets you get them on the table in about five minutes), on the stovetop, or in an oven, depending on your preference. Freshly’s site also allows customers to narrow their options by a wide variety of dietary restrictions—there are gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, calorie-conscious, and low-carb meals—and lists the ingredients in every dish. In addition to its large menu, the company also offers a wide variety of subscription plans. You can choose anywhere from four to 12 meals per week, and you can modify the size of your shipment from week to week, so you can easily customize the plan to suit your needs. While the menus skew toward hot lunches and dinners, there are also a few breakfast options every week as well as additional servings of protein that you can add to meals. Much of the packaging is also recyclable.
Pricing and Plans
4 meals per week: $50.00 5 meals per week: $62.00 6 meals per week: $68.00 7 meals per week: $75.00 8 meals per week: $83.00 9 meals per week: $92.00 10 meals per week: $100.00 11 meals per week: $108.00 12 meals per week: $115.00 Note: Breakfasts are add-ons at $7.99 to $8.99 per item but count toward the 12-item maximum.
Meals We Tried
Asian-style chicken and noodlesSteak peppercornThai green curryPork chile Colorado
Pros and Cons
Overview
Daily Harvest’s stated goal is to get people to eat more fruit and vegetables, and the meals—which are all vegan—are packed with nutritious ingredients. The company offers a few different kinds of meals, ranging from smoothies to harvest bowls to flatbreads to soups, as well as nut “mylks,” vegan ice cream, and sweet “bites” that resemble frozen cookie dough. Items are priced individually, so once you decide how many you’d like per week, you can choose as many smoothies, oat bowls, or flatbreads as you like and monitor your costs as you go. The foods arrive frozen (the company specifies that this is to preserve the ingredients’ nutritional value) and require minimal work to prepare: Smoothies have to be pureed in a blender, and some items have to be heated in a conventional oven, but many meals can simply be heated in the microwave.
Pricing and Plans
Lattes: $5.99Forager Bowls: $6.79Mylk & Bites: $7.99Smoothies & Soups: $8.49Scoops: $8.99Harvest Bowls & Flatbreads: $9.79Harvest Bake: $11.99
9-11 items: $5 discount12-23 items: $10 discount24-26 items: $25 discount
Meals We Tried
Mint and cacao smoothieMango papaya smoothieHazelnut and chocolate bitesTomatillo and pepper flatbreadPortobello and pesto flatbreadSweet potato and wild rice hashBrussels sprouts and tahini harvest bowlSpinach and shiitake gritsTomato and zucchini minestrone soup
Pros and Cons
Overview
This is a different kind of meal delivery service, falling somewhere between restaurant takeout and mail order. CookUnity calls itself a “chef collective,” and the meals are designed by over 70 different chefs all across the country. This means that you could order a box that includes authentic Chinese dumplings alongside tacos and a niçoise salad. There are also seasonal and regional offerings. The menu varies by region, but you can narrow your options by dietary preference and even your preferred proteins. You can also see nutritional information, heating instructions, a star rating, and the chef’s profile before ordering each dish.
Pricing and Plans
4 meals per week: $54.366 meals per week: $73.748 meals per week: $93.5212 meals per week: $134.2816 meals per week: $177.44
*Some specials include an added cost.
Meals We Tried
Coconut lime hanger steakCarnitas street tacosButternut squash ravioliChili roasted shrimp
Pros and Cons
Overview
Unlike other meal delivery services that offer gluten-free options, Epicured is designed specifically for customers who can’t tolerate gluten and those with other health-related restrictions. The company’s chefs work with a nutritionist to design foods that accommodate specific dietary needs. While all dishes are gluten free and low FODMAP, you can also filter the menu to accommodate other health restrictions, such as GERD friendly or low in saturated fats or sodium. There are also vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian options, and you can filter out a wide variety of allergens. Menu items also allow you to specify your preferred proteins. If you don’t want to pick individual dishes, you can choose themed bundles, like a brunch bundle or a “freezer favorites” bundle.
Pricing and Plans
Order individual dishes or bundlesPrices for entrées range from $14 to $25 per serving, and individual items can vary depending on the protein selectedBundles range from $90 to $210, depending on the number and style of items
Meals We Tried
Vietnamese rice noodles (vegetarian)Pad Thai with chickenSesame-crusted grilled salmonPulled BBQ chicken
Pros and Cons
Overview
If you’re looking for a good variety of keto-friendly meals or other kinds of healthy meals, Factor (also known as Factor 75) is an ideal service. When you sign up, you can specify the kind of meals you’re looking for—whether they’re keto, calorie smart, vegan, or “protein plus” (or even a combination of these things)—and your menu options will be narrowed accordingly. Nearly half of the weekly menu options are specifically keto-friendly, and options change weekly. Factor also offers a wide range of plan choices, from four to 16 meals per week, and a long list of optional add-ons. While the primary meals are all hot dishes geared toward lunch and dinner, the add-ons include breakfasts, smoothies, juices, desserts, and extras like additional servings of protein and salads. So, if you’re looking to fill out your entire day, you can base your meal plan around your lunches and dinners, then add on the rest.
Pricing and Plans
4 meals per week: $606 meals per week: $778 meals per week: $9910 meals per week: $119.9012 meals per week: $13818 meals per week: $198
Meals We Tried
Mango salsa salmon with coconut rice and black beansCreamy Parmesan chicken with broccoli and tomatoesVegetable ratatouille with mascarpone polenta (vegetarian)Smoked tofu almond stir-fry with edamame succotash (vegan)
Pros and Cons
Overview
Mosaic is a relative newcomer to the prepared meal delivery space, so it’s still growing (and has a more limited delivery area at the moment), but so far has received a lot of well-earned buzz. The company’s goals are to help people eat more plant-based diets and combat food waste by preserving meals and ingredients by freezing everything at its peak. Meal options include oat bowl breakfasts, smoothies, soups, pizzas, veggie bowls, and “family meals” designed to feed four—which makes it easier to feed a family on its plans. Mosaic has also collaborated with well-known chefs on some of its specials. Items are priced by type, so once you pick the number of meals you want per week, you can add whatever you like; larger orders come with discounts.
Pricing and Plans
Smoothies: $7.99Pizzas: $11.99Veggie bowls: $9.99Soups: $8.99Oat bowls: $5.99Mosaic+ chef-crafted meals: $11.99Family meals (4 servings): $19.95
12 items: free shipping18 items: free shipping + $10 off
Meals We Tried
Spicy dan dan noodlesBuffalo cauliflower pasta bake (family size)Mac and greensPozole verdeVeggie kebab platterCoconut chickpea curry
Pros and Cons
Overview
This vegan, gluten-free meal service is not certified organic, but the company uses almost entirely organic ingredients (they specify they only buy non-organic “in extreme cases”). Sprinly works with a nutritionist and a doctor specializing in plant-based foods to design its meals with an eye to maximum nutrition. While the weekly options are fairly limited, the menu changes frequently and includes salads and other non-cooked items that many other meal delivery services avoid. Meals are intended for lunches and dinner—dishes include gluten-free pasta, hearty soups, vegan chile, falafel, and other comfort foods—and can be reheated in about three minutes. While the menu doesn’t allow customers to sort out allergens, all the ingredients in each dish are listed on the site.
Pricing and Plans
6 meals per week: $109 12 meals per week: $19918 meals per week: $289
Meals We Tried
Citrus detox salad with beets and fresh orangesRoasted tahini “butter” sweet potatoes with red rice and sweet lemon kaleRoyal beet medallions with ancient quinoa and greensKenko spiralized vegetable bowl with tofu and& shiitakePasta primavera with gluten-free pasta and cashew “parm”Mac and “cheese” with steamed broccoli
Pros and Cons
Overview
This meal service has been popular with dieters for years, and we can see why. BistroMD offers a stunning range of options–over 150 different dishes—to help people lose weight easily. Programs can be customized for other health conditions, so customers can also choose gluten-free meals or diabetes-friendly meals, and there are dozens of snack option add-ons to help customers stay on their diets throughout the day. You can choose a “full program,” which includes three meals a day, or just lunches and dinners, and whether you want five or seven days’ worth of food each week. The seven-day program only has six dinners.
Pricing and Plans
7-day full program (7 breakfasts and lunches, 6 dinners): $164.855-day full program (5 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners): $140.517-day lunches and dinners (7 lunches and dinners): $141.645-day lunches and dinners (5 lunches and dinners): $112.43
Meals We Tried
Chicken, rice, and cheddar casseroleSalmon with dill mustard sauceTurkey breaks with cranberry apple chutneyOven-fried catfish with spicy tomato leek sauceBaked pasta marinara with chicken sausageMeatloaf with honey bourbon glazeMojo pork with black beans and riceChicken pad ThaiGrilled salmon with creamy pestoLasagna with garden marinara
Pros and Cons
Overview
While seniors can, of course, make use of any meal delivery service, Magic Kitchen makes the process as smooth and easy as possible with multiple ways to sign up or reach out for customer assistance. Magic Kitchen will even work directly with insurance and Medicare for qualifying customers. Dishes can be ordered à la carte or in set meals that include a main and sides (instead of the all-in-one grain bowls popular in many other services), and all are easy to store and prepare. Customers can also select their entrées themselves or simply opt for recurring packages—a big bonus for caregivers or those who don’t want to have to deal with a website or app every week. You can also sort by diabetic-friendly, dialysis-friendly, portion-controlled, renal diet, gluten- or dairy-free, low-fat, low-sodium, low-carb, or vegetarian menus.
Pricing and Plans
À la carte options (two servings each) range from $9.99 for potpies to $49.99 for crab cakesSenior meal “trial packs” include 15 meals for $157.50Plans and pricing varies by selection
Meals We Tried
Vegetable caponata with orzo and spinachBeef and broccoli over noodles and vegetable blendBalsamic glazed chicken with roasted potatoes and green beansChili with beans, with carrots and broccoli florets
Pros and Cons
Overview
Like many of the best prepared healthy meal delivery services, The Good Kitchen’s primary focus is using high-quality, whole foods from sustainable sources, using products like grass-fed and non-GMO meats. But unlike many other services, the Good Kitchen goes beyond the more typical dietary restrictions, allowing customers to remove not only standard allergens but also foods like nightshades and garlic from their orders. You can also select your preferred protein. These factors make the plan ideal for people with common allergies and those with more subtle food sensitivities. It’s also helpful for those doing Whole30 diets or reintroducing foods after an elimination diet. Menus change weekly, and the meals are designed to suit lunch and dinner.
Pricing and Plans
Subscriptions options: one box only or delivery every one, two, or four weeks 6 meals per box: $89.88 (or $98.87 for one-time delivery)8 meals per box: $117.60 (or $129.36 for one-time delivery)10 meals per box: $143.33 (or $157.66 for one-time delivery)12 meals per week: $163.80 (or $180.18 for one-time delivery)
Meals We Tried
Beef shepherd’s pieBison and beef sloppy joe with potato leek gratinChicken satay with cilantro rice and broccoliChili lime chicken with fajita vegetables and cilantro cauliflower riceMiso glazed wild boar meatballs and hibachi zucchiniTomato, asparagus, and spinach frittata with Yukon potato hash
