Meal delivery services can make life easier, whether it’s just because you don’t have time to grocery shop for yourself and your loved ones, or you’re looking for an easier way to stick to a diet plan. I’ve even done the heavy lifting for you by listing the best out there right now.
My team and I have tested and researched the best in Austin to bring you this top 10. You’ll find something for singles and families alike, ranging from budget options to gourmet dishes, as well as fast kits or ready-made options to save you even more time.
Factor wins the top spot for me thanks to its excellent menu, range of easy meals, and add-on selection; however, every meal delivery service on this list has something to offer hungry Austinites.
Factor – Best prepared meals in Austin
Green Chef – Best fully organic meal kits in Austin
Blue Apron – Best gourmet meal delivery in Austin
HelloFresh – Best family-friendly meal kits in Austin
Home Chef – Best customizable meals in Austin
35+ meals you can choose from each week
All meals arrive fresh, not frozen
Caters to various diets, from keto to vegan
Current deal: Starting at $130 off! Code: DELIVERY130
Factor is a great service that delivers fresh (never frozen) fully prepared meals to Austin residents. That’s right, you don’t need to cook anything – you simply microwave or heat the meals in the oven. You’ll find all the instructions on the packaging for best results.
You can choose from 35 entrees each week. You can eat these meals as either lunches or dinners and cater to various diets, from keto and high-protein to vegan and vegetarian.
Another category on the menu is Calorie Smart. You can easily see which meals fit into which categories thanks to the colorful tags under each recipe on the menu. The Mujadara (Lentils and Rice) with Tahini Roasted Carrots and Spicy Cilantro Schug dish pictured above, for example, is labeled Calorie Smart and Vegan.
The menu is also designed and approved by registered dietitians. Together with the professional cooks who make your Factor meals, they find the perfect balance of a nutritious meal and a tasty, well-seasoned recipe.
What makes Factor special is how diet-friendly and healthy the meals are, as well as the premium ingredients. You won’t find any unwanted additives on the list, from GMOs to antibiotics to hormones.
When you subscribe to Factor you get a free 20-minute consultation with a nutritionist. You can find out more about the diet and weight-loss support offered in my colleague’s tested Factor review.
All of the meals are single-serving, so Factor is especially great if you’re single or a couple with different dietary requirements. You could order for a family; you’ll just need a lot of meals.
I really like that you can mix and match across all of Factor’s dietary categories and add extras to your order to get complete nutrition for the whole week. The add-ons range from breakfast bowls to vegan smoothies and juices to keto-friendly snacks.
Factor starts at $10.49 per serving, and you can order between 6 and 18 single-serving meals per week. Larger orders have lower per serving costs. Shipping costs $10.99 per delivery.
Most meal kits are ready in 30 minutes
45+ unique recipes on the weekly menu
Dietary needs include keto, plant based, gluten-free, and more
Green Chef is the best meal kit delivery service in Austin that’s 100% certified organic. It even holds a USDA certification as an organic handler, so all ingredients that can obtain such a certification do. All animal ingredients come from trusted farms and suppliers with high animal welfare standards, including sustainably-caught wild salmon.
The menu consists of diet plans including Keto, Gluten-Free, Plant Based, Mediterranean, and more. Some meals are dubbed Protein Packed, while others are Calorie Smart. The Quick & Easy category includes meals that are lower in calories. When my colleague tried Green Chef, they mixed and matched between categories in 1 order.
Some dishes suit multiple diets. For instance, the Southwest-Spiced Beef Taco Salad with Chipotle Dressing, Bell Pepper, Cheddar, and Pepitas (pictured) is keto, gluten-free and also tagged Quick & Easy. This service offers excellence in the recipe department, too. The meals are nutritionally balanced and crafted by chefs.
Green Chef has some 10-minute lunches on the menu if you want something that’s not as light as a breakfast wrap but still not quite a dinner. These are perfect for extra busy days or when you want to grab something quick after hitting the gym.
Green Chef also sends you its own spice blends, sauces, and marinades. Those are created in-house to ensure they follow the guidelines of a certain diet, like keto or plant based.
The Chef Select tag on the menu features premium meals that cost a bit extra. Honestly, even Green Chef’s standard meals seemed premium enough to me, but in the case of the Chef Select meals, it’s taken to an even higher level.
You can also buy numerous add-ons from Green Chef’s website, where you can find a la carte proteins like organic ground beef or pork chops. There are also salads, wraps, and breakfast options.
Green Chef starts at $9.99 per serving. You can order 2, 3, or 4 meals per week for 2, 4, or 6 people, which is very accommodating for singles, couples, and families alike.
A range of American and international cuisines
80+ new meals each week
Dietary options include vegetarian, low-calorie, and low-carb
Current deal: Enjoy meals starting as low as $5.59
Blue Apron provides high-quality ingredients and well-thought-out recipes with interesting flavors. Its meals let you explore Italian and American fare, as well as more exotic recipes, including Asian-style dishes.
There’s something for everyone on the menu. The Meal Kits for 4 plan is created to feed a small family, so the recipes are kid-friendly as well. The Meal Kits for 2 plan can feed a couple or a single person with some leftovers. Prepared & Ready meals are single serving. You can read more about the plans in my colleague’s tested review.
The meal kits have printed recipe cards with easy-to-follow instructions for extra convenience in the kitchen. Most meals take around 30 minutes to whip up. In some cases, like the gourmet craft burgers or the oven-ready meals, it might take a bit longer.
For the super busy (or, let’s face it, lazy) evenings, Prepared & Ready meals can help. They’re fully prepared, and you simply heat them up to get yourself a nice meal without compromising on the health aspect. There are Keto Friendly, Carb Conscious, Calorie Conscious, and 30g of Protein options.
Blue Apron also offers a huge number of add-ons. These include a la carte proteins, salads, desserts, soups, breakfasts, and brunches. And the Blue Apron Market offers meal bundles, prepared meals, and meal kits without a subscription.
Blue Apron’s recipes are easy to follow, and you can check out video tutorials on the website to see how to cook meal kits. This is a great feature for beginning cooks who want to improve their kitchen skills.
By providing pre-portioned ingredients, Blue Apron helps cut down on food waste and saves trips to the grocery store. This is particularly beneficial if you want to enjoy cooking without the hassle of meal planning and ingredient shopping.
Blue Apron starts at $4.00 per serving. You can order plans for 2 or 4 people with 2, 3, 4, or 5 meal kits per week. For prepared meals, it’s 4, 6, 8, or 10 meals per week. You can also add additional meals to your weekly order, which is great for big families or special occasions.
A wide-ranging menu with farm-fresh ingredients
More than 100 meals and market items per week, plus customizations
Meal plans include Meat, Veggie, Pescatarian, and Fit & Wholesome
HelloFresh is 1 of the most popular meal kit delivery services on the market, and it's 1 of my favorites. If you want to make home-cooked meals without the hassle and at a very good price, HelloFresh might be the service for you.
HelloFresh is a versatile service suitable for just about anyone, from couples to families with 2 or even 3 kids (since the portions are rather big). Singles that don’t mind heating leftovers can also benefit from the 2-serving plans.
Speaking of families, the menu is extremely family-friendly. There are many kid-friendly options like pasta, tacos, or burgers like the BBQ Cheddar Pork Burgers with Chipotle Aioli and Roasted Broccoli pictured above. The recipes are all tried and tested, and the ones most popular with past customers make comebacks to the menu under the Hall of Fame tag.
There are also Carb Smart, Protein Smart, and Calorie Smart recipes if you want to indulge in comfort food without compromising your diet. There are 6 meal categories you can choose from. However, these are more like guidelines, as you can mix and match meals from all of them in your order.
Many of the recipes are great for busy people, like one-pan bakes, Fast & Fresh bowls, or the 5- or 10-minute lunches. You can get dinner ready in just half an hour, while some meals are under the Easy Prep or Easy Cleanup tags, ensuring less work and less washing up.
The ingredients are well-organized, so you won’t waste time sorting through the fridge. My colleague’s tested review of HelloFresh gives plenty of details on how easy it is to cook with HelloFresh from start to finish.
When it comes to dietary needs, HelloFresh has plenty of vegan and vegetarian meals on the menu. This is because most of the recipes have 2 or 3 variations available with different proteins. For example, in the same week, you can order shrimp chowder, chicken chowder, or vegetarian chowder.
For fancier nights, HelloFresh also has Premium Picks that are more elevated, like steaks or premium seafood. These meals cost a bit extra and take more than half an hour to make, but they’re made to make you feel like a restaurant chef from the comfort of your own home.
HelloFresh’s meals start at just $4.49 per serving, making it especially great if you have a small crowd to feed. You can order meals from 2 to 6 recipes every week, each serving 2, 4, or 6 people.
You can customize the protein in almost all meals
35+ meals per weekly menu
Dietary options include carb-conscious, calorie-conscious, and more
Home Chef is an amazing option if you want full control over your meals. The Customize It feature makes it easy to change the protein in almost every meal. You can upgrade it to a premium version, change it altogether, or double the portion with a single click.
The protein swaps greatly extend the menu. These include meat, fish, and even Impossible burgers. This helps increase the vegetarian recipes to around 6 each week. My colleague went into the menu options when they wrote about their experience choosing and cooking Home Chef meals.
Home Chef’s menu is ideal for families. Many meal kits and oven-ready dishes are even labeled with the Family tag. Thanks to the diversity of the recipes, you can also customize them to fit the preferences of every family member. However, if you have any severe dietary restrictions or allergies, this might not be the right service for you.
The menu includes carb-conscious and calorie-conscious meals, making it very welcoming if you’re looking to stay (or get) fit. You can also find Keto-Friendly and Gluten-Smart tagged meals. The add-ons are also very useful if you want to bulk up, as Home Chef, similarly to Green Chef, offers a la carte protein options (although not organic).
On the add-on menu, you can also find breakfast, dessert, pizza, mac & cheese, salad, soup, snacks like pretzels or cheese spreads, bread, and even coffee or smoothies. With all these extras available, you can cut down your trips to the grocery store significantly with a Home Chef order.
The Culinary Collection features fancy recipes with premium and sometimes unusual proteins. These include scallops, sirloin steak, and even Mahi Mahi, as well as elevated sides. I was impressed to see truffle aioli in 1 recipe, as that’s something quite rare, even for a more gourmet service.
For added convenience, Home Chef also has a range of microwaveable lunches. These prepared meals are ready to heat and eat in less than 5 minutes. Dishes include Spicy Jerk Chicken and Creamy Garlic Beef.
You can also save a few bucks with Home Chef’s bundles, which include 2 or more add-ons that go together, like bread and spread, cake and coffee, or pizza and salad. This makes the add-ons even more accessible, and it offers great snack combo ideas.
Home Chef starts at $9.99 ($6.99 W/ discount) per serving. You can order from 2 to 6 recipes each week for 2, 4, or 6 people. This makes it good value if you have a large family to feed.
150+ breakfast, lunch, and dinner options
Designed by a medical doctor specializing in weight loss
Different plans for men and women
BistroMD is the perfect meal delivery service if you’re looking to lose weight without having to cook anything yourself. The plans have been created by a medical doctor and take into account sex and several different medical issues. This means you don’t have to count calories or keep track of anything – BistroMD takes care of that part.
You can order meals for every day of the week, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner (minus 1 “cheat” dinner night to treat yourself to whatever you like). If you want to transform your habits gradually or just cut down on unhealthy food, you can choose to order meals for 5 days or just 2 meals per day.
BistroMD offers several weight-loss meal plans. These include Signature, Heart Healthy, Gluten-Free, Menopause, Keto Flex (which isn’t keto, but rather a flexible low-carb diet), Vegan, and Diabetic, all with a Men's and a Women's option. I think it’s great that this service supports a range of health issues, as I pointed out in my detailed BistroMD review.
The meals are designed to have the optimal amount of macros. For example, the Southwest Bison Meatloaf with Smoky Tomato Glaze pictured above has only 350 calories but packs a total of 27 g of protein and only 34 g of carbs. You can choose this dish from every plan since it checks the boxes for all meal plans, including the gluten-free one.
I was especially impressed to see a plan dedicated to menopausal women, which is a category with special dietary needs that are often overlooked. The Signature plan, on the other hand, encompasses a diet that should work for anyone without particular health issues.
BistroMD also provides access to a team of dietitians and an extensive range of resources. This support system can be invaluable for your weight loss journey or if you are managing specific health conditions, offering guidance beyond just the meals.
I do find that the portions seem rather small at under 400 calories each, even for a weight-loss service. If you’re not used to a strict regimen, it might take a while to get accustomed to eating so little for a meal. But the meals themselves might help you stick to the diet, as they don’t particularly sound like diet food. With dishes including bison and white wine, you won’t feel like you’re on a diet.
BistroMD starts at $6.59 per serving. An order feeds a single person for 5 or 7 days, and you can choose from a full program of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners or a partial program of only lunches and dinners.
Plant-based meals
25+ meal kits per week, including breakfast and lunch options
Dietary options include low-calorie, high-protein, nut-free, and more
Purple Carrot offers meal kits and prepared meals. This isn't any different from Home Chef, except that Purple Carrot is fully vegan. This means you won’t find any meat, dairy, eggs, or honey on the menu.
What you’ll find are protein-rich, vegetable-packed meals. Purple Carrot uses tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, and legumes as main protein sources, but you’ll see the occasional plant-based burger, too.
Usually, the veggies are the stars of the show, especially seasonal and green veggies, like in the Miso Coconut Ramen Bowls with Charred Broccolini and Lemon pictured above. This meal is tagged high-protein and clocks under 600 calories per portion. You can get it ready in just 25 minutes, which is even better.
Purple Carrot's menu showcases a diverse array of global cuisines, with dishes inspired by various culinary traditions, including Asian, Italian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican. Examples include Sesame Orange Udon with Broccoli & Gingered Cashews and Seitan Asada Tacos with Lime Rice & Radish Salsa.
My colleague found Purple Carrot a very beginner-friendly service. He goes into more detail about the menu in his tried-and-tested Purple Carrot review.
The meal kits also feature a convenient Less Prep option. These are quicker as they require no chopping or prepping, and the sauces come pre-made. You’ll also have less to clean up afterward, as you won’t dirty as many pots and pans. Having said that, the normal meal kits only take around 30 minutes anyway.
The prepared meals only need 2-3 minutes in the microwave, so if you want ultimate convenience, that’s the menu you should be ordering from.
Purple Carrot starts at $11.00 per serving. The minimum order is 3 recipes for 2 people per week. The maximum is 4 recipes for 4 people, and there are slightly fewer options for the 4-serving menu.
You can mix and match meal kits and prepared meals in your account. For the prepared meals, you can order from 6 to 10 single-serving meals. With 16 options on the menu each week, you’ll have plenty of choice even if you don’t order the meal kits.
Special meals available for holidays and occasions
Over 100+ different recipes each week
Different dietary options including vegetarian, dairy-free, low-calorie, and low-carb
Dinnerly is the most affordable meal delivery service in Austin. If what you want is to keep your budget in check in the food department and still benefit from the convenience of a meal delivery service, Dinnerly is my top choice.
The meals aren’t fancy by any means, but they still manage to pack flavor and look appetizing. Each dish only has a few ingredients, but it still includes spices and sauces to add depth. Plus, since there aren’t many ingredients to chop or prep, the cooking process often takes less time and effort.
Because of this, the meal kits are very easy to cook. Dinnerly offers 5 (or fewer) steps for each recipe for you to follow, which our reviewer confirms are very simple. Most of the time, you won’t dirty many pots and pans either, so less cleanup is also a plus.
Dinnerly offers meal kits as well as prepared meals and tons of add-ons. This makes the menu extremely vast. I found it hard to sort through the menu options as there are no filters, which is a shame. However, every meal on the menu has several tags attached, which at least makes them easy to distinguish visually.
Other dietary tags include vegetarian, dairy-free, low-carb, and low-calorie. Many of the meals are tagged kid-friendly, and that’s true: the meals are so simple and unfussy that even picky eaters will be satisfied.
Around a third of the menu is tagged PremiYUM, which are meals that cost a bit extra and are a notch more sophisticated than the normal meal kits. This category includes microwavable prepared meals, so the price for them starts a bit higher.
But don’t expect some Michelin-star-level dishes with the PremiYUM options. They’re more premium than Dinnerly’s basic meal kits, sure, but they compare to the level of HelloFresh’s standard meal kits. The add-ons include desserts, breakfasts, snacks, proteins, and sides, all in the same uncomplicated style.
This meal kit service caters well to larger families looking for budget-friendly options. Its affordable pricing structure starts at $2.12 per serving, making it a cost-effective choice for keeping the whole family happy.
Dinnerly offers flexibility in its meal plans, allowing you to choose between 3 to 6 meals weekly for either 2 or 4 people. Regardless of the size of your order, the shipping fee remains constant at $11.99.
Curated by Martha Stewart
100+ meal kits to choose from each week
Dietary options include vegan, vegetarian, and no added gluten
Marley Spoon is known as Martha Stewart’s meal delivery service. But that doesn’t mean its fame is entirely due to its founder. Instead, Marley Spoon earned its popularity because it offers quality and diversity for people who want to have fun in the kitchen and eat better.
Marley Spoon’s website is similar in style to Dinnerly’s as they both have the same parent company. Both offer a scroll-down menu of over 100 dishes each week, and both offer meal kits as well as prepared meals and add-ons. They appeal to different markets, though, with Dinnerly aiming for the budget crowd and Marley Spoon for home cooks that want to make impressive dishes.
Marley Spoon offers 3 prepared meals each week, which you can heat in the microwave for extra convenience. Some of the meal kits also have prepared sides, such as ready-to-heat rice. Others are ultra-fast and only require one pot. Whatever the case, Marley Spoon is definitely a great help in the kitchen.
The menu is very family-friendly, with lots of Italian, Mexican, and classic American dishes. But there are also Asian-inspired dishes like the Shrimp Pad Thai with Carrots, Peanuts & Lime pictured above, so there will be something for everyone, and I don’t think you’ll get bored with the options.
What impressed me the most about Marley Spoon is that it’s very eco-conscious. The company takes carbon neutrality very seriously and spends on projects that offset its carbon footprint. This interest in the environment reflects in its packaging as well, as it’s very easy to recycle.
Basically, Marley Spoon is perfect if you want a more elevated version of Dinnerly. The difference lies in the quantity and quality of Marley Spoon’s ingredients. The meal kits are still easy to cook, and you won’t have trouble recreating the recipes in 6 simple steps, like our reviewer found out.
When you’re craving gourmet meals, Marley Spoon has a Premium category as well. These meals cost extra, but you’ll feel the quality in the ingredients and the chef-crafted recipes – and it’s still cheaper than ordering in from a fancy restaurant.
Marley Spoon starts at $4.99 per serving. You can order 2 to 6 recipes for 2 or 4 people, so it’s easy to feed yourself or your whole family.
EveryPlate’s main advantage is its very low pricing, similar to Dinnerly. Each week, the company presents a set of 30 recipes for customers to choose from. Find out more about all the options in our review. It’s actually impressive how many options you get for such a low price, especially considering the number of add-ons as well.
There are 5 plans – Meat & Veggie, Veggie, Family Faves, Quick & Easy, and Nutrish & Delish. You’re also able to mix and match across any plan as you wish. Though not the most extensive selection of special dietary considerations, I do like the inclusion of veggie meals.
You get plenty of cuisines like Mexican, classic American, Italian, Japanese, Thai, and more. Some meal options include the Southwest Pork Flautas (pictured), Sweet Thai Chili Lettuce Wraps, or Bacon & Caramelized Onion Risotto with scallions.
There are also plenty of add-ons and extras, like breakfast items, salads, soups, desserts, and more. You can also get a variety of meat and protein add-ons like salmon, ranch steak, chicken breast strips, and plenty of others.
I’d say that most of the foods and meals are kid-friendly and not too over-the-top or fancy. EveryPlate is a service that’s definitely geared toward families. If you have picky eaters in your household (or kids), the meals won’t feel super adventurous – and the price reflects this fact, too.
With EveryPlate, you have the flexibility to tailor your meal plans to your life. You can skip weeks, adjust the number of meals, or change delivery dates as needed, making it a convenient choice for your ever-changing schedule.
EveryPlate is a budget-friendly meal kit service, ideal for those without specific dietary restrictions. It provides a variety of familiar dishes but has limited options for niche diets, like vegan or gluten-free.
The minimum EveryPlate order is 3 meals for 2 people per week, up to 5 meals for 6 people. The larger your order, the lower your price will be per serving. For instance, for the largest order, you’ll pay a mere $2.99 per serving.
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Our Rating | ||||||||||
Our Rating | 9.8 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.0 |
Starting Price | ||||||||||
Starting Price | $10.49 Per Serving | $9.99 Per Serving | $4.00 Per Serving | $4.49 Per Serving | $9.99 ($6.99 W/ discount) Per Serving | $6.59 Per Serving | $11.00 Per Serving | $2.12 Per Serving | $4.99 Per Serving | $2.99 Per Serving |
Minimum Order | ||||||||||
Minimum Order | 6 prepared meals | 3 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 10 prepared meals | 3 meal kits for 2 people/6 prepared meals | 3 meals for 2 people | 2 meals for 2 people | 3 meals for 2 people |
Meal Types | ||||||||||
Meal Types | Prepared meals | 10-45 minute meal kits | 5 - 60 min meal kits and prepared meals | Meal kits, speedy kits, prepared meals | Kits, speedy kits, oven-ready | Prepared meals | Meal kits, prepared meals | 30-minute meal kits | 30-60 min meal kits | 30-minute meal kits |
Prep Time | ||||||||||
Prep Time | 2-3 min | 25-40 min | 5-45 min | 5-50 min | 5-50 min | 2-3 min | 3-40 min | 20-45 min | 20-40 min | 20-45 min |
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Selecting the right meal delivery service in Austin depends on several personal factors and preferences.
Consider your cooking skills: For those who prefer convenience and minimal cooking, Factor is an excellent choice. It offers meals that are pre-prepared and ready to eat, making it ideal for busy lifestyles or those with limited cooking skills.
Consider your dietary needs: Your unique dietary requirements are essential when choosing a meal service. Green Chef caters to various diets, including keto and vegan, with its organic and health-focused meal options, making it a suitable choice for those with specific dietary preferences.
Consider your budget: Aligning with a meal delivery service that fits your budget is important. HelloFresh offers a good balance of quality and affordability, presenting a range of options to suit different budgets, making it a practical choice for cost-conscious consumers.
Factor is my top choice for Austin thanks to its wide-ranging menu and quick heat-and-eat recipes. I think most Austinites will be happy with its crowd-pleasing recipes and healthy meals supporting various diets. And for good measure, you benefit from a free nutrition coaching session.
Factor is my pick for Austin’s best prepared meal delivery service. Factor’s prepared meals are delivered fresh (never frozen, though they can be for your convenience) and are created in consultation with in-house chefs and nutritionists. Busy singles and fitness-conscious Austinites will especially love these.
Green Chef, the first USDA-certified organic meal delivery service, is one of the healthiest meal delivery services in Austin. Green Chef’s organic meal kits average less than 675 mg of sodium per dish, making them especially good for people watching their blood pressure. There’s a wide range of keto and protein-packed options, as well as plant-based meals.
Purple Carrot is a great choice for vegans in Austin, as well as for people who want to incorporate more plants into their diet. It offers both meal kits and prepared meals that are nutritionally complete and focus on providing quality plant protein as well as interesting, even exotic, recipes.