Written by: Mirela Niculae on Jan 6th, 2022
8 Best Meal Delivery Services for Singles 2022 Updated List
The food delivery industry is approaching $200 billion and the choice is becoming overwhelming. With so many to choose from it’s difficult to find a suitable one for singles. Finding the best singles meal delivery service ensures you don’t pay for a lot of food that you aren’t going to eat and you may get discounts for single meals.
This guide will save you time because you don’t have to spend hours scanning through meal delivery websites to find the best options. We have done the hard work so you can choose a singles meal delivery service that matches your requirements.
Check each service yourself to see what it brings to the table. By giving multiple services a test run you’ll get first-hand experience. Consequently, you can make an informed choice on what single person meal delivery service to use for the long term.
Are you really hungry? Here’s our quick list of the best singles meal delivery services of 2022
Home Chef – Amazing customization options and freshly delivered ingredients.
HelloFresh – Simple menus, preparation instructions and reusable packaging.
Fresh n’ Lean – Fresh ingredients with flexible plans.
What We Look for in the Best Singles Meal Delivery Services
We reviewed hundreds of singles meal delivery services and used the following criteria to narrow down the list:
Meal variety: choose the meal you want from a large menu of different options.
Quick to prepare: don’t get bored in the kitchen by cooking meals quickly.
Flexible plan: changes in your meal plan to accommodate guests.
Calorie count: stay within your calorie count to meet personal goals.
Clear instructions: learn to cook alone without help from a partner.
1. Home Chef – Best for Customizing Your Meal Plan
What I Liked:
Reusable packaging: you can reuse the practical packaging for other uses around the house.
Good taste: meals are pleasant to eat for various palates.
Skip deliveries: you can pause the service at any time.
Protein adjustments: choose the protein count to match your personal goals.
What I Didn’t Like:
Expensive extras: wild-caught and organic ingredients are expensive.
Restricted diet: lack of options for restricted diets such as vegan or keto.
Home Chef is one of the top singles meal delivery services that allow you to cook meals from freshly delivered ingredients. You sign up and choose a plan that corresponds to the number of meals that you want to be delivered per week. You receive the ingredients and a recipe that shows you how to prepare the meal step-by-step.
It delivers once per week and there are two delivery dates to choose from. Customization is one of the highlights at Home Chef. You can change the calorie count to suit your personal goals. Available options also allow you to count the carbs and calories. It’s great for singles on a diet looking to restrict their portion sizes.
The simplicity of the singles meal delivery service from Home Chef is the reason why it’s the top entry on this list. The combination of calorie counting, great instructions, customizability, and reliable delivery simplifies the healthy meal preparation process.
2. HelloFresh – Best for Easy Meal Preparation
What I Liked:
High-quality ingredients: excellent ingredients lead to tasty and nutritious meals.
Wide-ranging menu: choose the food that matches your taste buds.
Customer service: help is not far away when stuck.
Simple preparation: singles with limited skills can prepare meals.
What I Didn’t Like:
Specialized plans: no meal plans for vegan, keto, or paleo singles.
Preparation time: Some meals take too long to prepare.
HelloFresh has an avalanche of 5-star reviews and some of the best prices in the singles meal delivery services industry. Each week receive a box with your desired ingredients to cook meals by following simple recipes. Even singles with no experience can learn to cook these straightforward meals.
Want to cancel the service for a week? No problem, the commitment-free setup means you can skip weeks and resume without jumping through hoops. Each recipe has been tested to ensure it’s delicious and simple to cook.
Singles can use Hello Fresh to learn how to cook and mix up their alone time at home. The chef-created meals start from just $7.49 per meal, which is completive compared with alternative meal delivery services.
3. Fresh n’ Lean – Best for Specialized, Diet-Friendly Meals
What I Liked:
Fast meal preparation: meals are pre-prepared so you simply need to heat up.
Nutritious: No fried meals on the menu.
Specialized: ideal for singles with specialized diets like keto or paleo.
Affordable: competitive price for singles on a budget
What I Didn’t Like:
Wasteful packaging: recyclable packaging could be added to reduce carbon footprint.
Plan flexibility: pausing meal plans is a hassle.
Fresh n’ Lean is a meal delivery service for singles that comes pre-prepared. Therefore, you don’t have to cook the meal from scratch. Instead, heat the meals up in a microwave or oven before eating – it’s that simple. It means singles don’t have to get bored cooking alone. The setup is perfect for busy professionals that don’t have time or motivation to cook.
Choose a meal plan that caters to your specific requirements. The options include Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Whole30, and Bulk. Quality singles meal delivery services don’t always cater to specific requirements, but Fresh n’ Lean delivers what you need.
Each meal is neatly packaged, which saves space in the fridge. Heat up meals in the packaging or place them on a plate. You’ll love the simplicity of the delivery and meal preparation process.
4. Sunbasket – Best for Those Who Want Organic Ingredients
What I Liked:
Organic ingredients: amazing ingredient quality results in tasty meals.
Good Portions: above-average portions are ideal for hungry singles.
Add-ons: customize the service with extras like breakfast, coffee, and salad kits.
Special diets: choose meals for specific diets like diabetics or Paleo.
What I Didn’t Like:
Paid shipping: no options for free shipping.
Wasteful packaging: too much plastic is used in the packaging.
Sunbasket works by delivering both meal kits and fresh&ready meals with the necessary instructions on how to prepare the ingredients. Delivery can be weekly or less often depending on your preferences. You can choose meals with specific options such as Paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, and more.
This singles meal delivery service takes pride in sourcing organic ingredients that taste great. Also, environmentally friendly packaging is ideal for singles looking to produce less waste. The service is great for singles that want to learn how to cook. The instructions were thoroughly tested to make sense.
Sunbasket is a great choice if your meals feel bland and want to increase the flavor. The brand's sustainable approach is one of the key highlights that give it a place on our list.
5. Blue Apron – Best for Chef Created Meals
What I Liked:
Learn: perfect for singles learning to cook.
Vegetarian: singles can choose a vegetarian plan.
Delivery temperature: delivered with ice packs so it stays cool in transit.
Weight watchers: choose the weight watchers options if you’re cutting.
What I didn’t Like:
Cancelation: not easy to cancel.
Choice: vegan options are limited.
Blue Apron keeps meals interesting by providing a consistent rotation of different meals each week. They keep the menu choice small to increase the quality of ingredients. Choose your meal and wait for the ingredients to arrive in a box along with the instructions. However, canceling the service is not easy because you need to email them, so the process isn’t instant.
The delicious chef-designed meals come with step-by-step cooking instructions, which is ideal for singles that don’t know how to cook. The ingredients are reliably sourced and packed with industry-leading standards. The attention to detail is one reason why it’s one of the best meal delivery services for singles.
Meals are competitively priced and the portion sizes are controlled, which is great if you are on a diet. Also, the recyclable ice packs can be reused, which means you’re getting extra value from the transaction. Blue Apron is one of the more popular meal delivery services and you’ll need to give it a try to find out why.
6. Purple Carrot – Best for Healthy Eating Habits
What I liked
Healthy: great options for health-conscious singles.
Veggie: lots of meals for vegetarians.
Simple: easy to cook – even if you have limited skills.
Taste: amazing taste profile of each meal.
What I didn’t like
Pricing: cost is slightly above average.
Customization: the ability to customize meals could be improved.
Purple Carrot is a good singles meal delivery service for the health-conscious eater. Their meals are packed full of nutrients and flavor. The service shows that cooking healthy meals isn’t complicated or takes too long. The step-by-step instructions have been thoroughly tested to ensure they make sense. Singles with no cooking experience can choose Purple Carrot to start learning.
The menu is constantly changing so you won’t get bored with the flavors delivered to your door. You’ll notice how colorful the meals are, which makes them delicious. Once the food is on the plate you’ll feel like it’s a piece of art.
However, the pricing could be a touch lower and more customization needs to be added. Get over these hurdles and you’ll love what Purple Carrot has to offer for singles. The food quality will open your mind to a healthier way of eating.
7. Fresh & Easy – Best for Meals Made with Fresh Ingredients
What I liked:
Cancel: easy to cancel if you change plans.
Quick: takes only 15 minutes to prepare most meals.
Options: choose specific options like vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free.
Affordable: competitive prices for the food quality.
What I didn’t like:
Selection: more meal selection could be added.
Taste: some meals have a basic flavor profile.
Fresh & Easy is delivered by Home Chef, so it’s a reliable service that has a lot of experience. Singles will love the grill and oven-ready meals where minimal preparation is required to enjoy a tasty meal. Also, there are 15-minute kits for singles that don’t want to be in the kitchen for too long. It’s a good choice if you quickly get bored cooking alone.
There is an emphasis on fresh ingredients as the name suggests, which leads to a consistent taste profile. The service picks out the best ingredients for each meal so food quality isn’t a concern. The portion size could be bigger to accommodate singles that require a bigger daily calorie intake.
You can sign up for the service via their website and it takes just a few minutes. You can choose from dietary restrictions and preferences to customize the meal plan. However, more options could be added to cater to a wider customer base. Give it a try for yourself to see if Fresh & Easy is the best meal delivery service for you.
8. Gobble – Best for Fast and Reliable Delivery
What I liked:
Quick: 15 minute cooking time for most meals
Flavor: great taste provides a pleasant experience.
Add-ons: choose add-ons to customize the meal plan.
Reliable: delivery is regularly on-time.
What I didn’t like:
No organic: ingredient quality could be improved by adding organic.
Dietary restrictions: specialized meal plans are lacking.
Gobble empowers singles to cook meals from scratch in under 15 minutes. The meal delivery service is an example of tasty meal preparation without spending hours in the kitchen. The meals are methodically created for beginners that have minimal cooking skills. Therefore, it’s a great entry point for singles looking to learn how to cook.
The kits serve 2 or 4 people, which is ideal for singles that regularly have guests. However, they will need to reduce the ingredients used when cooking for one. Also, the flavor is among the best in the meal delivery industry. Organic ingredients could be added to improve the nutrition aspect of the meal.
The delivery days and availability depends on your location. Gobble does a great job of reliably delivering on the set schedule, so you can expect the meals to arrive like clockwork. It’s a great service to try for singles that don’t have much time to cook and need simple instructions.
Which Meal Delivery Service Should Singles Choose?
The right meal delivery services depend on what you value most. If you’re looking for healthy meals, then Purple Carrot is a great choice because they offer a high density of organic ingredients. Alternatively, select HelloFresh if you want simplicity (due to their easy to understand instructions).
Vegetarian Options | Price per meal starts at under $10 | Preparation time under 30 mins | |
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FAQ
Which meal delivery service is the best for singles?
Home Chef is the best meal delivery service for singles because of the low price per meal and flexible plans. It means singles on a budget can choose the plan they want with good customization. Also, reusable packaging helps reduce waste from regular deliveries.
Which meal delivery service is the cheapest?
HelloFresh and Blue Apron offer the cheapest starting price per meal. Home Chef and Purple Carrot charge relatively low prices too. However, the prices per meal decrease as you increase the number of ordered meals per week.
Which meal delivery service offers free delivery?
Purple Carrot and Fresh n’ Lean offer free delivery.
Are there meal delivery services without subscription plans?
Meal delivery services like Fresh and Easy allow you to cancel and resume easily. Therefore, you are not tied to a long-term subscription plan.
Mirela Niculae
Mirela is passionate about eating healthy and well-balanced meals that promote weight loss and a good life. She's been writing online content for about 6 years with a focus on technology and personal development. She lives in Romania and loves exploring new cultures through food and conversation.
