10 Best Meal Delivery Services in Boston 2022 (Updated List)

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. Enjoying healthy and tasty meals has never been easier!

Because Bostonians have a wide range of dietary preferences, I’ve researched and compiled this list of the 10 best meal delivery services in Boston that offer a variety of dietary options including vegan, vegetarian, weight loss, and more.

My top choice is Home Chef. It offers different types of meal kits with a range of prep times and styles to suit every skill level. It also has some of the best customization options out there.  

If you’re ready to cut down on food waste and time spent searching the aisles of the grocery store, then read on to learn more about Home Chef and the rest of Boston’s best meal delivery services.

The Best Meal Delivery Services in Boston Reviewed

1. Home Chef – Best Overall Meal Delivery in Boston

Key Features

• Protein substitutes available for different meats or plant-based options

• 18-20 unique recipes that change each week

• Dietary options including calorie-conscious, carb-conscious, and vegetarian

• Current deal: Get 16 Free Meals! 

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. 

Maybe you don't like chicken, or want an extra helping of shrimp. For a small fee, you can double up your meal’s protein or swap it for something else.

Home Chef offers a variety of meal types as well as a changing menu every week and works to create the perfect meals for you and your family. If you want to know more, check out my colleague’s productReviewLink product="home-chef"Home Chef review/productReviewLink. She ordered, prepped, and cooked the meals herself and she’s got a lot to say about it.

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.

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

Key Features

• Offers sophisticated kits for gourmet meals and knowledgeable cooks

• Available option to add on wine to pair with your meals

• Supports healthy eating with Wellness 360 and WW menu options

• Current deal: $145 off across your first 6 boxes! 

Blue Apron is geared toward slightly more sophisticated cooks who already have some basic cooking and food preparation skill. Our reviewer talks about this in more detail in her full-length review of Blue Apron. Blue Apron recently added the option to try one of its prepared meal options with your order when you don’t have time to chop and prep. 

Blue Apron’s instructions for all meals are easy to follow, with videos on its website to help with preparation and cooking.

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. If you’re a wine lover, there’s the option to add wine pairings to your meal plan too.

Blue Apron’s Wellness Plan 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. Purple Carrot – Best for Vegan Meal Delivery in Boston

Key Features

• Choose between meal kits or prepared meals

• Fully recyclable packaging

• All meals are vegan with gluten-free and nut-free options

• Current deal: Get $25 Off & FREE Delivery 

Attention all hungry Boston vegans! Purple Carrot is the Boston area’s best all-vegan meal delivery service. 

Purple Carrot is a tasty and healthy option for dedicated vegans and vegan newbies alike. Each week you can choose from eight meal kits or 12 prepared meals. Purple Carrot stands out from other meal delivery services in Boston with breakfast and lunch options available, too!

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

Who said eating plant-based had to be hard? The Cinnamon Overnight Oats with Vanilla Yogurt and Plums is a simple but delicious Purple Carrot recipe that doesn’t require a stove. If you’re an allergy sufferer, Purple Carrot clearly displays which meals are gluten-, soy, or nut-free.

Purple Carrot’s meal kits usually take around 30 minutes to put together. With the option of a meal kit or prepared meals, there’s something for every schedule.

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

Key Features 

• Recipes utilize fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables

• Choose between pescatarian, vegetarian, and other meal options

• User-friendly website makes placing and changing orders easy

• Current deal: 16 Free Meals + 3 Gifts + Free Shipping 

HelloFresh offers around 25 meal kit recipes each week. Its ingredients are high quality, seasonal, and farm-sourced and some are organic. You can choose one of the six meal plans (Classic, Quick and Easy, Pescatarian, Fit & Wholesome, 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.

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. You can find out more about the meal plans and discounts available in this detailed HelloFresh review

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. Sunbasket – Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service in Boston

Key Features

• Paleo, vegetarian, diabetes-friendly, and gluten-free options

• 18+ meals that rotate each week for lots of variety

• Fun, family-friendly menu

• Current deal: $90 off Plus a Free Gift!

Sunbasket is a great meal delivery option for Boston vegetarians, paleo, gluten-free eaters, and diabetic customers. In fact, if you’ve got any type of dietary requirement, Sunbasket should probably be your first port of call. Its 10 dedicated meal plans suit almost every diet.

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 for you. My colleague tried some of them out for herself and you can read more in her productReviewLink product="sunbasket"Sunbasket review/productReviewLink.

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.

6. Marley Spoon – Martha Stewart Inspired Recipes

Key Features

• Meals feature exclusive spice blends created by Martha Stewart

• More than 40 recipes available to choose from each week

• Options for breakfasts, desserts, and other fun holiday surprises

• Current deal: Get $120 off Your First 5 Boxes 

Marley Spoon has partnered with Martha Stewart to bring her famous cooking and entertaining skills to your kitchen. Choose from the expansive menu each week with options for vegetarians, quick meals, and even extra protein packs.

You can learn more about the ease and recipe options in our Marley Spoon review.

After a long day of work or study, preparing a healthy meal can be a challenge. With Marley Spoon, you’ll be able to cook healthy meals in just six steps or less and serve up a meal that would impress any dinner guest. Try Marley Spoon and enjoy some Martha Stewart-approved meals in your own kitchen.

7. Freshly – Boston’s Fastest Prepared Meals

Key Features

• Low-carb and low-calorie meal options available

• Meals prepared in a peanut- and gluten-free facility

• Fast, healthy meals for Boston students and professionals

• Current deal: Save $125, Promo Code: SAVE125AFF 

Freshly’s prepared meals are convenient and healthy. 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.

Like many Boston professionals and students, you may have little space for prepping and cooking food. Freshly meals come fully prepared – simply pop the meals 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.

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

8. Green Chef – Organic Meal Kits Designed for Eating Well

Key Features

• Certified gluten-free meals

• Meal options for those following a keto or paleo diet

• Offers meals for two, four, or six people

• Current deal: Get $130 Off + Free Shipping 

For those shopping for a healthy and organic meal delivery service, Green Chef can be a great option. Choose from three different menu options created for specific dietary needs including balanced living, keto + paleo, and plant-powered. Select from 9+ different recipes each week per plan with fresh, seasonal produce that’s always USDA-certified organic.

Green Chef appeals to larger families with the option to order up to four meals for six people per week. Enjoy options like Blackened Shrimp and “Grits” and Mole-Spiced Chicken. Check out our full Green Chef review for more information on the meal choices.

Green Chef puts a lot of focus on eco-friendly packaging materials and improving its overall impact on the environment. You’ll find more paper bags to package ingredients instead of plastic. The insulation is a plant-based insulator called ClimaCell and is certified curbside recyclable. Many companies are going in this direction, but Green Chef is leading the pack.

9. EveryPlate – Best for Inexpensive Meals in Boston

Key Features

• Boston’s most affordable meal delivery service

• 14 family-friendly recipes that even kids can enjoy

• Filling and tasty food at a reasonable price

• Current deal: $40 OFF throughout your first 3 boxes 

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.

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

Key Features

• Thousands of restaurants (and counting)

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

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.

Best Meal Delivery Services for Boston: Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Service in Boston

You may be thinking, “how do I decide between all of these great options?” Gather round, Bostonians – I’ll share my top criteria with you.

• Find the option that fits 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 skill and the amount of time you want to spend in the kitchen.

• Narrow down which services fit your dietary needs – From paleo to vegan to weight-loss programs, I’ve found services that make it easy to stick to whichever diet you’ve chosen.

• Select the best option for your budget - Meal delivery in Boston often works out to be less expensive per portion than a restaurant delivery, but prices do vary. The list includes a variety of price points for different budgets.

• Consider the extras offered – If you like a one-stop shop, many of the best meal delivery services in Boston offer additional items like proteins, smoothies, and snacks to come with your order.

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 my listed meal delivery services in Boston can help you prepare meals at home without the hassle of shopping and meal planning. In fact, 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 cooks who enjoy spending time in the kitchen, Blue Apron is my top choice as it offers a wide range of cuisines to choose from with instructions to keep your prep skills sharp and teach you some new kitchen tricks.

What is the best vegan meal delivery service in Boston? 

Purple Carrot is the highest-ranking vegan service on my list. It also offers gluten-free and high-protein options. Sunbasket also scored highly and 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.

What is the cheapest meal delivery service in Boston?

At $4.99 per serving, I found EveryPlate to be significantly cheaper than its closest competitors. See our list of today’s cheapest meal delivery services for more affordable meal delivery services.

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. Another great option is Green Chef. The Keto + Paleo menu comes with different options that will work for your diet and uses certified organic ingredients.

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

What is the best food delivery service in Boston?

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