Finding time to plan, shop and prep meals can be hard in a busy city like Cincinnati. Whether you’re a busy student, an aspiring gourmet, or a working household head, you could use some help getting healthy, tasty meals on the table. This is why I’ve prepared a list of the 10 best meal delivery services in Cincinnati.
I’ve consulted my colleagues and carefully researched each service listed. I’ve scanned reviews, compared prices, checked ratings, and tested their menus against a range of food preferences and dietary needs.
Factor gets the top ranking, thanks to its prepared meals designed and cooked by culinary experts. But every service on our list has something to offer, no matter what your dietary preferences or mealtime needs. Read on to find out how you can save time and eat better.
Factor – Best prepared meal delivery service in Cincinnati
Green Chef – Best organic meal delivery in Cincinnati
HelloFresh – Best for fresh, family-friendly food at home
Home Chef – Best customizable meal delivery in Cincinnati
Fresh and Easy – Cincinnati’s easiest meal delivery service
The meals are designed in collaboration with a dietitian
35 unique recipes per week plus add-ons
Dietary options include vegetarian, calorie-smart, keto, high-protein, and vegan
Current deal: Enjoy 50% OFF your first box and 20% OFF the next 4 boxes!
Factor provides healthy and nutritious prepared meals designed by dietitians and prepared by in-house chefs. The meals take only a few minutes to heat up in a microwave or conventional oven and are both filling and flavorful. Our expert reviewer found that Factor is great for busy lifestyles.
Meals are available in a variety of international cuisines, including Mexican, Indian, Thai, Italian, and American classics, making it easy to enjoy a diverse range of flavors. Factor is especially good for those on specialized diets. You can choose between 5 different plans but are always free to order anything on the Factor menu.
Chef’s Choice
Keto
Calorie Smart
Vegan & Veggie
Protein Plus
Factor’s Keto menu is especially strong, with 15 or more options available each week. The Baja Shrimp (pictured above) is garnished with cauliflower rice and has 590 calories. In other words, it’s a great keto lunch or dinner that’ll leave you feeling full and keep your body in fat-burning ketosis mode.
You can also order vegetarian and vegan meals, although the selection is limited to around 3 vegan and 2 vegetarian options each week. However, these meals are a great way to add some meat-free diet. But if you’re a strict vegetarian, you might do better with another company on our list of the best vegan meal delivery services.
Use the colored labels and tags accompanying the recipes for guidance. They highlight the meal's main features and guide you to selections that match your dietary preferences. You’ll see tags such as Keto, Carb Smart, Calorie Smart, and Vegan. Also, look for meals marked as Top-Rated and Gourmet Plus. These may come at an extra cost, but they offer an elevated dining experience.
In addition to prepared meals, Factor also offers add-ons like protein packs, smoothies, soups, and keto-friendly snacks. This makes it even more convenient for customers to enjoy a balanced and healthy diet.
This meal delivery service doesn't allow ingredient swaps. The main reason is to maintain the nutritional integrity of carefully formulated and cooked recipes. So, if a meal contains ingredients you don’t like or can’t eat, you’ll have to pass on that dish.
Customers receive a free 20-minute consultation with a registered dietitian when they sign up. You can subscribe to additional nutrition coaching support if you find it helpful. This personalized support can be very helpful if you’re trying to lose weight, get back into shape, or need to address specific health goals.
Factor prices start at $6.19 per serving for the largest order. And you can buy 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18 single-serving meals per week. A flat-rate delivery fee for Cincinnati residents is $10.99, regardless of the box size.
A certified organic company
45+ weekly recipes
8 dietary options including keto, protein packed, and gluten-free
Current deal: Get $250 off + free shipping
Green Chef is a premium meal delivery service that uses top quality ingredients like organic produce and eggs and antibiotic and hormone-free meats. Green Chef meals focus on nutritionally dense but delicious ingredients. (The Lemony Sockeye Salmon and Succotash pictured above is a good example).
It's the first meal kit service to receive the CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) certification. Besides, it boasts a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) certification. And it collaborates extensively with family-run farms and artisanal enterprises.
You get 8 Green Chef menus to choose from but can order any of Green Chef’s 45+ weekly recipes no matter which plans you choose.
Keto
Gluten Free
Plant Based
Quick & Easy
Calorie Smart
Mediterranean
Protein Packed
Delicious Discoveries
Many Green Chef meals are certified gluten-free including some keto meals. Meals containing gluten are prepared and stored in a separate facility. Green Chef’s gluten-free menu is suitable for those with celiac disease or serious gluten sensitivity. And you’ll find Green Chef on our list of the best gluten-free meal delivery services.
Green Chef’s organic produce really shines in the extensive selection of Plant Based recipes. You can also order a range of convenient add-ons such as breakfast entrees and additional proteins, making it easier to stick to healthy eating goals.
You can’t customize any of Green Chef’s recipes. The company won’t send you alternative ingredients if any of them don’t suit you. The only way to customize a recipe is by doing a swap at home when preparing the meal.
Green Chef’s recipe cards are easy to follow, and the premade sauces and spice blends make cooking restaurant-quality meals easy. I tried Green Chef at home and cooked some of the best meals I’ve ever made from a meal delivery service.
Aim to eat the service's dishes in 5 days post-delivery. But note that seafood, which usually remains fresh for 3 days, is an exception. If you want to preserve meals beyond their expiration date, freeze them before their best-before date.
You can enjoy meals inspired by various international cuisines with this service. Mediterranean, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican recipes are some of them.
Green Chef also prioritizes sustainability, using eco-friendly packaging materials whenever possible. Boxes are insulated with ClimaCell, a proprietary plant-based insulating material that is also curbside recyclable.
The minimum Green Chef order is 3 meals a week for 2 people, and the maximum is 4 meals a week for 6 people. Prices start at $5.99 per serving for the largest order. Don’t forget to factor in the delivery fee of $10.99 for Cincinnatians.
World’s biggest meal delivery service
Over 30+ recipes per week
Dietary plans include Veggie, Pescatarian, and Fit & Wholesome
HelloFresh features easy-to-follow recipes using high-quality ingredients and inspiration from its creative team of chefs. Its meal kits are prepared and packaged to make cooking as simple as possible.
Coming across the same dishes is unlikely with HelloFresh. Deliberate repetitions of popular recipes are the only exceptions. Also, note that some variations of the same meals are possible such as Beef Tacos and Turkey Tacos. Whatever the company's policy, you can check upcoming meals 5 or 6 weeks in advance.
The HelloFresh menu has 6 categories:
Meat & Veggies
Veggie
Family Friendly
Fit & Wholesome
Quick and Easy
Pescatarian
You can mix and match recipes from different meal categories. These HelloFresh plans are there for organizational purposes only.
HelloFresh tags recipes by difficulty level, so customers can find dishes that match their cooking skills. Most recipes fall under the Easy or Medium category, with Easy Prep and Easy Cleanup options available for added convenience. The One-Pan Santa Fe Pork Tacos pictured above is an Easy Prep recipe that only takes 20 minutes to prepare.
Have a look at the different tags to narrow down your options. For instance, you can prepare the Fast & Fresh meal kits in roughly 15 minutes. Best Recipe 2023 and Hall of Fame highlight favorite dishes among subscribers. I'd also suggest trying meals tagged as Premium Picks and Better Than Takeout.
Customers shouldn’t be afraid to try new recipes, as everything on the menu can be easily cooked by following directions. My colleague tried HelloFresh at home and noted in their expert review that HelloFresh taught them to be more adventurous in the kitchen.
HelloCustom gives customers more control over their meals by allowing them to change some sides and proteins in selected dishes. HelloFresh advertises more than 30 meals each week. But I regularly find around 70 meal kits on the company menu. Also, its HelloCustom options and Market offerings expand the menu even more.
HelloFresh prepares food originating from various parts of the world. Among other meals, you'll find Thai, Italian, Mexican, Caribbean, and American options on its menu.
HelloFresh is great for meal delivery service newbies thanks to its simple, fast, and delicious meals. The recipes are clear and easy, while the menu diversity ensures you will never get bored!
Avoid freezing HelloFresh meals. Most of its recipes have a shelf life of up to 5 days. But pescatarian options usually stay fresh for only 2 days, so consume these dishes first.
You can order between 2 and 6 recipes per week for either 2 or 4 people. Prices start at $3.32 per serving for the largest box. You’ll learn the shipping cost during checkout.
Recipes for every culinary skill level
25+ weekly recipes
Carb-conscious and calorie-conscious entrees
Home Chef has an exceptionally customizable menu. You can swap proteins using the Customize It tool, order options from the Extras section, and choose meal kits to suit your culinary skill and available time.
Home Chef has an efficient filtering system for people with food sensitivities. You can exclude up to 9 prevalent allergens while tailoring your meal plan. Click on Pick Your Meals and proceed to Step 3 to make your allergen choices. You can opt out of mushrooms, sesame, tree nuts, peanuts, poultry, beef, pork, fish, or shellfish at this step.
The Home Chef menu includes Asian, Mexican, and French options as well as traditional American dishes. After trying it out at home, my colleague reported that they had a pretty perfect experience with Home Chef.
Home Chef’s Fresh Start meals are dietitian-designed takes on classic favorites. You can easily identify them with the green tomato icon. The company includes a spice label that lets you know the recipe’s heat before you order. You can also find easy-prep recipes like its Express Meal Kits and Fast & Fresh microwaveable meals.
The Culinary Collection offers sophisticated entrees with more expensive ingredients and signature dishes from famous chefs like Rachael Ray. You can also order extras like protein packs, salad bundles, desserts, and breakfasts.
Home Chef's menu may not be suitable for those with specialized dietary requirements, such as vegans and keto dieters. While you can filter out certain allergens on the website, all meal kits are prepared in the same facility. So individuals with severe allergies might do better with a service like Green Chef.
But Home Chef offers a lot of flexibility for couples and families seeking a variety of meal options, from familiar, family-friendly dishes to more refined selections. It can be an ideal dinner solution for cooks looking for tasty, reasonably priced meals.
Prioritize eating ground meat, poultry, and seafood due to their limited freshness. You should consume these foods within 2 days after delivery. Most other chilled ingredients can last about 5 days. If you wish to prolong their usability, freeze them before they reach their use-by date.
Home Chef can suggest meals tailored to your lifestyle. Just take the brief 4-question What kind of chef are you? quiz. For each question, you'll select 1 from a few or several provided answers. From your responses, the company assesses your personal preferences toward the meal types you enjoy and your enthusiasm for cooking.
Home Chef’s minimum weekly order is 2 servings for 2 people. The maximum order is 6 servings for 6 people per week. The cost per meal starts at $7.99 per serving and doesn’t depend on the quantity, which makes this service different from most others. Cincinnati residents pay $10.99 to get boxes delivered to their doorsteps.
Many recipes can be customized
14+ entrees per week
Calorie-conscious, carb-conscious, and vegetarian options
Fresh and Easy is great for quick, delicious, and nutritionally balanced meals. This Home Chef spinoff is popular with time-strapped cooks across the US. Our reviewer praised Fresh and Easy for its fast and simple meal kits.
In addition to pre-portioned items, you'll get sliced, chopped, diced, and ground food. Sometimes, the service sends pre-washed or even pre-cooked ingredients, reducing your preparation time further that way. True to its name, Fresh & Easy delivers fresh recipes to you.
Fresh and Easy quick meal types include:
Fast & Fresh: prepared meals and salads
Fast & Fresh Plus
Fast & Fresh Family
Oven-Ready: assemble ingredients and bake (pan provided)
Oven-Ready Plus
Oven-Ready Family
Express: ready in 15 minutes or less
Express Plus
The Chicken Rockefeller Breast pictured above is an oven-ready meal. You assemble the ingredients in the pan that is provided and bake for 25-35 minutes until supper is ready. Fresh and Easy’s 2-person meals leave you with lunchtime leftovers, making it a favorite on our list of the best meal delivery services for singles.
The line also includes Fast & Fresh prepared meals and salads, which are perfect for people who are always on-the-go. The salads require minimal mixing, while the prepared meals can be heated in the microwave for a few minutes.
If you want a special dinner but are short on time, check out Fresh and Easy’s Plus line. You get high-quality ingredients like steak, salmon, and mahi-mahi with pre-chopped vegetables and ingredients. You can put them together and cook in under 30 minutes – less time than you’d spend driving to your favorite restaurant.
Fresh and Easy provides access to Home Chef's Customize It feature. Many recipes allow you to swap out or double up on proteins. You can also filter to eliminate meals that contain many common allergens. Fresh and Easy lets you order from the full Home Chef menu, so you can select more time-consuming meal kits as well.
Various Fresh and Easy meals include oven-ready trays, allowing for preparation in a traditional oven or microwave. Furthermore, you'll get meals designed for grilling with grill-friendly bags, simplifying your cleanup. Additionally, many recipes negate the need for standard cookware like pans and pots.
You can taste the food of various popular cuisines with this service. Some of them are Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Middle Eastern. Naturally, you can stick to American classics if you prefer.
You can order a minimum of 2 recipes for 2 people and up to 6 recipes for 6 people per week. The cost starts at $7.99 per serving. You’ll have to pay a $10.99 shipping fee to get your food delivered to Cincinnati.
Heat & Eat and Meal Kits
19+ unique recipes per week plus add-ons
Diabetes-friendly, vegetarian, and low-calorie meals available
Blue Apron’s target audience is people who enjoy cooking sophisticated recipes like the Hoisin Pork Belly pictured above. But cooking beginners will find the slideshows and instructional videos on Blue Apron’s website an invaluable guide to improving their kitchen skills.
You get to choose between 5 different preferences. But no matter which preferences you select, you’re free to order any recipe on the menu. The preferences simply act to reorganize the menu so that the recipes at the top are those that Blue Apron thinks suit your needs the best.
Chef Favorites
Wellness
Family Friendly
Fast & Easy
Veggies
Premium recipes require more advanced cooking techniques and cost a bit more because they use more expensive ingredients like steak and seafood. And Blue Apron’s optional wine subscription service also provides you with wines chosen to pair perfectly with its meals.
But you can also order Quick Prep meal kits if you want to create delicious meals without spending too much time in the kitchen. Ready-to-Cook recipes come with a pan and pre-chopped ingredients. Assemble the recipe, pop it in the oven, and when it’s done, you have a delicious meal. Blue Apron even offers Heat & Eat prepared meals.
Blue Apron also offers a range of diabetic-friendly dishes, which isn’t something you see with most mainstream meal delivery services. The company's Wellness menu is inspired by the heart-healthy diet. It includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins with moderate amounts of dairy. Our reviewer recommended Blue Apron for those looking to put weeknight meals on autopilot.
Blue Apron's Customized feature lets you swap or add proteins to some meals. For instance, you can substitute Bistro Steaks with Tenderloin Steaks or Flank Steaks in Steaks & Cipolline Onion Butter. Or you can make vegetarian Oven Baked Cheesy Pesto Gnocchi omnivorous by adding Pancetta. You can even make some meat-containing meals vegetarian-friendly.
Blue Apron’s add-ons let you add extras such as salads, muffins, prepared meals, and a la carte proteins like shrimp and chicken breast pieces. Sometimes you’ll even find plant-based Black Bean and Red Pepper Patties on the menu. The Market includes kitchen utensils, wine, and Blue Apron’s signature spice blends.
The service offers a 7-Day Freshness Guarantee for its products. This means that you can ask for reimbursement if any ingredient in your meal kit fails to meet your expectations. If so, contact the meal delivery service's customer support to get a refund or credit.
You can order 2 to 5 recipes per week serving 2 or 4 people. Pricing starts at $5.74 per serving. The flat-rate delivery cost for Cincinnatians is $10.99.
Meals designed in consultation with a weight loss physician
150+ breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options
Gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, heart-healthy, and more options
BistroMD’s flash-frozen prepared meals are an easy, effective diet solution. Weight loss meal delivery services are notorious for unappealing processed food. But BistroMD provides meals that satisfy even the most discerning dieters. Our expert reviewer declared BistroMD a solid service for those serious about weight loss.
Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist, BistroMD’s founder, is a bariatric physician specializing in weight loss. She created BistroMD so her patients could receive balanced, low-calorie meals. Today, Dr. Cederquist collaborates with dietitians, nutritionists, and medical professionals to offer weight loss programs tailored to different medical conditions and weight loss goals.
Each BistroMD entrée contains less than 450 calories. (The Meatloaf with Honey-Bourbon Glaze pictured above has just 340.) But generous portion sizes ensure you won't feel hungry or cheated. Meals are prepared using fresh ingredients, then flash-frozen to retain their nutrients. Pull a meal out of the freezer, pop it into the microwave, and enjoy!
BistroMD offers 7 plans:
Signature
Gluten-Free
Heart-Healthy
Diabetic
Menopause
Keto Flex
Vegan
The company categorizes meals into Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner, and Snacks sections. Note that every plan features each of these sections except for Vegan, which only has Lunch/Dinner options. I suggest subscribing to Factor if you seek vegan options for all meals.
BistroMD supplements your meals with Essential And Tasty Snacks (EATS). These treats include high-protein and high-fiber desserts like strawberry cheesecake and shakes. If you find yourself tempted to cheat on your diet, EATS is a great alternative to high-calorie sweets and junk food.
Every week, BistroMD offers a suggested menu, but you can change the meal suggestions if you wish.
The service won’t change any ingredients in its recipes. It aims to preserve their nutritional value since expert dietitians craft them. If certain ingredients don't suit your dietary needs, your best option is to avoid meals that include them.
You can get 3 meals a day for 5 or 7 days a week, excluding snacks. If breakfast isn't your thing, select the Lunches & Dinners option when tailoring your meal plan. Opting for the Full Week plan provides you with 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 6 dinners. The extra dinner slot, termed My Night, gives you a free evening to enjoy any meal you choose.
BistroMD delivers meals in frozen form, as I pointed out. To serve them, you should defrost food in the refrigerator first. Once thawed, consume recipes within 2 to 3 days at most.
BistroMD starts starts at $8.24 per serving. It also offers a 15% discount for dieting partners and couples. This weight loss company ships its calorie-smart meals to Cincinnati for a $19.95 fee.
The largest 100% vegan meal delivery service
16+ meal kits and prepared meals plus add-ons
Gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free options available
Purple Carrot features a 100% plant-based menu. With no animal products like meat, cheese, eggs, or anything else on the menu, Purple Carrot is an excellent option for those who are looking for healthy and delicious vegan food.
While Purple Carrot is aimed primarily at vegans, it’s great for omnivores too. Purple Carrot’s motto is “Eat More Plants” and they make it easy to do that. Our reviewer, a dedicated meat-eater, tried Purple Carrot at home and declared it was guaranteed to please even the fussiest of omnivores.
Plants are the star of Purple Carrot’s meals, a welcome change from the meat substitutes many vegan meal delivery services rely on. Meals like the Tofu Palak Paneer pictured above are a good example of the international cuisine you can expect. And many Asian and African recipes will teach you new ways to cook vegan meals.
You get a weekly selection of meal kits, prepared meals, and quick “Less Prep” meals that are ready in 25 minutes or less. You can mix and match meal types, so you can choose anything on the weekly menu. You can order vegan breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Purple Carrot’s Plantry offers a range of vegan desserts and staples like cashew cream cheese.
Purple Carrot also offers prepared and frozen meals. You can serve most of the 8 prepared recipes in 2 minutes. Some of them, like Chilled Three Bean Salad, you won’t have to microwave at all. As for frozen meals, you’ll have 6 of them to choose from.
You can sort for meals that are:
High Protein
Soy Free
Under 600 Calories
Gluten Free
Nut Free
Chef’s Choice
Bone Health
Purple Carrot only provides the current week’s menu. Looking at upcoming menus is a great way to determine if a service’s meals are varied enough for you. While I’ve been reviewing Purple Carrot for years and can say that its meal lineup is consistently good, it would be nice if it provided multiple menus like HelloFresh.
The service's ingredients are usually OK to eat up to a week post-delivery. Refer to the Best by label for the exact expiration date. I suggest preparing fresh food within the initial 5 days for peak freshness. In light of that, I recommend ordering some frozen dishes to sustain yourself before the next delivery.
The price per serving starts at $8.50. For meal kits, you can order 3 or 4 meals with 2 servings each or if you prefer meals with 4 servings, you can order 2 or 3 meals per week. Prepared meals come as single servings and cost the same per meal whether you order 6, 8, or the maximum of 10 meals.
The shipping’s free if your order is worth $99 or more. If not, you’ll pay $10 to have your food delivered to Cincinnati.
Organic, macro-balanced meals
Choose your own meals or let the chefs choose
Meal plans include Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian, and Whole30
Trifecta is specifically designed for people with fitness and health goals. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, or take your training to the next level, Trifecta offers a variety of diet plans to meet your needs.
All Trifecta meals are free from GMOs, preservatives, and refined, processed ingredients. Trifecta uses organic produce, grass-fed meat, and sustainably sourced seafood for its high-quality, nutrient-dense entrees.
Meals are macro-balanced and have between 300 and 500 calories per serving. That makes them a great choice for those who want to lose weight. You can eat Trifecta for supper or for every meal of the day. Our reviewer found that Trifecta makes sticking to a healthy diet really simple.
Trifecta offers 4 different meal plans:
Note that you can select only 1 dietary program. Mixing and matching meals between them isn’t an option with this service.
For a bit more flexibility, Trifecta also offers a Meal Prep plan that lets you choose your own proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables and mix and match them as you see fit. Each selection comes in 4 portions, so you’ll have ingredients to prepare a few meals, at least.
Choose the Classics if you're seeking particular dishes. These meals typically feature vegetables, meats, and grains, like a mix of veggies, salmon or beef patty, and brown rice. Among other offerings, you may also come across scrambled eggs with sausage.
Subscribers also get access to Trifecta’s nutrition experts and online resources. Trifecta’s forums help you connect with other Trifecta members for support, advice, and motivation. You can also check out Trifecta’s list of health and nutrition articles, and track your progress and daily challenges via the Trifecta app.
All Trifecta plans are Chef’s Choice, with meals selected for you each week. (If you have specific dietary restrictions, you can exclude 1 or 2 ingredients from a limited list, such as mushrooms, tree nuts, and shellfish). This is helpful for people on strict training regimens, but those looking for a more flexible diet plan may find Trifecta too restrictive. If you have multiple allergen intolerances, consider subscribing to Home Chef.
Trifecta chefs prepare American classics only. So, check out other meal delivery services if you're a fan of international dishes.
Consume food from this company within 7 days from delivery. To keep its meals for future use, freeze them before their expiration date and eat them within 3 months.
The minimum Trifecta order is 7 single-serving meals, with a maximum of 21 meals. Prices start at $6.00 per serving. Cincinnati residents also pay a $9.99 delivery fee to get their boxes.
Recipes with 6 ingredients per dish
100+ menu items each week, including desserts and breakfasts
Low-calorie, vegetarian, low-carb, and other options available
Dinnerly is the most affordable meal delivery service on this list. Everybody loves a bargain, but we also want to feed our families the best food we can. So what does Dinnerly give you for your money?
You get over 100 choices each week with your Dinnerly subscription. Our expert reviewer noted that Dinnerly’s menu offers you more choices than many more expensive services. Low cost definitely doesn’t mean low quality, and sometimes, you’ll even find organic produce in the kits.
Dinnerly meals use 6 ingredients or less, which helps keep down costs. But meals like the Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin pictured above keep mealtimes adventurous and most importantly, tasty. Because Dinnerly is owned by the same company that owns Marley Spoon, it offers some interesting spice blends and flavors alongside its family-friendly meals.
Check dishes marked with the Customizable label for food substitution options. Depending on the meal, you could swap ground turkey for ground beef or replace gluten-free pasta with a different pasta type. But note that some of these changes might incur an extra fee.
Dinnerly cuts costs by providing digital recipe cards rather than paper ones. Another area where Dinnerly makes cuts is in the meal kit packaging. Where many other services pack ingredients by recipe, Dinnerly leaves it to you to sort through the box and work out what’s needed for which recipe. This saves on unnecessary packaging materials (especially plastic). The ingredients are all labeled, so sorting them shouldn’t be too hard but will add a few minutes to your meal prep time.
A downside of the digital recipe cards is that the instructions don’t include accompanying images. You have to read instructions on Dinnerly’s website while cooking. This isn’t for everyone, and if you’re a novice cook, then this may make the meal prep process quite difficult. HelloFresh, on the other hand, provides detailed visual aids.
Dinnerly labels include choices like:
Under 30 Minutes
Dairy Free
Kid Friendly
Low Calorie
No Added Gluten
Dinnerly provides an excellent assortment of vegetarian and pescatarian dishes, with roughly 10 vegetarian and 3-4 seafood options featured every week. Additionally, several vegan entrees are usually included, which is rare among low-cost meal services. You can even indicate a preference for vegetarian meals when you sign up.
Market by Dinnerly offers grocery items and ingredients, soups, drinks, and breakfast choices such as crepes and egg bites. Dinnerly also offers a selection of pre-made meals.
Prices start at $2.12 per serving. You can order 2 to 6 meals every week. The meals come in 2-serving or 4-serving portions. Cincinnatians also pay a fixed-priced $11.99 delivery fee to get their meals.
The company has fresh and frozen dishes
Each dietary plan has 3 or 4 programs
A program for people with diabetes is also available
Nutrisystem is a top-tier weight-loss meal delivery service. It's particularly popular among couples wanting to slim down together with its Partner plan. And they can potentially shed about 18 pounds combined in a week. And it's not just talk. Scientific research supports the idea that people losing weight in groups might see faster results than going solo.
Nutrisystem is worth a try if you're looking for a way to manage your hunger. It crafts filling meals that keep hunger at bay for about 5 hours. Its meals are low in calories and packed with protein. To give you an idea, most of the dishes on its menu feature between 150 and 400 calories, boasting up to 30 grams of protein.
The company presents various options categorized as Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Breakfasts feature rolls, French toast, waffles, and cereals. Lunches include soups, salads, burritos, flatbreads, and noodles, among other alternatives. Some Dinner options are pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, and meatballs.
The service prides itself on a large selection of snacks, too. These include mini sandwiches, cookies, pretzels, and bars. While browsing the Snacks section, you'll likely find treats such as Butter Popcorn, Chocolate Cheesecake, Lemon Zest Cake, and Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake.
Take advantage of menu filters to refine your selections. They help you pinpoint options according to 6 factors. Allergens you don't want in your diet, storage condition, and nutrition (Lower Sodium, Good Source of Fiber, etc.) are some, to give you an idea. Check out our in-depth review to learn some other useful information about Nutrisystem.
It remains inconclusive whether this weight-loss service sources organic foods. If you prioritize organic ingredients, I suggest subscribing to Green Chef, a certified organic meal kit delivery service.
Nutrisystem has several gender-specific dietary plans for you to choose from. And each has a few programs, some of which could be Essentials, Uniquely Yours Max+, Complete 55, and a Partner plan. Generally, you can mix and match the weight-loss company's dishes with your go-to groceries. But stick to its meals for the first week to prime your body for effective fat burning.
All plans offer an exclusive weight-loss app. The NuMi app lets you customize your meal plan and introduces recipes inspired by restaurant favorites. With it, you can adjust your chosen dietary plan and keep tabs on your weight-loss journey.
The company ships fresh and frozen meals. And you'll identify frozen recipes thanks to the accompanying label on the website. In general, dishes boast an impressive shelf life, usually ranging from 6 to 18 months.
Nutrisystem ranks among the more wallet-friendly meal delivery options. The daily cost fluctuates depending on the plan you select, with rates kicking off from $8.54. As for shipping, your subscription type and the box's value play a role in determining the fee.
Top Plans | |||||||||||
Top Plans | ![]() | ||||||||||
Our Rating | |||||||||||
Our Rating | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 9.1 |
Starting Price | |||||||||||
Starting Price | $6.19 Per Serving | $5.99 Per Serving | $3.32 Per Serving | $7.99 Per Serving | $7.99 Per Serving | $5.74 Per Serving | $8.24 Per Serving | $8.50 Per Serving | $6.00 Per Serving | $2.12 Per Serving | $8.54 Per Serving |
Minimum Order | |||||||||||
Minimum Order | 6 prepared meals | 3 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 10 prepared meals | 3 meal kits for 2 people/6 prepared meals | 7 meals | 3 meals for 2 people | 6 meals for 4 days |
Meal Types | |||||||||||
Meal Types | Prepared meals | 30-minute meal kits | Meal kits, speedy kits, prepared meals | Kits, speedy kits, oven-ready | Oven- & grill-ready, kits, prepared | 20 - 60 min. meal kits | Prepared meals | Meal kits, prepared meals | Prepared | 30-minute meal kits | Prepared meals, shelf-stable, and frozen food |
Prep Time | |||||||||||
Prep Time | 2-3 min | 25-40 min | 5-50 min | 5-50 min | 15-30 min | 5-45 min | 2-3 min | 3-40 min | 0-3 min | 20-45 min | 0-3 min |
Active Deals | |||||||||||
Active Deals |
Cincinnati is a big city with many culinary options. So it can be difficult to choose a meal delivery service that works for you all the time. To give you a hand, here are some of the criteria I used in choosing the candidates for this best meal delivery services list:
Know your skill level in the kitchen: I enjoy trying various meal delivery services for the culinary adventure. You get to cook and taste recipes that may not have come your way otherwise. Still, if you don’t know how to boil an egg, it’s best to stick to ready-to-eat meals from a service like Factor.
Avoid monotony: Constantly eating the same thing can quickly become monotonous. Therefore, consider the size and variety of the menu and how often it changes.
Price isn’t the most important factor: Of course, this is only true when you’re not on a tight budget. Still, there are options even when the funds are low (check Dinnerly’s offers). In most cases, you should have a few different options that fit within your budget, so make sure you know your dietary needs.
Sample multiple services: In a city like Cincinnati, where meal delivery choices are abundant, I recommend shortlisting your top 3 services and giving each a try.
Both Factor and Green Chef deserve the award for Cincinnati’s best meal delivery service. Factor is the best prepared meal delivery service offering great value-for-money meals. Green Chef is the finest meal kit delivery service sourcing organic but tasty ingredients.
Factor is our top choice when it comes to prepared meals. Factor meals are designed by dietitians and prepared by chefs, with options for vegetarians, vegans and keto dieters.
HelloFresh has the widest selection of family-friendly meals for picky eaters, especially children. HelloFresh’s high-quality ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes make it a great choice for busy parents trying to get fussy eaters to eat better.
Dinnerly is the most budget-friendly meal delivery service in Cincinnati, with prices starting at $2.12 per serving. But Dinnerly isn’t just cheap, it’s a great value that gives you over 100 meal kits and add-ons to choose from each week.