I’ve been researching this topic of the very BEST Meal Delivery Services for months now, and I can’t wait to share with you my results!
Why are Meal Delivery Services so popular?
Most people don’t like at least one aspect of meal prepping. What is it for you?
The meal planning?
Finding new, creative recipes?
Grocery Shopping?
Staying within budget?
Chop, chop, chopping?
Taking the time to make the meals?
A lot of the best meal delivery services on the market take care of at least most of these concerns!
The heart behind this post is that you will find the meal delivery service that is right for YOU.
You are unique, and the meal delivery service that is right for you is, too.
Maybe you’re like me, and you’re busy, don’t really want to meal plan, have super high expectations for organic ingredients, love to cook, and want a Paleo box. BAM. Sun Basket is great for you!
Maybe you need family sized portions, and want kid friendly recipes that both you and the kiddos will enjoy! (and maybe they’ll even help cook!) Awesome! Marley Spoon would be great for you!
So take this meal delivery service quiz to find out which service is the best match for you! You’ll see each result in the order that it matches best to you!
Then scroll down and get a super in-depth review of the best meal delivery services!
Now use this handy chart to compare meal delivery services all in one place! A more in depth review of each service is found below, so you can find the best meal delivery services for you!
Click these links to be taken directly to whichever meal delivery service you're interested in reading more about:
- Blue Apron
- Chef'd
- Factor 75
- Freshly
- Green Chef
- HelloFresh
- Home Chef
- Marley Spoon
- PeachDish
- Pre-Made Paleo
- Sun Basket
- Takeout Kit
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Blue Apron
Caroline's Blue Apron Review:
I think Blue Apron is one of the most popular meal delivery services because it's pretty standardly applicable. If you're someone who wants meals that are delicious albeit pretty typical, nothing "too foodie" or gourmet, you're in the right place. You don't have any dietary constrictions, and you're most comfortable with food you've either had before or isn't too out of the box. The fact that their chicken is antibiotic free and their ingredients are non-GMO is a plus!
Their strength isn't being dietary-specific... The only dietary-specific box they have is a vegetarian box for two. They don't recommend Blue Apron if you have a severe food allergy.
Click HERE for a Blue Apron Coupon Code: $30 your first order!
Total Time:
40-50 min
Allergy-Friendly:
You can click on each meal and see the ingredients before ordering, but Blue Apron's ingredients are produced in a facility that also processes milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy. If you have a severe allergy, it's not wise to order from Blue Apron.
Dietary Preferences:
They offer a 2-person Vegetarian box.
What makes it different:
- Each recipe shows you wine pairings.
- Shows calories and all nutrition + ingredients.
- They partner with farmers to raise the highest-quality ingredients.
Sustainability + Organic Info:
- Sustainable seafood recommended by Seafood Watch®
- Meat: not fed antibiotics or hormones
- Non-GMO Ingredients
- Their farmers use the practice of regenerative agriculture
- They've partnered with over 150 farms
Recyclability:
All of their packaging is recyclable. You can either recycle using your curbside pickup, or you can print out a free shipping label and send it back to Blue Apron to recycle.
Organization of Meals:
I wasn't very impressed with the organization of the meals inside the box. All of the ingredients are in the box without separation by meal... While it's not a huge hassle to look at the recipe card and find each ingredient, it would be easier to just whip out a bag of ingredients labeled by the meal.
Pricing:
For two people, meals are $9.99 per meal per person. For four people, meals are $8.74 per meal per person. In other words, three meals for two people per week (six meals total) is $59.94, which includes shipping.
Meal Variety and Options:
For the 2-Person plan, there are 6 options weekly. For the Family Plan, there are 4 options weekly.
Preparedness:
All sauces are pre-made which is helpful. Produce is pre-portioned.
When does it deliver?
Blue Apron delivers Tuesday - Friday in most locations, and select locations are eligible for Monday and Saturday deliveries.
Where does it deliver?
They deliver nationwide to most addresses.
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription.
Can you skip a week?
Yes, you can skip any delivery 6 days before your next delivery.
How long is the shelf life?
2-5 days depending on the meat.
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Chef'd
Caroline's Chef'd Review:
Chef'd is perfect for the commitment-phobe. With over 650 recipes to choose from (YES you read that right) and the ability to order on-demand or subscribe, it's great to just order a couple meals whenever you want! If you love it, you can subscribe and get meals delivered weekly.
With SO many meal options available, it is also naturally great for anyone who is picky! You can see all of the ingredients and choose accordingly. They have lots of dietary options as well.
Click here to use the Chef'd Coupon Code OLIVEYOUWHOLE to get $10 off!
Total Time:
Anywhere from 10 min to over an hour, and you have the ability to sort by time when choosing your recipes.
Allergy-Friendly:
I find Chef'd to be super allergen friendly. You can search by allergen to find meals without shellfish, dairy, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Dietary Preferences:
Chef'd offers Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Paleo, and Diabetic-Friendly meals, all of which are easily searchable when looking for meals.
What makes it different:
- They have a Personalize feature that gives you recommendations based on your tastes and lifestyle.
- You can filter recipes by spiciness: none, mild, medium, and hot.
- They have partnered with celebrity chefs, popular restaurants, culinary brands and food media around the world.
- They have a Loyalty Program: you can earn points with your orders and by doing other activities.
- They show an alcohol pairing for each recipe.
- It shows the cooking skill needed for each recipe.
- Each recipe shows ingredients and allergens.
Sustainability + Organic Info:
- Their poultry are all natural, with no antibiotics or added hormones.
- All of their meats are USDA choice or all natural, meaning no antibiotics or added hormones. The animals are raised humanely, cage free.
- The meats are hand cut by experienced butchers and come from a trusted, family-owned, US based company that has been in business over 150 years.
Recyclability:
Basically everything is recyclable! The outer shipping box, food bags, cups, and bottles can all be recycled normally at home. The foam insulation can also be recycled if taken to a polyurethane recycling depot.
Organization of Meals:
All of the ingredients per recipe are in a plastic bag with a sticker labeling the recipe.
Pricing:
Prices range from $9 for 2-serving all the way to $69 2-serving meals, average 2-serving meal kit is $29.
Meal Variety and Options:
Chef'd definitely has the greatest variety at over 650 meal kits available!
Preparedness:
All meals have pre-portioned ingredients.
When does it deliver?
Tuesday through Saturday 8am to 8pm, you pick your delivery day.
Where does it deliver?
Chef'd currently delivers to the entire contiguous Unites States.
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Chef'd offers both.
Can you skip a week?
Yes. You can make all changes to your Chef'd order by Wednesday 11:59PM PST the week before your order is scheduled to be delivered.
How long is the shelf life?
They recommend cooking your seafood within 2 days of receipt and all other proteins within 4 days of receipt.
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Factor 75
Caroline's Factor 75 Review:
Factor 75 is a great service for those who want to eat Paleo or Keto, but either don't know what to cook or don't have the time! The meals are fully prepared and come in BPA-free plastic containers. They'd be SO easy to take with you to work.
I love that they prioritize organic, non-GMO ingredients and grass fed meats. With the ability to get up to 18 meals a week, you could truly eat only Factor 75 meals and be good to go!
Click here to get a Factor 75 discount of $15 off your order!
Total Time:
Just the time it takes to reheat!
Allergy-Friendly:
The Paleo diet is pretty naturally allergy friendly because it avoids wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts. There are likely lots of meals without eggs as well. You are able to see ingredients for each meal, so you'd be able to choose based on your allergy.
Dietary Preferences:
All Factor 75 meals are Paleo, and they have ketogenic options as well!
What makes it different:
- Your meals are fully prepared for you!
- Grass-fed and pasture raised meats
- Always non-GMO
- Low GI carbohydrates
- Organic produce
- All meals are Paleo and they have Ketogenic options
- They have breakfast options
- Every subscriber receives a free nutrition consultation
Sustainability + Organic Info:
All of their produce is organic and non-GMO, and their meat is grass-fed and pastured!
Recyclability:
Everything is recyclable! The plastic containers are BPA free #1 plastic.
Organization of Meals:
Each meal is in its own plastic container!
Pricing:
You can get 4 meals for $15 each, 6 meals for $12.83 each, 8 meals for $12.38 each, 12 meals for $11.50 each, or 18 meals for $11 each.
Meal Variety and Options:
They have 16 meals available weekly, including breakfast.
Preparedness:
Fully prepared- just reheat and eat!
When does it deliver?
Factor 75 delivers Monday through Wednesday, depending on your zip code.
Where does it deliver?
They deliver to the Continental US (not Alaska or Hawaii)
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription.
Can you skip a week?
Yes! Just skip in your account before midnight CT on Wednesdays for delivery the following week!
How long is the shelf life?
Near indefinitely if you freeze them!
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Freshly
Caroline's Freshly Review:
I like to think Freshly is the best meal delivery service for those who are ultra busy. Maybe you work a TON and meals are the LAST thing on your mind. You want to eat out less, but you also hate to cook. Here comes Freshly!
They have fully prepared meals that ship straight to your door. Every single thing on the site is gluten free and peanut free, too! They have tons of different meal plans, so you can just eat a few dinners a week or even get some to take to work for lunches! They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.
Click here to use the Freshly promo code OLIVEYOUWHOLE to get $20 off your first order of 6 meals!
Total Time:
Just as long as it takes to reheat- less than 5 min!
Allergy-Friendly:
Ability to filter out meals with dairy, eggs, pork, tree nuts, chicken, beef, turkey, soy, and shellfish. Since everything is premade, it is harder to avoid allergens (rather than just omitting them while cooking).
Dietary Preferences:
Everything on their site is gluten and peanut free. They offer vegetarian options weekly.
What makes it different:
- Meals are completely prepared! Just reheat and eat.
- They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner options
- Everything on their site is gluten free, so there's no fear of cross contamination
- All natural, all the time. No artificial flavors, colors or refined sugars.
Sustainability + Organic Info:
Freshly aims to obtain the highest quality food and source local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Their beef and chicken are always sourced fresh, USDA inspected, and born and raised in the USA.
Recyclability:
- Every single thing in your box can be recycled!
- They use recycled, biodegradable denim to keep your meals fresh!
Organization of Meals:
Each meal is in its own plastic container!
Pricing:
Their most popular meal plan includes 6 meals per week for $59.99, which is $9.99/meal. Their 4 meals per week plan is $49.99 per week, which is $12.50 per meal. Their 12 meals per week plan is $107.99 per week, which is only $8.99 per meal.
Meal Variety and Options:
There are about 26 entrees (lunch and dinner) available weekly, plus 5 breakfast options.
Preparedness:
Meals are completely prepared! Just reheat and eat.
When does it deliver?
They deliver Tuesday through Saturday, but delivery days may be limited by your location. Delivery day is determined by plan.
Where does it deliver?
Freshly delivers to these states: California (CA), Texas (TX), Illinois (IL), Washington (WA), Georgia (GA), Arizona (AZ), Colorado (CO), Tennessee (TN), Oregon (OR), Missouri (MO), Utah (UT), Oklahoma (OK), Alabama (AL), Indiana (IN), Louisiana (LA), Nevada (NV), Arkansas (AR), Kansas (KS), South Carolina (SC), New Mexico (NM), Mississippi (MS), Iowa (IA), Idaho (ID), Nebraska (NE), Kentucky (KY), Wisconsin (WI), South Dakota (SD)
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription.
Can you skip a week?
Yes, you can skip any delivery before the weekly cutoff 6 days before your next delivery.
How long is the shelf life?
Because you have the ability to freeze them, basically indefinitely.
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Green Chef
Caroline's Green Chef Review:
I think Green Chef has truly mastered the dietary-preference-specific crowd. Which, if you are a long time reader of mine, that probably means you fall into this camp! They have vegetarian, omnivore, vegan, carnivore, gluten-free, paleo, and keto meal plans to choose from!
I also love and prefer Green Chef because organic ingredients are so important to me! Because it comes with pre-made sauces and spices, I find the flavor of their meals to be superb! This aspect also shaves time off of your cooking time, bringing in the time it takes to cook these meals at only 30 minutes!
Click here for a Green Chef coupon code that gives you $40 off your first box!
Total Time:
About 30 min
Allergy-Friendly:
Green Chef just received gluten free certification from Gluten Intolerance Group! This makes it great for people even with Celiac Disease. They have three gluten free friendly options - paleo, keto, and gluten free.
Green Chef has great options for those avoiding all major allergens except tree nuts.
- Milk - Vegan, paleo and keto kits are dairy free
- Eggs - Vegan kits are egg free
- Fish - Vegan and vegetarian kits are fish free. Plus, you can opt out of fish on omnivore and carnivore plans
- Shellfish - Vegan and vegetarian kits are shellfish free. Plus, you can opt out of seafood on omnivore and carnivore plans
- Peanuts - Keto and paleo kits do not contain peanuts
- Wheat - They have three GFFS certified gluten free meal kits (gluten free, paleo and keto)
- Soy - Keto and Paleo kits do not contain soy ingredients
Dietary Preferences:
Green Chef has really mastered different dietary preferences! They offer meals for these dietary preferences: vegetarian, omnivore, vegan, carnivore, gluten-free, paleo, and keto!
What makes it different:
- Shows calories and all nutrition + ingredients.
- Really goes above and beyond to cater to the dietary-specific crowds
- Almost entirely organic
- They are a certified gluten free meal delivery service
- They offer a keto box (the only one that I know of!)
Sustainability + Organic Info:
Green Chef is a USDA-certified organic meal kit company. We have worked directly with the National Organic Program to be leaders in food transparency and traceability. Our certification ensures the highest standards of food safety and that we can trace every ingredient from the farm to your door. We are held accountable to the USDA organic program’s rigorous auditing for accuracy in labelling, tracking, food safety and handling. We separate items where there could be cross-contamination and limit the types of cleaning supplies we can use in production.
About 90%-95% of our ingredients are certified organic — we believe that’s more than any leading meal kit, retailer or restaurant. Our ingredients that are not certified organic are rare exceptions. Did you know that there's no such thing as certified organic sea salt or wild salmon?
Where certified organic ingredients are not available, we still focus on sourcing the highest quality options. Each ingredient is clearly labeled and all our ingredients go through extensive screening to meet our high ingredient standards.
At the heart of Green Chef is supporting local, organic farmland, family farms, and craft economies. With each box you receive, you are helping dozens of suppliers that are benefitting from your choice. We work hard to partner with regional purveyors of high integrity foods and are excited to help our suppliers thrive.
Recyclability:
Everything you receive can be recycled or composted! Learn more about their eco-friendly packaging here.
Organization of Meals:
Color coded and easy to bundle by meal when unpacking from the box. I'm ALL about color coding! I think it makes it so easy.
Pricing:
- Vegetarian $10.49 per meal/serving
- Omnivore $11.99 per meal/serving
- Vegan $11.99 per meal/serving
- Carnivore $13.49 per meal/serving
- Gluten-free $13.49 per meal/serving
- Paleo $14.99 per meal/serving
- Keto $14.99 per meal/serving
- Average: $13.06
Meal Variety and Options:
I think the variety of Green Chef lies in the dietary-preference-specific meal services they offer! Once you choose a meal type, though, you are sent flavorful recipes of their choosing (not given a group of recipes that you choose from).
Preparedness:
Green Chef believes they have the most pre-prepped ingredients of any kit! All ingredients come pre-measured, perfectly portioned, and mostly prepped. Each recipe also features their pre-made signature sauces, dressings, and spices.
When does it deliver?
Your box will arrive between 8am and 9pm in your local time on your scheduled delivery day, Tuesday through Friday.
Where does it deliver?
Green Chef delivers almost everywhere in the continental United States. They don't currently deliver to Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of Louisiana.
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription
Can you skip a week?
Yes! The cutoff time to skip a delivery, make any changes to a delivery, or cancel your subscription is 12pm ET (9am PT), 7 days before your delivery day.
How long is the shelf life?
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HelloFresh
Caroline's HelloFresh Review:
Hello Fresh is perfect for someone who wants a meal delivery kit with super tasty, fresh recipes. I find they're full of veggies and generally very healthy! They have a vegetarian meal plan, but they're not great for other dietary restrictions or preferences.
The meals are SO organized, which I love! Overall, I love the look, feel, and taste of Hello Fresh for a generally healthy meal delivery service!
Click here for a HelloFresh Promo Code that gives you $90 off plus free shipping!
Total Time:
20 - 35 min
Allergy-Friendly:
All ingredients are clearly listed along with specific allergens that correspond to certain ingredients. Everything is packaged and labeled separately, so substituting or omitting an ingredient at home is easy.
They offer the option to customize plans via the following preferences: beef-free, pork-free, fish/shellfish-free, fit, quick, or variety.
HelloFresh has a team of dietitians that reviews every ingredient for any of the major 8 allergens: wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish.
The dietitians then use this information to identify and disclose if any recipe contains any of these allergens. Information about any potential allergens in any recipe is then posted on the website next to the meal choice, and the specific ingredient that contains the allergen is called out.
Dietary Preferences:
HelloFresh has a vegetarian meal plan.
What makes it different:
- HelloFresh also has a wine club! Their sommelier carefully selects both reds and whites to pair perfectly with HelloFresh recipes and bring out the best in your dinners.
- Easily see allergens and cook time for each recipe
- Ingredients are listed for every recipe
- I personally love their food photography and graphic design!
Sustainability + Organic Info:
Some, but not all, of our ingredients are organic. The focus of HelloFresh is on helping our customers make those first steps towards cooking well-balanced meals at home. While the majority of our product is not organic, what we do concentrate on is what produce looks and tastes best.
We work with trusted, experienced, and sustainable business partners to ensure high quality, seasonal, and farm-sourced produce is delivered to our customers at peak freshness.
Eating organic is certainly one way of eating better; however, the focus with HelloFresh is more on helping customers have a positive cooking experience in the kitchen.
Rather than focus on whether or not the produce is organic, we are trying to help our customers take the necessary steps to add in more fruits and veggies in their everyday lives.
Our meat suppliers vary by week and region. When we choose our suppliers, our first priority is to get to know them and their operation from the inside out.
We personally take an on-site visit to every meat vendor we work with to ensure the operation is food safe.
Our meats are primarily sourced domestically and are all natural.
Our poultry suppliers have certified that the animals they supply us with are both antibiotic and hormone free.
Our pork suppliers have certified that the animals they supply us with get the best treatment possible and are all hormone free.
HelloFresh is committed to buying delicious, sustainably sourced, natural seafood, and therefore we have rigorous sustainability standards.
We currently buy both wild-caught and farm-raised fish. We identify the best option for each species on a case-by-case basis and require traceability (including country of origin, catching area, fishery, catch season, and catching method). This changes depending on the type of fish, time of year, and health of the fish population.
HelloFresh is proud to work with the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program which ensures that all of our seafood is rated either "Green/Best Choice" or "Yellow/Good Alternative."
Some of the fish species HelloFresh buys have additional sustainability certifications such as MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) for wild-caught and BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) for farm-raised.
Recyclability:
Everything in your box is recyclable!
Organization of Meals:
Hello Fresh's meals are SO organized! All of the non-meat ingredients are stored by recipe in its own brown paper bag with a recipe color-coded sticker attached.
Pricing:
$8.74- $9.99 per meal
Meal Variety and Options:
There are 15 new recipes each week! For the classic menu, there are 8 choice per week. There are 3 vegetarian options per week. For the Family plan, there are 5 meal options.
Preparedness:
With 20 min meals, some sauces are prepared. Otherwise all meals have pre-portioned ingredients.
When does it deliver?
Deliveries typically arrive between 8 am and 8 pm Sunday through Saturday.
Where does it deliver?
The continental US (not Alaska or Hawaii).
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription
Can you skip a week?
Yes! All changes need to be made by 11.59 pm PST 5 days prior to your next scheduled delivery.
How long is the shelf life?
HelloFresh meals typically last up to a week (varies depending on recipe and meat). They always encourage customers to cook seafood recipes first and indicate so on the package.
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Home Chef
Caroline's Home Chef Review:
Home Chef has a great mix of meals you may normally make at home and super creative meals! They offer smoothies and fruit baskets in addition to lunch and dinner like you'd expect. This could be nice if you truly do only cook Meal Delivery Service meals, and don't go to the grocery.
Each meal is in its own Home Chef branded baggie- easy to throw in the fridge and pull out when you need it! The meals are fresh and delicious, and prepared in 30 minutes. You can't ask for much more!
Click here for a Home Chef coupon code that gives you $30 off!
Total Time:
30 min
Allergy-Friendly:
While browsing for meals, allergens are listed below each meal: wheat, soy, milk, fish, eggs, and tree nuts.
All of our ingredients are produced in facilities that also process eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy. All ingredients are individually packaged, but our facilities are not certified allergen-free. Additionally, because ingredients are packaged and shipped in the same shipping container, ingredients from one meal that contain allergens might come into contact with ingredients from another meal.
Dietary Preferences:
Home Chef offers meals that they call 'Calorie-Conscious' (less than 625 calories per serving) and 'Carb-Conscious (less than 35 grams per serving).
Each week on their Classic plan, they offer at least 3 Calorie-Conscious meals and at least 3 Carb-Conscious meals.
While browsing for meals, there are icons for carb-conscious, calorie-conscious, and vegetarian.
What makes it different:
- Calorie-Conscious and Carb-Conscious meal plans
- Nutritional information is available for each meal.
- Home Chef offers Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and add-ons like Smoothies and Fruit Baskets!
- Each recipe online notes prep and cook time, shelf life, difficulty, and spice level.
- Each recipe has a bio of the chef who created it!
Sustainability + Organic Info:
Because our menu changes every week, we use different products and order from different suppliers depending on what meals we’re currently featuring. While our products are occasionally organic and GMO-free, that's something we can't guarantee for every meal at this time. We strive to ensure that our products are consistently high quality and responsibly sourced.
A little bit about some of Home Chef's sourcing info:
Butter: Simple indulgences can make a meal, and when you cook with real French butter, you can taste the difference. That’s why Home Chef sources Paysan Breton butter. Founded in the French countryside, and farmer owned and operated to this day, Paysan Breton provides dairy products inspired by traditional Breton recipes passed down through generations. Plus, free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, the taste of Paysan Breton butter is as rich as its culinary heritage, and as beautifully simple as the pastoral region its dairy farmers call home.
Herbs: A sprinkling of fresh, aromatic herbs can take any dinner to another level, so we partnered with World Wide Farms to bring you the finest herbs from across the globe. As a leading purveyor of raw herbs, World Wide Farms works with growers across the US, Mexico, Colombia and Guam to provide everything from fresh mint for your weekly smoothie to basil for your creamy avocado pasta. Crisp, flavorful and farm-fresh, World Wide Farms’ herbs add extra zest and brightness to your Home Chef meals.
Shrimp: Family is important to us, and Home Chef supports family-owned, sustainably run businesses wherever possible – businesses like Brooklyn-based Sea to Table, which works with us to deliver the finest shrimp. The family-owned business collaborates with independent fishermen across port towns from Maine down the Gulf Coast and back up to Alaska to simultaneously provide the finest traceable, domestically caught shellfish and support American fishing communities. Free of hormones, GMOs and antibiotics, our Sea to Table shrimp is the very best catch.
Recyclability:
Most everything in your box is recyclable! Check out this Disposal Guide for further detail.
Organization of Meals:
Ingredients are bagged by recipe. It's easy to stick straight into the fridge and pull out when you need it.
Pricing:
Home Chef meals are $9.95 per serving. Smoothies and fruit baskets are $4.95 each
Meal Variety and Options:
Choose from 11 fresh recipes featuring steak, chicken, pork, fish, vegetarian and beyond.
Preparedness:
All meals have pre-portioned ingredients.
When does it deliver?
Home Chef sends weekly deliveries Tuesday through Friday. You can select the day of week that’s most convenient for you. Delivery day options will vary according to where you live.
Where does it deliver?
The continental US (not Alaska or Hawaii).
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription
Can you skip a week?
Yes! You can skip a weekly delivery by Friday at noon CST the week before your scheduled delivery.
How long is the shelf life?
Their meals are designed to stay fresh for approximately one week after delivery. They recommend cooking fish and seafood first to make sure it remains at peak freshness. Each recipe card will also state the recommended days the meal should be cooked within after delivery.
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Martha + Marley Spoon
Caroline's Marley Spoon Review:
First of all, I've loved Martha Stewart and wanted to BE Martha Stewart since I was a little girl!! And hey, at least I'm a food blogger... I'm getting there ;) This love made me SO excited to try her meal delivery service Marley Spoon! I loved their service. I thought the recipes were super out of the box, but not "too gourmet." Just delicious and totally different from things I have made before. They really focus on kid-friendly items, and our kiddos even enjoyed making the "Grilled Cheese Tacos" with me!
I value great photography, branding, and design, and Marley Spoon excels in this arena! The meal organization was on point. Everything with Marley Spoon was fast and easy!
Click here for a Marley Spoon Coupon Code that gives you $30 off!
Total Time:
Around 30 min.
Allergy-Friendly:
Marley Spoon works with an in-house nutritionist to provide a healthy and varied menu. They'll always tell you exactly what you’re getting, but they are unable to guarantee that produce has not come into contact with nuts or other common food allergens.
Dietary Preferences:
They offer gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian options!
What makes it different:
- Martha Stewart, HELLO
- 10 new recipes every week, including customer favorites, healthy eats, and kid-friendly recipes.
- Carnivore, Vegetarian, and Gluten Free options.
- Meals are clearly labeled: One Pot Meal, Kid Friendly, Meat, Poultry, Under 30 min, Gluten Free, Healthy, Vegetarian, Low-Calorie, Dairy Free, Seafood, Customer Favorite.
- Design, branding, and photography are all AMAZING and gorgeous to look at!
Sustainability + Organic Info:
We always source what’s in season to ensure you cook with the freshest fruits and vegetables, and work with trusted suppliers to deliver quality fish, poultry, and meat to your table. Whether it’s grass-fed beef, Berkshire pork, or antibiotic-free chicken, we source proteins with pride. We also partner with small-batch producers who make one-of-a-kind products with local ingredients.
Recyclability:
Most everything in the box is recyclable! Check it out here.
Organization of Meals:
All of the produce for each meal is in a brown paper bag with a sticker labeling the meal! It's easy to stick straight into the fridge and pull out when you need it.
Pricing:
Starting at $8.70/ meal. Shipping is always free.
Meal Variety and Options:
10 new recipes every week, including customer favorites, healthy eats, and kid-friendly recipes.
Preparedness:
All meals have pre-portioned ingredients.
When does it deliver?
Delivery is available Monday through Sunday, but will depend on your zip code.
Where does it deliver?
Marley Spoon delivers to most of the contiguous US states. They don't ship to the states of Montana, South and North Dakota.
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription
Can you skip a week?
Yes! Decide when you want to cook and skip a week when the timing doesn’t work. You can plan up to 8 weeks ahead.
How long is the shelf life?
They ensure that your meat, fish or dairy products are delivered cold and can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of 4 days.
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PeachDish
I absolutely love PeachDish's mission! What started out as dinner parties in Atlanta where everyone was responsible for cooking their own meal has morphed into a Meal Delivery Service offering fresh local, seasonal produce in delightfully tasty and unique recipes!
I appreciate that PeachDish cares about the farmers, organic produce, and world renown chefs who create amazing dishes. It's great for anyone who wants a subscription box or maybe just wants to order meals in single orders at your convenience.
Click here to use the PeachDish Coupon Code code OLIVEYOUWHOLE to get $15 off your first order
Total Time:
35-50 minutes
Allergy-Friendly:
They have No Gluten Added options. Their facility does process ingredients that contain gluten. There are at least 2 of these a week. For the < .5% with the genetic disorder of Celiac's disease (not a sensitivity or dietary preference), then their facility is not GF facility certified or peanut-free facility certified.
Dietary Preferences:
- There are at least 3 Vegetarian meal options a week.
- No Gluten Added: Every ingredient included in these dishes is gluten-free.
What makes it different:
- Vegetarian and Omnivore Selections. No added gluten Options. Superfood menus.
- No hidden or artificial ingredients.
- You can order either as a weekly subscription OR as a guest with one-time orders.
- Their Market has hundreds of items that have been locally sourced and hand picked that you can add to your order!
- Menus by James Beard Award Winning chefs, celebrated chefs, and authors!
- When searching for meals, you can filter by: Meat, Seafood, Vegetarian, Quick Fix, SuperFood, Ribbon Series, Special Kits, Sweet, No Gluten Added.
- There are handy icons for each meal indicating if it's No Gluten Added, Seasonal Menu, Ribbon Series, Superfoods, Vegetarian, and Quick Fix.
- Seasonal: Every dish on their menu features fresh, in-season produce.
- Ribbon Series: These dishes feature premium and hard-to-find ingredients. Look for 1-2 of these on the menu every week.
- SuperFood Series: These dishes are packed with superfood ingredients that are highly nutrient-dense, and follow specific nutrition standards for sodium and saturated fat. There will always be at least 4 nutrient-dense “superfood” ingredients , and fewer than 700 calories per recipe. There are 2 of these available every week.
- A Quick Fix: their quick-fix dishes go from the box to your table in 35 minutes or less. There are at least 3 of these per week.
- Staff Favorite: Staff Favorite menus are dishes that their test kitchen team absolutely loves!
- Guest Chef: These dishes are designed by award-winning chefs from around the Southeast! These chefs share their restaurant or cookbook recipes with us and join the culinary team in the PeachDish test kitchen so you can cook their signature meals at home.
Sustainability + Organic Info:
They never source anything from the "Dirty Dozen" list that is not certified organic. All of the farmers they work with are organic in practice, but some just haven't jumped through the hoops/paid the fee to get the certification. That works for me!
Recyclability:
100%, and you can even send it back to Peach Dish to recycle with their recycling program. They also have a program with Compost Wheels in Atlanta.
Organization of Meals:
Each PeachDish meal is packed in its own a colorful organza bag. Proteins can be found in an insulated silver pouch that keeps your meats extra cold.
Pricing:
$12.50/serving for two servings, discount per serving the more the customer orders of each meal.
Meal Variety and Options:
There are 9-10 new recipes each week! There is also SO much in the market you can add to your order.
Preparedness:
All meals have pre-portioned ingredients.
When does it deliver?
Delivery will typically occur between 11:00AM and 5:00PM on the day you select for delivery (Tuesday through Friday), but their carriers may deliver up until 8:00PM.
Where does it deliver?
Continental US besides Alaska and Hawaii
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
PeachDish offers both options.
Can you skip a week?
PeachDish subscribers have until 11:59PM on the Sunday before each week's delivery to personally select their delivery items or skip that weeks delivery.
How long is the shelf life?
PeachDish guarantees up to 5 days freshness.
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Pre-Made Paleo
Pre-Made Paleo is perfect for anyone following the Paleo diet, AIP diet, Whole30 plan, or Ketogenic diet. Their food is completely, fully prepared and all you have to do is reheat! We love ordering their meals in bulk and having them available in the freezer for those nights we just don't want to cook or haven't planned well. All meals are vacuum sealed in BPA-free plastic, so they're easily transportable for travel or work!
They are also super accommodating to your personal needs! If you need specific ingredients removed, they're happy to make a custom plan for you! They have tons of flexibility in terms of how many meals you get, even up to providing all 21 meals for your week! This specific plan would be perfect for someone who wants to do a Whole30, but isn't quite sure what to cook or where to start!
Click here to use the Pre-Made Paleo Coupon Code OLIVEYOUWHOLE to get 5% off!
Total Time:
Just the time it takes to reheat!
Allergy-Friendly:
Since the Paleo diet already excludes dairy, wheat, peanuts, and soy, it's pretty allergy friendly in that regards!
While some individuals will have sensitivities or allergies to Nightshades, nuts, seeds, etc., they have AIP compliant and ketogenic meals.
The fact that everything is prepared in advance makes it a tad less friendly (not easy to leave out an ingredient while cooking, for example). But the Pre-Made Paleo team is super happy to make custom orders!The only exclusions they cannot accommodate unilaterally are any depicted allergy to onion or garlic. Contact them about your allergies!
Dietary Preferences:
- ALL Meals are Whole30® approved.
- Custom plans available for your individual needs.
- Paleo, Whole30, AIP, and Ketogenic meal plan options.
What makes it different:
- On-demand ordering OR a weekly meal subscription service.
- Meals are fully prepared by chefs- just reheat!
- All meals are Whole30 approved and Paleo
- You can get up to your entire week's worth of meals!
- Lots of flexibility with the option to contact Pre-Made Paleo to make custom orders
- Organic ingredients
Sustainability + Organic Info:
All chicken and vegetables for both the ingredients and meat categories are organic. While their Beef, for example, is not certified Organic, it is a grass fed & grass finished beef from Grassland Beef.
Recyclability:
All meal packaging is BPA free plastic. They are just now transitioning into fully Curbside recyclable cooler liners and removing the EPS Styrofoam (though recyclable in many municipalities)
Organization of Meals:
Every single meal and side is vacuum sealed and clearly labeled!
Pricing:
Breakfast dishes are $6.00. Main meals for lunch and dinner are $13.
Meal Variety and Options:
They have so many options online!
Preparedness:
Completely cooked in advance- just reheat!
When does it deliver?
Sunday through Saturday
Where does it deliver?
Pre-Made Paleo ships to all residential and commercial addresses in the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. They are preparing to reopen their Canadian initiative soon.
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Pre-Made Paleo offers both options.
Can you skip a week?
Yes! Subscriptions Plans are for your convenience and there is no added fee for this subscription service, and it may be cancelled at anytime within 7 days of your next scheduled renewal date via telephone or email communication to Pre-Made Paleo.
How long is the shelf life?
Indefinitely as you can easily freeze and unthaw the meals.
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Sun Basket
For me, Sun Basket is the perfect Meal Delivery Service. Remember how I said I wrote this post so you would find the absolutely perfect service for you? Well, Sun Basket is the perfect service for me. I want a Paleo option that has recipes I wouldn't ever imagine putting together. I'm a food blogger, so it's kind of tough to do ;) As I'm sure you've seen on Instagram, we've been getting Sun Basket for a while, and we've always been SO happy with it.
Sun Basket's recipes are out of this world amazing, I have lots of choices even within the Paleo category, my kiddos LOVE it, and I appreciate their desire to have 100% organic and sustainable ingredients. Their food photography, graphic design, branding, and messaging is so on point. The box is organized by meals in brown bags, which I always appreciate. Overall, Sun Basket is my personal choice! So, if you're anything like me, choose Sun Basket and you won't be disappointed!
Click here for a Sun Basket Promo Code to get 50% off Family Meals OR
Click here for a Sun Basket Promo Code of $35 off your first box!
Total Time:
Total Time:Most meals take about 30 minutes to prepare using easy-to-follow recipes.
Allergy-Friendly:
They offer Gluten-free meals and Paleo options for those with gluten, dairy, soy, or peanut allergies. Their Gluten–Free meals plans are prepared in the same facility as their other meals, and may not be suitable for those diagnosed with Celiac disease. If you have a very serious food allergy, they do not recommend that you order from Sun Basket.
Dietary Preferences:
Their Class Menu meal plans have Paleo, Gluten-free, vegetarian, and "Lean and Clean" options (55o calories per serving).
Their Family Menu Meal Plan offers Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Vegetarian options.
At least one recipe per week will be certified by the American Heart Association®'s Heart-Check Recipe Certification Program guidelines for a heart-healthy diet. These recipes will be indicated on the menu page with a Healthy Heart-Check symbol.
What makes it different:
- Classic Plan for 2 or 4 people, or Family Plan for a family of 4.
- Their Classic Menu is based on seasonal produce
- Their Family Menu is very kid friendly- even including "Kids Can" steps and fun activities!
- All recipes are developed by their award–winning California chef Justine Kelly.
- Nutritionist–approved recipes with typically 500–800 calories per serving.
- Every week, Sun Basket donates an average of 1000 pounds of food to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, the New Jersey Agricultural Society Farmers Against Hunger, and Hope Food Pantry of Monroe County.
Sustainability + Organic Info:
- Organic and sustainably sourced produce, meats and seafood. Currently over 75% of their produce is organic. They're working with their farm partners to be 100% organic by early 2018. Click here to learn more.
- Humanely raised, antibiotic and hormone-free meat, and seafood aligned with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Watch List.
- Their fishermen use low-impact fishing methods and they partner with ranches that treat animals with respect.
- Their farmers are pioneers in sustainable crop rotation and water efficiency.
Recyclability:
100% recyclable and compostable. All packaging is 100% recyclable or compostable. Learn more about their recycling program.
Organization of Meals:
Super organized in bags for each recipe.
Pricing:
Get 3 recipes per week for 2 or 4 people, $11.99 per serving.
Get 2, 3, or 4 recipes per week for a family of 4, just $9.99 per serving.
Meal Variety and Options:
Preparedness:
Pre–measured ingredients for less food waste and easier cleanup. Some meals come with Sunbasket created sauces, decreasing total cooking time.
When does it deliver?
Deliveries are scheduled on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 8am and 9pm, depending on delivery area. More delivery options coming soon!
Where does it deliver?
Currently shipping to most zip codes in the United States, excluding AK, HI, MT, and parts of NM.
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Subscription
Can you skip a week?
Skip a delivery or cancel your subscription at any time. Skip a delivery or cancel anytime prior to the weekly cut off every Thursday before your delivery at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET.
How long is the shelf life?
They recommend cooking seafood within 3 days of receipt, and all other meats within 5 days of receipt.
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Takeout Kit
Takeout Kits all have a 2 month shelf life. What happened to me both times we cooked our Takeout Kit meals was it got to be about 5:30pm, and we had nothing for dinner. I said "Oh, we have a takeout kit!" And then 30 minutes later, we had a delicious Chorizo Paella on the table!! It felt like a miracle.
They're also great to order as needed, or order in bulk and keep around for when you need them! They have both a subscription service and you can order on demand.
Click here to use the Takeout Kit discount code OLIVEYOUWHOLE to get 10% off!
Click here to see my collection of Paleo-friendly meals from Takeout Kit!
Total Time:
30-60 min
Allergy-Friendly:
Takeout Kit accommodates a variety of dietary preferences, including vegetarian, pescatarian, low GI, etc. All of their boxes are assembled in the same facility, so they don't recommend ordering Takeout Kit if you have a serious food allergy.
Dietary Preferences:
Takeout Kit accommodates a variety of dietary preferences, including vegetarian, pescatarian, low GI, etc.
What makes it different:
I think the biggest difference with Takeout Kit is the shelf life!! Every box is shelf stable for 2 months! What happened to me both times we cooked our Takeout Kit meals was it got to be about 5:30pm, and we had nothing for dinner. I said "Oh, we have a takeout kit!" And then 30 minutes later, we had a delicious Chorizo Paella on the table!! It felt like a miracle.
These are very worldly meals! They source ingredients from all over the world to bring other cultures to you!
They offer meal and drink kits!
Sustainability + Organic Info:
They source their ingredients from all over the world. Many of their suppliers are importers who pass their products through the strict FDA import process. Takeout Kit studies nutrition labels, ingredients, and portion sizes to find the healthiest products available. They then taste test all ingredients in house before finalizing kits.
Recyclability:
Organization of Meals:
Each meal comes with all ingredients in its own box! It's super easy to store in the box in your pantry and pull it out when you need it!
Pricing:
$7.25-$7.75 per serving.
Meal Variety and Options:
Currently there are 13 kits to choose from. They also have fun drink kits! Their meals are super unique and feature tons of different cultures from around the world!
Preparedness:
Since some things are canned and sauces are prepared, I feel like this ends up taking less time!
When does it deliver?
They deliver Monday through Friday.
Where does it deliver?
Since their kits have a 2 month shelf life, they can deliver nationwide and to most U.S. territories, Hawaii and Alaska, including to APO addresses overseas.
Subscription or On Demand Ordering:
Takeout Kit offers a monthly delivery or on-demand delivery.
Can you skip a week?
Yes! Subscription cancellations need to be made prior to the 15th of each month.
How long is the shelf life?
