The best meal kit delivery services will save you time, offer better nutrition and value than takeout and, most importantly, taste delicious. In our 2025 tests, we found that was the best meal kit delivery service overall, thanks to a wide array of recipes and meal types, intuitive instructions and great flavors. We found a few other winners, too: won as the best meal kit for variety, as the best meal kit for seasoned cooks, as the best meal kit for foodies and as the best meal kit for families.
Meal kits can also offer a way to launch into a cooking practice, with less stress. “They’re like training wheels for the kitchen,” says Michelle Tam, a recipe developer, New York Times–best-selling cookbook author and CEO of . “You skip the shopping and measuring and focus on the fun part: cooking, tasting and getting comfortable with new techniques. It’s a great way to build confidence without the stress of, ‘Wait…did I forget the garlic?’” We also considered prepared meal delivery services, for when you need nutritious meals with as little effort as possible. If making meal prep easier sounds appealing, check out our full list of the best meal kit and prepared meal delivery services to suit a range of tastes and needs below.
won as best meal kit delivery service overall because its recipes were fairly foolproof and tasted great, and because the service offers a wide variety of delicious meals at great value. This meal service had a diverse slate of cuisines represented in its recipes, which we appreciated. In our tests, we tried a seared salmon with couscous and a tomato and cucumber salad, a chicken curry with rice, a noodle curry with vegetables and an Argentinian Bavette steak.
The dishes were flavorful, colorful and simple to prepare. Recipe cards were easy to follow and clearly laid out instructions (we also liked that these were printed so we didn’t have to keep checking our phones). These meals come with whole ingredients, so be prepared to chop, stir and simmer—and clean up after. Speaking of these ingredients, we had a few minor issues with produce in our box: An onion was squished, and some vegetables were on the edge of freshness, prompting us to cook meals sooner than later. We were able to swap in a shallot on hand for the onion and use our best judgment on which meals to prioritize cooking first. If you have issues with your delivery, you can visit HelloFresh’s for support, or chat with brand representatives through the website or app.
Ingredient inconsistencies aside, HelloFresh provides a good value. Meals designated to serve 2 certainly did; we even had leftovers of the noodle curry. While some of the ingredients or components weren’t as gourmet as others we tested (for example, the cheese toast pairing with the steak was rather bland for a premium meal, and the noodle curry’s ingredients were a cultural mash-up of ingredients), dishes were still very tasty.
HelloFresh’s menu is easy to peruse, helpfully labeled and diverse in its offerings. For example, this service offers meals in up to 6 servings, making it a great choice for families. We also like that they offer some ready-made meals that you can batch into your plan for when you’re really crunched for time. We tested a few of these, and they were reliably tasty and quick to make. Only one was not appetizing: Tofu was spongy and vegetables didn’t seem fresh in the Coconut Curry Tofu With Bok Choy. The others, Farfalle With Charred Corn And Chicken and Butter Chicken With Rice, were on par with other services we tried: good, filling and relatively well-balanced nutritionally.
While we had a few qualms, we were overall impressed with the taste, quality of ingredients and overall experience from HelloFresh meal kits. If you don’t have everything on hand to make a multi-component meal, don’t have time to grocery shop or just get overwhelmed with choosing and assembling recipes, HelloFresh will be a great choice for you.
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For those looking for a meal kit delivery service with excellent variety, and the option to order meals a la carte, was one of the best meal kits we tested. Notably, Blue Apron no longer requires a subscription or a minimum meal order, offering greater flexibility. The brand’s meals also offer some of the best value of any service we tested, starting at $7 per serving. Blue Apron has a variety of types of meals, including meal kits, assemble-and-bake meals and pre-made, microwaveable meals, offering something for everyone when you just need to get dinner on the table. The service also offers some of the most add-ons we saw, and breakfast options. Blue Apron offers great options for a variety of needs.
In our tests, we tried the Cheesy Pesto Baked Chicken (an assemble-and-bake recipe) and Beef Over Curry-Spiced Rice. Both recipes were easy to follow, with clear instructions and relatively minimal cleanup. The foil tray that came with the baked chicken made for a particularly low-touch meal. The steps for the beef were clearly written by someone familiar with kitchen choreography—they flowed seamlessly and required minimal prep, making this a lower-effort experience than HelloFresh. While the chicken was tasty and satisfying, the beef punched above its weight for preparation time. Tomato achaar and cilantro-sour cream sauce drizzled on top added extra zest, and the addition of fried onions added a lovely bit of crunch.
Blue Apron also offers an impressive variety of add-ons to customize your meal plan. These include different types of protein, ranging from gourmet selections (tenderloin, prosciutto) to basic (ground beef, chicken breasts); smoothies and granola; pizzas; and chef specials. Blue Apron also offers a few breakfast options, like egg bites or breakfast burritos, to supplement meals. We had some issues ordering ready-to-eat meals from Blue Apron: Some didn’t arrive, or cane with random substitutions for the recipes we had selected. The dishes we tried—a salmon bowl and a burrito—were basic but flavorful. That said, the brand will refund you for any missing meals.
Despite touting eco-friendliness, Blue Apron’s packaging included foiled bubble wrap, which isn’t recyclable, and plastic for ingredients. Compared to some other services we tried, the flavor profiles of the meals we tried were more basic. That said, the service offers so many meals to choose from that you can likely find something to suit your tastes.
was the best meal kit for seasoned cooks in our testing—its excellent recipes require some extra work and ingredients, but you get out what you put in. The brand offers over 100 meal options a week that sound and look mouthwateringly good, showcasing a variety of cuisines and creative flavor combinations. The service also offers some add-ons like dessert, a few breakfast items and microwaveable meals.
We made Chimichurri Grilled Steak and Martha’s Best Crispy Chicken Paillard with this kit. Our tester noted that the chicken was truly delicious—almost a restaurant-level dish. The chicken was crispy, and the herbs de Provence in the breading were a great touch; the potato salad, studded with cornichons, dill, egg and a zingy dressing, was a lovely complement. While we thought the vegetable pairing with the steak was mismatched, it’s hard not to love chimichurri butter slathered on succulent meat.
In our tests, we found that Marley Spoon’s recipes required some ingredients from the home cook (like eggs, vinegar, flour and oil) and significant cleanup—these meals are designed for people with decently stocked kitchens who can go beyond just following a recipe to adapt when needed. They also call for some extra steps that, while adding to the overall flavor of dishes, may be unfamiliar to beginner cooks. For example, recipes called for ice baths for eggs and pounding chicken. These methods did feel worth it, whether you’re a cook hoping to scratch the itch of making a traditional recipe, or whether you’re looking to level up your cooking skills.
We weren’t as dazzled by Marley Spoon’s packaging. They used foiled bubble wrap, which isn’t recyclable. They also packed all of the ingredients in the same bag, which isn’t a huge inconvenience, but beginner cooks or those who want to keep ingredients organized by meal may not be as keen on this organizational approach.
Overall, Marley Spoon’s recipes are enticing and delightful to prepare, and the service offered a good experience. We think this meal kit delivery service will keep expert cooks happy with its delicious offerings.
With its “express” meal options and larger maximum meal size than most competitors, won as the best meal kit for families in our tests. Recipes from Home Chef weren’t quite as intuitive to follow as other kits we tried, but they scored big on flavor points. We enjoyed the Sassy Sicilian Chicken With Green Beans And Squash and Feelin’ Fancy Brown Butter & Sage Gnocchi With Candied Walnuts. Our tester said she would even serve the gnocchi, with its elevated garnishes, to dinner guests.
Notably, these kits offer an “express” option that comes with pre-chopped ingredients and are designed to come together in under 30 minutes. This may be extra-appealing to some, whether you’re super busy or have dexterity issues, since most meal kits we tested did require significant chopping and prep time. The brand also has oven-ready and heat-and-eat options, plus add-ons like extra protein, desserts and breakfast items. Extras are more basic than with other services we tested, but it’s still a nice feature.
One issue we had with Home Chef was freshness: Produce was borderline, and we needed to cook these meals before their recommended timeline of four days. If you encounter any problems with your order, the brand recommends getting in touch with to resolve issues.
As for availability, Home Chef has one of the broadest delivery range of the services we tried, reaching 98% of the United States. It also has 35 different meal types per week that will appeal to a variety of palates and preferences, and offers pretty good value for each meal. Because of this, and because of its larger maximum meal size of six servings, we think it’s a great option for families with kids, too.
If you want maximum deliciousness but less involved cooking, is your best choice. We tried Sunbasket’s Roasted Salmon With Broccoli And Almond-Date Tapenade and Steak And Stone Fruit Salad With Walnuts And Ginger-Basil Dressing. Our tester reported that she enjoyed making these meals—even saying that cooking them was fun. They required relatively little prep for a high flavor payoff. Dishes were elevated and creative, with flavor-packed dressings and tapenades that helped them stand out.
Sunbasket also offers add-ons—some seem random, some, surprisingly nice. They have ready-made meals, pastas, pizzas, dips, appetizers, desserts, several beverages and an impressive breakfast spread to choose from. The protein options stand out: There are both plant-based choices, including tofu and Impossible Burger (the only time we saw this amongst meal kit delivery services), and extra-nice proteins, including Wagyu burgers, wild-caught lobster and halibut, lamb and more.
We also tested Sunbasket’s prepared meals, and were impressed. unbasket’s ready-to-eat meals were tasty, though recipes were standard. We particularly enjoyed a Creamy Papardelle with wide, toothsome noodles and vegetables. Other offerings we tried, including Chicken Tikka Masala With Basmati Pilaf and Spinach Saag Paneer with Basmati Rice, were far better than frozen versions we’ve tried of these dishes; sauces were rich and aromatic, and vegetables weren’t waterlogged. While the dishes didn’t bowl us over, they were reliably good.
We were impressed by the thoughtful packaging and design from Sunbasket. Recipe booklets had nicely laid out instructions that were easy to follow and eye-catching fonts and images. While the kit still had some plastic, ingredients were wrapped in paper bags, which we appreciated.
With its dedicated 100% vegan menu, won as the best meal kit for vegan and vegetarian diets in our testing. The service prioritizes hearty, plant-based meals, with an array of ready-to-eat options and upscale, healthy-ish snacks, treats and drinks too.
We cooked the Summer Harvest Bowl With Char-Broiled Peaches And Corn and the Mushroom Bulgogi Tacos With Sesame And Pear Kimchi while testing. Both were delicious and well balanced, with original flavors. Of the harvest bowl, our tester said that the mix of the sweet, charred corn and peaches played perfectly with the salty olives and minty tarragon. The tahini dressing was creamy and lemony and pulled everything together; the textural contrast of creamy avocado and crunchy pecans elevated the dish. The tacos were a perfect medley: The sticky sweetness from the bulgogi sauce and diced pear, salt from the tamari, earthiness from the deeply roasted mushrooms and onions and freshness from the kimchi made for a great meal.
While a few recipe steps may require looking up for novice cooks, we still found that Purple Carrot’s recipes were clear and well explained, with realistic images of the completed meal included in the recipe booklet. Though the service offers relatively fewer recipes compared to other brands, the recipes do rotate on a weekly basis, so you won’t want for variety. Though a lot of the components of Purple Carrot recipes come in plastic pouches and containers that are not recyclable, they were perfectly portioned and made the cleanup process pretty minimal. One note: We thought serving sizes on the harvest bowl were a little light for two people for dinner. That said, Purple Carrot offers plenty of supplements if you have a heartier appetite.
For a no-frills, affordable meal kit, we named a winner. This service has a limited number of meals and dietary options; it also has minimal protein add-ons. But it’s the most budget-friendly meal delivery service we tried, with meals starting at $6 per serving.
Recipes we tried were more basic compared to other services but still tasty. Sweet & Saucy Soy-Garlic Chicken offered a sweet, salty, vinegary sauce; some sharpness from scallions and warming notes from caramelized carrots and buttery, garlicky rice. It wasn’t novel but still tasted great. Similarly, our tester said that the Roasted Garlic Dijon Butter Steak tasted like dinner from a favorite neighborhood bistro—reliable, delicious and homey.
We didn’t find recipes from this kit to be as easy to follow as others. Recipes required timing that wasn’t choreographed well, ingredients arrived all in one bag for several recipes and a key ingredient was missing from our order. That said, nothing was egregious, and you can contact if something goes wrong with your order. All issues aside, we still think EveryPlate offers a great value option.
offers the most extensive intake quiz, the most options to customize meals and add-ons and the most detailed filtering options of any meal kit service we tried, making it the best meal kit delivery service for people with special diets.
This service sacrifices some quality for quantity. Packaging was haphazard, and the recipe cards were more bare-bones and less visually appealing than others. As for the meals themselves, they were good but basic. We sampled the Honey Mustard Chicken Pretzel Sandwich and Fajita Beef Tacos. For 10 minutes of meal prep, we found the sandwiches good, if unremarkable. The chicken breast was juicy, and the pretzel bun offered a satisfying salty, malty flavor. Our tester liked the double dose of sweet-tangy flavor from the bread and butter pickles and the honey mustard too. We had the same take on the tacos—one extra flavor component, like seasoning or pico de gallo, would have amplified the flavors.
Hungryroot offers a grocery service on top of its meal kits, and the array of offerings is impressive and upscale, with plenty of snacks you’d see in the aisles of Whole Foods. Items span tastes and price points: Meat options include everything from Wagyu filet mignon to standard chicken breast, sauces from alfredo to saag to vegan green goddess, snacks from popcorn to seaweed chips to keto-friendly desserts. The service even has a section catered towards kids and options to add fresh produce (unique among services we tried). This may make Hungryroot a great pick for sending to new parents or families who need extra support with grocery shopping in addition to meal prep.
For a prepared meal kit delivery service, we were impressed by the meals from . These heat-and-eat meals take just two minutes to warm in the microwave, yet were flavorful and satisfying, blowing away the competition. Most notably, the Tempo meals were well-balanced: Most are made with a protein, vegetable and carbohydrate. We tried a variety of dishes, and standouts included Chimichurri Filet Mignon and Au Gratin Potatoes, Salmon and Dijon Garlic Sauce with lemon butter potatoes and broccoli, and Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Chicken with garlic parsley farro. Proteins retained their texture and were nicely complemented by a variety of sauces. We were impressed that many vegetables and garnishes, like the chimichurri and the broccolini, offered a freshness and vibrancy even in a premade meal. Conveniently, you can add on some Tempo meals to your Home Chef order for nights when you’re really pressed for time but want a nourishing meal.
One important note: Tempo doesn’t offer vegetarian options, or recipes for as many special diets as other services on this list. We’ll be expanding our testing for best prepared meal kits in a future update and will consider prepared meals for additional dietary needs.
For a fresh, wholesome, delicious-tasting meal delivery service, delivers. Meals from Sakara were shockingly good, with unique, innovative flavors that made the plant-based meals appealing and hearty. This service delivers either two or three meals per day, for either three or five days per week. For busy, health-conscious people, it was the freshest and best-tasting option of this kind that we tried.
The meals we had from Sakara were consistently vibrant, balanced and tasty. Standout recipes included Five-Spice Dan Dan Noodles, with a nutty sauce, crunchy seed topping and plenty of colorful veggies; the surprisingly good Lavender Quesadilla With Broccoli Pesto, which was comforting while still tasting light; a bright green, flavorful Saag Paneer; and the paired Glowing Greens Salad With Prebiotic Potato Soup, in which the soup was bright-tasting yet rich. Breakfasts were also delicious—the Georgia Peach Parfait, with warming spices contrasting the cool tang of yogurt, was particularly delightful.
Sakara was one of only two services (the other being Territory) we tried with compostable ice packs. This was a huge convenience as far as disposing of these—we simply put them in our community recycle bins instead of having to open and drain ice packs into the trash, then recycling the plastic wrapper at a local recycling center, as we did with other services. Sakara does package all of its food in plastic containers, however.
If you order from Sakara, there are a few caveats you should consider. Meals were not as hearty as from Thistle, a similar health-conscious, fresh meal delivery service. They’re likely best for people with lighter appetites, and they come in single servings. Sides like rolls or soups helped bolster lighter fare like salads. Price per serving on these meals is high, among the highest of any service we tried. Although Sakara did better in this realm than other services, produce wasn’t always the crispest—it’s just hard to mail lettuce across the country—and receiving a soggy salad at $18 a pop is disappointing. We recommend checking meals upon receipt and making a note to eat dishes with ingredients that may not last as long in the fridge, like salads, earlier in the week. Sakara also offers a “detox” plan and several health-adjacent products; always consult with your doctor before altering your diet and taking supplements.
The innovative and the brand’s proprietary meals are more than a gimmick: The system offers a smart, seamless solution for nutritious, single-serving meals that require barely any prep. Meals from Tovala were not only extremely tasty, but also shockingly easy to prepare. Once you pair your oven and do the minimal prep to assemble your meal, you simply scan the recipe card; the oven will know how long to cook the meal, on what setting and at what temperature. You just have to hit start. There’s very little prep work—only minimal chopping, and no extra dishes are required to make a sauce, for example, or whip up a garnish.
The variety of meals from Tovala was exciting to choose from. Recipes themselves were flavorful, well-presented and satisfying. We were dazzled by the Mediterranean Chicken and Creamy Tuscan White Beans, Falafel Pita with Pickled Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Lemon Tahini Sauce and Garlic White Sauce, Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Green Goddess Slaw and Mango Salsa and the Maître d’Hôtel Butter Filet Mignon with Four Cheese Risotto. All were simple but packed with complex flavors. Tovala also offers appetizers and desserts; a pineapple upside-down cake had a perfectly cooked crust that yielded to caramelized, juicy fruit below.
We also appreciated that this service offers meals that are nearly ready to eat while still retaining more freshness than traditional heat-and-eat microwave meals, where components are pre-cooked. Tovala’s packaging is exceptionally designed. Meals are backed into square boxes that stack neatly in the fridge. Recipe cards are easy to understand and clearly laid out. All food that’s cooked in the oven comes in metal tins, which you can recycle. Tovala has created an aesthetic experience as well as a culinary one.
This meal service is best for people who want to eat well with truly minimal effort. While using the Tovala system, we thought it would be a great fit for busy single people, older folks or anyone who simply doesn’t like to cook much. The service does offer two-serving meals for couples as well.
For more on this smart oven, read our full Tovala review.
Other Meal Kit And Prepared Meal Delivery Services We Recommend
(4/5 stars): This fresh delivery service offers a number of options for people looking for ready-to-eat, health-focused meals with some snacks and optional sides and juices. Thistle meals are dairy-free and made without gluten, and it offers vegetarian options, too. Portions are heartier than they were from Sakara, but we did note the high calorie count on desserts and some breakfasts—this might be necessary for some and too much for others. If you need more fuel, you might appreciate the substantial portions and add-ons from this service. While many dishes were flavorful, like the Creamy Cajun Pasta with Creole Pulled Chicken, Cinnamon-Apple Muesli and Kickin’ Chickpea Salad, some meals arrived on the edge of freshness. Some produce simply doesn’t hold up well in transit. Thistle recommends reaching out to their with any issues, and the team will likely provide the customer a credit to their Thistle account for that meal which can be applied to future orders. We appreciated that Thistle picks up their bags and ice packs as a move towards sustainability.
(3.5/5 stars): Territory focuses on meals from local chefs, and recipes were creative and nutritious. They might challenge some palates while exciting others, so we didn’t make this service a general recommendation. Meals weren’t quite as tasty as some others we sampled, perhaps because they were lacking some fat or a comforting element like a starch. The Chicken Tinga with Fajita Peppers and Roasted Pico de Gallo dish was colorful and delicious, and the Ginger Scallion Cod with Green Beans held up surprisingly well once reheated. Other dishes, like Moroccan-Style Turkey Meatballs With Roasted Vegetables and a Chimichurri Chicken Thigh with Garlic Potato Yuca Mash, didn’t hold up as well texturally once reheated.
(4/5 stars): While these meals weren’t bad, they didn’t stand out like others in our winners list. Oven Bake Salmon With Creamy Dijon Sauce was nice, if very basic, and the recipe and ingredients had a few flaws (salmon was slightly overcooked based on the instructions provided, and the seasonings included were perhaps slightly stale). Indian Style Butter Chicken With Ginger Basmati Rice was also tasty, but it lacked a depth of flavor that made other kits’ offerings shine.
(4/5 stars): While these meals required no prep, making them a great low-effort option, they reminded our tester of an airplane meal. We tried the BBQ Chicken with Gooey Mac n’ Cheese, which was so-so; the sauce was too sweet and the macaroni was bland. The Chili Rubbed Flank Steak Grain Bowl felt like less than the sum of its parts.
Other Meal Kit And Prepared Meal Delivery Services We Don’t Recommend
(3.5/5 stars): These meals were among our tester’s least favorite. The Green Chile Chicken With Mexican-Style Cauliflower Rice was particularly rough—the chicken had a strange, soft texture and flavors were bland.
(1/5 stars): These meals arrived looking unrecognizable compared to their online photos: like slop. They lacked complex flavors, skewing towards salty and bland. This service might work for people who are focused on low-carb or keto diets, as recipes are designed with these in mind. FlexPro also makes it difficult to cancel your subscription. You can’t cancel before 4 orders, and note that the minimum order is 10 meals.
How We Tested The Best Meal Kit Delivery Services
In 2025, we tested 16 of the best meal kit and prepared meal delivery services to see which ones would be right for different households and needs. We cooked at least two meals from each service, following directions and taking note of the following criteria:
Packaging
One advantage and disadvantage of meal kit and prepared meal delivery services is that they come in the mail with individually wrapped and portioned components. They’re super convenient and reduce the chance of ingredient waste, but effectively cancel that out due to extra packaging, much of which is not sustainable. We considered the packaging elements of each service, looking at which elements were eco-friendly or recyclable. We also took into account aesthetics and how meals and ingredients were portioned and labeled for accessibility and ease.
Effort
Meal kits eliminate the stress of grocery shopping and menu planning. “Meal kits can be a great option for busy people, families or professionals who want to eat well but may not have the time or energy to make all of their meals from scratch,” says , MS, RDN, IFNA-COT, RYT, assistant teaching professor of nutrition at Arizona State University. Kits can involve a range of skills and labor depending on what type you choose. We focused on meal kits that had recipes and involved preparing meals from whole ingredients. Some kits we tested offer recipes with pre-chopped ingredients. Prepared meal services, which offer fresh or heat-and-eat meals, require even lower effort.
Recipes
A clear, intuitive recipe is key to any cooking project, but is especially important for meal kits, which are designed to be accessible for cooks with varying skill levels. “A great recipe works every time, with clear directions and ingredients you can actually find. It should feel approachable, taste amazing and be one of those dishes you’ll want to cook again and again,” says Tam.
During testing, we evaluated whether the estimated cooking and preparation times were accurate, whether effort (including cleanup) felt worth the flavor payoff and considered whether recipe techniques and instructions were understandable for most home cooks. Though all (or at least 95%) of ingredients should come with a meal kit, we considered whether people could figure out easy substitutions if something was missing.
Taste
Great taste is, of course, the most important thing for the best meal kits to offer. We considered flavor complexity and balance, as well as texture, when evaluating dishes. When we asked Tam what makes a great dish, she replied, “Balance. You need flavors that pop, especially umami—the savory backbone that makes food craveable. (Think fish sauce, mushrooms, anchovies, or a dollop of tomato paste). Pair that with contrasting textures and vibrant colors, and suddenly you’ve got a dish that makes people go, ‘Whoa! Can I have seconds?’” We particularly noted exciting and unique flavor combinations that made a dish feel elevated and special. Lastly, we took note of extra components, like sauces, seasonings or toppings, that improved a dish with minimal effort.
Value
Meal kits will indicate how many servings each meal includes. We considered whether a serving for two actually felt satisfying for two adults and whether there were any leftovers. While meal kits can be more expensive per meal relative to if you shopped for groceries yourself, they’re often a better value than takeout. “Using a meal kit service for all or most meals can be expensive,” says , PhD, associate professor of teaching at the UC Davis Department of Nutrition. “Yet, if you forgo restaurant meals or takeout and use a meal kit service once a week instead, it can be a more cost-effective way of getting a restaurant-worthy meal into your dietary pattern.”
How To Pick The Best Meal Kit Or Prepared Meal Delivery Service
There are many great meal kit and prepared meal delivery services to try, and choosing one will depend on your preferences, family size, dietary needs and more. Here’s what to consider when choosing the best meal kit delivery service for you.
Customization And Variety
The best meal kit delivery services showcase a wide range of cuisines and dishes to keep dinner exciting. “Variety is huge—you want meals that push you to try new things without feeling fussy,” says Tam. This is especially true if you’re using a meal kit to improve your cooking skills, but it’s just as relevant if you are simply tired of making the same bean and rice or pasta dish multiple times per week out of routine. This also applies to prepared meal delivery services, too: Evolving menus help with variety.
“Picking meal kit choices that introduce you to new ingredients [or] cooking styles can be a great investment since you can find a new food [and] learn a new cooking skill that you can apply to other meals you make outside of the meal kit,” says Fetter. “Definitely pick meal kits that look appetizing to you!”
Variety is also important for nutrition. “When using meal kit services regularly, it’s important to vary our choices to get a balance of nutrients,” says Barth. “Rotating proteins like fish, poultry, meat, beans or lentils and trying different cuisines can help expand both nutrient diversity and taste.” She advised seeking meals that have a variety of vegetables, in addition to starch and protein; considering the sugar and sodium amounts in nutrition facts; and adding healthy fats or extra veggies to a meal kit to make it more satiating. The best meal kit delivery services will also let you customize your meals, choosing protein or other add-ons and sorting by preferences, dietary needs and more. The best prepared meal delivery services will offer changing menus with different dishes to choose from.
Nutrition
Meals should be well balanced for optimal health benefits, and the best meal kits and prepared meal services are no different. Fetter recommended referring to the , which are based on the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines For Americans, when considering nutrition: “Make at least half of your plate fruits [or] veggies (more focus on veggies), about a quarter from whole-grains, a quarter from lean protein and a serving of dairy [or] soy-based food, if possible,” she says. While not every meal needs to adhere to these guidelines strictly, they offer a helpful visual tool. You can visually see most meal kit recipes online and can read their descriptions when choosing.
More simply put, focus on “protein, fat and fiber when building a nutritious dinner,” says Barth. “I also emphasize including plenty of color and variety through different vegetables, which boosts antioxidants; vitamins and minerals to round out a balanced meal.”
Effort
Part of the appeal of a meal kit is that it relieves some of the chores associated with cooking, like planning and shopping. “Meal kits can be a great tool to use a few times per week, especially on busy nights when planning and shopping feel overwhelming,” says Barth. Keep in mind, though, that she doesn’t recommend relying on meal kits exclusively for optimal health. “Part of overall wellness is having flexibility and variety in our diets, which comes more naturally with traditional grocery shopping and cooking,” she says. It’s key to consider how much work you want to put into preparing a meal kit and how you’ll work these into your daily routine. While you might need heat-and-eat meals or a prepared meal service during an especially busy week, on another, you may prefer slowing down to prepare a longer recipe to savor with a partner, friend or family member.
Skill Level
The best meal kits can help you develop your cooking prowess and expand your palate. “If you’re new to grocery shopping and/or cooking, meal kits can be a great way to learn how to portion out ingredients and develop cooking skills,” says Fetter. “Or, if you’re in a rut about what to make, meal kits can provide inspiration and give you a chance to try out new foods.”
Some of the services we tested are clearly geared towards more advanced cooks. If you enjoy cooking but are looking for inspiration, or need to save time on shopping, some of our recommendations, like and , will be great choices. Others, like the , will help you prepare a meal with truly minimal effort. Of all our recommendations, a prepared meal service will require the least time and energy.
Dietary Options
Most meal kit services offer options for different dietary needs. The most common option is for vegetarian diets. Some meal kits, like , our pick for the best meal kit delivery service for special diets, offer more options than others we tested—including meals for low-FODMAP diets, low-sodium diets and more. We listed out the main adaptations for each kit, but you can play around with filtering options on each service’s website to see what works for your needs.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
- We spent over six weeks weeks testing top meal kits, assessing instructions, taste, preparation effort and cleanup.
- To learn about what makes the best meal kit and prepared meal delivery service and who might benefit from these services, we spoke to several experts. These included Michelle Tam, a recipe developer, New York Times-bestselling cookbook author and CEO of ; , MS, RDN, IFNA-COT, RYT, assistant teaching professor of nutrition at Arizona State University; and , PhD, associate professor of teaching at the UC Davis Department of Nutrition.
- Senior reviews editor Anna Perling has more than eight years of experience evaluating food and beverage products, and has written our guides to the best non-alcoholic drinks, the best peanut butter and more.