November 2, 2024

Things 4 My Space

Professional Health

The Best Meal Delivery Services For Every Diet & Preference

If wondering what’s for dinner has become your new nightly routine — leading to an hour of indecision at the grocery store or flipping through a stack of takeout menus — it’s time to make a change. While the lofty goal of weekend meal prepping sounds appealing, it can be hard to make it a reality with family, work and social schedules to balance. But the best meal delivery services make it easy to count on a fresh, tasty meal any night of the week — and they might cost less than you think.

Having pre-made, frozen or fresh meals delivered to your doorstep is a time and sanity-saver for anyone. And with shopping for groceries now a major undertaking, involving proper PPE, social distancing and, in many cases, less robust food selections, the added convenience of a meal delivery service is doubly beneficial.

Regardless of your dietary needs and preferences, there is a meal delivery service for you. Vegan, paleo and keto diets are well-represented, as are specialty options for kids, seniors, weight loss or anyone looking for a hard reset to their diet with a 3-day detox, too. Here are some of the best meal delivery services out there right now — find the one that’s right for you and your dining companions and enjoy healthful, tasty food anytime.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Breakfasts

Daily Harvest

Breakfast is the most important of the meal day— m ake sure you start yours right with a breakfast delivery service, like Daily Harvest. Most well-known for their blender-ready smoothie cups, Daily Harvest also offers other options that are perfect for fueling your morning, like oatmeal with fresh fruits and superfoods, chia bowls or ready-to-heat hash bowls.

Daily Harvest stands out for its use of whole fruits and vegetables, along with its creative flavor profiles. Unique options like a Mulberry & Dragon Fruit Oat Bowl or Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Hash will give your morning routine a wake-up.


Best Budget Meal Delivery Service

Freshly 

While the concept of prepared meal deliveries might seem like a luxury, thanks to Freshly, you can take advantage of the opportunity to have high-quality, fresh meals delivered to your doorstep for less than the price of take-out lunch.

Freshly offers prepared meal services for as low as $8.99 when you sign up for their subscription service. You’ll be hard-pressed to become bored with the options, since the menu rotates weekly and includes more than 30 appetizing options. Freshly adds new dishes too, like the K-Town Pork and Purple Sticky Rice. It’s worth noting that all recipes are also gluten-free (Freshly is a certified gluten-free food service according to the Gluten Intolerance Group). Whether or not gluten is a sticking point for you, you’ll love the savory recipes cooked up by Freshly’s culinary team, like Golden Oven-Fried Chicken & Mash and Steak Peppercorn with Sautéed Carrots & French-Style Green Beans.

One unique thing about Freshly meal delivery service is the fact that every meal arrives fresh, not frozen. Just heat and eat is the company’s motto. Of course, you can freeze the individually vacuum-sealed trays if you don’t plan to eat the meals right away.


Best Gourmet Meal Delivery Service

Home Bistro

Splurge on restaurant-quality meals with Home Bistro, a leading gourmet prepared meal delivery service. Far from a generic TV dinner, these culinary creations feature upscale selections. For a case in point, Home Bistro offers this savory dish: Lemon-Caper Picata Steak with Roasted Garlic Marble Potatoes and Tunisian Cauliflower Gratin with a Chermoula Sauce. It’s a mouthful to say but a delight to savor.

You can order meals a la carte, with prices ranging from about $13 for vegetarian selections to $23 for meat-based fare. Many of the available meal bundles from Home Bistro will yield some savings, with the average price per meal hovering around $18. While it’s pricier than other prepared meal services, think of it as fine dining from the comfort of your home — a welcome idea in the time of uncertainty and various ordinances regarding restaurant dining during COVID-19.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Vegetarians

Veestro

Power up your plant-based diet with a little help from Veestro, which only offers organic, non-GMO, plant-based meals. You won’t be missing meat with the diverse and tasty menu from this prepared meal service for vegetarians—options like Enchilada Casserole, Pasta Bolognese and Pad Thai are all customer favorites for their rich, hearty flavors.

Veestro makes it easy to filter meals for your specific dietary needs, like high-protein, gluten-free or soy-free. You can pick bundles of 10, 20, or 30 meals — with pricing ranging from about $10 to $12 with recurring delivery. You can pause or cancel at any time, but if you opt for one-time shipping, you’ll pay a few bucks more per meal.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Keto

Factor_

Formerly known as Factor75, Factor_ is a popular prepared meal service for anyone serious about committing to a ketogenic diet or looking to streamline their weekly meal prep routine. Factor_ offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options to make it easy to stick with your food and fitness goals. You can also order keto-friendly snacks, desserts and shakes to introduce variety in your eating routine.

The ordering process is simple: select from 4 to 12 meals per week, then pick out any additional items you’re craving (peanut butter chocolate cheesecake, anyone?). Prices range between $10 and $15 per entrée, depending on how many meals you order for the week. You can also pause or cancel your subscription any time.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Kids

Nurture Life

If you’re a busy parent, you may often feel like there is never enough time in the day. Buy back a few hours with prepared meals for your children that you know are healthy and nutritious. Nurture Life is a meal delivery service designed for little ones that is adaptable for babies up to age 14. It’s worth noting that the recipes are developed by dietitians and chefs for well-balanced nutrition that also will appeal to a kid’s taste buds. Hidden veggies make a frequent appearance in Nurture Life meals, making it easier to ensure that your child is eating a balanced diet.

Available a la carte or on a subscription basis, you can choose meals based on your child’s age and preferences. There are also cold lunch options that solve mid-week packed lunch dilemmas. Nurture Life ranges from about $7 to $11, with family meal options also available for $12.99 per dish.


Best Vegan Meal Delivery Service

MamaSezz

Make it easier to stick with a plant-based diet by treating yourself to the delicious and unique vegan recipes of MamaSezz. This meal delivery service specializes in vegan offerings and serves up tasty options like Gardener’s Pie — a plant-based version of shepherd’s pie with all of the comfort and none of the meat. You can order family style meals a la carte or select a bundle. Each pre-made dish has 3 to 5 servings, which is ideal for couples or families looking for prepared vegan meals. Or, stash the leftovers for lunch the next day. Either way, MamaSezz is an easy, healthy way to have vegan meals delivered to your doorstep.


Best Paleo Meal Delivery Service

Pete’s Paleo

For an easier way to eat clean, consider a paleo meal delivery service like Pete’s Paleo. The company offers a rotating menu of organic paleo meals that are big on flavor and freshness and make the most of in-season ingredients. You’ll find palate pleasers like Spicy Skirt Steak with Kale, Shallots and Fingerling Potatoes or Chicken Chili over Black Rice.

The meals are available individually for around $16 per meal, with or without a regular subscription delivery. Opting for a subscription plan lets you tweak the meals to your liking, with options for double protein, an extra side, etc. The meals are great options for lunch or dinner, but you can also access Pete’s Paleo breakfast options if you opt for the ‘New You’ bundle, which includes all 3 meals for the day.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Variety

Real Eats

Real Eats makes it real easy to enjoy a variety of fresh, flavorful meals with minimal effort. Each vacuum packed meal simply needs to be boiled “sous-vide” style, or can be popped out of its packaging and into the microwave for a quicker heat-and-eat option. The food pouches are 100 percent food-safe and BPA-free.

Scanning the menu, you’ll find at least a dozen options for lunch and dinner, including three Chef’s Selection meals and 9 seasonal menu items. Round out your meals with a variety of nutritious and appetizing breakfast options, like Baked Blueberry Oatmeal with Maple Cream or Hearty Roasted Breakfast Hash (perfect for brunch). Or you can order protein and sides a la carte, giving you a chance to craft your own meals — while someone else does the cooking.

Real Eats is also unique in that it offers a wide variety of add-ons, such as smoothies, snack bars, cheese, hummus and more. This meal delivery service keeps its eye on quality and variety and delivers everything you need for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks — just supply your own beverage of choice (or check out these beer delivery services to put your libations on autopilot, too).  


Best Meal Delivery Service For Seniors

Magic Kitchen 

It can be a challenge for seniors to meet nutritional goals, and sometimes cooking for one or two is just not efficient or practical. While not exclusively a prepared meal service for seniors, Magic Kitchen does offer heat-and-eat meals that are a great fit for the golden years. These options offer low-sodium meals that have been created by a dietitian with the nutritional needs of seniors in mind.

Don’t expect to see only basic and bland meals on the menu here. Options like Beef Bourguignon and Chicken Cheese Enchilada with Tomatillo Sauce add exciting variety. There are also breakfast meals available, along with some sweet selections for dessert. In addition to senior-specific meals, Magic Kitchen also offers diabetic-friendly options, renal diet options, portion-controlled meals, gluten-free options and more. You can order a la carte, or choose to order complete meals with a main dish and one or two sides.  


Best Meal Delivery Service For Weight Loss

BistroMD

Jump start your weight loss routine by planning out every meal the easy way. BistroMD offers meals designed by a dietitian to support your weight loss goals and caters to specific needs like gluten-free, diabetic-friendly and heart-healthy. A menu plan for women experiencing menopause supports the unique needs of this life stage with well-balanced nutrition. There are more than 150 recipes in total available each week, making it easy to stick with the eating plan without becoming bored.

The full program is the easiest way to eliminate guesswork from your meal planning and includes breakfast and lunch for 7 days, and dinner for 6 days —treat yourself to a favorite meal one night a week. You can also opt to receive just lunch and dinners for either 5 or 7 days. BistroMD is a recurring subscription model, but you can pause or cancel at any time. Registered dietitians create a meal plan based on your needs, goals, and preferences. You’re not left out of the loop, though — you can approve or remove meals from your menu rotation at any time.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Families

The Good Kitchen

With an emphasis on farm-to-table cooking and sustainability, The Good Kitchen (TGK) aims to do good for your family and the environment. Right away, you’ll notice TGK offers appealing meals like Chili Lime Chicken Wings and Sloppy Joe with Herb Roasted Potatoes that will please even picky eaters in the family. However, many meals are paleo and even Whole 30 compliant, making it easy to match your dietary needs with the ready-to-go options from TGK.

If you’re on the fence, you can try The Good Kitchen’s Sample Pack, which includes 5 meals for $72. From there, opt for bundle packs or a subscription plan — both of which will offer additional savings. Depending on how many meals you need, expect to pay between $11 and $14 per meal. Subscription deliveries ship for free and arrive weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. You can also pause or cancel anytime.


Best Gluten-Free Meal Delivery Service

Epicured

Many prepared meal services include gluten-free options, but Epicured insists upon it. The entire menu is gluten-free and low FODMAPS, and there’s even a menu available for individuals with extra sensitive digestive tracts. Prices are on par with many restaurant entrees, but these high-quality meals come straight to your door and can eliminate dinnertime woes over finding tasty, gluten-free options.

Epicured is a great meal service for people with IBS, Crohn’s, Colitis or Celiac and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. While these conditions can often limit the availability of ready-to-eat meals, you need don’t need to forgo convenience anymore with the help of Epicured. You also won’t be short-changed on taste, since Epicured features Michelin-star chefs that prepare your meals to order each week. You can order meals individually or choose a bundle package. Individual meals often give you a choice of protein, such as chicken, tofu or beef depending on the dish.


Best Fresh Meal Delivery Service

Fresh n’ Lean

While many prepared meal services ship frozen entrees, Fresh n’ Lean only sends you fresh, never frozen meals that preserve the taste and texture of the foods inside. Ingredients are organic, non-GMO and free of preservatives. Each vacuum sealed tray has a shelf life of 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator, though you can freeze the meals to stretch their shelf life to 6 to 8 weeks if necessary.

Fresh n’ Lean offers a variety of menu plans to fit your dietary preferences, such as keto, vegan (and a low carb vegan alternative), protein+ and Paleo. You can switch plans at any time or cancel your subscription altogether. One of the best things about Fresh n’ Lean’s meals is the option to exclude up to 3 ingredients from your meal plan— either because of dietary restrictions or taste preferences. A separate option lets you omit the most common allergens from your meal. Depending on how many meals you select for the week, expect to pay between $10 and $15 for each entrée.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Athletes

Trifecta

Athletes have specific dietary and caloric needs that may not be addressed by traditional meal delivery services. If your post-workout meal leaves you looking down at an empty plate while your stomach grumbles for more dinner, then check out Trifecta.

This prepared meal service for athletes, developed by athletes, includes the following meal plans: Keto, Clean, Classic, Vegetarian and Paleo. You can order complete meals, but the best savings are in the budget bundle. You can build meals using the proteins and sides you prefer for as little as $119 per week. Everything will arrive to you cooked and seasoned, but it’ll be up to you to pair and plate the ingredients, like flat iron steaks, venison, or wild caught cod with sides such as asparagus and quinoa.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Pets

Nom Nom

Looking for the convenience of prepared meal services, but for your pet? Before you dismiss the idea as wishful thinking or a silly splurge, check out Nom Nom. This pet food company delivers pre-portioned meals developed by a veterinary nutritionist and using only restaurant-quality USDA-grade A proteins and vegetables.

While the convenience factor of Nom Nom is not to be taken lightly (no more trips home from the pet store lugging a heavy bag of food), the real story here is the potential benefits to your pet’s health. Nom Nom pet owners report fresher breath, smaller stools, a shinier coat and more energy with fewer health problems. Pricing for cat or dog food delivery varies based on your pet’s weight and your subscription frequency.


Best Meal Delivery Service For Detox

Provenance Meals

If you’re looking to hit the reset button, Provenance Meals delivers a 3-day cleanse to your door. Far from a liquid only diet, you’ll find nourishing, rejuvenating options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each Feel Good Fix kit includes superfood protein shakes to get your day off to the right start, followed by gourmet plant-based meals for lunch and dinner. Conquer snack and sweet cravings with Chia Fresca and an herbal detox tea.

This meal delivery service shines for taking the guesswork out of your next detox, and also eliminates the most common inflammation triggers, like gluten, dairy, refined sugar, GMOs, soy, corn and refined vegetable oil. Everything arrives conveniently packaged to make your detox as simple as possible.

If you love eating Provenance Meals gourmet, plant-based options and live in the greater NYC area, you can opt for regular meal delivery. Otherwise, only the Feel Good Fix is available for nationwide delivery.