Best Meal Delivery Services

Founded in 2014 by chefs and technology entrepreneurs, Sunbasket offers meal delivery kits that focus on USDA organic ingredients, sustainably sourced seafood, and humanely raised meats. There are two types of meals: a Fresh & Ready meal option, which are fresh, ready-to-heat and eat, single-serving meals, and a Meal Kit, which is a more traditional meal kit with pre-portioned ingredients, and measured sauces for customers to cook at home. Fresh & Ready meals can be heated up in 3 minutes and Meal Kits can be prepped and cooked anywhere from 15-45 minutes. Meal Kits are designed for two or four servings a week with two to five recipes available each week.

Users can select from a wide range of dietary accommodations, including gluten- and dairy-free, vegetarian, Mediterranean, Paleo, pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, chef’s choice, and dinner ready in less than 20 minutes. For some recipes, customers can swap and optimize protein choices for an additional cost. For example, chicken or plant-based chicken, pork, tofu, shrimp, and scallops can oftentimes be subbed in. Some recipes also include a section on how children can help and be a part of the meal-making process.

Once dinners are selected, customers can add a variety of other meals and foods, including gourmet cheeses, nuts, breakfast and lunch items, pasta and sauces, proteins, and snacks. Meal Kits arrive with a little recipe booklet that lists all prep and cook times depending on the protein chosen as well as nutrition facts. Meal styles are unique and diverse, including recipe inspirations from Hungary, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, and Turkey.

Sunbasket's pricing is based on a tiered system

Pricing for Meal Kits:

• 2 servings for 2 meals: $14.49 per serving
• 2 servings for 3 meals: $13.49 per serving
• 2 servings for 4 meals: $12.49 per serving
• 2 servings for 5 meals: $11.49 per serving
• 4 servings for 2 meals: $12.49 per serving
• 4 servings for 3 meals: $11.49 per serving
• 4 servings for 4 meals: $11.49 per serving
• 4 servings for 5 meals: $11.49 per serving

Pricing for Fresh & Ready Meals:

• 4 meals per week: $6.74 per serving
• 5 meals per week: $7.99 per serving
• 6 meals per week: $5.32 per serving
• 7 meals per week: $6.27 per serving
• 8 meals per week: $5.99 per serving
• 9 meals per week: $6.54 per serving
• 10 meals per week: $5.99 per serving

Shipping is free on your first order. After that, expect to pay $7.99 per delivery. Sunbasket ships to 47 states, leaving out Alaska, Hawaii, and Montana.

Learn More: Read Our Sunbasket Review.

Dinnerly was created in 2017 as an offshoot of Martha Stewart and Marley Spoon. The service focuses on creating easy-to-cook meals at an affordable price point. The cost per serving starts at $4.69, making Dinnerly the least expensive meal delivery service in the U.S. market. 

Dinnerly crafts fresh and quick comfort foods for customers to cook in their kitchen in five steps or less with a goal of getting dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Users can choose from a two- or four-person plan, with three to six dinner recipes a week. Dinnerly offers a classic meat and vegetable meal plan or a vegetarian meal plan. When selecting your recipes, expect to see 28 recipes each week, with an option to filter with the following tags: vegetarian, no added gluten, one-pot meal, low carb, healthy, under 30 minutes, poultry, seafood, and kid-friendly. A few extra add-ons, such as breakfast and extra protein, can also be selected.

Foods can generally be considered family-friendly favorites, like chicken and dumplings and steak fried rice. Because the service comes at such a low and appealing price point, extra frills are not included. Expect to use your smartphone or computer to access Dinnerly’s recipes because printed recipe cards are not included. And note that the company uses generic graphics in the instructions section rather than unique photography for each step.

Dinnerly's pricing is tiered, so the more you order, the less the cost per serving.

Pricing for two servings per week:

• 3 meals: $5.89 per serving
• 4 meals: $5.79 per serving
• 5 meals: $5.69 per serving
• 6 meals: $5.59 per serving

Pricing for four servings per week:

• 3 meals: $5.59 per serving
• 4 meals: $5.19 per serving
• 5 meals: $4.99 per serving
• 6 meals: $4.69 per serving

Dinnerly delivers to the Continental U.S. and with a flat fee of $8.99.

Learn More: Read Our Dinnerly Review.

Freshly was founded in 2012 by Michael Wystrach and Carter Comstock, who began making meals out of a family restaurant in Arizona. The concept took off, and now Freshly is a popular service that delivers almost nationwide.

Freshly focuses on creating nutritious and fresh single-serving meals that are designed by chefs and can be microwaved in about 3 minutes. Customers can choose between 4 to 12 dinners a week. Meals are gluten-free, and there are also peanut-free, dairy-free, and plant-based options. Food arrives refrigerator-ready and can be safely chilled for three to five days.

Freshly has a diverse assortment of entrees. Meal options include filling bowls, such as a coconut lemongrass pork bowl with cauliflower rice and fire-roasted vegetables or beef and broccoli with garlicky stir-fry sauce. Freshly also features more traditional plates, such as protein-packed chicken parm with mozzarella and garlicky broccoli and steak peppercorn with sauteed carrots and French green beans. Customers can also select their meals based on the following meal style filters: crafted classics, signature collection, FreshlyFit, takeout twists, purely plants, and proteins and sides. 

A look at Freshly's prices:

• 4-5 meals: $11.79 per meal
• 6-7 meals: $9.99 per meal
• 8-9 meals: $9.49 per meal
• 10-11 meals: $9.29 per meal
• 12 meals: $8.99 per meal

Learn More: Read Our Freshly Review.

Classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu, Pete Servold started Pete’s Paleo in 2012 alongside his wife Sarah. He was inspired after dealing with personal health issues and his experiences doing CrossFit.

Meals are designed with active and health-conscious eaters in mind. The menu is Paleo-based with an option for adding extra portions or sides if you’re training or going “lite” if you’re calorie-conscious. Each week, the company selects your meals for you from a weekly rotating menu that is seasonal and planned out in advance. Meals arrive fresh, refrigerator-ready, and ready-to-heat.

The food is centered around meat and vegetables and it's gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free. Customers can choose a five, 10, 14, or family-meal plan each week. Food is crafted by chefs and includes menu items like short ribs with pearl onions and Yukon potatoes and balsamic braised pulled pork with acorn squash and kale. Pete’s Paleo sells other products as well, such as its own bacon, bone broth, and a few curated bundles. 

An overview of Pete's Paleo's options:

• 5 meals: $97.92
• 10 meals: $191.10
• 14 meals: $251.39
• Family plan (5 meals with 4 servings): $359.13 
• Breakfast bundle (5 meals): $74.80
• Lite (7 meals): $120.98
• Bone broth (12 servings): $75.88

Learn More: Read Our Pete's Paleo Review.

Factor was founded in 2013 by former MMA fighter Nick Wernimont and was acquired by HelloFresh in 2020. Factor places an emphasis on nutrient-rich foods for people with active lifestyles and nutrition-related goals. Meals are created by chefs with the coordination of registered dieticians.

The meals are single-serving and are fresh and ready to heat and can safely live in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Customers can choose four, six, eight, 12, and 18 meals a week. Each meal has an expiration date on the package, meals can be microwaved in about 2 minutes or cooked in the oven following the instructions on each label.

Users can select from four meal plans: keto, chef’s choice, calorie smart, as well as a vegan and veggie option. Recipes include apricot mustard grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans and shrimp alfredo with zucchini noodles and broccoli. Meals are mostly meat-centered, but there are a few vegetarian and vegan options available each week as well, plus some breakfast items.

The more you order each week, the lower the price per meal or serving. The pricing breakdown is as follows:

• 4 meals: $15 per serving
• 6 meals: $12.83 per serving
• 8 meals: $12.38 per serving
• 12 meals: $11.50 per serving
• 18 meals: $11 per serving

Learn More: Read Our Factor Review.

Purple Carrot is a plant-based meal service that focuses on healthful and nutritious meals. The service has two types of meal plans: a meal kit with pre-portioned ingredients for customers who love to cook at home, and prepared, single-serving meals that can be heated up in 5 minutes or less. Customers who opt for a meal kit have an option to start with two or four servings a week for dinner with three or four recipes a week.

After your meals are selected, there is a choice to add on breakfasts, lunches, and “Plantry” items such as sauces and vegan pestos. Customers can search and filter for the following styles of meals: nut-, soy-, gluten-free, under 600 calories, high protein, and quick and easy. If you select the prepared meals, you can search for low-calorie and gluten-free, single-serving meals that are designed to be heated up in the microwave. Purple Carrot boasts interesting and diverse meals, such as cuisine from Bali, Korea, India, and Lebanon.

A breakdown of Purple Carrot's pricing:

• 2 servings for 3-4 dinners: $11.99 per serving
• 4 servings for 2-3 dinners: $9.99 per serving
• Breakfast for 4 servings: $4.49 per serving
• Lunch for 2 servings: $8.99 per serving 
• “Plantry” items: start at $3.99
• Prepared meals (1 serving): $12.99 per serving

Learn More: Read Our Purple Carrot Review.

Splendid Spoon focuses on creating ready-to-eat, plant-based, high-fiber foods that are nutrient-rich and healthful. There are several plans: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and reset, which includes a day of soups to reset your diet; breakfast, lunch, and reset; breakfast and lunch; just breakfasts, and just lunches. A reset plan is a day filled with various soups to be enjoyed throughout the day, along with plenty of water.

Foods and meals are composed of smoothies, soups, grain bowls, and extras, like desserts and snacks. Splendid Spoon’s foods are gluten- and dairy-free and made without any preservatives. Meals and snacks are creative, and feature options that are inspired by Chinese, Italian, Indian, and Korean cuisines. A few bowl examples include green tomatillo soup with tofu and navy beans and coconut curry rice bowl with kale and cashews. Customers can sort through meals to meet their nutrition needs using tags like higher fiber, higher protein, and lower sugar.

Splendid Spoon places emphasis on sustainability and its packaging is 100 percent recyclable. 

Splendid Spoon has several plans with options to have weekly, biweekly, and monthly deliveries. Plans include a variety of meals, with 50 or more choices each week. Here is a look at the packages that are designed for five days:

• Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and reset plan: $195
• Breakfast, lunch, and reset plant: $140
• Breakfast and lunch: $100
• Breakfast: $65
• Lunch: $65

The company delivers to the Continental U.S.

Learn More: Read Our Splendid Spoon Review.

Green Chef was founded in 2014 by Michael Joseph as the first USDA-certified organic meal delivery service in the U.S. Customers can choose from six types of meals: Keto + Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Fast & Fit, and Gluten-Free.

After selecting your plan, you can choose a plan for two, four, or six servings, with an option for three or four meals a week. Green Chef has tags to help customers find recipes that fit their needs. Recipes include filling salads, proteins with lots of vegetables, flatbreads, hearty sandwiches, and protein-heavy soups. There are interesting menu options such as smoky romesco cauliflower with kale, red peppers, dried apricots, feta, and roasted potatoes; and chimichurri chicken bowls with cauliflower “rice” and roasted squash with bell peppers and pepitas.

Depending on the number of people and meals selected the price varies, additionally, the pricing based on meal type does not change the price per serving. Here is a closer look at pricing options based on serving options:

• 2 people with 3 meals: $13.49 per serving
• 2 people with 4 meals: $12.99 per serving
• 4 people with 2 meals is $12.99 per serving
• 4 people with 3 meals: $12.49 per serving
• 4 people with 4 meals: $11.99 per serving
• 6 people with 3 meals is 11.99 per serving
• 6 people with 4 meals: $11.99 per serving

Shipping is $9.99 and the company ships to the Continental U.S.

Learn More: Read Our Green Chef Review.

Marley Spoon was founded in 2014 and relaunched with Martha Stewart in 2016. The company focuses on fresh, pre-proportioned ingredients and curated spice blends for food lovers to cook gourmet dinners at home in six steps. Food and ingredients arrive fresh and can be made within four days, with the exception of fish, which should be cooked within 48 hours. Additional proteins can also be included in your delivery box. 

Meal plans are for two and four people, and customers can choose two to six recipes a week from over 40 recipes each week. When selecting your meal plan, you can also choose a vegetarian plan. The company has a variety of dietary accommodations and includes filters and tags: kid-friendly, no added gluten, poultry, under 30 minutes, dairy-free, meat, optional spice, fish, one-pot meal, low carb, low calorie, healthy, vegetarian, and nutritious.

Meals have nods to Chinese, Ethiopian, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Thai cuisines. Dinner meals have enticing recipes, such as tamari-glazed steak with roasted vegetables and furikake mayo, and berbere pork chops with bulgur mint salad, zucchini, and feta.

Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon has a plan for two people and four people with an option for two to six recipes a week.

Below is an overview of a meal plan for two people:

• 2 meals: $11.99 per portion
• 3 meals: $10.49 per portion
• 4 meals: $9.99 per portion
• 5 meals: $9.99 per portion
• 6 meals: $9.49 per portion

Here is an overview of a meal plan for four people:

• 2 meals: $9.99 per portion
• 3 meals: $9.49 per portion
• 4 meals: $8.99 per portion
• 5 meals: $8.99 per portion
• 6 meals: $8.49 per portion

Shipping is $8.99 per delivery.

Learn More: Read Our Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon Review.

Epicured was founded to provide an easy and healthy way to eat for people living with digestive diseases. Using a low FODMAP and gluten-free approach, clinicians, chefs, and a few friends collaborated in 2015 to create Epicured. Co-founders Richard Bennett and Renee Cherkezian believe food is "medicine,” and that people who suffer from IBS, Crohn’s, or Celiac disease should have an opportunity to enjoy healthful and nutritious foods that align with their diets.

The meals are chef-created and ready-to-eat and include a bevy of dietary accommodations, including gluten-free, low FODMAP, vegetarian, vegan, shellfish-free, high protein, low calorie, low sodium, and low acid diets. Customers can select from two plans: an a la carte, a single-serving option, and a curated bundle, which includes specific meals and food items selected by a chef. A la carte options include soups, salads, sides, snacks, entrees, bowls, salads, breakfasts, and beverages. An example of a curated bundle includes a vegan, three-day, or a “better belly” bundle.

Meals are fresh and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days. They are designed to be heated in the microwave, oven, or stovetop. 

Epicured has an a la carte option and a bundle option, which is a delivery box curated by a chef and filled with various meal and food items. Each week, customers can pick what they’d like and may add items. Costs can add up quickly, especially with a large choice of foods, snacks, and beverages. 

Here’s a look at a few a la carte items:

• Carrot ginger soup: $6.99
• Chickpea curry: $12.99
• Vegan chili: $10.99

A bundle or package offers customers a larger selection of curated meals each delivery. All bundles include a 5 percent discount. Here’s a closer look at bundle costs:

• Fiber-fueled bundle (12 items): $125.99
• Three-Day bundle (15 items): $142.99
• Vegan bundle (14 items): $113.99
• Freezer-friendly favorites (11 items): $87.30

Epicured food is prepared in a kitchen based in New York. The company delivers to the Continental U.S. and delivery cost is location-based. Shipping to the East Coast is roughly $10. For locations east of Mississippi, orders over $100 are shipped for free. If your order is less than $100, then shipping to Western and Southern states can be as much as $35 to $45.

Learn More: Read Our Epicured Review.