8 Best Dairy-Free Meal Delivery Services 2023: Plus Coupons!

Sticking to a dairy-free diet can be difficult, even with the surge in dairy alternatives and vegan choices. And with meal delivery services growing in popularity, the question is how well they cater to a dairy-free lifestyle.

The good news is that you have plenty of dairy-free options, whether you’re lactose intolerant, have a dairy allergy or sensitivity, or simply want to reduce your dairy consumption. You just need to know where to look.

My colleagues and I have tested the best dairy-free meal delivery services on the market. Factor is my top pick. Its menu includes a wide range of prepared meals that are free from dairy, and the add-ons section is rich in smoothies, juices, and healthy desserts that fit a dairy-free diet.

Read on for the rest of my top recommendations to help you find the best dairy-free meals to suit your needs.

The Best Dairy-Free Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Factor – Best Overall Dairy-Free Meals

Factor offers a diverse menu and recipes inspired by international cuisines. There’s no wonder Factor occupies the first place on my list. You can’t find many meal delivery services that’ll prepare a ready-made Creamy Dijon Pork Tenderloin that won’t lose its texture and creaminess after spending a few minutes in the microwave.

Factor is usually praised for its dietary options and restaurant-worthy flavors, like Spicy Sweet Potatoes and Peanut Sauce with Coconut Rice and Miso-Roasted Green Beans or Mushroom Chicken Thighs and Wild Rice with Garlic-Roasted Green Beans. Check out our in-depth Factor review for more on how the meals taste.

There are around 3 to 5 vegan recipes each week that are dairy-free and a few more under the keto plan. You’ll have to check each individual recipe, though – there’s no dairy-free label to help you out. Instead, there are labels to mark the recipes that fit the keto, calorie smart, protein plus, and vegan diets.

Factor has an extensive Add-ons menu with more than 40 options. Most of these fit a dairy-free diet and can even replace breakfast since they’re packed with nutrients and vitamins. Factor also has an impressive selection of dairy-free smoothies, juices, shakes, and healthy snacks.

A Factor subscription comes with a free 20-minute online session with a nutrition coach or registered dietitian. This is quite helpful for people who have doubts about their current dietary needs or are looking for advice on how to eat healthily while staying dairy-free. It’s also a great opportunity to ask for an expert’s help in creating personalized dietary goals.

When it comes to packaging, Factor is quite eco-friendly. Most of the materials used (boxes, insulation, and food containers) are recyclable or reusable. However, you won’t be able to recycle the plastic film that seals off the food and keeps it fresh.

Still, at $6.19 per serving, Factor can be pricey, especially for small orders (you can order between 6 and 18 meals per week). The add-ons are charged separately, which means you won’t get a lower price if you order more add-ons than meals. Overall, if you’re not on a tight budget, Factor is a great option.

2. Green Chef – Best Overall Dairy-Free Meals

Every meal on Green Chef’s Vegan plan suits a dairy-free diet. If you’re not plant-based, there are also several more dairy-free recipes included in the other meal plans (usually Keto and Protein Packed). You’ll have to search through the full menu to find these, but you’ll have no issues mixing and matching between the plans. 

All of the recipes are nutritionally balanced and delicious, regardless of the meal plan they fit. I like that Green Chef uses a color-code system to highlight recipes that follow specific dietary needs (red for Keto and green for Vegan). However, there’s no color code for dairy-free, so you’ll have to check the ingredients of each recipe to be sure.

Green Chef is the first-ever meal kit to be USDA-certified organic. This means that, whenever possible, the company will use organic ingredients. For instance, all the eggs and produce are certified organic, but this isn’t always the case for meats. Still, the company chooses its suppliers carefully, so you’re still guaranteed top quality.

Most meal kits take about 25 to 35 minutes to prep and cook. However, while testing the service for our in-depth Green Chef review, my colleague found that some of the ingredients come pre-measured and prepped. The signature sauces and spice blends are premade, too. I honestly love those – they add a ton of flavor to each recipe!

Green Chef provides detailed, step-by-step recipe cards for each meal kit. It also gives you more room for customization since you can leave out the ingredients you don’t want while cooking (like cheese). Still, this only means you’ll have packets of cheese left over, so it can be a bit wasteful in the long-term.

Green Chef uses recyclable, reusable, and/or compostable materials for its packaging, so it’s easy to dispose of most of it. You can find more details in each box and on the company’s website.

There are 7 meal plans, but you can choose from the whole menu each week. The minimum order is 3 meals for 2 people per week, and the maximum is 4 meals for 6 people per week. For the maximum order, you can get a pretty good price ($5.99 per serving), which is why I think Green Chef is great for larger families.

3. Purple Carrot – Best Vegan Meal Kits

Purple Carrot is 100% plant-based (and therefore dairy-free), with additional allergens clearly marked. I’m a big supporter of a plant-based diet, so Purple Carrot has long been one of my favorite meal kits. And now that the company also offers ready-made meals, I love it even more.

On the meal kit plan, you can order breakfasts, lunches, and pantry items. Sadly, you can’t mix and match meal kits and ready meals in the same order, so you’ll have to commit to one or the other. 

Both menus (meal kits and prepared meals) are packed with interesting flavors and ingenious recipes that even meat eaters will want to try. Our omnivorous reviewer enjoyed their experience in our tried-and-tested Purple Carrot review.

Purple Carrot celebrates plant-based ingredients on their own merits, without relying on meat substitutes and other processed ingredients. Dishes like Creamy Peanut Noodles or Louisiana Style Red Beans come in generous portion sizes that will leave you feeling satisfied.

The menu changes weekly, but it’s more limited than some of the larger competitors on my list, like Factor or Green Chef. And as a vegan service, there are no meat or fish options. Purple Carrot does cater to some diets beyond vegan though, and each recipe is labeled, so you know which are high-protein, low-calorie, or gluten-free.

You can also spice things up with the add-ons section of the menu. Here, you’ll find options for breakfast, lunch, and healthy snacks like Almond Milk Chocolate and Cashew Cream Cheese.

Most meal kits take about 30 minutes to prepare, but some recipes require less prep than others (look out for the Less Prep label). With the ready-made meals, you only need to give them 2 minutes in the microwave, and your dinner is ready!

From the meal kits menu, you can order 3 or 4 meals per week for 2 or 4 people. If you choose the maximum order (4 meals for 4 people), you get a pretty good deal ($8.50 per serving). With prepared meals, you can order 6, 8, or 10 meals, and the cost is fixed at $13 per serving.

4. Marley Spoon – Best Gourmet Dairy-Free Meals

Marley Spoon is proof that dairy-free dieters can enjoy gourmet meals at home. Although the menu isn’t entirely focused on dairy-free meals, there are 20+ options in each weekly menu. The meals are clearly labeled as being dairy-free, so it’s easy to find them.

The menu includes comfort foods as well as exotic dishes from international cuisines. For instance, a dairy-free recipe that’s impressive and easy to make is the Mojo Sirloin Steak Tacos with Fresh Orange Salsa and Guacamole. It’s ready in under 30 minutes, and it only takes 5 steps to put together.

The prepared spice blends and simple recipes make it easy to whip up something delicious. You can see how my colleague got on in our dedicated Marley Spoon review, where they wrote about their experience testing out this service.

You can now customize some of the recipes, which gives Marley Spoon an advantage over some other big-name brands, like Green Chef. However, keep in mind that this comes with an upcharge. 

Recipes that can be customized have the Customizable label in the lower-left corner of their picture, so it’s easy to find them while browsing the menu. However, this won’t help to make more meals dairy-free, as you can only upgrade your protein or side dish to a slightly better version, decide whether you want dessert with the meal, or add meat to a vegetarian meal.

The Premium Selection (around 40 meals each week) includes restaurant-worthy recipes made with extra high-quality ingredients. In addition to that, you’ll find about 4 ready-made meals each week.

I also like that Marley Spoon strives to be 100% carbon neutral by helping reduce food waste and using fully recyclable and reusable packaging. There’s also a ton of information on the company’s website if you want to learn more about packaging materials and what to do with them.

Marley Spoon is great for couples and large families since you can order between 2 and 6 meals per week for 2 or 4 people. Prices start at $2.99 per serving for the largest order (24 portions), but you’ll still get a good price even if you order the minimum (4 portions).

5. Dinnerly – Most Affordable Dairy-Free Meals

With 100+ meals per week, Dinnerly’s menu is impressive in size and variety. There’s a good balance of American cuisines and internationally-inspired dishes, like the umami-rich Shrimp and Udon Stir-Fry or the flavorful Mediterranean Falafel Veggie Bowl. 

For dairy-free dieters, there are around 20 meals each week. Allergens are clearly labeled under each recipe, so it’s easy to find dairy-free meals without having to open each recipe and read the nutrition facts. This is especially convenient considering the sheer size of the menu. 

If you want details on ingredients or prep and cook times, you’ll have to open each recipe. Our Dinnerly review goes into more detail on the menu and recipe tags.

Dinnerly offers PremiYUM meals and customization options, just like Marley Spoon. Both features are a great way to spice things up, especially the PremiYUM meals. These are made with premium proteins and higher-quality ingredients. But this quality comes at a cost, which is usually between $2 and $6 extra per meal.

Dishes with the Customizable label allow you to upgrade your meals by choosing a slightly better version of the protein and side dish. For instance, you can upgrade regular ravioli to gluten-free ravioli for an upcharge of $1.99 per portion.

Dinnerly offers dairy-free meal kits at a refreshingly low price, but this doesn’t take away from food quality or the care that goes into making the meal kits. To keep prices low, the service only uses essential packaging to keep food safe and fresh during transit. This means you won’t find any recipe cards in the box – you’ll have to find the recipes on the site or in your app.

With plans starting at just $2.12 per serving, Dinnerly is one of the best low-cost meal delivery services out there. To get this super-low price, you’ll have to order the maximum amount (6 meals for 4 people per week). But even if you order 3 meals for 2 people, the price is still pretty affordable.

6. Fresh N Lean – Best Dairy-Free Meals for Athletes

Fresh N Lean offers nutritionally balanced dishes that can be ready in minutes. It targets its marketing at athletes, but it’s perfect for anyone who wants healthy pre-made meals. While there’s no dedicated dairy-free menu, you’ll find 3 completely dairy-free meal plans: Vegan Standard, Vegan Low Carb, and Paleo.

Other plans, like Keto and Protein+, also have several dairy-free options, but you can’t mix and match across plans, so these won’t be suitable if you’re completely dairy-free. If you do opt for one of these plans, you should check the ingredients and allergen information of each meal before ordering to make sure it fits your dietary needs.

Each of the vegan meal plans and the Paleo plan offers 10+ main dishes and breakfast options, but if this isn’t enough, you can stock up on specific items from the Bulk menu (which you can buy a la carte). Here, you can find more breakfast options, snacks, and sides that don’t contain dairy.

All the meals are organic and certified gluten-free, regardless of which plan you choose. Speaking of plans, if you want to go into more detail about the service’s flexible subscription options and its impressive – if a bit intimidating – menus, check out my colleague’s Fresh N Lean review.

I like that Fresh N Lean delivers its ready-made meals fresh, never frozen. However, if you plan on storing these meals for a longer period of time, you may have to put them in the freezer. You’ll find storage instructions on each food container.

Most of the packaging and food trays are recyclable or reusable. Fresh N Lean is committed to using eco-friendly and sustainable packaging materials, like BPA-free recyclable food trays that are also microwave-safe and insulation layers made from recycled denim. In addition, the shipping boxes are made from recycled cardboard and can also be recycled.

With 100+ recipes per week, I think Fresh N Lean is worth checking out. The only downside I found with this service is how difficult it is to filter the menu for allergens (including dairy), although this won’t be an issue if you go for one of the dairy-free plans.

Prices start at $7.53 per serving, if you order the maximum amount of 21 meals per week (7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 7 dinners). You can also order as few as 5 meals (breakfasts, lunches, or dinners), but the price per serving gets quite steep.

7. Splendid Spoon – Best Premade Plant-Based Meals

Splendid Spoon is another 100% plant-based service, so everything is dairy-free. The menu emphasizes smoothies and light lunches for a refreshing approach to holistic, healthy living. There are some heartier dishes in the form of grain bowls, homemade dishes, and noodle bowls, like the Vegan Chick’n Parm Dish or Vegan Meatballs and Marinara Noodles.

The menu is diverse enough not to get boring, even for dieters who aren’t used to a fully plant-based diet. However, the Soup & Grain Bowls and the Smoothies sections are the most well-stocked, with 20+ options each. Our in-depth Splendid Spoon review goes into specifics on the menu.

I like that you can try a combination of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and I’m a fan of the smoothies and juices, too. You’ll find these in the Extras section, as well as immune-boosting shots in a wide range of flavors that provide a quick and easy dose of nutrients.

The menu is easy to browse due to an advanced system of filters available in the sidebar. There’s an entire list of “Avoidances” you can check to make sure you only see options that fit your needs. Nothing has dairy in it, but this can be useful if you have further requirements.

Because of this unique approach, Splendid Spoon won’t be for everyone. If you’re looking for hearty family dinners, you’ll be better served by another service on my list, like Factor or Marley Spoon. But if vitamin-packed soups and smoothies are your bag, Splendid Spoon could be for you.

Splendid Spoon is one of the few meal delivery services out there to use 100% recyclable packaging. To do this, the company replaced gel packs with dry ice, switched to recyclable ClimaCell insulation, and only uses BPA-free plastic containers that can be recycled or reused.

In terms of pricing, Splendid Spoon is somewhere in the middle. Your weekly total depends on the number of meals in your box. For instance, the most popular plan (Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner for 7 days) comes at $6.50 per serving. You can also order just breakfast or just lunch, but the price per serving is higher.

8. ModifyHealth – Best Low-FODMAP Dairy-Free Meals

ModifyHealth emphasizes the medicinal value of a healthy meal. I was impressed with how thoroughly the company deals with allergens (like peanuts) and how easy it is to identify the right food for your diet. Also, all the meals are nutrient-dense, gluten-free, non-GMO, and include organic ingredients.

The menu includes a variety of meals made with high-quality, whole-food ingredients. Also, most meals are low-sodium, and all meals are free from artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. The company can cater to several dietary preferences, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

The service makes it easy to filter out dairy and other ingredients (like shellfish or bell peppers) from your menu. This way, even though neither of ModifyHealth’s diet-based menus (Mediterranean and Low-FODMAP) is inherently dairy-free, it won’t be too difficult to find the right meals.

The Low-FODMAP meal plan includes healthy, convenient, and personalized meals for people with gastrointestinal (GI) issues. These meals are designed to be low in the types of carbohydrates that can be difficult for people with GI issues to digest.

On the other hand, the Mediterranean meal plan includes a variety of healthy meals that are rich in vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Most of these meals are also a good fit for vegetarians and vegans.

Overall, ModifyHealth is a service that strictly adheres to certain dietary needs, so it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But, if you find that a Mediterranean or Low-FODMAP diet fits your needs, then ModifyHealth is a great place to start. The company also offers a complimentary consultation with an expert dietitian and access to the dietitian hotline for on-demand support.

Prices start at $12.95 per entree and $9.95 per breakfast. The minimum order is 6 meals per box, and there’s no upper limit, so the price per serving stays fixed. With each plan, you can choose between the Basic option (just the meals) and the 6-week Quick Start program, which includes meals, 3 consultations, and access to more resources.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Dairy-Free Meal Delivery Services

My colleagues and I have tested a wide range of meal delivery services, and I’ve narrowed down our findings for you here. Consider these factors when deciding on the right service for your needs:

• Cost: Specialty meal delivery services like those that cater to allergies can be pricey, but there are some more budget-friendly options available. Dinnerly is the most budget-friendly option on my list.

• Kit type: Meal kits, like those from Marley Spoon, require much more time than microwavable prepared meals, but they do allow you to swap in your own ingredients while cooking. This can be useful if you want more choices from a menu. For example, you can choose a recipe with dairy, then sub out regular milk for a milk alternative such as oat milk while cooking.

• Allergens: Besides dairy, make sure that the service accommodates your dietary restrictions. Services such as Green Chef offer a good range of dairy-free options and have gluten-free and vegan dishes, too.

• Portion size: Cooking for a dairy-free couple or family? Meal kits could be more suitable for you. If you're cooking for one (or if you're the only one in your household avoiding dairy), single-serving prepared meals, like those from Factor, may be more convenient.
  

FAQ

Which meal delivery service is the best for dairy-free diets?

Green Chef is my top pick for dairy-free meal kits, with an organic Vegan menu that changes each week. If you eat meat and fish, you’ll find more dairy-free dishes available on other plans.

Which meal delivery service is the cheapest?

Of the services on my list, Dinnerly is far and away the most budget-friendly meal kit. Its prices start at $2.12 per serving with an introductory offer.

Are there meal delivery services without subscription plans?

Splendid Spoon offers an on-demand option where you can place an order for the number of meals and smoothies you’d like at a time.

Best Dairy-Free Meal Delivery Service in 2023 — Final Score