10 Best No Subscription Meal Delivery Services 2024

Meal deliveries come with lots of benefits, but many also carry the weight of a long-term subscription. And while it’s true that you can cancel or pause your meal plan at any time, there are still extra steps you need to take besides placing the order.

So what do you do when you just want to try a service out or want full freedom when it comes to how much or how little you order? You check my list of the best no subscription meal delivery services, of course!

I've researched and shortlisted the best services that offer a no-subscription or an a la carte option without ramping up the prices or cutting corners on quality. At the top of my list, you’ll find Blue Apron. It’s a great service because it’s 1 of the only mainstream meal delivery services that offers dishes without having to sign up.

The Best No Subscription Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Blue Apron – Best Overall No-Subscription Meal Delivery Service

Blue Apron stands out due to its versatile approach. It has a section on its website where you can buy meal kits and prepared meals without opening an account. But you can also subscribe if you want to try something from the current menu and easily pause or cancel your Blue Apron account afterward. 

What’s on the Menu?

To purchase meals without registering an account, visit the Blue Apron Market section. There, you will primarily find meal kits. But the section also contains some prepared meals if you prefer not to spend your time cooking. In general, you'll find around 12 meal bundles there.

Market meals are divided into sections including Customer Favorites, Fast & Easy, and Pescatarian & Vegetarian Meal Kits. At the time of this review, the Customer Favorites Family Meal Kit included dishes like Chipotle Chicken Fajitas with Refried Green Beans, Avocado & Sour Cream. The Prepared & Ready 4 Pack Bundle consisted of Cheesy Truffle Cavatappi with Mushrooms & Kale and Korean-Style Kimchi Rice with Scrambled Eggs & Veggies. 

You can choose between meal kits with options of 2, 3, or 4 recipes, each containing 2 servings. For prepared meals, the norm is 2 recipes, also with 2 servings each. But the Prepared & Ready 8 Pack Bundle breaks this pattern by offering 4 recipes, each with 2 servings.

What Makes It Special?

Blue Apron is among the few meal delivery services that offer a Wellness meal kit category. You can choose between dishes that are under 600 calories or contain 45 grams of protein, depending on whether you're trying to lose weight or gain muscle. If you need meals for a special occasion, I recommend the Premium Meal Kits.

This meal delivery service is among the most eco-friendly meal providers I've reviewed so far. During my research, I found that it ranks among the best services on the market for recyclability. Take a look at our tested Blue Apron review to see our reviewer's full unboxing experience.

Is It Good Value?

Blue Apron is one of the best meal delivery services in terms of ingredient quality and culinary experience. If you decide to open an account, you can also modify ingredients in certain dishes, as well as convert some meat-containing dishes into vegetarian dishes, and vice versa. 

One-off bundles come with a set number of dishes. Subscribers can order a minimum of 2 meal kits for 2 people or 4 ready-to-eat dishes per order. There is no apparent maximum, as you can manually add as many meals as you want beyond the specified maximum per plan. The cost per meal starts from $5.59.

2. Home Chef – Best Delivery Service for Meal Customization

Home Chef is another top candidate, because although you do have to open an account to make a one-off order, it's the easiest service to pause (or cancel your account) afterward. You don't even have to skip weeks manually. Once you hit pause, your account is suspended indefinitely until you want to resume deliveries. 

What’s on the Menu?

Home Chef categorizes its meals into several groups. Sections of its basic plan are Meal Kits, Express, Oven-Ready, Fast & Fresh, Lunch, Bundle & Save, and Extras. There's also a family-oriented program of kits and extras.

You'll typically need 30 or 40 minutes to serve Meal Kits recipes, although some offerings take more or less time than that. If you prefer quick-prep meal kits, check out the Express selection, with offerings you can serve in as little as 10 or 15 minutes. But if you prefer microwaveable recipes that take just a few minutes to prepare, try the Lunch options.

There's also a middle ground in the form of Oven-Ready and Fast & Fresh meal kits. These require either little time or effort. For example, the Oven-Ready Piri-Piri Pork Tenderloin Medallions require only quick assembly on your part and baking in the oven. You can serve this Premium Home Chef dish in 25 to 35 minutes. Read our tested Home Chef review to learn more about the service’s recipes.

What Makes It Special?

Home Chef's Customize It tool allows you to tailor proteins to your preferences in many of its recipes. For example, with the Steakhouse Sirloin dish, you can switch Sirloin Steaks for Salmon Fillets or Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.

You can also exclude up to 9 ingredients from the menu when opening a Home Chef account. At step 3, you can eliminate poultry, pork, beef, fish, shellfish, sesame, mushrooms, peanuts, and tree nuts. Also, you can state your dietary preferences, including Gluten-Smart, Keto-Friendly, and Paleo-Friendly, at the same step.

You can select from 4 distinct categories to filter the menu. These are Carb-conscious, Calorie-conscious, Vegetarian, and < 30min. Moreover, you can preview the menu up to 6 weeks ahead, so you can choose the best time to make a one-off order.

Is It Good Value?

Home Chef is an excellent meal delivery service that caters to individuals, couples, and both large and small families with its comprehensive menu. The only catch is that you need to open an account, which you can then pause for as long as you want. If you prefer purchasing a la carte, I highly recommend Blue Apron.

Home Chef offers an attractive pricing model where the cost per meal remains consistent, regardless of the number of servings ordered. With per-serving prices beginning at $7.99, it presents a more budget-friendly option compared to the expense of eating out or opting for takeout.

You can order between 4 (2 meals for 2 people) and 36 meals (6 recipes for 6 people). If you opt for regular delivery after trying Home Chef meals, you can change the chosen plan whenever you wish.

3. Balance by BistroMD – Best Meal Variety Without Minimums or Memberships

With Balance, you get all the perks of a standard meal delivery service and none of the limitations. You have access to a diverse menu, all the meals arrive prepared, and you can order as much or as little as you want whenever you want.

What’s on the Menu?

I like that the focus is on creating delicious, nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus, there’s a well-stocked selection of snacks varying from sweet to salty. If you check our tested Balance review, you’ll see the company is all about healthy eating.

Click on the Shop by Diet option from the drop-down menu to see available dietary choices. This section includes Gluten Free, Heart Healthy, Dairy Free, and Menopause, among other alternatives. If you're not adhering to a specific diet, browse by Breakfast or Lunch/Dinner. Beef Bulgogi Meatballs with Roasted Spinach and Onion is a favorite dish of mine. 

In addition to standard menus, Balance by BistroMD also offers dozens of snacks. You can choose from drinks (punches, to be specific), snacks, cakes, etc. Some of my favorite extras include Parmesan Italian Chips, Sweet Red Raspberry Cake, and Mixed Berry Protein Punch.

What Makes It Special?

Once you land on the meals page, you can narrow down your options even further using the filters. Some Breakfast options, for example, are Frittatas and Pancakes & Waffles. A few of the many Lunch/Dinner alternatives are Beef, Chicken, and Seafood. 

The Snacks filter consists of several sub-filters, such as Sweet & Salty Crisps, Cheesecakes, and Shakes. While browsing the Snacks menu, you can see other key features, such as Gluten Free, Low Sodium, and Diabetic, by the icons available.

Is It Good Value?

Balance’s culinary team cooks in small batches on demand (to keep the meals fresh). Also, it uses only high-quality ingredients, free of chemicals and additives. 

The only disadvantage may come from the price per meal. But there’s enough variety, so even people on a budget can find something to their liking. Prices can go as low as $4.69 per meal, depending on the ingredients. And the company runs discounts often enough to keep the overall menu affordable.

4. Nutrisystem – Best for Planning Your Weight Loss

Nutrisystem focuses on healthy meals that help you burn fat without starving yourself because weight loss starts in the kitchen. The company offers both structured meal plans and the ability to order what you want on your schedule with a 6-or 12-month flexible subscription. 

What’s on the Menu?

The menu includes even those with a sweet tooth since there are options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks! It’s easy to find meals that fit your needs due to the advanced filtering system.

You can choose between fresh and frozen meals when you order. Look for the Frozen label to tell one from another. Also, you'll find customer ratings for each meal. Most offerings boast ratings of 4 or 5 out of 5 stars. For example, frozen Grain-Crusted Pollock with Vegetables has a 5-star rating from 2,690 raters at the time of my review of the best no-subscription meal delivery services. 

You can also choose between frozen and fresh snacks. For example, the Mint Ice Cream Sandwich must be frozen. But the Chocolate Flavored Pretzels, White Cheddar Popcorn, and Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies don’t.

What Makes It Special?

The catch with Nutrisystem, if you order both fresh and frozen products, is that you will most likely receive them separately. This can be inconvenient if you’re away from home often. In that case, contact customer service to become more familiar with the delivery system. Or check out the offerings from Balance by BistroMD, which also delivers prepared meals.

I particularly like the robust filtering system, which is 1 of the most comprehensive I've come across. It allows you to refine your meal selections through a variety of filters categorized under Special Dietary Needs, Nutrition, and Exclude, among others. Notably, the Exclude category offers around a dozen options, including Wheat, Treenuts, and Eggs.

Is It Good Value?

As my colleague states in their Nutrisystem review, this is a “weight-loss meal delivery service”. However, you don’t have to be on a diet to find the recipes convenient. What’s more, each meal is designed with a high content of protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied.

The price of Nutrisystem's structured plans start at $9.64 per day. 

5. Splendid Spoon – Best for Effortless Meal Planning

Eating healthy isn’t always easy, which is where Splendid Spoon steps in. With this no-commitment meal delivery service, you can stock your fridge full of fresh smoothies, healthy veggie bowls, and delicious noodle soups for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

What’s on the Menu?

The Splendid Spoon menu includes prepared plant-based meals that are gluten-free and fiber-rich. It can be particularly useful if you're switching to a gluten-free or vegan diet or if you're just wanting to kick-start new healthy eating habits. You can learn more about the menu in our detailed Splendid Spoon review.

Splendid Spoon's a la carte menu features several sections, each tailored to different product types. These include Smoothies, Dishes, and Noodles. If you want to order in bulk, take a look at Bundles, which consists of sets like the Bestseller's Box and Reset Bundle, among others.

My Splendid Spoon favorites are the Meatball Marinara Noodles, Naked Burrito Bowl, and Carrot Lentil Curry Soup. Similarly, the Detox and Wellness Shots and Chocolate Cherry and Cacao Almond Smoothies rank high on my list. 

What Makes It Special?

Splendid Spoon dishes are high quality and don't include gluten, dairy, or preservatives. But, since this meal delivery service focuses on 100% plant-based prepared meals, it's less suitable for omnivores and carnivores. If that's you, take a closer look at the Home Chef menu, which has microwavable and quick-prep options.

Splendid Spoon allows you to filter some of its a la carte options, such as Dishes and Noodles, based on dietary needs and avoidances. Energy Boosting, Higher Fiber, No Beets, and No Caffeine are some available options. 

But this filtering capability doesn't extend to Benefits (like Blood Sugar Friendly or Immunity Boosting) and Taste & Texture preferences (such as Creamy or Spicy). These features are only available in the subscriber menu. You can open both menus and compare side-by-side, as I have done. Still, I find the lack of unified filtering options for the a la carte menu a bit inconvenient. 

Is It Good Value?

Splendid Spoon is a great choice for plant-based dieters and people who want to add more plants to their diet. But it better suits individuals and couples than families, in my opinion. If you're cooking for a family, I think you'd find Blue Apron a better choice.

You can always order a la carte without committing. The price per meal begins at $9.99. When shopping for meals a la carte, you can buy any quantity you need. But keep in mind that items tend to sell out quickly.

6. The Good Kitchen – Great for Healthy Home-Cooked Meals

The founder of The Good Kitchen (TGK) knows that good food and good living go hand-in-hand. As a result, the menu at TGK includes foods made from fresh, organic (where possible) ingredients that are sustainable and responsibly sourced.

What’s on the Menu?

The Good Kitchen has dozens of meals on the menu, over 50 at the time I was writing this article. The dishes fall into various categories, such as Paleo, Keto Friendly, Plant Based, and Performance Meals. This company caters to people with specific dietary requirements as well as those who enjoy a balanced diet.

You can browse all meals by dietary objective. Since I'm a fan of the Mediterranean diet, I can't get enough of Salmon Oreganato, Chicken Tinga, and Chili Verde with Turkey. Tuscan Beef and Beef Stew are my favorite low-carb recipes. 

While navigating The Good Kitchen menu, I found a small selection of treats, such as cookies and cakes. If you're seeking a more extensive range of healthy extras alongside a broader menu, Balance by BistroMD is my recommended alternative.

What Makes It Special?

There are a few limitations when it comes to how much you can order without a subscription. The system requires you to build boxes of 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 meals. But you can add as many boxes as you want to your cart without committing to repeated deliveries.

To keep the level of quality as high as possible, the company only works with thoroughly vetted farmers and producers. Also, the kitchen is staffed with professional chefs who cook the meals with care for optimal nutrient retention. For more, make sure to read our insightful The Good Kitchen review.

Is It Good Value?

You'll have to start your purchase as if you intend to subscribe by specifying your name, email, and other details. Only when you are about to complete the order can you opt out of the Save With A Weekly Subscription option to make a one-time order. 

The Good Kitchen displays the price for each dish directly on its menu, with the most budget-friendly options starting at $11.86. While the company offers a simple filtering system to navigate its menu, pricing is not among the filterable criteria.

7. Silver Cuisine by BMD – Healthy Meals for Seniors

Silver Cuisine is a senior-focused meal delivery service where trained chefs take care of every aspect of cooking. You just enjoy the results in the comfort of your home. The menu is varied, the portions are large, and the recipes use fresh and nutrient-rich ingredients.

What’s on the Menu?

As you can learn from my colleague’s thorough Silver Cuisine review, the company accommodates various dietary needs. Whether you follow a pescatarian, vegetarian, or low-carb diet, you’ll find meals that suit you. There are also plenty of options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, so it’s difficult to get bored with the menu. 

Standout dishes include the Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf with Yuca Fries, Manicotti with Vodka Marinara, and Grilled Salmon with Champagne Sauce. Some of the snacks I recommend are Cinnamon Almond Cookie Crunch and Blueberry Parfait Bar. Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake is my favorite dessert, while Blood Orange Protein Punch is great for refreshment.

The menu features several categories catering to seniors with different dietary needs. Among other options, you can choose between gluten-free, heart-healthy, menopause, and vegetarian dishes. 

What Makes It Special?

Silver Cuisine organizes its menu into categories such as Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner, EATS Snacks, and Specialty Diets for easy browsing. Breakfast choices are Frittatas and Crepes & Wraps, among others. For Lunch/Dinner, some available sub-filters are Pasta, Pork, and Turkey.

If you prioritize meals based on diet, you can choose from Diabetic Friendly, Mediterranean, Low Carb, and Low Sodium options, among others. You can select different sub-filters simultaneously if you need to meet multiple criteria.

Is It Good Value?

Silver Cuisine by BistroMD is 1 of the best choices for seniors. It also caters to people who want to eat healthy while spending as little time as possible in the kitchen. But if you like to cook meals and optionally switch ingredients to suit your palate, Blue Apron may be a better choice. 

Depending on your budget, you may find some meals a bit pricey. But there are lots of affordable options. The cost per meal starts at $6.49. Also, there isn’t a limit to how much or how little you can buy per order. So, you can start small to see if the meals fit your needs.

8. Magic Kitchen – Chef Prepared Meals for Every Diet

Magic Kitchen’s menu has some delicious meals, whether you’re looking to lose weight, have a gluten intolerance, or are vegetarian. The company says it can accommodate every diet, but the offer covers only some of the most common dietary needs.

What’s on the Menu?

The menu is flexible and varied, so you should find something to fit your needs. Magic Kitchen has special offers for seniors and family-sized meals. I also like that the offer includes options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and snacks. Learn more about the service’s offerings in our detailed Magic Kitchen review.

You can order a la carte, which is where you can mix and match main courses, side dishes, soups, snacks, and desserts as you like. If you don’t like doing that, try the complete meals, where everything is paired up.

Some a la carte meals I'm particularly fond of are BBQ Sliced Beef Brisket, Broccoli & Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce, and Butternut Squash Soup. As for desserts, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Ganache Cake, and Double Fudge Brownie are some favorites of mine. 

What Makes It Special?

Magic Kitchen has a streamlined filtering system. You can research a la carte options by Meal Course and Diet. Meal Course categories are Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner, Snacks, and Desserts. For dietary preferences, there are options like Diabetic, Dairy Free, and Low Fat. Use the dedicated search box for a more targeted search.

You will find symbols accompanying most Magic Kitchen meals that reveal more about the product than you can conclude at first glance. Hover over these to reveal what they mean. You’ll see symbols such as dairy free, low sodium, gluten free, and microwaveable.

Is It Good Value?

Magic Kitchen is a great choice for people with different dietary needs. It's also suitable for busy individuals and couples since you can serve most of its dishes in a few or several minutes. Options for families are also available. But if you wish to lose weight alone or with your partner, Nutrisystem has better plans. 

Make sure to check the number of servings before purchasing the product. If you need more or fewer meals, check the available options from the drop-down menu accompanying meals. The cost per recipe starts from $9.49.

9. Ice Age Meals – Macro-Balanced Meals for Active People

Ice Age Meals is a paleo driven food delivery service for the busy strength athlete or for the regular paleo eater. But I think it also works great for people who count calories and keep track of their macronutrient intake.

What’s on the Menu?

Ice Age Meals boasts a wide selection of paleo recipes. While researching for this article, I counted over 30 recipes on the menu. If you're following a different diet or prefer having meal kits and prepared meals on your menu, I think you'll get more value from Blue Apron. 

You may find suitable meals if you're on a keto diet, too. Some recipes that qualified at the time of my research were Keto Smoked Pork Belly with Eggs, Keto Smoked Belly, and Keto Smoked Brisket. If you stick to the paleo diet, though, you can choose among alternatives such as Ribs 'N' Sweets with Paleo-Q Sauce, Elk Shepherd's Rice, and Chipotle Chicken Tinga with Rice.

You can also purchase spices from Ice Age Meals. The Ga Ga Garlic, Cheechako Tako, Super Radical Rib Rub, and Lemon Pepper Love Spice Blends are on offer. In addition, you can buy a sampler pack that includes all the spices.

What Makes It Special?

Ice Age Meals states everything clearly on the label (proteins, carbs, fat, and calories) and on the website, so you know what you’re ordering. The menu also includes extras that are in tune with the overall tone.

You don't pay for shipping when you shop from Ice Age Meals. The company waives the shipping fee regardless of the size of your box. 

Is It Good Value?

To order, you have to decide what box size you want. Right now, you can choose between 10, 20, 30, or 60 food items per box, to which you can add sauces and snacks. And, if you don’t want a subscription, there’s a one-time purchase option.

The company prices products individually. And the most affordable meal will cost you $9.74. 

10. Paleo on the Go – Ready-to-eat AIP Compliant Meals

Paleo on the Go (POTG) praises itself as being the only fully AIP-friendly meal delivery service in the world. While I didn’t have the chance to do a thorough global search, it’s a high-quality service that’s true to its word.

What’s on the Menu?

The Paleo on the Go menu offers a variety of entrees and breakfasts. Its dishes feature main ingredients such as beef, chicken, pork, and seafood. Further, the menu draws inspiration from global cuisines, presenting dishes with Asian, Greek, Cuban, Italian, and other international flavors.

The service's menu has lots of diverse recipes in its assortment. Some recipes my shortlist consists of are Beef Chimichurri with Roasted White Sweet Potatoes, Asian Chicken Burgers with Cauliflower Fried Rice, and Moroccan Tajine. If you're into soups, I highly recommend Asian Meat Ball with Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms and Cream of Broccoli Soup. 

If you look closely, you may find desserts and snacks scattered throughout the menu. Some I noticed during my research were Vanilla Chai Donuts with Vanilla Cinnamon Icing and Snickerdoodles.

What Makes It Special?

You can efficiently navigate the menu using a handy filtering system. In short, it's perfect for focusing on specific types of dishes such as Soups and Broths, Breakfast, Sauces, and Keto/Low Carb options. If you follow a very restrictive diet like the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), select the Full AIP Compliant Menu filter.

If you want to try things out without commitment, you can place a one-time order. But your box needs to include at least 8 items. There’s no upper limit.

Is It Good Value?

The meals are great for paleo dieters. It’s also ideal for people who have food sensitivities and need to omit all potentially inflammatory foods from their diet (the AIP menu is great for this). The menu is well-stocked, but it lacks diversity (more on this in our detailed Paleo on the Go review).

The price of Paleo on the Go meals depends on the individual dishes you choose. The most affordable meals cost $14.14. If you opt for regular delivery, you can count on discounts depending on the number of meals per order.

Bonus: Eat Fit Go – Great for the Health-Conscious Gourmands

Eat Fit Go is a prepared meal delivery service that puts the flavor in healthy eating. Its goal is to make healthy eating easy, even when you’re extra busy. And, looking at the menu diversity and the fact that all the meals are under 600 calories, I think the company’s doing a great job.

What’s on the Menu?

The menu consists of various meals you're familiar with and lesser-known additions. You could order Turkey Meatloaf & Mac, Turkey Shepherd's Pie, Sunrise Scramble, and Steak Philly Bowl, for example. Some options that caught my interest are Barbeque Chicken, Chicken & Rice Soup, and Four Cheese Rotini.

The size of the portions is just right, and ordering is also easy. In fact, in their Eat Fit Go review, my colleague thinks of Eat Fit Go as a company worth checking out if you’re always on the go.

While reviewing the Eat Fit Go menu, I noticed a lack of desserts and snacks. In fact, besides the entrees, the menu contained only Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip GoGo Bites as an add-on. If you want to add more than entrees to your order, Home Chef would be a better choice.

What Makes It Special?

You can quickly shortlist suitable meals using the basic menu filtering system. It lets you browse meals by dietary preferences, such as Renal-Friendly, Diabetes-Friendly, Lower Sodium, and Dairy Free, among others. 

You must choose a package of 5 or 10 meals before accessing the menu. After that, you select dishes until you reach the specified number.

Is It Good Value?

Eat Fit Go's meals are OK, as corroborated by our reviewer who tested them. But if you're after something more elevated, I think that Blue Apron would make a better choice, especially since you can mix and match meal kits and prepared meals. 

Just keep in mind that your cart must be in increments of five (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.). Initially, you can choose a 5- or 10-serving bundle. But as you proceed to the checkout, you can multiply them. The price per meal depends on the box size, and the larger package provides a better deal. Pricing starts at $6.00.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best No Subscription Meal Delivery Services

Here are some of the criteria I used to identify the meal delivery services that made it on my top 10 list:

• Option for buying a la carte: The a la carte option gives you complete freedom over what you order and how you pair various items. There shouldn’t be any restrictions on the process. Blue Apron lets you choose Meal Kits and Prepared & Ready dishes from its Market section with no subscription.

• Check for limits for one-time purchases: In an effort to reduce the costs of order processing and shipping, some services will require you to buy a certain number of items if you don’t subscribe. This isn't unusual, but if you only want a few items, it can be a hindrance. All the services on my list are fully transparent regarding order limits.

• Good menu variety: Look for services that include international cuisine offers and regularly add new items. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of ordering without prior commitments. Home Chef changes the menu regularly and you can view it 6 weeks in advance.

• Fits your budget: In most cases, buying a la carte means you pay more per serving. So look for services that are affordable and have good price variety. Balance by BistroMD prices meals individually to help you order meals within your budget.

FAQ

Which meal delivery service is easiest?

The one that best responds to your needs. For instance, if you want ready-made meals, good menu variety, and an a la carte option, then Balance is a great fit.

Are prepared meals worth it?

If you don’t have the time or the disposition to go shopping for ingredients and then spend hours in the kitchen cooking, prepared meals are a great option. Plus, services such as Blue Apron help widen your culinary horizons by making it easy to try new cuisines and gourmet meals.

Is it cheaper to use a meal delivery service?

Depending on where you live and what your order, they can be. Services like Blue Apron take care of every aspect of cooking so you can enjoy delicious, home-cooked meals without effort.

Best No Subscription Meal Delivery Services in 2024 — Final Score