A lot of meal delivery services claim to be healthy. The problem is that “healthy” is such a broad term that it can be challenging to find a meal plan with a menu that aligns with your specific health goals.
That’s why I created my own checklist of what makes a meal delivery service objectively healthy, and found this mix of prepared meals and kits that made the cut. I also made sure to include healthy meal delivery services that cater to a variety of diet-related goals – like weight loss, reducing your carbs, or simply eating a more balanced diet.
So who do I think is the best on the list? That’ll be Blue Apron, thanks to the variety of cook time options and its dedicated Wellness plan.
I’ve also pointed out the meal delivery services that stand out as being budget-friendly, for example, or have useful menu filters that provide you exclusively with a selection of meals that will keep you on track.
Blue Apron – Best selection of healthy gourmet meal kits
Green Chef – Sustainable Healthy Meal Kits
Home Chef – Best overall healthy meal kit
Sunbasket – Best variety of healthy menus for specialty diets
HelloFresh – Family-Friendly Healthy Meal Kits
Weight Watchers-compatible – teams with WW to provide diet meals
Packed with flavor – offers sophisticated, gourmet-quality meal kits
Encourages healthy living – with the Wellness 360 program
Current deal – $130 off across your first 6 boxes!
Blue Apron’s meal kits require some basic cooking skills. But if you want to eat healthy gourmet food, Blue Apron provides you with fresh, tasty ingredients and clear instructions. (And if you get confused while cooking, the Blue Apron app can walk you through each step as you cook.)
If you’re dieting, Blue Apron has teamed up with WW (formerly Weight Watchers) to bring you a weekly selection of lower-calorie pre-proportioned meals. Blue Apron’s Wellness 360 program offers meals featuring fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Eating healthy has never been tastier.
If you’re curious, check out our full-length review of Blue Apron.
In most areas, Blue Apron delivers Tuesday through Saturday throughout the continental United States.
Organic, gluten-free meal kits – the first certified organic meal delivery service
Prepared ingredients – makes cooking healthy meals a breeze
Choice of specialized healthy plans – including paleo and keto options
Current deal – Get $130 Off + Free Shipping
Green Chef is a great choice for anyone looking to eat healthier. If you follow a specific diet, menus cater to paleo, keto, and plant-powered diets, and for those who like a bit of everything, there’s a Balanced Living menu. While you can’t pick and choose meals between the different plans, you can switch to a new plan as long as you give seven days’ notice.
The meal kits include pre-measured (and in many cases prepared) ingredients. To make things really simple, the ingredients and recipes are color-coded so you know exactly what you need. We talk more about this in our detailed Green Chef review.
Deliveries are sent in insulated boxes guaranteed to keep food fresh until the end of the day. Delivery is offered from Monday to Saturday, depending on location. Green Chef delivers across the US with the exception of Alaska, Hawaii, and certain parts of Louisiana. Shipping costs $8.99 a week.
A mix of precooked and meal kit options – plan for that busier day (or two!) of the week with an easier dinner
Clear instructions – you don’t need to be an expert to make great meals
Freedom to pick and choose – use the flexible “Customize It” tool to upgrade or swap out ingredients
Current deal – Get 16 Free Meals!
With Home Chef’s Calorie-Conscious meals (<625 calories per serving) and Carb-Conscious meals (<35 grams per serving), you can easily choose dishes that help you reach your health goals. It’s simple to customize meals to include nutritious ingredients and cut down on more indulgent options. You can also exclude allergens when you first sign up.
There’s a huge choice, with recipes that change each week and a variety of meal types to suit different lifestyles. You may have heard of oven-ready dishes – well, Home Chef takes it up a notch with grill-ready meal kits as well! Find more on the menu options and plans in this expert Home Chef review.
Home Chef delivers its meals in eco-friendly, recyclable boxes to 98% of the US with deliveries scheduled Monday to Friday.
Organic meal kits and precooked options – cook one night, then enjoy a heat-and-eat meal the next
Choice of healthy meal plans – including paleo, vegan, and gluten-free
Plentiful portions – enjoy some of the most generous servings on the market
Current deal – $90 off Plus a Free Gift!
Sunbasket has one of the widest varieties of healthy choices on the market, with 10 specialized plans to keep you on track with a healthy diet.
Get the full list in our dedicated Sunbasket review. No matter which menu you choose, meals all fall into the 500-800 calorie range. There’s plenty of flair and flavor on your plate for exciting food that doesn’t sacrifice anything to healthy eating.
The meal kits take 30ish minutes to prepare and come with easy-to-follow recipes that make it almost impossible to mess up. There’s also a ready-meal option for healthy eating with no effort.
Sunbasket delivers weekly between 8 am-9 pm, Monday to Thursday, with shipping available across the whole country (except for some locations in New Mexico, Montana, and North Dakota).
Top-quality ingredients – including Colavita olive oil, Villari Brothers meats, and Narragansett Creamery dairy products
An assortment of meal kits – including one-pot wonders, 20-minute meals, and craft burgers
Value for money – more affordable than some other meal kits
Current deal – 16 Free Meals + 3 Gifts + Free Shipping
No matter which HelloFresh plan you choose, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Between all four plans (which include veggie and low-calorie options) you get a choice of around 25 different recipes. You can also filter out meals with ingredients you don’t want.
Read more on how the plans work in this full-length HelloFresh review.
If you’re looking for tasty, healthy options that the whole family can enjoy, this is a great place to start. You can choose meals set at different difficulty levels and there’s even a Family Friendly meal plan. This gets you a curated menu of HelloFresh’s kid-approved recipes that will (hopefully) tempt the fussiest eaters in the house. With such simple-to-follow recipes, you can get them involved in the cooking as well!
HelloFresh delivery is available throughout the continental US. The majority of deliveries arrive Wednesday to Friday, however certain locations can get their parcel from Saturday to Tuesday.
Prepared frozen vegan meals – just heat them in the oven
Organic ingredients – more than 96% of the ingredients are organic
Kid-friendly – meals like Baked Mac ‘n Cheez are aimed specifically at children
Current deal – Save 35% Off! Code: EAT35
Veestro takes all the hassle out of eating healthily. The meals are frozen, but don’t let that put you off. These are not reheated airline meals! They’re made from 96% organic ingredients and are all preservative-free. Veestro covers more dietary requirements than just vegan, including kosher (which is super unusual), as well as gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, low-calorie, and high-protein.
Choose one of three plans (which includes a weight-loss option), then filter out the meals with ingredients you don’t eat to get a menu customized to your needs.
Learn more about the menu and meal plans in our expert Veestro review.
The meals keep for up to eight weeks in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat, just heat in the oven, stove, or microwave. Veestro’s shipping is free with auto-deliveries.
Key Features
Prepared for you – fresh meals ready to go in minutes
Certified gluten-free meals – no need to worry about cross-contamination
Ideal for singles – every prepackaged meal is designed for one
Current deal – Save $125, Promo Code: SAVE125AFF
With around 30 fresh meals to choose from each week, you’ll be spoiled for choice with Freshly. They’re all totally gluten-free, nutritionally balanced, and around 350-600 calories each (most clock in at 500 calories). In each weekly rotation, 20 meals are guaranteed to be under 500 calories, at least eight have less than 35 grams of carbs, and a minimum of eight meals are dairy-free.
Read more about Freshly’s menu and how it works in our expert Freshly review.
Freshly makes it easy to change the number of meals you receive each week. But remember, the more you order, the cheaper they become. They’re all quick to heat up, so you’ll be enjoying your food in just three minutes. Shipping is determined at checkout and depends on location and the number of meals ordered. Delivery is available in the continental US only.
100% plant-based – delicious, eclectic vegan dishes
Options for three meals a day – opt to add breakfast and lunch
Shipping fee included – no minimum order necessary
Current deal – Get $25 Off & FREE Delivery
Purple Carrot is a totally vegan meal kit with several recipe categories: gluten-free, high protein, and quick and easy. If you don’t have any specific requirements, there are also “Chef’s Choice” meals, which offer internationally inspired recipes.
For each category, there are eight meals available and each takes about 30 minutes to cook (though some can be a bit more complicated).
Meals average 500-800 calories a serving and include complex carbohydrates from nuts, vegetables, legumes, seeds, and fruits, coupled with lean proteins and healthy fats. You can learn about the meal plans in our dedicated Purple Carrot review. You can choose either a two-serving plan (with three or four meals a week) or a four-serving plan (including two or three meals each week).
Budget meal-kit option – meals cost $4.99 a serving
Meals change each week – endless choices of new and exciting dishes
Straightforward recipes – most meals take just half an hour
Current deal – $40 OFF throughout your first 3 boxes
EveryPlate offers fuss-free, low-cost meals. While EveryPlate may not have some of the bells and whistles of other meal kits, it’s still a great way to eat healthier. There are no specific health plans on offer (like keto, low-carb, or vegan) but you’ll find a good selection of weekly, portion-controlled meals. We discuss the menu and plans in this dedicated EveryPlate review.
With an emphasis on “home-style recipes,” you can choose to feed either two or four people and get three to five meals a week. Each recipe comes with clear instructions to help you put together a delicious, healthy meal. If you have a particular allergy, allergen information is clearly marked on each recipe and on the recipe cards you receive.
Shipping is extra and costs $8.99 per box, no matter which plan you choose. EveryPlate delivers from Tuesday to Saturday, depending on location.
Prepared in advance – fresh meals, ready in minutes
Certified gluten-free and organic – all ingredients are safe for celiacs
Fixed plans – no need to spend time choosing what you eat
Current deal – $20 off 1st Box + 15% Off All Orders
Fresh n' Lean has five healthy eating plans: Keto, Protein+, Paleo, Plant-Based, and Low-Carb/Low-Cal Plant-Based, so you should find the right plan for your individual health goals. With prepared meals that are ready in just a few minutes, it’s hard to think of an easier option for fuss-free healthy food.
Unless you order the à la carte plan, you can’t choose your meals – this helps keep costs down. However, you can let the company know of any requirements or allergies and it’ll do its best to cater to these needs. Each plan gets you enough food for a full week, although there’s the option to only order lunches or dinners if you want to vary what you’re eating.
Our expert describes that and more in our Fresh n’Lean review.
Orders are sent in insulated boxes that can be recycled in most locations. Shipping across all 50 states takes place each Friday.
Starting Price | Minimum Order | Meal Type | Prep/Cook Time | Active Deals | |
$1.24 | 2 meals for 2 people per week | Prepared meals, meal kits | 20-50 mins | ||
$6.00 | 3 meals for 2 people per week | Meal kits | 15-40 mins | ||
$6.99 | 2 meals for 2 people per week | Meal kits, prepared meals | 10-50 mins | ||
$5.99 | 2 meals for 2 people per week | Meal kits, prepared meals | 15-40 mins | ||
$3.79 | 2 meals for 2 people per week | Meal kits | 20-40 mins | ||
$7.16 | 10 meals for 1 person per week | Prepared meals | Under 3 minutes | ||
$7.74 | 4 meals for 1 person per week | Prepared meals | Under 3 minutes | ||
$8.32 | 3 meals for 2 people per week | Meal kits, prepared meals | 30-40 mins | ||
$4.99 | 3 meals for 2 people per week | Meal kits | 30-45 mins | ||
$7.93 | 5 meals for 1 person per week | Prepared meals | 2-3 minutes |
All meal delivery services offer a huge selection of menus, health claims, and price points. It’s easy to get confused by the number of options, so I’ve broken it down for you:
High-quality products – From fruit and veggies to proteins and sauces, you want the ingredients to arrive in optimum condition.
Stress-free recipes – Don’t get caught up with how good a meal looks on screen. As well as liking the dishes, you need a service with recipes that suit your skill level. A 15-minute meal might be perfect to start with, then you can work up to a more complicated dish once you’ve honed your skills.
Heating methods – Whether you go for fresh or frozen, most prepared meals can be heated using a range of methods: in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven. Be sure to check for exact details so you don’t choose a microwave-only meal when you only have an oven (and vice versa).
The right menu – Some meal delivery services have a lot of choices but don’t switch their menus very often (if ever). Others have fewer choices but offer a brand new menu every week. A set menu is the best option if you prefer finding what you like and sticking to it, while ever-changing menus will suit those who like trying out new tastes and ingredients.
Shipping costs you can live with – When considering which meal delivery service works for you, factor in the recurring shipping fees because they can turn a budget option into a more expensive choice. On the other hand, don’t be swayed by free or cheap shipping – the food is still the most important element.
There are plenty of meal delivery services that can be deemed healthy. With entire meal plans dedicated to low-carb, low-calorie, or simply well-balanced meals, you can take control of your daily nutrition intake just by ordering the right meal kits and prepared meals.
Not only that, but the convenience of meal delivery services make maintaining a healthy diet that much easier and sustainable for the long term.
Bon appetit!
For its menu filled with healthy fats and low-sodium options, I recommend that you check out Blue Apron’s wellness plan. On each recipe card, you’ll find WW (formerly Weight Watchers)-approved tips for how to make each healthy meal even healthier.
Plenty of the meal delivery services on this list are affordable, especially for new customers.
But who is the cheapest healthy meal delivery service on the list? As long as you don’t have any strict dietary limitations, Everyplate is a great option for meals that align with your health goals and your budget.
If you follow more general, balanced diets, then you might want to check out Blue Apron. However, if you follow stricter diets like keto, or prefer more organic ingredients in your meals, Green Chef just might be the meal delivery service for you.