Best Prepared Meal Delivery (2024): Premade Meals to Eat Healthy and Save Time

Time-saving strategies to meal prep can still take time, and in our frantic day-to-days it can be tough to find enough time to properly prepare high-protein foods and healthy meals for you and your family. A solution is meal delivery, but the prep involved in meal kits can still be daunting. What do you do in that case? I’d look into prepared meal delivery.

The best prepared meal deliveries provide oven-ready or microwaveable meals that save time in your meal-prep, as well as saving time on grocery runs. Still, we want these foods to be fresh and nutritious, free of preservatives.

Fortunately, our team at Garage Gym Reviews has tested over 40 meal delivery services to provide you with the best prepared meal delivery services available on the market today. With lifelong athletes and certified nutrition coaches on our team, we know what to look for in these services. We’ve also talked with licensed dietitian Perry Nix, RD, LD, to get an expert’s opinion on these meal services and their benefits.

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

The 10 Best Prepared Meal Deliveries

• Best Prepared Meal Delivery Overall: Fresh N’ Lean
• Best Keto Prepared Meal Delivery: Factor
• Best Gluten-Free Prepared Meal Delivery: Pete’s Real Food
• Best Prepared Meal Delivery for Variety: ICON Meals
• Best Prepared Meal Delivery for Weight Loss: BistroMD
• Best Organic Prepared Meal Delivery: Paleo on the Go
• Best Budget Prepared Meal Delivery: 518 Kitchen
• Best Paleo Prepared Meal Delivery: The Good Kitchen
• Best Plant-Based Prepared Meal Delivery: Purple Carrot
• Best Frozen Prepared Meal Delivery: MealPro

Best Prepared Meal Delivery Overall: Fresh N’ Lean

Good for: Clean eating with a variety of meals and plans

Best Overall

Fresh N Lean

GGR Score: 4.6

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Product Highlights

• Meal delivery featuring 7 different meal plans
• Gluten-free options
• Non-GMO, no artificial ingredients
• Paleo, Keto, high protein, and vegan plans
• A la carte options with a $85 minimum

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free shipping in the Contiguous U.S.
• Low minimum of meals
• Over 100 meals to choose from

Cons

• Very little customization when choosing meal plans
• Meals can be pricey

Bottom Line

Fresh N Lean is a prepared meal delivery service that has a variety of meal plans to choose from. From those plans, you can choose how many meals you’d like weekly, and notify anyone of food preferences. In addition, you can select exact meals from their A la carte section.

Our pick for best prepared meal delivery overall goes to Fresh N’ Lean, bringing variety and options to your dining room table. Fresh N’ Lean is 100% customizable with over 100 meals to choose from across seven meal plans, including high-protein, keto, paleo, Whole30, and Mediterranean Diet plans, along with vegan meals—both standard and low-carb menus. Additionally, they have bulk options, where you can choose extra steak, fish, or chicken as one of your meals.

Garage Gym Review’s head of content, Kate Meier, tried out Fresh N’ Lean and was thoroughly impressed by the taste. “The meals sounded good, but once I nuked them, I didn’t think by the looks of them that they would taste good. I was surprised!” She also notes that steaks were cooked medium perfectly, and all meals were juicy and moist.

Dietitian Perry Nix thought highly of the Protein+ meal plan, saying, “Each Protein+ meal contains a whopping 36 grams of protein on average, which falls well within the recommended 20-40 grams of protein per meal needed to maximize muscle protein synthesis.” Along with this, she likes that the ingredients used are nutrient-dense, GMO-free, and locally sourced.

RELATED: Benefits of Protein

One issue Kate ran into was that it was difficult to cancel her subscription. It says subscriptions can be canceled on the website, but she found no place to actually do it and had to contact customer service to cancel it. Skipping meal weeks is easy enough on the website, but cancellations seemed to be more burdensome than it needed to be.

Best Keto Prepared Meal Delivery: Factor

Good for: People constantly on the move needing healthy eating

Best Keto Meals

Factor75

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Heat-and-eat meals that are delivered weekly
• Five menu plans, including calorie-controlled and keto
• Can mix and match from different menu plans for more variety
• New menus drop weekly
• Can order up to 18 meals per week

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Not restricted to one specific diet plan
• Meals arrive fresh and ready to heat
• Offers options for different dietary preferences
• Can cancel or skip a delivery anytime

Cons

• No options for customization
• No personalized plans for weight loss

Bottom Line

Factor75 is a heat-and-eat delivery service that works well for those on specialized diets. Boxes are delivered weekly, and you can mix and match from different menu plans to maximize your menu variety.

Along with being our choice for the best keto prepared meal delivery, Factor has additional plans, including high-protein plans, low-calorie options, and even vegan and vegetarian meals. 

Senior staff writer and certified nutrition coach Amanda Capritto tested Factor out, and was particularly impressed with the portion size, saying, “This is the only meal service I tried that had ample portions! These meals can fill up a triathlete in the middle of a tough training block, so they can fill up just about anyone.”

Our expert dietitian Perry Nix also liked the portion sizes, particularly the variety of portions: “Meals contain anywhere from 350-900 calories, so you can choose entrees based on your personal calorie needs and health goals.” Whether you’re looking to lose weight or build muscle, Factor has a meal for you. The keto options available do vary by calories, as well, so be mindful of that when selecting meals.

On the taste of the meals, Amanda says it’s “better than OK.” The food was prepared well, and actually the steaks she tried out were cooked well and not overcooked like some microwaveable meals can get. Still, she found herself adding seasoning to meals often. 

Also, while there is a good amount of variety, most meals are similar enough that it could start feeling repetitive: just a protein and vegetable side. Still, for decent meals tailored to your fitness goals, Factor has you covered.

Best Gluten-Free Prepared Meal Delivery: Pete’s Real Food

Good for: Those with certain food sensitivities wanting a meal delivery service

Best Gluten-Free Meals

Pete’s Real Food

GGR Score: 4.2

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Product Highlights

• Prepared meal delivery service
• Offers paleo meal plans, along with keto, kids, and vegan meal options
• Able to mix and match meals
• One-time purchase and subscription services available
• Delivers once every 1 - 4 weeks
• Commitment to sustainability and less food waste

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Less food waste
• Vegan, keto, and kids meal options
• Foods from local sources

Cons

• More expensive than competitors
• Some users report bland vegetables

Bottom Line

Pete’s Real Food is the first nationwide ready-to-eat meal delivery company, founded in 2012. Along with serving paleo meals, they offer vegan, keto, and kids meals as well. Pete’s Real Food has prioritized minimizing its impact on the environment from the start, making sure to only order ingredients needed to fulfill orders. They offer one-time mix-and-match services, as well as plans that can be delivered once every one to four weeks.

For those with sensitivities to gluten, Pete’s Real Food is a fantastic option. Anyone with common sensitivities or food allergies may benefit from this meal service, as all recipes are gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. They also provide paleo meal plans, as well as keto-, vegan-, and AIP-friendly meals.

I got to try out Pete’s Real Food, and overall I was pretty happy with the meals, with the corned beef and cabbage being a standout for me. Still, some meals were hit and miss, as some of the vegetables were a little mushy and bland at times.

One thing that stood out to licensed dietitian Perry Nix was the amount of fiber in meals. She says, “These meals are super high in fiber, which most people don’t get enough of. Fiber is known to promote regular bowel movements, but it also supports blood sugar control and reduces cholesterol.” So for people looking to get more fiber in their diet, this is a great way to do it.

RELATED: Best Fiber Supplements

Pete’s Real Food does offer a paleo meal plan; however, there is very little customization to it. Basically, you select how many meals you’d like for the week, and the company picks meals for you. The only customization I saw was saying you didn’t want pork (although this was only for lunch and dinner options). 

Still, I went with the Mix and Match bundle, where I could choose between five and 17 meals for the week, with a decent amount of variety. If you’re worried about customization, this is the way to go.

Best Prepared Meal Delivery for Variety: ICON Meals

Good for: Decent-sized, filling prepared meals with lots to choose from

Best Variety

ICON Meals

GGR Score: 4.5

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Product Highlights

• Fresh, ready-to-eat meal delivery 
• Vacuum-sealed for freshness
• Build custom meals or chose from menu
• One-time purchases and subscription plans available

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Fresh, vacuum-sealed meals
• 35 signature meals always available
• Stays fresh up to 5 days (or freeze up to 6 months)
• 15% off for military personnel and first responders

Cons

• Limited vegetarian options
• No vegan options

Bottom Line

When you use ICON Meals, you’ll not only be able to choose from a one-time purchase or a subscription, you’ll also have the ability to customize meals or select meals from the main menu. There are 35 signature dishes that you can choose from anytime or browse the rotating weekly menu. Meals start at $12 and the minimum order needs to be at least 8 meals. Subscription meal delivery boxes come with either 12 or 24 meals and meal delivery frequency can be set anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks.

GGR performance editor and certified nutrition coach Anthony O’Reilly tried out our pick for best variety, ICON Meals, and what appealed to him most was the variety and size of some of the meals. A standout for him was, “The Titan Breakfast Burrito. I was surprised at how well-spiced it was; it kind of had a Middle Eastern vibe to it. And with more than 50 grams of protein, it was very filling!” Although not every meal had such great flavor, nothing was bad—just a little under seasoned.

There is an expansive list of meals, a-la-carte items, and snacks to choose from, leaving you with a lot of options. You can choose from prepared boxes of 12 or 24 meals, or you can fully customize your meal choices and numbers, allowing you to be in control of what you’re having each week. The only requirement is a minimum of eight meals.

Along with all of these choices, ICON Meals also offers customizable meals, where you can pick your protein and sides. Dietitian Perry Nix likes this option “for anyone trying to hit specific macros each day because you are in control of everything that’s on your plate.”

RELATED: Macros for Weight Loss: Advice from a Dietitian

One issue Perry had with the meal delivery service was that ICON Meals doesn’t offer much information about where their ingredients are sourced from, which brings to question the quality of ingredients, as well as whether or not they are sustainably sourced. Anthony also noted that some meals included artificial ingredients, which may deter some people from ordering from here. However, ICON Meals is still a solid choice for variety and customization.

Best Prepared Meal Delivery for Weight Loss: BistroMD

Good for: Healthy meals with calorie-conscious portions

Best for Weight Loss

BistroMD

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Doctor-designed meal plans 
• May help improve metabolism and aid with weight loss
• Weekly frozen meal deliveries
• Variety of meal plans including vegan, keto, and diabetic

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Program is based on science behind metabolism correction
• Options to skip a week
• Packed in oven-safe, BPA-free trays
• Support from registered dietitians

Cons

• Programs don’t allow you to order less than 10 meals
• Expensive subscription
• Shipping is not free

Bottom Line

BistroMD was designed by a doctor to help folks struggling with weight loss. BistroMD addresses insulin-resistance and aids a healthy metabolism with lean protein and high-fiber foods to keep you full in addition to low glycemic carbohydrates to stabilize blood sugars. You’ll find a meal plan that works within your dietary restrictions including gluten-free, vegan, or keto.

Our top pick for best prepared meal delivery for weight loss is BistroMD. While we are still waiting to test out the meals, we like the emphasis on healthy eating, as the company uses dietitians and doctors to design meal plans. Along with their signature program, BistroMD also supplies gluten-free, heart healthy, keto-friendly, diabetic, menopause, and vegan options.

Our expert dietitian Perry Nix appreciated that these meals weren’t just low-calorie meals. She says, “Instead, these meal plans focus on fueling your metabolism, stabilizing your blood sugar, and keeping you full and satisfied, so you can burn more calories and utilize energy efficiently.” 

Still, one thing to look out for is that the calorie count on these meals can still be low for most people. Perry notes, “For three meals and two snacks the average calorie intake for women and men is 1,200 and 1,500, respectively. This is much too low, and while you could see initial weight loss, you’re more likely to gain the weight back plus some.” So it may be worthwhile for this meal plan to not be your only source of nutrients and calories.

This program is relatively inexpensive, at most $8.99 per meal, and you can choose between 10 to 20 meals each week. Once you order, a dietitian makes a custom diet program for you, from which you can then customize and personalize your meals. If weight loss is your goal, BistroMD is definitely worth a shot.

Best Organic Prepared Meal Delivery: Paleo on the Go

Good for: Paleo meals with high-quality ingredients

Best Organic Meals

Paleo on the Go

GGR Score: 4.4

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Product Highlights

• 100% Paleo and AIP-friendly
• Plans include 8, 12, or 16 items 
• Can subscribe or buy one time
• Easy to follow instructions

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Wide variety of options
• Seasonal meals available
• Meals are ready after a few minutes in the microwave

Cons

• No smartphone app to manage subscription
• No free shipping

Bottom Line

Paleo on the Go is a meal service for people who would like to follow the paleo diet. They offer a wide range of foods, including bundle packages and seasonal items. The price range varies based on the items you choose to order.

As GGR editor Frieda Johnson notes after testing Paleo on the Go, the reason we like this meal service is because of the quality of ingredients. Frieda says about their ingredients, “The meals are all AIP compliant and they have information about their sourcing on the website. All animals are humanely raised and hormone/antibiotic free, and they have links to all of the farms where they source their meat.” They also have information on where they source produce and other ingredients, being a very transparent company on their sourcing.

Frieda followed the paleo diet for about a year, and the flavor of these frozen meals reminded her of home-cooked paleo meals. She was very surprised at the quality of these frozen Paleo meals. Some advice, she adds, is to reheat them in the oven instead of the microwave, as this makes a big difference on these meals.

Due to their following of autoimmune protocol (AIP) diets, dietitian Perry Nix says Paleo on the Go is great for an elimination diet. Also, because they don’t lock you into a subscription, you can stop after a few weeks, once you’ve determined the food source that causes you distress.

Frieda loved these meals…except for the price. The cost per meal is between $20 and $25, depending on the meal and plan, with some snacks costing $10 to $15. This is a pretty hefty price compared to other meal delivery services. If the price doesn’t bother you, however, this can be an excellent choice for high-quality ingredients.

Best Budget Prepared Meal Delivery: 518 Kitchen

Good for: Budget-friendly prepared meals that don’t have a high minimum order

Best Budget Meals

518 Kitchen

GGR Score: 4.3

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Product Highlights

• Individually packaged frozen meals
• Suits low-carb and keto lifestyles 
• Reheat in the microwave or oven
• Gluten-free

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Entire menu is gluten-free
• BPA-free plastic tray packaging
• Plastic film is microwave and oven-safe
• Flash-frozen to preserve freshness
• No subscription plans, order at your convenience

Cons

• No app, website ordering only
• Minimum order is $75
• No package deals, meals are priced individually

Bottom Line

518 Kitchen delivers low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free meals right to your door. While there is a minimum order amount of $75, there are no subscription models and you can order food whenever you like. The company is based in the Adirondack mountain region of New York and is committed to utilizing local produce and responsibility sourced proteins.

If you’re looking for a simple, inexpensive way to have prepared meals, 518 Kitchen is a solid option. Kate Meier, GGR’s head of content, tried these and found most meals were between $10 and $15, with some being less. Although not as cheap as meal kits can be, for prepared meals, this is a pretty good price.

Another nice feature of 518 Kitchen is the low minimum order: Instead of having a minimum number of meals, 518 Kitchen just requires a minimum order of $75. At these prices, that can amount to about five to eight meals, which is a decent amount for that price. 

One thing to note is that this doesn’t include shipping costs, which may substantially raise prices if you are farther away from their New York location. If you’re on the West Coast, it may be cheaper to order from a company closer by.

Kate enjoyed the taste of these frozen meals, aside from incredibly salty egg bites. This seemed to be an outlier, however, as all other meals were properly seasoned and tasted pretty good for being frozen.

Most meals are made for keto or low-carb diets, which are higher in fats with moderate amounts of protein. Because of this, dietitian Perry Nix adds that these meals can help you feel fuller longer and possibly help promote weight loss. She warns, however, that keto can be difficult to stick with over a long period of time, and there haven’t been too many studies on the long-term effects of a keto diet.

RELATED: Best Keto Protein Powder

Best Paleo Prepared Meal Delivery: The Good Kitchen

Good for: Paleo meals with a good amount of variety

Best Paleo Meals

The Good Kitchen

GGR Score: 3.9

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Product Highlights

• Meal delivery service
• Uses grass-fed beef, hormone-free poultry, and pastured pork in meals
• Ingredients are sourced as locally as possible
• Up to 90 items available to choose from weekly
• GMO-free ingredients used
• Can do a one-time order, or weekly, bi-weekly or monthly subscription options
• Gluten-free, dairy-free, and no refined sugars

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No refined sugars
• Gluten-free
• GMO-free
• High-quality meats used

Cons

• Pricier meals
• No plant-based meals

Bottom Line

The Good Kitchen is a meal delivery service, delivering prepared meals with quality ingredients. The meats used are grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and hormone-free poultry and eggs. With as many as 90 items to pick from each week, you’ll be able to choose a one-time purchase, or subscribe to weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly deliveries.

The best prepared meal delivery with paleo options goes to The Good Kitchen. I tried this meal delivery out myself, and the thing that stood out to me most was the variety. With over 90 meals to choose from each week, meals are also slowly rotated, so new options will be available all the time.

If you’re only looking for paleo options, no worries, because over a third of the menu is paleo. Additionally, The Good Kitchen has meals that are low-carb, plant-based, keto-friendly, and appropriate for Whole30 and Mediterranean diets, as well.

I also enjoyed the taste of these meals a lot. One of my favorites was the chicken enchiladas, which I was worried would be too mushy after delivery. However, the food was great and the texture was still a little crunchy. With the other meals, I thought the meat was seasoned and cooked very well, although the vegetable sides were a little bland.

Dietician Perry Nix appreciates The Good Kitchen’s options to avoid common allergens, such as dairy, soy, and peanuts. However, many of the meals are animal-based; she notes, “The Good Kitchen uses ingredients derived from animals and isn’t a good choice for anyone following a vegan diet.” If you aren’t following a vegan diet, however, The Good Kitchen may be a good fit for you. 

Best Plant-Based Prepared Meal Delivery: Purple Carrot

Good for: Prepared meals suitable for plant-based eating and diets

Best Plant-Based Meals

Purple Carrot

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Vegan meal kits and prepared meals
• Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and pantry items available
• Boxes ship weekly
• Quick prep options (meals that take less than 25 minutes)
• Most non-produce items are organic

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Has meal kits and prepared meals
• Can choose from the whole menu
• All meals and snacks are available
• Menus change weekly

Cons

• Can’t mix and match meal types
• No option for add-on proteins
• Maxes out at 4 meals per week
• Limited meal choices

Bottom Line

Purple Carrot offers vegan meal kits and prepared meals. There are no specific meal plans, but you can choose from the full menu, which includes breakfasts, lunches, dinners and “plantry” items—add-on products like brownie bites and salad dressing. You can’t mix and match meal types, though.

Our pick for best plant-based prepared meal delivery is Purple Carrot. Unlike many other meal deliveries on this list, Purple Carrot offers both premade meals and meal kits. All meals are 100% vegan, so this is perfect for people following a vegan diet, or just wanting to lessen how much meat they have in their diet.

Dietitian Perry Nix mentions that the variety of the prepared meals is not as versatile as other meal services. However, Purple Carrot allows for customization in meal boxes, as you can purchase a combination of meal kits and prepared meals, making it a pretty versatile service to buy from.

RELATED: Best Vegan Protein Powder

Anthony O’Reilly, our performance editor and a certified nutrition coach, tested out Purple Carrot and found the ingredients to be fresh and delicious. Another surprising thing was that the portion sizes were decent as well, which is quite a feat for a plant-based meal. Anthony said he always felt full.

Obviously, this may not be the ideal meal service for people wanting animal protein in their meals, but for those wanting to include more plant-based meals into their lifestyle for one reason or another, Purple Carrot has you covered.

Best Frozen Prepared Meal Delivery: MealPro

Good for: Those wanting a lot of frozen meals week-to-week

Best Frozen Meals

MealPro

GGR Score: 4.1

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Product Highlights

• Prepared meal delivery service in California
• Non-GMO ingredients, and vegetables grown in nutrient-dense soil
• Can purchase one-time or have a recurring order for every 7, 14, 21, or 28 days
• Orders are in 18 or 20-meal options
• Can choose from the a-la-carte menu, or create your own custom meals

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Non-GMO ingredients
• Flexible subscription service
• Ability to create your own custom meals
• Great taste

Cons

• 18 meals minimum is high
• Shipping meals across the U.S. can be expensive

Bottom Line

MealPro is a healthy prepared meal delivery service based on the West Coast. All their ingredients used are non-GMO, and they don’t use preservatives or artificial flavors. Meals can be ordered from their a-la-carte menu, or you can customize your own meals. Orders are done in orders of 18 or 20 meals, but MealPro is flexible on their optional subscription services. Meals can be delivered every 7, 14, 21, or 28 days.

Our pick for best frozen prepared meal delivery was also one of my favorites that I tried out: MealPro. I certainly enjoyed it due to its flavor and portion sizes. Being a large strength athlete, I found many portions would be filling for most, but not for me in my strength training, but with MealPro, most meals were generous portions; whereas I felt full from eating these, my wife didn’t always finish her meal.

For frozen meals, I thought MealPro was delicious, and they were simple to cook, either through the microwave or oven. One of my favorite meals was the lean beef lasagna, as well as the Atlantic salmon. While sometimes the chicken was dry or vegetables a little bland, I felt the meals were overall a great experience.

I chose from MealPro’s a-la-carte menu, but MealPro offers meals and plans for a variety of reasons, including medical needs. Dietitian Perry Nix explains, “Meal Pro offers the most medical meal plans I’ve seen compared to any other meal service…This is helpful for so many people who feel lost when it comes to making the best dietary choices to manage their condition.”

The biggest issue with MealPro is their high minimum meal requirement. They have two options for ordering, either 18 or 20 meals. That is a lot of meals to order weekly, and with most meals costing around $14 or so, each order will be pretty costly. Still, MealPro doesn’t require a subscription service, so you can skip weeks if needed, to help save on costs.

Other Prepared Meal Deliveries We Researched

We tested out many other meal delivery services in our research for the best prepared meal delivery service—over 40. Here are a few more meal deliveries that missed our list for one reason or another.

• Eatology: While these Paleo Zone prepared meals were rather inexpensive, I felt that the food was middle-of-the-road, and portion sizes felt small for an athlete like me.
• Snap Kitchen: GGR staff writer Lauren Strong tested out Snap Kitchen, and while the flavor was good, there wasn’t as much variety or customization as other meal delivery services.
• Sakara Life: GGR editor Frieda Johnson tried Sakara Life out, and while the food was delicious, the portion sizes were small and prices were rather expensive, as her order was about $27 a meal.
• Muscle Meals 2 Go: These healthy meals were made for leaning out, maintaining, or gaining muscle mass. Lauren thought the ingredients were good, although meals were often bland or dry.
• CookUnity: Our performance editor Anthony O’Reilly tried these meals out, and was a bit underwhelmed by the meals, as they sometimes were missing ingredients.

RELATED: Sakara Life reviews

How We Picked and Tested the Best Prepared Meal Deliveries

Our team consists of athletes, certified nutrition coaches, and certified personal trainers, so when researching and testing out prepared meal deliveries, we know what to look for in nutritious meals, and how to provide value to the consumer. In addition to meal prices and the customer service experience, here are a few things we look at for these prepared meal deliveries.

• Ordering: How easy was the ordering and checkout process? Ideally, deciding on the number of meals, meal plans, and a meal subscription should be easy with minimal hassle.
• Taste: This is mostly subjective, but we tried many individual meals of these meal services, noting any high-quality meals or lackluster entrees.
• Ease of Preparation: Being a prepared meal delivery, these meals should be able to pop in the microwave or oven, frozen or thawed, and be ready in minutes. Meal kit delivery services like Home Chef or HelloFresh weren’t used on this list, since they involve their own preparation.
• Portion Size: Since these are individually-prepared meals, to get high marks here, we wanted to make sure that a meal felt filling.
• Ingredient quality and nutrition: We liked when companies were transparent about the nutritional information of meals, especially when those meals were made with high-quality ingredients.
• Variety: Is there a lot of variety when it comes to weekly or monthly choices, or is it a lot of the same week to week? 
• Meal plans and customization: For those looking for some guidance, meal services can have meal plans made for certain diets or lifestyles. Also, is there room for personal customization?
• Shipping and packaging: Because these meals are delivered across the country, the packaging of these prepared meals is vital. In order to ship safely, these boxes should be shipped with dry ice or ice packs to keep foods chilled or frozen.
• Sustainability efforts: We appreciate efforts taken by companies to minimize their carbon footprint through sustainability initiatives. This is both by shipping recyclable materials, as well as sourcing their food sustainably.

In addition to ranking meal services based off of these standards, we also talked with dietitian Perry Nix, RD, LD, on her initial take and opinions on these meal delivery services. With an expert’s input, we were able to finalize our list for the best prepared meal deliveries.

Benefits of Prepared Meal Deliveries

If I could summarize the benefits of prepared meal delivery services into one word, I think it would be “convenience.” While that doesn’t explain every single benefit or perk of meal services, it covers a lot. Let’s break down a few of the benefits of prepared meals.

Save Time

The most obvious benefit of purchasing fully prepared meals for your household is the time you can save. Buying prepared meals for the week will save you plenty of time that would otherwise be used preparing home-cooked meals. Plus, the clean-up is virtually disposing of the meal tray once you’re done eating—way easier than washing pots and pans. 

Explore New Foods

If you’re looking to try something new, but just not sure where to start, meal services can be a great place to start. Many prepared meal delivery services provide a lot of variety in their weekly menu options. Additionally, if you need to get more vegetables or greens in your diet, these meal services have you covered, offering veggie sides in each prepared meal.

Fewer Grocery Runs

Having your meals delivered straight to you will help save you time and miles on runs to the grocery store. Obviously, prepared meal services won’t provide all amenities you need for your household, but it’ll definitely allow you to frequent the store less each week.

Healthy Eating

Those who struggle to prepare and have healthy food choices during the week can use prepared meal services to make healthy eating easier. Depending on the meal service, these weekly meals are typically made with nutrient-dense ingredients and have macros portioned out to support high-protein diets for building muscle, as well as keto, vegan, and vegetarian options.

What to Look for in Prepared Meal Deliveries

There are quite a few things to consider when looking into the best prepared meal delivery service for you.

Meals

The meal options can be impacted by a few different factors:

• Number of meals: How many meals are you looking to have each week? If you’re looking to replace only a few meals each week, then somewhere between five to eight meals weekly would suffice; if you’re looking for the majority of meals to be prepared, 15 to 20 meals is probably the best option. Make sure the service you choose can provide the right number of meals for you.
• Price per meal: The price of each meal should make sense for the meal service. Some may be pricier due to greater strides to source organic foods and non-GMO ingredients. Shipping costs will also increase your cost depending on your location.
• Portion size: Many meal delivery services will vary by portion size, as well. It’s a good idea to check the nutritional information provided to see if this meal service will have enough calories and macros for your needs.

Meal Plans

Many meal delivery services will have meal plans that will help guide those needing specific foods, whether it’s for dietary restrictions, medical needs, or due to following a diet.

• Meal plans: Services may not provide plans for every need, but common meal plans include keto and low-carb, vegan, Whole30, paleo, and high-protein needs.
• Customization: While meal plans can help you in your decision-making, sometimes it’s nice to be able to choose. Some meal delivery services allow you to substitute meals once you’ve selected a plan, while others have an a-la-carte or mix-and-match menu to choose from.
• Subscription: Not every meal delivery service requires a weekly delivery subscription, but they often come with a discount. Additionally, the subscription service should be easy to adjust, skip weeks, or cancel depending on what you need.

Variety

Many prepared meal deliveries have decent variety. Some people may need variety so that they can have options for their personal preferences, such as wanting dairy-free options. Still, others just want to not have the same meals over and over again.

Ingredient Quality

It’s good to take a look at the ingredient quality of the meals you’re purchasing. While not every meal delivery service is focused primarily on health and wellness, the service should still use high-quality ingredients. Bonus points if they also source their food locally and sustainably.

Prepared Meal Delivery: FAQs

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1

Caine Wilkes is an Olympian, placing 9th in weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A former gym owner, he also has more than 15 years of experience coaching other athletes in weightlifting, CrossFit, and functional fitness.

Further reading

High-Protein Vegetables: An Easy Way to Add More Protein to Your Meal

by Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD

Looking for ways to add more protein to your diet? Check out our list of high-protein vegetables to add to your meals! Read more

Cold Plunge Before or After Workout: Active Recovery Myths Debunked

by Lauren Strong, CPT

Time-saving strategies to meal prep can still take time, and in our frantic day-to-days it can be tough to find enough time to properly prepare high-protein foods and healthy meals for you and your family. A solution is meal delivery, but the prep involved in meal kits can still be daunting. What do you do in that case? I’d look into prepared meal delivery.The best prepared meal deliveries provide oven-ready or microwaveable meals that save time in your meal-prep,  » Read more about: Best Prepared Meal Delivery (2024): Premade Meals to Eat Healthy and Save Time  » Read more

Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 Review (2024): Pump Up Your Training Experience With This Lifting Shoe

by Matt Dustin, CES, PN1-NC

Reebok’s latest weightlifting shoe is here, but is it worth the high price tag? Find out how we rated this shoe in our Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 review. Read more

Eleiko Weightlifting Belt Review (2024): Is This Premium Leather Belt Worth the Cost?

by Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1

We’ve tried out this premium brand’s leather Olympic weightlifting belt. Read our Eleiko Weightlifting Belt review to see if this product’s worth the premium cost. Read more