10 Best Meal Delivery Services in San Diego 2023: Updated

San Diego is a great place to live, but cooking healthy meals can be challenging between working, commuting, and enjoying San Diego’s year-round idyllic climate for outdoor activities.

I’m a professional meal delivery service reviewer, so I’ve studied service options and consulted with my colleagues to bring you an authoritative list of the 10 best meal delivery services in San Diego.

Factor wins my top spot for its quality prepared meals, healthy ingredients, and add-ons. But every meal delivery service on this list has something to offer. San Diego is a diverse city, and so I’ve included meals that suit every palate and specialized dietary need.

Curious? Read on and learn how you can save time and eat better.

The Best Meal Delivery Services in San Diego Reviewed

1. Factor – Best Prepared Keto Meals in San Diego

Registered dietitians (RDs) design and approve all Factor meals to ensure they have balanced macronutrients, making them much more than your traditional microwave dinner. Factor brings convenience to omnivores as well as plant-based eaters with its Vegan & Veggie plan. You can also find fully prepared vegan-friendly juices, smoothies, and overnight oats in the Add-Ons section.

What shows Factor’s great customer service is its free consultation with a registered dietitian. You can speak to one of Factor’s on-call RDs who can help you determine whether Factor meals are a good fit for your diet and fitness goals. While most meal delivery services require that you confirm your first order before speaking with an RD, Factor doesn’t.

Our expert reviewer said that if you're looking for prepared meals, "Factor is up there with some of the best." Each week, the menu includes 35 recipes and 40+ add-ons available and rotates some recipes and add-on items. You mostly find American and Mediterranean recipes, with some Asian and Southeast Asian-inspired dishes like Thai Almond Chicken with Sweet Potato Noodles and Spicy Thai Cabbage.

Factor prioritizes sourcing high-quality, humane, and sustainably grown ingredients, with non-GMO and mostly organic produce used in every recipe. All poultry and eggs are cage- and antibiotic-free, all meats are pasture-raised or grass-fed, and the salmon is sustainably sourced. You won't have to think twice about the quality of your meals each time you heat and eat them.

Meal plans cover a wide range of diets with 5 plans: Chef's Choice, Vegan & Veggie, Keto, Calorie Smart, and Protein Plus. These plans are more like menu filters once you enter your payment info and choose your meals. So, you can mix and match these plans to suit your preferences.

Most add-ons are suitable for keto eaters, with few accommodations for other diets. While some add-ons may not be suitable for plant-based eaters, most add-ons are fully prepared protein additions, egg-based breakfasts, and keto desserts like Strawberry Goat Cheese keto-friendly cheesecake.

Factor's recipes are integrated into popular calorie-tracking apps like MyFitnessPal, LoseIt, and Carb Manager. This allows you to track all your macronutrients and vitamin intake by simply finding the meals you ordered in the app and adding them to your daily food log.

Ordering and managing your Factor subscription is straightforward, with an iOS and Android-compatible mobile app available, or sign-up via the desktop website. The FAQ is easy to navigate, the chatbot provides accurate responses, and the 24/7 live chat is convenient for last-minute questions or order change requests.

You can order 6 to 18 meals per week and supplement them with protein smoothies for a complete week of fully prepared meals, allowing you to conveniently cover every meal of the week with fully prepared, high-quality food. Pricing starts at $6.19 per serving for the maximum order.

2. HelloFresh – Best Family-Friendly Meal Kits

HelloFresh is the largest meal delivery service in the world, and they've honed the craft of delivering fresh, high-quality ingredients right to your door.

When you sign up for HelloFresh, you can choose from 6 different meal plans, including Meat & Veggies, Veggie, Family Friendly, Fit & Wholesome, Quick & Easy, and Pescatarian. You can even mix and match plans to create even more options.

With over 50+ meal kit recipes available each week, HelloFresh's menu mainly features American cuisine but also has some Mediterranean and Mexican influences. It offers a wide range of recipes, from classic favorites to new and exciting dishes. For example, the Crunchy Curried Chickpea Bowl with Kale, Golden Raisins, and Pickled Cabbage is a popular choice.

HelloFresh's latest feature, HelloCustom, lets you swap proteins on some entrees. You can swap meats for vegetarian options or double portions. And HelloFresh's new HelloFresh Market offers grocery items like fresh proteins, spices, produce, and desserts. If you're brand-new to meal delivery services, HelloFresh is a great place to start.

Read our review to learn more about HelloFresh's menu and service features. My colleague tried the meals for themselves and said that “HelloFresh's recipes are "foolproof".

Most recipes take about 30 minutes to prepare, with prep times ranging from 10 to 50 minutes. For busy nights, HelloFresh also offers One-Pot Wonder and Quick & Easy meals that only take 10 to 15 minutes of prep time.

There are also 4 or 5 recipes labeled as "10-minute lunches" each week, which are perfect for those in a hurry. One such option is the Hoisin Pulled Pork with Lime-Marinated Cucumber and Crispy Fried Onions. This is perfect for when you’re in a rush but still want to eat healthily.

HelloFresh makes prep as non-intimidating as possible and preps ingredients according to meal portions and specifications. Ingredients are also separated according to each recipe, which is great for minimizing food waste and decreasing prep time. However, you'll still need to do some basic prep work like chopping, trimming, washing, patting dry, seasoning, and frying.

One downside to HelloFresh is that you can't filter the main menu by recipe type, which can be inconvenient. However, the customer support team can assist if any issues arise. In fact, their customer support has been described as "hands-down outstanding" in a review.

HelloFresh has a minimum order requirement of 2 recipes for 2 people per week, with up to 6 recipes for 4 people per week. As you order more meals, the per-serving price decreases. The largest order starts at a per-serving price of $3.32.

3. Green Chef – Best For Organic Ingredients

Green Chef's produce is certified organic and non-GMO, ensuring you receive fresh, healthy, whole ingredients.

While the recipes aren't customizable, Green Chef offers 8 diet plan options, including Plant-Based, Keto, Gluten Free, Protein Powered, Mediterranean, Calorie Smart, Delicious Discoveries and Quick & Easy (gourmet recipes ready in under 25). All plan menus are posted for the next 3 weeks, so you can easily plan your meals.

Choosing a meal plan from Green Chef is flexible, as the service allows you to mix and match multiple plans. For example, you can combine the Plant-Based and and add the Gluten-Free plan to ensure you receive gluten-free, plant-based meals.

The cuisine is classic American with a lot of Mediterranean, Mexican, and Asian influences. You'll find American-influenced recipes like the Smoky Chicken Sandwich with honey butter, candied almonds, slaw, and roasted sweet potato (pictured above). This cuisine variety is great for the diverse array of San Diego residents.

Recipes are pretty easy to follow as meal kits arrive with pre-prepared sauces and seasonings, and pre-portioned produce. Meal kit prep takes an average of 30 to 45 minutes per meal. You can check out my colleagues tried and tested review of Green Chef's service for more information about its full service including cooking its meals.

Recipes are tagged according to the diet plan on the main menu, so you can quickly scan which recipes are right for you. For instance, its plant-based recipes are tagged as Vegan or Veggie, so you can easily find the weekly options available. You can even find flavor-packed 10-minute lunches, such as the Hot Honey Edamame Salad with Pineapple.

Green Chef also offers an extensive Add-Ons section, with fresh high-quality meats from Good Chop, breakfast and lunch entrees, desserts, and meal bundles.

Prices start at $5.99 per serving. This is likely to be more expensive than your standard weekly grocery shop but when you take into account that the produce is all organic and some is pre-prepped, it could be worth it. You can order 6 to 24 servings per week.

4. Home Chef – Best All-Around Meal Kit Service in San Diego

Home Chef’s prices, variety, and customizations are just as competitive as HelloFresh. While it’s hard to beat HelloFresh’s offering of 60+ recipes per week, Home Chef still offers 30+ meal kits of primarily American comfort food with some internationally inspired dishes.

Home Chef also scores big points for its Customize-It feature, which lets you swap or double up on proteins in many recipes. You can replace pork with sirloin steaks, order an extra serving of salmon filets, or add some meat to a vegetarian dish. Our reviewer found that customized proteins typically come with an upcharge, so be sure to double-check your order total.

Its meals offer something to please just about everyone. Home Chef’s Dilly Beef Gyros with Tzaziki, pictured above will satisfy families and sophisticated palates alike. You can also swap the beef for ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, or a double order of ground beef.

Protein upgrades also include premium cuts of meat like filet mignon or sirloin steak for those wanting to prepare a gourmet meal. And for the adventurous and creative chefs – you can order enough extras from Home Chef’s menu to create complete meals with proteins, veggies, sides, and desserts.

You can also order a different serving size for each recipe, while most standard meal kit delivery services will only let you choose 1 serving size for the whole order.

Home Chef loses points because it doesn’t cater to specialized diets, but you can filter the menu for vegetarian meals, of which there are about 5 or 6 each week. You can also customize proteins to make recipes pescatarian or double up on some proteins. This service is best for omnivores who have no allergies or special dietary needs.

I like that you can choose your weekly delivery day. Many areas have Monday through Friday delivery day options, but you’ll need to type in your zip code to see which days are available to you. You can even sign up to receive text message updates directly from the carrier, or check your delivery status via Home Chef’s mobile app.

Prices start at $7.99 per portion, and you can order 2 to 6 recipes per week for 2, 4, or 6 people. That gives you 4 to 36 portions per week, which is about 12 more portions than the average meal delivery service!

5. Fresh and Easy – Best Quick and Easy Meal Kits

Fresh and Easy is a selection of Home Chef's easiest recipes, which is great for you residents of San Diego who are pressed for time. Fresh and Easy meals come portioned, chopped, and ready to cook. Our Fresh and Easy reviewer found that they saved loads of time and hassle.

These recipes typically take 15 minutes or less to prep. The Salsa Verde Steak Strips pictured above is worthy of a date night, yet can be prepared in just 15 minutes.

What I find convenient is that you can still order from Home Chef's entire menu if you feel like cooking something more complicated. Home Chef's menu includes 20+ recipes per week, which expands your recipe options. You're free to mix and match Fresh and Easy and Home Chef meals as you please and add any extras from Home Chef's main menu.

Fresh and Easy is one of the services with the easiest meal prep options next to meal delivery services like Factor, which only offer microwave-ready meals. You can choose from all the Home Chef extras, including more easy prep and fully prepared meals like premixed salads, breads, frittatas, soups, and sides. You'll even find microwave-ready desserts like a Blueberry Lemon Butter Cake.

You can also customize proteins in recipes just as you can on the Home Chef menu. So you can swap fish for meat in some meals.

There's a downside to Fresh and Easy's menu in that you won't find specific diet plans on the menu. If you follow keto, gluten free, or vegan diets, you might want to select a different service on this list, like Green Chef. You might find some recipes that fit your diet, but you'll have to sift through ingredient cards on the main menu to find them.

Your minimum order is also the exact same as Home Chef – 2 recipes for 2 people per week, and the maximum is 6 recipes for 6 people. Prices are the same as Home Chef's and start at $7.99 per serving if you go with the maximum order.

6. Blue Apron – Best Gourmet Meal Kits in San Diego

Blue Apron offers Signature menus for both 2 and 4 people, making it an excellent choice for singles, couples, or small families. Additionally, Blue Apron provides diabetes-friendly meals and a Vegetarian menu. You'll also find that most cuisine is Mediterranean-inspired and includes some classic American and Asian influences.

What's useful for low-calorie dieters is Blue Apron's Wellness plan. Its restaurant-quality meals are around 500 to 650 calories per serving, with the Seared Chicken and Black Vinegar Pan Sauce with Sesame Potatoes and Glazed Carrots (pictured above) being just 1 of their many offerings.

A colleague of mine who reviewed Blue Apron found it great for beginner cooks with easy step-by-step instructions or the Cook Along button for a slideshow version of the recipe with pictures. They also offer videos for additional assistance. My colleague found Blue Apron to be "great for families and anyone looking to put weeknight meals on autopilot.".

Most recipes require 25 to 30 minutes of preparation, but there are 3 microwave-ready meals each week that only take 5 minutes to heat. Prepared meals use the same high-quality ingredients as Blue Apron's meal kits, including the Indian Style Vegetable Curry with Raisins and Mint. All recipes are best for omnivores who don’t tend to follow diets other than low-calorie and the occasional vegetarian meal.

One of the standout features of Blue Apron is its marketplace. You'll find their custom spice mixes, wine pairings, and kitchen utensils for sale. The seasonings range from Caribbean to Southern, and if you need a specific kitchen utensil for a recipe, you can purchase it from the Market.

Blue Apron prioritizes ingredient quality, ensuring proteins are humanely sourced and produce is sustainably farmed. This attention to detail allows you to enjoy high-quality recipes without worrying about added hormones or antibiotics in your food.

The downside of Blue Apron's service is that recipes aren't customizable. For those of you with allergies or who follow a specific diet like paleo, keto, or gluten-free, Blue Apron doesn’t make accommodations. You might be better with a service like Green Chef. Since Blue Apron meals are kits, you do have the option to make ingredient substitutions from your own pantry.

It's worth noting that Blue Apron's shipping materials are only about 85% recyclable, which may be a concern for some individuals who order meal delivery regularly. However, the company provides clear recycling guidelines on its website, and its pre-portioned ingredients minimize food waste.

Blue Apron's minimum order is 2 meals of 2 servings each per week, with pricing starting at around $5.74 per serving for the maximum order of 5 meals of 4 servings each per week. Overall, Blue Apron is an excellent option for those who don't mind spending about 30 minutes prepping ingredients for a home-cooked meal.

7. BistroMD – Best Low-Calorie Microwave-Ready Meals

BistroMD offers low-calorie meals designed by a Ph.D. dietitian with over 2 decades of experience in weight loss, and her team of registered dietitians who personalize your weekly meal plans. BistroMD caters to individuals looking to transition to a low-calorie diet.

Recipes add up to complete a 1,200 or 1,400 calories per-day meal plan. Each meal contains 350 to 500 calories, with clear labeling of calorie counts and nutritional information on each meal. My colleague has written an extensive review of BistroMD's full meal delivery service, which you can check out for more details about ordering.

No ingredient substitutions are possible since meals are part of a meticulously planned and portioned calorie-conscious diet. If you eat dairy-free, soy-free, or nut-free, you're unlikely to find BistroMD the right service for you.

However, BistroMD does accommodate some diets with its different plans. You can choose from Signature, Gluten-Free, Heart Healthy, Keto Flex, Diabetic, and Menopause meal plans.

Please note the Keto flex plan won’t get you into ketosis. It’s simply a low-carb, medium-fat program. Also, note that the Diabetic and Menopause plans are exactly the same foods.

Additionally, BistroMD doesn't prioritize ingredient sourcing, so unlike Green Chef or Blue Apron, you won't see organic, grass-fed, or wild-caught options on the menu.

Despite these limitations, BistroMD provides balanced low-calorie meals composed of whole foods. Every meal has proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats with macro balances aligned with the meal plan you select.

All meals come fully cooked, frozen, and individually portioned for convenience. Defrosting, heating, and eating are all that's required. This service takes care of all meal decisions, which is convenient. Often, the hardest part of dieting is deciding what to eat, which this service removes entirely.

However, it's unclear how long the meals remain frozen before delivery, making me skeptical of meal delivery services that rely on freezing food. I prefer receiving fresh and never frozen meals, as offered by Factor.

You can choose 2 or 3 meals for 5 or 7 days per plan. Opting for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, means 21 meals a week, ensuring you never have to worry about having diet-friendly meals on hand. The maximum plan for 21 meals costs $8.24 per serving.

8. Marley Spoon – Best Martha Stewart-Approved Meal Kits

I’m impressed with Marley Spoon's menu offerings and sustainability efforts, especially when it offers affordable meals. For San Diego residents looking for easy comfort food meal kits, Marley Spoon's partnership with Martha Stewart offers family-friendly classic American meals and internationally-inspired recipes for more adventurous palates.

What sets Marley Spoon apart from other meal delivery services is its extensive menu of 100+ recipes each week, which includes entrees, Premium meals, easy prep and microwave-ready meals, and desserts. The Fast! Creamy Skillet Tuscan Shrimp with Cheesy Garlic Bread only takes 10 to 15 minutes.

One of Marley Spoon's priorities is keeping prices affordable, so you won't find diet-specific plans. The menu is really best for anyone who doesn't need a strict menu like keto or paleo.

There also aren't allergy accommodations, but Marley Spoon lets you customize proteins in some recipes. For example, you can exchange the shrimp in the above-pictured Tuscan Shrimp skillet for wild-caught shrimp, or exchange ground beef for ground chicken in the BBQ Sloppy Joe. You'll see a Customizable icon on the image of recipes for which you can customize proteins.

It's worth noting that the entire menu is subject to allergen cross-contamination, so people with severe allergies may need to look elsewhere for a more specialized meal delivery service.

All ingredients are measured and pre-portioned in meal kits, so you get exactly what you need and won't have to spend time portioning each ingredient. Plus, the cooking instructions are easy to follow. My colleague tested Marley Spoon's service and stated, "the step-by-step methods made it easy to create Martha Stewart-level dishes in my own kitchen."

For those who want to get fancy, Marley Spoon offers Premium meals with higher-quality cuts of meat, organic ingredients, and richer flavors. The Organic Truffle Butter Steak is a standout dish.

Marley Spoon's commitment to being environmentally friendly is impressive. Meals are designed to reduce food waste by providing the exact amount of ingredients each recipe needs, resulting in less packaging use, less garbage production, and less food waste.

Plus, the service is 100% carbon neutral, with any carbon-based materials used to fuel the service being offset by carbon-eliminating projects like planting trees. So, San Diego residents focused on sustainability and environmental preservation can rest assured that their delivery will have zero carbon footprint.

Overall, Marley Spoon's extensive menu offerings and commitment to sustainability make it a top contender in the meal delivery service industry. While it may not be the best fit for those with severe allergies, San Diego residents can enjoy easy and delicious home-cooked meals without breaking the bank or harming the environment.

You can order 2 to 6 recipes per week for 2 or 4 people, making it a great service for couples or small families. Per serving prices start at $2.99.

9. Purple Carrot – Best Plant-Based Meals in San Diego

Purple Carrot is a top meal delivery service for plant-based dieters. You'll find 100% vegan, plant-based meal kits and microwave-ready meals. Although this service doesn't offer grab-and-go options, its meal options will make eating a plant-based diet easier for anyone wanting to fit more veggies into their weekly meals.

One thing I appreciate about Purple Carrot is its focus on organic produce. It sources organic ingredients from organic farms whenever possible, making sure the meals are flavorful and affordable. If any supply chain issues arise, you’ll be notified in advance of your next order, ensuring transparency and trust.

According to our reviewer, even the fussiest omnivores will be pleased with Purple Carrot's meals. You can check out his in-depth review here for more information about Purple Carrot's complete service.

Purple Carrot's menu is smaller than most, but its complete menu rotates every week. With 12+ meal kit recipes, including 5-minute breakfasts, easy 15-minute lunches, you can cover a full day's worth of meals.

You'll also find fully prepared, microwave-ready meals, which makes eating a plant-based, vegan diet as convenient as possible. The fully prepared menu includes 8 or 9 recipes each week, and the Easy Prep menu shows all recipes from the main menu that are ready in 30 minutes or less.

You can also choose from 6 or 7 snacks and pantry staples in the Plantry, like Hand Packed Lumache noodles and homemade Fra Diavolo sauce.

Despite the small weekly menu, Purple Carrot's cuisine options are varied, and its recipes are perfect for those with adventurous palates. You can expect a mix of Mediterranean, Indian, Asian, and Southeast Asian-inspired recipes each week, with veggies as the star flavors of each dish, all packed with herbs and spices.

Purple Carrot offers nutrient-dense meals highlighting natural plant flavors, using protein alternatives such as beans and quinoa instead of highly processed meat alternatives. It also offers the option to choose High Protein or Gluten-Free for all your meals, ensuring that each meal has at least 20 g of protein.

While the convenience of Purple Carrot is unbeatable, it comes at a cost. The pricing for the maximum order of 12 meal kits per week starts at $8.50 per serving, while prepared meals are $13 each, regardless of how many you order.

You must order a minimum of 3 meal kits for 2 people (6 servings) but can order a maximum of 3 meal kits for 4 people per week (12 servings). Prepared meals come as single portions and can be ordered in bundles of 6, 8, or 10 meals per week.

10. Trifecta – Great Fully Prepared Meals for Athletes

Trifecta's meal delivery service is marketed toward athletes on the go who want to eat balanced meals of complex carbs, proteins, and veggies. All meals arrive fresh, fully prepared and individually portioned so that all you have to do is store, or heat and eat.

Meal plans include Classic, Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, and Whole30, which all offer breakfasts and entrees that can be eaten for lunch or dinner. However, the biggest downside of the Trifecta menu is that only the Classic plan displays the available recipes. Some recipes are rotated each week.

What I like most about this service is the Meal Prep plan, which allows you to customize meals with high-quality ingredients like meat, fish, complex carbs, and veggies, which are all prepped with super simple ingredients like olive oil, garlic, onion, thyme, and rosemary. With such simple prep, you may want to add more flavors and spices to taste.

You can also speak with in-house nutrition experts once you’ve made your 1st order to better optimize your meal plans with your diet goals. You can check out my colleague’s review of Trifecta for more about its full range of services. Our reviewer said, “The sense of community and in-house nutrition experts are also big draws for anyone who needs help hitting their goals.”

All meals are packaged in microwave-ready trays, which are convenient for storage and reheating. One of the perks of this packaging is the ability to save food for later and reuse the trays for other food storage purposes.

Trifecta prides itself on using only natural, unprocessed, and seasonal ingredients, without any preservatives or artificial additives. Customers can be confident that they’re receiving fresh, nutritious meals with every delivery.

What’s also convenient is that Trifecta offers a nutrition-tracking app that seamlessly integrates with their recipes. For those who are health-conscious and want to track their macros, Trifecta will be a great option. The app also allows you to scan barcodes of other products you might add to their meals for easy nutrient tracking.

It's important to note that Trifecta is a premium meal delivery service, so it’s pretty expensive. Prices start at over $300 per week for a full week of 7 breakfasts and 14 entrees, with per serving prices starting at $6.00.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Service in San Diego

With everything from healthy frozen meals to subscription services with recipe cards, it can be hard to know which meal delivery service is the best for you. Here's everything you need to think about: 

• Consider meal prep time: Each delivery service offers recipes requiring different skill levels and amounts of prep time. Meal kits typically take a lot longer than prepared meals, so you’ll want to ensure you’re ordering meals that require the same amount of prep time you have available. Factor’s meals all require 2 to 3 minutes of heating in the microwave while Green Chef’s average around 30 minutes.

• Consider your dietary needs: Not all services are alike when it comes to catering to special needs and providing suitable alternatives. For example, Home Chef allows you to swap proteins in many of their meals, while Purple Carrot lets you decide if all your meals should be gluten-free.
  

• Consider recipe variety: Each service offers different cuisine variety. Factor offers prepared meals of mostly American, Mexican, and Italian inspiration, while Blue Apron’s recipes are often Mediterranean-inspired.

• Consider the size of the plans: While ordering for yourself is straightforward, not all services provide larger meal plans for the entire week. Home Chef is an excellent choice for families, offering up to 6 recipes per week for 6 people—that’s 36 meals in total.
  

FAQ

What is the best meal delivery service in San Diego?

I rank Factor as the best meal delivery service in San Diego. Factor offers chef-prepared meals that are ready to heat and eat. It’s great for omnivores, vegetarians, and people following a niche diet like keto.

What is the most affordable meal delivery service in San Diego?

Marley Spoon is the most affordable meal delivery service in San Diego. With prices starting at just $2.99 per serving, Marley Spoon sends you meal kits of classic American comfort foods. You can even use our discount code to get a reduced price on your first order – Get $260 off your first 8 boxes!.

Which meal delivery service is best for vegetarians in San Diego?

HelloFresh offers a great vegetarian menu. While most meal delivery services offer a few vegetarian entrees, you can choose a whole plan of only vegetarian meals. HelloFresh sends you an email each week of all available recipes you can choose for your next order. It also posts menus 6 weeks in advance so you can plan all your meals.

Which meal delivery service is best for keto in San Diego?

Factor offers an excellent Keto plan and keto meal add-ons including desserts and smoothies. Following your keto diet with Factor is super easy since each meal is fully prepared, delivered fresh and never frozen, and individually packaged so you can immediately pop a meal in the microwave as soon as you receive your order.

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