Best Meal Delivery Services in San Francisco

People are spending more time at home than ever before, but that doesn’t mean saying goodbye to convenient, delicious meals. Do you miss fuss-free, exciting restaurant food? What about fresh home-cooked meals? Whether you’ve got health, diet, kids, or tastebuds in mind, meal services deliver the flavors and convenience you crave, straight to your doorstep. 

With more meal delivery services popping up all the time, it can be overwhelming to find the best fit for you. Considering everything from pricing and plans to taste and diversity, our experts have put together a list of the top meal delivery services that will keep you satiated and sane in the Bay Area. 

Short on time? Here Are the Best Meal Delivery Services in San Francisco for 2021

• Sunbasket – best clean, organic meal kits

• Freshology – best balanced, ready-to-eat meals

• Veestro – best pre-made vegan meals

• Comparison table
  

• FAQ

Our Best Meal Delivery Services in the Bay Area Reviewed

1. Sunbasket – Fresh and Healthy Organic Meal Kits

Sunbasket Best Features 

• Organic meal kits made with high-quality, in-season ingredients – straight from the farm

• Quick eats with little prep – including Fresh & Ready options you just need to heat 

• Customized to your dietary needs – vegan, paleo, keto, gluten-free, and everything in between 

• Eco-friendly packaging – everything is recyclable or compostable 

Sunbasket in a Nutshell 

We all know that food can get complicated – especially if you’re on a strict diet or trying to source the most ethical and healthy ingredients available. If that sounds like you, look no further. Sunbasket offers a tasty selection of quick and healthy meal kits – all made from fresh, organic ingredients. 

It has dietitian-approved Vegan, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Lean & Clean, and Family-Friendly plans, all filled with adventurous meals, including Chinese, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisine. Dig into the details in our expert Sunbasket review. 

With your busy schedule in mind, all of Sunbasket’s meals take less than 30 minutes to get onto the table. It also offers one-pot meals, “super speedy” options ready in 20 minutes, and Fresh & Ready meals you simply need to heat and serve. 

2. Freshology – Chef-Prepared, Ready-to-Eat Meals

Freshology Best Features 

• Healthy food for weight loss that’s delicious and nutritious 

• Ready to eat in three minutes – just heat and serve

• Serious about sanitation – Freshology has the highest standards of food safety  

Freshology in a Nutshell 

Eating healthy can be really time-consuming. Freshology is your best friend on the journey to better eating, delivering nutritious, ready-to-eat meals to your door every week. Learn more in our in-depth Freshology review. 

With four different menus – Balance, Balance Diabetes, Keto-Carb30, and Vegetarian – you’re bound to find food you love, regardless of your diet. You can choose two or three meals per day for either a four or seven-day meal plan each week. 

Freshology’s delicious meals are dietitian-approved and portion-controlled, with a focus on balance. The platform also offers extra support and tools designed to help you reach your healthy-living and weight-loss goals. 

3. Veestro – Delicious, Plant-Powered Vegan Meals

Veestro Best Features 

• Ready-to-eat meals – get your daily veggies without the prep

• High-quality ingredients, which are mostly organic, all non-GMO, and 100% vegan 

• Free shipping on auto-delivery orders 

• Kid-friendly – think soy-based “chicken” nuggets with freshly made barbecue sauce

Veestro in a Nutshell 

Finding the time to cook on a “regular” diet is hard enough, but anyone committed to a plant-based diet knows that vegan cooking can require extra planning and attention. Veestro offers pre-cooked frozen meals, ready to heat and serve whenever you get hungry. Choose between the standard menu plan, the weight-loss menu, or order a la carte (and pay the added shipping fee). Check out Veestro’s plans in our complete Veestro review. 

Veestro lets you filter out dishes based on your dietary restrictions and preferences, such as low-calorie, gluten-free, nut-free, and even Kosher. The food is creative and colorful, including world cuisines and vegan twists on crowd favorites. 

4. HelloFresh – Lots of Quick, Easy, and Fun Meal Choices

Hello Fresh Best Features 

• Wide variety of delicious meals – 22+ weekly recipes are tested 45 times for taste and simplicity 

• Fun and easy – each creative recipe only requires 30 minutes of prep 

• Healthy, fresh food – you’ll get high-quality ingredients with clear nutritional information

HelloFresh in a Nutshell 

HelloFresh has a mission to put the fun back into mealtimes, with an exciting variety of meals that are super easy to throw together. You’re bound to find food you love with more than 22 weekly recipes for each of the four meal plans offered, including low-calorie and family-friendly options. Learn more about HelloFresh’s different meal plans in our expert Veestro review.

Together with an easy-to-follow recipe card, fresh, pre-portioned ingredients are delivered to your door three times a week. As well as caring for your health, HelloFresh cares for the planet, working to reduce food waste, minimize its carbon footprint, and bring you high-quality ingredients straight from the farm.  

5. Home Chef – Completely Customizable Weekly Meal Kits  

Home Chef Best Features 

• Personalize your plate – upgrade, swap, or double up proteins

• Convenient, easy meals with pre-portioned ingredients and simple step-by-step recipes

• Commitment free – skip deliveries or cancel your account with the click of a button 

Home Chef in a Nutshell 

You never want to get stuck paying for food you don’t like, ingredients that don’t fit your diet, or meals delivered at the wrong time. Luckily, Home Chef recognizes that every aspect of a meal delivery service experience needs to be completely customizable, from dietary preferences to delivery schedules. 

Choose from a wide variety of delicious, easy-to-make meals, ranging from super simple 15-Minute Meal Kits to the gourmet Culinary Collection, which can take up to an hour to make. Learn more about Home Chef’s fully customizable options in our expert Home Chef review. You can order for two, four or six people, which is great for families. If you’re eating alone, this may not be the right service for you – unless you’re a fan of leftovers, of course! 

6. Blue Apron – Delicious Food, Simple Recipes

Blue Apron Best Features 

• Adventurous yet family-friendly – try classic recipes with a culinary twist!

• Environmentally responsible – from sustainable seafood to recyclable packaging 

• Wine and dine – get monthly wine deliveries to go with your meal kits 

Blue Apron in a Nutshell 

Blue Apron keeps it simple, from the easy-to-navigate website to the meals themselves, which take up to 40 minutes to prepare. It offers regular or vegetarian meals for two or four people, including health-conscious and diabetes-friendly options. Find out more details in our full Blue Apron review. 

The weekly meal kits are delivered straight to your door with easy-to-follow recipes and pre-portioned ingredients packaged in insulated, recyclable containers. Putting a delicious twist on tradition, many of its recipes mix well-loved staple ingredients with exciting, exotic flavors. For the “meat-loving vegetarians” among us, Blue Apron uses “Beyond Meat” products in many of its recipes.

7. Freshly – Fresh Meals, Ready Fast

Freshly Best Features 

• Comfort food with a twist – your favorite meals, but better for you 

• Ready in a snap – on your table in less than three minutes 

• Accommodates allergies with completely gluten and peanut-free menus 

Freshly in a Nutshell 

Freshly brings delicious, single-serving meals to your door on a weekly basis. Choose from 4, 6, 10, or 12 meals, with the price-per-meal dropping as you increase the number of servings a week. Freshly upgrades your favorite comfort foods with creative, healthy ingredient swaps – think beef bolognese with gluten-free cauliflower pasta. See more of Freshly’s creative meal ideas in our full-length Freshly review. 

Although Freshly offers an entirely peanut and gluten-free menu, it doesn’t have many options for other dietary restrictions and preferences, like vegetarian or vegan. That said, its brand new FreshlyFit menu offers 15+ carb-conscious paleo and keto-inspired options designed to boost your energy levels and athletic performance. 

It also offers a FreshlyBusiness plan that delivers delicious, chef-made, single-serving meals to your workplace. Bear in mind that while Freshly meals are free from processed sugars and artificial ingredients, they’re not certified as organic or non-GMO.

8. Fresh n’Lean – Ready-to-Eat Meals for All Diets

Fresh n’Lean Best Features 

• Ready-made meals – just heat and serve 

• Healthy, locally sourced ingredients

• Caters to a wide range of diets, including vegan, gluten-free, keto, paleo, extra protein, and more

• As much or little as you want – choose one to three meals a day, pick individual dishes, and add snacks

Fresh n’Lean in a Nutshell 

There’s nothing quite like getting a completely prepared meal delivered to your door, ready to heat and serve in three minutes. Fresh n’Lean caters to athletes who want extra protein, both regular and low-carb vegans, those on a keto or paleo diet, and anyone else looking for healthy food made from high-quality, organic ingredients.

Fresh n’Lean is flexible enough to fit most lifestyles. You can cover every meal of the day, from breakfast to dinner, set up a bi-weekly subscription, or pick individual meals a la carte. Find out more about the different options in our in-depth Fresh n’Lean review.

Whether you’re into sweet or savory, you can also indulge in high-energy, healthy snacks, like Salmon Teriyaki Jerky and Almond Butter Cups.

9. Thistle – Nutritionist-Designed Ready-Made Meals

Thistle Best Features 

• Eat local – this Oakland-based company is just across the bay 

• Energizing ingredients – meals are gluten and dairy-free, and mostly organic  

• Everything’s covered – breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, juices, and more 

Thistle in a Nutshell 

If you’re on a plant-forward health kick but short on time, Thistle is a dream come true. It delivers ready-made meals to your door, full of trendy superfoods and in-season produce. Get yourself breakfast, lunch, and dinner, accompanied by delicious, energizing juices in every color of the rainbow, and simple, healthy snacks and sides. 

Although its meals are dairy-free and heavy on the greens, you can still enjoy the lean, high-quality meat it offers, such as free-range chicken, turkey, and pork. 

As well as being great for your health, each meal is good for the planet. Thistle takes care to use local, in-season organic produce, sustainably sourced animal proteins, and clean, high-quality ingredients. You can learn more about Thistle in our exclusive interview. 

10. Methodology – Ready-made Meals for Optimal Wellness

Methodology Best Features 

• Arrives in eco-conscious packaging like glass jars and recyclable containers – and Methodology picks up the empties

• Customize your meals – choose the protein, veggies, starch, and more 

• Portion-controlled food that’s quick and healthy 

• More than meals – buy groceries, baked goods, snacks, and drinks 

Methodology in a Nutshell 

If you’re looking for more than just meals, Methodology also offers snacks, baked goods, juices, alternative milk, and even basic groceries, including fresh meat and fish, spices, and soup broth. Although it’s not enough to take care of all your weekly groceries in a one-stop-shop, it's definitely a convenient way to get some of the specialty items. 

Methodology’s ready-made meals are delicious and healthy, made with nourishing ingredients, including 100% grass-fed beef and probiotic vegetables. You can go with its prepared meals, or make your own, choosing which protein, vegetables, starch, and soups make up your dream meal. Check out everything Methodology offers in our complete review.

Best Meal Delivery Services in San Francisco: Comparison Table

Bottom Line: Why Choose a Meal Delivery Service?

Whether you’re cooking for one or have a family to feed, meal planning, grocery shopping, food prep, and cleaning up takes hours of your precious time and energy each week. This is even more so if you’re trying to stick to a diet, incorporate healthy foods into your lifestyle, juggle a busy work schedule, or accommodate allergies and picky eaters.

Meal delivery services provide the perfect solution to busy city life in the Bay Area, including options for ready-made meals you simply heat and serve or fun meal kits that come with pre-portioned ingredients and simple recipes. 

There are tons of companies offering these services and more, each with its own niche market, from vegan eats to family-friendly favorites. Now’s the time to banish the dreaded “what’s for dinner?” debate from your home for good! 

FAQs

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

Home Chef offers the lowest prices, with meal kits starting at just $6.99. Each meal is customizable to suit your palate and dietary needs. 

While Sunbasket may be on the higher end of the price range, with meals starting at $8.99 – you get what you pay for. It offers high-quality, organic ingredients, unparalleled variety, generous portions, and caters to a huge range of diets, including vegan, gluten-Free, and paleo.  

What is the best meal delivery service for families in San Francisco?

Sunbasket snags first place for families, with healthy, organic meals and tons of choice. It even has cute suggestions at the bottom of each recipe card for how to involve your kids in the cooking! It has a special family-friendly menu, which includes six kid-friendly recipes of four servings each per week. 

Veestro is another great option. It offers fully plant-powered meals that are microwave-ready. You can buy up to 30 meals per order to cover your weekly meals.  

What are the healthiest prepared meals in San Francisco?

Sunbasket prioritizes health by using clean ingredients, organic produce, and antibiotic and hormone-free meat.

With 10 different meal plans and tons of options for meat-eaters, vegetarians, pescatarians, vegans, and followers of strict diets like paleo, you can find healthy dishes no matter your dietary requirements. 

However, if you’re specifically looking for low-calorie meals geared toward weight loss, Freshology is the way to go, especially its Keto-Carb30 plan. 

What is the highest-rated meal delivery service in San Francisco?

In an increasingly competitive market, each meal delivery service has its own niche. 

When it comes to clean ingredients and diet-focused meal plans, Sunbasket ranks #1. With fresh, organic produce, antibiotic and hormone-free meat, sustainable seafood, and organic eggs, Sunbasket recognizes that a meal is only as healthy as the sum of its parts. 

Freshology, on the other hand, offers perfectly balanced, ready-to-eat meals put together by dietitians and cooked by chefs. If you’re looking for carefully designed weight loss meals and ultimate convenience, Freshology is for you. 

If you need a 100% plant-based meal delivery service, Veestro is head and tails (or stem and seeds?) ahead of the competition. With a wide variety of ready-made, all-vegan meals, Veestro is the highest-rated meal delivery service for the herbivores among us.