Best Meal Delivery Services in Boston 2021 Wicked Good Food

After over a year of working from home, you may be running out of meal ideas. So why not call on a meal delivery service? Let the professional chefs and nutritionists do the menu planning, and the delivery drivers deal with Boston traffic. All you have to do is prepare tasty and healthy meals. Home cooking has never been easier! 

Meal delivery services don't just provide you with dinner. There are also extras like snacks and wine. Because Bostonians have a wide range of dietary preferences, we’ve come up with this list of the 10 best meal delivery services in Boston that offer a variety of options like vegan, vegetarian, paleo, and more.

Meal delivery services save you the trouble of shopping and come with all the ingredients you need for exciting, delicious, and healthy meals. If this sounds like it's up your street, then read on to learn more about Boston’s 10 best meal delivery services.

Short on time? Here are the best meal delivery services in Boston for 2021

• Home Chef – Best overall meal delivery in Boston

• Blue Apron – Boston’s best gourmet meal delivery service

• Sunbasket – Best for healthy meal delivery in Boston

• See seven more Boston meal delivery services 

• Comparison table

• FAQ

Meal Delivery vs. Food Delivery: The Key Difference

While they sound pretty similar, there is one key difference between a meal delivery service like Home Chef or HelloFresh and food delivery services like Grubhub or Postmates.

It’s all in the preparation. If you want a cooked meal, delivered straight to your door, opt for food delivery. Pick what you want from the menu, the restaurant cooks it, and the delivery service brings it to your door.

With meal delivery, you still get to choose your meals, but this time, they’ll send you the pre-portioned ingredients or a prepared meal along with a step-by-step guide of how to put it together. With meal delivery, you do the cooking, but in the easiest, simplest way imaginable. 

Food delivery is easier, but often slightly more expensive – you’re paying for someone to cook it for you, after all. Meal delivery in Boston works out less expensive per portion, plus you’ll improve your cooking skills and you’ll know exactly what’s going into your meal. 

Boston’s Best Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Home Chef – Best Overall Meal Delivery in Boston

Home Chef Best Features

• Protein substitutes available

• 18-20 meal options on offer for each plan

• Awesome premium meals available

Home Chef in a Nutshell

Home Chef has a massive range of meal kits and oven-ready meals available , with more customization options than any of Boston’s other meal delivery services. Home Chef offers a variety of meal types as well as a changing menu every week. 

Maybe you don't like chicken, or want an extra helping of shrimp. For a fee, you can double up your meal’s protein or swap it for something else. Home Chef works to create the perfect meals for you and your family.

If you're celebrating a special occasion or miss restaurant dining, Home Chef also offers a range of Culinary Collection meal kits, which are made up of gourmet-level recipes. (Bistro Filet with Truffle Frites, anyone?) And, with these premium dishes starting from $15 per portion, it’s cheaper than takeout from a fancy restaurant too. 

If you want to know more, check out my colleague’s Home Chef review . She ordered, prepped, and cooked the meals herself and she’s got a lot to say about it.

2. Blue Apron – Boston’s Best Gourmet Meal Delivery Service

Blue Apron Best Features

• Offers sophisticated kits for gourmet meals and knowledgeable cooks

• Partnerships with renowned chefs like Roy Yamaguchi

• Supports healthy eating with Wellness 360 and WW menu options  

Blue Apron in a Nutshell

Blue Apron is geared toward slightly more sophisticated cooks with some basic cooking and food preparation skills. Blue Apron doesn’t offer prepared meals and expects customers to do their own chopping and browning. Our reviewer talks about this in more detail in her full-length review of Blue Apron . 

Blue Apron’s partnerships with renowned chefs mean you not only get recipes from top cooks like Roy Yamaguchi but you also get guidance from the chef on meals like Seared Steaks and Sesame Mashed Potatoes with Charred Shishito Agrodolce and Bok Choy. Blue Apron’s instructions are easy to follow, with videos on its website to help with preparation and cooking.  

Blue Apron’s Wellness 360 campaign offers fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with lean proteins, and moderate portions of dairy. And if you’re trying to lose weight, Blue Apron’s partnership with WW (formerly Weight Watchers) provides healthy dieting options. 

3. Sunbasket – Best for Healthy Meal Delivery in Boston

Sunbasket Best Features

• Paleo , vegetarian , and gluten-free meal delivery in Boston

• 18+ meals on each plan 

• Fun, family-friendly menu

Sunbasket in a Nutshell

Sunbasket is a great meal delivery option for Boston vegetarians, paleo and gluten-free eaters, and diabetic customers. In fact, if you have any type of dietary requirement, Sunbasket should probably be your first port of call. 

Every meal on your Sunbasket specialized plan is tailored to your dietary needs. Whatever your diet, know that there are a lot of different options here for you. My colleague tried some of them out for herself in her Sunbasket review .

If you’re looking to feed hungry people in bulk, Sunbasket offers protein packs of lobster tails and scallops for a New England seafood dinner. Because Sunbasket partners with organizations like the Montgomery Bay Seafood Watch, all seafood is responsibly sourced.

4. HelloFresh – Boston’s Easiest Way to Fresh, Delicious Food

HelloFresh Best Features

• Fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables

• Pescatarian, vegetarian, and other meal options

• User-friendly website makes placing and changing orders easy

HelloFresh in a Nutshell

HelloFresh offers around 25 menu items each week. You can choose one of the six meal plans ( Classic , Quick and Easy , Pescatarian , Calorie-Smart , Family-Friendly , and Veggie ) and your menu will be curated for you. If one or more of the recipes isn’t to your liking, you can swap them for something that appeals to you. Its recipes are high quality, seasonal, and farm-sourced and some of the ingredients are organic.

If you’re one of Boston’s many college students, HelloFresh offers a 15% discount on your meal orders. Military personnel and veterans can enjoy this discount, as well.

HelloFresh has a well-planned and easy-to-use website that allows you to reschedule deliveries or swap items with a few clicks. Its recipes are clear and list calories, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, sugar, sodium, fat, and cholesterol. If you’re new to meal delivery services, HelloFresh is an easy and friendly introduction.

5. Freshly – Boston’s Fastest Prepared Meals

Freshly Best Features

• Low-carb and low-calorie meal options available

• Peanut and gluten-free

• Fast, healthy meals for Boston students and professionals

Freshly in a Nutshell

Like many Boston professionals and students, if you have little cooking space and even less kitchen space, Freshly may be the service for you. Freshly meals come fully prepared – simply pop them in the microwave and in around three minutes lunch or dinner is ready. If you want to learn more, read our full-length Freshly review .

Other microwave meals often include lots of salt, sugar, and preservatives. Freshly doesn’t rely on preservatives or corn syrup and uses rice and wheat substitutes to keep carbs down. If you’re peanut or gluten sensitive, all Freshly meals are prepared in a peanut- and gluten-free facility.

With Paleo-Friendly choices like Pulled Pork with Tangy BBQ Sauce and Dirty Cauli Rice, FreshlyFit meals like Crave-No-More Shepherd’s Pie, Freshly meals are healthy and fast.

6. Fresh n’ Lean – Boston’s Best Prepared Meals for Specialized Diets

Fresh n’ Lean Best Features

• Meal plans to suit high-protein , paleo , keto , vegan , and low-carb vegan diets

• Great for athletes and those starting a new diet

• Offers prepared meals for specialized diets

Fresh n’ Lean in a Nutshell

Fresh n’ Lean serves Boston with healthy helpings of keto, paleo, and vegan food (as well as its standard protein-focused meal plan). Your Paleolithic ancestors wish they had meals like Kung Pao Cage Free Chicken with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes. The delicious Mushroom Lentils with Veggies might even tempt carnivores into trying the vegan dishes.  

You can learn more in our expert Fresh n’Lean review .

Starting a new diet? Adjusting to a new way of eating means learning how to plan a whole new menu. Maintaining ketosis or avoiding animal products can feel like a full-time job. As you get to grips with your new paleo, keto, or vegan lifestyle, prepared meals can help get you over the learning curve.

After a long day of work or study or a grueling gym session, preparing a healthy meal can be a challenge. With Fresh n’ Lean, you just have to heat and eat your dinner. This helps you resist the temptation to grab a convenient but unhealthy meal.

7. Purple Carrot – Best for Vegan Meal Delivery in Boston

Purple Carrot Best Features

• Nutritious, plant-based meal kits

• Fully recyclable packaging

• Student discounts available

Purple Carrot in a Nutshell

Attention all hungry Boston vegans! Purple Carrot is the Boston area’s best all-vegan meal delivery service. Whether you're a card-carrying vegan or are just curious, Purple Carrot is a tasty and healthy option for dedicated vegans and vegan newbies alike.

You can get the full scoop about this meal subscription service in our full-length Purple Carrot review .

Purple Carrot has a rotation of eight meal options each week for you to enjoy. Vegan meal delivery in Boston doesn’t get any better. Most meal delivery services in Boston offer only dinner, but Purple Carrot has breakfast and lunch options available, too! Who said eating plant-based had to be hard?

Purple Carrot’s meal kits usually take around 30 minutes to put together. If you’re a beginner in the kitchen, look for the Quick and Easy tag on recipes. The Grape Leaf Mezze Bowls with Cashew Cheese and Fresh Dill, and Cinnamon Overnight Oats with Vanilla Yogurt and Plums are two simple but delicious Purple Carrot recipes that don’t require a stove.

8. EveryPlate – Best for Inexpensive Meals in Boston

EveryPlate Best Features 

• Boston’s most inexpensive meal delivery service

• 14 family-friendly recipes that even kids can enjoy

• Filling and tasty food at a reasonable price 

At a starting price of $4.99 per serving, EveryPlate is an affordable and sustainable way to enjoy hassle-free home cooked meals. When you’re feeding a family, sticking to a budget is important. But you also want to give your family the best and healthiest meals you can. 

To learn more about EveryPlate, see our full-length review . 

EveryPlate’s menu offerings are more pared-back than many delivery services. There are no options for specialized diets such as keto and only a few plant-based options. But EveryPlate’s meals are filling and tasty, with offerings like Smothered and Stuffed Meatloaves with Potato Wedges, and Creamy Penne Primavera with Lemon, Peas, Roasted Mushrooms and Zucchini.  

If you’re an omnivore who likes traditional, comfort food – or if you’re feeding a family of omnivores – EveryPlate offers healthy and hearty fare that won’t break your budget. 

9. Grubhub – Best for Variety of Food Delivery in Boston

Grubhub Best Features

• Thousands of restaurants (and counting)

• Helpful filters to find you the exact meal you're looking for

• Money-saving coupons available

Grubhub in a Nutshell

Grubhub brings over 12,000 nationwide restaurants’ menus directly to your device, complete with helpful filters for pricing, delivery times, and more. Grubhub is the option for you if you can't cook, won't cook, or are looking for hot and ready-to-eat food delivery in Boston. 

Grubhub offers a variety of choices to meet your exact craving, and you don’t have to cook a thing. Grubhub’s filters allow you to find restaurants offering free delivery and those which have order tracking available too. My favorite filter is the “new restaurants” filter, which shows you restaurants that have just been added recently. 

If you love a bargain or are on a tight budget, Grubhub’s coupons filter allows you to see exactly where you can save on your meal delivery service in the Boston area. 

10. Postmates – Best for All Types of Delivery in Boston

Best of Postmates

• Dispatches and coordinates deliveries through Uber Eats

• Delivers groceries as well as takeout

• Lower delivery fees for Restaurant Partners

Postmates in a Nutshell

Postmates will deliver literally anything – anything – to your door, from $1,000 pizza orders to your dry cleaning. Even better, while services like Grubhub outsource only the ordering process for takeout, Postmates allows restaurants to outsource the actual delivery.

Postmates was recently purchased by Uber. It’s now part of a large and sophisticated network of dispatchers and drivers who can get your food out quickly and track your order. And because Postmates and Uber Eats drivers are free agents who aren’t contracted to a specific restaurant, they can bring food from any Boston restaurant offering takeout.  

Watch out for surge pricing, though. Order during a Red Sox game and your delivery might cost more than your food. But if you order from a restaurant partner your delivery may be cheap or even free. 

Best Meal Delivery Services for Boston: Comparison Table

What I Look For in the Best Meal Delivery Service in Boston

You may be thinking, “what makes these meal delivery services better than what I’m used to?”

Gather round, Bostonians – I’ll share my top criteria with you.

• Meal delivery that suits your schedule – I’ve included a mix of DIY meal kits and prepared meals so you can choose a service that complements your level of cooking and the amount of time you want to spend in the kitchen.

• Diet-specific menus – from paleo to vegan to weight-loss programs, I’ve found services that make it easy to stick to whichever diet you’ve chosen. You get a healthy meal delivered straight to your door, fully portioned and, even better, you get to see exactly what goes into your food to help you keep track. 

Works for a range of budgets – meal delivery in Boston often works out less expensive per portion than a restaurant delivery but prices still vary depending on what you’re looking for. I’ve included a range of price points, from simple meal kits at $4.99 per serving to specialty meals from $9.99 a serving.

Bottom Line: Are Meal Delivery Services in Boston Worth It?

Boston has some of America’s finest gourmet restaurants, grocery stores, and specialty food stops. But between Boston traffic and your busy schedule, getting there can be a challenge.  

All our listed meal delivery services can help you prepare meals at home without the hassle of shopping and meal planning. In fact, we like these meal plans so much, many of them have made it onto our list of today’s top meal delivery services.

If you’re busy – and who isn’t nowadays – you’ll find the added convenience and time savings of meal delivery services will make them well worth your while.  

FAQ

Which Boston meal delivery service is best for people who love cooking? 

For adventurous home chefs who enjoy cooking, Blue Apron offers a wide range of cuisine to choose from with instructions to keep your prep skills sharp and teach you some new kitchen tricks.

Home Chef , as well, has a Culinary Collection that features gourmet-level recipes that take up to an hour to prepare. Luxuriate in your meal prep while preparing chef-designed recipes.

What is the best vegan meal delivery service in Boston? 

If you're looking for the best vegan meal delivery in Boston, Purple Carrot is an entirely vegan meal delivery service that offers gluten-free and high-protein options. 

Sunbasket has plenty of organic vegan meal kits, alongside meal kits that suit other diets in case you need meals for other members of your household, too. 

Both of these services actually made it onto our experts’ list of the best vegan meal delivery services today.

What is the cheapest meal delivery service in Boston?

At $4.99 per serving, EveryPlate comes in two dollars cheaper than its closest competitors. 

See our list of today’s cheapest meal delivery services for more ideas.

What is the best paleo meal delivery service in Boston?

Sunbasket has a paleo-specific menu for those who want to cook their own meals. It also offers some prepared options with its Fresh & Ready range. 

If you want a wide selection of paleo prepared meals, Fresh n’Lean’s paleo meal plan will bring your ready-made meals to your door.

Get the full list of paleo meal delivery services in our expert’s list.

What is the best food delivery service in Boston?

If you want takeout, try  Grubhub or Postmates . You'll get delicious takeout, delivered contact-free to your door, and you’ll be supporting local Boston restaurants.