10 Best Gourmet Meal Delivery in 2023: Get Inspired!

Discovering the best gourmet meal delivery service is like exploring a mouthwatering food adventure. With countless options to choose from, finding the right blend of quality, variety, and value can be quite a challenge. But fret not, because I've got you covered. Get ready to unlock your delicious options in this article.

I've dug deep and done the homework, so you don't have to. On the surface, there appear to be many great options – but they’re not all created equally. I've handpicked the absolute best choices just for you for this year. Say goodbye to endless searching and hello to impressive, homemade meals that will excite your friends and family.

Out of all the mouthwatering options, Factor steals the spotlight. With a wide range of healthy and tasty prepared meals, it's a gourmet experience matched by few others that will leave you craving more.

The Best Gourmet Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Factor – Best Gourmet Prepared Meals

If you're seeking fresh, nutrient-packed gourmet prepared meals, Factor is your answer. Collaborating with registered dietitians and culinary professionals, the company has crafted an assortment of meals tailored for both health and taste. Look for the Gourmet Plus label on the menu for the best overall dishes for you to enjoy.

Factor is ideal for those leading fast-paced lifestyles with little time for cooking yet still want quality meals. Check our in-depth review to understand more about its various health-centric meal plans. 

It offers plans like Keto, Vegan & Veggie, Protein Plus, and Calorie Smart, ensuring your dietary needs are catered for. Most meals are designed to be low-calorie, with 600 calories or fewer. Also, a large portion of meals (around 80-90%) bear the Protein Plus tag, making them suitable for those looking to boost their protein intake.

Factor’s menu spans a wide range of cuisines. From the zesty flavors of Latin American and Asian dishes to classic French-inspired, Italian, and Greek meals, there’s something for everyone. While the meals lean towards an American palate, the diverse array of options will allow you to keep eating exciting meals week after week.

One thing to note is that Factor may not be the best choice for families, as the meals are single-serving. This may elevate costs for larger households. However, it's an excellent choice for individuals or couples. 

Additionally, Factor impresses with its range of add-ons and extras. This includes options like pancakes, egg bites, smoked sausages, smoothies, keto-friendly desserts, chicken wings, steaks, vegetable sides, granola, and much more. This is among the most extensive assortments of sides available in meal delivery services.

Factor's pricing may be slightly on the higher side, but there's potential for savings with larger orders. It allows orders of 6 meals per week up to 18 meals. Opting for the maximum of 18 meals per week brings down the price to $6.19 per meal.

2. Green Chef – Best Organic Ingredients

Those who appreciate quick gourmet meal kits will find Green Chef an ideal fit. With an average preparation time of around 30 minutes and a maximum of 40 minutes for certain dishes, this service caters to busy gourmands who appreciate a balance between quality, variety, and time efficiency. Look for the Chef Select label on the menu for the best meals.

Bear in mind, Green Chef specializes in meal kits rather than ready-made meals. If ready-to-eat meals are your preference, services like Factor might suit your needs better. However, as highlighted in our review, cooking with Green Chef is a breeze with vibrant recipe cards and simple guidelines.

The company offers an assortment of flexible meal plans that you can tailor to your preferences. Meal plans include Protein Packed, Keto, Veggie, Vegan, Mediterranean, Fast & Fit, and even a specific Gluten Free plan.

Green Chef underscores the importance of nutrition with its ingredient selection. It incorporates an abundance of organic veggies and eggs, whole grains, and lean proteins, featuring options like chicken, barramundi, salmon, lean pork, and beef tenderloin.

With Green Chef, you can embark on a gourmet journey through an array of global cuisines. From Peruvian and Italian to Greek, Mexican, and French, there's a world of flavors at your fingertips. Around a third of the menu comprises American classics, such as Cheesy Ground Beef Melts – albeit with an American twist.

Green Chef's offerings extend beyond dinner, with a wide array of extras and add-ons. You can choose from breakfast options like oatmeal and pancakes, lunch items like salads and wraps, and keto-compliant muffins for dessert. Additionally, it offers a variety of protein add-ons, including shrimp, salmon, chicken, beef, and assorted ground meats.

The company also stands out with a robust commitment to sustainability. Its packaging is engineered for a minimal carbon footprint, and its meals are crafted using superior quality, USDA-certified organic ingredients.

The minimum order here consists of 3 meals for 2 people per week, with options to scale up to 4 meals for 6 people. By opting for the most extensive weekly order, you could save approximately $1.50 per serving, bringing the cost to $5.99 per serving.

3. HelloFresh – Best Family-Friendly Meals

HelloFresh emerges as a more budget-friendly, family-oriented alternative to Green Chef, albeit still gourmet. It caters to a wide range of dietary needs, delivering a variety of recipes that can be whipped up within a mere 20 minutes.

The company offers 6 plans. These include Meat & Veggies, Veggie, Family Friendly, Fit & Wholesome, Quick & Easy, and Pescatarian. For an in-depth understanding of each plan, please see our thorough HelloFresh review.

If you follow a specific diet like low-carb, low-calorie, or pescatarian, HelloFresh has your back. However, if food allergies or intolerances are a concern, it recommends checking the ingredients list of each meal before you place an order. 

You'll also encounter easy-to-navigate recipes, fresh, top-grade ingredients, and a diverse array of cuisines. Choices span from Latin American and classic American to Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and more.

The plethora of meal and add-on options HelloFresh provides is quite impressive. Extra offerings extend from yogurt and granola, desserts, lunch items, such as grilled cheese and salad, to burgers, soups, additional meats, and even some ready-made meals.

You can preview the upcoming 6 weeks of menus with HelloFresh. And, unlike many of its competitors, it typically switches up the meals each week instead of reusing meals from previous weeks.

Though HelloFresh is a cost-effective option, it isn't the most economical service available. If you're seeking the absolute lowest per-serving costs, Dinnerly may be your best bet. 

The smallest order from HelloFresh is 2 meals for 2 people per week. If you choose the largest order of 6 meals for 4 people, you can secure further savings, reducing the cost to $3.32 per serving.

4. Home Chef – Best Meal Customization

Home Chef is your go-to if you're aiming to whip up gourmet meals in the comfort of your home. This service brings an array of meal kits and oven-ready dishes that are simple and swift to prepare. Dive deeper into the Home Chef experience in our comprehensive review.

Home Chef's interface presents a user-friendly <30-minute menu filter. Use this tool, and you'll see the quickest meal options at your disposal. It offers dishes that can be prepared in as few as 15 minutes, like the Diced Chicken Gyro, or the Oven-Ready Dilly Alfredo Salmon, which needs just 20 to 30 minutes in the oven.

If you don’t mind longer cooking times, look for the Culinary Collection label. These are the best dishes on the site with the most expensive ingredients like sirloin steak, mahi mahi, shawarma, gnocchi, and delicious homemade burgers.

Overall, Home Chef includes a selection of dishes with meat, fish, and an ample variety of vegetarian options. Unfortunately, the only dietary categories it caters to are carb-conscious, calorie-conscious, and vegetarian.

I also found the number of cuisines it covers to be noteworthy. You can explore dishes from Japanese, Italian, French, Asian, traditional American, Latin American, and Greek culinary traditions. The meals generally strike a balance, appearing a touch more refined than Blue Apron's yet not as adventurous as Green Chef's, making it appealing for children too.

Moreover, its Customize It feature gives you the flexibility to swap proteins in several dishes. Take the Fig Jam and Blue Cheese Burger (pictured) for instance. It can be based on regular ground beef, or impossible burger, ground turkey, or ground pork instead.

Scan through the weekly menu, and you'll notice a number of additional options. These range from salad and bread bundles to desserts, protein packs, and more. It's safe to say that Home Chef showcases possibly the most impressive selection of add-ons on the market.

As for order size, the smallest you can place with Home Chef is for 2 meals for 2 people per week. This can be scaled up to 6 meals for 6 people. Opting for the largest order renders the best value, reducing the cost to $7.99 per serving.

5. Fresh and Easy – Best Fast Gourmet Meals

Fresh and Easy emerges as a unique offering of rapid meal kits accessible via the primary Home Chef platform. In fact, it operates under the Home Chef umbrella, affording you the luxury to mix and match from the entire Home Chef menu. That said, keep an eye out for the Express, Fast & Fresh, or Oven-Ready labels to find these quick Fresh and Easy meals.

Fresh and Easy stands out thanks to the time efficiency it brings to your culinary endeavors. These meals only require a mere 15 to 20 minutes of your time to prepare, as we point out in our detailed review. This is an ideal choice for you when the clock is ticking, and you still crave a wholesome homemade meal.

These special meals comprise Express Meal Kits, Oven-Ready meals, and Fast & Fresh prepared meals, not to forget entreé salads. With oven-ready meals, your task is merely to assemble the ingredients in the provided pan and pop it in the oven. Say goodbye to the prep work and welcome this super convenient feature.

You can also use the < 30min menu filter on the Home Chef menu. This will populate the menu with options that take about 15 to 20 minutes to prepare. This is the best way to find Fresh and Easy meals.

Much like Home Chef, Fresh and Easy is no stranger to a rich selection of add-ons and extras. This makes sense, since it’s the exact same brand. From canned coffee products like lattes, banana bread, sausage and egg croissants, garlic bread, and smoothies to soups, mac and cheese, and even extra meats, you have an array of choices.

Lastly, the smallest order size is 2 meals for 2 people per week, going up to 6 meals for 6 people. Opt for the maximum order and the cost per serving dwindles down to a mere $7.99.

6. Blue Apron – Best Gourmet Meal Delivery

Blue Apron allows you to have a gourmet dining experience right in the comfort of your own home. This service provides gourmet recipes that are straightforward to execute, typically ready within 40 minutes.

Look for the Premium label on the menu for the most gourmet meals. Every week, you’ll have around 4 options, like the Ribeye Steak & Rosemary-Butter Sauce (pictured). These aren’t just the nicest meals on the Blue Apron site, they’re also some of the best I’ve seen in the business, in general.

With Blue Apron, you can receive up to 6 delectable, restaurant-quality meals per week. It mostly offers meal kits, with a handful of prepared meals sprinkled in each week. For a more detailed exploration of its vast culinary offerings, check out our full Blue Apron review.

The preparation process is kept relatively simple, appealing to both novice and seasoned home chefs. Every dish comes with a user-friendly recipe card included in your delivery, making cooking a breeze.

As for cuisine varieties, the choices are ample. From the spicy Latin American flavors to creamy French cuisine, hearty Italian dishes, light Mediterranean dishes, aromatic Asian food, and much more, there's a world of taste to explore. If gourmet dining is your jam, Blue Apron is the peanut butter.

Most of the meals strike a balance between adventurous and familiar. This makes them suitable for younger palates as well. The customizable meal kits also make it easy to leave out any disliked ingredients.

Customization extends to replacing protein sources in some dishes. For example, the luxurious Steaks & Garlic Mashed Potatoes dish offers the choice between succulent bistro or tenderloin steaks, catering to your exact taste buds.

Moreover, Blue Apron extends its services beyond meal kits with a variety of add-ons and extras. The marketplace is brimming with options ranging from comforting soups, crisp salads, delicious pastries, and an assortment of proteins like bacon, chicken, and shrimp. 

In addition, it offers wines and essential kitchen tools, along with pantry staples such as unique salts and spices. Depending on the season, you’ll also get seasonal holiday boxes filled with items and dishes for the whole family.

Blue Apron keeps things exciting with a changing weekly menu, albeit with some recurring favorites. This includes a rotation of main dishes, sides, snacks, and add-ons.

The service allows for orders from 2 meals of 2 servings up to 5 meals of 4 servings per week. Opting for larger servings can lead to considerable savings per portion. Therefore, the cost per serving ends up being very reasonable at $5.74 per serving for the largest order.

7. Trifecta – Best Gourmet Meals for Dieters

Trifecta is one of the best meal delivery services for dieters who want gourmet prepared meals. There are 6 total plans to choose from, which include Keto, Paleo, Clean, Whole30 Approved, Vegan, and Vegetarian. My colleague’s review covers these plans in more detail. 

All of Trifecta's meals come already cooked and ready to heat. Look at the instructions on each label to know how to heat them up. You might need to use an air fryer, stove, microwave, or oven. Either way, it doesn’t get much more convenient than that.

You can pick how many main dishes you want (5, 7, 10, or 14) and decide if you want breakfast, too. Trifecta will choose the dishes each week, but you can say no to 2 ingredients from a list that has chicken, duck, tree nuts, shellfish, and mushrooms.

The company also has licensed dietitians who make the meals to fit different diets. Every week, it offers 25 dishes made by chefs that control portion sizes.

You could also order proteins, carbs, and veggies separately to make your own meals. This is good if you have a strict diet and want control over what you eat. However, you'll need to figure out the nutrition information on your own. Usually, these sides come in servings for 4 people.

Trifecta tries to use organic ingredients wherever possible. The Paleo, Clean, and Whole30 Approved plans mostly have organic veggies. But to get a special certification, the company needs to make sure at least 95% of the food is organic. If you want a meal service that's officially certified organic, you could try Green Chef instead.

Overall, Trifecta only really offers American-style dishes. There are some interesting meals containing chicken, steaks, salmon, and seafood like shrimp – but don’t expect a massive variety of international dishes.

The cost of your weekly order depends on various factors. For instance, what plan you choose, how many meals you want, if you add breakfasts, and how you want your meals prepared all play a role in pricing. 

The price per serving is lowest when you order more meals. Just remember, the fewer meals you order, the more each dish will cost. That said, pricing starts at just $6.00 per serving.

8. Marley Spoon – Best Selection of Gourmet Meals

If you’re looking for gourmet meals, Marley Spoon is a good choice, as it has partnered with Martha Stewart. Most of its meals can be made in less than half an hour, and it offers an absolutely massive menu.

It offers a wide variety of dishes, from meat and seafood to vegetarian, vegan, and low-carb options. You can read more about all the options in our full review.

For instance, the Fast! Shredded Beef Quesadillas (pictured) is from the Premium offerings. Every week, you’ll get the choice of around 11 of these. This is the fastest way to find Marley Spoon's gourmet meals. But even then, its meals are gourmet and delicious, yet not “over the top”, so to speak.

Even though its meals are not overly fancy, you still have a wide range of cuisines to choose from. Options here include Italian, French, Asian, Greek, Mediterranean, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Indian, and classic American. I’d say that Marley Spoon’s meals are more kid-friendly than Green Chef’s, for example.

Speaking of kid-friendly, its meals remind you of home cooking, without any fancy spices or too much seasoning. It also offers a few prepared meals each week, like the Ready Made! Chicken Rigatoni Alfredo. But if you're looking for just prepared meals, you might want to consider Factor.

You’ll also get lots of extra items you can add to your order. For instance, there are muffins, cookies, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, roasted veggie pinwheels, pasta salads, cupcakes, smoothies, brownies, and more.

On top of all that, Marley Spoon is eco-friendly. It's a carbon-neutral company that uses sustainable practices and works on green projects around the world. It also focuses on using seasonal, sustainable ingredients.

You need to order at least 2 meals for 2 people per week from Marley Spoon, up to 6 meals for 4 people. If you choose the largest order, you'll save money and only pay $2.99 per serving.

9. Purple Carrot – Best Gourmet Vegan Meals

Purple Carrot offers 100% plant-based gourmet meals in the form of both meal kits and prepared meals. It also offers several meal kits each week that take much less time than traditional meal kits. The dishes it provides are gourmet-inspired and draw from culinary traditions worldwide, as explored in our review.

Every week, Purple Carrot presents a selection of approximately 16 meals. Each dish is vibrant and filled with “veggie first” ingredients. Unlike some other providers, it doesn't use mock meat products – instead, vegetables take the starring role. Take the New England Lobster Rolls (pictured). The primary ingredient is palm hearts, which is a celebration of this vegetable.

The meal options from Purple Carrot are globally diverse. For instance, you can experience the Middle Eastern favorite Chickpea Massaman Curry, which you can prepare in just 30 minutes. It also offers familiar American comfort foods, such as Creamy Mac and Cheese, some of which are suitable for younger diners as well.

You can get both gourmet meals and more basic options from Purple Carrot, which is what I love most. There are plenty of options to suit the taste preferences of your entire family, including your kids.

In addition to dinner options, Purple Carrot extends its offerings to include lots of add-ons. Examples include breakfast, lunch, and snacks. It also provides a variety of extra items that you can add to your order, including salad dressings, vegan cheeses, oatmeal, cookies, and more.

Purple Carrot has 2 separate minimum orders for prepared meals and meal kits. The minimum order is 3 meals for 2 people each week for its meal kits, or at least 6 single-serving prepared meals (up to a maximum of 10) per week. 

To get the most value for your money, it is more cost-effective to choose the larger order size. This will lower the price to $8.50 per serving.

10. Dinnerly – Best Affordable Gourmet Meals

Finally, we have Dinnerly, which offers the most affordable meal kits on the market, many of which are gourmet. You should know, though, that you won’t find the absolute “best” meals here. 

What you do get is a highly affordable service great for the whole family. But despite its cost-effectiveness, Dinnerly does not compromise on quality, offering a myriad of <20-minute meal kits (along with a few prepared meals).

Keep in mind, though, that the choices of prepared meals are limited, usually around 3 to 4 per week. If you're seeking a broader array of pre-cooked meals, Factor is a worthy alternative.

What Dinnerly does boast is a diverse array of simple meal kits, ideal for families and kids, with no extra frills. You can anticipate a variety of globally-inspired dishes, including Italian, French, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and others, albeit Americanized to satisfy a wider taste range.

One of my favorite gourmet meals for this week is the Tortelloni Pesto Primavera (pictured). It’s from the “PremiYUM” selection, which promises a more unique and gourmet dining experience.

Also, each dish has a difficulty level clearly stated on the official website. You don’t need to be an expert chef to whip up these premium meals. The meals mentioned above fall under the Easy category, as do most Dinnerly meals. However, the difficulty levels span from Easy to Hard.

Bear in mind that Dinnerly is light on add-ons and extras, aligning with its budget-friendly approach. If you fancy a variety of add-ons, consider exploring Home Chef.

The smallest order you can place with Dinnerly is 2 meals for 2 people per week, up to 6 meals for 4 people. Dinnerly's unbeatable pricing can be further reduced by opting for the largest order size, costing you only $2.12 per serving.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Gourmet Meal Delivery Services

With so many good options, it’s not that easy to find the best gourmet meals out there. To help you out, here’s what I recommend keeping in mind when making your decision:

• Menu variety: Look for gourmet meal delivery services that offer a diverse range of culinary options. They should span different cuisines and dietary preferences that you prefer, which will ensure there's something for everyone's palate. Factor offers a great selection of prepared meals covering a range of dietary options

• Ingredient quality: Opt for services that prioritize high-quality, fresh ingredients sourced from reputable suppliers, such as Green Chef. This helps to ensure a delectable and wholesome dining experience.

• Customization options: Consider services that allow customization, whether it's choosing specific ingredients, portion sizes, or accommodating dietary restrictions to cater to individual preferences. Home Chef has some excellent customization options.

• Chef's expertise: Explore services led by experienced chefs who bring culinary expertise to the table, guaranteeing restaurant-quality meals that are prepared with finesse and attention to detail.

FAQ

Are premade meals worth it?

Prepared meals can be worth it, especially if you’re looking for convenience above anything. If you’re looking for gourmet prepared meals that look and taste like professionally cooked restaurant meals, I recommend having a look at Factor.

What are the issues with meal kits?

Some of the most common issues include difficult and complicated preparation along with high prices. If you want some of the best and most affordable meals on the market with easy-to-follow instructions, have a closer look at Green Chef.

Is HelloFresh very expensive?

Whether something works for your budget is up to you. HelloFresh’s pricing starts at $3.32 per serving if you go for the largest order. If you’re looking for the most affordable meal kit delivery service on the market, I recommend checking out Dinnerly instead.

Best Gourmet Meal Delivery Services in 2023 — Final Score