10 Best Meal Delivery Services in Rochester, NY 2023

Looking for the best meal delivery service in Rochester for your needs? I’ve done the research to give you the best overview of all your options. Rochester has a lot to offer. It’s got sights and sounds, and good eats to go around.

There are a number of meal delivery services that serve the Rochester area. All of them are high-quality, professional, and worth taking a look at. For your benefit, I’ve researched a total of ten such services and ranked them below.

The overall winner was Home Chef because of its flexibility and versatility. It just outshines all the others. Of course, you might disagree – that’s what the other nine are for.

So, let’s dig in together and get the lowdown on all your options.

The Best Meal Delivery Services in Rochester, NY Reviewed

1. Home Chef – Best Customized Plan in Rochester

Garlic-Sesame Steak Rice Bowl

Key Features

• Recipes of multiple skill levels that rotate regularly

• 30+ unique recipes per week

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

• Current deal: Get 60% off your first three boxes

The watchword at Home Chef is customization. I’ve yet to find another meal delivery service as versatile as Home Chef. It has a Customize It feature so you can swap the protein component of certain meals for something more to your tastes. You can easily add meals or edit servings. Just remember to make changes to your order before 12 pm CT each Friday.

However, that’s only one side of Home Chef’s versatility. To learn more about Home Chef, check out this excellent review by one of my dedicated colleagues. The company also offers six different kinds of meal kits including the regular Meal Kit, the 15 Minute Meal Kit, and Fast & Fresh.

So, if you’ve planned a visit to Rochester’s Highland Park and you need a meal to fuel the trip, you can whip up a 15 Minute Meal Kit or pop a Fast & Fresh kit in the microwave. Et voila!

3. Purple Carrot – Best Option for Rochester’s Vegetarians

Mushroom Reuben

Key Features

• Plant-based breakfasts, lunches, and dinners

• 12-14 unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include gluten-free, soy-free, low-cal, and more

• Current deal: Get $30 off with code carrot30

The motto of Purple Carrot should be everything plant. It’s entirely dedicated to vegetarian and vegan meals. It doesn’t offer meat products at all, instead, it relies entirely on veggies. So, if you live in Rochester and you’re a vegan or vegetarian, you might want to take a long, hard look at Purple Carrot. It may be the right service for you.

You can check out my colleague’s professional review of Purple Carrot for more details. You’ll learn about how Purple Carrot wraps into its vegetarian offering a number of environmental and humanitarian initiatives to make the company not just a business but a movement and a calling.

Purple Carrot meals result in far less carbon being released into the atmosphere, far less water being consumed, and far less waste than the average American meal. It’s also a reliable supporter of The Farmlink Project to help fight food insecurity.

4. HelloFresh – Best Family-Friendly Plan for Rochester

One-Pan Pulled Pork Banh Mi

Key Features

• Hundreds of recorded recipes available for reference

• 25 unique recipes offered every week

• Meal plans include: Meat & Veggie, Veggie, Family-Friendly, and Pescatarian

• Current deal: 18 free meals + first box ships free + 3 surprise gifts with code DR18HF

HelloFresh is well-known for having not only healthy food but an entire meal plan dedicated to families. The recipes are usually fairly easy and can be prepared in just six steps. That can make the whole meal – from prep to eating to clean up – an exciting, fun-filled experience for the whole family.

Check out this detailed review of HelloFresh. To help you make your selection from among the many meals offered, HelloFresh provides a difficulty ranking on every meal from one to three. This can be quite helpful, particularly for those family-friendly meals.

With HelloFresh in your corner, you’ll have no problem planning a great family day out at The Strong National Museum of Play. You can entertain your kids and then wrap it all up with a family meal everyone will enjoy.

5. Sunbasket – Best for Specialized Diets in Rochester

Chicken Breast with Olive-Leek Sauce and Sautéed Kale

Key Features

• Certified organic handler

• 42 unique recipes per week

• 10 dietary plans including Paleo, Carb-Conscious, Gluten-Free, and more

• Current deal: $90 off plus a free gift!

Sunbasket shines as a source of healthy, organic food, but the reason I think it’s remarkable is the vast number of options on the site. As noted above, there are 42 recipes spread across 10 dietary plans. It also offers both normal meal kits for the full cooking experience as well as Fresh & Ready meals which just need to be heated.

You can learn more about Sunbasket in this dedicated review. Sunbasket also offers lunch, breakfast, snacks, and a whole host of other Market items listed on its menu.

So, if your tastes are known to shift and fluctuate from day to day and week to week in your wanderings around Rochester, check out Sunbasket. It’s got options for everyone. You won’t be disappointed.

6. Marley Spoon – Great Celebrity-Endorsed Option for Rochesterites

Grilled Ranch Steak and Zucchini 

Key Features

• Step-by-step recipes with photos that are easy to follow

• 40 unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include vegetarian, vegan, classic, and more

• Current deal: Get $270 off your first 8 boxes!

The most obvious point about Marley Spoon is that it uses recipes designed by Martha Stewart. And in the world of culinary experts, there aren’t very many names bigger than hers. She adds her culinary expertise in crafting exciting recipes and providing her own special spice blends.

To learn more about Martha Stewart and Marley Spoon check out this dedicated review. Marley Spoon also has an app to help you change your account settings when needed and also allows you to manage your orders.

So, if you’re planning an exciting weekend, like going to the RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium, Marley Spoon might be able to help. It can round off your activities with a pre-portioned meal crafted by Martha Stewart, herself. Yum!

7. Freshly – Fastest Meals to Your Mouth in Rochester

Homestyle Chicken

Key Features

• Meals sized for just one person

• 60 unique recipes per week plus proteins and sides

• Dietary options include vegan, low-cal, high protein, nut-free, and more

• Current deal: Get $175 off your first 7 boxes!

Freshly’s claim to fame is the remarkable speed with which its meals can be prepared. They’re all microwavable meals that just require thorough heating. This usually only takes around 3 minutes. And as you can order anywhere from 4 to 12 meals at a time, you can easily stock up for a week.

To learn more about the company you can read this expert review of Freshly by one of my colleagues. Freshly offers fewer processed ingredients that are naturally sweet to decrease the use of added sugar. As Freshly says, it offers only “thoughtful” ingredients.

So, if you have plans to see all the Rochester sites, but you’re in a rush to get out of the house, Freshly may have the plan for you. The meals are speedy, nutritious, and perfectly portioned for one.

8. Green Chef – Best Keto & Paleo Service in Rochester

Harissa-Spiced Shrimp

Key Features

• Easy, step-by-step recipes incorporating tips from professional chefs

• 9-10 unique recipes per plan each week

• Dietary options include: keto, paleo, plant-based, gluten-free, and more

• Current deal: Get $250 off + free shipping

One of the most significant features of Green Chef is its Keto + Paleo menu. It recently expanded its list of dietary options to six giving you a wider choice. But still, the Keto + Paleo menu is the shining star. Having an entire dedicated menu can be a godsend to Keto and Paleo dieters.

To learn more about Green Chef and its varied dietary plans look at this excellent review. Green Chef is a USDA-certified organic company that uses high-quality, sustainable ingredients. The ingredients all come pre-measured and pre-prepped saving you time in the kitchen too. 

For all the health aficionados in Rochester developing a fitness routine, you can get your fill of exercise at Ontario Beach Park while fueling yourself with meals from Green Chef’s Keto + Paleo diet plan.

9. EveryPlate – Best Low-Cost Meal Delivery Service for Rochesterites

Garlic Rosemary Chicken

Key Features

• No commitment required

• 16 unique recipes per week

• 4 different menus: ClassicPlate, VeggiePlate, FamilyPlate, and EasyPlate

• Current deal: $1.39/meal on your 1st box

EveryPlate is, by far, the least expensive meal delivery service I’ve ever reviewed or encountered online. It’s no surprise that its offerings are less expensive than any other service in Rochester that made it on our list. I mean, really, $1.49 per serving. That’s hard to beat.

Check out this dedicated review on EveryPlate that gives you all the details about the service. EveryPlate also offers a few premium dishes which are a little bit fancier than the other meals but do cost a few extra bucks.

So, maybe you’re a struggling artist who frequents Rochester’s Artisan Works for inspiration. If you’re looking for really inexpensive meals without sacrificing too much in the way of quality, EveryPlate may be just the service for you.

10. Grubhub – Best Food Delivery Service in Rochester

Bacon Temptation Omelette

Key Features

• Pick-up or delivery from nearly any restaurant near you

• Nearly limitless options per week

• Nearly limitless dietary options depending on 3rd-party restaurants

Grubhub is a food delivery service, not a meal delivery service. As such, it’ll pick up your order from whatever 3rd-party restaurant in Rochester that you order from. This gives diners an opportunity to satisfy whatever food craving they might have, be it a standard go-to or something a little exotic and new.

Grubhub has several special programs on offer to its diners. The first is called Grubhub Perks. It gives you access to a slew of special deals and rewards from all the restaurants near you. It even offers a referral bonus for all your friends you get to try Grubhub. Awesome. Right?

There’s also Grubhub+ which includes Perks as above, but it also gives you free delivery on all orders above $12 from GH+ restaurants. What a deal!

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Service in Rochester, NY

I’ve listed below some tips to help you review and rank meal delivery services in Rochester, NY and help you choose the best one for you.

• Customizability: Look at the customizability of any meal delivery service in Rochester, NY to see how flexible it is in suiting your needs. The more versatile the service, the better off you’ll be if you go with them.

• Selection: Another feature to look at amongst the various meal delivery services in Rochester, NY is their selection. Obviously, the larger the selection, the better they’ll be. A company that offers 50 recipes a week has a strong advantage over one that only offers 10.

• Prep Ease: Look for meal delivery services in Rochester, NY that offer meals that are easy and/or quick to prepare. Unless you’re really into cooking, look for those meals that are ready in 30 minutes or so.

• Price: Last, but not least, is price. Everyone wants to save money. So, when you look at the meal delivery services in Rochester, NY, be sure to do some price comparisons and take those into account before making your decision.

Bottom Line: What is the Best Meal Delivery Service in Rochester, NY?

I looked at 10 meal delivery services in Rochester, NY and researched each one in-depth. After a careful review, the nod went to Home Chef. Although it only offers four dietary plans, it has features that augment its offerings in clever, useful ways. Check out the Home Chef recipes here for more info.

Home Chef has an extensive number of recipes that can be customized and altered to fit your liking and improve your experience. It’s just a tough act to follow and is a solid choice for a meal delivery service in Rochester.

FAQ

What is the best meal delivery service for seniors in Rochester NY?

If asked to pick a meal delivery service for seniors in Rochester, NY, I’d go with Blue Apron because of its high-quality, healthy, nutritious food. In general, most meal delivery services score high marks in the area of nutrition, so at some level, nearly any service would do – but Blue Apron remains a solid choice and would be my first go-to.

What is the best paleo meal delivery service in Rochester, NY?

My go-to for a paleo meal in Rochester, NY would be Green Chef because it has an entire menu dedicated to Paleo and Keto dieters. You might be able to find a few paleo meals on other services, but you’re guaranteed to find several on Green Chef.

The food is nutritious and often organic. It’s a high-quality service. Another possibility would be Sunbasket. It has a large offering as well as an entire meal plan dedicated to the paleo diet.

What is the least expensive meal delivery service in Rochester, NY?

If you’re looking for an inexpensive meal delivery service in Rochester, NY, it’s tough to beat EveryPlate. With meals coming in at $1.49 per serving, and a modest selection of recipes, you may just find the service you’re looking for.

And don’t forget, EveryPlate also offers a few premium dishes, if you get a craving for something a little more elegant.