Best Meal Delivery Services for Seattle in 2023: Eat Better

Living in Seattle offers many opportunities, but with so much to do and see, finding time to prepare dinner can seem impossible.

I’ve put together the 10 best meal delivery services available in Seattle to help you find a service that’s right for you. I’ve been reviewing meal delivery services for years, and I’ve put my experience to work scanning ingredient lists, studying shipping dates, and sorting out data to help you find the meal service that’s right for you.

Blue Apron wins my top spot, but I’ve found options to suit every diet, budget, and culinary skill level. Whether you’re a parent feeding a hungry family, a household of vegans, or a busy single looking for fast prepared meals, there’s something here for just about every Seattleite.

The Best Meal Delivery Services in Seattle Reviewed

1. Blue Apron – Best Overall Meal Delivery Service in Seattle

Blue Apron wins my coveted first-place award thanks to the wide variety of cuisines it offers. It puts an international twist on many classic American dishes. For example, the Gochujang Beyond Burger above gives the classic hamburger a vegetarian Korean twist. You’ll also find many international dishes including Italian, Middle Eastern, and South American meals.

Blue Apron offers 5 preferences when you sign up, but you can order any item on the menu no matter which you choose:

• Chef Favorites: The Test Kitchen's top picks

• Wellness: Nutritionist-approved recipes, plus WW Recommended selections

• Family Friendly: Kid-friendly meals the whole family will love

• Fast & Easy: Time-saving meals including Quick Prep and Heat & Eat options

• Veggies: Plant-based meals

Vegetarians will find plenty of choices on the veggie plan, while those looking to lose weight can order nutritionist-approved Wellness meals, some of which include WW SmartPoints for tracking. However, bear in mind that both the Vegetarian and Wellness plans are “for 2” so are best suited for couples. 

Blue Apron’s how-to videos and online demos are great for complete beginners. They show you how to cook meals from scratch and improve your kitchen skills. Recipe cards with pictures are useful, but watching a demonstration makes it easier to understand how everything is supposed to look at every step of the cooking process. 

Our expert reviewer praised Blue Apron’s step-by-step cards and Cook Along slideshow (available on the website) and found they made even the more complicated recipes easy to follow at home.

Blue Apron’s Quick Prep meal kits are great for busier nights. These include sheet pan and one-pot recipes to reduce your cleanup time. You can even order Ready to Cook meals that arrive with all ingredients chopped and prepared. Simply assemble them in the included recyclable oven-proof dish, pop them in the oven, and your cooking work is done.

The service also has a range of Heat and Eat prepared meals. With these, all you have to do is heat them up in the microwave and dinner is on the table in minutes. 

Blue Apron’s Market offers subscribers a selection of sides, appetizers, proteins, breakfasts, desserts, and more. You can also order wine bundles and, if you love a glass of wine with dinner, sign up for Blue Apron’s wine delivery service and get a monthly selection of wines chosen to pair perfectly with Blue Apron entrees.

Depending on your plan, Blue Apron lets you order 2, 3, or 4 meals per week for 2 or 4 people meaning the maximum number of servings that be ordered is 16. Pricing starts at $5.74 per serving. 

2. Factor – Best Fully Prepared Meal Delivery Service in Seattle

Factor sends fully prepared meals you simply heat and eat. If you’re short on time, culinary skills, or kitchen equipment, Factor is a great way to ensure you still get nutritious meals. It’s especially good for fitness-focused Seattlites and those on specialized diets.

The meals take around 3 minutes to warm up in the microwave. Our expert reviewer tried Factor at home and found the meals to be tasty and filling.

Factor offers a free 20-minute consultation with an in-house dietitian when you sign up, with the option to purchase additional sessions. If you’ve struggled to lose weight or stick to a diet in the past, these consultations may be just what you need to stay on track.

Factor offers the following 5 plans but lets you choose any item on the menu:

• Chef’s Choice: Meals to fit any lifestyle

• Keto: Low carb, high-fat meals

• Calorie Smart: 550 calories per serving or less

• Vegan & Veggie: Meat-free meals

• Protein Plus: 30 g or more protein per serving

Factor is well-known for its keto meals. Sticking to a keto diet can be challenging in a world full of carbs, but with 12 or more keto meals each week, you’ll never miss the bread at dinnertime. And Fitness-focused Seattlites will find Factor’s Protein Plus meals great for building lean body mass.

The Calorie Smart plan gives you 15 to 18 meals at or under 550 calories. And even if you order other meals, you’ll find that most Factor dinners come below 750 calories. You can also order a number of healthy Add-Ons, including protein packs, smoothies, soups, and wellness shots.

Factor has a selection of vegetarian and vegan entrees like the Mujadara with Tahini-Roasted Carrots pictured above. In my research, I found that there were typically 3 vegan and 2 vegetarian entrees each week, so Factor may not be a good choice for strict vegans or veggies who want more choice. Instead, you’d be better off with Green Chef.

Factor is one of the more expensive delivery services on this list, with prices starting at $6.19 per serving and you can order 6 to 18 single-serving meals per week. If you’re looking for the best healthy, prepared meals, you may find Factor worth the price.

3. HelloFresh – Best Diverse Meals in Sustainable Packaging for Seattleites

HelloFresh is one of the country’s most popular meal kit delivery services. It has a huge menu that changes weekly, which it organizes into 6 categories that cover most mainstream diet choices:

• Meat & Veggies: omnivorous meals

• Veggie: vegetarian and vegan meals

• Family Friendly: kid-approved recipes

• Fit & Wholesome: healthy meals with around 600 calories per serving

• Quick and Easy: easy prep meals

• Pescatarian: meals with seafood and veggies

HelloFresh labels recipes by difficulty, making it easy to choose recipes that fit your cooking experience. Most dishes are rated “Easy” or “Medium” though (the Bimibap Bowls pictured above are “Medium”). If you have limited kitchen space or culinary equipment, I recommend looking for “Easy Prep” and “Easy Cleanup” recipes.

That being said, don’t be afraid to venture outside your cooking comfort zone. Our expert reviewer, who’s a novice chef, tried HelloFresh at home and declared that everything they cooked "turned out looking and tasting delicious.” If you can follow directions, you can cook anything on the HelloFresh menu.

The Fit & Wholesome plan is great for people who want to watch their weight.  You can also look for the Carb Smart and Calorie Smart tags on recipes. But while it has a good vegetarian selection, HelloFresh isn’t the best choice for vegans or people on specialized diets like keto.

HelloFresh’s HelloCustom feature lets you swap out proteins on some entrees. For example, you can swap jasmine rice with cauliflower rice if you’re watching your carbs, or add steak or chicken to your Roasted Veggie Kale Salad. The Market also gives subscribers access to extra grocery items like spices, fresh proteins, and desserts.

Almost every part of HelloFresh’s packaging can be recycled, from the box to the ice packs. Sustainability-supporting Seattleites will also appreciate the company’s ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental footprint. 

HelloFresh is well set up for families and couples with a range of serving sizes you can order each week. Order 2 to 6 recipes per week for 2 or 4 people. Prices start at $3.32 per serving and don’t include shipping, which is a flat rate no matter your box size or location. 

4. Green Chef – Best Organic Meal Kits in Seattle

Green Chef was the first USDA-Certified Organic meal delivery service and since 2018 has been the premier line of German marketing giant HelloFresh. All Green Chef produce is 100% USDA-certified organic, while all meat and seafood proteins are responsibly sourced, non-GMO, and free of antibiotics, hormones, and steroids.

I tried Green Chef at home, and its meals were among the best I’ve ever had from a meal delivery service. Green Chef is a great choice if you want to avoid high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, or other unhealthy ingredients you often find in store-brand meals.

Green Chef offers 7 plans, but whatever plan you choose, you’re free to order from the entire menu:

• Keto: carb-conscious, high-protein recipes free of gluten, grains, soy, and legumes

• Vegetarian: meatless recipes focused on plant-based ingredients

• Mediterranean: Mediterranean flavors with lots of veggies and healthy fats

• Fast & Fit: calorie-conscious recipes ready in 25 minutes or less

• Vegan: recipes with a variety of veggies, plant-based proteins, and grains

• Gluten-Free: free from gluten and soy

• Protein-Packed: satisfying recipes high in protein

Green Chef’s Vegan and Vegetarian meals are free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Even strict herbivores will find plenty of choices here. And fitness buffs looking for a good post-workout supper will enjoy the lean protein found in Protein-Packed meals like Herby Barramundi over Parmesan Cauli Rice.

The Fast and Fit meals have less than 650 calories and are ready in 25 minutes or less. This means you can prepare a healthy, fast supper without relying on processed food or prepared options.

Green Chef is the first meal kit company with an official Gluten-Free certification so it’s perfect for those who are gluten-sensitive. Most meals are gluten-free (including everything on the Keto menu) so Green Chef is a great choice for people with allergies or those looking to cut gluten from their diets.

The service has recently introduced Green Market Add-Ons to its menu. If you love Green Chef’s dinner recipes, you can now also enjoy breakfast entrees, salads, and protein packs like chicken cutlets and salmon filets.

Green Chef starts at $5.99 per serving with a new customer coupon. Green Chef has a minimum serving order of 3 meals for 2 people per week and a maximum of 4 meals for 6 people per week.

5. Home Chef – The Best Customizable Dinner in Seattle

Home Chef’s user-friendly website makes it really easy to choose your perfect menu. Select your dietary requirements (calorie-conscious, no nuts, etc.), then pick from the 30+ dishes on the weekly rotating menu. Home Chef filters let you exclude meals containing a range of ingredients like sesame, tree nuts, pork, shellfish, mushrooms, and more.

You have the option to swap out or upgrade the protein of your meal on most entrees, giving you a customizable dinner experience! For example, you can order the Finger Lickin’ Chicken pictured above with sirloin steaks or pork chops if you prefer. Most items on the menu have Customize It options to ensure you get exactly the meal you want.

Home Chef marks its recipes by difficulty, with most being rated “Easy” or “Medium.” The Finger Lick’n Chicken pictured above is ranked “Easy” and requires just 10-15 minutes of cooking and preparation time. Most “Expert” meals appear in the Culinary Collection. These are meals with premium ingredients that cost a few dollars extra per serving.

My colleague tried the meals at home and cooked an Expert Culinary Collection meal, Salmon and Lemon Herb Beurre Blanc, at home and reported that “it came out perfectly – flaky, moist, and delicate.”.

Home Chef’s Fresh Start dishes are “lighter spins on classic favorites.” Home Chef makes these meals in consultation with dietitians and marks them with a green tomato icon. If you’re looking for healthier meals, the Fresh Start icon and the Calorie-Conscious tag will help you find tasty lower-calorie meals like Balsamic-Fig Pork Chop with Parmesan asparagus.

Home Chef isn’t a great choice for vegetarians or those on specialized diets. But if you’re an omnivore who wants a good selection of meals ranging from family-friendly favorites to more sophisticated offerings, Home Chef may be a good fit for you.

Home Chef’s 6-Serving option is a great choice for larger households. While most meal delivery services give you a choice between 2-serving and 4-serving kits, Home Chef lets you order up to 6 meals of 6 servings each. Prices start at $7.99 per serving.

6. Fresh and Easy – Home Chef’s Fastest, Easiest Meals

Fresh and Easy is Home Chef’s line of meal kits for people who are pressed for time. After working long hours, you want dinner on the table as fast as possible. Fresh and Easy ingredients come prepped and portioned, so you don’t have to deal with washing, weighing, peeling, slicing, or dicing.

Here are some of Fresh and Easy’s meal types:

• Fast & Fresh: ready to heat in the microwave or oven

• Oven-Ready: dishes you assemble in the oven-safe aluminum tray provided

• 15-Minute Meal Kits: meal kits ready with minimal prep

• Salads: simply toss the ingredients together and enjoy fresh

• Extras: prepared desserts, bread, protein bundles, and more

While Fresh and Easy meals are fast, they aren’t boring. For a few extra dollars per serving, Fresh and Easy Plus entrees like the Almond-Crusted Salmon with garlic edamame rice pictured above offer you restaurant-quality food that’s ready in 20-30 minutes. Standard entrees like Italian Sausage Fettuccine are just as fast, filling, and tasty.

Our reviewer was impressed by Fresh and Easy’s Home Chef quality meals with almost no prep or cleanup. With Oven-Ready meals (like the Almond-Crusted Salmon), you recycle the included aluminum tray afterward so the only thing you have to wash is the dishes.

Fresh and Easy also lets you take advantage of Home Chef’s Customize It feature. You can order your Walnut-Crusted Chicken with pork chops or sirloin steaks or make your Greek Turkey Meatballs with ground beef or ground pork. Fresh and Easy Customize It meals give you a selection of proteins below the recipe. You just choose the one that works for you.

This low-prep plan is great for families and singles who are pressed for time. But if you feel like cooking something a bit more elaborate, your Fresh and Easy subscription still gives you access to the full Home Chef menu.

Like its parent company Home Chef, Fresh and Easy doesn’t cater to niche diets. And while you can filter for common allergens in the menu, most Fresh and Easy dishes contain wheat or dairy, so if you are gluten or lactose-intolerant you may want to look at another service.

Like Home Chef, you can order up to 6 recipes for 6 people per week. Prices start at $7.99 per serving.

7. BistroMD – Best Diet Meal Delivery Service in Seattle

BistroMD sends you fresh, flash-frozen, low-calorie prepared meals. You get breakfast, lunch, and dinner delivered to your door, which makes tracking your meal intake and losing weight much easier.

Each meal includes real meat and vegetables, not processed items filled with preservatives. Sticking to a weight loss diet is challenging, but it’s a lot easier if you’re eating healthy meals that taste like food, not soggy cardboard. BistroMD entrees include filling dishes like Shepherd’s Pie (pictured above), which has just 290 calories.

BistroMD also gives you access to registered dietitians and fitness experts. Having this kind of support on your weight loss journey helps you develop healthier lifestyle habits and maintain your ideal weight once you reach it.

BistroMD has 6 plans:

• Signature: the base plan, with 150+ menu offerings

• Gluten-Free: tested to the FDA standard to contain no wheat, barley, or rye

• Heart-Healthy: meals containing 600 mg sodium or less

• Diabetic: meals containing under 25 g net carbs per serving

• Menopause: meals designed to help with hormonal changes

• Keto Flex: a low-carb, metabolic reset program

BistroMD’s founder is a bariatric physician and weight loss specialist. But while these plans are designed with input from medical professionals, I always recommend people with cardiac or blood sugar issues to speak with their physician before starting any weight loss plan.

Our reviewer was especially impressed by BistroMD’s desserts and snack options. The optional EATS (Essential And Tasty Snacks) are available to help diners avoid the tempting calorific alternatives, and include high-protein and high-fiber treats like strawberry cheesecake, cookie dough protein bars, shakes, chips, and more.

The menu offers a selection of plant-based meals, as well as seafood/pescatarian options and some meatless meals that contain dairy. But its plans aren’t well-suited for vegans or vegetarians. And some nutritionists note that its Keto Flex program allows forbidden ingredients like bread, rice, and pasta, so strict keto dieters may also need to look elsewhere.

BistroMD is primarily designed for individual dieters, but if you want to lose weight with your partner, BistroMD offers a 15% discount for couples and families.

With BistroMD, you can get 3 meals per day, 5 or 7 days a week. There’s also the option of a custom plan if you don’t want to receive 3 meals per day. Prices start at $8.24 per serving.

8. Dinnerly – Cheapest Meal Delivery Service in Seattle

Dinnerly is Seattle’s cheapest meal delivery service. We all love a bargain, but we also want to make sure our family is getting healthy, nutritious food they will eat. Dinnerly keeps its prices low by keeping some things simple, but the ingredients are still good quality.

The menu features a lot of comfort food like the No Chop! Skillet Ravioli “Lasagna” pictured above. If you have a household full of picky eaters, they’ll be happy to see their weekly boxes of simple but tasty fare.

Dinnerly may cut corners on costs, but it still offers plenty of menu variety. Our reviewer noted that Dinnerly offers more menu choices than many pricier meal delivery services.

The labels on the menu make it easy to find the meals you want. These include:

• Under 30 Minutes

• Dairy Free

• Kid Friendly

• Healthy

• No Added Gluten

• Nutritious

• Poultry

• Beef

• Pork

• Low Calorie

• One Pot Meals

Dinnerly offers a surprisingly good selection of vegetarian and pescatarian meals (including the ravioli lasagna) with around 10 vegetarian and 3-4 fish and seafood dishes on the menu each week. You’ll even see 1-2 vegan entrees on most weekly menus.

The meals are less complicated than those offered by more expensive delivery services, but the ingredient quality is surprisingly high, with sustainable proteins and even some organic fruits and vegetables.

The Ingredient Hub lists all ingredients for Dinnerly’s meals so you can find any allergens or items you want to avoid. But there are no automatic filters that let you exclude entrees, so you have to do your research yourself, which can be time-consuming.

Dinnerly is unsuitable for those with serious allergies. This is because all meals are prepped and packed in the same facility, so there’s a risk of cross-contamination.

When you unbox your delivery, you’ll find everything bundled together – unlike many other meal delivery services that separate out the ingredients by recipe. Meals also don’t come with paper recipe cards, so you have to get the instructions on your phone or computer. This may cause some minor inconvenience, but it’s much less wasteful and better for the environment.

Dinnerly also has a Market that offers some ingredients and grocery items. You can find  seasonal desserts, snacks, and breakfast options like Chocolate Cupcakes or Oat & Chia Pancakes.

Dinnerly’s low prices start at $2.12 per serving and you can order between 3 to 6 meals serving 2 or 4 people every week. There’s also a tick box on the sign-up page to easily make your box vegetarian.

9. Purple Carrot – Seattle’s Best Vegan Meal Delivery Service

Purple Carrot is the largest strictly vegan delivery service in America. Seattle is a great place to be vegan, but when you start looking for meal delivery services the pickings are a lot slimmer. When you order from Purple Carrot, you never have to worry about hidden animal products. It’s all plant-based, all the time.

Menu labels let you sort meals for:

• High Protein

• Soy Free

• Under 600 Calories

• Gluten Free

• Nut Free

The meal kits celebrate veggies with dishes that draw from a number of world cuisines, including Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern influences. These kits don’t only help you eat more vegetables, they can teach you vegan recipes and techniques you can use in your own cooking.

Purple Carrot’s prepared meals are ready with just 2-3 minutes in the microwave. Prepared meals include Saffron Rice Bowl with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Romesco (an almond/garlic/sweet pepper sauce) and Chana Masala with an Almond Sultana Pilaf.

The new range of Less Prep meals features premade sauces and some pre-chopped vegetables to save you cooking and cleanup time. Less Prep meals include Green Goddess Bowls with Broccoli and Ranch dressing and Curried Cauliflower Tartine with Hummus and Roasted Red Peppers.

Purple Carrot lets you mix and match between menu offerings, so you can put prepared meals, meal kits, and Less Prep meals in one order.

For even more vegan choices, Purple Carrot’s Plantry also offers hand-picked staples like cashew cream cheese, vegan desserts, snacks, and plant-based breakfast and lunch entrees. Aspiring vegan chefs and new vegans alike will benefit from Purple Carrot’s selection of plant-based ingredients.

Not vegan? Not a problem! After trying Purple Carrot at home, our non-vegan reviewer declared it “guaranteed to please even the fussiest of omnivores.”.

Purple Carrot also gives back to the community and reduces waste through The Farmlink Project. The Farmlink Project connects farms with a surplus of produce to communities in need, so their crops can feed hungry families rather than rotting in the fields.

Purple Carrot’s weekly menu is smaller than some other services, but its choices are all excellent. Meals like the Za’atar Spiced Tempeh pictured above make it easy to live up to Purple Carrot’s motto: “Eat what you love, but eat more plants.”

Prices start at $8.50 per serving with a minimum order of 3 recipes for 2 people and a maximum order of 3 recipes for 4 people per week. Prepared meals come as single portions and can be ordered as bundles of 6, 8, or 10 meals per week.

10. Marley Spoon – Fine Food at Fair Prices

Marley Spoon features meals curated by TV host and cookbook author Martha Stewart. If you want to learn new cooking skills and try new cuisines, Marley Spoon is a great place to expand your recipe book and learn how to make gourmet meals at home.

Many of its meals are geared toward more adventurous palates. French Provençal Pork, Korean Chicken Dakdoritang, and Lebanese Hashweh (a one-pot rice dish) are some of the international recipes. However, Martha Stewart’s Signature seasonings and sauces make these daunting dishes easier than you might imagine.

There are classic American crowd-pleasers, too, such as meatloaf and turkey burgers. And families with picky little ones will be happy to see a good selection of Kid-Friendly meals like quesadillas and breaded pork cutlets.

If you’re still intimidated by cooking with Martha, don’t worry. Our reviewer tried Marley Spoon at home and found that while the meals involved several steps and some new techniques, the recipe cards made everything clear.

Marley Spoon is owned by the company that owns Dinnerly and uses the same labels on its meals. It also has an Ingredient Hub that lets you check recipes for unwanted ingredients or allergens. Like Dinnerly, Marley Spoon offers recipes that are adjusted to certain allergens (i.e., No Added Gluten) but doesn’t offer a full menu fitting to specific allergies or diets.

Marley Spoon was the first completely carbon-neutral meal delivery service and is an industry leader in sustainable practices and recyclable packaging. Its website provides clear instructions on how to recycle or reuse each element.

One thing to note: Marley Spoon expects you to have a well-stocked pantry. Many recipes call for ingredients like balsamic vinegar and kosher salt or tools like a microplane grater. Be sure to check the recipes before you order and make sure you have everything you need at home to avoid any emergency trips to the store.

With meals starting at $2.99 per serving, Marley Spoon’s prices are very reasonable. You can order 2 to 6 meals per week for 2 or 4 people.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Service in Seattle

With all these choices, it can be difficult to decide which service is right for you. Here are some professional tips on finding your ideal Seattle meal delivery service.

• Keep your requirements in mind: You may be able to find 1 or 2 things that suit you with a mainstream service, but you’ll be happier (and have more choice) with a service geared toward your exact diet.

• Know your cooking level: If you have limited cooking skills or kitchen equipment, you may do better with prepared meals. But if you want to expand your expertise, meal kits are an easy way to do it!

• Come up with a realistic budget: There are certain things that will always cost more, so if you want organic ingredients, fully prepared meals, or to eat meals on a niche diet like keto or paleo, you will have to pay a premium.

• Don't hesitate to make a change: Finding the right meal delivery service for you may take some time. Thankfully, all the services on my list have easy-to-follow cancellation policies, so switching to a different meal delivery service is a breeze.
  

FAQ

What is the best meal delivery service in Seattle?

Blue Apron wins my award for the best meal delivery service in Seattle. Its varied menu is tough to beat, and its how-to videos and online demonstrations are very helpful when you’re cooking new recipes that use unfamiliar techniques.

What is the best prepared meal delivery service in Seattle?

Factor is my top pick among Seattle services that deliver prepared meals. Factor offers menus for keto, vegetarian, and vegan diets, and also includes some calorie smart options. Each healthy meal can be heated in the microwave and ready to eat in minutes.

What is the healthiest food delivery service in Seattle?

Green Chef’s 100% certified organic meal kits win my nod for the healthiest meal delivery service in Seattle. Plus, with pre-chopped ingredients and premade sauces, eating healthy has never been this easy.

What is the best vegan meal delivery service in Seattle?

Purple Carrot’s 100% plant-based menu makes it Seattle’s best vegan meal delivery service. You can get meal kits, easy-prep meal kits, and prepared meals. And the Planty has vegan staples, snacks, and breakfast and lunch entrees. 

What is the cheapest meal delivery service in Seattle?

Dinnerly’s meal kits start at $2.12 per serving, and its meals are filling, family-friendly, and delicious. If you’re looking to save some money and still try a meal kit service, then it’s a good place to start.

Best Meal Delivery Services in Seattle 2023 — Final Score