10 Best Meal Delivery Services in Santa Ana 2023: Find Yours!
Santa Ana is a tight-knit community with a bustling culinary scene, but things can get crowded rather fast. So, if you want to enjoy the food diversity without the extra side of agitation and noise, your best option is a reliable meal delivery service provider.
Fortunately, all the big brands deliver to Santa Ana, which means you can have your pick. And, to give you a head start, I rounded all of them up in a list of the best meal delivery services in Santa Ana. For this, I teamed up with our in-house experts and only selected services that met high standards in terms of taste, menu variety, and price.
My list starts with the flexible Home Chef, but make sure you read until the end. I’m sure you’ll be able to find a service that best fits your needs!
Short on Time? Here Are the Best Meal Delivery Services in Santa Ana
Home Chef – Great for Mexican food lovers
Blue Apron – Best fancy home cooked meals in Santa Ana
Green Chef – Best healthy and organic meals in Santa Ana
HelloFresh – Best for foodies on an exploration mission
Purple Carrot – Best high-protein, gluten-free veggie meals
The Best Meal Delivery Services in Santa Ana Reviewed
1. Home Chef – Great for Mexican Food Lovers
Key Features
Enjoy one of Rachael Ray’s recipes each week
25+ unique recipes per week plus extras
Dietary options include carb-conscious and calorie-smart
Current deal: Get 60% off your first three boxes
Santa Ana is a city of many culinary values, but the Mexican cuisine is everywhere. So, if you’re looking for a meal delivery service to provide the same mixture of flavors you can find in the city, you can’t go wrong with Home Chef.
Make sure to try the varied Home Chef menu, which includes meals inspired by Mexican, Italian and Asian cuisine mixed with classic American dishes. Overall, as you can read in this deep dive into Home Chef, there are meal types that fit every skill level.
Plus, you can make changes when you’re unhappy with the original recipe. For instance, if you want the Lemon Pepper Chicken flavor but feel adventurous, you can swap the chicken with salmon fillets. This is possible due to the “Customize It” option, which is available for most meals.
2. Blue Apron – Best Fancy Home Cooked Meals in Santa Ana
Key Features
Wine menu (separate) and guidelines on how to pair with food
19+ unique recipes per week plus add-ons
Dietary options include diabetes-friendly, vegetarian, and WW-recommended
Current deal: Enjoy $110 off across your first 5 orders
The people of Santa Ana are used to a burgeoning food scene, where they can jump from one high-end restaurant to another and experiment with tastes and textures. And this is exactly why I think Blue Apron’s elegant menu fits so well.
Whether an elaborate meal kit or a ready-to-eat dish, you can see the care and effort put into creating delicious foods that everyone can enjoy. Plus, most meal kits result in restaurant-worthy meals that are more health-focused and filled with nutrients. But I’ll leave our well-researched Blue Apron review to tell you more about this aspect.
I like that Blue Apron’s nutritionist-approved recipes are designed with people’s health in mind. Also, there are options for get-togethers and family dinners, which is a nice touch.
3. Green Chef – Best Healthy and Organic Meals in Santa Ana
Key Features
Great for couples, medium-sized and large families
24+ unique recipes per week
6 dietary options including keto, vegetarian, and gluten-free
Current deal: Get $250 off + free shipping
The locals have easy access to fresh produce due to the weekly Downtown Santa Ana Farmers’ Market. People can get almost anything here, starting with specialty coffee and ending with homemade salsa, so it takes a truly impressive meal delivery service to beat this.
But I think Green Chef meets everyone’s expectations with its organic produce and sustainably-sourced ingredients. You can learn more about the menu variety from our in-depth review, but I have to tell you that it’s one of the few services that allow you to mix and match dishes from different meal plans.
Also, Green Chef is a certified organic company that delivers easy-to-prepare meal kits to your doorstep. Each recipe includes pre-measured and prepped ingredients to reduce food waste, and the preparation times vary between 10 and 40 minutes.
4. HelloFresh – Best for Foodies on an Exploration Mission
Key Features
Innovative packaging designed to reduce waste
30+ unique recipes per week
Dietary plans include vegetarian, pescatarian, and calorie smart
Current deal: 18 free meals + first box ships free + 3 surprise gifts with code DR18HF
One thing I love about Santa Ana is the culinary diversity. The locals love Mexican dishes, but they’re not afraid to explore other cuisines. Italian, traditional American, Mediterranean, or Asian dishes aren’t unusual for these denizens.
Therefore, only a service that openly promotes diversity, like HelloFresh, would make a good fit for the more adventurous foodies here. My colleague’s amazing HelloFresh review shows there’s a good variety of veggie-forward dishes, but you can also find Pescatarian dishes and meals that are more family-friendly.
Living up to its fame as one of the most popular meal delivery services in the country, HelloFresh’s offer includes easy-to-prepare meals (between 5 and 50 minutes) with clear cooking instructions. This means that everyone can cook and enjoy a delicious meal.
5. Purple Carrot – Best High-Protein, Gluten-Free Veggie Meals
Key Features
Meal kits and ready-to-eat meals
16+ unique weekly recipes (meal kits and prepared) plus add-ons
6 dietary options including gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan
Current deal: Get $30 off with code carrot30
Purple Carrot is one of the few meal delivery services in the country to have an entirely veggie-forward, no-dairy menu. Plus, the chefs know how to harvest and highlight each veggie’s nutrients and taste in order to create delicious meals that even a meat-eater could enjoy.
If you order from the meal kits menu, you’ll receive fresh ingredients that are ready to cook, plus well-written instructions. Also, there are healthy snacks and breakfast options you can add as extras to your order – more about this in my colleague’s Purple Carrot review.
While the options are a bit limited, all the foods are rich in nutrients and protein, so you can switch to a full veggie diet without worrying about your daily nutritional needs. Plus, the menu is perfect for people on a gluten-free diet.
6. Marley Spoon – Tasty Meals with Martha Stewart's Signature Seasonings
Key Features
All recipes require 6 steps or less to prepare
45+ unique recipes per week
Dietary options include health-conscious, vegetarian, and dairy-free
Current deal: Get $270 off your first 8 boxes!
As lovers of good food, Santa Ana denizens love Martha Stewart’s recipes and follow her recommendations in the kitchen. Plus, if we add Marley Spoon’s menu variety into the mix, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular in the area.
Our well-detailed Marley Spoon review shows how there’s a great selection of meat, fish, and plant-based dishes and how each one is accompanied by easy-to-understand recipe cards.
The meals are developed with the help of Marley Spoon’s in-house nutritionist in an effort to create a healthy and varied menu. However, you’ll find that the company doesn’t cater to specific diets or allergies and targets people with a more general palate.
7. Freshly – Gluten-Free Meals and Flexible Meal Plans
Key Features
Ready-made-meals delivered fresh, not frozen
40+ unique recipes per week
Dietary options include gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free, and carb-conscious
Current deal: Get $175 off your first 7 boxes!
If you’re not too keen on cooking or shopping for food, Freshly is a great option. The company delivers fresh, ready-made meals to your doorstep that only need a few minutes in the microwave. Plus, each meal is available in single-servings (which is what makes Freshly great for singles), and you can enjoy it for lunch or dinner.
My colleague’s great Freshly review also shows how the meals are designed to contain less sugar and more fresh veggies. This way, you get healthy and tasty meals that deliver your daily nutritional needs.
Lastly, almost all Freshly meals are certified gluten-free and cooked in kitchens that are 100% certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG). So, if you have a gluten intolerance, Freshly is the right meal delivery service for you.
8. Fresh and Easy – Fast, Easy-to-Prepare, High-Quality Meals
Key Features
You can use the “Customize It” option
14+ unique recipes per week
Dietary options: calorie-conscious, and carb-conscious
Current deal: Get 60% off your first three boxes!
Fresh and Easy is a Home Chef brand that delivers the same food quality but at a faster pace. The menu includes meals that only need a few minutes in the oven, on the grill, or in the microwave, 15-minute meal kits, and salads.
I’ll leave my colleague’s well-researched Fresh and Easy review to tell you more about the menu, but I have to highlight just how easy it is to prepare and cook these recipes. It only takes a few minutes to have dinner ready for the entire family!
Also, the cleanup is a breeze since everything is prepared and pre-packaged. Plus, oven-, microwave-, and grill-ready meals come in containers and trays, so there’s no need to get any pots and pans out.
9. EveryPlate – Delicious and Affordable Meals For People on a Budget
Key Features
Menu designed for a general diet
18+ unique recipes per week and add-ons
Dietary options include veggie-forward meals
Current deal: $1.39/meal on your 1st box
In Santa Ana, the cost of living isn’t exactly low, which is why a meal delivery service that’s both affordable and high-quality is more than welcome. And, at Price: Missing price for Product undefined per serving, EveryPlate is one of the best options on the market.
Now, if you check my colleague’s in-depth EveryPlate review, you’ll see that there’s some lack in meal variety. However, there are lots of classic, crowd-pleasing dishes that are delicious and nutritious. Plus, the weekly menu usually includes several dishes inspired by international cuisine.
Also, you can use the list of add-ons to enhance some of the meals, add breakfasts and desserts, and keep the menu interesting from one week to another.
10. Grubhub – Best for Easy Access to Local Restaurants and Eateries
Key Features
Over 500 restaurants in the Santa Ana area
A wide range of cuisines including Mexican, Korean, Italian, etc.
Access to 24h food delivery services
Grubhub is a food delivery service that connects local restaurants and eateries. So, whenever you’re craving delicious tacos from the best restaurant in town but don’t feel like going out, you can open Grubhub and place an order.
You can use the website or the app (both are easy to use), and if you choose Grubhub+, the delivery is free. Plus, this plan gives you access to more discounts and amazing offers from various restaurants in town.
Speaking of variety, I think Grubhub is one of the best ways to explore the culinary scene of a city like Santa Ana from the comfort of your home. There are so many options when you open the app or website that it’s easy to choose something new with every order.
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| Starting Price | |||||||||
| Starting Price | $5.99 Per Serving | $5.74 Per Serving | $3.32 Per Serving | $6.99 Per Serving | $1.49 Per Serving | $8.50 Per Serving | $6.90 Per Serving | $6.99 Per Serving | $2.99 Per Serving |
| Minimum Order | |||||||||
| Minimum Order | 3 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 3 meals for 2 people | 3 meal kits for 2 people/6 prepared meals | 4 prepared meals | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people |
| Meal Types | |||||||||
| Meal Types | 30-minute meal kits | 20 - 60 min. meal kits | 20 - 30 min. meal kits | Kits, speedy kits, oven-ready, prepared | 30-minute meal kits | Meal kits, prepared meals | Prepared meals | Oven- & grill-ready, kits, prepared | 30 min. meal kits |
| Prep Time | |||||||||
| Prep Time | 25-40 min | 5-45 min | 15-40 min | 5-50 min | 20-45 min | 3-40 min | 3 mins | 15-30 min | 20-40 min |
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Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Services in Santa Ana
The best meal delivery service in Santa Ana is the one that fits all your needs. So, there may be some trial and error involved until you find the right one. To help you trim down the list, here are a few tips to follow:
Dietary preferences: While not all meal delivery services try to accommodate specific dietary preferences, many offer some form of customization. Still, this often involves extra effort on your part, so try choosing a service that fits your diet.
Variety is important: Meal delivery services are great for trying new textures and tastes in the comfort of your home. So make sure the menu includes a wide range of international cuisines.
Pay attention to your budget: Low cost doesn’t necessarily mean low quality, and expensive isn’t always the best. Pay attention to the type of ingredients used, type of meals, and suppliers to see if the cost reflects reality.
Look for sustainable practices: Select a meal delivery service that works with thoroughly vetted suppliers and focuses on reducing food and packaging waste.
Bottom Line: Are There Any Good Meal Delivery Services in Santa Ana?
Yes, there are plenty of amazing meal delivery services from which to choose your favorite! Busy people, families, singles, students, professionals, and even people who don’t like to do the cooking and the preparation – a meal delivery service benefits everyone in Santa Ana.
Plus, since most major brands deliver here, you can choose the best service for your dietary needs and preferences. So don’t be afraid to explore and find your best option(s)!
FAQ
What is the most affordable meal delivery service in Santa Ana?
EveryPlate is a great option, especially if you’re on a tight budget. The service delivers meal kits to a general audience, and most of the meals are inspired by American cuisine, but the menu is varied, and you can order add-ons to spice things up.
What is the best meal delivery service in Santa Ana?
Home Chef is a great meal delivery service. First, the menu is inspired by a mixture of international cuisines, and second, it allows users to customize the meals based on individual preferences.
Which meal delivery service in Santa Ana is the best fit for dietary needs?
Purple Carrot is a great option for people on a plant-based diet, but Green Chef is better for followers of the keto or paleo diets. So, it all depends on your dietary needs. For instance, Blue Apron's menu may be more appealing if you want health-conscious options designed to help with weight loss.
