Busy families appreciated that the cart would auto-fill and generate not just groceries but also corresponding recipes, but of course, you can customize it if desired. Our registered dietitians note that all of the items are free from partially hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and artificial preservatives.
One tester said, "It was so fresh, the variety was amazing and everything was so quick to put together. Loved that everything came precut and prepackaged. Specifically, I really enjoyed the delicious sauces!
Its Michelin-star chefs team up with physicians and dietitians to create delicious meals that accommodate complex dietary restrictions. All meals are fully prepared and require refrigeration upon arrival. How it works : The subscription option is designed to help you maintain a low-FODMAP regimen over the course of two to eight weeks.
You can also subscribe to choose your meals and have them sent on a recurring schedule or opt for a one-time order. Epicured offers over menu items ranging from fully prepared bowls, entrées and soups to smoothies and energy bites.
The brand uses organic ingredients whenever possible. Lab results: Testers were pleasantly surprised by the flavorful meals, even though they were gut-friendly. Learning that it was gluten-free and low-FODMAP had me prepared not to like the texture or flavor.
But surprisingly, it was all very good. RELATED: Best Gluten-Free Meal Delivery Services. At the Good Housekeeping Institute , our food and nutrition experts test and review all different types of food products and services. From healthy snacks and supplements to food subscription boxes and meal delivery services, we are committed to bringing you the best of the best when it comes to quality, performance, flavor, nutrition and more.
Our experts have evaluated over 50 different meal delivery services. First, we assess how easy it is to navigate and utilize the service's website. We look for robust menu variety, ample dietary preferences to accommodate different needs, simple instruction cards, accurate cooking times and delicious and inventive recipes.
We also evaluate the quality of ingredients upon arrival and whether or not the kit includes everything you'll need to re-create the provided recipes.
We also look for packaging that keeps the food safe and incorporates sustainable features. Other major factors are cost and delivery ranges which we strongly consider in our tests. We've looked at everything from traditional kits that come with pre-measured ingredients to fully prepared heat-and-eat options.
What we've found is that there is really a service for every level of home cook and practically any dietary need or preference.
Whether you love to cook or prefer to stay away from the kitchen, there is a meal delivery option for all different walks of life.
Real-life feedback from home cooks of all levels is an incredibly value component of our evaluation process. Testers comment on how easy the kits were to follow, their thoughts on the variety and quality of recipes, the condition of the food upon arrival, packaging and more. We made our selections based on expert evaluations and tester feedback in the categories of overall satisfaction, food quality, cost, recycling efforts and availability.
Our top picks cater to a wide variety of dietary preferences including gluten-free, low-carb, high-protein and more. Although taste is subjective, we ultimately chose companies that scored well overall with testers. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living.
She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family. How to Cook Rice in a Rice Cooker.
Dinner Ideas Your Kids Will Love. Skip to Content Product Reviews Life Health Food Beauty. sign in. Best Flower Delivery V-Day Gifts For Kids V-Day Gifts For Women V-Day Gifts For Men Amazon Valentine's Gifts. Our top picks: 1.
Best Overall Meal Delivery Service Blue Apron ORDER AT BLUEAPRON. ORDER AT BLUEAPRON. Best Organic Meal Delivery Service Green Chef ORDER AT GREENCHEF. ORDER AT GREENCHEF.
Best Meal Delivery Service for Beginners Dinnerly ORDER AT DINNERLY. ORDER AT DINNERLY. Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service Fresh N Lean ORDER AT FRESH N LEAN.
ORDER AT FRESH N LEAN. Best Semi-Prepared Meal Delivery Service Sunbasket ORDER AT SUNBASKET. ORDER AT SUNBASKET. Best Meal Delivery Service for Families Home Chef ORDER AT HOMECHEF.
ORDER AT HOMECHEF. Best Chef Crafted Meal Delivery Service CookUnity ORDER AT COOKUNITY. ORDER AT COOKUNITY. Best Meal Delivery Service for One Tovala ORDER AT TOVALA. ORDER AT TOVALA.
Pros Great for all cooking levels Wide variety of plans, including pre-prepped options Fresh ingredients and inventive recipes Seasonal boxes available for special occasions. Cons Premium options come at an added cost.
Plans Two or four servings per meal. Two to five meals per week. Availability Delivery in the contiguous United States. Pros Affordable and delicious meals Most meals can be made in under 30 minutes Good variety of ingredients and recipes. Cons Items don't come as organized as other services.
Plans Two, four or six people. Three to six meals per week. Availability Delivery to the majority of the continental United States. Pros Pre-measured and prepped ingredients save effort and time USDA-certified organic ingredients All meals can be made in 45 minutes or less. Cons Expensive Instructions can sometimes be complex, with many pots and pans.
Three or four meals per week. Packaging Most packaging is recyclable, except when it cannot be for food safety and quality reasons.
Green Chef uses ClimaCell, a curbside recyclable insulation. Availability Delivery to the majority of the continental United States with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below.
Pros Affordable and easy recipes Over weekly dishes to choose from Meals can be made in 30 minutes or less Large selection of vegetarian offerings. Cons Recipe cards are digital instead of printed.
Plans Two or four people. Two to six meals per week. Packaging The box and separator inside are SFI certified and can be recycled in any curbside paper recycling bin. Pros Special plans cater to specific dietary preferences Fully prepared meals require no prep or cleanup High sourcing standards Meals are fresh, never frozen.
Cons Expensive. Plans Choose if you want meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and opt for either five or seven days' worth of food. Packaging The cardboard box, plastic trays and seal can all be recycled.
Availability Available nationwide, additional fees for Alaska and Hawaii. Pros Choose from traditional meal kits or quick meals Options for different dietary needs Impressive sustainable packaging. Cons Not as robust a selection as other services. Packaging All packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Availability Ships to most zip codes in the United States, with the exception of AK, HI, MT, ND and parts of NM. Pros Over 30 menu options to choose from weekly Easy to follow instruction cards with clear pictures Items are well-packaged and organized.
Cons Not ideal for larger families. Family Friendly: Quick, easy-to-cook, kid-friendly meals. Quick and Easy: Simple recipes that are ready in a snap. Veggie: Vegetarian meals with meatless proteins.
Fit and Wholesome: Dietitian-approved meals that are around calories each. Pescatarian: Fresh seafood paired with seasonal veggies. Pros Many plan options, including family-friendly kits Filter by calorie-conscious, carb-conscious or vegetarian options Kits also available at Kroger grocery stores.
Cons Some recipes can take a while to prepare. Prep and cooking times range from 30—50 minutes. Protein Packs: À la carte proteins boneless chicken breasts, New York strip steak, ground beef, shrimp and salmon filets You'll also find six weekly recipes in Kroger grocery stores from Home Chef if you'd rather pick up the items yourself.
Plans Plans for two, four or six people. Packaging Packaging is recyclable or reusable and also keeps the food at a safe temperature during its journey in transit. Availability Available nationwide; can also be found at more than 2, Kroger grocery stores. Pros Gourmet prepared meals with exceptional flavor Great selection and variety Filters available for dietary preferences Meals are fresh, never frozen.
Cons Availability limited in certain areas of the country. Plans Choose from four, six, eight, 12 or 16 meals per week. Packaging Fully prepared meals are packaged in industrially compostable trays with recyclable components and delivered in reusable insulated bags or recyclable boxes.
Pros Minimal prep required Meals come out perfectly cooked every time Options for different dietary needs. Cons Purchasing Tovala's smart oven means high start-up cost Can only cook one meal at a time in the oven.
Plans Receive anywhere from four to 16 meals a week. Packaging Insulation is made from recycled plastic bottles and can be recycled curbside.
Pros Six steps per recipe Wide variety of meal options Everything comes neatly pre-measured. Cons Some recipes can be more complicated. Packaging The box and the vertical and horizontal dividers inside are SFI certified, which means they're made of paper sourced from sustainably managed forests.
The box can be recycled in any curbside paper recycling bin. ORDER AT FACTOR Pros Innovative and flavorful keto-friendly options Variety of prepared meals to choose from Add-ons include shakes, smoothies, snacks and desserts. Cons Some meals are very high in fat. Plan preferences include: Chef's Choice: Variety of healthy chef-crafted meals.
Keto : Low-carb, high-fat meals. Flexitarian : Balanced, veggie-forward meals with purposeful proteins. Protein Plus: Satisfying meals with 30 grams of protein or more.
Calorie Smart: Meals with calories or less. Plans Choose anywhere from six to 18 meals per week. Packaging Boxes can be broken down and placed with curbside recycling. The insulation is curbside recyclable as well.
Pros Completely plant-based meals Innovative flavors and unique ingredients Clinically proven to help lower LDL cholesterol. Cons One of the more expensive per serving.
Packaging Most packaging is recyclable, including the box, and some items like the TemperPack Climacell Liners are recyclable. Purple Carrot Frozen is available at Whole Foods Market, Target and other grocers across the country. Shop at hungryroot.
Pros Delivers groceries and recipes to handle meal planning Accommodates a variety of dietary needs All items are free from artificial colors and preservatives.
Cons May be more costly than traditional groceries. Plans Two or four serving recipes. Three to eight meals per delivery, plus any additional groceries. Availability Delivery to most zip codes in the 48 contiguous states and Washington D. ORDER AT EPICURED. Pros Meals are low-FODMAP compliant yet tasty Fresh ingredients and filling meals Large selection of menu items.
Cons Expensive cost per meal. Packaging Meals come in in Polypropylene plastic containers that are all recyclable, reusable and dishwasher safe. All Epicured boxes are recyclable. How we test meal delivery services. Philip Friedman. Good Housekeeping. Stefani Sassos, M. Watch Next. Easy Weeknight Meals.
Most packaging is recyclable, except when it cannot be for food safety and quality reasons. Delivery to the majority of the continental United States with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. The box and separator inside are SFI certified and can be recycled in any curbside paper recycling bin.
Choose if you want meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and opt for either five or seven days' worth of food.
The cardboard box, plastic trays and seal can all be recycled. Two or four people. Ships to most zip codes in the United States, with the exception of AK, HI, MT, ND and parts of NM.
Packaging is recyclable or reusable and also keeps the food at a safe temperature during its journey in transit. Available nationwide; can also be found at more than 2, Kroger grocery stores. Fully prepared meals are packaged in industrially compostable trays with recyclable components and delivered in reusable insulated bags or recyclable boxes.
Insulation is made from recycled plastic bottles and can be recycled curbside. The box and the vertical and horizontal dividers inside are SFI certified, which means they're made of paper sourced from sustainably managed forests.
Boxes can be broken down and placed with curbside recycling. Most packaging is recyclable, including the box, and some items like the TemperPack Climacell Liners are recyclable.
Delivery in the contiguous United States. Two or four serving recipes. Delivery to most zip codes in the 48 contiguous states and Washington D. The heartier meals are great too, like the cauliflower rice and pesto harvest bowl with cashews and spinach.
You won't need more than a saucepan, toaster or blender to prepare most of the meals, and most can be made in as little as 5 minutes. When I tried Daily Harvest , I loved the interesting smoothie combos such as a chocolate blueberry smoothie with greens, banana and almond butter.
The bottom line : It doesn't get much easier than HelloFresh. This service has tons of cheap meal kit options, more than 50 per week, and allows you to add proteins or extra servings to keep the whole crew fed and happy. HelloFresh has as many as 25 dinner meal kits per week, so it is nearly impossible not to find something you'll like.
HelloFresh also has five or six plant-based recipes a week, making it the best cheap meal kit service for vegetarians. Over the past few years, we've tested nearly every meal kit delivery and prepared meal delivery service we could get our oven mitts on, and that includes the best budget meal delivery services.
Many of the menu options for the meal delivery services we've listed include nutritious plant-based food or high-protein recipes with lots of veggies and lean meats. To test each cheap meal delivery service, I tried at least four and sometimes as many as 10 meals from any given service.
I always choose a range of meals from the various menu and meal plan offerings. For instance, if a meal subscription service offers vegan or vegetarian meals I was sure to try at least one.
I also mixed up the cuisine types to include pasta, meat dishes, bowls and other various styles offered by the brand. To test the best cheap meal kits, there was another set of standards and protocols to adhere to.
Here's more on how we test meal kits at CNET. The first big decision you'll make is whether you want meal kits, which require some prep and cooking, or a prepared meal service that sends fully cooked meals ready to heat and eat.
Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few dollars more per serving. If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services are better than others.
Our list of the healthiest meal delivery services for is a good place to find the most nutritious options. With almost every service, the more meals or servings are in your order per delivery, the cheaper it becomes per meal.
Ideally, you'll want to determine exactly how much food makes sense for your household. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go-around. Services like Daily Harvest and Splendid Spoon have meals for similar prices but are focused more on grain bowls and smoothies and might be better for breakfast or lunch versus dinner.
When it comes to meal kits, your options are many, and most services provide weekly recipes that are low on calories but still filling. HelloFresh has the most recipes per week of any meal kit service, so that might be your best bet for finding consistent meals that keep your diet goals on track.
But all services list the calorie content for each recipe, along with carbs, protein, sugar and sodium. Depending on your weight loss goals, a healthy prepared meal delivery or meal kit service can help.
Fresh N Lean, Pete's Real Food and Daily Harvest all have low-calorie meals to choose from. Some of the services listed here are healthy prepared meal delivery services , sending fully cooked meals -- often frozen or partially frozen -- and ready to eat when you receive them.
Others include health-focused meal kits with premeasured ingredients all boxed up and ready for easy weeknight cooking. There's a stark difference between meal kits and meal delivery, but both make dinnertime easier and can translate into healthier eating choices for you in Plus, we sussed out the best healthy meal services for those on special diets like keto or paleo or for those who wish to eat organic prepared meals and meal kits.
Wellness Nutrition. Written by David Watsky. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks.
If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement. David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips. Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom.
Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon. Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week. Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits.
See full bio. Why You Can Trust CNET. Table of Contents Top. Cheapest Meal Delivery Services of What's the best cheap meal delivery service? Cheapest meal delivery services for Cheapest prepared meal services compared.
How we test meal kits and meal delivery services. Factors to consider when choosing a meal delivery service. Why you should trust us. Cheap meal delivery FAQs. Back to selection. See at EveryPlate. Best cheap meal kits overall. See at Fresh N' Lean. Best cheap prepared meal delivery overall.
See at Dinnerly. Best cheap meal kits for picky eaters. See at Mosaic Foods. Best cheap vegan meals. See at Blue Apron. Best cheap meal kits that include steak and seafood.
See at Daily Harvest. Best cheap meal delivery for breakfast and lunch. See at HelloFresh. Best cheap meal kits for diet and weight loss. FILTER BY all Meal Kit Prepared Meal. Showing 7 of 7 Results. Editors' choice. Show less. CNET rating out of 10 8. Cons Not as many healthy options No customization allowed.
Type Meal Kit. Good for Healthy, family-friendly, comfort food, picky eaters, quick and easy. Full Review Read full review. See at EveryPlate Best cheap meal kits overall EveryPlate. Show expert take Show less. CNET rating out of 10 9. Pros Food mostly tastes great Good for diets and healthy eating plans.
Cons Expensive if you only order fewer than 10 meals per week. Type Prepared Meal. Meal options per week Good for Keto, paleo, Whole30, gluten-free Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, high-protein.
I would suggest you can try Blue Apron because this is one of the best meal delivery services at an affordable price in the market modafinilkaufendeutschland.space › eat › affordable-meal-delivery Discover affordable meal delivery with EveryPlate. Enjoy high-quality ingredients and incredible dinners for less than $5. America's Best Value Meal Kit