Best Allergy-Friendly Meal Delivery Services 2023: Top 10 Picks

Overview

It can be challenging to find meal delivery services that provide safe meals for food allergies. The stress and anxiety of constantly worrying about what you can eat can be overwhelming, and this can take away from the joy of dining. But don't worry, I've got you covered. 

I’ve conducted extensive research and analysis to find the 10 best allergy-friendly meal delivery services available today. My comprehensive list covers factors such as specific allergies that are catered to, customization options, ingredient sourcing, and taste.

After careful consideration, Blue Apron is my top choice. Not only does it offer a wide variety of dishes that cater to different dietary restrictions, but it also sources high-quality ingredients and prioritizes customer safety. With customizable meal plans and clear labeling, Blue Apron ensures that its meals are safe and delicious for everyone, including those with food allergies.

The Best Allergy-Friendly Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Blue Apron – Best Allergy-Friendly Gourmet Meals

Overall, Blue Apron is my top pick for this year, even if you have allergies. It offers a large variety of meals every week, some of which can even be customized, as our reviewer made note of. For example, the Blackened Cajun Burger could be sent to you with Black Bean Patties instead, which are vegetarian.

All allergens are marked on each meal. This makes it easy to identify any allergens before you place an order. The information is a little bit tricky to find, though – so here’s how to do it. When you click on any recipe card on the website, scroll down and take a look at the right side of the screen until you see VIEW FULL NUTRITION. Once you click on that, you’ll be able to see all the allergy info.

Keep in mind that all major allergens are processed in the same facility such as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and wheat. If you have severe (or life-threatening) allergies, Blue Apron recommends that you don’t purchase any of its products.

Blue Apron offers a wide range of cuisines to suit different taste preferences. You can choose from American, Italian, Mexican, Asian, and Mediterranean cuisines, among others. Each week, Blue Apron offers different meals on its menu, which means you’re far less likely to become bored over time.

It also provides meal kits that include all the ingredients and step-by-step instructions to prepare the meal. This is especially helpful for people with allergies as it eliminates the need to source specific ingredients, which can be a challenge when trying to avoid certain allergens. Also, keep in mind that this makes it easy for you to simply omit an ingredient if you can’t eat it.

Blue Apron also offers prepared meals for those who prefer ready-to-eat options. Each week, you’ll see around 6 options on the menu. This isn’t the largest selection of prepared meals I’ve seen. Plus, you really have to make sure that the ingredients are ones you can eat before ordering as you won’t be able to omit any ingredients like you can with meal kits.

Blue Apron also offers a range of add-ons, extras, and sides to complement its main dishes. These include salads, snacks, and desserts, as well as a selection of wine boxes to pair with your meal. This variety of options allows you to customize your meals to your liking and adds an extra level of convenience to your meal delivery experience.

Another benefit is that the Blue Apron Market provides kitchen tools and utensils that are needed to prepare meals. This can be especially helpful for those who may not have all the necessary equipment at home. Options for you to choose from include things like aprons, spatulas, pans, knives, cutting boards, and much more.

Finally, the minimum order here is 2 meals equaling 2 servings per week – but you’re welcome to get as many as 4 meals of 4 servings per week. Plus, if you do opt for the largest order, you’re only paying around $5.74 per serving.

2. Factor – Best Allergy-Friendly Prepared Meals

Factor is another great option for allergy-friendly prepared meals. Unlike Blue Apron, it only offers prepared meals, which are much quicker to prepare than meal kits. Though each meal is prepared in the same facility and may come into contact with any of the 8 known allergens, any allergen is clearly labeled on each meal card on the website’s menu.

It strongly recommends that you carefully review individual menu items for the most updated information before consuming. As things change so rapidly in this industry, it’s important to get the most recent information, preferably right before placing your order. If you have severe allergies, though, it’s not recommended that you order from Factor.

But if you’re good with ordering from Factor, there’s lots to love, like its range of plans. It’s good for those seeking prepared meals that cater to various preferences and health goals, as you’ll discover in our full review. The company prides itself on providing diverse, chef-prepared meals made from high-quality, fresh ingredients, and its commitment to convenience and flexibility makes it an excellent choice for busy individuals.

If you have specific dietary needs, you can still easily find meals that suit your preferences. The service offers meal options that cater to a variety of diets, such as keto, plant-based, low-carb, and high-protein.

Plus, you’ll get access to plenty of international cuisines like Latin American, Italian, French, classic American, and more. Do keep in mind that its meals are single serving, which may not be ideal for larger families as it could get quite pricey – although it can be a good choice if only one person in your family has allergies.

The fully prepared meals require minimal effort to heat and serve. This can save a significant amount of time and energy that would otherwise be spent on meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking.

Also, Factor offers a variety of add-ons, extras, sides, and snacks to complement its meals. These include smoothies, egg bites, pancakes, and keto-friendly desserts. Factor's diverse selection of snacks and add-ons helps to keep the menu interesting and encourages you to explore new flavors and food combinations.

Finally, the minimum order is 6 meals per week, but you can order up to 18 each week. For the smallest order, prices tend to be on the higher side of the meal delivery spectrum – so I recommend ordering more at a time for the best value. For instance, if you opt for the largest order of 18 meals, you’ll pay around $6.19 per serving.

3. Green Chef – Best Organic Allergy-Friendly Ingredients

Green Chef caters to far more diets than its mainstream competitors. Its exact plans are Protein Packed, Keto, Veggie, Vegan, Mediterranean, Gluten Free, and Fast & Fit. It does offer a Paleo label on the menu, but this can only be found on 1 or 2 meals and doesn’t feature every week. If you follow a paleo diet check out our list of the Best Paleo Meal Delivery Services.

It offers gluten-free meals that meet the industry’s highest standards. Green Chef was the first meal kit company to receive a Gluten-Free Certification through the Gluten Intolerance Group’s Gluten-Free Food Service program (this applies to the Keto meal plan).

On each recipe, you’ll find a full list of ingredients and common allergen information, and the ingredients are packaged separately for easy substitution. But do keep in mind that all the meal kits are prepared in the same facility.

Green Chef prioritizes top-quality, organic ingredients. As my colleague noted in their tested review of Green Chef, the menu is filled with delicious, balanced dishes, and the organic ingredients make it a great choice for folks who want both quality nutrition and flavor from their dinners.

Many of the ingredients come chopped or otherwise prepared, too – just one of the many time-saving hacks that make it easy to cook with Green Chef. Dishes, such as the gluten-free, veggie Southwest Potato Breakfast Bowl (pictured), are ready in 30 minutes or less.

Green Chef’s menu mainly celebrates international flavors. You can find Asian meals such as Thai-Style Coconut Shrimp Soup, and Italian-inspired Salmon with Piccata Sauce. These are just 2 examples – but some other cuisines include French, Latin American-inspired, Japanese, and lots more.

Finally, the minimum order is 3 meals for 2 people per week, but you could do up to 4 meals for 6 people. If you order more at once, you’ll also save some money. For instance, if you opt for the max order, you’ll only pay around $5.99 per serving.

4. HelloFresh – Best Allergy-Friendly Meals for Families

HelloFresh can be a great choice for people with particular food allergies, thanks to the sheer variety of meals on offer. It offers roughly 35 recipes every week, which means you’re certain to get something that works for your particular situation and preferences. However, you’ll have to check individual recipes for allergen info, just like with Blue Apron and Factor.

My colleague found that major allergens were marked on the recipe cards. It’s nice to be able to see this information long before you order anything as it’s not fun to get excited about a delivery only to be disappointed when it finally arrives.

Plus, the HelloCustom ingredient replacements allow you to switch out certain meats or sides for even more flexibility, and the Meat & Veggies plan can also be customized to omit beef, pork, or seafood. HelloFresh prides itself on having easy-to-follow recipes, and the great thing with meal kits is that you can simply leave out any ingredients you can’t or don’t want to eat while cooking.

Since HelloFresh is a very family- and kid-friendly service, you’ll find something for everyone. There’s ​​everything from the Italian Zucchini and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto to a Chicken and Chickpea Caesar Salad. I personally tried the Chicken Schnitzel one night – I absolutely loved it and it’s kid-friendly too. Its meals are definitely not as fancy as Blue Apron, though. 

If you have severe allergies, you’re better off with a more specific service dedicated to your medical needs. For instance, if you’re a celiac, definitely check out Green Chef instead as its meals are actually certified gluten-free. But for those with more manageable sensitivities, it’s well worth browsing HelloFresh’s menu.

Finally, the minimum order here is 2 recipes for 2 people per week, but you could get up to 6 meals for 4 people. I found that, for the smallest order, your per-serving prices can get a bit too much – so go with the max order if you want to save some money. That way, you’re only paying around $3.32 for every serving.

5. Home Chef – Best Customizable Meals

Home Chef has earned its spot thanks to its versatility and wide range of offerings. Its specific plans include Calorie-Conscious, Carb-Conscious, and Vegetarian. However, those with severe allergies should be aware that cross-contamination may occur as all meals are prepared in the same facility.

What’s great is that you can choose what ingredients to avoid at the time of signup. For example, there’s a section called “Tell us about your dislikes” when you begin the signup process. This can quickly help you avoid ingredients like pork, beef, poultry, fish, shellfish, mushrooms, tree nuts, peanuts, and more.

Whether you're looking for an easy meal kit or quick prepared meals, Home Chef has you covered. With its Culinary Collection meals or fast meal kits (Express), you can choose meals that suit your needs and schedule.

One unique feature of Home Chef is the Customize It option, which allows you to swap out proteins or double up on certain ingredients to create a meal that suits your preferences. For example, you can replace a steak with mahi-mahi or salmon in the Garlicky Salmon with Mojo Aioli dish. Our reviewer outlines the swaps available in their full review.

It offers a diverse range of cuisines, including French, Italian, Vietnamese, Greek, Mexican, and Asian. Some of my favorite meals on the menu include Huli Huli Tofu Rice Bowl (as depicted above), Tuscan-Style Shrimp Risotto, Sirloin Steak and Bacon Demi (Glace), and the Balsamic Rosemary Beef Burger.

Home Chef doesn't cater to specific dietary preferences like keto or vegan, however, you can find a range of vegetarian dishes. For keto and vegan meal kits, try Green Chef instead.

Home Chef also offers a range of extras, sides, snacks, and desserts. You can choose from items such as Red Velvet Cookie Skillets, mac and cheese products, smoothies, and even canned lattes, and a ton more.

The menu is kid-friendly with a variety of options that most children would enjoy, like the Chicken Adobo Flautas. You can definitely get fancier-sounding, restaurant-quality meals here, or more basic ones for pickier eaters. It’s nice to see such a large variety of options available for you to choose from.

Finally, Home Chef requires you to order a minimum of 2 meals for 2 people per week, up to 6 meals for 6 people. The per-serving price decreases as the order size increases – so if you go for the max order, you’ll only pay around $7.99.

6. Fresh and Easy – Best <15-Minute Allergy-Friendly Meals

Fresh and Easy is a collection of Home Chef meals that takes a lot less time to prepare. The way you find these is by looking for the Express, Express Plus, Fast & Fresh, and Fast & Fresh Plus labels on Home Chef’s primary menu.

Fresh and Easy’s meals include oven- and grill-ready, entreé salads, and speedy kits, as you’ll discover in our full review. Plus, again, all of the same allergy information applies to Fresh and Easy as well.

Just like Home Chef, you can choose to avoid certain ingredients at signup. These include pork, beef, poultry, fish, shellfish, mushrooms, tree nuts, peanuts, and more. This is a great feature as you don’t even have to see any options at all that may not work for your particular allergies or preferences.

For example, any allergens present in the meals will be clearly labeled on the main recipe cards. It’s easy to see what you’re getting long before you place an order. For instance, the Chile con Queso Turkey Tacos is an Express meal that only takes 10 to 15 minutes to make, and contains milk and wheat.

I like Fresh and Easy if you’re in a hurry, and don’t like spending tons of time cooking. You’re still getting super high-quality meals that feature the same quality standards as Home Chef’s other meals – plus, you can still get access to all of Home Chef’s other menu items, too.

You’ll be able to order other meals, snacks, add-ons, sides, extras, and everything else Home Chef offers. For example, there are protein packs featuring shrimp, beef, and chicken, Mahi-Mahi filets, desserts like cheesecake, snacks (or lunch meals) like salads, Pesto Chicken Pizza, bisques, soups, Pretzel Bites, and even charcuterie board-style dishes.

The minimum order is the same as Home Chef at 2 recipes for 2 people every week, up to 6 recipes for 6 people. If you do choose the largest order, you can save some money at around $7.99 per serving.

7. BistroMD – Best Allergy-Friendly Weight Loss Meals

If you’re looking for allergy-friendly weight loss meals that don’t require cooking, try BistroMD. If you need to avoid certain allergens, you can see the ingredients for each recipe on the main menu or you could contact customer support for a customized meal plan that avoids anything you’re allergic to. However, keep in mind that your selection might be smaller since entire meals will be removed from your plan since all meals are premade.

BistroMD’s prepared meals are designed to promote weight loss. If you want to lose weight yet still enjoy eating, this is the way to go. Your meals are pre-portioned, weighed, and calorie-controlled, so you don’t have to do anything other than just eat the meals to lose weight. Plus, it’s easy to see allergen information on the menu.

You can also choose meal plans for 5 or 7 days. For example, the 5-day plan could include just lunches and dinners, or breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. The same thing can be said about the 7-day plan. It’s completely up to you how many meals you want to have pre-planned for you.

The 7-day plan with breakfasts, lunches, and dinners has 1 night that’s called “My Night” where you’ll have to plan your own dinner. This helps you take a break from dieting so to speak and allows you to be more flexible with what you eat. Our reviewer takes an in-depth look at the benefits of each plan.

One of the best features of BistroMD is its extensive selection of meal choices. With a range of cuisine types, such as American, Italian, and Asian, you're sure to savor a diverse array of dishes without compromising flavor or nutritional value.

While BistroMD's meals use frozen components, they’re crafted using fresh ingredients that are then frozen to maintain their quality during transit. If you prefer fresh prepared meals, try Factor instead.

With approximately 30 different meal choices each week, there's no risk of monotony. Dinner options include Honey Bourbon-Glazed Meatloaf, lunch offerings include the Smoked Chipotle Pork and Eggs, and breakfast or snack items are items like Blueberry Waffles accompanied by a Mixed Berry Compote. Additionally, the meal selections vary based on your chosen plan.

Lastly, you’ll have to buy at least the Lunches & Dinners plan for 5 days, but you can get several other combinations. For example, you can get just the Lunches & Dinners plan for 7 days as well, or the Full Program for either 5 or 7 days. You can save some money if you opt for the largest order. With it, you’d only pay around $8.24 per serving.

8. Purple Carrot – Best Plant-Based + Allergy-Friendly Meals

With Purple Carrot, you can get plant-based meals – many of which are allergen friendly. You’ll find gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free meals. You can pick from a variety of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, sides, snacks, and even desserts, which our review goes into more detail about.

However, there’s a risk of cross-contamination with wheat, gluten, and nuts. For that reason, I highly recommend carefully choosing your meals. The menu lists all ingredients so you can be well aware of what you’re getting long before you place an order.

That said, Purple Carrot prides itself on its ability to showcase veggies in the form of international cuisines. It offers these as meal kits and prepared meals. For instance, some examples include the Black Bean Burger, Mac N’ Cheese, and Tempeh Satay. Plus, there are “Less Prep” meal kits that arrive with some ingredients pre-chopped and require fewer steps, dishes, pots, and pans for added convenience.

There are also sides and extras available like Baklava Overnight Oats, Sunflower Chickpea Sandwiches, and Coconut Ginger Congee. It really is a vast menu with lots of options to suit various preferences.

You can also get access to pantry items in what Purple Carrot calls the “Plantry”. These include Pumfu Sausage Scramble, Asian Ginger Salad Dressing, Creamy Scallion French-Style Cheese, Vegan All-Day Egg Scramble, Peanut Butter Soft Baked Cookies, and Chocolate Glazed Mini Donuts.

You’ll need to order at least 3 meals of 2 servings each if you want meal kits, or if you want prepared meals, the minimum order is 6 single-serving meals. But, you’re free to order up to 4 meal kits of 4 servings each, or up to 10 prepared meals. For the largest meal kit order, you’ll pay $8.50 per serving.

9. Marley Spoon – Best Allergy-Friendly Menu Variety

Marley Spoon is a Martha Stewart-backed service, and it offers high-quality, allergy-friendly meals that also happen to be customizable, according to our official review.

Any major allergen can be viewed on each online recipe card so you know what you’re getting. But again, it follows a similar trend – all ingredients are processed in the same facility. If you have a severe allergy, it’s best to avoid this service.

Marley Spoon offers plenty of different dietary options. You can get everything from vegetarian, low-calorie, no added gluten, dairy-free, healthy, and nutritious meals.

One super unique thing is its commitment to carbon neutrality, plus its use of mostly recyclable materials. Marley Spoon's commitment to preserving the environment is a distinct characteristic, and it provides a significant advantage if that’s something you feel passionate about.

If you’re looking for international foods, there are lots to choose from. For instance, you can get anything from Mexican, Thai, Italian, and more. It has one of the largest menus, which features 100+ options per week. That also means you’re likely to find something for everyone in your household without feeling restricted.

The new customization feature lets you replace ingredients you don’t want. For example, you can switch regular pasta to a gluten-free alternative. This feature wasn’t always available, so it’s nice to see that it’s making an appearance. The customization options aren’t as extensive as those from Home Chef, though.

I found that most recipes are kid-friendly as they don’t rely on overly-fancy ingredients or cooking techniques. Unlike Purple Carrot or Blue Apron, Marley Spoon’s recipes are quite basic. Even its international recipes seem to be more Americanized than other services.

You can also choose from lots of add-ons and extras, too. For instance, there are things like chowder, a couple of prepared meals every week, prosciutto-wrapped cod, chocolate bread pudding, and more.

Lastly, you’d have to order at least 2 meals for 2 people per week, up to a maximum of 6 meals for 4 people. You can save money by getting the largest order. That way, your price will only be around $2.99 per serving. It’s a pretty accessible service, though not as budget-oriented as, say, Dinnerly.

10. Dinnerly – Best Affordable Allergy-Friendly Meals

Dinnerly is the most affordable meal delivery service, especially if you have allergies. Though it doesn’t cater to specific allergies, there are a couple of ways you can avoid ordering anything with ingredients you can’t eat.

On the main menu, you’ll see labels for No Gluten Added and Dairy-Free (plus more), which is a great way to quickly cull and vet the menu for only the meals you can eat. Plus, our reviewer found a huge assortment of around 40+ weekly meal kit options making it easy to simply omit an ingredient during the cooking process.

Even though it’s super affordable, I was still impressed with the cuisines. For instance, there’s everything from classic American, Italian, Mexican, Korean, Japanese-style, and much more. One thing you’ll love is that despite there being lots of cuisines, most dishes are more Americanized, making them very kid-friendly. If you want more exotic, gourmet-style meals, definitely head to my Blue Apron section instead.

You can get your hands on a large selection of extras. For such an affordable service, that’s great to see. Options here include cupcakes, chicken meatballs, chilaquiles, muffins, and lots more. It can be sort of a one-stop shop for many of your weekly breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack needs.

Finally, the minimum order is 2 meals for 2 people per week, up to 6 meals for 4 people. But if you do decide to go for the max order, you’ll save extra money and only pay around $2.12 per serving.

Quick Comparison Table

Top Plans
Top Plans	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu	See Menu
Our Rating
Our Rating	9.7 Read Full Review	9.6 Read Full Review	9.6 Read Full Review	9.5 Read Full Review	9.4 Read Full Review	9.3 Read Full Review	9.2 Read Full Review	9.1 Read Full Review	8.8 Read Full Review	8.8 Read Full Review
Starting Price
Starting Price	$5.74 Per Serving	$6.19 Per Serving	$5.99 Per Serving	$3.32 Per Serving	$7.99 Per Serving	$7.99 Per Serving	$8.24 Per Serving	$8.50 Per Serving	$2.99 Per Serving	$2.12 Per Serving
Minimum Order
Minimum Order	2 meals for 2 people	6 prepared meals	3 meals for 2 people	2 meals for 2 people	2 meals for 2 people	2 meals for 2 people	10 prepared meals	3 meal kits for 2 people/6 prepared meals	2 meals for 2 people	3 meals for 2 people
Meal Types
Meal Types	20 - 60 min. meal kits	Prepared meals	30-minute meal kits	20 - 30 min. meal kits	Kits, speedy kits, oven-ready, prepared	Oven- & grill-ready, kits, prepared	Prepared meals	Meal kits, prepared meals	30 min. meal kits	30-minute meal kits
Prep Time
Prep Time	5-45 min	2-3 min	25-40 min	15-40 min	5-50 min	15-30 min	2-3 min	3-40 min	20-40 min	20-45 min
Active Deals
Active Deals	Enjoy $180 off across your first 6 orders	Up to $276 off!	Get $250 off + free shipping	18 free meals + first box ships free + 3 surprise gifts with code DR18HF	Get 18 Free Meals (50% off your first 4 boxes)!	Get 18 Free Meals (50% off your first 4 boxes)!	40% OFF + free shipping on your first week	Get $30 off with code carrot30	Get $250 off your first 8 boxes!	Save 60% off 1st order + 15% off next 5 orders

Tips for Choosing the Best Allergy-Friendly Meal Delivery Services

Here’s what I took into consideration when choosing allergy-friendly services. I highly recommend reading these guidelines before deciding for yourself.

• View the menu options: Before choosing an allergy-friendly meal delivery service, check the menu options to see if the company caters to your specific dietary needs. Some services may only offer a limited range of allergy-friendly meals, so it's important to find one that offers a wide variety of options, like Green Chef.

• Look for clear labeling: Make sure the meal delivery service provides clear labeling of ingredients and allergens. This can help you make informed decisions about what you can and can't eat and avoid any potential allergic reactions.

• Consider customization options: Some meal delivery services may offer customization options that allow you to tailor your meals to your specific dietary needs. This can be particularly helpful for those with multiple allergies or dietary restrictions. Home Chef has a great Customize It feature.

• Check for cross-contamination: If you have severe food allergies, it's important to ensure that the meal delivery service has proper cross-contamination procedures in place. Look for services that have clear guidelines for preventing cross-contamination and handling allergens.

• Read the FAQ: Each meal delivery service will have some sort of FAQ section. I highly recommend checking it out to see if it mentions something about allergies or allergens. As things change frequently in the meal delivery world, it’s important to get the most up-to-date information available. Every service on my list provides these details on its website.

FAQ

Does Blue Apron accommodate allergies?

Yes, Blue Apron offers a variety of meals that cater to different allergies. For instance, it offers some options that are free from common allergens such as nuts, dairy, and gluten. It’s important to note that the meals are prepared in a facility that also handles these allergens, so cross-contamination is possible.

Are there food boxes that cater to allergies?

Yes – many services cater to common allergies, like Green Chef, for example. It offers a certified Gluten Free Plan, as well as plans catering to Vegan and Keto diets. You can mix and match across the weekly-changing menu to find meals that suit your needs.

Is HelloFresh allergen friendly?

It is, yes. You’ll need to take a look at each recipe on the menu to know what you’re getting, which is helpful. But do keep in mind that all its meal kits are prepared in the same facility. If you have severe allergies, you may want to look elsewhere. However, since it only offers meal kits, you’re also always free to omit any ingredient that you’re not comfortable eating.

Best Allergy-Friendly Meal Delivery Services in 2023 — Final Score