10 Best Meal Delivery Services in Philadelphia 2021 Dig In!

With so many amazing restaurants and culinary traditions, Philadelphia is a wonderful place to be a foodie. Pretzels, hoagies, water ice, and the ubiquitous cheesesteak are just some of the many delectable eats that can be found in the city. But how do you keep things exciting when cooking in your own kitchen?

Meal delivery kits make it easy and enjoyable to cook meals at home. Chef-curated recipes come together with portioned, high-quality ingredients, making it simpler than ever to create delicious dinners. Whether you’re an experienced home cook or a total newbie, there’s a meal delivery service for you.

Short on Time? Here Are the Best Meal Delivery Services in Philadelphia for 2021

• Home Chef – Customizable dishes for every Philadelphian palate

• Sunbasket – Organic meals and snacks to suit any diet for Philadelphians

• HelloFresh –  Huge variety and great value meal kit in Philadelphia

• Comparison table

• FAQ

What’s the Difference Between Meal Delivery and Food Delivery?

Meal delivery services provide recipes and ingredients to allow you to prepare delicious, chef-designed meals from the comfort of your own kitchen. Some, like Veestro and Freshly, go a step further and provide prepared meals that simply need to be reheated and served. 

Food delivery services, including Grubhub and Postmates, take the convenience factor to a whole new level. They allow you to order meals from your favorite restaurants for immediate delivery, giving you hot, chef-cooked dinners, desserts, and snacks in just minutes.

Our 10 Best Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Home Chef – Customizable Dishes for Every Philadelphian Palate

Home Chef Best Features 

• Menu includes Easy Prep and 15-Minute Meal Kits

• Most dishes can be customized by swapping the protein

• Ample selection of Calorie-Conscious, Carb-Conscious, and Vegetarian dishes 

• Protein Packs let you add meats to your weekly shipment

Home Chef in a Nutshell 

Home Chef takes the top spot on our list because of its comprehensive menu. 

This service also provides meal kits for every schedule and level of experience. 

My colleague actually tested Home Chef and wrote about it in her expert Home Chef review.

Looking to challenge yourself? Try something like the Tempura Mahi-Mahi from Home Chef’s Culinary Collection. Looking for something you can just toss in the oven for an easy weeknight dinner? The Smoky Tex-Mex Shrimp Penne takes mere minutes of prep.

Almost every dish comes with Customize It options, allowing you to swap the protein (including a variety of plant-based proteins) to suit your taste. This, along with its extensive menu, is why Home Chef is such a great service, no matter where you live.

2. Sunbasket – Organic Meals and Snacks to Suit Any Diet in Philadelphia

Sunbasket Best Features 

• Offers both meal kits and prepared meals 

• Add breakfast, proteins, groceries, and snacks to your box 

• Caters to a wide variety of diets, including paleo, gluten-free, and vegan

Sunbasket in a Nutshell 

One thing that separates Sunbasket from most of its competitors is the option to order its prepared Fresh & Ready meals as well as cook-it-yourself meal kits. After all, some nights you want the experience of preparing a meal from scratch, while other nights you may just be in need of a quick and easy dinner. 

We go into more detail on what makes Sunbasket so unique - particularly the pro-environmental ethos - in our expert Sunbasket review.

Sunbasket furthers its status as a one-stop-shop by also offering an extensive selection of grocery items. In addition to meal kits and prepared meals, you can purchase a staggering selection of organic produce, ranging from gluten-free sourdough and soft French cheeses to sustainably sourced lobster tails and plant-based hot dogs.

3. HelloFresh – Huge Variety and Great Value Meal Kit in Philadelphia

HelloFresh Best Features 

• Several plans, including Calorie-Smart and Family Friendly

• Oven-Ready dishes include trays for ultra-easy prep

• Budget-friendly recipes start from $7.49 per serving 

HelloFresh in a Nutshell 

I know it may be blasphemous to suggest that anything could compare to the experience of getting a fresh cheesesteak from Dalessandro's or one of the many other steak shops in Philly, but hear us out: creating your own is easier and tastier than you might think. 

You can learn more about HelloFresh works in my colleague’s expert review.

HelloFresh’s take on the classic includes red bell peppers and a side of green beans, adding a healthier refinement to the iconic Philadelphian dish. If you can’t be tempted to stray from your local joint, however, HelloFresh offers dozens of other delicious recipes every week. 

Whether you’re looking for Calorie-Smart dishes to keep your diet on track, or Family Friendly recipes to feed the whole clan, HelloFresh offers around 25 options each week. It’s also one of the most affordable meal kits on the market, making it easy to see why so many families have turned to HelloFresh to help make meal planning easier.

4. Blue Apron – Exotic Recipes to Fit Your Schedule

Blue Apron Best Features 

• Easy Prep & Cleanup recipes to limit your time in the kitchen

• WW-Approved dishes keep your diet on track

• Exclusive access to delicious wines and food-pairing tips

Blue Apron in a Nutshell 

Blue Apron’s varied menu and step-by-step recipes ensure that home cooks of all ages can find dishes that are as enjoyable to make as they are to eat. Philadelphians have deservedly high standards for Italian dishes, but you can’t deny the appeal of a one-pan, holistically healthy dish like the Sheet Pan Italian Pork Roast pictured above.

The service even offers recipes designed to be prepared and cooked using minimal utensils, making cleanup a breeze. The Pork Roast is also one example of Blue Apron’s Wellness dishes – a range of recipes designed in collaboration with nutritionists with holistic health in mind. 

You can learn about this more in our expert Blue Apron review.

Combine these features with Blue Apron’s very reasonable pricing and flexible delivery, and it’s easy to see why this is one of the most popular meal kits in America.

5. Freshly – Natural and Healthy Prepared Meals

Freshly Best Features 

• Single-serve meals delivered fresh, ready to heat and eat

• The entire menu is gluten- and peanut-free

• Nutrient-dense, with less sugar and processed ingredients 

Freshly in a Nutshell 

Eating healthily can be a tall order in a culinary hotspot like Philadelphia. The ubiquitous cheesesteak, hoagies, pretzels, and other tasty indulgences are hard to resist, but using a meal delivery service like Freshly is a great way to enjoy a healthy, balanced diet with minimal effort. 

My colleague recently tried Freshly and goes into more detail on the unique menu options in her full-length Freshly review.

Freshly provides individually portioned meals ready for you to heat and enjoy in minutes. The company’s gluten- and peanut-free menu is also low in sugar and processed ingredients, allowing you to enjoy healthy but delicious dishes packed with veggies and seasonal ingredients. 

The company makes it easy to manage your dietary preferences, too, with dairy-free and soy-free options available. Its filters include Carb Conscious, Sodium Smart, Protein Powerhouse, and more, so you’re sure to find meals to fit your diet and lifestyle. 

6. Green Chef – Organic Meal Kits For Every Lifestyle

Green Chef Best Features 

• Sustainable ingredients, all organic and non-GMO

• Meal plans include Keto + Paleo , Plant-Powered , and more 

• Signature sauces and secret-recipe seasonings to enjoy 

Green Chef in a Nutshell 

Even in a varied city like Philadelphia, it can be difficult to stick to a specific diet, like paleo, keto, or vegan. So if you’re looking for a meal kit delivery service that’ll help you stay on track, Green Chef is one of the best to get good quality recipes and ingredients for low-carb and plant-based diets.

In addition to the company’s Keto + Paleo and Plant-Powered plans, there’s also a Balanced Living menu offering a range of healthy, portion-controlled recipes. As a bonus, Green Chef is a USDA-certified organic company that prioritizes sustainably sourced ingredients and local, artisanal suppliers.

You can learn more about Green Chef’s unique service in our dedicated review.

It’s also a company out to prove that diet-friendly dishes don’t have to skimp on flavor. One example is its Seared Cheese with Gremolata, Sautéed Zucchini, Mushrooms, and Red Pepper Sauce: it’s keto, gluten-free, and packed with veggies, as well as being absolutely delicious! 

7. EveryPlate – Affordable Meal Kits for All to Enjoy

EveryPlate Best Features 

• Most affordable meal kit at $4.99 per serving

• 16 new dishes every week

• Easy-to-follow recipes broken down into six simple steps 

EveryPlate in a Nutshell 

The cost of living in Philly perhaps isn’t quite as exorbitant as other big cities like New York or LA, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to save a few bucks where you can. EveryPlate is a meal delivery service designed with your budget in mind. 

It’s far and away the most affordable meal kit on the market. Your weekly subscription lets you enjoy easy and flavorful dishes like Lemon Herb Turkey Cavatappi from as little as $4.99 per serving. 

We give details on what makes EveryPlate so affordable, and just want this service has to offer, in our expert EveryPlate review

EveryPlate’s recipes are tasty, varied, and cheap, but keep in mind that it’s not a company that caters to specific dietary requirements or allergies. It does offer flexible ordering options, however, allowing you to quickly increase, decrease, or even cancel your meals at any time. 

8. Veestro – Stock Up on Prepared Plant-Based Meals

Veestro Best Features 

• Extensive menu of more than 40 plant-based dishes

• Dedicated Weight Loss plan available 

• Pick up breakfast, lunch, and dinner 

Veestro in a Nutshell 

Veestro is a purely plant-based meal delivery service with a slightly different business model from the other companies on this list. 

You can get the full scoop in our Veestro review, but the short of it is that, rather than offering a rotating menu that changes weekly, Veestro has an extensive a la carte menu. Choose from more than 40 prepared lunches and dinners, and eight breakfast items, all of which are available whenever you place an order.

Our favorite thing about Veestro’s menu is the number of plant-based versions of classic comfort-food dishes. Whether it’s Chick’n Nuggets, Baked Mac & Cheez, or the Shepherdless Pie, Veestro makes it easy for vegans and vegetarians to enjoy their favorite dishes while sticking to a plant-based diet.

9. Grubhub – Best Food Delivery in Philly

Grubhub Best Features 

• Many local restaurants offer free delivery

• Five-star rating system helps you find new places to order from

• Track your dinner via the easy-to-use app 

Grubhub in a Nutshell 

For those nights when only a takeout will do, food delivery services like Grubhub make it easy to get your fix of locally-made hoagies, pretzels, and other classic Philly dishes, direct from the restaurants.

Simply order through Grubhub’s app or website, and you can enjoy freshly cooked meals and desserts in as little as 20 to 30 minutes. Delivery charges vary by restaurant but a large number of Philly-based eateries offer free delivery.

10. Postmates – Food, Snacks, and Convenience Items Delivered

Postmates Best Features 

• Order from restaurants and convenience stores alike

• Daily Deals provide discounts on selected restaurants 

• Handy map feature to see nearby shops

• Delivery from most places is just $1.99

Postmates in a Nutshell 

Like its competitor Grubhub, Postmates is a food delivery service on a mission to deliver freshly prepared meals from restaurants to your door. Since every eatery has its own delivery fee, it’s hard to directly compare the difference in price between the two services. 

One feature that separates Postmates from its competition, however, is the option to also order items from convenience stores. This means you can use just one service to get everything you need – from Wawa hoagies to party supplies. 

Best Meal Delivery Services in Philadelphia: Comparison Table

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

Philadelphia has one of the liveliest food scenes in the United States, but that doesn’t mean Philly residents don’t want to save time and money in the kitchen! Meal delivery services are a great way for households across the US to streamline their daily dinners.

By getting prepared ingredients and recipes delivered to your door, you can take the headache out of planning and cooking meals while also introducing your family to new cuisines. No matter your budget, tastes, or dietary preferences, there’s guaranteed to be a meal delivery service that fits your needs.

FAQ

What is the best prepared meal delivery service in Philadelphia?

Sunbasket’s Fresh & Ready meals are some of our favorite prepared meal delivery options in Philadelphia. The company’s ability to cater to a broad number of dietary needs makes it easy for just about everyone to find a dish they love. The option to get meal kits as well as prepared meals from Sunbasket is a bonus for folks who like to dabble in the kitchen.

What is the best meal delivery service for weight loss in Philadelphia?

Veestro’s dedicated Weight Loss plan is among the most rigorous diet plans in the game. By providing you with all your daily meals for up to seven days per week, Veestro makes it easy to track your calorie consumption. 

What is the cheapest prepared meal delivery service in Philadelphia?

Freshly’s starting price of $8.49 per serving makes it the least expensive service for prepared meals in Philadelphia. 

If saving money is your goal, though, then you should definitely consider EveryPlate. Though you will have to prep and cook your meals yourself, EveryPlate represents the ultimate value in meal delivery services, with prices as low as $4.99 per serving.

What is the healthiest meal delivery service in Philadelphia?

Freshly’s commitment to reducing added sugar and processed ingredients in its meals makes it one of the healthiest meal delivery services on the market. “Healthy” can, of course, mean different things to different people. 

Sunbasket and Green Chef offer certified organic ingredients and can cater to many specific dietary preferences, including paleo and plant-based diets. These three services are all healthy in their own way.