Monday, October 2nd
2023 Meal Delivery Company Reviews
Top Chef Meals
- Prepared meal service
- Menu options include traditional recipes, Keto, Paleo, Kids' Meals, plus special diets like Renal, Diabetic, Low-Carb, Low-Sodium, Gluten-Free, Low-Fat, and Seniors
- Delivered fresh and can be reheated in the microwave or oven
- Can order individual meals or in larger sets
- Meals are fully customizable and made fresh to order
- No subscription or commitment required
- Meals start at $9.95/serving
- Desserts, breakfasts, soups and shakes also available
- Free shipping in some areas (mostly east of the Mississippi), $19.99 elsewhere
- 100% quality guarantee
Top Chef Meals is a small meal delivery service with big flexibility. Unlike most prepared meal options that give you little say-so over what you receive, and that lock you into a subscription in order to get the lowest prices, Top Chef Meals puts the control in your hands. Prefer a different side with your roasted chicken breast than the one that comes standard? You got it. Want to buy five meals one week and 25 the next? You can do that too. That's a huge win, especially if you're trying to satisfy a picky eater (like yourself).
Extensive menu choices
You'd think with a lesser-known service, there'd be a much smaller menu to choose from. Not so here. We invite you to browse the menu options at Top Chef Meals and be impressed. In the main menu alone, we spotted seasonal specials like these:
- Bacon Mushroom Jam & Pepper Jack Burger
- Ropa Vieja
- Lamb Kofta Meatballs
We also saw everyday entrees (that could be filtered to show low sodium, diabetic, gluten free, dairy free, and/or low fat options) like Asian Sesame Salmon and Chicken Parm; and vegetarian specialties such as the Spinach and Garlic Ravioli Alfredo and Three-Bean Vegan Chili. Because each meal is made to order, you can customize it to have an extra portion of protein, extra sauce, a different starch or vegetable, and so forth.
Great kids' meals
Want to make your kids' lunchtime even easier? Check out Top Chef Meals' Kids' Menu. Most meals are priced at under $6/serving, and your kid won't get stuck with veggies she hates. They all come with a main course, a side dish, and a smoothie - so one day could be Mini Pizzas with Roasted Cauliflower and an Apple Smoothie, and maybe the next day you change up the vegetable for some tater tots and make it a peach smoothie instead.
Lots of options for special diets
Plus, if you're trying to accommodate a special diet and struggling to make it nutritious and palatable, Top Chef Meals can help. Again, everything is customizable, there are no minimum orders, and seniors can save 10% if they register on the site.
Try a sampler
Not sure where to start? We recommend choosing one of Top Chef Meals' "Get Started" packages. You can try their ten most popular meals, pick four that catch your eye, or go for the Comfort Foods 10-meal menu. Even in those packages, you can remove any meals that you'd rather not have and swap them for extra servings of ones you like (take out the Meatballs Marinara and get two Chicken Pot Pies instead of one).
Shipping rates are location-based
Because this is a smaller meal delivery company, your shipping details will depend on where you live. For those who live in the New York City area, courier delivery is free on 10 or more meals. East of the Mississippi, most customers will get free 1- or 2-day delivery, and the rest of the country will pay $19.95 for Priority Overnight. Click the Shipping link at the top of the site to view the delivery map if you're curious.
Small company, big praise from customers
We weren't able to find a Better Business Bureau listing for Top Chef Meals or its parent company, The Crystal Spoon. But, we were surprised to see that, despite being a smaller meal delivery service, this company has received more than 3700 five-star reviews in other places; almost 90% of their customers say that it's "great" or "excellent" . It's so encouraging to read review after review praising the flavor of the meals, the abundance of personalization options, and the company's genuine commitment to customer satisfaction.
Best service specializing in ready-made meals
Obviously if you're looking for a meal kit that lets you do your cooking at home, this isn't going to be your favorite delivery service. On the other hand, out of all of the companies in our evaluation that specialize in prepared meals, Top Chef Meals is our favorite.
More Meal Delivery Company Reviews
The 18 Best Meal Delivery Companies
Which Meal Delivery Company is the Best?
Isn't it amazing how many ways we have to make our lives easier, from Instacart grocery deliveries to DoorDash dinners from our favorite restaurants? Meal delivery services fall in the middle of that spectrum: you save the time and hassle of planning a menu and buying the ingredients, while not spending tons of money on weekly (or nightly) take-out meals and the corresponding gratuities. These services include heat-and-eat meals that arrive either fresh or frozen, as well as kits that come with all the ingredients necessary to make a gourmet-style meal right at home.
You may have noticed that meal delivery recipe choices are abundant. From classic, hearty favorites like chicken parm and burgers to exotic dishes from around the world, there's something for everyone. Vegan? No problem. Following a special diet for health or medical reasons, like keto or diabetic-friendly? You've got possibilities!
Meal Delivery Company FAQ
Continued from above...
Many of these services are subscription-based: you choose the types of meals you prefer (or pick specific entrees), how many servings in each one, and how many meals you'd like in a week, and your deliveries will come like clockwork unless you pause your membership, skip a shipment, or cancel altogether. If that's not your preference, there are some meal delivery companies that let you place your orders whenever you like, with no ongoing commitment.
With almost every meal delivery service, you'll get big discounts on your first order (and sometimes several ones thereafter) - you could pay less than $2 per meal at the start. Just be aware that the regular pricing is higher, typically ranging from $6 to $20 per serving; you'll pay more for premium options with higher-quality proteins and ingredients (maybe for a special occasion?).
It's easy to get overwhelmed as you try to figure out which service to pick. Want some help? Here are a few factors to guide your decision:
- Preferred Meal Type. Do you want a meal kit or something that comes prepared and ready to heat (or reheat, if it is delivered frozen)? If you'd like a mixture of both, a few meal delivery services give you that flexibility.
- Menu Options. What types of recipes can you choose from? Does the variety fit what you and your household will actually eat? Will the menu accommodate your dietary needs, food sensitivities, or other preferences?
- Flexibility. How easy is it to start and stop your deliveries? Can you customize your meals by swapping one protein for another, changing the side dish, or adding extras like smoothies or coffee? What if you want just one or two meals one week and six the next?
- Value. What will you get for what you spend? Is it worth the money compared to how you usually shop and eat? What discounts are available, to make your first try more affordable?
- Reputation. Meal delivery companies are popping up all the time. What do other customers say about their experience? Have the deliveries arrived in good condition? And if not, how has the service handled the problem?
To help you simplify your life with regular meal deliveries, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the most popular services available today. We're confident that this will make it a breeze to choose the one that's right for you. Bon appetit!
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