7 Best Meal Delivery Services in Raleigh 2024

Grocery shopping and meal prep can take up valuable time, but I have a solution. If Raleigh’s fast-paced lifestyle is leaving you struggling to keep up, meal delivery services are a great way to save time. You can order pre-portioned meal kits or fully prepared heat-and-eat meals right to your door.

Having reviewed dozens of these services, I’ve put together a list of the top 7 in Raleigh to help you find the right service for your needs. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a busy parent, or just someone who appreciates a delicious home-cooked meal, there's something on this list for you.

My top pick is Factor, since it offers tasty, diet-friendly meals that heat up in minutes. Its dietitian-formulated prepared meals accommodate keto, vegan, and other diets – but the meals are tasty enough for anyone to enjoy! Read on to discover more of the 7 best meal delivery services in Raleigh.

The Best Meal Delivery Services in Raleigh Reviewed

1. Factor – Best High-Quality Heat-And-Eat Meals in Raleigh

Factor is an excellent choice for nutritious, protein-packed meals. All meals arrive fully cooked, and you can quickly heat them up in just a few minutes.

What’s on the Menu?

Factor's menu features a variety of international cuisines beyond typical American fare. If you enjoy Mediterranean, Thai, Mexican, or Indian food, you'll appreciate the selection. 

Each meal is tagged for easy identification of common allergens and diet accommodations. These include Protein Plus dishes as well as Calorie Smart and Keto-friendly options.

Factor also allows you to order add-ons to complement your main dishes. These include protein packs, smoothies, fresh-squeezed juices, sides, and more. Like the main menu, the add-ons menu has accommodations for several diets, including keto and vegan.

What Makes It Special?

Factor’s premium options stand out for their surprising quality. The meals retain their freshly-cooked flavors even when cooked in a microwave. You can also try the Gourmet Plus meals for more complex recipes and exotic proteins. Gourmet Plus meals provide a luxurious dining experience, though they come with a higher price tag.

Factor publishes its menu 4 weeks in advance, giving you ample time to plan. If you prefer planning even further ahead, consider HelloFresh, which shows recipes 6 weeks in advance. For those following a specific diet, this makes meal logistics a lot easier.

We found Factor’s customer service to be efficient and friendly. You can engage in a live chat with its representatives 24/7 or call during business hours. We also found the FAQ section easy to navigate and quite extensive. Check out our full review of Factor to see what it was like to test the service.Is It Good Value?

Every recipe is gluten-free throughout the complete list of diet plans, which includes:

• Chef’s Choice – recipes from all plans, ideal for a balanced diet

• Keto – low carb, high fat, moderate protein recipes

• Calorie Smart – recipes with no more than 550 cal per serving

• Vegan & Veggie – meat-free and plant-based meals

• Protein Plus – 30 g of protein or more per meal 

• Flexitarian – meals centered around veggies and purposeful proteins 

One of Factor’s biggest drawbacks is its lack of recipe customization options. You can’t substitute proteins or swap veggie sides in any recipes. However, all recipes exclude added gluten and are safe for those who don’t have serious allergies. If you do have serious allergies, you might want to check out a more allergy-accommodating service life Green Chef.

You can choose 6-18 meals weekly, with per-meal prices decreasing as you order more. The best-value option offers 18 single-serving meals for $103.41 on your first purchase if you use our link.

2. Green Chef – Best Organic Meal Kits in Raleigh

Green Chef stands out by accommodating many diets and using organic ingredients. The HelloFresh-owned service uses USDA-certified and CCOF-certified organic produce, ensuring all ingredients are hormone and antibiotic-free. Green Chef’s meal kits are also free from preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and processed ingredients.

What’s on the Menu?

Green Chef offers 45+ recipes each week that span 8 meal plans:

• Keto – high fat, low carb, moderate protein dishes

• Gluten Free – recipes without added gluten

• Plant Based – vegetarian and vegan meals

• Protein Packed – high protein meals ideal for carnivores and pescatarians

• Quick & Easy – meals ready in under 25 minutes

• Mediterranean – dishes featuring mainly fish, healthy fats, and veggies

• Calorie Smart – meals under 650 calories designed for maintaining a healthy weight

• Gut & Brain Health – meals high in fiber and nutrients

You’ll see that each recipe is tagged according to the respective diet it accommodates. For example, Green Chef's Baked Ricotta Chicken with Pesto Green Beans is included in the Gluten-Free, Keto, Mediterranean, and Quick & Easy plans.

Green Chef has an impressive add-on menu with new extras each week. You'll find meats, fish, side dishes, desserts, and some breakfasts. Most add-ons cater to omnivores and keto-eaters, with limited vegan or plant-based options besides oatmeal.

What Makes It Special?

The meal plans offer flexibility, allowing you to combine recipes from all menus. As someone who mainly follows a gluten-free keto diet, I enjoy selecting options like Pork Chops with Southwest Crema zucchini, which is part of the Keto and Gluten-Free menus.

Green Chef delivers ingredients fresh, but kits still feature some premade ingredients. Pre-portioned produce, seasoning blends, and sauces help cut down on prep time. There are also some easy-prep options like 10-minute lunches, but there aren’t any fully prepared or microwave-ready dishes.

Most meals take 30+ minutes to prepare, so Green Chef is best for people who want to save grocery shopping time but still enjoy a bit of cooking during the week. For super-fast meals without any prep, explore Factor’s complete menu or Home Chef’s Lunch and Extras options.

Is It Good Value?

Green Chef is my top recommendation for anyone who prioritizes organic eating. When we sampled Green Chef at home, we found that the exceptional ingredients resulted in more flavorful meals. However, as a premium service, Green Chef also charges a premium price.

Plans start at $9.99 per serving, with a maximum order of 24 meals per week. The minimum order – which has a higher per-serving cost – has 6 meals per week or 3 recipes for 2 people, with standard shipping at $9.99 per delivery.

3. Blue Apron – Easy-To-Follow Meal Kits

Blue Apron is known for its restaurant-quality meal kits with easy-to-follow recipes. It’s among the rare meal delivery services that lets you buy its meals without subscribing first. And it has options for passionate cooks and people who don’t have time to cook. 

What’s on the Menu?

Blue Apron has meal kits for couples and families as well as single-serving heat-and-eat options. It also has a Marketplace where you can purchase extra items. Blue Apron’s Meal Kits menu features a number of tags:

• Ready to Cook – includes pre-chopped ingredients

• Fast & Easy – ready in 30 minutes or less

• Carb Conscious – low in carbohydrates

• Craft – more complex recipes at a small upcharge

• Premium – more and higher-quality ingredients at a larger upcharge

Blue Apron provides 4 distinct plans: 

• Meal Kits for 2

• Meal Kits for 4

• Prepared & Ready meals for 1

• Add-Ons (servings vary)

Blue Apron’s Market offers meal kits and prepared meals without a subscription. And if you want additional meals, you can add them to your weekly subscription box.

What Makes It Special?

Each week, about 10 recipes will have customization options. Some dishes let you Make it Vegetarian, while others offer a protein swap option. For example, you can choose to upgrade from tilapia to salmon in the above-pictured Mexican-Spiced Tilapia & Barley.

One of the features I appreciate is the preview of menus for the upcoming 4 weeks. You’ll see that the menu rotates on a weekly basis, so you can plan in advance. Cuisines on offer include Italian, Greek, Thai, and Mexican dishes, among others. Our comprehensive Blue Apron review delves deeper into the menu offerings.

Is It Good Value?

Blue Apron ranks high among meal delivery services in Raleigh for the quality of its dishes and pricing. And you can order extra meals beyond the number set in the plans. If you want to combine Meal Kits and Prepared & Ready meals in the same week, do so by placing separate orders.

The biggest downside of Blue Apron is the lack of dietary and allergen accommodations. While you can choose vegetarian, low-calorie, or high-protein meals, you can’t select typical allergen accommodations like gluten-free, dairy-free, or nut-free. Those with serious allergies or dietary concerns may want to check out Green Chef’s 8 diet plan options.

Meal Kits start at $4.00 per meal for the largest weekly plan of 5 servings for 4. You can also order Meal Kits for 2 people if you wish. Prepared & Ready meals are single serving and you must order at least 4 per week. There's also a $10.99 shipping fee to consider.

4. HelloFresh – Best Menu Selection for Omnivores and Vegetarians

HelloFresh shines with its extensive menu, providing a variety of crowd-pleasing dishes at an attractive price. Boasting over 100 recipes and other items each week, you'll enjoy a blend of American classics and internationally-inspired recipes.

What’s on the Menu?

You have 6 meal plans to mix and match between:

• Meat & Veggies – primarily protein and vegetable-focused recipes 

• Veggie – vegetarian essentials 

• Family Friendly – beloved favorites for all 

• Fit & Wholesome – calorie-aware dishes ready in under 25 minutes 

• Under 20 Minutes – quick-prep meals 

• Pescatarian – meatless choices and Mediterranean cuisine

HelloFresh makes it easy to find information on all of its menu items. The main menu includes prep times for each recipe, and clicking on a recipe shows its ingredients, nutritional data, and allergen information. Most recipes take around 25-35 minutes to prepare. Read our tested review of the HelloFresh experience to learn more.

What Makes It Special?

HelloFresh’s massive menu of family-friendly recipes means that you are guaranteed to find something delicious every week. The service boasts 1 of the biggest selections I’ve seen of different cuisines, diets, and proteins. If other services feel too niche for you, HelloFresh is sure to satisfy.

HelloFresh's customer service is available around the clock and is very responsive. Representatives can be reached via chat or phone, plus there’s a mobile app on Google Play and the App Store. You’ll also find an extensive FAQ page that offers a quick and easy way to find basic information.

Is It Good Value?

HelloFresh’s reasonable prices make it among the most affordable services overall. Combined with its large menu of quality food, I think HelloFresh represents a phenomenal value. 

However, I should note that this service is best for people without severe allergies or unique dietary restrictions. While HelloFresh has expanded its options for some diets (like vegan and vegetarian), the service can’t guarantee against cross-contamination for many allergens.

The lack of filters can make it difficult to locate diet-friendly recipes. You have to manually scroll and search through the entire menu, which can be tedious. There are some helpful tags, but you can’t filter your results by them. With such a large menu, HelloFresh could use a better menu layout!

HelloFresh provides affordable meal kits with the best per-serving price on larger orders. For example, using our link, new customers can enjoy 6 meals for 4 people for just $107.75.

5. Home Chef – Best Customization Options

What’s on the Menu?

Home Chef has meals organized in several categories catering to different eating habits and needs. These include standard Meal Kits as well as Express meals, which require much less prep. Look for other time-saving tags like Oven-Ready or Fast & Fresh!

A distinguishing feature of this service is that you can swap and upgrade proteins, which significantly increases menu variety. About half the weekly recipes have this option. Look for the green Customize It button on the recipe card so you can view the protein swap options.

We thought the swaps were pretty expensive in our tested Home Chef review. Some upgrades had extra fees as high as $17.99/serving, but it largely depends on the protein. Upgrading chicken breasts to filet mignon costs more than simply replacing ground beef with ground turkey, for example.

What Makes It Special?

Another unique feature is the choice to have different portions for each recipe you order. Most services require you to choose the same serving size for every recipe in your weekly order. With Home Chef, you can order family-sized portions for some meals and smaller servings for others.

I appreciate Home Chef's option to choose your own delivery day. You can select a delivery day between Monday and Friday based on your zip code. To stay informed about your delivery status, you can opt to receive text message updates or use Home Chef's mobile app.

Is It Good Value?

While the customization options can get pricey, Home Chef’s basic meals are a solid value. You don’t get discounts on larger orders like you get with some other services, but the low base price means that Home Chef is still a great option for feeding a family.

Home Chef meal prices begin at $9.99 per serving, but meals are priced individually. You can order 2 to 6 recipes per week for 2, 4, or 6 people, totaling 4 to 36 servings per week. This provides around 12 more servings than the average meal delivery service!

6. BistroMD – Low-Calorie Microwave-Ready Meals

BistroMD offers dietitian-designed meals for weight loss. These fully prepared recipes come frozen, so all you need to do is clear some space in your freezer or fridge, then defrost or microwave when you're ready to enjoy.

What’s on the Menu?

Each meal averages around 300 cal but can range from 280 to 500 cal per serving. Calorie counts and nutritional information are clearly displayed on each meal and on the website. 

Ingredient substitutions aren't available for any menu item, which is the case for most prepared meal delivery services. Each recipe is designed to be consumed as-is to help keep you on track with your weight loss objectives. Diet services like BistroMD prioritize health over flavor and variety.

Despite the limitations in customization, BistroMD delivers balanced meals composed of whole foods. Every meal features proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats, with macro balances tailored to your chosen meal plan.

What Makes It Special?

With BistroMD's recipes, you follow a comprehensive 1,200 or 1,400 calorie-per-day diet. As we discovered in our tested BistroMD review, this is based on the different caloric needs of men and women.

All meals arrive fully cooked, frozen, and individually portioned for your ease. This service is perfect for those who want to kick-start a low-calorie diet and have trouble deciding what to eat.

You have the option to choose 2 or 3 meals for 5 or 7 days per plan, allowing you to select up to 20 meals per week. For the remaining meal for the Full Plan, you can eat anything you want. This approach guarantees that diet-friendly meals are always within reach.

Is It Good Value?

BistroMD is 1 of the most convenient ways to stick to a low-calorie diet. But note that it lacks a rotating menu characteristic of most meal delivery services operating in Raleigh.

BistroMD has various plans to cater to specific diets:

• Signature – non-specific low-calorie meals

• Gluten-Free – (not certified) no gluten added meals

• Heart Healthy – low sodium recipes

• Keto Flex – low carb, moderate fat, moderate protein recipes

• Diabetic – carb-conscious recipes

• Menopause – same menu as Diabetic

• Vegan – featuring plant-based meals

BistroMD doesn’t make it clear how long its meals stay in storage before delivery. I’m always cautious about meal delivery services that rely on frozen food. I personally prefer receiving fresh, never-frozen meals, as offered by Factor. The largest plan comes out to $6.59 per serving, with higher per-serving prices on smaller plans.

7.  Purple Carrot – Best 100% Vegan-Friendly Meals in Raleigh

Purple Carrot is the only 100% vegan service on my list. It offers meal kits as well as microwave-ready options. Meal kits come in servings of 2 or 4, while prepared meals come individually packaged and portioned. This means Purple Carrot can work for singles, couples, and small families alike.

What’s on the Menu?

Every week brings 24 new meal kits to choose from, including breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Purple Carrot's plant-based menu may be less diverse than other meal kit services, but it keeps things fresh with a weekly-rotating selection of creative recipes.

There are also 16 prepared meals on the menu each week, but note that you can’t mix and match between these and the meal kits. You have to subscribe either to these single-serving meals or to the cook-it-yourself meal kits.

What Makes It Special?

Compared to other vegan companies, Purple Carrot focuses more on whole foods. It celebrates vegetables and plant products for what they are, rather than depending on processed meat substitutes.

Purple Carrot's microwaveable meals are just as diverse as its meal kits. These fully prepared dishes arrive in recyclable trays and just need a couple minutes in the microwave. Some prepared meals, like a Chilled Ras el Hanout Chickpea Salad, are ready to eat straight from the fridge.

Is It Good Value?

We loved the worldly menu when we tested Purple Carrot. You’ll find everything from classic American dishes to Mediterranean, Southeast Asian, and other cuisines. The meal kits showcase interesting ingredients, like miso, hemp seeds, and nuts.

This isn’t exactly the cheapest service on my list. Purple Carrot’s prepared meals cost $13 each, and its meal kits aren’t much cheaper. You’ll get the best rate – $11.00 per serving – if you choose the maximum order.

Order sizes include 3-4 meal kits for 2 people or 2-3 kits for 4 people per week. Prepared meals are single portions available in bundles of 6, 8, or 10 meals per week.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Services in Raleigh

Finding the ideal meal delivery service can be daunting given the variety of options and features each offer, but these 4 tips will help you make the right choice:

• Consider your dietary requirements: Reflect on your personal dietary needs or guidelines and seek a service that offers a plan that aligns with your diet. Green Chef is an excellent option as it provides 8 different diet plans ranging from plant-based to keto.
  

• Consider cooking time: Each service offers different prep styles and amount of time required. Ensure you’re choosing a service with kits or prepared meals requiring the amount of time you can dedicate to meal prep. Factor offers fully prepared meals, while Home Chef offers meal kits that average 30+ minutes in prep time.

• Consider ingredient quality: Reflect on whether you prefer organic, hormone-free, preservative-free ingredients in your meals. Top-rated services like HelloFresh emphasize the use of high-quality, responsibly-sourced ingredients.

• Consider variety and customization: Each service offers different cuisines and frequency of recipe rotation. HelloFresh offers over 100 recipes and market items each week. Purple Carrot provides a few dozen meal kits and ready meals that change entirely every week.
  

FAQ

What are some of the best meal delivery services in Raleigh for 2024?

Factor makes the top of this list for its quick-prep recipes and high-quality ingredients. Green Chef, HelloFresh, Blue Apron, and Home Chef are other excellent meal delivery services to consider for their diet accommodations and restaurant-quality recipes.

Can I find meal delivery services in Raleigh that cater to specific diets like keto, vegan, or paleo?

Yes, several services on my list cater to niche diets. Purple Carrot offers 100% plant-based meals, and all Factor meals are gluten-free. For high-quality, organic meal kits, Green Chef also covers multiple diets, including keto and plant-based.

Are there ready-made meal delivery services in Raleigh?

Yes, several services on this list offer fully prepared meals, such as Factor, Purple Carrot, and BistroMD. Factor is your best bet since the ingredients are super high-quality, and their meals are delivered fresh – never frozen.

Can I find locally-sourced and organic meal delivery services in Raleigh?

Green Chef only uses USDA-certified and CCOF-certified organic produce and prioritizes sourcing its high-quality ingredients from local family-run farms.

Best Meal Delivery Services in Raleigh in 2024 — Final Score