You can customize proteins and side dishes in selected recipes with HelloCustom. This feature is available with every plan, but the number of applicable meals is limited.

HelloFresh publishes its weekly menus 6 weeks ahead. That way, you can build up your meal plan well in advance.

Check out our tested review to learn what our reviewer thought about its food. The smallest meal kit contains 2 servings for 2 people, while the biggest box consists of 6 recipes for 4 people. Green Chef typically offers attractive first-order discounts to new subscribers.

It's USDA-certified and the first licensed California Certified Organic Farmers CCOF meal kit handler. The company sources high-quality ingredients and its nutritionists approve recipes, which expert chefs curate.

In my opinion, you get a value that exceeds the price by a large margin with Green Chef, which is one of the best organic meal delivery services. Prospective customers could get a tempting offer when they land on the website. If you get an offer providing a substantial discount, make room in your freezer to maximize your order and savings.

You may also get a price reduction throughout your first few purchases. Medics, nurses, teachers, military personnel, veterans, and first responders may benefit from exclusive deals.

Select the Hero Discounts link in the footer to see your eligibility. Once you check your legal identity with ID. me, you might qualify for substantial discounts, ongoing price cuts, or other benefits. Free shipping on your first box might be one of them. Green Chef account owners may earn a referral bonus.

When they make a second purchase, you get a bonus toward your next order. The company also grants regular customers Free Gifts that work similarly to referrals.

Personalize your mealtime by choosing between the following plan preferences:. Check our in-depth review to learn more about each category.

It also has add-ons suitable for breakfast and snacks. Pancakes, oatmeal, small bites, and cakes are some possible extras. You can browse Green Chef's meal selection 3 or 4 weeks in advance.

However, you can plan your mealtime 6 weeks ahead with Home Chef or HelloFresh. The minimum weekly order is 3 servings for 2 people. The maximum order is 4 meals for 6 people.

The fewer meals you buy, the more the cost per individual recipe increases. Home Chef-owned Fresh and Easy is a line of quick meals providing substantial deals.

The meal delivery service has minute meal kits, heat-and-eat dishes, and entrée salads. It sources fresh ingredients that customers get pre-portioned and pre-cooked depending on the selected meal type. Grab the offered deal when you register on the Home Chef website.

Check our full review to learn how to sign up. Hit the Fresh and Easy button when personalizing preferences and get the first-order discount that applies automatically.

The price cut may relate to the first or first few purchases. Students and social service employees may qualify for temporary or ongoing discounts.

The former need to be verified via Student Beans. The latter have to prove their legal identity through ID. me on the website. Depending on the status, they could get discounts on several or recurring orders that may add free one-time delivery, for example.

You can also benefit from referring Fresh and Easy to your friends and relatives. Send them invitations accompanied by referral codes. Once they purchase, they get a discount while you redeem a credit. Fresh and Easy provides reasonably priced dishes that you can prepare quickly.

Its minute meal kits feature portioned and prepared ingredients. It caters to passionate cooks with little time. If you prefer the heat-and-eat approach, order the ready-made specialties. Quick prep and cleanup are the service's trademarks.

You rarely need to chop, grind, dice, or do anything with most ingredients. Many meals contain oven-ready trays and grill-ready bags, keeping your utensils clean. Fresh and Easy is popular among pescatarians and omnivores. The minimum weekly order is 2 servings for 2 people while the maximum order is 6 recipes for 6 people.

Consider maximizing your order to get a lower price per individual meal. Blue Apron typically offers attractive price deductions for initial orders. You should see your discount notification just below the header when you land on the website. In my experience, these deals provide considerable price reductions and may apply to more than 1 purchase.

Blue Apron applies discount coupons to your purchases when deducting the cost from your credit card. Note that the discount doesn't apply to shipping or tax unless stated otherwise. Blue Apron often waives the delivery fee on your first order in addition to the discount.

Either way, you'll get tasty, chef-prepared food and great value for money. Blue Apron also rewards its customers with referral credits on occasion. To be eligible, you must have an active account. You get the referral bonus when an invitee purchases through your invitation link and you can use awarded credits toward your future orders.

Our reviewer noted that Blue Apron's dishes cater to various dieters, including low-calorie, weight-loss, gourmet, and diabetes-friendly.

However, Blue Apron typically doesn't excel in vegan options. Factor is a better choice for vegan food delivery services offering great discounts. You can customize your Blue Apron subscription by choosing from a variety of options. You can customize some dishes after you select them from the menu.

Follow the Make it Vegetarian tags if you wish to make a balanced meal vegetarian, for example. I also found that you can choose between various types of meat to personalize a dish.

For instance, I could choose between tenderloin, bistro, and ribeye steaks. The more dishes you order, the lower price per individual meal you'll pay. The minimum order for prepared meals is 6 servings per week. Or you can order meal kits of 2 meals for 2 people up to 5 meals for 4 people per week.

Options for diabetics, keto eaters, and dieters wanting to lose weight. BistroMD has discounts that make it an affordable choice for weight-loss dieting.

These can include substantial price deductions, free shipping, and referral bonuses. Plus, licensed dietitians approve all of its meals. BistroMD's special offer to new customers reduces the price for the introductory period. Military employees and first responders can also benefit from discounts.

Existing customers can refer the meal delivery service to their friends and claim a bonus. Sign in to your account and click on the Refer button to send an invitation. Gluten Free — meals lacking rye, barley, and wheat.

Heart Healthy — dishes containing no more than mg of sodium. Keto Flex — a diet providing results without demanding sacrifice. Menopause — doctor-designed food dealing with hormone changes. Choose between BistroMD's Full Week, Work Week, and Custom programs.

The Full Week 7-day Program provides you with 7 breakfasts and lunches, 6 dinners, and My Night. My Night gives you the freedom to cook for yourself. The Work Week 5-day Program consists of 5 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

The Custom Program lets you consult with a dietitian and design your diet. BistroMD provides meals inspired by Italian and Mediterranean cuisines. The more meals you buy, the lower the cost per serving.

The Work Week Program consists of 15 dishes, but you can lower the number of portions with the Custom Program.

Purple Carrot is a meal delivery service that offers meat-free dishes. You can choose between meal kits and prepared meals. Depending on the meal type, you can prepare the meal kits in 15 to 45 minutes. New subscribers typically benefit from a discount on their first orders.

If so, the price reduction applies automatically when you choose a plan, you don't have to do anything to claim it. Active account owners can take advantage of the Share a Box referral program. Note that the promotion doesn't apply to extras. If you add any of those, Purple Carrot will charge your card.

You can also order Plantry snacks, with donuts and cookies being among the options. As well as 16 prepared meals, you can choose Less Prep dishes if you want to cook but have limited time.

These recipes require fewer kitchen utensils than other meals, reducing cleanup time. You can find them accompanied by pre-cut ingredients and sauces.

Most of Purple Carrot's non-produce components are organic and non-GMO. If ingredient quality is important to you, Green Chef — a USDA-certified organic company — has a vegan plan that may be a worthy substitute.

Our Purple Carrot review has more details about the produce it uses. Purple Carrot caters to carb-conscious, diabetic, vegetarian, vegan, and gourmet eaters, among others. Its meals qualify for weight loss, too. But consider checking Nutrisystem for dedicated weight-loss plans with attractive deals.

The minimum order is 2 servings per 3 meals. You can save a substantial amount of money if you order more dishes. Nutrisystem specializes in weight-loss programs and offers great savings when you use a coupon. The meal delivery service specializes in prepared meals that allow people to lose weight while keeping hunger at bay.

Nutrisystem often offers great promotions for new customers. These could be time-limited offers relating to any of the service's plans. You're likely to get a substantial price cut, accompanied by discounted shipment or some other benefit.

The deal might even include recurring discounts for subsequent orders. The first big decision you'll make is whether you want meal kits, which require some prep and cooking, or a prepared meal service that sends fully cooked meals ready to heat and eat.

Prepared meals require almost no time and energy, other than what it takes to actually eat the food, but typically run a few dollars more per serving.

If you're keen on eating low-calorie, low-carb, plant-based or pescatarian food, certain meal kits and meal delivery services are better than others. Our list of the healthiest meal delivery services for is a good place to find the most nutritious options. With almost every service, the more meals or servings are in your order per delivery, the cheaper it becomes per meal.

Ideally, you'll want to determine exactly how much food makes sense for your household. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go-around.

Services like Daily Harvest and Splendid Spoon have meals for similar prices but are focused more on grain bowls and smoothies and might be better for breakfast or lunch versus dinner. When it comes to meal kits, your options are many, and most services provide weekly recipes that are low on calories but still filling.

HelloFresh has the most recipes per week of any meal kit service, so that might be your best bet for finding consistent meals that keep your diet goals on track. But all services list the calorie content for each recipe, along with carbs, protein, sugar and sodium.

Depending on your weight loss goals, a healthy prepared meal delivery or meal kit service can help.

Fresh N Lean, Pete's Real Food and Daily Harvest all have low-calorie meals to choose from. Some of the services listed here are healthy prepared meal delivery services , sending fully cooked meals -- often frozen or partially frozen -- and ready to eat when you receive them. Others include health-focused meal kits with premeasured ingredients all boxed up and ready for easy weeknight cooking.

There's a stark difference between meal kits and meal delivery, but both make dinnertime easier and can translate into healthier eating choices for you in Plus, we sussed out the best healthy meal services for those on special diets like keto or paleo or for those who wish to eat organic prepared meals and meal kits.

Wellness Nutrition. Written by David Watsky. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement. David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips.

Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom. Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon.

Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week. Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits. See full bio. Why You Can Trust CNET. Table of Contents Top. Cheapest Meal Delivery Services of What's the best cheap meal delivery service?

Cheapest meal delivery services for Cheapest prepared meal services compared. How we test meal kits and meal delivery services. Factors to consider when choosing a meal delivery service. Why you should trust us. Cheap meal delivery FAQs. Back to selection.

See at EveryPlate. Best cheap meal kits overall. See at Fresh N' Lean. Best cheap prepared meal delivery overall.

See at Dinnerly. Best cheap meal kits for picky eaters. See at Mosaic Foods. Best cheap vegan meals. See at Blue Apron. Best cheap meal kits that include steak and seafood.

See at Daily Harvest. Best cheap meal delivery for breakfast and lunch. See at HelloFresh. Best cheap meal kits for diet and weight loss.

FILTER BY all Meal Kit Prepared Meal. Showing 7 of 7 Results. Editors' choice. Show less. But there is a growing number of premade meal delivery services that bring fully prepared food directly to your door to save you time and energy — and they definitely beat a frozen TV dinner.

Our food and nutrition experts tested over 50 meal delivery services, and we've sent the services to over home chefs to find the best options for every lifestyle and budget.

The beauty of prepared meal delivery services is that they take the stress and mess out of meal prep. Many services offer options for different dietary needs and preferences too.

Plus, they tend to be a bit more cost-effective per meal than takeout or dining out at a restaurant. Some services even have celebrity chefs creating the meals.

These ready-to-eat meals are typically portioned for one and only require a few minutes of reheating. You can learn more about how we evaluate meal delivery services — and find our comprehensive guide to the best meal delivery services by diet — at the end of this article.

Looking for more options? Check out our guides to the best healthy meal delivery services , organic meal delivery services , paleo meal delivery services and weight loss meal delivery services. Many people we surveyed said they wanted high-quality, organic premade meal options.

Fresh N Lean fits the bill, as the service caters to fresh, organically sourced ingredients that are gluten-free too. All meals are ready to eat in 5 to 7 minutes in the oven or 3 minutes in the microwave.

How it works: Begin by selecting from over menu options each week. There's the option to build your box à la carte too. The menu is updated weekly and nutritional information for each meal is provided on the company's website. You can also add sweet or savory snacks and proteins, including breakfast muffins and grilled salmon.

Lab results: Testers gave the service top scores for food quality and portion sizes and were pleased with how satisfying the meals were.

There was a great variety with some surprising choices as well. Our experts liked that the company caters to a range of different dietary needs and preferences, like high-protein meals, keto offerings, Whole 30 meals and more.

And our dietitians point out that the service only uses humanely raised grass-fed beef, cage-free poultry, free-range eggs and sustainably sourced seafood. Prepared meals like this can be expensive, but the more you order the lower the cost per meal with this service.

Plant-based food should be hearty and satisfying. These filling plant-powered meals from Mosaic include everything from veggie bowls and pizzas to soups and oat bowls. The brand uses high-quality ingredients, choosing organic and local options when possible, all the while staying on budget for families and individuals alike.

How it works: Start by selecting your plan, which includes 6, 12 or 18 options per box. Then fill your box with a variety of plant-based breakfast, lunch and dinner options like peanut tofu bowls, broccoli crust four-cheese pizza and veggie pot pie family meals. Meal filters include vegetarian, vegan, wheat-free, nut-free, soy-free, high protein and under calories.

Opt for delivery every 1 to 4 weeks. Meals are delivered frozen. Lab results: Both testers and experts loved the variety and veggie-forward focus of the meals.

Family meals were very convenient and packed with hidden veggies that the whole family can feel good about eating. Testers found the flavors super unique, and one said that Mosaic offered a "greater diversity and quantity of vegetables than any supermarket frozen foods that I've tried.

The meals come frozen, so if you can't get to them that week, they will still keep in the freezer for a while. That being said, the service has a limited delivery area so double check this before placing your order. Prepared meals don't have to be boring, and Cook Unity proves it.

The service provides gourmet meals crafted by award-winning chefs that bring you a restaurant-style dining experience in the comfort of your own home. You'll find a changing menu of dozens of options from some of the most talented chefs in the country. How it works: Start by setting your dietary preferences and then selecting 4, 6, 8, 12 or 16 meals per week.

Menus are posted two weeks in advance and you can choose your weekly meals or let CookUnity select for you based on your preferences, including gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, paleo, vegan, and beyond.

The meals arrive fresh and come with expiration dates, as well as instructions on how to heat your dish. Lab results: The service received top scores from our testers and experts for flavor, portion sizes and overall food quality.

Our nutrition experts appreciate that the brand provides a full nutrition facts panel on each meal too. We found the service to be best for gourmet comfort food, but the brand also offers some health-conscious fare. The shipping area is a bit limited but growing.

Carb-conscious individuals can still enjoy meal delivery with services like Factor that cater to keto and low-carb offerings.

This dietitian-designed service delivers fresh meals that both our testers and experts loved. All subscriptions include one complimentary consultation with a registered dietitian, which is a great perk. Plan preferences include:. Lab results: Meals were delivered in great condition and the ingredients tasted fresh and flavorful.

Meal variety and portion sizes were also highly rated. One tester said, "I did not feel that microwaving my meals compromised the integrity of the taste or texture either. Everything heated nicely! For those on low-carb and keto diets, the number of compliant options on the menu was a welcome change from other services that have limited offerings.

Plus, the meals were tasty, satisfying and creative, but take note that many of the keto meals are very high in fat. Favorites included the pork tenderloin with cheesy cabbage, vegan mushroom marsala and the herb cream cheese salmon.

Curated for athletes, this all-organic prepared subscription service uses high-quality ingredients like grass-fed meat and wild-caught seafood. Those serious about counting macros will appreciate that each plan has curated macros depending on the specific goal.

The Trifecta app can also give you a personalized plan and tools to help you manage your weight. How it works: Choose from over high-protein meals each week. The service has four different meal plans including clean, Paleo Whole 30, keto and plant-based. Have Trifecta's chefs select the meals for you or pick them on your own.

You can choose 5, 7, 10 or 14 entrees per delivery, and add on an optional seven breakfasts if desired. Trifecta meals arrive in vacuum-sealed containers and last 6 to 10 days in the fridge or over three months in the freezer.

Lab results: Our experts appreciate Trifecta's focus on nutrition, macronutrients and meal planning. The brand provides great tools for those looking to gain muscle or lose body fat with its corresponding app.

Testers enjoyed the meals too, describing the portions as "on point" and "well balanced. That being said, the meals aren't the most flavorful we've tried, but they do offer a balance of carbs, protein and fat. The topics of weight loss and dieting can be controversial , but what caught our attention about BistroMD is that the service was founded by a medical doctor and includes a team of dedicated dietitians.

And BistroMD's diet options aren't just for weight loss but also for diabetics who may have trouble finding other services that they can enjoy. How it works: Start by selecting a program to fit your dietary needs, which include:.

There are over meals to choose from. Items arrive frozen and simply need a quick reheating before you dig in. Lab results: A top performer in our tests, BistroMD thoroughly impressed our testers and judges with its high-quality meals and variety.

Our nutrition experts appreciated the variety of plans that BistroMD offers, which cater to specific medical conditions and phases of life. The pre-portioned meals are science-backed and take the guesswork out of healthy eating. Testers gave the service top marks for convenience, variety, freshness of ingredients and ease of reheating the meals, saying they loved that the meals required no prep work.

Known for its signature line of smoothies and soups, this female-founded company is fully plant-based and now offers grain and noodle bowls as well as cold-pressed juices and wellness shots. Splendid Spoon is a great option for individuals who are looking for a light lunch or nutritious on-the-go breakfasts.

How it works: Select how many meals you want — 7, 14 or 21 — and then customize the delivery frequency. Options include weekly, bi-monthly or monthly.

Choose from over 50 pre-made smoothies, bowls and dishes. Filter for additional dietary needs like higher fiber, higher protein, lower calorie, lower carb, lower fat, lower sodium and lower sugar.

Lab results: Our lab experts appreciated the straightforward ordering process and quick shipping turnaround. Although the food arrives frozen, testers noted you can still taste the freshness of each item. Same with the soups," said one tester. Testers do note that some of the noodles, grain bowls and smoothies have two servings in one small container.

Although the fare is on the lighter side, the flavor profiles are great. And while we love the offerings, this isn't the choice for fresh lunchtime salads or sandwiches. RELATED: The Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services.

These plant-based, organic meals deliver great flavor and sizable portions too.

Everyplate and dinnerly are the cheapest ones (about $5/serving) as far as I know. Upvote Meal Prep Deals: 50 to 90% off deals in Meal Prep near you. Get daily deals and local insights near you today! 13 Meal Delivery Kits With Massive Discounts for New Users · 1. EveryPlate: 6 Servings ($/serving) and $1 steak · 2. Dinnerly has 24 servings

Discounted meal prep - With family meals clocking in at $5 a serving and single meals around $9, Mosaic Foods is the cheapest prepared meal service we've tested. Fresh Everyplate and dinnerly are the cheapest ones (about $5/serving) as far as I know. Upvote Meal Prep Deals: 50 to 90% off deals in Meal Prep near you. Get daily deals and local insights near you today! 13 Meal Delivery Kits With Massive Discounts for New Users · 1. EveryPlate: 6 Servings ($/serving) and $1 steak · 2. Dinnerly has 24 servings

Our list of the healthiest meal delivery services for is a good place to find the most nutritious options. With almost every service, the more meals or servings are in your order per delivery, the cheaper it becomes per meal.

Ideally, you'll want to determine exactly how much food makes sense for your household. That means it's less of an issue if you order too many meals on your first go-around.

Services like Daily Harvest and Splendid Spoon have meals for similar prices but are focused more on grain bowls and smoothies and might be better for breakfast or lunch versus dinner. When it comes to meal kits, your options are many, and most services provide weekly recipes that are low on calories but still filling.

HelloFresh has the most recipes per week of any meal kit service, so that might be your best bet for finding consistent meals that keep your diet goals on track.

But all services list the calorie content for each recipe, along with carbs, protein, sugar and sodium. Depending on your weight loss goals, a healthy prepared meal delivery or meal kit service can help. Fresh N Lean, Pete's Real Food and Daily Harvest all have low-calorie meals to choose from. Some of the services listed here are healthy prepared meal delivery services , sending fully cooked meals -- often frozen or partially frozen -- and ready to eat when you receive them.

Others include health-focused meal kits with premeasured ingredients all boxed up and ready for easy weeknight cooking. There's a stark difference between meal kits and meal delivery, but both make dinnertime easier and can translate into healthier eating choices for you in Plus, we sussed out the best healthy meal services for those on special diets like keto or paleo or for those who wish to eat organic prepared meals and meal kits.

Wellness Nutrition. Written by David Watsky. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement. David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips.

Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom. Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon.

Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week. Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits.

See full bio. Why You Can Trust CNET. Table of Contents Top. Cheapest Meal Delivery Services of What's the best cheap meal delivery service?

Cheapest meal delivery services for Cheapest prepared meal services compared. How we test meal kits and meal delivery services. Factors to consider when choosing a meal delivery service. Why you should trust us.

Cheap meal delivery FAQs. Back to selection. See at EveryPlate. Best cheap meal kits overall. See at Fresh N' Lean. Best cheap prepared meal delivery overall. See at Dinnerly. Best cheap meal kits for picky eaters. See at Mosaic Foods. Best cheap vegan meals.

See at Blue Apron. Best cheap meal kits that include steak and seafood. See at Daily Harvest. Best cheap meal delivery for breakfast and lunch. See at HelloFresh. Best cheap meal kits for diet and weight loss. FILTER BY all Meal Kit Prepared Meal.

Showing 7 of 7 Results. Editors' choice. Show less. CNET rating out of 10 8. Cons Not as many healthy options No customization allowed. Type Meal Kit. Good for Healthy, family-friendly, comfort food, picky eaters, quick and easy.

Full Review Read full review. See at EveryPlate Best cheap meal kits overall EveryPlate. Show expert take Show less. CNET rating out of 10 9. Pros Food mostly tastes great Good for diets and healthy eating plans. Cons Expensive if you only order fewer than 10 meals per week. Type Prepared Meal.

Meal options per week Good for Keto, paleo, Whole30, gluten-free Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, high-protein. See at Fresh N' Lean Best cheap prepared meal delivery overall Fresh N Lean. CNET rating out of 10 7. Pros Huge recipe selection More healthy options than other budget services.

Cons Some recipes are bland and boring. Regional Availability Continental United States. See at Dinnerly Best cheap meal kits for picky eaters Dinnerly. png","caption":" ","credits":"Mosaic Foods meal delivery service","imageData":{"id":"1cb0d31acfa-a2ea-2ad6b","filename":"mosaic. Pros Food is some of the best we tried Hearty and filling recipes.

Cons Vegan pizzas are just OK. Type Prepared meal. Good for Vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, low-calorie. See at Mosaic Foods Best cheap vegan meals Mosaic Foods. Pros A standard plan includes steak and seafood recipes Recipes are interesting and easy to make.

Cons Some produce was a little overripe. Recipes per week Good for Vegetarian, low-calorie, gluten-free, pescetarian. See at Blue Apron Best cheap meal kits that include steak and seafood Blue Apron. Cons Some of the bowls an noodle dishes are just OK Smoothies can be sneakily high in sugar.

Featured Snake River Farms Up to 6. Factor Meals Offers available for: Military Nurse Responder Teacher Medical. Sign In to Save HelloFresh. HelloFresh Offers available for: Military Nurse Responder Teacher Medical. Sign In to Save Home Chef. Sign In to Save Blue Apron.

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