Meal delivery services have transformed how people eat. The global market topped $25 billion in 2023 and shows no signs of slowing down. These subscriptions promise to save time, reduce food waste, and make cooking easier. But with so many options, finding the right one can be overwhelming. We will highlight top picks across eight key categories to help you find your perfect match.

How to Choose a Meal Delivery Service

Before diving into the top brands, consider these factors to narrow your search:

  • Dietary Needs: Do you follow a specific diet like keto, paleo, vegan, or gluten-free? Prioritize services that cater to your requirements.
  • Cost Per Serving: Prices can range from under $6 to over $15 per serving. Set a weekly budget to guide your choice.
  • Prep Time: How much time do you want to spend cooking? Options range from heat-and-eat meals (under 5 minutes) to full meal kits (30-45 minutes).
  • Ingredient Quality: Look for services that prioritize high-quality, fresh, and organic ingredients if that is important to you.
  • Delivery Flexibility: A good service allows you to easily skip weeks, pause your subscription, or cancel without hassle.

The 8 Best Meal Delivery Services

Here are the top subscription services, broken down by what they do best.

Best Overall: Home Chef

Home Chef excels with its unmatched flexibility and variety, making it a top choice for a wide range of households.

  • Who It's For: Individuals, couples, and families who want customizable meals with varying levels of prep work.
  • Price Per Serving: Starts at $9.99.
  • Prep Time: 5 to 45 minutes.
  • Pros: Highly customizable (swap, upgrade, or double proteins), offers both meal kits and pre-made meals, user-friendly app.
  • Cons: Limited choices for strict dietary plans like keto or vegan.
  • Unique Features: Offers "Oven-Ready" and "Express" meals that require minimal effort. You can also find Home Chef meal kits in Kroger-owned grocery stores.

Best for Families: HelloFresh

HelloFresh is one of the most popular services for a reason. It offers crowd-pleasing recipes and family-friendly portions that make weeknight dinners simple.

  • Who It's For: Families and couples looking for delicious, easy-to-follow recipes.
  • Price Per Serving: Starts at $9.99.
  • Prep Time: 25 to 45 minutes.
  • Pros: Generous portion sizes, extensive weekly menu (over 30 options), clear instructions with photos.
  • Cons: Packaging can be excessive, fewer choices for niche diets.
  • Unique Features: Offers a "Family Friendly" plan with kid-approved meals. Ingredients are pre-portioned and sorted by recipe, simplifying the cooking process.

Best Budget-Friendly: EveryPlate

Owned by HelloFresh, EveryPlate focuses on affordability. It delivers simple, tasty meals at one of the lowest price points on the market.

  • Who It's For: Budget-conscious individuals, students, and anyone looking to save money on their food bill.
  • Price Per Serving: Starts at $4.99.
  • Prep Time: 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Pros: Extremely affordable, hearty portion sizes, familiar and comforting recipes.
  • Cons: Fewer ingredient choices, basic recipes might not excite foodies, ingredients are not sorted by meal.
  • Unique Features: The focus is purely on value. By using less packaging and simpler ingredients, EveryPlate passes significant savings on to the customer.

Best for Weight Loss: Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem is a structured program designed specifically for weight loss. It provides portion-controlled, calorie-counted meals to help you reach your goals.

  • Who It's For: Individuals who want a clear, easy-to-follow plan for weight loss without the guesswork of meal prepping.
  • Price Per Serving: Varies by plan, but daily costs average around $10-$15 for multiple meals.
  • Prep Time: Under 5 minutes.
  • Pros: Proven weight loss system, highly convenient (mostly heat-and-eat), includes snacks and shakes.
  • Cons: Food is mostly frozen or shelf-stable, less focus on fresh ingredients, can feel restrictive.
  • Unique Features: The NuMi app provides tracking tools, recipes, and direct access to weight loss counselors. Meals are designed to be eaten 6 times a day to manage hunger.

Best Plant-Based: Purple Carrot

Purple Carrot is dedicated entirely to plant-based and vegan meals. It makes eating vegan easy and exciting with creative, globally-inspired recipes.

  • Who It's For: Vegans, vegetarians, and anyone looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet.
  • Price Per Serving: Starts at $11.00 for pre-made meals, $13.25 for meal kits.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes (Prepared Meals) to 40 minutes (Meal Kits).
  • Pros: 100% plant-based menu, creative and flavorful recipes, high-quality ingredients.
  • Cons: Can be more expensive than other services, portion sizes are sometimes small.
  • Unique Features: Offers both meal kits for those who like to cook and pre-made meals for ultimate convenience. The recipes often introduce unique vegetables and cooking techniques.

Best Gourmet: Sunbasket

Sunbasket focuses on high-quality, organic ingredients and chef-designed recipes. It offers a premium experience for health-conscious food lovers.

  • Who It's For: Foodies and health-conscious consumers who prioritize organic produce and unique flavors.
  • Price Per Serving: Starts at $9.99 for Fresh & Ready meals, $11.49 for meal kits.
  • Prep Time: 5 to 40 minutes.
  • Pros: Strong focus on organic and sustainable sourcing, caters to many diets (paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian), offers both meal kits and pre-made options.
  • Cons: Higher price point, shipping fees apply to all orders.
  • Unique Features: Sunbasket is a certified organic handler. Its marketplace allows you to add on items like fresh pasta, artisanal cheeses, and healthy snacks to your weekly order.

Best for Beginners: Dinnerly

Like its sister company EveryPlate, Dinnerly is focused on affordability and simplicity. Its recipes use fewer ingredients and steps, making it ideal for new cooks.

  • Who It's For: College students, cooking novices, and anyone who feels intimidated in the kitchen.
  • Price Per Serving: Starts at $4.99.
  • Prep Time: 20 to 35 minutes.
  • Pros: Incredibly affordable, simple 6-ingredient recipes, digital recipe cards reduce paper waste.
  • Cons: Limited customization, not ideal for adventurous eaters.
  • Unique Features: Dinnerly keeps costs low by using digital recipes instead of printed cards and minimal packaging. The simple approach makes it one of the easiest meal kits to prepare.

Best for Specialty Diets: Green Chef

Green Chef is a USDA-certified organic company that caters specifically to healthy lifestyles, with dedicated plans for keto, paleo, plant-based, and gluten-free diets.

  • Who It's For: People following strict dietary plans who want high-quality, organic ingredients.
  • Price Per Serving: Starts at $11.99.
  • Prep Time: 25 to 40 minutes.
  • Pros: Dedicated menus for specific diets, certified organic, pre-measured and prepped sauces and seasonings.
  • Cons: One of the more expensive services.
  • Unique Features: Green Chef is the clear leader for keto and paleo meal kits. All recipes are chef-crafted to be flavorful while adhering to strict dietary rules, removing the difficulty of planning these specialized meals.

Tips to Save on Meal Delivery Services

  1. Use Intro Promotions: Nearly every service offers a huge discount on your first few boxes. This is a great way to try different services for a low price.
  2. Skip Weeks Freely: You are not locked in. If your budget is tight or you are going out of town, simply skip a week in your account settings.
  3. Refer Your Friends: Most services have referral programs that give you and your friends credit towards future boxes.
  4. Watch for Add-Ons: Be mindful of upcharges for "premium" meals or extra marketplace items, as these can quickly increase your weekly cost.