10 Best Meal Delivery Services in Maryland 2024: Easy + Tasty

Pandemic or not, life is fast-paced, and that usually takes a toll on our eating habits. Luckily, you can enjoy healthy home cooked meals with maximum convenience, thanks to meal box subscription services. You can enjoy delicious dinners, and even breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, without meal planning, shopping, or scouring Pinterest boards for healthy recipe hacks. 

To help you choose which of the many companies out there is right for you, we've curated this expert-picked list of the 10 best meal delivery services in Maryland.

What’s the Difference Between Meal Delivery and Food Delivery?

Though both terms – meal delivery and food delivery – are often used interchangeably, they do mean different things.

A meal delivery service will have in-house chefs who design and prepare meals, which will be sent to you either prepared (and ready to heat and eat) or in the form of a meal kit. The latter comprises a recipe and all the raw ingredients, sauces, and condiments required to create that dish. 

Meanwhile, a food delivery service lets you order food from your favorite local restaurants and merely delivers it to you.

In this list of Maryland's best, you'll find meal delivery services like Home Chef and Sunbasket, as well as food delivery services like Grubhub and Postmates.

Our 10 Best Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Home Chef – Restaurant-Style Meals Kits in Maryland

Home Chef Best Features 

• Prepare fuss-free restaurant-style dishes at home 

• Detailed recipes suitable for all skill levels 

• Customize It tool allows you to swap, upgrade, or double your protein 

• Delivery Rank special discount available - Get $80 Off from Home Chef

Home Chef in a Nutshell 

If you enjoy cooking minus the shopping and chopping, you’ll love Home Chef. As the name suggests, Home Chef is a meal kit delivery service, meaning it sends your chosen recipes with portioned and chopped (where possible) ingredients, along with detailed instructions on how to cook each dish.

Starting at $6.99 per portion, the recipes take anywhere between 10-50 minutes to cook. Choose from the 20-22 recipes each week based on how much time you have and how elaborate a meal you want. You'll find a varied selection of meal kits that range from gourmet dishes like Sirloin Steak and Horseradish Cream or Tempura Mahi-Mahi and Pickled Ginger Aioli, to comfort foods like Italian Sausage Cowboy Pie or Mozzarella Turkey Meatloaf.

Home Chef also offers portion sizes for up to eight people – perfect if you want to feed the whole family or have guests coming over. My colleague tested out Home Chef, and wrote about how it really works in this in-depth review.

Despite its well-earned popularity, Home Chef has its drawbacks. Firstly, the only extras you'll find are grilled meat and fish in its Protein Packs, so if you’re looking for sides and other add-ons you'll be disappointed. Secondly, if you have specific dietary preferences, such as keto or vegan, there are other meal delivery services out there that better cater to these requirements.

2. Blue Apron – Your One-Stop-Shop, Meal-Prep Solution

Blue Apron Best Features 

• Affordable – with prices starting at $7.49 per serving

• The option to add wine to your delivery each week

• Specialty in-house spice blends and kitchen tools available for purchase at the Market

• Delivery Rank special discount available - Save $110 off 4 Boxes from Blue Apron

Blue Apron in a Nutshell 

Blue Apron is one of the oldest players in the meal kit delivery market, with several pluses to its credit. The recipes are known for being particularly tasty, it’s one of the least expensive meal kit services, and it’s a one-stop-shop for food, wine, and kitchen tools. We go more into what sets Blue Apron apart in this expert review.

In addition to the Signature for Two (with Vegetarian for 2 and Wellness for 2 options) and  Signature For Four, Blue Apron has a range of nutritionist-designed WW Approved and Diabetes Friendly recipes. All the meal kits come with clear, detailed instructions to ensure your meals are prepared to perfection.

What sets Blue Apron apart, however, is its wine offerings. You can either subscribe to receive six 500ml bottles (perfect for two) a month, or purchase bundles at the Market.

3. Sunbasket – Healthy Meals To Suit Every Palate in Maryland

Sunbasket Best Features 

• Has both meal kits and prepared meals

• Offers a variety of breakfast items, soups, snacks, and other add-ons

• Caters to many dietary preferences, including paleo, vegan, and diabetes-friendly

• Delivery Rank special discount available - Get $90 off and 4 free gifts from Sunbasket

Sunbasket in a Nutshell 

Whether you’re in the mood to cook, or you want a simple heat-and-eat meal, Sunbasket has you covered. What's more, all its dishes are healthy, fresh, and certified organic (we talk about this more in our Sunbasket review).

Its main menu features 27 dishes, across both kits and prepared meals, many of which are inspired by other cuisines.  As well as all-American favorites, look out for meals like the Korean Kimchi Fried Rice with Pancetta, and the Malai Potato Kofta Curry with Toasted Naan. 

Sunbasket’s menu is designed to cater to several dietary preferences, too, including paleo, vegetarian, vegan, diabetes-friendly, carb-conscious, pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.

In addition to the dinners, you can also add on breakfast, lunch, snacks, and extra proteins. 

4. HelloFresh – Delicious Recipes and Generous Portions for Marylanders

HelloFresh Best Features 

• Generous portions and a wide variety of meat, fish, and plant protein

• Fresh ingredients sourced straight from the farm

• Delivers seven days a week

• Delivery Rank special discount available - Get $80 off and free shipping from HelloFresh

HelloFresh in a Nutshell 

HelloFresh lives up to its name by serving fresh, high-quality ingredients that are delivered to you on a set day each week. You can change the day, skip a week, or cancel your subscription at any time without hassle.

Each week, choose between two and five recipes from its menu of 25, with plenty of options for vegetarians, pescatarians, and those on low-calorie diets. The meal kits arrive with step-by-step instructions and nutritional information. And, while you can choose your recipes week by week, if you wish, you can also leave it to HelloFresh to send you meal kits based on your dietary preferences.

While the quality ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes sure are a hit, what's even more impressive are HelloFresh’s generous portion sizes, even in the case of meat, fish, and plant protein. My colleague shared her thoughts about HelloFresh in this in-depth review.

Another thing to look out for is HelloFresh often offers generous discounts and free shipping on your first purchase. Sounds pretty good, huh?

5. Freshly – Eating Right Made Easy

Freshly Best Features 

• Single-serve, prepared meals ready in three minutes or less

• All dishes are gluten- and peanut-free

• Complimentary video consultation with a Wellness Expert

• Delivery Rank special discount available - Save $60, Promo Code: LAUNCH15

Freshly in a Nutshell 

Freshly is our escape from prepping, cooking, and dishwashing. It's a prepared meal delivery service that offers a healthier alternative to restaurant food with controlled sugar, fewer processed ingredients, and as many fruits and vegetables as it can cram into its meals.

All the dishes are prepared in a gluten- and peanut-free facility, and Freshly makes it easy to manage your dietary preferences with options that are dairy-free, soy-free, and even low-carb. If you’re vegetarian or a vegan though, you might want to consider some other services.

Select between four and 12 meals from more than 30 tempting dishes per week. Given that the meals are delivered fresh, not frozen, they’re certainly flavorful, to say the least. You can get the inside scoop on how the meals actually taste in my colleague’s expert Freshly review.

Freshly also offers a free 15-minute video consultation with a Wellness Expert who can help you select meals suitable for your diet.

6. Green Chef – Delightful, Organic, and Diet-Specific Meal Kits

Green Chef Best Features 

• A USDA certified-organic company 

• Plans include Plant-Powered and Keto + Paleo 

• Meals are designed to be nutritious as well as tasty

• Delivery Rank special discount available - Get $80 Off + Free Shipping

Green Chef in a Nutshell 

Green Chef is a USDA-certified meal kit delivery service that prides itself on recipes that are organic, nutritious, and delicious at the same time. Even its Keto + Paleo plan is certified gluten-free.  The company describes itself as the number-one meal kit for eating well, which means all its recipes are packed with veggies, whole grains, and lean meats low in saturated fat. 

Green Chef offers a total of 27 carefully crafted recipes, nine in each of its three plans – Balanced Living, Keto + Paleo, and Plant-Powered. Since the plans are priced differently, however, you can’t switch between them.

In keeping with its health-conscious vibe, all the nutritional information is available on the website alongside each recipe, and also in your box. We write about this more in this in-depth Green Chef review.

When there’s an offer running for first-time customers, the starting price per serving can be as low as $5.99 (compared to its regular price of $9.99), which is great value for an organic meal kit.

7. EveryPlate – Meal Kits With Affordable Comfort Food

EveryPlate Best Features 

• The most budget-friendly meal kit, from $4.99 per serving 

• Crowd-pleasing comfort food options

• Protein packs available to add to your meal box 

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EveryPlate in a Nutshell 

It might not offer any fancy recipes, organic ingredients, or diet-specific meals, but you’ll still see rave reviews about EveryPlate. It definitely helps that this is the most affordable meal kit delivery service by far and offers a huge selection of comfort-food favorites like tacos, pork chops, and meatballs each week. 

Learn more about what sets EveryPlate apart, and whether it really is the best meal kit delivery service for you, in this EveryPlate review.

Of its 14 to 16 recipes each week, you can select three to five for two or four people. The cooking time and other information, including the nutrition facts and allergens, is all clearly visible on the website, so you can pick your recipes accordingly.

What attracted us to EveryPlate was the price. After all, $4.99 is too good a price to not be tempted, right? There is an $8.99 delivery charge but despite that, EveryPlate continues to be the lowest priced meal kit out there right now.

8. Veestro – For Those Following a Vegan Lifestyle

Veestro Best Features 

• A dedicated vegan prepared meal service

• Uses organic ingredients and absolutely no preservatives

• Shipping is free with all subscriptions

• Delivery Rank special discount available -Get $40 Off, Promo Code: AOWERPLANT30  

Veestro in a Nutshell 

Veestro is a prepared meal delivery service catering to those on a completely plant-based diet. There are more than 40 meals to choose from each week, as well as eight breakfast items, and though the menu doesn't change weekly, there are still more options per week compared to some other meal delivery services. Plus, the company adds new items to the menu every so often.

Veestro’s meals come frozen in bundles of 10, 20, and 30 – with no shipping fee if you’ve subscribed.  You can learn more about Veestro’s pricing in our expert review.

When choosing your dishes, the meals can be filtered for allergens like soy, gluten, and nuts, and there are dietary categories such as High-Protein and Low-Calorie. There’s a Weight Loss plan, too, which features many of the same dishes from the a la carte menu.

The most interesting thing about Veestro is its eclectic menu. From plant-based versions of comfort-food favorites, like the Chick’n Nuggets and BBQ Chick’n Pizza, to dishes from popular world cuisines, like the South Indian Coconut Stew, there’s something for every palate. 

See Veestro’s Best Plan

9. Grubhub – The All-Around Best Food Delivery Service in Maryland

Grubhub Best Features 

• Get free delivery when you sign up to Grubhub+

• Delivery charges from respective restaurants are clearly displayed

• Often has ongoing offers

• Pickup also available if you’re out and about 

Grubhub in a Nutshell 

If we’re being honest (and we are), despite the range of healthy and tasty meal kits and prepared meals available in Maryland, sometimes all we want is to not move from the couch, order something nice from our favorite place, and dig in. For times like these, you need a food delivery service, and the first on our list is Grubhub which, frankly, needs little introduction.

For those not in the know, however, Grubhub is a food ordering and delivery service that partners with local restaurants. You can place your order through Grubhub's easy-to-navigate website or app and have it delivered or pick it up. Either way, you'll find plenty of interesting offers, including discounts and free appetizers.

The delivery cost could be anywhere between $1-10, though, for the majority of places, you'll find it’s less than $5. To waive this fee completely, sign up to Grubhub+ for $9.99 a month. 

The best part is, you can try it free for two weeks with the Grubhub+ 14-day free trial. 

10. Postmates – Food Delivery and More in Maryland

Postmates Best Features 

• User-friendly app and website with easy-to-sort filters

• Delivers more than just meals, including snacks, drinks, and other convenience store items

• Partners with independent restaurants as well as bigger chains

Postmates in a Nutshell 

Another reliable food ordering and delivery service is Postmates, which comes with its own set of perks. The biggest of them being that in addition to independent restaurants and chains near you, you can also order convenience store items including drinks, groceries, and even party supplies. 

Postmates has two ranges of delivery charges, $0.99-3.99 from partner merchants and $5.99-9.99 for others. Incidentally, Postmates also has a $9.99 monthly subscription, Postmates Unlimited, with the exact same benefits as Grubhub – the delivery charge gets waived from orders over $12. There’s also a free trial period of seven days. 

Best Meal Delivery Services in Maryland: Comparison Table

Bottom Line: Are Meal Delivery Services in Maryland Worth It?

When it comes to enjoying a meal, we all have moods. Some days we want to get creative in the kitchen, other days we want less cooking and more heating-and-eating. On others, we want nothing to do with the kitchen. Meal and food delivery services make it possible for us to live and enjoy every mood. 

So frankly, there’s never a time or place where meal and food delivery services aren’t worth your while. From gourmet dishes to comfort foods to health-conscious recipes, Maryland’s meal delivery services have it all.

FAQ

What is the best prepared meal delivery service in Maryland?

This really depends on your dietary preferences and on how much time you want to spend preparing a meal. For example, if you’re looking for plant-based, prepared meals, you’ll like Sunbasket review and Veestro review. 

For gluten-free prepared meals, check out check out Freshly review.

All of these meal delivery services actually made it onto our list of the best prepared meal delivery services today.

What is the best meal delivery service for weight loss in Maryland?

Almost all the meal delivery services in Maryland offer low-calorie, carb-conscious, and high-protein options that are great for weight loss and a balanced diet. Blue Apron actually works with Weight Watchers, so you get a clear look at WW points per recipe, and even tips, like using less oil, to make the meals even healthier.

Sunbasket and Veestro also have dedicated low-calorie plans.

For the full scoop, check out our best meal delivery service for weight loss blog post.

What is the cheapest prepared meal delivery service in Maryland?

When it comes to the cheapest prepared meal delivery service on our list, Freshly review takes the cake. Considering that all the meals are gluten-free, low-sodium, and have no added sugar, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth.

For more information, check out our full list of today’s cheapest meal delivery services.

What is the healthiest food delivery service in Maryland?

When it comes to food delivery, it really depends on what restaurant you decide to order from. While you’ll find quite a few healthy options at local Maryland restaurants on both Grubhub and Postmates, including Panera Bread, Soul Boat, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe, it’s harder to keep track of your macros and your budget.

If you’re looking for healthy and tasty meals that work for every day, a meal service is the better option. Services like Home Chef review,Blue Apron review, and Sunbasket review offer healthy meals catering to several dietary preferences.