The Best Meal Delivery Companies

Saturday, April 26th

2025 Meal Delivery Company Reviews

Sunbasket

• Starting at $11.49/serving for meal kits and $9.99 per serving for fresh and ready meals
• Save $120 across first four boxes with email signup
• Focus on sustainable, quality foods and organic produce
• Offers meals for many different diets
• Choose 2 or 4 servings
• Skip or cancel anytime
• Flexible delivery times
• Add snacks, breakfasts, and/or lunch items easily
• Money-back guarantee

Founded in 2014 by Iron Chef competitor Justine Kelly, with celebrity chef Tyler Florence on the board, Sunbasket entered the prepared meal delivery service industry ready to dominate. Sunbasket believes that food is critical to a well-balanced life, and they offer meal plans for a myriad of diets and dietary restrictions. Sunbasket also believes in food quality, sourcing the best foods for their meal delivery kits.

A truly customized meal delivery service

Sunbasket offers the opportunity for you to create a dinner menu as unique as you are. You can mix and match meals from a variety of diets, ethnicities, and price points. One of the greatest advantages of this complete customization lies in your ability to combine scratch meals, meals with ingredients already prepped, quick and easy meals, or fully-prepared meals that only need reheating. So, when you feel like being a fancy chef on the weekend but your weeknights are full of soccer practice or dance class and you need a meal in a hurry, you can do that. The filter on the meal planner allows you to filter for diet, protein, and even time commitment. It also features an "excludes” feature for those allergic to peanuts, shellfish, and other common food allergies.

Choose from a myriad of diets

Are you trying to cut down on carbs? Maybe you're ready to become a vegetarian? Sunbasket is really tuned in to different ways of eating and offers the following options in its lineup:

• Paleo: High in protein. No dairy, gluten, grains, soy, or corn
• Carb-Conscious: 25-35g net carbs or fewer per serving with plenty of protein
• Gluten-Free Friendly: Offers wheat alternatives, but not for those with severe gluten allergy
• Diabetes-Friendly: Recipes approved by the American Diabetes Association
• Vegetarian: No meat or seafood
• Pescatarian: Vegetarian meals + wild-caught seafood
• Mediterranean: Whole grains, good fats, wild-caught seafood and responsibly-sourced meats
• Keto-Friendly: High in protein and feel-good fats, low in carbs

In addition, Sunbasket now offers seasonal meals. You can mix and match all of these types of diet styles, so you can just choose one diabetes-friendly meal for that one night a week your diabetic mother-in-law visits. Whatever your situation, Sunbasket really has it covered.

Delicious selection

We looked at the meal kit options for a typical week, and our mouths were watering. Some of the meals offered were fresh whole wheat penne pasta primavera with creamy feta sauce; pumpkin chili with kidney beans and red pepper-cashew crema; a Sichuan glass noodle bowl with pork, cabbage, and carrots; chicken tom kha gai soup with mushrooms, peppers, and Brussels sprouts; or mojo pork tacos with pickled onions and salsa verde. Sunbasket really has something delicious for even the pickiest taste buds.

Easily customize how much and how often you want meals

You can choose from 2 to 4 servings per meal and cover dinner 2 to 5 times per week. Sunbasket is one of the most flexible meal delivery services on the market, in that regard.

Sunbasket offers worry-free options for breakfast, lunch and snacks, too

Sunbasket has healthy options for busy lifestyles. From breakfast burritos and sandwiches to smoothies, avocado toast, overnight oats, and gluten-free waffles to salads, pizzas, empanadas, soups, and wraps, there is something for everyone. They offer a myriad of healthy and tasty snacks so you can avoid that afternoon crash - whether you opt for crackers and caramelized onion hummus or chocolate cake cocoa truffle bars and delicious cookies, you can eat organic and clean without taking up time when you're busy at work or school or on the go.

Sunbasket only uses certified seafood

100% of Sunbasket seafood is sustainably raised or wild-caught. They only use seafood certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) or Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

Competitive pricing

Sunbasket prides itself on quality and a great variety of options. Is the price tag correspondingly high? Actually, Sunbasket has been around a long time, and they've got quality meal delivery nearly perfected for any budget. Many delicious meals are only $11.49 per serving, which is competitive with other quality meal kits. Some meals do come with a surcharge, but you get to choose if you want to splurge for that filet mignon. Sunbasket is committed to variety and quality, but they are also aware of the economy. It's all up to you to choose. We looked at the weekly lower-priced meals, and there were still incredibly delicious meals to choose from.

Easy ways to save

When you decide to sign up for your first order, Sunbasket will activate an offer that saves you $120 on your first four boxes with free shipping included in that deal. After the first four deliveries, subsequent orders will cost $10.99 to ship.

Available in 47 states

Most customers can choose delivery on any day Sunday-Thursday, but depending on your zip code, your options may be limited so that Sunbasket can ensure freshness. Delivery is available everywhere but Alaska, Hawaii, and Montana. Some zip codes in New Mexico are also not available.

100% mouth-watering guarantee

If for any reason things aren't what you expected, you can contact Sunbasket within 7 days of delivery and receive a 100% guarantee, making Sunbasket a risk-free experience.

Major commitment to always keep improving

In our research, we found that Sunbasket received an excellent rating from Trustpilot, with over 1,800 five-star reviews. On the other hand, the Better Business Bureau surprisingly gives Sunbasket an "F” rating. In the past, Sunbasket was taken to task for environmentally-unfriendly packaging and confusing verbiage regarding how much of their ingredients were organic. Sunbasket has, since then, not only fixed these problems but has gone above and beyond to make it clear that they use organic produce and responsibly-sourced ingredients. To date, most of the packaging for meal delivery is already recyclable or compostable, but they are working toward getting that to 100%. In addition, Sunbasket donates 1,000 pounds of food each month to Second Harvest and other nonprofits. So, we're not overly worried about that grade from the BBB.

Winner, winner, delicious dinner

We were really thrilled to find Sunbasket. The quality, value commitment to sustainability, incredible variety, and accommodation for almost any dietary need, as well as the 100% guarantee, make Sunbasket a top choice. They're our #1 pick among your options for meal delivery services.

Hello Fresh

• Starting at $9.99/serving
• Up to 40 quick and simple recipes every week for all plans
• Easily customizable menus
• Great for families with kids
• Flexible deliveries with an option to skip/cancel
• Meals for 2, 4, or 6 people or custom plans for teams
• Access to current menu options before making a commitment
• Delivers to contiguous United States
• "A+” Better Business Bureau rating

HelloFresh went from being a small home service in 2011 to becoming the largest meal kit company in the world, spanning 18 countries and having delivered over 1 billion meals. So, if you are looking for a company with name recognition, this is the one. There are quite a few companies under the HelloFresh umbrella, including Green Chef, EveryPlate, Chefs Plate, Factor, Youfoodz, The Pets Table, and Good Chop. They do all this while maintaining a deep commitment to sustainability and creating innovative sustainable packaging. In addition, they provide fresh, nutritious meals to people experiencing food insecurity.

Access to current menus

We like to be able to look at a real menu for any meal delivery service before we have to commit to filling out forms, and HelloFresh makes it easy. We clicked on the Our Menus link and were delighted to see six weeks' worth of upcoming meal choices - in all of the categories HelloFresh offers:

• Meat & Veggies
• Veggie
• Family Friendly
• Fit & Wholesome
• Under 20 minutes
• Pescatarian

While these choices aren't as specific for those with dietary restrictions, HelloFresh makes it easy for subscribers to examine the recipes for upcoming meals to check for ingredients to be avoided. We loved seeing that the recipe cards listed common allergens on the top, so it was easy to spot. There are 40 recipes to choose from at any given time, so it's not hard to create a menu without allergens or aversions.

Buy more, save more

HelloFresh has options for 2, 4, or 6 servings. If you purchase 2 meals for 2 people, the price is $11.49 per serving, but if you get 3 or more meals for those 2 people, the price drops to $9.99 per serving. If you order 4 or more servings per week, you also get the scaled-down price of $9.99 per serving. HelloFresh allows you to choose 2-6 meals per week for your box, but either way, shipping for each box is $10.99.

Great introductory offers

HelloFresh almost always has a pretty enticing introductory offer. As a new customer, the deal at the time of our review was getting free breakfast for life, in addition to 10 free meals spread out over the course of seven boxes and free shipping on the first box. This makes it more economical to test this meal delivery service to see if it's a good fit for you.

Great for families with kids

Unlike other meal delivery services, HelloFresh has an option for 6 servings per meal, with a whole category devoted to family-friendly, kid-tested recipes. Some of those kid-friendly meals include spaghetti just like Nonna's, chicken gyoza in shoyu broth, BBQ smoked pulled sandos, and Epic Nacho Mac and Cheese. If you have kids, HelloFresh has you covered.

Option to look ahead for menu planning

HelloFresh also allows you to look ahead at future recipes, so you can plan ahead for an upcoming holiday. This look-ahead also shows you FDA nutrition information and ingredients for each recipe, so you can browse to make sure it doesn't contain anything you dislike or can't eat.

Learn new skills

HelloFresh was founded to inspire and help people to eat better. The philosophy of Hello Fresh is to introduce people to new foods and teach them new cooking skills, which leads to better health and better eating habits. The recipe cards are beautiful, and the meals are designed from easy to more advanced skills - always with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Subscribers can go from an easy to prepare creamy zucchini orzotto or cheesy black bean and bacon burrito recipe to the advanced chicken with cherry pan sauce with bacon mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus or open blue cobia "en papillote” with lemon. But not to worry - we've tried the advanced recipes, and the instructions were easy to follow, and we ended with delicious results plus more confidence in learning new skills. This would be a great opportunity for a college student who is new to cooking to advance their abilities in a fun way.

Pre-proportioned ingredients make everything easy

HelloFresh has meal kits down to a science. Form their beautiful instruction cards to the pre-proportioned ingredients-they've got you covered. Having everything pre-proportioned cuts on prep time and clean up and has the added benefit of making you feel like the star of your own cooking show. Most meals take about 30 minutes from start to finish.

HelloFresh has a great philosophy

You can feel good about subscribing to this meal kit with its focus on sustainable solutions for consumers. They are committed to reducing food waste and using carbon-offset deliveries. They focus on reliable recipes that help people create beautiful memories of cooking together in the kitchen. And with farm-fresh ingredients and careful sourcing, you can be sure it's going to taste great.

Easily adjust your scheduled meals with no penalty

Customers can change their meal preferences, number of meals, and other options anytime. They can also skip, pause, or cancel their subscription to HelloFresh at any time. Changes must be made before the weekly cutoff to take effect.

Commitment to sustainability

Hello Fresh has been innovative in creating a sustainable model for meal kit delivery. They've taken steps in the U.S. and globally to carefully choose food suppliers who share their values. They also focus on using in-season vegetables, buying "ugly” produce that wouldn't be pretty enough for retail grocery stores, and they are absolutely committed to animal welfare. While they use some organic ingredients, they believe that organic is only one way to eat better. Carefully sourcing from sustainable and healthy farms is their priority, and they say their focus is more on helping customers have a positive experience in the kitchen and adding more fruits and veggies to their diets in a fun and delicious way.

Tens of thousands of reviews

The Better Business Bureau gives HelloFresh an "A+” rating: the company has been around for a long time, and they have earned it. There are tens of thousands of people who've posted positive reviews about their experiences with this meal delivery service. One reviewer has been a loyal subscriber for 10 years and says her experience with HelloFresh has helped her to get time back with her busy family and build memories together based on healthy cooking and eating. The recipes are delicious and look beautiful on the plate, and the whole process of cooking is an enjoyable experience with great-sized portions. We did find a few complaints, but nothing that would keep us from subscribing.

Putting the fun back into cooking

There is something to be said about designing a meal kit delivery service with fun in mind. HelloFresh truly delivers a wonderful cooking experience that is so easy, even the kids can get involved in the process of preparing and serving meals to the family. We're big fans. Competitive pricing and the effort to source local, high-quality ingredients while still offering great discounts for signing up make HelloFresh one of our top choices for meal kit delivery services.

Factor

• Starting at $10.99 per serving
• Get 50% off your first box + free wellness shots for life or 20% off your second box
• Over 35 meal choices per week
• 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18 meals weekly
• Fantastic add-ons marketplace
• Fresh, never frozen
• Offers truly keto option
• Good value compared to similar meal delivery services
• "A+” Better Business Bureau rating

Factor, acquired by HelloFresh in 2020, is a heat-and-eat meal delivery service. Rather than flash freezing, meals are delivered refrigerated and fresh, so they can be taken from the fridge to reheated in hardly any time at all. Although owned by HelloFresh, Factor delivery services are completely separate, and there are some major differences between their processes. The only thing in common is that if you have an account with HelloFresh, you can use that account to auto-populate your personal information at Factor.

Instant fresh meals

Factor meals can take less than 5 minutes to reheat, with absolutely no food prep required. They provide ready-to-eat convenience without being frozen. Meals can be refrigerated for a week and stay fresh. They can be reheated in the microwave or the oven.

Single servings for serious health

Every week you can choose from 37 meals that adhere to whatever plan or plans you've chosen at the start of your Factor subscription. If you wish, you can change your plan to suit different phases of your health journey. The plans you can choose from are:

• Protein Plus
• Keto
• Calorie Smart
• Flexitarian
• Vegan plus Veggie
• Chef's Choice

In addition, breakfast, snacks, and beverages are available as part of your subscription if you choose. Factor will always list known allergens on their packaging and in their recipes, but they do not cater to people with these kinds of preferences or needs. It is up to the consumer to look at the recipes to find out if they are compatible with their dietary restrictions and allergies.

Happy chickens, delicious eggs

Factor is particularly dedicated to sourcing chicken and eggs only from farms that provide a safe, healthy environment for poultry raised for Factor's supply chain. They have a zero-tolerance policy for abuse. Chickens always have enough space to roam and are free from disease and distress.

Palm oil problems, some meals high in sodium

Out of the small number of complaints found regarding Factor, the most concerning was their use of palm oil as a source of fat. Not only is there no indication as to where they source the palm oil, there are complaints of people having gastrointestinal issues with it. Everyone is different, and maybe you will be fine, but it's good to try it carefully at first to make sure you don't have the same reaction. Another issue is the amount of sodium in some meals, with at least one Factor meal clocking in at 1050 mg for one serving.

Buy more, save more

You can choose 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18 meals per week, with volume discounts: a 6-meal plan is $13.99 per serving, while an 18-meal plan is $11.49. You don't have to sign up to see the menus at Factor, so take a look at the offerings before beginning the sign-up process. Once you begin, you can choose the plan and how many meals per week you would like to have, then create an account, which will include your payment information. As soon as you're done, you can select which ready-to-reheat meals you want for the week and your preferred delivery date, and you will have a week of no-prep meals. The discounts offered will automatically apply, and you will see the savings when you look at your cart.

Delicious add-on choices

Add-ons are where Factor really shines. Reviewers can't say enough about the goodies in the snack bundles. You can choose from pancakes and sausage, overnight oats, ready-to-blend smoothies, boxes of chocolates, and so much more. If you like savory snacks, try the empanada variety pack. If sweets are your thing, keto-friendly snickerdoodles and cinnamon roll fat bombs are just two of many options. You can even add things like peppered pork chops or roasted mahi mahi.

Save 50% on week one

During our most recent visit to the Factor site, there was an offer giving customers 50% off their first order plus 20% off their second one. Another promo was 50% off the first box and a lifetime of wellness shots. A third gave significant savings for the first five boxes delivered. Each offer has benefits and will definitely be tempting if you are on the fence about trying Factor. Applying these discounts is a great way to see if Factor is something you'd like to use long-term.

Easily cancel anytime

Factor allows you to cancel, pause, skip, or change up your meal delivery box anytime with no long-term commitment.

Overall high reviews

Factor has been reviewed over 60,000 times, with the majority of reviews being positive. The Better Business Bureau gives it an "A+” rating. They have been around for a long time, and its parent company (HelloFresh) also comes in with strong ratings. Customer service responds to every complaint, which shows that they are serious about subscriber satisfaction, which we love to see.

A great solution for busy schedules with only a few caveats

Factor is a great way to get healthy food into your busy, active lifestyle. It's especially helpful for those with a physical fitness or specific health goal, like sticking to macros, keto, or calories. They have a great selection of add-ons and a nice variety to their meals, which keeps things interesting while maintaining adherence to goals. However, we are concerned about the lack of transparency in where they source their palm oil and the quality of it, and about the fact that the website doesn't mention any standards or sources for meat and seafood. Still, Factor is a good choice for ready-to-eat meal deliveries, so we recommend taking their 50% off the first week discount and giving them a try.

Dinnerly

• Starting at $4.99 per person
• Add-ons include breakfast, desserts, and family big batch meals
• Over 100 recipes each week
• Flexible subscription plans
• Easy 5-step recipes
• 2- or 4-serving meals
• Choose from 2-6 meals per week
• Cheaper portions with more deliveries
• Pantry staple add-ons available
• Offers saver, customizable and premium recipes
• Positive customer reviews

Coming in as low as $4.99 per serving, Dinnerly claims to be the most affordable meal delivery service on the market. Not only do they deliver affordability to your door, most of their meals can be prepared in 30 minutes or less with 5-step recipes for stress-free cooking. What is even more impressive is the fact that there are over 100 recipes to choose from each week from categories including vegetarian, vegan, quick and easy, healthy and reduced-carb options, and our favorite: picky eater approved. It seems like every family has one - or more than one!

Easy-to-explore menu with simple, 5-step recipes

Before you sign up, it's easy to explore Dinnerly's current menu items. What impressed us wasn't just the price of these meals, but the simplicity of them. Tasty and beautiful recipes that have been carefully broken down into only five steps. We also loved the recipe highlights-we could see at a glance which meals were kid-friendly, low-calorie, quick and easy, spicy, or dairy-free, for example.

Choose your preference; Dinnerly's got you covered

Once you've decided how many people to serve (Dinnerly offers a 2- or 4-serving option) and how many dinners per week, you can get busy customizing your weekly menu. You can opt to see everything or filter it using the following categories:

• Gluten-free friendly
• Low calorie
• Picky eater approved (avoids spicy foods and uses familiar ingredients)
• Quick & easy (ready in 30 minutes or less)
• Vegetarian
• "I like everything” (mix it up by trying the whole menu)

More meals, more savings

Subscribe to more Dinnerly meals for more savings. 2 meals for 2 people is a little over $2 more per serving than if you purchase 6 meals for two people. Shipping is a flat rate of $11.99.

Flexible schedule

Like most meal delivery services, you can change your menu, pause delivery or skip a delivery. You can cancel your subscription at any time by logging in to your orders page under your account. Dinnerly will remind you every week about your upcoming shipment before the cutoff date so you can make changes to your next delivery if you need to.

Even more options to save money

Dinnerly offers a Saver, Customizable, or Premium option for meals - the Saver being the lowest price point, with the Premium being the splurge option. The customizable option allows you to switch up the protein in the meal so it's perfect for your palate.

Minimal ingredient information

Dinnerly does not claim to be organic, but they do offer grass-fed beef recipes as well as American-sourced seafood. Unfortunately, it is not easy to find this information on their website. One thing Dinnerly does right, though, is the "Ingredient Hub,” which lists ingredients for all their meals and what "hidden” ingredients make up the sauces, cheeses, and other recipe components. This is great if someone has a mild allergy or food aversion. Be warned that all meals are processed in facilities that also process known allergens like shellfish and peanuts, so if you have a severe allergy, Dinnerly may not be a great fit for you.

Market add-ons

Dinnerly states on their website that they want you to "break up with your grocery store,” and as part of that plan, they have a market where you can easily purchase pantry staples, snacks, seasonal items, extra meats and proteins, desserts, side vegetables, soups, breads, and more without ever having to leave home or use another service. You can choose market items after you make meal choices and add anything you like.

High customer reviews

Dinnerly is consistently highly-rated by users and is everything you'd want in a prepared meal service. Don't let their "D-” rating from the Better Business Bureau scare you: this is due to them not replying to just one customer complaint. Contrast that to nearly 5,000 mostly positive reviews for Dinnerly, where people are happy with the taste and prices of the meals. Long-time reviewers note that when there is a rare problem with quality or late delivery, Dinnerly has issued a credit for the problem quickly and with no hassle. One longtime customer has only had two problems in almost two years that were quickly resolved.

Good option with some wished-for improvements

We love the large number of choices in the Dinnerly menu, the simplicity of each recipe, and the reasonably priced shipping fee. The market add-ons are exciting and reduce the times you have to go to the grocery store for "extras” like desserts and snacks. These are recipes the kids can join in helping to make, developing wonderful memories of cooking healthy meals together as a family, which is why we wish Dinnerly offered an option for 6 servings a meal instead of maxing out at 4. The website needs to include more information on food sourcing and their policies on refunds or credits for when problems arise. And, the chat feature needs to go or get upgraded to be remotely helpful. But overall, Dinnerly is a solid choice for stress-free, well-rounded, and really affordable delivered meals.

ModifyHealth

• $13.45 for entrees
• 15% off your first order with email signup
• Consult with a dietitian
• Phone assistance available when signing up
• Free delivery to all 50 states
• Combine GLP-1 medications and your meal plan into one service
• Change, pause, or cancel plans at any time
• Meals ready in 2 minutes
• Organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO ingredients
• Options to exclude certain ingredients
• Money-back guarantee

ModifyHealth believes that food can be medicinal and very important to healing. They deliver fresh, flash frozen meals to help people with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, irritable bowel syndrome, and other issues where food plays a very important part in the recovery process. Subscribers at ModifyHealth can even combine their GLP-1 prescription medication with a meal plan. They can also schedule a consultation with a dietitian to help them understand their condition better.

Healing foods for chronic conditions

ModifyHealth believes that diet plays a major part in better outcomes for those with chronic illnesses. The main feeling the website gives off is that they are here to help you improve your health through very specific dietary choices. These diets include: Low FODMAP

• Mediterranean
• Gluten-free
• Diabetes friendly
• Carb-conscious
• GLP-1 support plan

Monash University has even certified ModifyHealth as being in accordance with their low FODMAP guidelines.

Two options available

Two options are available for subscription. The Meals Only option is for people who just want the convenience of having the meals delivered weekly without any worries. These meals are developed with chefs and dietitians to help support your goals. The second option is the six-week Quickstart Program, which is often recommended by health care providers for people who have a hard time maintaining the particular diet that will help their chronic condition. This program is fully guided with one-on-one access to expert dietitians and meals are an optional add-on to help you more easily reach your health goals. If you choose option two, it's $399 with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It includes 3 virtual consultations with a dietitian, plus tools and resources to help you reach your goals. If you decide to add meals to this program, you get 50% off your first meal order.

Choose a meal plan and select options

These meal plans are medically-based and very specific, and some people might find the whole decision-making process intimidating. ModifyHealth is sensitive to this and they provide a number to help you with placing your order if you feel like you need it. Once you decide on your meal plan, you will be able to select from two types of orders - one is a meal plan that includes breakfasts with your dinner entrees, and the other does not include breakfast. Breakfasts are $9.95 and entrees are $13.45 per serving. As you gather information on the ModifyHealth site, you do not have to enter in your personal information until you're ready to subscribe, which is a refreshing change from most meal delivery services.

Delicious choices

We looked at some of ModifyHealth's recipes and we were blown away with the variety of delicious-looking meals. Some of our favorites were kale and tomato frittata, savory shrimp and rice, sage & mustard pork chop with sweet potato mash & green beans, yellow curry chicken and vegetables with forbidden rice, and black bean burger with roasted red bell pepper sauce.

Ingredient exclusion tool

One of the best things about ModifyHealth is the feature that can exclude meals with certain foods like red meat, shellfish, dairy, tofu, eggs, bell peppers, soy, or even all animal proteins. We wish more meal delivery services made it that simple to avoid allergens or ingredients people simply don't like.

Sign up and save

If you sign up, you'll get a code for 15% off your order. If you sign up for ModifyHealth's Fit Quickstart Program, you will receive a coupon for 50% off your first meal order.

All meals gluten-free with organic, high-quality ingredients

ModifyHealth makes all their meals gluten-free, and they are dedicated to using non-GMO ingredients. They use grass-fed beef, sustainable fish, and free-range poultry.

Refrigerated rather than frozen + recyclable packaging

Because ModifyHealth meals are designed to go in the fridge, there is no need to wait for defrosting before you reheat your meal. It will only take 2-3 minutes to warm it up. ModifyHealth sends meals in BPA-free, recyclable trays wrapped in cardboard boxes with ice packs to insure temperature control of the food. Food can be placed in the fridge for 7-10 days, but if you want to, you can put it in the freezer, where it will last 6-8 weeks.

A much needed service for many

ModifyHealth can end up being a life-saving choice for many people who suffer from painful and life-shortening chronic conditions. Hundreds of reviewers praise ModifyHealth for helping them to stick to healthy eating in what would otherwise be a miserably restrictive diet. ModifyHealth does its best to provide exciting and flavorful meals out of simple ingredients. We found that people were truly happy with the quality and taste of what they ordered, with a few exceptions when it came to breakfast, which some described as having texture and taste issues. There were also some reviews that raised concerns about delivery and packaging issues, and we hope they can improve in those areas.

We love this innovative and positive concept

ModifyHealth has a few hurdles to overcome, but overall they get high ratings because of the innovative concept of making food part of a whole healing process with better outcomes for people with chronic conditions. We love the company philosophy of "food as medicine” and love that ModfiyHealth is overcoming the stigma of healthy food as being boring and flavorless. The pricing is competitive, especially when there is always free shipping. If you have a chronic condition and are looking for ways to improve your wellness, ModifyHealth is a meal delivery option worth trying.

Home Chef

• Standard meals start at $7.99 per serving
• Family meals start at $6.99 per serving
• Sign up and get $10 off your second order
• 50% off first box, 10% off future orders for military, first responders, health care workers and teachers
• 50% off first four boxes for students, alumni, and government officials
• Meals for 2, 4, or 6 people, 2-6 times per week
• Family plan meals come in 4-serving increments; double up and have leftovers
• Individual and family meal plans
• Meal kits and heat-and-eat options
• Add-on choices
• Eliminate allergens and foods you don't enjoy
• Ships refrigerated, not frozen

With over 320 million meals delivered, Home Chef is well versed in making the meal delivery experience as painless and simple as possible. Catering to individuals and families across the country, the company is a long-time player, having been around since 2013. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions not only make things stress-free, but they're so simple that children can pitch in and create great memories of cooking together without the hassle of measuring out ingredients or putting together complicated sauces. The company has both fresh meal kits with ingredients you put together and heat-and-eat meals for when you need something in a hurry.

Home Chef understands lifestyle

We were really impressed with the real-life approach Home Chef takes when helping you plan what menus and dishes are best for you. Even the way they approach finding out this information is very friendly. They ask, "What can we help you with?” with choices like easier meal planning, saving money or time, finding new favorites, or simply "What kinds of meals are you interested in?” with choices like fast and fresh, meal kits, and oven ready. Whether you want to expand your cooking skills and palate, or you just need something already prepped and ready for the oven, or something in between, you can be sure Home Chef has your back. Meal kits are their most popular item and can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes, depending on the dish. Home Chef combines several meal delivery services in one - you can feed a crowd of 8, get meals that can be ready in 30 minutes from start to finish, or just throw the meal in the oven. And for times when you have no time, the fast and fresh meals only require a few minutes of reheating.

Variety and truly amazing customization

Home Chef knocks it out of the park when it comes to variety. The selections from just one week included jalapeno popper chicken, sirloin steak and bacon demi with white cheddar potatoes and green beans, creamy basil pesto chicken pasta, one-pan Korean-style BBQ meatballs, salmon and lemon style crema, or Hawaiian-style BBQ tofu flatbread, with something for every schedule and skill level. You can customize most meals by switching out the protein type to your preference. And, Home Chef asks in the beginning for foods you'd like to avoid so you can filter out meals that contain allergens or foods you'd just rather not eat.

Family plan

Unique to Home Chef is the Family Plan that comes in increments of 4. You can double up and have 8 servings if you like. These meals take between 20 minutes to about an hour for assembly and cooking. Some dishes we liked in this category were beef bulgogi burgers, lasagna-style bolognese gemelli, and the one-pot shrimp chowder with potatoes and corn.

Easy options for those with food allergies or special diets

You can easily specify how you eat with options like protein-packed, carb-conscious, keto-friendly, pescatarian, Mediterranean, vegetarian, or gluten-free. It's important to remember that Home Chef meals, despite offering some gluten-free options, are not suitable for people with severe gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Home Chef's food exclusion list includes pork, beef, poultry, fish, shellfish, mushrooms, tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame.

Get "extras” with your box

Home Chef saves you time with the "bundle and save” options available each week. From seasonal choices like iced spiced pumpkin cake and pumpkin spiced latte to all-time favorites like Brew Master pub cheese spread & soft pretzel bites, Caesar chopped salad and chicken, chocolate chip cookie skillets, quiche Lorraine, fudge brownie bites, green smoothies, soups, and additional protein, you won't even have to step foot in the grocery store for snacks and beverages.

Home Chef cares about our hometown heroes and students

Home Chef offers 10% discounts to military, first responders, teachers, health care workers, and other hometown heroes. They also offer a discount to students, alumni, and government workers.

Starting at $7.99/serving and $6.99/serving for the family plan

The more you buy, the more you save. If you're only planning to use the minimum of 2 servings, 2 days per week, you can expect to pay around $11.99 per serving. You might pay a little more or less if you swap proteins. The family plan with 4 or 8 servings is only $6.99 per serving.

No guarantees on organic

Home Chef has such a varied menu and a commitment to order from the best suppliers for each ingredient in season that they can't guarantee a certain type of ingredient. That being said, when they have organic chicken available, they will include that as an option in their "Customize It” section. We recommend always checking the customize option, as you may be pleasantly surprised at what choices are available.

A very interactive, easy-to-use website

With respect to ease of use, Home Chef comes out on top with a stellar, interactive website. From the easy-button interface with dietary exclusions and lifestyle choices to the very intuitive menu ordering process to the recipe cards, which you can click to check off completed steps, Home Chef is one of the best meal delivery websites for user experience.

Hit or miss reviews

With one of the only dedicated family plans on the market, great variety, and lots of easy ways to customize a menu fit for your lifestyle and food preference, Home Chef has a lot going for it. That being said, reviews from customers are a mixed bag, with customers commenting on the amazing meal experience, for example, but also complaining about missing ingredients. Some long-time customers are also concerned that the high quality they've come to expect may be going down.

Home Chef has more to like than not

With so many meal delivery services focusing on dietary preference or lifestyle, but hardly ever both, we appreciate how eager Home Chef is to help customers in every aspect of their lives when it comes to food. We also love the family plan, which allows for families with more than 2 kids to participate in an affordable meal plan that has a variety of skill-level recipes that can even help kids learn to love cooking. We absolutely cannot say enough about the incredibly enjoyable user experience on the website. The "bundle and save” makes it so easy to order snacks and seasonal items with no stress. The FAQ section answers any question a prospective subscriber might have before they need to commit to signing up. They have an extensive FAQ section that we appreciate because it ensures customers know everything about the service before signing up. Home Chef has dinner in the bag whether you want to learn new skills, have a home cooked meal in 30 minutes or less, or need a 2-minute solution to heat and eat. If it weren't for the overall tepid customer reviews, Home Chef would be at the top of our rankings.

EveryPlate

• $5.99 per serving
• Meals for 2-6 people, 3-5 times per week
• Students, first responders, veterans, teachers, medical professionals and other hometown heroes get 75% off plus free shipping on their first box and a 15% discount on subsequent boxes
• $2.99/meal for the first week
• Add-on items available
• Most meals can be put together in about 30 minutes
• "A+” Better Business Bureau rating

At EveryPlate, affordability is the name of the game. In a market full of niche meal delivery services, EveryPlate stands out as the lowest-priced service around. Established in 2018, this New York-based company offers absolute affordability for menus that serve 2-6 people, 3-5 times per week. These meals are classics - no bells and whistles here - and each week you will get home-style recipes and fresh ingredients to satisfy just about any tribe. And it definitely won't break the bank.

Recipes for 2-6 people, meals for one, and kid-friendly meals too

EveryPlate not only offers cheap prices, they help you think on the cheap, too. While their minimum order is a 2-serving meal, they have a whole section on how to use the second serving for leftover lunches and snacks. EveryPlate also has an option for a 6-serving box, helping large families to be able to take advantage of worry-free, kid-friendly, healthy meal delivery services that they usually are excluded from due to family size. Some of the menu items include dishes like grilled onion burgers, lemony chickpea and feta bowls, beefy tex-mex tacos, and kid-friendly seasonal meals like turkey shepherd's pie with garlicky "ghost” mashed potatoes and more. If you have big eaters or weightlifters in the family, they even have extra protein add-ons. If you'd rather not make a trip to the grocery store, EveryPlate carries essentials in the add-ons section, like vegetables, rice, pasta, flour tortillas, and salad kits, among other staples.

EveryPlate sticks to the basics with very simple plan preferences

You can choose to try all plans at EveryPlate, or select your preference from a few options. For people with specific aversions or allergies, this might be a deal-breaker, but for the average busy family, this might be a relief from having to sift through too many choices that don't apply to them. The plans are:

• Meat & veggies
• Veggie
• Family & faves
• Quick & Easy
• Calorie smart

Prepare meals in about 30 minutes

All EveryPlate meals can be put together in about 30 minutes, and many are simple and clear enough that kids can join in helping to prepare the meal. Everything is stress-free and pre-portioned with easy-to-follow instructions.

Meals for $5.99

The cost of EveryPlate is just $5.99 per serving with a fixed delivery fee of $10.99. To give you an idea of what this cost might look like weekly, dinner for 2 people 3 times per week comes out to $46.93 per week. If you up this to 4 times per week, you're looking at a cost of $58.91 per week. Dinner for 4 people 5 times per week comes out to $130.79 and so on. This is substantially less expensive than any other meal delivery plan out there.

EveryPlate remembers our hometown heroes

For our busy hometown heroes, EveryPlate offers a huge 75% off plus free shipping on the first box and a 15% discount on all subsequent boxes. If you are a student, alumni, government worker, nurse, first responder, military, or veteran, this is a really affordable way to give EveryPlate a try to see if you like the variety, quality, and cooking process.

Doesn't cater to special diets or offer an exhaustive menu

EveryPlate saves money by not catering to special diets. You're not going to find special meal plans for keto, vegan, or low-carb eaters. You will have around 25-30 meals to choose from each week that cater to a regular, toward-the-healthy-side American diet. EveryPlate doesn't feature specialty or organic ingredients, and that is to be expected. Low prices are the absolute priority here.

No contracts

You can cancel your subscription or skip a week up to five days before your subscription delivery is scheduled. EveryPlate's philosophy is that they are trying to save you money and help you out, not make things hard or stressful with contracts and overbearing terms.

Makes the grade with the BBB

The Better Business Bureau gives EveryPlate an "A+” rating. Every so often, customers complain about a vegetable or herb coming in looking a little wilted, but that is a common issue in the meal delivery industry. Most people are very happy with EveryPlate, saying that the meals taste great and loving the money-saving aspect of their service. Families can spend more time together, and cooking dinner can be a relaxing and stress-free experience that takes less time than it does to wait for takeout. In all, over 20,000 people have reviewed EveryPlate, with the majority being satisfied customers.

Healthier and cheaper than fast food

If you are tired of fast food and the price tag but don't have time to cook meals completely from scratch, EveryPlate might be your answer. It is a perfect meal delivery service for people who can eat almost anything and are craving a home cooked meal - without the chore and time commitment of menu planning and grocery shopping. If you love a deal and want to start eating better than fast casual, EveryPlate is one of your best options. You won't necessarily be opting for the most sustainably-sourced or healthy meals out there, but this will be a great step toward eating with fresh ingredients that are good for you. Because of this and EveryPlate's no-nonsense, friendly, and savings-centered approach, it has earned a slightly better-than-average rating from our team.

Top Chef Meals

• Starting at $9.95 per serving
• No subscription required
• Flash frozen meals
• Delivery to the entire U.S.
• Wide variety of meal options (70+ different entrees, 300+ side combinations)
• No artificial ingredients, preservatives, GMO's, trans fats, or high fructose corn syrup
• Recyclable, reusable, biodegradable insulation
• 100% freshness guarantee

Top Chef Meals is a meal delivery service designed with health in mind. The recipes here are dietitian-developed to manage medical diagnoses like diabetes, renal failure, high cholesterol, and weight management. Top Chef Meals has been around for decades and offers consistent service without a subscription.

No minimum or maximum requirements

Unlike other meal delivery services on our list, Top Chef Meals has no minimum or maximum purchase requirement. However, if you'd like free shipping (and who doesn't?), you will need to buy anywhere from 15 to 21 meals to qualify based on your zip code. Since the meals are flash frozen, you can buy in bulk and store some in the freezer. Unfortunately, those on or near the west coast only qualify for discounted $19.95 shipping since the food is shipped by air for freshness.

From $9.95 to $14.95

There are no major discounts available on your first orders from Top Chef Meals, but you will receive 5% off your first order if you purchase a minimum of 21 meals. If you're a senior, you will always get 10% off, but that cannot be combined with the introductory offer. Meal prices vary from $9.95 for something like chicken teriyaki to $14.95 for filet mignon. The menu is divided into categories like seasonal specials, seafood entrees, chicken entrees, turkey entrees, beef entrees, vegetarian entrees, breakfasts, soups, and desserts. Many meals allow you to customize your sides. You can also specify if you want low sodium, diabetic, gluten-free, dairy-free, or low fat meals. There doesn't seem to be a good search feature, however.

Opt-in for friendly reminders to reorder

While this is not a subscription-based service, Top Chef Meals has an option for you to sign up for reorder reminders, either weekly, every other week or every four weeks. This gives you one of the perks of subscription-based meals without the commitment.

Ingredients done right

Top Chef Meals is dedicated to sourcing local, high-quality ingredients. They've been in the food business far longer than most meal delivery services and have long-standing relationships with their suppliers. Their foods also do not include artificial ingredients, preservatives, trans fats, or high fructose corn syrup. They also make sure their meat is antibiotic- and hormone-free. They don't source organic, but do say they aim for the best seasonal products.

No guaranteed delivery dates, but 100% quality guarantee

Delivery days and times are not guaranteed by Top Chef Meals, but they do give approximate times and dates your shipment should be expected on their zone delivery schedule map. They ship exclusively via FedEx, which is one of the most dependable shipping companies in the U.S., and FedEx offers great tracking options for people who need to stay on top of their deliveries. Top Chef Meals has an active kitchen and makes meals fresh during the five-day work week, so if you need a meal rushed for some reason, you can call and make arrangements with them. If you live near Manhattan, you can actually pick up your meals at their commissary for free or have them delivered same-day by courier. Top Chef Meals delivers food flash frozen, and they offer a 100% quality guarantee, replacing or refunding any damaged, spoiled, or inedible foods as a result of shipping or delivery.

Guaranteed freshness and tried-and-true packaging

Since Top Chef Meals have been in business for a very long time, they have developed some tried and true packaging that includes cardboard, jute, and plastic bags, as well as dry ice and/or gel packs to maintain freshness and quality during transit.

Fantastic reviews

While the website lacks personality and flash, and the photos of meals are not impressive, Top Chef Meals has great customer ratings. With over 5,000 positive reviews we found from people who've used the service, many for years, that's pretty impressive. We've also heard high praises about customer service at Top Chef Meals, too. We feel like Top Chef Meals would be a low-risk meal delivery service to try.

Best for seniors or those with medical issues

We are so thrilled that there is a meal delivery service out there for people with special medical diets, and we love that Top Chef Meals is willing to give seniors a forever discount of 10%. This meal delivery option also has low-sodium options, whereas most meal delivery services are actually high in sodium. The problems that come into play with Top Chef Meals are the flip side of being around for a long time, like having a website and order process reminiscent of the early 2000s or even before. They don't seem to be interested in updating their menus for recent trends, and shipping is confusing. Rather than having everyone pay the same flat rate, they are stuck in a zone model that is not up to date with the rest of the meal delivery industry. Top Chef Meals provides healthy and flavorful meals for those with medically-regulated diets, but they don't come in as one of our top options for the average household.

Territory

• Single-serving meals starting at $10.99
• Ready to eat in less than 2 minutes
• All foods are dairy and gluten-free
• Real Food Certified
• Sustainably-sourced fish following Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch advice
• No processed oils like canola or rapeseed
• Sunday and Wednesday deliveries
• Choose a one-time delivery or a subscription delivery

An idea that started in 2011 out of the Washington, D.C., area, Territory bills itself as a truly local option for meal delivery. A group of friends wanted super-high-quality, dietitian-approved meals that were locally-made. None of them had the cooking skills for that, so they hired a local chef, and Territory was born. These friends continued looking for more chefs in other regions, and now Territory is available in 27 states. Delivered fresh and not frozen, Territory meals are clean - all completely free of inflammatory oils, dairy, gluten, and refined sugars. These are nutrient-dense, carefully-sourced, high-quality, freshly-prepared meals. Territory has been featured by Women's Health, Entrepreneur, Delish, Self, and Forbes.

Almost too minimal at first glance

At first glance, Territory's website seems almost too minimal. The primary menu only offers three options to navigate. However, if you scroll to the bottom, a secondary menu gives you far more information to explore before making a commitment or sharing your personal information. Don't get too attached, though - Territory is only available in 27 states, so you may want to go ahead and provide that email and zip code before investing too much time looking around, only to discover Territory doesn't deliver to you. In this case, we liked this company's reviews enough to check our zip code before delving too deep into the website. Once we entered our zip code, we discovered that Territory does deliver within our area, and we were able to check out the upcoming weekly menu. This is where we were truly impressed. We had so many appetizing options and diet plans, and nutrition details (including macros)were included with each recipe along with a beautiful photo and the price per serving.

35+ meal choices per week, lots of diet plans covered

Every Territory meal is gluten- and dairy-free and made with clean oils, but it gets better. So many dietary styles are represented here, making this meal delivery service one of the most flexible we've seen. Here are some of the diet filters you can choose from at Territory:

• Paleo
• Keto-Friendly
• Plant-Based
• Vegetarian and Vegan
• Whole30
• Low Fat
• Low Carb
• Mediterranean
• Pre- and Postpartum
• Diabetes-Friendly
• Performance

Each one of these filters gives information on ingredients those meals avoid and the overall ingredients that make up the diet - very informative and a great feature. Some of the delicious-looking meals we had to choose from for the week were artichoke pesto chicken, asparagus egg scramble, Mongolian-style beef, chicken enchiladas, lemon dill chicken, pork egg roll in a bowl, blackened salmon with Spanish rice, butternut squash dahl, and more. There are about 35 Territory meals to choose from each week. There are also sides you can add on to your order, like chili and other soups, sweet potato wedges, bone broth, family meals, and more. Meals come prepared and ready to reheat and can be on the table in a few minutes.

Clean nutrition made easy

Every meal from Territory is carefully made using only clean, healthy fats, fresh, nutrient-dense produce, and clean proteins. Territory is dedicated to making sure that this is far more nutritious and healthy than getting takeout. Not only that, Territory gives you full nutrition information and saves you time by including macronutrient ratios on its website.

Single servings starting at $10.99

How about per-serving pricing at Territory? Meals like tomato lentil stew were $10.99, while meals like sage beef bolognese and blackened salmon were $15.99. We noticed that most meals were in between those price points. There are enough options that you could have great variety and still stay within your budget. With the exception of the family style meals, all meals come in single serving sizes. So, if you're feeding four, you'd want to add multiple meals to your order, or just make separate orders for each person so they can be customized to each person's preferences.

Great for couples with different dietary needs

This plan is great if you and your partner have different dietary needs. No need to spend time cooking for two different diet plans - simply reheat and eat, and both of you have the proper macros and ingredients to maintain optimal health.

Deliveries twice a week

Because Territory is local and prides itself on maintaining freshness, meals are usually delivered twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays. You can order up to 12 meals per delivery day.

Rate your meals

Territory lets you rate your weekly meals so they can have feedback and get to know your taste preferences better. This makes it easier for them to take your past orders plus your feedback to customize and pre-populate future weekly menus. This is far better than other meal delivery services in that it's so much more personalized.

Few but good ratings

Territory's commitment to health and high quality is apparent. However, there are not very many customer reviews, and Territory isn't rated by the Better Business Bureau. The few reviews we could find were positive and talked about the great flavor and quality ingredients used in Territory's meals. Delivery issues, a problem most meal delivery companies struggle with, are a non-issue for Territory: you can be confident that your meals will arrive on time. We aren't surprised by this, since they use only local chefs.

Delivery fees fluctuate

In most regions, delivery is a flat charge of $9.99. In New York and San Francisco, delivery is $10.99. If you opt to receive two deliveries per week for freshness or volume, you will be charged for each delivery in the week. Other areas generally have a shipping rate of anywhere between $11.99 and $17.99, based on UPS two-day shipping rates. Our delivery fee, for example, ended up being $11.99.

Decent for singles willing to spend a little extra

We love so many things about Territory. They've solved the problem of delivery issues and freshness that rival meal delivery kits face without sacrificing texture because they don't need to freeze their meals. We love that they are local and do everything they can to support community farmers and producers that treat animals humanely. The amazing variety while still eliminating gluten, dairy, and inflammatory ingredients is quite an accomplishment. We understand that with the quality they are delivering, the price tag will be a little higher - but the fact is that their price point plus shipping, depending on where you are located, can be prohibitive. That and the fact that they are only available in about half the United States led to a lower rating. It is also a meal delivery service that doesn't cater well to families, as with the example of the few "family style” options, there is no multiple serving plan. For singles or couples who've got the money, Territory is a phenomenal option, but families or individuals on a budget should look at the higher-ranked (and less expensive) meal delivery providers on our list.

Marley Spoon

• As low as $8.69 per serving
• Choose from over 45 six-step recipes every week
• Hometown heroes and student discounts available
• Great introductory discounts available
• Meals for special occasions available
• Optional recipe customizations and upgrades
• Real-life categories like Under 30 Minutes and Family Friendly are available
• Skip, pause, or cancel your subscription anytime
• $9.99 flat-rate shipping
• Sustainable, in season and one-of-a-kind artisanal foods

Marley Spoon is about elegant simplicity. Meals focused on seasonal simplicity designed by Martha Stewart bring a down-to-earth luxury to busy weeknights. This time-saving meal kit can help you take a moment to breathe before diving into your next activity or winding down for the night. Every week, you can choose from over 45 recipes in categories like Health & Diet, Vegetarian & Vegan, Meat & Fish, Under 30 Minutes, and Family-Friendly, all without a huge commitment since you can skip, pause, or cancel your subscription anytime.

Start by setting your servings and number of weekly meals

If you've subscribed to any competitor's meal delivery service before, you'll be familiar with the process to sign up at Marley Spoon. You just need to choose what number of people you are cooking for (2 or 4) and how many times a week you want to use Marley Spoon for meals (2-6). At this point, you can choose to remove meat from your meals to make it vegetarian. Your cost will range from $8.69 per serving (for six meals serving four people, or 24 portions in all) to $12.49 (two meals serving two people). Delivery is just $9.99 per shipment, regardless of plan.

Preview the menus before setting up your account

Before signing up, you can browse the menu here to see if the dishes look appealing to you. You have to actually pay for the subscription to get a specific meal setup, so being able to preview the menu is an important feature. Marley Spoon shows you a month's worth of menus, so there will be no surprises once you've signed up. And, you can enjoy just your first box and if it's not right for you at the time, you can pause your subscription or easily cancel it altogether. You probably won't want to do that, considering these delicious recipes we saw when we were previewing the menu:

• West African Vegan Peanut Stew
• Surf and Turf with Fondant Potatoes
• Chicken Mole Poblano
• Lemon Brown Butter Salmon

And whether it's our favorite - breakfast for dinner - or just eating it for breakfast, Marley Spoon has you covered with chocolate-chip coffee cake, Japanese lemon souffle pancakes with peaches and whipped mascarpone, or the quintessential breakfast smoothie (complete with probiotics), you'll be drooling over this menu before you know it.

Great introductory offers for first time subscribers

Be on the lookout for special offers. At the time of our review, we found a deal that offered up to 46% off our first Marley Spoon box with free shipping and additional savings on the next five boxes, resulting in a savings of up to $235.

So many add-ons

Marley Spoon has a market with pantry add-ons, so you may not even have to head out to the grocery store at all. Just add things from the online market to your weekly subscription. The market carries many seasonal selections of produce, heat-and-eat meal options, meal shortcuts, extra proteins, and maybe most importantly, snacks.

Unresolved issues with customer satisfaction

Marley Spoon has improved since our last review, going from an "F” rating to a "D-” grade from the Better Business Bureau - but still plagued by unresolved issues with customers. Subscribers just weren't satisfied with attempts to resolve issues with regard to spoiled ingredients and messy boxes. Product packaging seems to be a real issue with Marley Spoon, and customers complained of damaged produce because of packing problems. Marley Spoon still doesn't have a satisfaction guarantee and doesn't make it clear how they handle refunds or credits, so that is a definite cause for concern.

Marley Spoon has a block of loyal customers

On the opposite end of the spectrum, nearly 2,000 five-star reviews say that the taste is there and this meal delivery service is full of fantastic recipes. Many people who'd tried other meal delivery services (including some that we've reviewed here) believed that Marley Spoon won out over all the others for overall value.

Still some room to improve with shipping and packaging

While Marley Spoon has indeed improved with customer response and raised their BBB rating from an "F” to a "D-," it wasn't enough to bump it up in our rankings. We love to see this improvement and hope next time to give Marley Spoon a little more love. We were really impressed with the calming vibe of the website and app, the delicious and simply elegant meals, and the effort made to focus on in season ingredients. We really want to see the packaging issues go away, because no matter how flavorful and delicious the meal could be, if your box arrives with missing or messy ingredients with no clear return or credit policy, it puts the stress that we are paying to avoid right back into the dinner mix. We encourage you to check out the higher-ranked meal delivery providers before you sign up for Marley Spoon.

Gobble

• Starting at $11.99/serving
• First 6 meals for $36
• Large portions
• Wide range of meals to choose from
• Free shipping on first box
• 2- or 4-person plans
• Dinner in about 15 minutes
• Allows users to remove allergenic or unwanted ingredients from meals

There are many meal delivery services out there, and Gobble sets itself apart by offering recipes that can be prepped and plated within 15 minutes. Gobble doesn't focus on having lots of different kinds of plans, keeping it to three: classic dinners, lean and clean (600 calories or less), and vegetarian. Subscribers are shipped meal kits that are almost completely prepped - in theory, Gobble does most of the chopping, slicing, and marinating. Like other meal delivery options, subscribers here can customize their menus from any of the plans, skip deliveries, pause shipments, and even order holiday boxes. Gobble will proudly tell you that they were voted the #1 meal kit service by Parents Magazine.

Dinner in about 15 minutes

Gobble's meals are designed to take only 15 minutes from start to finish, which is perhaps the only thing that sets it apart from most competitor services. They prep so you don't have to, which means sauces, grains and pasta are already cooked or mostly cooked, and many of the vegetables and meats come pre-sliced. That being said, many customers admit that many Gobble recipes take a little bit more time, and some meals still involve some chopping or slicing.

Hand-select meals for yourself

Meals at Gobble are divided into three categories:

• Classic Dinner: These are tried and true staples and, from what we read in reviews, very flavorful meals. There are no calorie or dietary restrictions here, and meals are around 700 to 900 calories per serving.
• Lean and Clean: These meals are 600 calories or less per serving, low-carb, with lean proteins and no filler grains.
• Vegetarian: Flavorful plant-based recipes
• Prepared and ready: Meals that are fully prepared and only require reheating

You can choose any or all of these categories when you make your weekly menu, and while Gobble doesn't offer gluten-free or other specific diets, you can take out ingredients that will cause problems for you or that you simply don't like. Additionally, if you look at upcoming meals, you will see more filterable categories:

• Premium dinners
• Specialty kits for 4
• Salads
• Sides
• Soups
• Breakfasts
• Desserts

Absolutely no information on food sourcing or certifications

While lots of Gobble subscribers talk about how good the quality is, we can't corroborate what kind of ingredient quality or sourcing is used, which is unfortunate. Gobble's website and FAQ don't cover this at all. Another unfortunate problem is that you can only see the full ingredients of recipes after you add your payment information. So, if you happen to have an allergy to specific ingredients in sauces, for example, you won't know if Gobble works for you until after you've signed up for their services with your credit card.

Big deals on first box

Gobble will automatically apply a really great deal to your first box when you subscribe. You will get the first 6 meals for only $36, with free shipping on your first box (after that, the flat rate shipping is $9.99). While a box can be priced as low as $11.99 for 2 people, that is only with 5 meals per week. Choosing fewer meals increases the cost per serving. If you have 2 people and you only have 2 nights of meals, for example, you will pay $16.99 per serving.

Comes chilled, not frozen

Gobble boxes come with packaging and insulation that keeps everything cool until you can put it in your refrigerator, where you can store it for up to 5 days (with Prepared and Ready meals lasting up to 10 days in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer). Meat and seafood can be stored in the freezer if it needs to be kept fresh longer. While Gobble does its best to live up to its freshness goals, some reviews we read complained of delayed or poor delivery, which resulted in less-than-fresh or spoiled food. Gobble seems to prefer giving a credit for any problems that arise rather than a refund.

Not available everywhere

This meal delivery option is available within the contiguous U.S., with the exception of Montana, and there's limited service in Nebraska, New Mexico, and Kansas. Strangely, this information is found on Gobble's pricing page, not on a shipping page.

Mostly happy subscribers, but bad BBB rating

We were really impressed with the many good reviews we found online. It's always nice to see multi-year subscribers who talk about their consistently great meals and experiences with Gobble, with the exception of one or two instances with missing ingredients or less-than-fresh produce due to late delivery. We were really surprised when we saw that Gobble had an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau, so we investigated it and discovered that it was only due to Gobble's failure to respond to a handful of customer reviews there. The actual reviews on the BBB site include many pleased customers who have no complaints with Gobble's meal delivery service.

Not our favorite

Gobble is a great idea, but sometimes great ideas run into problems being executed. Gobble has had some customer-reported issues with delayed shipments and email glitches and isn't quite up to the level of excellence we expect with a meal delivery service. Like other services, they will auto populate your upcoming weekly menu and it is up to you to go in and customize it before the cutoff date, in this case on Wednesdays at 11:59 pm. Unlike other services, they don't send reminder emails. To be safe, subscribers must create a reminder themselves. The website is difficult to navigate and does not contain any information about quality or source of ingredients. Potential subscribers are unable to see a list of ingredients unless they share personal information, and even then, Gobble is unclear about pricing for add-ons like breakfast and how they fit into the meal plan. All of that plus the steep price tag led us to a lower rating for Gobble as a meal delivery service.

Blue Apron

• 50+ recipes to choose from every week
• Menu options include Chef Favorites, Wellness, Family Friendly, Fast and Easy, and Veggies
• Prices start around $7.99/serving
• $9.99 flat-rate shipping per order
• Market add-ons available
• Swap proteins for a more customized experience
• Upgrade meals
• Great for people with cooking skills who are looking to become truly accomplished at-home chefs
• Sustainable and high-quality ingredients

As one of the original modern meal delivery companies, Blue Apron has shipped over 530 million meals. That's a pretty decent accomplishment, but Blue Apron is not just interested in making money - they want to be successful in changing the entire way the food system is grown and distributed. They partner with farmers to raise and grow the highest-quality ingredients and put them together in meal plans to deliver them directly to you. "Simple. Easy. Environmentally responsible.” This will mean better outcomes for everyone, guaranteed markets for small family farms, and better quality ingredients for home chefs. And in our experience trying Blue Apron, we'd have to agree that the quality of the ingredients is spot on. Plus, Blue Apron meals are very satisfying to make because the end result is always a beautifully-plated meal that looks impressive. The flavor profiles are new and adventurous but still appeal to almost any palate.

Great introductory deals

Blue Apron has offered introductory promotions since their inception. At the time of this review, they were offering 50% off the first four boxes with free shipping. While this promotion will eventually be replaced with another one, hometown heroes like teachers, military personnel, medical staff, seniors, and first responders, as well as students, will probably always have a 50% off plus free shipping offer for at least their first box.

See a full month of menu options

You can preview a whole month's worth of Blue Apron's menus before you even place an order. It's easy to get an idea if you are going to be happy with the lower-cost meals or if you'll likely prefer the premium upgraded meals, for example. You can also see if the vegetarian options are a good fit, and you can even see which meals offer protein or side dish swaps. Some of the choices that had us drooling were the yuzu-orange glazed salmon, the one-pan chickpea and curry shakshuka, and the sour cherry Dijon chicken with roasted squash and broccoli.

Amazing holiday meal options

Overwhelmingly, customers love Blue Apron's holiday meal kits (when they can get them to arrive in good condition). People rave about the recipes, ease of preparation, and how stress-free their holiday cooking is with Blue Apron. If they offered this as a one-off option, we might be tempted to try them. Sadly, their shipping problems and customer service practices make it too much of a risk (but more on that later).

Order more, save more

The more Blue Apron meals you order, the more savings you incur. The $7.99 per serving meals are for 4 servings per meal, 5 times per week, whereas the 2 servings per meal, twice a week plan, came in at $11.99 per serving. Also, be aware that many of the meals are premium, which include a per-serving upcharge. In addition, some of the meal swaps will incur an upcharge.

Guaranteed by 8 pm and flexible delivery dates

Once we signed up, we were given a choice of delivery dates, and - wow! This was by far the most flexible, with the first delivery choice being only 8 days from the current date. The dropdown menu included literally any day within the next month, which was nice. Blue Apron is also, to our knowledge, the only service that gives a guarantee for delivery by 8 pm.

BBB rating has declined

Blue Apron had previously earned a "B-” from the Better Business Bureau but that grade sank to a "D-” at the time of this review. We are very concerned with this decline, and upon further research, we realized that many of the responses from Blue Apron were "cut and paste” responses that didn't truly address the issues. This was the same in other places online. For a large company focused on trying to improve how customers get groceries, this is a huge letdown. Canned responses are not what we expect from a company that is trying to better itself and the way we shop.

Recent customer comments are disappointing

In other places, customer experiences and complaints were even worse. Customer service seems to be lukewarm at best, with some customers receiving no response from Blue Apron even with serious issues with quality, missing shipments, and more. Subscribers were also frustrated with the way Blue Apron seems to handle overbilling errors on their end. Instead of offering a refund for a clear billing error, they tend to offer a credit instead. One reviewer had quality issues for over a month and Blue Apron's response was to simply cancel the account with no refund or credit. It's a shame, because the food is delicious (when it arrives correctly). Blue Apron has done nothing to address issues with bad shipping companies. This is a known issue that plagues the meal delivery industry, and as one of the original companies to offer the service, we think Blue Apron has a responsibility to their customers to do better.

Issues are ruining Blue Apron's credibility

Blue Apron has great ideals but sadly does not live up to them. It's ironic that their focus is on changing the way food reaches customers, when that is its biggest problem. It is extremely disappointing that after having shipped over 530 million meals, they can't get it right. In an industry plagued with quality problems due to bad shipping companies (Veho is one that everyone says is problematic), Blue Apron has chosen to bury their head in the sand and ignore its loyal customers. We are afraid these decisions will continue to contribute to a decline in quality, and we recommend going elsewhere for a meal delivery service.

Diet To Go

• As low as $138.99 per week
• 5 menus
• Meals focused on weight loss
• Fresh, flash frozen meals only require reheating
• Save 20% off your first week
• USDA-certified kitchen
• 2 or 3 servings, 5 or 7 meals per week
• 100% satisfaction guarantee

Ranking as the #1 meal delivery service for weight loss by US News in 2023-2024, Diet-to-Go promises to take a common-sense approach to healthy eating. Diet-to-Go delivers low-calorie, dietitian-developed, fresh meals to help people meet weight loss goals.

5 menu options

There are 5 menus you can choose from at Diet-to-Go, which include:

• The Balance Menu: A popular calorie-controlled plan for weight loss management and pre-diabetics. Unlike many popular meal delivery services, this plan actually focuses on low sodium. It also minimizes carbs, fat, and cholesterol. It has the most variety - including vegetarian options.
• Balance-Diabetes: This menu is designed to aid in controlling blood sugar with a calorie-controlled and nutritionally-balanced meal plan. These meals are also controlled for sodium, carbs, and fats.
• Keto-Carb 30: A very carb-restricted diet with lots of meat, cheese, and eggs. The 30 refers to the 30 net carbs per day. This is definitely keto-friendly.
• Vegetarian: The same calorie and sodium control as in other meal plans. Protein sources in this meal plan include dairy, eggs, beans, and some soy.
• Mediterranean: This is a different kind of plan - one for people who aren't worried about calorically-controlled weight loss but just a healthy menu rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, fish, grains, and lean meats.

Adjust menu items after ordering

You can see every single ingredient for each Diet-to-Go meal as well as the nutritional facts. This way, you can switch out meals that may contain allergens or foods you want to avoid. After placing an order, you can go in and customize the menu or substitute one meal for another.

Heat and eat

Meals in any of the plans run on a 5-week rotating menu and are freshly flash frozen, so when they arrive, you simply need to reheat for a few minutes in the microwave. It is important to note that frozen meals need to be defrosted in the refrigerator for 24 hours before heating. If you live within driving distance of Diet-to-Go company headquarters, you will get deliveries of not fully frozen meals twice a week instead of once a week.

Adjust options to fit your budget

In order to price out the cost of your Diet-to-Go meal plan, you have to answer some questions regarding preferences and gender. Then you need to choose how many servings and how many meals you want per week (2 or 3 meals per day, 5 or 7 days per week). Depending on how often you want meals delivered and whether or not you want the seafood option, you could find a plan that could comfortably be within your budget. But, be aware that while Diet-to-Go claims to have a "low” $19.98 shipping fee, that's actually on the high end compared to rival meal delivery services.

Guaranteed satisfaction

Your order from Diet-to-Go comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee: if you're not happy with Diet-to-Go in any way, they promise to make it right or give you a refund. You can put your deliveries on hold easily, but if you choose to cancel, you must make a phone call to cancel your subscription.

A bit too restrictive

Even though these plans are precisely portioned and ingredients and calories specifically measured, there are no vegan, kosher, gluten-free, or dairy- or soy-sensitive options here. Only those who don't have these issues could truly benefit from this diet. Of the few reviews we could find, some stated that they had some issues with texture, and others felt it was a little too portion controlled, saying it would not be sustainable in the long run.

Magazine praise, success stories, but few reviews

Diet-to-Go shows individual stories of weight loss and lifestyle change, has received praise from online magazines and websites like Epicurious, and seems to be a good meal delivery service, but there just aren't that many real customers who have enthusiastic things to say about it. For a long-time player in the meal delivery industry, Diet-to-Go ought to have more reviews available. This tells us that this company doesn't actually have much of a reputation, and that makes us a little hesitant to put it in our "recommended” pile when there are competitors with many more (happy) subscribers.

Bistro MD

• Discount and free shipping on your first week
• As low as $6.95 per meal for the first week, $10.99 per meal after the first week
• 8 weight management programs to choose from, including one that combines prescriptions like Ozempic with the meal plan
• 5- or 7-day meal plans
• Includes a meal plan for women going through menopause
• Choose from having 1-3 meals per day
• Meals help manage diabetes
• Receive dietitian support via email or Facebook group
• Recyclable packaging
• All meals between 1,200 and 1,400 calories

In 2005, physician Caroline J. Cederquist and her husband started bistroMD in an effort to help people who were struggling with weight management. The service has expanded to include meal plans that work with medications like Ozempic, where they manage your medication and meals. This meal delivery service has been featured on Dr. Phil, NBC, Lifetime, The Biggest Loser, and The Doctors.

Take the quiz

bistroMD offers a quiz that enables subscribers to easily find the right weight management program. Questions ask you about health goals, gender, food sensitivities, and what your main diet focus is. It will also ask you for your name and email address before showing results. You will be given a plan in one of the following categories:

• Signature (over 150 meal choices)
• Heart healthy (over 100 meal choices)
• Keto flex (over 85 meal choices)
• Menopause (over 100 meal choices)
• Gluten-free (over 100 meal choices)
• Diabetic (over 100 meal choices)
• Vegan (over 25 lunch and dinner choices)

Once you are sorted into the category that fits best, you are directed to sign up and add your credit card information, so be sure to take a look at the menus before you take the quiz.

5- or 7-day meal plans

We found bistroMD's website to be cluttered and difficult to navigate to find the information we needed to understand the program and make decisions about how to create a successful meal plan. After looking around, we finally confirmed the following meal plan options that go with all the weight management programs:

• Choose from 5 or 7 days of meals
• Choose from single servings of breakfast, lunch, and dinner or just lunch and dinner
• Vegans only have the choice of lunches and dinners

Help for people on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic

bistroMD has developed a meal plan that includes management of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro. You can see if you qualify for this prescription and food management combined plan on their website.

Help for people who like snacking

bistroMD encourages subscribers to also sign up for their snack program. They promise a myriad of healthy options to keep you from bingeing on unhealthy snacks.

Change your meals with helpful suggestions

If you look at the menu and decide you don't want something, you can request a change; bistroMD will offer you a recommendation for a meal of equal nutritional value. You need to make all changes by Wednesday at 5pm ET the week before. You can also talk to a registered dietitian via email or the Facebook group.

Non-organic ingredients

bistroMD doesn't claim to be organic, but they are committed to responsibly sourcing their foods, especially with regard to meat and seafood. They offer rBGH-free beef and hormone-free chicken and try to source from local and family farms where possible.

Flash frozen meals

While the website claims that "frozen doesn't mean not fresh,” there is a compromise in texture for some of the ingredients and recipes. That being said, unlike other meal delivery services, bistroMD's meals can be stored for much longer. Each meal includes a best-buy date stamped on the packaging. Many reviewers said that it's best not to use the microwave for reheating but to instead use a pan or other method, as the microwave can compromise the taste and texture of the meal.

Exorbitant shipping cost

Each box from bistroMD ships at a very pricey $20. This is by and large the highest shipping cost of any meal delivery service on our list. While we are impressed with the recyclable packaging, the cost of shipping is very high.

Unfavorable reviews

The Better Business Bureau only gives bistroMD a "B+” rating, but complaints about the company are numerous and usually related to the most important aspect of all: taste. These complaints ranged from people saying the food needed more seasoning to comparing the food to "expensive slop." One reviewer gave bistroMD points for trying but stated that the vegan options were "just plain bad.” In addition, many customers had problems with being charged for shipments that did not arrive or with cancellation requests not being honored. No matter where we searched, the message from reviewers was the same: this meal delivery company has major issues with taste, quality, and customer service. Based on the reviews alone, this program sounds like a good idea with questionable execution, and we just can't feel confident in recommending it.

Some benefits but likely to disappoint

We're concerned with the problems reported with bistroMD's meal taste and quality. After all, a weight management food plan will only work if subscribers actually eat the food. But if you are experiencing a diagnosed medical issue like diabetes or heart issues or if you want to take GLP-1 medications and have a meal plan to go with it, it may be worth the risk to try bistroMD, especially considering the discounted price of the first week. While flash frozen meals are convenient, this process truly compromises texture and taste. Based on everything we've learned about bistroMD, we have given it a below-average rating.

Green Chef

• Choose from 120 recipes per month
• 3-4 meals per week for 2, 4, or 6 people
• Prices start at $11.99 per serving
• Discounts available for students and hometown heroes
• "A+” rated by the BBB

Green Chef is USDA certified organic and sources quality farms for its meal delivery services. Here you'll find chef-curated recipes in many different categories that can be customized to fit your lifestyle. With eight plans to help you plan your menus, you can probably find something that fits. You can also choose your number of meals per week (three or four) and servings per meal (two, four, or six).

Lots of categories to choose from

Green Chef has eight science-backed meal plan categories to choose from to help you with designing your menus:

• Mediterranean
• Keto
• Protein Packed
• Calorie Smart
• Plant Based
• Quick and Easy
• Gluten Free
• Gut and Brain Health

As with many other meal delivery services, you can mix-and-match these lifestyle preferences or choose to focus on one in particular. You'll always have access to the full menu at Green Chef, but the lifestyle preference(s) you select will always show first when you are planning your upcoming meal deliveries.

Amazing introductory discounts

You might spot an offer popping up when you first visit the Green Chef site. Ours invited us to pick a bowl to reveal a discount; we got $100 off across four boxes if we provided our email address. We also saw that shipping was usually $9.99, but our meal selection page said we'd gotten it free. (But we're not sure if that would continue to apply for future orders.) Also, when we went to browse away from the site without completing our offer, we got an upgraded offer of $140 off five boxes - it might be worth a try for you too. Plus, if you're a teacher, first responder, medical provider, or member of the military, be sure to click that link at the bottom of the Green Chef site for your always-available discount.

Pattern of poor customer service

That's about the end of the potentially positive things we could say about Green Chef as a meal delivery company. There are consistent customer comments indicating that there are quality issues with the way boxes are packed (meat tray leaked liquid all over everything, produce was damaged) and, of course, the seemingly insurmountable industry problem with shipping delays or poor shipping practices. Other frequent complaints involve missing ingredients or unusable produce. It would be different if these were one-off issues, but those who've had quality control issues with bad produce or poor packing are regularly met with disrespectful and downright rude responses from Green Chef's customer service team. People have not been credited for things like moldy food or missing ingredients. Meals that were clearly skipped show up anyway with no recourse or reimbursement.

0% positive ratings in the past twelve months out of 174 reviews

It gets worse. Skips and pauses are consistently ignored. One Green Chef customer even took screenshots to show an increase in totals on invoices that changed after checkout. Customer service does not resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the customer, and subscribers are charged even after canceling over the phone. Complaints are full of pictures of severely rotten vegetables, clearly bad cuts of meat and rancid, defrosted shrimp. Missing deliveries are neither refunded nor compensated as a credit. We are very disappointed in this.

Be careful with your credit card information

Even with incredibly good introductory offers, we would warn you away from sharing your credit card information with this company. Too many customers have complained about unwanted charges - even when they didn't finish the sign-up process. Skipping shipments or canceling altogether can be a nightmare, according to some Green Chef subscribers. If you really must try it, consider using PayPal, which allows you to cancel subscriptions on their end rather than the Green Chef's.

Worst meal delivery service in our rankings

Even the most delicious recipes and fabulous meal plans are not worth it if you are continually gaslighted by customer service representatives about ongoing quality control problems. Consumers pay a premium for meal delivery services for only one reason: to reduce stress. If the meal delivery service increases your stress with missing ingredients, shipments, or unwanted charges, it isn't helping you. For this reason, we have ranked Green Chef at the very bottom of our list.