Food Shopping and Storing Food Shopping & Storing Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services CookUnity is our pick for the best prepared meal delivery service. By Georgia Freedman Georgia Freedman Georgia Freedman is a freelance writer and editor with nearly two decades of experience in print and digital publications. Highlights: * Began her magazine career at Saveur, where she worked her way up to managing editor * Author of 2018 cookbook, Cooking South of the Clouds—Recipe and Stories from China's Yunnan Province * A food and travel writer who's work has appeared in Real Simple, The Wall Street Journal, Saveur, Afar, and Martha Stewart Living, among other publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 18, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Our salmon dish from BistroMD included a tasty green pesto. Photo: Real Simple / Abbey Littlejohn If you don’t have the time to cook (or you’re just not into spending time in the kitchen) and you’re tired of relying on takeout, a prepared meal delivery service can be a lifesaver. Instead of having to decide what to make or order every day, you can preorder fresh or frozen meals to be delivered straight to your door once a week. Even better, the meals you’ll get from these services are usually a lot healthier than restaurant food, with less fat, salt, sugar, and other additives. So, what’s the best prepared meal delivery service for you? The answer will depend on what you want from your food—whether you’re looking for the best value, the most options, or the healthiest ingredients. Here are the best heat-and-eat delivery meal services for every type of customer. Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services of 2023 Best Overall: CookUnity Best Value: Daily Harvest Best Gluten-Free: Epicured Best for Keto: Factor Best Vegan: Mosaic Best Organic: Sprinly Best for Weight Loss: bistroMD Best for Seniors: Magic Kitchen Best Allergy-Friendly: The Good Kitchen CookUnity's prepared meals arrived in a cooler bag to keep them cold. Real Simple / Eric Kleinberg Best Overall: CookUnity Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $10.39 per servingDelivery Area: 47 statesProducts Arrive: Fresh Why You Should Try It This unique service offers meals designed and made by a variety of chefs all across the country and covers dozens of different cuisines from around the world. Our testers particularly liked the high quality of the meals. Pros and Cons Pros Restaurant-quality food Wide variety of options Meals ready in 5 minutes or less Cons Offerings differ by region Limited delivery areas Relatively expensive Overview This is a different kind of meal delivery service, falling somewhere between restaurant takeout and mail order. CookUnity calls itself a “chef collective,” and the meals are designed by over 70 different chefs all across the country. This means that you could order a box that includes authentic Chinese dumplings alongside tacos and a niçoise salad. There are also seasonal and regional offerings. The menu varies by region, but you can narrow your options by dietary preference and even your preferred proteins. You can also see nutritional information, heating instructions, a star rating, and the chef’s profile before ordering each dish. Pricing and Plans 4 meals per week: $54.366 meals per week: $73.748 meals per week: $93.5212 meals per week: $134.2816 meals per week: $177.44 *Some specials include an added cost. Meals We Tried Coconut lime hanger steakCarnitas street tacosButternut squash ravioliChili roasted shrimp Best Value: Daily Harvest Daily Harvest Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $6.79 per servingDelivery Area: 48 statesProducts Arrive: Frozen Why You Should Try It While Daily Harvest focuses on healthy, plant-based meals made with whole foods, this focus on nutrition doesn’t come with an added cost—in fact, depending on the types of meals you select, this can be one of the most affordable options on the market. Pros and Cons Pros Lots of types of foods, including snacks and desserts Very healthy and nutritious Focus on sourcing from sustainable farmers with good labor practices Cons Not a good option for dedicated meat eaters Some dishes take more than 30 minutes to heat Overview Daily Harvest’s stated goal is to get people to eat more fruit and vegetables, and the meals—which are all vegan—are packed with nutritious ingredients. The company offers a few different kinds of meals, ranging from smoothies to harvest bowls to flatbreads to soups, as well as nut “mylks,” vegan ice cream, and sweet “bites” that resemble frozen cookie dough. Items are priced individually, so once you decide how many you’d like per week, you can choose as many smoothies, oat bowls, or flatbreads as you like and monitor your costs as you go. The foods arrive frozen (the company specifies that this is to preserve the ingredients’ nutritional value) and require minimal work to prepare: Smoothies have to be pureed in a blender, and some items have to be heated in a conventional oven, but many meals can simply be heated in the microwave. Pricing and Plans Per-Item Pricing: Lattes: $5.99Forager Bowls: $6.79Mylk & Bites: $7.99Smoothies & Soups: $8.49Scoops: $8.99Harvest Bowls & Flatbreads: $9.79Harvest Bake: $11.99 Volume Discounts: 9-11 items: $5 discount12-23 items: $10 discount24-26 items: $25 discount Meals We Tried Mint and cacao smoothieMango papaya smoothieHazelnut and chocolate bitesTomatillo and pepper flatbreadPortobello and pesto flatbreadSweet potato and wild rice hashBrussels sprouts and tahini harvest bowlSpinach and shiitake gritsTomato and zucchini minestrone soup Best Gluten-Free: Epicured Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $10.29 per servingDelivery Area: 48 statesProducts Arrive: Fresh Why You Should Try It This service, which partners with the Mount Sinai health system, makes low-FODMAP and gluten-free meals designed to improve customers’ digestive health. Pros and Cons Pros Accommodates a variety of specific dietary needs Choose individual dishes or pre-picked bundles Options for every meal plus snacks and drinks Cons Limited delivery day scheduling More limited variety of dishes and cuisines than companies with less-strict dietary guidelines Overview Unlike other meal delivery services that offer gluten-free options, Epicured is designed specifically for customers who can’t tolerate gluten and those with other health-related restrictions. The company’s chefs work with a nutritionist to design foods that accommodate specific dietary needs. While all dishes are gluten free and low FODMAP, you can also filter the menu to accommodate other health restrictions, such as GERD friendly or low in saturated fats or sodium. There are also vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian options, and you can filter out a wide variety of allergens. Menu items also allow you to specify your preferred proteins. If you don’t want to pick individual dishes, you can choose themed bundles, like a brunch bundle or a “freezer favorites” bundle. Pricing and Plans Order individual dishes or bundlesPrices for entrées range from $14 to $25 per serving, and individual items can vary depending on the protein selectedBundles range from $90 to $210, depending on the number and style of items Meals We Tried Vietnamese rice noodles (vegetarian)Pad Thai with chickenSesame-crusted grilled salmonPulled BBQ chicken Best for Keto: Factor Factor Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $11 per servingDelivery Area: 48 statesProducts Arrive: Fresh Why You Should Try It Factor’s chefs work with registered dietitians to produce healthy meals specifically geared toward customers following health-related diets and offer keto, low-calorie, vegan, and “protein plus” plans. Testers were particularly pleased with the flavor and quality of the meals and surprised by how well they came out after reheating in the microwave. Pros and Cons Pros Thirty (or more) new meal options every week Free 20-minute nutrition counseling session Lots of add-on options Cons Not a lot of information about how the dietitians define their health parameters Breakfasts are only included in the “add on” section Overview If you’re looking for a good variety of keto-friendly meals or other kinds of healthy meals, Factor (also known as Factor 75) is an ideal service. When you sign up, you can specify the kind of meals you’re looking for—whether they’re keto, calorie smart, vegan, or “protein plus” (or even a combination of these things)—and your menu options will be narrowed accordingly. Nearly half of the weekly menu options are specifically keto-friendly, and options change weekly. Factor also offers a wide range of plan choices, from four to 16 meals per week, and a long list of optional add-ons. While the primary meals are all hot dishes geared toward lunch and dinner, the add-ons include breakfasts, smoothies, juices, desserts, and extras like additional servings of protein and salads. So, if you’re looking to fill out your entire day, you can base your meal plan around your lunches and dinners, then add on the rest. Pricing and Plans 4 meals per week: $606 meals per week: $778 meals per week: $9910 meals per week: $119.9012 meals per week: $13818 meals per week: $198 Meals We Tried Mango salsa salmon with coconut rice and black beansCreamy Parmesan chicken with broccoli and tomatoesVegetable ratatouille with mascarpone polenta (vegetarian)Smoked tofu almond stir-fry with edamame succotash (vegan) Best Vegan: Mosaic Mosaic Foods Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $7.99 per servingDelivery Area: Major metro areas on East and West CoastsProducts Arrive: Frozen Why You Should Try It This Hudson Valley-based company focuses exclusively on vegan and vegetarian meals, offering a range of options for both individuals and families. Testers were surprised by the great texture compared to other frozen meals. Pros and Cons Pros Celebrity chef collaborations Focus on combating food waste Almost all packaging is recyclable Cons Limited delivery area Limited number of plan sizes Overview Mosaic is a relative newcomer to the prepared meal delivery space, so it’s still growing (and has a more limited delivery area at the moment), but so far has received a lot of well-earned buzz. The company’s goals are to help people eat more plant-based diets and combat food waste by preserving meals and ingredients by freezing everything at its peak. Meal options include oat bowl breakfasts, smoothies, soups, pizzas, veggie bowls, and “family meals” designed to feed four—which makes it easier to feed a family on its plans. Mosaic has also collaborated with well-known chefs on some of its specials. Items are priced by type, so once you pick the number of meals you want per week, you can add whatever you like; larger orders come with discounts. Pricing and Plans Meals: Smoothies: $7.99Pizzas: $11.99Veggie bowls: $9.99Soups: $8.99Oat bowls: $5.99Mosaic+ chef-crafted meals: $11.99Family meals (4 servings): $19.95 Volume Discounts: 12 items: free shipping18 items: free shipping + $10 off Meals We Tried Spicy dan dan noodlesBuffalo cauliflower pasta bake (family size)Mac and greensPozole verdeVeggie kebab platterCoconut chickpea curry Best Organic: Sprinly Sprinly Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $16.05 per servingDelivery Area: 50 statesProducts Arrive: Fresh Why You Should Try It Sprinly’s meals are made almost entirely with organic ingredients, and its vegan, gluten-free dishes are fresh and flavorful. Pros and Cons Pros Almost entirely organic Can see future meal options a few weeks in advance Packaging is recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable Cons More expensive than many non-organic services Limited weekly menu Overview This vegan, gluten-free meal service is not certified organic, but the company uses almost entirely organic ingredients (they specify they only buy non-organic “in extreme cases”). Sprinly works with a nutritionist and a doctor specializing in plant-based foods to design its meals with an eye to maximum nutrition. While the weekly options are fairly limited, the menu changes frequently and includes salads and other non-cooked items that many other meal delivery services avoid. Meals are intended for lunches and dinner—dishes include gluten-free pasta, hearty soups, vegan chile, falafel, and other comfort foods—and can be reheated in about three minutes. While the menu doesn’t allow customers to sort out allergens, all the ingredients in each dish are listed on the site. Pricing and Plans 6 meals per week: $109 12 meals per week: $19918 meals per week: $289 Meals We Tried Citrus detox salad with beets and fresh orangesRoasted tahini “butter” sweet potatoes with red rice and sweet lemon kaleRoyal beet medallions with ancient quinoa and greensKenko spiralized vegetable bowl with tofu and& shiitakePasta primavera with gluten-free pasta and cashew “parm”Mac and “cheese” with steamed broccoli Best for Weight Loss: bistroMD BistroMD Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $10.99 per servingDelivery Area: 48 statesProducts Arrive: Frozen Why You Should Try It BistroMD is specifically geared toward people who are looking to lose weight and offers over 150 meals to choose from. You can also filter by other dietary restrictions. Pros and Cons Pros Over 150 options to choose from Good selection for all meals, including breakfasts and snacks Options for diabetic, keto, heart-healthy, gluten-free, and menopause-specific diets Cons Flavors not as highly rated as non-diet-specific meal services Presentation of meals can be lacking Less plan flexibility than non-diet services Overview This meal service has been popular with dieters for years, and we can see why. BistroMD offers a stunning range of options–over 150 different dishes—to help people lose weight easily. Programs can be customized for other health conditions, so customers can also choose gluten-free meals or diabetes-friendly meals, and there are dozens of snack option add-ons to help customers stay on their diets throughout the day. You can choose a “full program,” which includes three meals a day, or just lunches and dinners, and whether you want five or seven days’ worth of food each week. The seven-day program only has six dinners. Pricing and Plans 7-day full program (7 breakfasts and lunches, 6 dinners): $164.855-day full program (5 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners): $140.517-day lunches and dinners (7 lunches and dinners): $141.645-day lunches and dinners (5 lunches and dinners): $112.43 Meals We Tried Chicken, rice, and cheddar casseroleSalmon with dill mustard sauceTurkey breaks with cranberry apple chutneyOven-fried catfish with spicy tomato leek sauceBaked pasta marinara with chicken sausageMeatloaf with honey bourbon glazeMojo pork with black beans and riceChicken pad ThaiGrilled salmon with creamy pestoLasagna with garden marinara Best for Seniors: Magic Kitchen Magic Kitchen Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $10 per serving Delivery Area: 48 statesProducts Arrive: Frozen Why You Should Try It Magic Kitchen offers many of the same perks as other meal delivery services with diet-specific options—including menus that cater to a variety of different health issues—but they also offer senior-specific plans. Moreover, the company works directly with Medicare and other insurance programs for customers who qualify for meal assistance. Pros and Cons Pros Can do set up over the phone Meal options cover a wide range of medical diets Assistance for customers who qualify for meals through insurance or Medicare Cons Most packaging not easily recyclable Doesn’t offer more chef-forward meal services Overview While seniors can, of course, make use of any meal delivery service, Magic Kitchen makes the process as smooth and easy as possible with multiple ways to sign up or reach out for customer assistance. Magic Kitchen will even work directly with insurance and Medicare for qualifying customers. Dishes can be ordered à la carte or in set meals that include a main and sides (instead of the all-in-one grain bowls popular in many other services), and all are easy to store and prepare. Customers can also select their entrées themselves or simply opt for recurring packages—a big bonus for caregivers or those who don’t want to have to deal with a website or app every week. You can also sort by diabetic-friendly, dialysis-friendly, portion-controlled, renal diet, gluten- or dairy-free, low-fat, low-sodium, low-carb, or vegetarian menus. Pricing and Plans À la carte options (two servings each) range from $9.99 for potpies to $49.99 for crab cakesSenior meal “trial packs” include 15 meals for $157.50Plans and pricing varies by selection Meals We Tried Vegetable caponata with orzo and spinachBeef and broccoli over noodles and vegetable blendBalsamic glazed chicken with roasted potatoes and green beansChili with beans, with carrots and broccoli florets Best Allergy-Friendly: The Good Kitchen The Good Kitchen Sign Up Now Key Specs Starting Price: $11.50 per servingDelivery Area: 50 statesProducts Arrive: Fresh Why You Should Try It The Good Kitchen’s meal system is ideal for people with allergies or food sensitivities. You can sort menu items by the allergens you need to avoid, including dairy, eggs, shellfish, and tree nuts, and you can also remove other foods from your menu options, including garlic, mushrooms, nightshades, and onions. Pros and Cons Pros All meals free of gluten, peanut, and soy Full ingredient list on every package Focus on sustainable ingredient sourcing Cons Can’t select delivery day No breakfasts, snacks, or add-ons Overview Like many of the best prepared healthy meal delivery services, The Good Kitchen’s primary focus is using high-quality, whole foods from sustainable sources, using products like grass-fed and non-GMO meats. But unlike many other services, the Good Kitchen goes beyond the more typical dietary restrictions, allowing customers to remove not only standard allergens but also foods like nightshades and garlic from their orders. You can also select your preferred protein. These factors make the plan ideal for people with common allergies and those with more subtle food sensitivities. It’s also helpful for those doing Whole30 diets or reintroducing foods after an elimination diet. Menus change weekly, and the meals are designed to suit lunch and dinner. Pricing and Plans Subscriptions options: one box only or delivery every one, two, or four weeks 6 meals per box: $89.88 (or $98.87 for one-time delivery)8 meals per box: $117.60 (or $129.36 for one-time delivery)10 meals per box: $143.33 (or $157.66 for one-time delivery)12 meals per week: $163.80 (or $180.18 for one-time delivery) Meals We Tried Beef shepherd’s pieBison and beef sloppy joe with potato leek gratinChicken satay with cilantro rice and broccoliChili lime chicken with fajita vegetables and cilantro cauliflower riceMiso glazed wild boar meatballs and hibachi zucchiniTomato, asparagus, and spinach frittata with Yukon potato hash Final Verdict Each of the meal plans we tested had its pros and cons, and there’s no one-size-fits-all option. There are a variety of choices out there, with plans for nearly every dietary preference, health concern, and price point. Ultimately, we found that CookUnity offered the most options for the most people at a reasonable price, with meals that our testers would be happy to have delivered to their doorsteps week in and week out. Company Starting Price Delivery Area Products Arrive Customers Can Choose Delivery Date? Free Shipping? Best Overall: CookUnity $10.39 per serving 47 states Fresh Yes Yes Best Value: Daily Harvest $6.79 per serving 48 states Frozen Yes Yes Best Gluten-Free: Epicured $10.29 per serving 48 states Fresh No Yes, on orders over $100 Best for Keto: Factor $11.00 per serving 48 states Fresh Yes No Best Vegan: Mosaic $7.99 per serving Major metro areas on East and West Coasts Frozen Yes Yes, on orders over $100 Best Organic: Sprinly $16.05 per serving 50 states Fresh No No Best for Weight Loss: BistroMD $10.99 per serving 48 states Frozen No No Best for Seniors: Magic Kitchen $10 per serving 48 states Frozen Yes No Best Allergy- Friendly: The Good Kitchen $11.50 per serving 50 states Fresh No No Frequently Asked Questions What Are Prepared Meals? Prepared meals differ from meal kits in that they arrive ready to go; usually, all you have to do is reheat your meal. (A few items, like smoothies, may require an extra step or two.) It’s essentially like getting takeout, except that the dishes will be cold or frozen when they arrive and are designed to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to eat them. Are Prepared Meals Worth It? Prepared meals vary significantly in price. Whether the services are worth the cost depends on what you are looking for. If you don’t want to cook, meal delivery services can be a lot more cost-effective than getting delivery from local restaurants on a regular basis. They can also help you stick to a new diet without having to learn to cook in a new way. Are Prepared Meals Unhealthy? While not every prepared meal is made with health concerns in mind, most are healthier than regular takeout. In fact, many services focus on making healthy meals that cater to a variety of different customers. Some cater to people who want more plant-based meals in their diets, while others are for those with specific medical dietary needs. Ultimately, most of the services recommended above provide very or fairly healthy meals. What Is the Most Affordable Prepared Meal Delivery Service? Most meal delivery services offer discounts for customers who set up recurring deliveries, and these discounts can grow with the size of your orders. While the actual cost of each service will depend on the number and kinds of meals you order, the best way to maximize savings is usually to sign up for larger plans, which will often bring down per-meal costs. Our meals from The Good Kitchen were fresh upon delivery. Real Simple / Abbey Littlejohn Methodology To determine the best prepared meal delivery service for each category, we tested 40 different companies and considered a wide variety of criteria. We considered the quality of the food, the ease and flexibility of the company’s app or website, the price point, the responsiveness of the company’s customer service department, and many other factors. Companies were also rated on the sustainability of their packaging. Ultimately, each category’s winner was determined based on the criteria specific to that category, including the dietary restrictions involved and the types of customers most likely to use the service. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! 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