The 5 Best Meal Delivery Services
Find the 5 best meal delivery services of 2023 to fit your lifestyle with our reviews and comparisons.
How Meal Delivery Services Work
Meal delivery services work by delivering pre-portioned ingredients and recipes directly to your doorstep. Depending on the service, the meals may be fully prepared or require some degree of cooking or assembly. The process typically involves selecting a meal plan and delivery frequency, receiving the ingredients and recipes, and then cooking and enjoying the meals at home. Most meal delivery services offer a wide variety of meal options to suit different dietary needs and preferences.
Advantages of Meal Kit Delivery Services
Meal delivery services offer a number of advantages over traditional grocery shopping and meal preparation. Some of the key benefits include:
- Convenience: Meal delivery services save time by eliminating the need to plan meals, go grocery shopping, and prepare ingredients.
- Variety: Many meal delivery services offer a wide variety of meal options to suit different dietary needs and preferences.
- Portion control: Meal delivery services typically provide pre-portioned ingredients, making it easier to control portions and reduce food waste.
- Healthier meals: Many meal delivery services prioritize the use of fresh, healthy ingredients, making it easier to eat nutritious meals at home.
Top 5 Meal Delivery Services
Choosing a meal delivery service can be a daunting task, but with our top 5 picks for 2023, you’re sure to find a service that meets your needs. Whether you’re on a budget, looking for convenience, or seeking gourmet flavors, there’s a meal delivery service out there for you. Take the time to evaluate your options based on factors like pricing, meal options, and delivery options to find the service that works best for your lifestyle and dietary needs. With a little bit of research and the help of our top 5 picks, you’ll be enjoying delicious, healthy meals in no time.
HelloFresh is a meal kit delivery service that provides pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes, making it simple to cook delicious meals at home. With a variety of plans to choose from, HelloFresh offers a flexible and convenient solution for those who want to eat healthy and home-cooked meals without the hassle of grocery shopping and meal planning.
One of the main advantages of HelloFresh is that it offers a convenient and time-saving way to cook healthy and flavorful meals at home. Its pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes make cooking a breeze, even for those who lack culinary skills. HelloFresh also offers a variety of meal plans to fit different dietary needs and preferences, such as vegetarian, low-calorie, and family-friendly options. Additionally, with no commitment required, customers can easily skip weeks or cancel their subscription at any time.
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Marley Spoon is a meal delivery service that offers customers the opportunity to cook restaurant-quality meals in the comfort of their own homes. With pre-portioned, high-quality ingredients and chef-curated recipes, Marley Spoon makes it easy for customers to create delicious, nutritious meals without the hassle of meal planning and grocery shopping. The service offers flexible and customizable meal plans to fit various dietary needs and preferences, including vegetarian, low-carb, and gluten-free options. Marley Spoon also prides itself on using sustainably sourced ingredients and reducing food waste, making it a great choice for those who value environmental sustainability.
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Dinnerly is a meal delivery service that offers delicious, home-cooked meals at an affordable price. With Dinnerly, customers can choose from a variety of easy-to-follow recipes, using fresh, high-quality ingredients that are delivered right to their door. Dinnerly’s recipes are designed to be simple, with fewer ingredients and fewer steps, making it easy to create delicious meals in under 30 minutes. Dinnerly also offers a variety of dietary options, including vegetarian, low-carb, and gluten-free options. With its affordable prices and simple yet delicious recipes, Dinnerly is a great choice for anyone looking for an easy and affordable meal delivery service.
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What You Get in a Meal Kit Delivery
The contents of a meal kit delivery vary depending on the service and the specific meal plan. However, most meal kits include pre-portioned ingredients, a recipe card, and any necessary cooking or preparation instructions. Some meal delivery services also offer add-ons like snacks, desserts, or drinks.
Choosing the Right Meal Delivery Service for Your Needs
When choosing a meal delivery service, it’s important to consider factors like meal options, pricing, and delivery options. Some other factors to consider include:
- Dietary needs: Make sure the service you choose offers meal options that meet your dietary needs and preferences.
- Flexibility: Look for a service that offers flexible subscription options, like the ability to skip weeks or pause your subscription as needed.
- Customer service: Make sure the service has a good reputation for customer service and responsiveness.
| Detail | HelloFresh | Marley Spoon | Dinnerly | Everyplate | Factor75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From $7.49/serving | From $8.69/serving | From $4.99/serving | From $4.99/serving | From $10.99/serving |
| Shipping | From $8.99/week | $11.99/week | $11.99/week | $8.99/week | $9.99/week |
| Delivery areas | Continental US (except Alaska and Hawaii) | Most of the continental US. | Most of the continental US. | Most of the continental US. | Continental US (except Alaska and Hawaii) |
| Thanksgiving Meal Kit | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Special diets | Vegetarian, flexitarian, pescatarian, low carb, low calorie | Vegetarian, vegan, low-calorie, gluten-free | No added gluten, No added dairy, Vegetarian, Vegan | Vegetarian | Keto, vegetarian, vegan, low-calorie |
| Gluten free | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Vegetarian | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Vegan | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Keto | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Paleo | Some options for the flexi-paleo dieter | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Best for casual paleo eaters |
| Organic | ❌ | Some of the ingredients are organic, but not all of them. | Some of the ingredients are organic, but not all of them. | ❌ | ✅ |
| Website | hellofresh.com | marleyspoon.com | dinnerly.com | everyplate.com | factor75.com |
Our Methodology for Testing Meal Delivery Services
When choosing and comparing meal delivery services, it’s important to consider factors like meal options, pricing, delivery options, and customer service. You may also want to read reviews and ratings from other customers to get a sense of the service’s quality and reliability.
Our methodology for testing meal delivery services follows a well-established process that ensures comprehensive and objective evaluations of each service. Here are the steps we take:
- Research: We conduct extensive research on various meal delivery services to identify the most popular and highly rated options. We also look for any new or emerging services that may be worth testing.
- Criteria: We establish a set of criteria that each service will be evaluated on. This criteria is based on factors such as the variety and quality of meals offered, pricing, dietary options, delivery options, sustainability practices, and customer service.
- Order and test: We order meals from each service and test them based on our established criteria. We evaluate the taste, freshness, portion size, and overall quality of each meal. We also test the packaging and delivery process to ensure that meals arrive on time and in good condition.
- Customer service: We test the customer service of each meal delivery service by contacting their support team with questions or issues. We evaluate the responsiveness, helpfulness, and professionalism of each service’s customer support.
- Analysis and rating: After testing each meal delivery service, we analyze the results and rate each service based on our established criteria. We provide a detailed analysis of each service’s strengths and weaknesses and make recommendations for which services are best suited for different types of customers.
- Regular updates: We regularly update our evaluations to reflect any changes in the meal delivery service landscape. We also take into account feedback from our readers and adjust our evaluations accordingly.
By following this methodology, we provide our readers with accurate and unbiased evaluations of meal delivery services, helping them make informed decisions about which service is best for their needs.
What Meal Delivery Services Cost
The cost of meal delivery services varies depending on the service and the specific meal plan. In general, meal delivery services cost more than traditional grocery shopping and meal preparation. However, the added convenience and time savings may be worth the extra cost for some people. Some meal delivery services also offer discounts or promotions for first-time customers.
Top 5 FAQs About Meal Delivery Services
Whether meal delivery services are worth it in 2023 will depend on individual preferences and circumstances. While meal delivery services can be more expensive than traditional grocery shopping and meal preparation, they offer added convenience and time savings that may be worth the extra cost for some people. Additionally, as meal delivery services continue to innovate and offer new features and options, they may become an even more appealing option for people looking for healthy, convenient meal solutions.
Meal delivery services vary in their eco-friendliness. Some services prioritize sustainable sourcing and packaging, while others may use less environmentally friendly materials. If eco-friendliness is a priority for you, be sure to research the service’s sustainability practices and look for certifications like USDA Organic or Certified B Corporation.
Meal delivery services are used by a wide variety of people, including busy professionals, families with young children, and anyone looking for a convenient, healthy meal solution. Meal delivery services can also be a great option for people with dietary restrictions or those who are trying to eat more nutritious meals at home.
In general, meal delivery services are more expensive than grocery shopping and meal preparation. However, the added convenience and time savings may be worth the extra cost for some people. Additionally, some meal delivery services offer discounts or promotions for first-time customers, and the cost may be comparable to eating out at a restaurant. It’s also worth noting that meal delivery services can help reduce food waste by providing pre-portioned ingredients, which can help offset the higher cost for some people.
Overall, meal delivery services offer a convenient and time-saving solution for busy people looking to eat healthy meals at home. By considering factors like dietary needs, pricing, and delivery options, you can choose a meal delivery service that works best for your lifestyle and preferences.