Sunbasket vs Diet to Go

There are so many reasons you might find a prepared meal delivery service a huge benefit to your life. Maybe you're facing an illness or had a major life event that has left you feeling like cooking is the last thing you want to do. Or maybe you're trying to eat healthier, but you love the convenience of eating out and want to bridge the gap.

Prepared meals are the perfect solution for busy parents who still want the benefit of home cooked meals around the table with their family or for those who just can't get the hang of cooking and have decided they're sick of burning all their food (we aren't judging!). No matter your situation or reasons, prepared meals are a modern convenience that should be taken advantage of.

If you're concerned about a prepared meal delivery service because you're a picky eater, have allergies or serious food intolerances, fear not. One reason prepared meals have become so popular is because they can cater to anyone's preferences and needs. If you need to avoid gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, or any other specific ingredient, many companies will let you specify this and will adjust your meal options accordingly. You can choose vegetarian meals, paleo meals, calorie-conscious meals, or mostly order meals from your favorite cuisine.

Depending on the prepared meal service, some meal selections may cost more than others. If you want gourmet meals that give you a high-end restaurant experience for your taste buds at home, you might pay a bit more (worth it!) but if you're on a budget, there are still mouth-watering, nutritious options that shouldn't stretch the amount of money you've allotted yourself for meals. Whether or not the ingredients in your prepared meal are organic, locally sourced, or come with other specialty labels may affect the overall cost, so pay attention to this as well.

Some companies will deliver meals to your door that are practically ready to open up and eat on the spot, while others require a little prep on your part. Even the meals you have to assemble yourself are made to be as simple as can be. Ingredients come perfectly measured out with step-by-step instructions that can give confidence to even the most inept home chef. Useful tip: you could save the instructions and ingredient information if you want to make the meal again in the future and give it a go on your own!

We've made ourselves very hungry with all the research we've done about the top prepared meal services available to customers. In the end, we've narrowed down a few things that are important to look at when you're considering signing up with one of these companies:

• Menu options. Everyone has specific food preferences and needs. Identify what yours are and quickly identify whether or not the prepared meals offered by the company will cater to them. Ideally you'll want as many menu options as possible so that if you continue using the service long-term, you won't have to keep repeating the same type of meals over and over. You may also want to see if there is a variety as far as preparation complexity. Some nights you may have 5 minutes to prepare a meal and other nights you might have hours. Are you able to order a mix of meals that will work when you're in a pinch or if you want something more fancy and closer to homemade?
• Cost. You'll usually get the most bang for your buck if you sign up for a subscription with a prepared meal service. Sometimes this includes free delivery, other times it means you may save 10-15% on repeat orders rather than one-offs. Are you able to set your delivery schedule however you want? Is it easy to cancel or reschedule if you need to?
• Ingredient quality. Have you ever ordered a meal with meat that turns out to be rubbery? Or gotten a salad with wilted lettuce? Real, quality ingredients are important and make all the difference. Some people prioritize eating organic or buying fresh food from local farms. Services that offer non-GMO, organic food with sustainable sourcing practices are usually going to provide some of the highest-quality meals.
• Reputation. What do other customers say about their experience with the prepared meals from a company? Are deliveries fresh, on time, and tasty? If you have to work with customer service, hopefully they're accommodating and swift in their communication. Listening to what others have to say will give you key insights into this before you have to deal with it yourself.

To give you the best, most convenient experience with ordering prepared meals, the experts at Top Consumer Reviews have pored over all the details of popular companies available to you. We hope this information helps you find simple, enjoyable meals that you'll look forward to eating every day.