The 14 best meal delivery kits and services, per years of testing

Fending for yourself in the kitchen and wandering the grocery store’s aisles can be tedious, expensive and exhausting — it’s about time to start thinking outside of the box…and into the meal delivery kit box.

The best meal kits can offer the combined powers of mixing things up in the kitchen and accomplishing New Year’s resolutions — from wanting to eat healthier to spending less time at the grocery store; to spending time with family to actually remembering to pack a work lunch and stop getting expensive salads. (That last one is a personal note.)

For those who typically order takeout, meal kits may add more nutritional value to your day. If you are a TV dinner family more nights out of the week than you would like, using a meal kit can provide priceless family time, with chopping, stirring, and hanging out in the kitchen while learning new culinary skills.

Many folks choose meal kits for a variety of reasons, and while they may not be for everyone, there certainly are a lot of options, making me a believer that maybe there is a meal kit or delivery service for everyone to try at least once! As a now-late-20-something who has graduated from heating food in the microwave to the culinary world of two or more pots on the stove at a time, I’ve set out to try as many meal kits and delivery companies as possible.

I started this journey in 2020 and have since tested more than 25 meal delivery companies. Over the years, many have changed packaging, meal plans and more — hence, why I thought it smart to retest them all at the end of 2024, so I could have a comprehensive list of the top picks to try in 2025.

I tried to do the math, and being conservative, I’ve spent over 84 hours just writing the 2025 re-boot alone — that’s 10.5 full workdays, and this isn’t my full-time job, folks!

That’s not counting the actual cooking, filming, editing, eating, doing dishes, and breaking down boxes. I tried to cook a minimum of three meals per kit each year, so again, with some fast math, that is 42 meals minimum for 2024, from October to December. Multiply that by five years and we are at 210 minimum and that’s not even counting the meal kits that didn’t make this year’s list, putting us at well over 250 meals and countless hours to find the 14 best meal delivery kits for 2025!

Meal kits by the numbers:

• 2024: creating new content = 14 new articles and 14 new reviews below
• 2024: hours spent writing = 84, conservatively = 10.5 full workdays
• 2024: hours spent filming videos = 14, minimum
• 2024: minimum meals cooked = 42 meals between October and December
• 2020 to 2024 minimum meals cooked = 250 roughly (but probably more!)
• Boxes recycled = so many

The hardest part for you, dear reader, will be deciding which to try, or perhaps which to try first. Here’s everything you need to know about all the meal kits you’ve heard about and some you haven’t but need to know about right now.

For more information on my years of testing, how each meal kit stacks up against the other and more info, click the links below to be taken to that section of the article. Know what you want already? Click on the name of a meal kit below to jump to that dedicated section. Bon appétit!

Jump to a meal kit:

EveryPlate │Marley Spoon | Blue Apron | Home Chef │Factor │Green Chef│Purple Carrot │Dinnerly │Trifecta │Home Chef │Gobble │Hello Fresh │Hungryroot │Thistle │Eat Clean

More information on meal kits:

What’s the best meal delivery service?

Hands-down, my favorite meal kit is EveryPlate. As I mentioned in a previous review, it works for almost every palate. Meals are typically $5.99, so it’s extremely budget friendly and the ingredients are so fresh, I felt like I had picked the produce out at the grocery store myself!

What are the best meal delivery services for 2025?

EveryPlate is an affordable option from the Hello Fresh family, and one of my favorite kits.

The kit includes recipe cards, fresh produce, meat and fish, and everything comes packaged on ice, in a brightly colored box that arrives on your doorstep. For less cash than any fast food meal, the options are also healthier.

To get a full taste of EveryPlate’s offerings, I wanted to try a sampling of some of the different categories of options on the site. I chose two meals for my weekly picks, with a customer favorite option of the “Chicken Sausage & Tomato Soup with Israeli Couscous & Parmesan,” and then a more premium pick of the “Brown Butter Scallops over Creamy Corn & Tomato Risotto” as a treat for the weekend.

To note, each recipe, regardless of premium or not, came with easy to follow recipe cards, printed in full color with no more than six steps. This was super appreciated, especially when cooking something unfamiliar, as the photos guided my way almost as much as the text.

So how did it go once in the kitchen? According to plan!

When timed out, each recipe took the estimated time listed on the card, and in my humble opinion, looked just like the pictures. The quality ingredients made it seem like I had slaved away for an Instagrammable food moment, and the quick cooking time made me know this would also work for family meals and those in a rush. Win-win.

Sample plans:

EveryPlate keeps costs low by having fewer options in comparison to other meal kits, but what’s available is still filling and delicious. It currently offers meals for carnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians, and there are also calorie smart and family friendly recipes.

We’ve tested:

• Chicken Sausage & Tomato Soup with Israeli Couscous & Parmesan
• Brown Butter Scallops over Creamy Corn & Tomato Risotto
• Creamy Potato and Bacon Soup
• Smothered and Stuffed Meat Loaf
• Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole 

How does EveryPlate work?

Each week, choose from 16 different meals ranging from chicken, pork, and beef to fish and veggie-based. The plans are customizable for your household’s needs, allowing you to order for two, four or six people, at three, at four or five meals per week. The best part is that no matter the combination, each standard meal is $5.99 per serving and even less with a coupon. Plus, this is one of the only meal kits that allows for a six-person serving — perfect for larger families.

EveryPlate does an amazing job of providing fresh produce and high-quality proteins without excess packaging to minimize waste. I appreciated that all the ingredients for all three meals came in one neatly packed box, with the chicken, scallops and dairy products packed below on ice to keep them fresh.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, EveryPlate was simple to set up and order for each week. It offers a marketplace and has add-on options in addition to traditional meals.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: EveryPlate takes between 15 and 45 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what the recipe estimates.
• Flavor and fullness: When testing EveryPlate, I did not have to add a additional seasoning or spices, and almost always had leftovers. The meals were hearty and filling, making for a great breakfast, lunch or dinner.
• Sustainability: EveryPlate does well with sustainability, as packaging can be recycled. The company also limits plastic and individual wrapping whenever possible by sending all ingredients in a recyclable cardboard tray.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so EveryPlate sits at the very affordable side of the spectrum at $2.99 – $5.99 per serving.

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Martha, Martha, Martha!

It just makes sense that a cooking icon like Miss Martha Stewart would have her own meal kit, and I am so glad she does. This gourmet option is from the same manufacturer as Dinnerly, providing fresh and seasonal ingredients to your door with some of Martha’s own recipes.

For all out comfort food, the Pastrami Spice-Rubbed Steak and the Cheesy Sausage Brunch Bake were top notch, and you can also now order for breakfast, lunches and even baked goods. Note: you will have to supply some of your own ingredients like butter, eggs and vanilla for both cooking and baking, so do check your household supplies before getting started.

Because these recipes are from Martha Stewart, I wasn’t surprised that my cooking time was slower on many recipes than the listed times on the cards — lots of extra chopping, prepping and using multiple pots and pans for some meals. Another note: Many of the recipes use the oven and so temperatures and cook times may vary based on your appliances.

Sample Plans

Marley Spoon has options for many, including gluten-free, low calorie, low carb, vegetarian, vegan and plant-based, and family friendly — there’s even one for picky eaters. No matter the option, each meal comes with fresh ingredients and a seasonal spin that makes them Martha approved.

We’ve tried:

How does Marley Spoon work?

The kit is a traditional one, with more than 100 recipes loaded onto the site weekly to choose from and fresh ingredients shipped out according to your plan. You can opt for the two-person or the four-person plan and then select the amount of meals you need per week, from two to six.

The ingredients come in a brown paper bag, and proteins come on ice packs to preserve freshness. Each box also includes all of the easy to follow recipe cards, which can either be recycled or kept for later use.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, Marley Spoon is simple to set up and order for each week. They also offer pre-made meals, add-ons and other fun items on the menu, so be sure to take a look whenever you visit the site.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Note: Marley Spoon takes between 30 and 60 minutes per meal, sometimes longer than what the recipe estimates.
• Flavor and fullness: Marley Spoon meals never needed to be additionally seasoned and always resulted in leftovers, with large portions.
• Sustainability: Marley Spoon meals are relatively sustainable, but they do use plastic wrappings and containers to separate ingredients.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Marley Spoon sits in the middle at $8.69 to $12.99 per serving.

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One of the best things about Blue Apron is the variety, as after four years of testing I’m still not sick of any of the recipe offerings — they rotate the menu every week and have options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and even desserts. It’s the quintessential meal kit for yummy meals and filling portions.

I made sure to review options for beef, chicken, pork, fish and vegetables. Each were perfect for a lunch or dinner portion, and there was enough for leftovers. This is not a kit for vegans or other diets, but for couples and families looking for delicious home-cooked meals, this fits the bill. These meals are also a bit more in-depth, so this may be the perfect way to sharpen your knife skills, so to speak.

Sample plans

Blue Apron makes it pretty simple to sign up, but it does have a few options to be aware of when making your box. First, choose your servings per meal from either two or four people. Then, choose how many meals you want per week, from two to five.

If you want even more food, you can also add marketplace items to your box, as well as other add-ons for breakfast, snacks and added proteins.

We’ve tested:

How does Blue Apron work?

This can be as simple or as personalized as you’d like to make it. For a simple use, just sign up for your desired portions and meals per week, and then each week log on and choose your meals. Afterwards, the box will be delivered to your door.

For a more personalized approach, you can choose to have chef-favorites, veggie-forward or even family-friendly meals served to you as options before diving into the full menu. Note: you can shop the full menu at any time, but this may make things simpler.

You can also shop from the Marketplace, where you can find meal kits with no subscription required, as well as ready-to-eat meals for a single-serve option. Deliveries can be paused or skipped whenever necessary.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Blue Apron’s intuitive website makes it very easy to order and customize your meal kits.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: I found that some meal recipes were more in-depth and required fine chopping or the use of more than one appliance at a time. However, I did find it helpful that all prep and cook times were on the menu, so I knew in advance what a meal required before choosing it.
• Flavor and fullness: This is one of the most filling meal kits I’ve tried. Ingredients were fresh and bountiful. The meals were flavorful and spiced perfectly.
• Sustainability: This is on par with most other kits, and while boxes and ice packs can be recycled, there is a lot of single-use plastic that adds up.
• Price: Blue Apron is comparible to most other kits, with meals averaging $11. Customers save more when choosing the most meals per week with four servings.

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Best for Families: Home Chef

Home Chef brings the elements of comfort food and home cooking to your doorstep, with recipes tailored to fit your schedule.

The first note to make is on the notes themselves.

The recipe cards were super well-organized, making my type-A personality very happy. After unzipping the correct package for my meal, the cooking process was also very straightforward, following the instructions to the T.

The meals themselves were what I think of when I think “family meals”: hearty meatloaf and creamy mac and cheese, warm and comforting soup, easy-to-eat sandwiches, etc. I love how soothing many of the meals were, while also remaining fun and exciting to cook.

Sample Plans

With new meals offered weekly, choose between regular meal kits, 15-minute meals, easy-prep and oven-ready meals, and extras like a protein pack of meats and fish to supplement a kit or make your own recipes with. Many meals can also be customized with Impossible Foods products, for those who want to go meat-free without sacrificing taste.

We’ve tested:

How does Home Chef work?

Home Chef is a traditional meal kit in that it operates on a weekly menu schedule, with the ability to add meals to your box and then choose a delivery date. The meals come in their own packaging, with ingredients separated out for ease (although this does mean more plastic waste for those trying to cut back) and proteins stored on ice packs.

They offer a specialty-priced and designed family friendly meal plan for four, express meals ready in 15 minutes or less, oven-ready meals that even come with the tray in which to bake them in, ready-made microwave meals and then an assortment of add-ons for snacks, breakfast and dessert.

Testing TLDR

• Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, Home Chef is simple to set up and order for each week, but do note the add-ons. I always take into consideration how to customize the order, make changes and pause a membership when testing.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: Home Chef takes between 15 and 50 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what the recipe estimates. I still noted how long it took me to have a complete meal from unpacked to cooking, eating and recycling afterward.
• Flavor and fullness: This meal delivery service was a thumbs-up when taking into account how satisfied I was after each meal and whether I needed to alter recipes in any way to make them taste better.
• Sustainability: Not all meal kits are eco-friendly or use sustainable practices. To determine where Home Chef stood on the eco-conscious scale, I reviewed its production policy and looked into how it sourced its ingredients. Other things I took into account were its packaging and whether it could be recycled.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Home Chef sits in the middle at $9.99 per serving, with some priced a bit higher and some a bit lower.

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Best for Singles: Factor

Factor in all the time it takes to grocery shop, prep, eat and clean and I’m already overwhelmed. That’s why Factor is a great meal kit option for those that want health-conscious, pre-portioned meals in a snap.

The meals arrive on ice and can be immediately eaten or refrigerated for later. They come pre-portioned and shrink wrapped on top, which is also great for packing for work or school. These are especially great for singles or couples, since they only yield one serving and aren’t meant for sharing. I found the portions to be average, and some left me a little hungry but most were a very appropriate amount of food.

I also loved that Factor made room for drinks and dessert, with delicious smoothies, shakes and desserts like cheesecake that keep things interesting — and who doesn’t like a little sweet treat?

The sustainability is a bit better than some other kits, as the only plastic used is the seal on top of the meal box. The rest is made from recyclable cardboard and recycled materials, plus the ice packs and box can both be broken down.

Sample plans

Factor offers some of the most variety when it comes to number of meals and meal type, but of course, only has single portion sizes. Choose six, eight, ten, 12, 14 or 18 meals at once and then fill your box each week. Also an ideal choice for those searching for keto meal delivery or healthy meal kits, Factor not only has Keto, calorie smart, flexitarian, protein plus, vegan and vegetarian, and chef’s choice meals but also gives the option of shopping the full menu at any time if you want to mix and match.

We’ve tested:

How does Factor work?

Factor is one of the most simple meal kits to use, as it’s truly a premade meal delivery kit. The meals come ready to heat-and-eat or can be stored in the fridge. See? Easy.

All meals can be microwaved or removed from their packaging to be heated on the stove. For calories and other nutritional information, each meal kit sleeve has everything written out on the back, along with a QR code to learn more about the recipe.

Shipping costs a flat rate of $10.99, and gets sent out each week on the same day, depending on your location.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Factor is one of the easiest kits to order, as they are all single size and you do not need to worry about meal prep or planning.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: There is zero prep and zero cleanup, so all you need is two minutes and a microwave to enjoy.
• Flavor and fullness: Flavors are pretty good, especially for pre-cooked food. Some meals are more filling than others, like those with steak or pasta, while others are lighter and may require some snacks.
• Sustainability: If done right, Factor can be very sustainable. The box and ice packs can be broken down and recycled and if you rinse out the tray of all food particles after eating, so can the package and cardboard sleeve, leaving only one piece of plastic to throw away.
• Price: For a single serving, Factor is on the mid- to more-expensive side, as they also have a flat rate for shipping. Eight meals per week averages $13.99, but there are frequently promo codes. Similar to other meal delivery kits, the cost will be lower if you order more.

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The green cousin of Hello Fresh, Green Chef stands out as a traditional meal kit with better-for-you options. When researching all the kits on the market, I noticed that Green Chef offered the first Keto options for those following a fad diet trend. Now, they offer an array of other options, too, including Mediterranean, plant based, protein packed, gut & brain health, Keto, gluten-free and calorie smart.

Another highlight of the organic meal delivery kit is the allergen-friendly notes on the cards, as there are indications on each ingredient that say if it could trigger an allergy. For example, an “SH” next to the shrimp and an “S” next to the sesame sauce for those with a soy allergy.

The kit came with everything I needed, sans salt, pepper and cooking oil, so make sure you have those on hand. The cooking itself stood up to the pretty picture on the recipe card, and so did the cooking time, a great sign for those who only have a half-hour lunch break or don’t want to cook for hours only to eat in minutes.

Sample plans

Green Chef provides fresh ingredients and health-focused meals for all, but do have some tailored meals and plans for specific diets. You can choose meals labeled as Mediterranean, plant based, protein packed, gut & brain health, Keto, gluten-free and calorie smart, or opt for a mix of all of the above.

There is also a variety of cuisines to choose from, with Asian, Mexican, Italian and American classics each week. The produce is always fresh and they pride themselves on using only organic produce, cage-free eggs, antibiotic-and-hormone-free chicken and sustainably sourced seafood in each recipe.

We’ve tried:

• Sesame Shrimp Noodle Bowls
• Ancho Chicken Soup
• Greek Salad with Crunchy Pita Croutons
• Italian Style Surf ‘N’ Turf

How does Green Chef work?

The organic meal delivery service sends fresh, pre-measured and prepped ingredients to your door, delivered on a weekly cadence depending on your subscription.

Choose from a rotating weekly menu, with options to mix and match vegan, vegetarian, Keto, paleo, gluten-free and more.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Green Chef is very simple to set up and order for each week, with a menu of rotating options to fill your box.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: Green Chef takes between 15 and 45 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what the recipe estimates.
• Flavor and fullness: When cooking Green Chef meals, I never had to add seasonings or additional spices, only using what was provided in the box. Each meal was filling and stuck to the servings stated on the cards.
• Sustainability: Green Chef’s packaging can all be recycled, including the ice packs and cardboard. They do have individually wrapped recipes and fall in the middle of the road when it comes to sustainability.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Green Chef sits in the middle at $11.99 per serving.

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Purple Carrot is more than just veggies — way more.

I’ve tested the vegan meal delivery a few times over the past four years and each time two things have become clear: the meals are exceptionally tasty and they have more offerings than when I checked last. When I tested this time, I made it a point to order their traditional meal kits, some with easier prep, and others with more intensive cooking, plus some ready-to-eat meals and even some snacks and desserts.

The best thing about Purple Carrot is how seamless it makes adding vegan cuisine into your daily life. I am a carnivore but loved having this healthy meal kit at the ready each week. The traditional kits came with very easy to read recipes and all ingredients were separated by meal, so there was no confusion as to which items went with what.

The meals only took between 15 and 30 minutes tops, which for me is a perfect amount of time for a weeknight dinner that is filling and nutritious. Since the kit is 100% plant-based, I was worried I would be left wanting more, but with the inclusion of the plant-based proteins I was full and satisfied after each meal.

Sample plans:

All plans include 100% plant-based, vegan options. However, there are a variety of meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. While you won’t ever find chicken or pork, you will find other protein sources in many recipes, including tofu, beans, chickpeas, and meat replacements like mock-crab and dupes for chicken, beef and pork.

We’ve tested:

How does Purple Carrot work?

The meal kit company offers a basic weekly menu with corresponding plans, but has also introduced ready-to-eat meals, and frozen meals sold in your local grocery store. There is even an online market with an array of other plant-based brands to shop.

The brand only offers vegan choices, so if this is your diet, you are in luck! However, even if you do choose to partake in meat and fish, Purple Carrot can serve as a great way to introduce a few plant-based options into your weekly rotation. It’s also good for those searching vegetarian meal kits.

The traditional meal kits span breakfast, lunch and dinner and come in either two or four-person serving sizes. Simply choose a plan and then each week you can select which meals and add-ons you would like added to your delivery. You can pause or skip deliveries at any point.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Purple Carrot was super easy to order and included options for pasta, salads, and burgers.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: Some recipes were more involved than others, so make note of what supplies and appliances you may need. They are listed on each recipe, but I was caught off guard when I saw I’d need a food processor — I improvised with a blender, which worked out fine.
• Flavor and fullness: I was shocked at how full I was after only eating vegan foods! The flavors were great, and many recipes included unique sauces and spice rubs.
• Sustainability: While vegan, this isn’t the most sustainable option due to individually wrapped ingredients and meals in plastic.
• Price: This is on par with the majority of other meal kits, from $11 to $14 per serving.

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Best Affordable Meal Kit: Dinnerly

Dinnerly is exactly what I would have wanted on my dinner table as a kid, and frankly, I loved having it on my table as an adult at the end of 2024.

The meals are simple and delicious, with filling portions and fresh ingredients at an affordable price — what more could you ask for? Many of the meals are what I would consider comfort foods, with pasta bakes, soups, burgers and more. There are over 100 choices on the menu each week, so there’s always plenty to choose from.

Each recipe has only six steps or less, making it easy to follow and a great option for families who want to cook together. They also offer options for ready-to-eat meals that only require a microwave to heat up. These are perfect for school or work lunches or just a quick dinner when you don’t want to cook or cleanup.

Sample Plans

Dinnerly offers many different options on the rotating menu. Opt for gluten-free, low calorie, low carb, vegetarian, quick and easy, and even those dubbed “picky eater approved” with more kid-friendly and simple ingredients.

You can also shop the Marketplace for ready-to-eat meals and other pantry staples to help you get through the week.

We’ve tried:

How does Dinnerly work?

Dinnerly sends fresh ingredients and simple recipes to your door weekly. The menu rotates and offers an impressive 100 plus to choose from, with options for carnivores and vegetarians. A new offering since I last tried Dinnerly is their Marketplace, an added service that allows for a la carte grocery shopping, including household staples to supplement your weekly meals.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, Dinnerly is simple to set up and order for each week. I also made note of the Marketplace, which is a feature not offered by every meal kit service.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: Dinnerly takes between 15 and 45 minutes per meal, sticking closely to what the recipe estimates.
• Flavor and fullness: When testing Dinnerly, I never needed extra seasonings, and only had to use my own ketchup or mustard once or twice. Everything was filling and I typically had leftovers.
• Sustainability: Dinnerly was pretty sustainable. They now send paper recipes. In the past they were solely online.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Dinnerly sits on the affordable end of the spectrum, starting at $4.99 to $8.49 per serving.

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Best for Weight Management: Trifecta

Trifecta is the perfect balance of nutrition, easy meals and community — something not often found as an add-on to a meal kit. The brand not only offers prepared meal delivery designed by chefs and nutritionists but also offers a free and paid version of their app for weight management coaching, plus food and exercise tracking. You can also join its Facebook page to chat with other Trifecta members and get support and advice.

The meals themselves are super straightforward and are perfect for those who want an easy way to eat pre-portioned meals that align with their diets. It’s an ideal meal service for those seeking a weight loss delivery. It’s also great for an on-the-go lunch for offices, as well as a fast dinner or breakfast.

Sample Plans

The meals on the weekly rotating menu span various cuisines, from Asian stir fries and rice bowls to Mexican tamales, complete with the corn husk wrappers. It does a good job of swapping out certain ingredients for others to make the meal comply with the diet — for example, swapping pork for veggies in the burritos to have a keto and a plant-based option on the menu.

The options include keto, paleo, plant-based, clean eating and even meals that support those on GLP-1 medications, which is the first time I’ve personally seen that as a meal type.

We’ve tested:

• BBQ Beef & Mac n Cheese
• Sweet Chili Prawns
• Grilled Chicken with Apple Bacon Sauce
• Tofu Fried Rice
• Red Enchilada Chicken Tamales
• Eggs & Turkey Smokey Benedict
• Plant-Based California Burrito

How does Trifecta work?

Like many meal kits, there is a weekly menu with rotating meal options. Fill your box with meals for the week and then wait by your door for delivery. Once the meals arrive, all you need to do is remove the small ribbon of plastic but leave the shrink wrap on — in the microwave it helps evenly heat the food!

Each meal only takes between two and four minutes to heat up from the fridge, more if from frozen.

Note: I didn’t try the weight management app or community groups, but learned there is a free version, as well as a paid version with more features and tracking.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Trifecta is simple to set up and order for each week, as it does not have a marketplace or other add-ons.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: Trifecta takes between 2 and 4 minutes per meal, as indicated on the packaging.
• Flavor and fullness: The meals are pre-portioned, and so they are on the smaller side. They are flavorful but do not yield any leftovers.
• Sustainability: This meal kit delivery service can be wasteful if you throw away the packaging after eating. If you take care to rinse and remove all food fully, you can recycle for a more eco-friendly experience.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Trifecta sits at the most expensive end of the spectrum, with a weekly price of $110 — divided by seven meals to get around $15.

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Best for Easy Preparation: Gobble

Gobble is the meal kit that serves up generous turkey-day-sized portions no matter the season. The meal kit recipes are super easy to follow and can be a great way to introduce kids or adults to cooking, as each ingredient comes prepackaged and labeled, so you won’t ever be confused.

The meals themselves are hearty and wholesome, providing fun flavors spanning American, Asian, Latin American and other cuisines in a very accessible way. I would recommend Gobble for those who do have some time to cook each night but don’t want to spend it chopping or getting too fancy in the kitchen.

Sample Plans

Gobble offers plans for two and specialty meals designed for four people, as well as single-serve meals that are ready to heat in the microwave. They have options for those who eat meat, as well as options for vegetarians. I do want to note there isn’t much for vegans.

With the many choices on its menu, Gobble is great for singles and families alike, all wanting to have meals and sides at their fingertips without a trip to the grocery store.

We’ve Tried:

• Artichoke and Goat Cheese Pizza
• Japanese-Style Chicken Tsukune Meatballs
• Parmesan Yuca Fries
• Italian Flat Iron Steak and Polenta
• Thai Red Curry Shrimp
• Corn, Bacon, Tomato and Avocado Chopped Salad

How does Gobble work?

Gobble works like any other meal kit, where one can sign up for a weekly plan and then fill a box with meals, sides and other add-ons to be delivered the following week. It doest have heat-and-eat meals as well, but the best of Gobble lies with the traditional cooking kits that offer flavor and fun in around 15 minutes.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Gobble is simple to set up and order for each week — very straight forward.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Gobble takes between 15 and 45 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what its recipes estimate.
• Flavor and fullness: Gobble meals were always flavorful and as noted above, provided more than enough food for the serving sizes and then some.
• Sustainability: Gobble comes in plastic zipper bags, which I did reuse, but they may not be recyclable since they are plastic.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Gobble sits in the middle at $11.99 per serving.

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Best Traditional Meal Kit: HelloFresh

When I think of “meal kit” my brain goes right to HelloFresh, and I would argue that many Americans would agree. This meal kit has been on the market since 2012 and for good reason — over the four years I’ve tested and re-tested the brand, I have found the recipes to be fun and flavorful each time. The instructions are easy to follow, and the food arrives in good shape. Easy peasy, perfectly-ripe lemon squeezy.

Since I’ve tried almost everything I could think of from the brand, this time around I scoured the site for something new and found it! Not only did I discover a delish recipe for ramen from scratch, but I found out that HelloFresh offers seasonal boxes and I timed this year’s review just right for my annual Thanksgiving gathering.

I host 10 in my apartment made for one, so having my turkey and fixings delivered to my door was an incredible time saver. I could add the items to my existing order, and they arrived in regular HelloFresh packaging. I will now make sure to keep an eye out for other seasonal offerings, like Buddy the Elf pasta and other fun festive bites.

I would recommend HelloFresh to anyone, really; new to cooking or seasoned pros who want a meal kit to have (and to hold, for richer and for poorer…) as they may just fall in love with how nice it is to be catered to and having fun recipes delivered weekly — exactly what a meal kit promises.

Sample plans

HelloFresh caters to many folks, offering plans called Meat & Veggies, Veggie, Fit & Wholesome, Family Friendly, Under 20 Minutes, and Pescatarian. It also carefully mark allergens, so take note when building your box.

There are currently plans for two or four people at three, four, or five meals per week. While there isn’t a single serve option, many meals preserve well for leftovers.

We’ve tried

How does HelloFresh work?

This is why I love it: HelloFresh is the most traditional of all meal kits. You create an account, choose your cadence of meals, fill your box each week and it gets delivered. Then, unbox your pre-portioned, labeled brown bags and refrigerate until you want to cook. Boom. Done.

There is a Marketplace of add-ons, and seasonal menu items to look out for, but those are also simple to navigate and add to your order.

Testing TLDR

• Ease of ordering: HelloFresh has expanded to offer way more than just traditional meal kits, so keep an eye out for its pre-made meals, faster-timed meals, marketplace and other add-ons for your box, plus seasonal meals like Thanksgiving.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: HelloFresh takes between 15 and 60 minutes per meal, sticking very closely to what the recipe estimates.
• Flavor and fullness: The meal kits are very easy to use and come with all the flavors you will need, except salt and pepper (which I added to most meals). They always yielded more than enough for leftovers and the meals themselves were hearty and filling.
• Sustainability: HelloFresh does use packaging to separate meals and most ingredients, including plastic. You can recycle the box and the ice, but not everything.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so HelloFresh sits in the middle, between $8.99 and $11.49 per serving.

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Hungryroot is my kind of meal kit since I am the type to leave grocery shopping until I have just one egg, a block of cheese and a singular tomato left in my fridge. My friends and I call it “batchelor fridge” and it’s not a good look — and this is where Hungryroot saves the day.

The service sent me full-sized grocery items, like a five-pack of flat breads, a full bag of pasta and a nicesized package of smoked salmon — more than enough for the corresponding recipe and then some. On top of that, I also got standard grocery items for my fridge and pantry so I could say bye-bye to my “batchelor fridge” for a week or two.

The meals themselves lean to the lighter side, with salads, sandwiches and bowls, but a few pasta dishes with cream and burgers on the menu may be more filling. I would sign up for the groceries, but stay for the lunch, easy dinner materials, and recipe ideas.

Sample Plans

Hungryroot doesn’t have plans as much as box sizes that correspond to credits. You can fill your box with whatever you want, like vegan food, vegetarian items, kid-friendly food and so on, so the service really does cater to all.

We’ve Tried:

How does Hungryroot work?

As said above, this service has a unique structure of credits.

You can fill your box with a mix of recipes and groceries, or just one or the other — the choice is totally yours each week, as you “pay” for each item in the box with weekly credits. This system allows for customization, making it a great option when you need more meals over groceries one week.

The options for what to fill your box with do change, but not weekly like a traditional meal kit. You will have a variety of options from week to week, but I also found that most brands stay the same, like in a grocery store, so if you have favorite chips or candies, don’t worry about them leaving the site too quickly.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Hungryroot is a bit more complex, as you can add both grocery items and meal kits to your box via a points system. It feels more intuitive by the second order, but it may take a second to get used to the first time around.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Hungryroot’s meals take five to 30 minutes, sticking very closely to a recipe’s estimate.
• Flavor and fullness: Judging only the meal kits, each of the recipes was delicious, and many were on the lighter side with salads, bowls, and sandwiches. Many provided me with leftovers but stuck to the listed serving size.
• Sustainability: Since Hungryroot ships groceries, there is very limited extra packaging, making Hungryroot very sustainable in comparison to other meal kits.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, but Hungryroot has a unique pricing and credit system, with each item ranging from $1.99 and $8.99.

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Best for Freshly Prepared and Delivered Food: Thistle

Forget heat-and-eat when you can just dive in!

For many of Thistle’s meals, this is the case, which makes healthy eating all the easier. The ready-to-eat meals come in super easy-to-transport plastic containers, a la a work cafeteria, or a fast-casual restaurant. Better yet, many of the lunches, like salads and bowls, don’t even need to be heated up, making for a perfect meal on the fly.

When it comes to fresh veggies and vegan meals, I can be skeptical about the produce retaining its crunch upon delivery or that the meat (or meat alternatives) won’t arrive a soggy mess. However, I was thrilled to experience excellent crunchy roughage, al dente pasta, and a chewy caramel brownie upon arrival.

Thistle takes care to label each breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack with the day you should eat it. I ordered for Sunday through Thursday, so it was easy to organize my fridge by day. I simply ate down the line, not allowing anything to go bad — a fear of mine with buying produce only to forget about it in the crisper drawer… anyone else?

Thistle is one of the rare meal kits that does delivery multiple times per week, so should you want more than three days’ worth of food at a time, you can schedule another delivery for mid-week. Amazing.

Sample Plans

Thistle doesn’t have too much variety when it comes to the meals themselves, as there is a relatively fixed weekly menu of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts. However, you can choose how many meals per week are delivery, plus the delivery date and time — very rare among meal kits.

Plans range in price depending on food type, shipping and local delivery. On the most recent FAQ page, I found the prices listed at the following, since the most accurate way to know the price is by entering your ZIP code.

“Prices per meal start at $16.32 (vegan lunch or dinner), $18.77 (meat lunch or dinner), and $14.14 (breakfast). Prices will go down as you increase the quantity of meals in your plan and custom orders, and the price per meal may also be less depending on your area, due to our sourcing from local farms and purveyors,” reads the FAQ.

We’ve Tried:

• Pitaya Smoothie With Coconut Hemp Granola
• Persephone’s Salad
• Peanut Butter Mousse Cup
• Patatas Bravas Scramble
• Golden Tahini Salad
• Bibimbap
• Chocolate Caramel Muesli Bar
• Mocha Oats With Coconut Latte Cream
• Curried Chickpea Salad
• Jalapeño & Pinto “Bacon” Bowl
• Mango Coconut Oat Bar
• Smashed Sonoma Chickpea Snack Plate
• Crunchy Thai Peanut Salad

How does Thistle work?

Thistle is more like a daily food delivery regimen than a meal kit and honestly, I loved that. They provide a breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert option for each day of the week and weekends, with the ability to swap out meals for allergy reasons or just personal preference. You can also add more snacks, juices and other items to fill your fridge, or just schedule another delivery in the same week — something that other services don’t provide.

Thistle is not yet available in every U.S. state, so be sure to enter your ZIP code first. But, in states where you can participate, the customer service and ordering process is a breeze, with real-time delivery tracking, in-person handoffs, and sustainable, reusable packaging. Simply order for the week, receive your delivery, and then when your next order comes, return your old cloth bag to the delivery person.

Testing TLDR:

• Ease of ordering: Thistle is very simple, as there are limited options for each day of the week if you are ordering for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Thistle’s meals come pre-made, taking no time to cook.
• Flavor and fullness: I was very impressed that all the meals were both filling and flavorful. Many only contain veggies and a protein, but with bold seasonings and sauces.
• Sustainability: Thistle’s meals come in plastic packaging, some of which can be recycled, like jars, but others may be more difficult to remove all food debris from.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and Thistle falls between $12 and $15, so it is on the high end of the spectrum.

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Best for Keto and Paleo Meals: Eat Clean

Eat clean? Okay, sounds good to me! Eating clean may be a goal for many folks, especially heading into the new year, with health goals a plenty. When I tried Eat Clean, I wanted to know not only if it was a good option for paleo and keto diets, but if it was easy to order and also tasty.

I liked breakfast the best, which was shocking as those that know me know that I am not a breakfast person and certainly not a sweet-breakfast person. The pancakes I received reheated wonderfully, and so did the bacon, making for a very filling, yummiest of the bunch meal. The baker at Eat Clean must be on to something, as I also enjoyed the cornbread muffins in the 3 Bean Chili, and found them to add a filling element to the plant-based meal.

Some of the other options did lack a bit of a crunch, as the chicken tenders are baked and not fried on purpose, and the burger bowl didn’t come with lettuce or another crisp element. Texturally some meals may require some pizzaz on the side. However, each was filling enough for breakfast and certainly for lunch.

Sample Plans

Eat Clean has four plans: traditional, plant-based, keto and paleo. Each has its own menu of meals, but you will find that some meals cross over from one menu to the next, swapping one or two ingredients to qualify for each diet. For example, they list beef bolognese pasta on the traditional menu and lentil bolognese on the plant-based menu.

We’ve tried:

• Chicken Tikka Masala with Organic White Rice
• Plant Based 3 Bean Chili with Homemade Corn Bread
• Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya with Stir-Fry Vegetables
• Low Carb Cheeseburger Bowl with Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Dark Chocolate Chip Keto Pancakes
• Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders with Homestyle Honey Mustard

How does Eat Clean work?

Eat Clean is very straightforward — sign up for anywhere between six to 20 meals per week and then load up your box. Meals come on ice, ready to be heated or stored in the fridge for later.

You can pause your plan, should you be out of town, or double up on meals, should you want to eat with a partner or roommate, since each meal is single-serve.

Testing TLDR

• Ease of ordering: Eat Clean is super easy, as there are only four menus to shop from and many have similar options per week.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. Eat Clean takes between 2 and 4 minutes to reheat, as all meals are premade.
• Flavor and fullness: Some of the flavors are a bit dull, due to the clean eating mantra of the kit. They are filling, and depending on what meal you order, some are better than others.
• Sustainability: Each meal comes pre-packaged, with plastic on top of each. The sleeve, box and ice can be easily reused.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving, and so Eat Clean sits in the middle at $8.60 to $12.58 per serving.

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Other top meal delivery kits we tested

Over the last five years, I’ve also tested other meal kits and delivery services. While they didn’t make our list this time around, one could still be the perfect pick for you.

• Daily Harvest is great if you live by smoothies and shakes. They also have flatbreads and grain bowls now, but they are still best known for their blender favorites.
• CookUnity is a premade meal delivery service crafted by local chefs and then delivered to your door. It is available in many of the 50 U.S. states.
• Splendid Spoon consists mostly of liquids, such as soups, smoothies, and daily wellness shots. They also have noodles and some other meals, but I found them to be the best for the former.
• Mosaic Foods are meatless meals that made our list of the best vegan delivery services, so you should give them a look if you like protein-packed premade meals without meat or fish.
• Veestro also made our vegan list, as another option for plant-based premade meals.
• Sakara Life is more of a lifestyle or a nutrition program than a meal kit, offering supplements and other goodies in addition to salads and plant-based items.
• Territory Foods is a great local option, as the prepared dishes were curated by local chefs and then delivered.
• Sunbasket is a great meal kit for traditional meals but also more for snacks, drinks, and seasonal items.
• Fresh Meal Plan is another locally sourced option that delivers a daily selection of premade meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• We tested Freshly, Home Bistro, Model Meals and RealEats in the past, but they are no longer in business as of our latest update.

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How We Tested

• Ease of ordering: When looking at the menu, I reviewed how simple it was to set up and order for each week. I also noted any add-ons and Marketplace, as well as how easy it was to customize an order, make changes, and pause membership.
• Prep, cook and cleanup time: A major selling point of meal kits is that they save time. I still noted how long it took me to have a complete meal from unpacking to cooking, eating, and recycling.
• Flavor and fullness: Meal kits are meant to remove all the guesswork from cooking, including seasoning. When testing, I took into account if any of the dishes I ordered needed to be seasoned or altered to become more palpable. I also considered how satisfied they left me and for how long.
• Sustainability: Not all meal kits are eco-friendly or use sustainable practices. To determine where each stood on the eco-conscious scale, I reviewed its production policy and looked into how it sourced its ingredients. Other things I took into account were its packaging and whether it could be recycled.
• Price: Meal kits typically run between $7 and $15 per serving. I also took into account how many meals arrived per week and how many servings were included for the price.

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Meal delivery kits, compared

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Meal Kit FAQ:

What is the difference between a meal kit and a meal delivery service?

Well, this one is a bit tricky, as both are included in this roundup, and there is some overlap. A meal kit is usually a subscription-based program that sends ingredients and recipes to your home. A meal delivery service may be the above, or be pre-cooked meals or grocery items in addition or instead of ingredients for a specific meal.

Do you need to subscribe to the meal kit?

Most of the time, yes! Usually, a subscription is needed to try the meals, however, some companies also have a marketplace that sells items a la carte.

How often do offerings and menus change?

Typically, sites will switch up their meal offerings on a weekly basis.

Do I have to be a good cook to use a meal kit?

No! Meal kits come in many different skill levels, from simply microwaving to more intensive chopping and cooking. They can also be a great way to strengthen culinary skills or teach children how to cook.

How are meal kits sustainable?

Meal kits are sustainable because they use more efficient supply chains, reduce food waste, and lower transportation emissions.

Food Supply Chains: Many meal delivery services use a farm-to-table model, sourcing ingredients directly from farms. Opting for seasonal produce not only takes less energy to manufacture but creates less greenhouse emissions because the food is never transported to a grocery store.

Reduced Food Waste: Meal kit delivery services use pre-portioned ingredients, so nothing is left over. This is not only great for those who can’t be bothered figuring out serving sizes but for those hoping to avoid throwing out unused food. According to the EPA, 40% of food is wasted in the United States, which costs an estimated $218 billion per year.

Lower Emissions: Because of packaging, many assume meal kit delivery services are not sustainable. However, they actually have a lower carbon footprint than most grocery stores. Part of this comes from sourcing their ingredients directly from local farms instead of commercial chains. By skipping this step in the retail phase, they produce lower emissions. Similarly, shoppers who use meal delivery services as a replacement for traditional grocery shopping reduce lower greenhouse emissions by not traveling to the store to buy food.

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What to look for when choosing a meal kit:

Diet: Pay attention to the dietary options each service caters to, from vegetarian and vegan to Keto and paleo.

Household Size: Count the number of people in your family and then account for how much they eat to best calculate how many servings you need to feed everyone. Some kits detailed above have larger portions, while others are single-serve only.

Budget: Meal kits and services have a wide range of prices. Some offer free shipping, while others have a minimum spend. Specialty or health-related plans may cost more.

Time: Think about how long you want to cook each night. Some meals require 30 or more, not including cleaning up. Others are microwavable and thus don’t require any clean-up time.

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