Sunday, December 10th
2023 Prepared Meal Reviews
Top Chef Meals
- 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
- 10% discount for senior citizens who register on the site
Top Chef Meals puts you in control of your prepared meals. You'll never have to eat a vegetable you hate just to get the chicken you love, with every menu item allowing for swaps and then made to order just for you. There's no required subscription here, and you can order as many or as few prepared meals at a time as you need. Although this isn't one of the biggest names in the industry, Top Chef Meals deserves plenty of respect for how well they deliver. This is our favorite option among companies offering prepared meals.
Personal Chef To Go
- $10.50 to $13.50 per meal
- All meals freshly cooked
- Choose a one-time order or a subscription plan (every week or every two weeks)
- All orders ship on Wednesday and are delivered on Thursday or Friday
- $6.95 delivery fee on each order
- "A+" rated by the BBB
If you like the idea of getting your prepared meals from a small business, check out Personal Chef To Go. You'll have about two dozen entrees to choose from, and you either subscribe and save or order whenever you like (from 5-20 servings at a time). PCTG could improve by offering more information about each meal during the ordering process and making more meals for vegetarians. Still, enough customers say good things about these prepared meals that we give them a nod.
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Which Prepared Meal Company is the Best?
We've all got so many tools at our disposal these days when it comes to mealtime: the traditional drive-thru run on our way home, getting our groceries delivered by Instacart, or even having our favorite take-out brought right to our house by DoorDash or UberEats. But, let's face it: many of those options are unhealthy, expensive, or both. And even with getting our shopping done online and our supermarket hauls delivered, we still have to do the cooking. Ugh!
Fortunately, prepared meal companies can help you eat healthy at the end of a hectic day (or even on the job). These aren't your average grocery store TV dinners, either. Sure, you can opt for frozen meals if you prefer, particularly for longer-term storage, but you've also got the option of having freshly-made, refrigerated meals that only need to be heated for a few minutes in the microwave.
Prepared Meal FAQ
Continued from above...
Prepared meals are especially useful if you're trying to follow a special diet. Getting used to "going keto" , managing diabetes-friendly foods, or knowing what to eat on a renal diet can be frustrating and time-consuming. When you choose a prepared meal company, it relieves some of that burden from your shoulders - until you feel confident doing it on your own, or for as long as you like.
Some customers order prepared meals to help out in a time of need. For families of seniors who are struggling to get adequate nutrition - because they can't get to the store, their mobility or cognition is impaired, or they've got other challenges - these services offer them the peace of mind that their loved ones are consistently getting meals that are well-balanced and easy to prepare.
How does it work? Many companies require you to sign up for a recurring subscription: you choose the number of meals per week and the servings per meal, and they'll be delivered regularly unless you pause the plan, skip a particular delivery, or cancel the service. Others allow you to place orders as needed, but you'll often pay a higher per-serving cost for a la carte prepared meals.
Not sure which provider to pick? Don't worry. Here are a several criteria you can use to narrow down the options for prepared meals:
- Fresh or Frozen. Do you have a preference? Keep in mind that most meals that are delivered fresh can still be put in the freezer for at least a few weeks.
- Preferred Menu. Are you trying to follow a particular eating plan, like a weight loss diet or a strictly vegan lifestyle? Choose the prepared meal company that has recipes you'll actually want to eat.
- Flexibility. Will you need to commit to a delivery schedule? If so, how easy is it to change days or skip a shipment? Can the meals be modified to be more to your liking, such as changing fish for chicken or adding more protein? Are there any extras you can add to your box, to save you a trip to the store?
- Value. How much will you pay per meal, and how does that compare with what you'd normally spend at the store? Is it worth the cost for the convenience you'll get? Are there any discounts or other ways to save money?
- Customer feedback. What do people say about the prepared meals and the company providing them? Does everything arrive well-chilled or still-frozen, or are there problems with thawed ice packs and other delivery issues? How's the taste? Does the company's customer service team handle problems poorly or professionally?
TopConsumerReviews.com has made it easier for you to find the right prepared meal company for your needs, by evaluating and ranking today's most popular services. We hope that this information will help you spot the perfect menu and take advantage of this fantastic time-saver. Let's eat!
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