10 Best Meal Delivery Services for Athletes 2023: For Fitness
As an athlete, your days are most likely structured around your workouts, with limited free time. Even though your diet is as important as training, sometimes it’s hard to juggle everything – including planning balanced meals, food shopping, and meal prep.
My colleagues and I have put numerous meal delivery services through their paces, and I’ve pulled together a list of the top 10 specifically for athletes. No more struggling to count macros and calories – these services do it for you.
After weighing the pros and cons of each service, HelloFresh is my top choice. It balances great value meal kits and a varied menu with a specialized Fit & Wholesome plan that makes it easy to find recipes comprising lean protein and body-fueling whole grains, fruit, and veg.
Short on Time? Here Are The Best Meal Delivery Services for Athletes
HelloFresh – Best overall meal delivery service for athletes
Factor – Best prepared meals for athletes
Green Chef – Best keto-friendly meals
Fresh N Lean – Best for prepared gluten-free meals
Home Chef – Best for customization & extra protein
The Best Meal Delivery Services for Athletes Reviewed
1. HelloFresh – Best Overall Meal Delivery Service for Athletes
Key Features
Simple recipes – with Easy Prep and Easy Cleanup options
High-quality ingredients – seasonal, farm-fresh produce
Low-carb dishes – look out for the Carb Smart tag
Current deal: 18 free meals + first box ships free + 3 surprise gifts with code DR18HF
HelloFresh is here to make sure you never get tired of your meals, with more than 50 recipes to choose from every week. That means you get to enjoy the flexibility of planning your meals for the week, without the hassle of shopping and prep.
HelloFresh also prioritizes sustainably sourced proteins and farm-fresh produce, so it’s especially great if you’re trying to be mindful of the foods you’re consuming. You can learn more about the quality of HelloFresh’s ingredients – and how good the meals really are – in my colleague’s tried-and-tested review.
Choose from plans like Meat & Veggies, Pescatarian, and Fit & Wholesome – the latter of which is specially designed to support an active and healthy lifestyle. You can order as many as four portions of a recipe if you’re bulking up, and carb- and calorie-smart options are available as well.
Servings start at just $3.32, making HelloFresh an affordable and sustainable way to fuel your body.
2. Factor – Best Prepared Meals for Athletes
Key Features
Wide variety – more than 29 meals to choose from
Flexible plans – choose anywhere from four to 18 meals per week
Ready in minutes – prepared meals just need to be heated
Current deal: Up to $276 off!
Factor specializes in prepared keto and vegan meals, but this health-focused service is a great fit for athletes and anyone else wanting fuss-free, diet-friendly dishes.
In my research, Factor has emerged as one of the very best prepared meal delivery services for athletes in particular. The high-protein keto menu is optimized for lean living, and you can mix and match items from any of Factor’s plans, so if you want to cut down on your meat intake, you can include some vegan dishes in your order, too.
There’s even optional nutritional coaching packages available (you’ll get a free 20-minute session when you sign up), plus add-ons such as smoothies, shakes, breakfasts, and sides.
For a more in-depth look at the pros and cons, and to find out whether the price tag is worth it, check out my colleague’s Factor review.
Meals from Factor start at $6.19 per serving.
3. Green Chef – Best Keto-Friendly Meals
Key Features
Celiac-friendly – gluten-free Keto + Paleo plan
Eco-friendly packaging – recyclable and reusable materials
Creative and tasty recipes – chef-crafted and internationally inspired
Current deal: Get $250 off + free shipping
With Green Chef, you’ll find a wide variety of organic produce and vegetables, and exciting new ingredients in your box every week.
All its plans cater to keto, paleo, vegan, and vegetarian diets. The recipes marked Fast & Fit are not only calorie-conscious, but ready in just 25 minutes or less – perfect for those busy weeknights when you’re home late from the gym.
In the past, you had to commit to just one diet plan, but now Green Chef allows you to mix and match across the whole menu. It’s ideal if others in your household have different dietary preferences than you.
Get the full scoop on how Green Chef works in my colleague’s full-length review.
Easy-to-follow recipe cards are included, along with prepped ingredients and ready-to-use sauces and spice blends to make cooking a breeze.
Servings from Green Chef start at $5.99
4. Fresh N Lean – Best For Prepared Gluten-Free Meals
Key Features
Get breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and snacks, too!
Athlete-friendly diet plans – Protein+, Keto, Low-Carb Vegan, and more
Certified organic ingredients – locally sourced and GMO-free
If you find you’re almost always short on time and would prefer a service that chooses your meals for you, Fresh N Lean could be the most convenient option. Choose from six different plans with up to three meals a day. Or you can purchase dishes a la carte if you want more flexibility.
My colleague goes into more detail on what sets Fresh N Lean apart in this expert review.
What’s also great about Fresh N Lean is that you can add extras from the Bulk menu – this includes additional proteins or nutritious sides like quinoa and brown rice. It even has snacks such as oatmeal, breakfast muffins, and coconut-almond buttercups.
Similarly to Freshly, everything on the menu takes around three minutes to heat and serve. All Fresh N Lean’s meals are certified gluten-free, and with two dedicated vegan plans, it’s great for those with allergies or intolerances.
The price per serving starts at $7.53.
5. Home Chef – Best For Customization & Extra Protein
Key Features
Premium ingredients – organic proteins available
Great for families – order up to six servings per meal
Easy Prep and Oven-Ready options – lunch ready in 10 minutes
Home Chef’s recipes are familiar and fast – perfect for when you need a meal in a snap. You can customize your order to feed up to six people at a time, or just have plenty of leftovers to help hit all of your macronutrients throughout the week.
Find out what my colleague thought when they gave Home Chef a try!
There are Carb-Conscious and Calorie-Conscious meals available, and – even better – you can control the protein type and quantity in every dish with the Customize It feature.
So if you want to double-up on chicken or shrimp, you're able to do so (for an extra charge). Some recipes even allow you to switch the protein altogether or upgrade to organic.
You can also add protein packs to your order, including ground turkey, chicken breast, salmon fillets, and Italian sausages. That's great news for your muscles, right?
Home Chef servings start at $6.99.
6. Pete’s Real Food – Best For Paleo Dieters
Key Features
Locally sourced ingredients – rotating seasonal menu
Allergen-free – zero gluten, dairy, or soy
Flexible plans – order as needed or subscribe
Pete’s Real Food (previously Pete’s Paleo) offers the freshest prepared paleo meals delivered to your door. With an emphasis on organic and locally sourced ingredients, you can expect tons of seasonal variety week by week.
Similarly to Fresh N Lean, Pete’s Real Food doesn't give you the freedom to choose your meals if you sign up to a plan. Instead, once you’ve selected your protein preferences, your meals are curated for you – great for anyone who wants to put their meal planning on autopilot.
The company always outlines the macronutrients for each meal. It’s even partnered with the MyFitnessPal app, allowing you to track full meals, sides, or snacks at the click of a button.
The meals are heavy on protein and high in calories, at around 500 to 600 per dish. However, if you’re looking for low-calorie options, the Lite plan offers smaller portion sizes.
Prices start at $15.25 per single-serving meal.
7. Diet-to-Go – Best Calorie-Controlled Meal Plan
Key Features
Portion-controlled – great for athletes on rigorous diets
Nutritionally balanced – cover all your macronutrients
Four plans available – including Keto-Carb30 and Vegetarian
Diet-to-Go offers prepared meals that are flash-frozen to ensure all the nutrients are maintained. This service allows you to enjoy calorie-controlled meals without having to worry about what to eat week after week.
All the meals provided follow either a 1,200 or 1,600 calories per day plan, and are based on a nutritionally balanced scale comprising 50% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 25% fat.
The plans include keto and diabetes-friendly options, as well as a vegetarian one. Learn more about each one in this Diet-to-Go review.
By subscribing, you also gain access to a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and certified health coach to help support you in your fitness goals. If you're looking for a community space that’ll help you stay on track – in addition to meal delivery – you're in the right place!
Diet-to-Go prices start at Save 50% Off per serving.
8. Trifecta – Best For Athletic Diets
Key Features
Balanced meals – calorie and portion-controlled
Great taste – organic meals made by pro chefs
Multiple health diets covered – including paleo, keto, and vegan
Trifecta offers dietitian-approved meal plans for almost every diet an athlete might choose to follow. These include Clean Eating, Whole30 Approved, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, and Vegetarian. Each meal plan is “chef’s choice”, so you’ll get different, hand-picked meals sent to you each week.
Our reviewer highlighted the limited customizations available with this set-up. For each plan, you can only choose how many entrees you want each week (five, seven, 10, or 14) and whether you want to add breakfast. In terms of the meals themselves, you can choose up to two ingredients you’d like to exclude. And that’s it.
All meals are gluten-free as standard and the plans should cater to most tastes. But if you have more severe allergies or dietary requirements then you might like to build your own meals from the A La Carte menu instead – although you’ll have to calculate the macros and count calories yourself.
9. Blue Apron – Best Wellness Plan
Key Features
Add-ons – access tons of extras like holiday boxes, wines, and utensils
Large menu – choose from 25+ weekly recipes
Diet plans – including Veggie and WW-approved
Blue Apron gets a spot on this list thanks to its unique Wellness plan, which includes a range of veggies, whole grains and lean proteins that suit an athletic diet. These meals fall into categories including WW-Aproved, Carb-Conscious, and 600 Calories or Less.
Its prepared meals can be heated up in the microwave in about two to three minutes, and the meal kits take no longer than around 45 minutes, at most.
As an athlete, eating “healthy” can get monotonous after a while. Our reviewer found a range of international cuisines like Korean, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Italian, French, classic and Latin American, and more. Even as an athlete, you won’t get bored easily.
When it comes to stocking up your kitchen, Blue Apron is a one-stop shop. You can get a ton of different Market items. These include seasonings, specialty salts, kitchen utensils and tools, wine boxes, and more.
10. Purple Carrot – Best for Vegan Athletes
Key Features
Meal types – breakfast, lunch, dinner, and “plantry” items
Convenience – 8 prepared meals and 15+ meal kits
Diets – including vegan, high protein, low-calorie, and more
Purple Carrot is different from the other competitors on this list since it's a totally plant-based service. It offers both prepared meals and kits, and covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and pantry items from its “plantry”.
Other vegan companies offer a lot of processed “meat alternatives” – but our reviewer found that with Purple Carrot, the veggies are the star of the dish. This includes plenty of plant protein for athletes, just look out for dishes tagged as “high protein”.
Despite being a solely plant-based service, Purple Carrot caters to a good range of other dietary preferences as well. Options include soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, <600 calories, and high protein.
Top Plans | ||||||||||
Top Plans |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Our Rating | ||||||||||
| Our Rating | ||||||||||
| Starting Price | ||||||||||
| Starting Price | $3.32 Per Serving | $6.19 Per Serving | $5.99 Per Serving | $7.53 Per Serving | $6.99 Per Serving | $15.25 Per Serving | $4.60 Per Serving | $6.00 Per Serving | $5.74 Per Serving | $8.50 Per Serving |
| Minimum Order | ||||||||||
| Minimum Order | 2 meals for 2 people | 6 prepared meals | 3 meals for 2 people | 5 prepared meals | 2 meals for 2 people | 5 meals | 10 prepared meals | 7 meals | 2 meals for 2 people | 3 meal kits for 2 people/6 prepared meals |
| Meal Types | ||||||||||
| Meal Types | 20 - 30 min. meal kits | Prepared meals | 30-minute meal kits | Prepared meals | Kits, speedy kits, oven-ready, prepared | Prepared | Prepared meals | Prepared | 20 - 60 min. meal kits | Meal kits, prepared meals |
| Prep Time | ||||||||||
| Prep Time | 15-40 min | 2-3 min | 25-40 min | 3 mins | 5-50 min | 0-3 minutes | 2-3 min | 0-3 min | 5-45 min | 3-40 min |
| Active Deals | ||||||||||
| Active Deals | ||||||||||
Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Services for Athletes
If you’re not sure what to look for when choosing the best athlete-approved meal delivery service, here are some things to keep in mind:
Time efficiency: How much time do you have between workouts or training? If you prefer to cook your own meals when you have the time, consider a meal kit service like HelloFresh. If your schedule is tight, prepared meals like the ones from Factor might be better for you.
Balanced macros: Let’s be real: as an athlete, what matters most about your food is exactly how much of everything you’re getting. A service like Fresh N Lean provides key nutritional info for each meal and ensures everything is perfectly balanced.
Special dietary requirements: If you have any allergies, restrictions, or preferences, choose a service that caters to your needs. Green Chef is a good option here.
Generous portions: If you’re training hard, the last thing you want is to lose weight. In order to maintain strength or even bulk up, you need portions tailored to your needs. Home Chef lets you double the protein in each dish if you wat.
Bottom Line: Which Meal Delivery Service is Best for Athletes?
With quick-cook options and hardworking plans, meal delivery services are a great way to help you train hard and stay in shape. They’re also great for helping you save time by cutting out grocery shopping or meal prep entirely.
I love HelloFresh because its meals are delicious, healthy, and easy enough for anyone to flex their culinary muscles in the kitchen.
That said, it only offers meal kits, so if you find yourself wanting something you can throw into the microwave, a lean and health-forward prepared meal delivery service like Factor or Freshly could be better for you.
These services also calculate macros and other nutritional information for you, so you can focus your energy elsewhere.
Whether you’re in the market for meal kits or prepared meals, the bottom line is you have many great choices for healthy, time-saving meal delivery services.
FAQ
What is a good meal plan for an athlete?
HelloFresh came top of my list as the best meal delivery service for athletes. With its colorful and varied menu, including plenty of calorie- and carb-smart and high-protein options, anyone with an active lifestyle is sure to find meals they’ll love week after week.
You even have the option of a family-sized order, which is excellent if you need to feed more people or if you want leftovers for additional meals throughout the week.
What is the best dinner for bodybuilders?
Fresh N Lean is my top choice for bodybuilders, with its Protein+ and Bulk menus. You can add additional sides, veggies, and proteins to your order to make sure you’re hitting all your macronutrients in each meal.
What is the healthiest premade meal delivery service?
Factor is my top pick for athletes who want super speedy prepared meals that combine convenience with healthy and filling food. These include keto, vegan, and calorie-smart dishes.
