Best Meal Delivery Services of 2024? I Tested 25 and Here's the Winner - CNET

Oct 14, 2024

Article updated on September 11, 2024 at 7:00 AM PDT

A good meal delivery service or meal kit is fresh, high-value and delicious. I let my taste buds do the testing to bring you the best prepared meals and dinner kits you can buy.

Our experts have logged more than five years of cooking more than 75 meal kits and tasting more than 100 prepared meals from various services to help land on our list of the best in 2024.

What to consider

Meal kit versus prepared meal delivery

Meal kits will demand more of your time and energy but they'll also cost a little less per serving. Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few bucks more per serving.

Cost

There are meal kits with recipes for as cheap as $5 a serving with basic menus and no-frills recipes. More expensive services include recipes with more exotic ingredients, high-end cuts of meat and organic produce but can cost as much as $15 or $20 a serving.

Healthiness

While most meal delivery services have healthy options, some are much healthier than others. If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services will be better than others.

Number of meals per week

If you can't imagine yourself cooking more than twice per week, don't order more than two meal kits because they typically won't last more than a week in the fridge. Most prepared meals either arrive frozen or can be frozen after unboxing. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go around.

Our experts have logged more than five years of cooking more than 75 meal kits and tasting more than 100 prepared meals from various services to help land on our list of the best in 2024.

What to consider

Meal kit versus prepared meal delivery

Meal kits will demand more of your time and energy but they'll also cost a little less per serving. Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few bucks more per serving.

Cost

There are meal kits with recipes for as cheap as $5 a serving with basic menus and no-frills recipes. More expensive services include recipes with more exotic ingredients, high-end cuts of meat and organic produce but can cost as much as $15 or $20 a serving.

Healthiness

While most meal delivery services have healthy options, some are much healthier than others. If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services will be better than others.

Number of meals per week

If you can't imagine yourself cooking more than twice per week, don't order more than two meal kits because they typically won't last more than a week in the fridge. Most prepared meals either arrive frozen or can be frozen after unboxing. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go around.

Blue Apron serves up steak and seafood for as little as $8 per serving, depending on the plan you choose.

I know meal delivery well, having spent over 100 hours cooking more than 50 meal kits and eating well over 100 prepared meals from Hello Fresh, Cook Unity, Blue Apron and Daily Harvest. I even did the math to compare whether meal kits are cheaper than buying equivalent ingredients at the grocery store. After testing over two dozen food services, my belly is full, and I’ve identified the clear winners.​

Meal kits and delivery services are intended to save you a trip to the store and potentially reduce food waste from leftover ingredients you may not use. You can find more about my testing methodology below, but the main points are that meal delivery and kits must be fresh, healthy, tasty and worth the money. Based on this, Blue Apron is my top pick as the best meal kit service overall.

Blue Apron's standard menu includes everything from healthy, low-calorie meals to hearty bistro steaks and roasted salmon or trout at no extra charge. It's also highly convenient, with most recipes taking under 30 minutes.

If you're looking to learn more, below you'll find the best meal delivery services of 2024, all tested and reviewed by CNET.

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Blue Apron's steaks and seafood are the best I've had from a standard meal kit plan.

Why I picked Blue Apron: Blue Apron represents the best overall value for any meal delivery service with premium-style recipes such as steak and seafood included in the cheapest meal plan. I also love Blue Apron's family-style and oven-ready meals which take about 5 minutes to prepare and net four or five servings. Perfect for feeding a crew or meal planning for the week.

Blue Apron is the original meal kit program in the US and the brand still manages to deliver excellent meals with easy-to-follow recipes all at a fair price. I found the recipes inventive without being overly complicated and of the eight or nine meal kits I've made from Blue Apron, none of them have been bad.

Blue Apron is a meal kit subscription -- so they'll keep sending meals week after week. Running menu choices available range from simple pasta dishes to more daring global cuisine, with high-end recipes including nice cuts of beef and fresh seafood at no extra cost.

Plans range between $8 and $12 a serving (chepaer if you order more servings) and the value is clear. In fact, I compared the cost of Blue Apron meal kits to the cost of buying the same groceries at a grocery store and two out of three were cheaper when made with Blue Apron.

It's also the most eco-friendly meal kit, according to this study, vaulting Blue Apron to the top of this list.

Blue Apron's steaks and seafood are the best I've had from a standard meal kit plan.

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Why I picked CookUnity: This prepared meal service focuses on gourmet fare made by chefs with both local and national acclaim. Since the shuttering of Fresh N Lean, Cook Unity has emerged as the best prepared meal service for those seeking interesting food without having to do any cooking.

The food is aimed at those with refined tastes and an adventurous palate. The best thing about CookUnity is the sheer volume of meal options you can choose from from culinary masters of different cultural backgrounds and culinary styles. There's always something different on the Cook Unity menu although each one is specific to a region so someone in Brooklyn may not have all of the same options as someone in Chicago.

Food is delivered fresh, not frozen although most of the meals would be easy to freeze and save for later. I liked almost everything I tried, with recipes ranging from very healthy to more comfort-style food. There are plenty of options for vegetarians too, but note that the menu will vary depending on where you live since they pull from local chefs to create the weekly offerings. Use promo code CNET30 for a 30% discount on your first purchase.

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The spicy beef soup (aka chili) was super fast, simple and satisfying.

Why I picked HelloFresh: HelloFresh serves up convenience, selection and family-friendly options better than any other meal kit service. There is truly no end to the combinations you can make from the weekly menus with swaps and substitutions allowed to please even the most particular eaters in your family.

HelloFresh has the most recipes per week, well over 50, and of any meal kit service I tried making it a good option for families and homes with picky children (or adults). This meal kit service's portion sizes are generous and there are meals to fit eating plans and diets of all sorts. There are dozens of keto meals, low-calorie options and heart-healthy meals for those cutting down on fat and sodium.

HelloFresh also fairly affordable, with most plans costing $10 per serving but there's no real discount for ordering a large plan. HelloFresh recipes are quick to make and and easy to follow, even for beginner cooks. I found some of the recipes a tad basic, with lots of comfort pasta dishes and simple cuisine. But if you're feeding a family of four or five, basic may be just what the doctor ordered.

The spicy beef soup (aka chili) was super fast, simple and satisfying.

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Many of EveryPlate recipes are simple and fuss-free. I like that.

Why I picked EveryPlate: At just $6 per serving -- even cheaper with a sign-up offer -- and an emphasis on delicious, hearty meal options and generous portion sizes, EveryPlate is the best cheap meal kit service I've tried.

EveryPlate's meal kits are simple, quick to make and comforting -- but that doesn't mean they're not also great. I liked nearly all of the eight meal kits I made from EveryPlate and with the lowest price per serving of any subscription, it's a great pick for those trying to keep the family fed without putting the budget at risk.

EveryPlate keeps overhead costs low (often cheaper than if you bought the groceries yourself) by offering just a dozen easy meal kit recipes to choose from each week with no swaps or substitutions allowed. These options include some vegetarians and those on special diets, but you'll find mostly classic American comfort food on EveryPlate's menu.

If you're looking to try an easy meal kit service without risking much dough, you can score meals for as low as $3 a serving with free shipping on your first order.

Many of EveryPlate recipes are simple and fuss-free. I like that.

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Factor has plenty of keto options including this bunless burger.

Why I picked Factor: With plans that cost as little as $11 a meal and options for a variety of diets and eating plans, Factor's heat-and-eat food is a solid option for those looking to eliminate cooking from the to-do list.

Factor, which is owned by the same parent company as HelloFresh, is a healthy prepared meal service and had some of the best meals I tried, including a zesty pesto salmon and a divine keto cheesecake.

Among the hits were a few misses, so you may have to learn the menu over time to avoid the duds. Factor puts a focus on healthy meals with plenty of low-carb options, and all the nutritional information is listed on the website before you choose your meals each week. With all the keto and paleo meal options, it's certainly a solid choice for people keeping to either of those plans.

Factor's portions aren't huge but they're big enough to satisfy this hungry fellow without the risk of overeating. There are cheaper prepared meal services out there but if you're after healthy food that includes meat, fish and lots of vegetables, Factor ticks a lot of boxes with it's freezable premade food.

Factor has plenty of keto options including this bunless burger.

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Some plastic is necessary for meal kits to work, but Home Chef uses more than the average service.

Why I picked Home Chef: Home Chef is a meal kit service with a sprawling menu that includes tons of low-carb options. Even if you're not going full keto, but just want to curb your carb intake, Home Chef offers 15 recipes a week with less than 15 grams of net carbs in each.

On balance, Home Chef meal kits weren't the best I tried, but the bulk of meals I made took less than 25 minutes and the portions were more than satisfying. That coupled with its slew of easy, healthy low-carb options makes Home Chef the best meal kit service for keto eaters.

You'll find plenty of comfort food among the low-carb meals just in case you want to spring for this a pasta or pizza cheat day. There's also lots of options for plant-based eaters and oven-ready meals that need only to be assembled and cooked -- no chopping or prep required.

Home Chef functions like many of the others with easy-to-prepared cooking kits that can feed a family of four or five. The plans start at around $10 a serving for the largest plans and go up from there. The meal kits can also be be purchased in person at Kroger since the supermarket chain owns this popular meal kit operation.

Some plastic is necessary for meal kits to work, but Home Chef uses more than the average service.

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Why I picked Mosaic Foods: This plant-based service was one of the best-prepared meal services I tried, and not just among vegan options. Every recipe was at least good, often great, and family meals start at just $6 a serving when you order family meals.

I sampled more than 10 of Mosaic Food's plant-based prepared meal offerings which include rice bowls, noodle dishes, flatbreads, oat bowls and smoothies. Of the food I ate, this vegetarian prepared meal delivery service had an astoundingly high hit rate. Most meals arrive fresh but can be frozen and thawed later for a quick lunch or healthy, vegetarian dinner.

Mosaic uses global flavors and employs creative use of meat substitutes such as tofu, jackfruit, cauliflower and vegan sausages to create tasty and satisfying vegetarian meals. Everything I ate from Mosaic was at least good, but some standouts included the bean and jackfruit chili, tomato olive and feta ragout and a tangy Thai noodle dish.

Meals clock in at around $10 or $12 each. Family-style dishes cost $20 and feed four, bringing the per-serving price down to a reasonable $5.

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I put Green Chef's meal kits to the test once again.

Why I picked Green Chef: This meal kit service uses almost all organic meats and produce, and offers interesting and healthy recipes for the discerning home cook. The recipes I tried were healthy, tasty and easy to cook.

It may be one of the pricier options, but I like Green Chef for its versatility in the different specific diet plans available. The healthy meal kit service also boasts the most organic ingredients of any meal kit service including produce, meats and fish. Green Chef also offers paleo, keto, pescatarian, vegan and vegetarian meals as well as gluten-free meal kit recipes and meals.

Green Chef allows for swaps and upgrades so you can slide beef into a fish recipe or even spring for organic chicken in place of non-organic. Some swaps are free while others incur a surcharge, some of them fairly steep, but it's all outlined on the intuitive website and easy to decipher before placing a weekly order.

I put Green Chef's meal kits to the test once again.

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Pete's Real Food (formerly Pete's Paleo) is an excellent meal service if you're adhering to a paleo or whole foods eating plan.

Why I picked Pete's Real Food: It's more expensive than other prepared meal services on our list, but the quality of food doesn't get much higher than Pete's. The cuisine is designed to fuel those following the precise paleo diet, but even those not keeping to the plan should enjoy this grub.

Pete's Real Food (formerly Pete's Paleo) won me over in a weeklong taste test of its healthy organic and paleo meals, earning a spot as one of the best healthy, organic meal delivery services. Pete's meals are all fully prepared and ready to heat and eat. The dozen or so Pete's Real Food meals I've tested were all cooked well: meats were tender, vegetables (mostly) cooked to proper doneness and all the flavors worked.

If you're in training or keeping to a paleo plan and looking for lots of protein, healthy fats and nutrient-filled carbs such as sweet potatoes and beets, Pete's should hit the spot.

The biggest drawback is Pete's expensive shipping which typically costs around $40. This means it's really only worth it to order meals in bulk.

Pete's Real Food (formerly Pete's Paleo) is an excellent meal service if you're adhering to a paleo or whole foods eating plan.

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Purple Carrot recipes are slightly more involved than your average meal kit.

Why our testers picked Purple Carrot: For authentic, organic, plant-based cooking, Purple Carrot delivered big with a bounty of interesting recipes and fresh ingredients. Several of us here at CNET have tried Purple Carrot and the inventive meatless meal kits have become a clear staff favorite.

Out of all the vegan meal kits I've tried, Purple Carrot's provided me with the best base for cooking vegan cuisine and its ingredient mainstays such as lentils and grains. There are about eight recipes to choose from each week. I tested a full week's worth of meals and enjoyed all of them.

Meal kits are pricey, with most plans netting out to about $12 per serving. There are also fewer recipes to choose from each week but that means quality control is far higher than services who offer 20 or 30 recipes in a given menu.

Purple Carrot also had the freshest produce of any service I tried with much of it coming from organic farms. There aren't many options for keto dieters but this meal kit subscription is a dream for vegans looking to get dinner on the table with less fuss.

Purple Carrot recipes are slightly more involved than your average meal kit.

Meal kits or prepared meals? It's the first decision you'll have to make. Some services offer both, however.

The first big decision you'll make is whether you want meal kits, which require some prep and cooking, or a prepared meal service that sends fully cooked meals that are ready to heat and eat. Meal kits will demand more of your time and energy but they'll also cost a little less per serving. Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few bucks more per serving.

If you opt for a cheaper meal kit service, you might not get as many steak and seafood options.

After you've picked between meal kits or meal delivery, you'll want to find a service within your budget. There are meal kits with recipes for as cheap as $5 a serving with basic menus and no-frills recipes. More expensive services include recipes with more exotic ingredients, high-end cuts of meat and organic produce but can cost as much as $15 or $20 a serving. Here I've outlined all the best cheap meal delivery services for 2024.

Daily Harvest is one of the healthiest meal delivery services we tried.

While most meal delivery services have healthy options, some are much healthier than others. If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services will be better than others. Our list of the healthiest meal delivery services for 2024 is a good place to find all the most nutritious options.

With most services, the more meals you choose per week, the cheaper the price per meal.

Lastly, you'll want to home in on exactly how much food you'll want sent to you per week. If you can't imagine yourself cooking more than twice per week, don't order more than two meal kits because they typically won't last more than a week in the fridge.

Most prepared meals either arrive frozen or can be frozen after unboxing. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go around. Most services allow you to change the number of meals or servings in your plan even after you've started.

With nearly every service, the more meals your order per delivery, the cheaper it is per meal.

Meal kits are judged on several factors as we cook our way through a box of recipes.

All the meal delivery services may look delicious in their website glamour shots, but that's certainly not enough to convince me. To settle on this list of the best meal delivery services I tried as many as we could get our hands on, noting everything about them from freshness and flavor to ordering, packaging and delivery.

Testing meal kits for CNET means rolling up our sleeves and cooking at least one week's worth of meals from each service, often more. How each meal kit tastes, how easy it was to prepare and the portion sizes are all considered. I also evaluate the website and how easy it is to navigate along with determining how easy it is to pause, cancel or change your order at any given time. To learn more, I have an in-depth look at how we test meal kits here at CNET.

Some meal delivery services require cooking from scratch, while others offer dishes that just need to be heated up.

To test each meal delivery service, I tried at least five and sometimes as many as 10 meals from any given service. I chose a range of meals from the various menu and meal plan offerings and took note of the ordering process, recipe variety and information available.

I reheated meals according to the instructions. If there were none, I heated them the way I would if left to my own devices. Often that meant warming gently in a nonstick skillet or reheating in my air fryer. Many of the meal delivery services offer a microwave heating option, but I almost always found that produced worse results than my trusted methods, even if they typically take a few seconds longer.

Dinnerly meal kits are fast, easy and won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Meal kits are best for those seeking truly fresh food.

Prepared meals are great for those uninterested in cooking.

If you're looking to cut some of the legwork out of dinner, meal kits and prepared meal services are definitely worth it. The most budget-friendly services cost about the same as buying all the groceries you'd need to make the same meal, with the convenience of having all the ingredients or a box of fully prepared meals sent to your home each week.

If you score one of the cheaper, budget-friendly meal kits you can get meals as low as $5-$8 per serving. That's cheaper than eating out or getting restaurant food delivered and is about the same cost as buying the groceries needed to make the same meals. Most meal delivery services run in the $10 to $12 per serving range, while the more premium services, including Green Chef, Sunbasket and Pete's Real Food, cost more like $12 to $16 per serving.

In a previous story, we crunched the numbers to find out how much meal kits cost versus buying the same groceries.

EveryPlate and Dinnerly are the cheapest meal kits, with plans that start at $6 or $7 per serving. Blue Apron and HelloFresh are also affordable, with plans as cheap as $8 a serving.

The cheapest prepared meal delivery service is Mosaic Foods since it has family meals that cost just $6 per serving.

In reviews and best lists, Blue Apron and HelloFresh are two of the most popular meal kit services for 2024. Fresh N Lean and Factor are some of the most popular options for prepared meal subscriptions.