7 Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services in 2024

Many prepared meal delivery services provide fresh and frozen prepared meals you can receive at your doorstep. You might be skeptical about the quality of the food, but many of these services provide high-quality meals catering to various diets, health conditions, and lifestyles.

Choosing the right service from the multitude of options can be overwhelming. There are several factors to consider, such as taste, variety, eco-friendliness of the packaging, delivery restrictions, ingredient sourcing, and more. My team and I have tested every service on this list to round up the best prepared services.

I think that Factor is the best meal delivery providing prepared food. Our reviewers found that the meals were some of the tastiest on the market, while still catering to a range of healthy diets. What's more, it has various prepared add-ons such as smoothies, sides, and snacks.

The Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Factor – Best Overall Prepared Meal Service

Factor delivers ready-to-eat meals requiring minimal cleanup. The company's nutritionists formulate dishes, while seasoned chefs prepare them, providing subscribers with tasty and nutritious food. The service usually has attractive deals for new customers to sweeten the deal. 

What’s on the Menu?

Factor's menu has 35 meals each week. You can check menu offerings and build your meal plan up to 4 weeks in advance. You'll find grilled chicken, creamy tenderloin, stuffed vegetables, and cheesy sausages, among other options, on the menu. 

Factor makes it easy for you to select suitable meals. It uses a tagging system, and each recipe comes with 1 or more tags that describe its main features. These include Keto, Protein Plus, Calorie Smart, and Vegan. 

The service has a big selection of add-ons featuring various appetizers and desserts. Among other options, you can pick egg bites, sausage links, pancakes, and desserts like cheesecakes and macaroons. You'll find packs of juices and smoothies among the extras.

What Makes It Special?

You can personalize your meal plan when selecting preferences in Our Plans. As you can see, these tags largely correspond to the tags I mentioned earlier:

• Keto

• Flexitarian

• Protein Plus

• Calorie Smart

• Chef's Choice

• Vegan & Veggie

Several recipes feature labels such as Top-Rated and Gourmet Plus. These may come at a surcharge on top of what you already pay. Read our tested Factor review to learn more about this. 

A free 20-minute nutrition coaching session is included with your subscription. During the session, a dietitian will provide meal guidance and share various tips with you. This is a great feature for people who want to change their eating habits.

Is It Good Value?

Factor caters to keto, calorie-conscious, and high-protein dieters the best. It’s among the best high-protein meal delivery services on the market. While it has vegan and vegetarian options, there usually aren't many of them available on the weekly menu. If you're vegan, I recommend checking Purple Carrot instead. 

The cost per meal depends on the number of single-serving meals you order. The best-value option offers 18 single-serving meals for $103.41 on your first purchase if you use our link. If you don't have many mouths to feed, you can order 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14 meals. But keep in mind that the fewer dishes you order, the higher the price per serving will be. In addition, the meal delivery service charges a flat-rate shipping fee of $9.99.

2. Blue Apron – Best Gourmet Prepared Meals

Blue Apron offers 2 different menus: Meal Kits and Prepared & Ready meals. When you sign up, you can choose which type of meals you want to order. Even if you go for the Meal Kit plan, you can add a few prepared meals each week from the Add-ons menu. 

What’s on the Menu?

Most of Blue Apron’s prepared meals are ready in 5 minutes or less. In general, you should microwave thawed food or fresh Prepared & Ready meals for 3 minutes at a high temperature. If frozen, heat it for 5 minutes on high. Specific instructions are included with each recipe.

Many Prepared & Ready meals are healthy and low-calorie. Look out for the 600 Calories or Less tag as well as the Carb Conscious options. Check out our tested Blue Apron review to learn more about quick heat-and-eat options. 

Blue Apron publishes its menus 4 to 5 weeks in advance, giving you plenty of time to plan your meals ahead of time.

What Makes It Special?

Blue Apron's Prepared & Ready meals will arrive fresh. The service doesn’t recommend freezing them, so they should be stored in the refrigerator. It’s best to enjoy the meals within 5 days but they come with recommended eat-by dates.

Besides American dishes, you can buy meals inspired by various cuisines such as Korean, Italian, and Greek. If you're following a low-carb diet, you’ll be happy to know that Blue Apron firmly ranks among the best low-carb meal delivery services out there. 

Is It Good Value?

With Blue Apron, you’ll enjoy gourmet, restaurant-quality meals. You can choose between 1 and 4 meals per recipe when ordering, which is great for couples and families. 

The cost per single Prepared & Ready meal varies by quantity. The minimum order for the Prepared & Ready dishes is 4 single servings per week, which comes at the highest cost per portion. If you choose 8 or 10 weekly recipes, you’ll pay a slightly lower price per serving. 

The cost of Blue Apron’s meals starts at $4.00 per serving, with prepared meals generally being pricier than meal kits (around $9.99 - $10.99). The flat-rate shipping fee for subscribers throughout the mainland US is $10.99.

3. BistroMD – Best Prepared Meals for Weight Loss

BistroMD is a great choice if you want to lose weight. It specializes in weight-loss plans for various diets. With this meal delivery service, you don't have to skip meals or reduce portion sizes to achieve your weight-loss goals and all of its meals come prepared. 

What’s on the Menu?

You can explore the menu options for each of the available programs. You'll notice that each plan includes selections for Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner, and Snacks except for the Vegan option, which has only Lunch/Dinner. 

The main ingredients may vary from pork to turkey to fish, depending on the plan. If you opt for the Vegan package, potatoes, mushrooms, and tofu may be among the key ingredients. 

You'll discover many healthy snacks that can support your weight loss goals on the service's website. These snacks provide a combination of quality proteins and fiber that burn fat. Indulge yourself with options like cookies, cakes, pretzels, and juices.

What Makes It Special?

The company has 7 plans in addition to packages for men and women. Check out our comprehensive review to learn more about them. And each dietary plan includes dozens, if not over 100 of recipes. These include:

• Signature (150+)

• Gluten Free (100+ dishes)

• Heart Healthy (100+ dishes)

• Menopause (100+ dishes)

• Diabetic (100+ dishes)

• Keto Flex (85+ dishes)

• Vegan (25+ dishes)

Customize your weight-loss plan by choosing between 7-day or 5-day programs. The 7-day program includes 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 6 dinners. For the 7th dinner, known as My Night, you can eat anything you crave. The 5-day plan provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 5 days, giving you a total of 15 meals per week. 

Note that you can skip breakfasts with the Lunches & Dinners plan. With such a combination of flexibility and results, it's no wonder that many dieters consider BistroMD one of the best weight-loss meal delivery services. 

Is It Good Value?

Unlike fresh services like Factor, you'll receive flash-frozen meals from BistroMD. Defrost them fully before heating them. Once thawed, the food should remain fresh and safe for consumption for an extra 2 or 3 days. 

The price per recipe depends on the number of meals you order. The rule of thumb is that the more dishes you purchase, the lower the price per serving you'll pay. That being said, the cost per meal starts at $6.59 for a 7-day program that includes all 3 main meals. Note that you'll also have to pay a shipping fee of $19.95 to have the order delivered to you.

4. Purple Carrot – Best Ready-To-Eat Options for Vegans

Purple Carrot specializes in plant-based dishes free from animal products. Instead, expect various vegetables, like beans and cauliflower, and grains, such as rice and quinoa, in its dishes. For these reasons, this company is among the highest-rated vegan meal delivery services countrywide. 

What’s on the Menu?

The service has 16 prepared meals available on its menu each week. If you're looking for more options, and don’t mind a bit of cooking, check the service's Less Prep section. It typically has 9 dishes that require a bit of involvement and take between 20 and 30 minutes to prepare.

You can't customize the ingredients in your Purple Carrot meals. So, carefully check the ingredients to ensure they align with your dietary needs and preferences. Select a dish to find a list of allergens and nutritional information. However, if you prefer a bit more control over the ingredients in your meals, I recommend checking out Home Chef.

What Makes It Special?

You can get most of Purple Carrot's prepared meals ready in 2 minutes. All you need to do is pop them into the microwave. Note that the company strongly advises against heating its prepared meals in the oven or on the stove. The reason is that its quality team still hasn't tested the quality of meals heated by these appliances. 

But you don't have to heat all the service's prepared meals. While browsing the menu, keep an eye out for meals that have a prep time of 0 minutes. In those cases, just remove the film, mix, and serve.

Is It Good Value?

The price per meal depends on whether you choose prepared meals or meal kits (yes, this service has them, too). For prepared meals, you have the option of selecting 6, 8, or 10 single-serving meals per week. 

The price per individual serving starts from $11.00. But note that the cost per portion is typically higher for prepared meals than for meal kits. You don't pay the delivery cost if your order exceeds $99. Otherwise, the shipping fee is $10. Read our tested Purple Carrot review to get tips on the ordering process.

5. Home Chef – Best Service for Ingredient Personalization

Home Chef is a service dealing much more with meal kits than prepared meal delivery. However, its menu includes microwavable and speedy-prep meals that offer similar convenience. Look for the Lunch and Extras options, as well as the Bundle & Save menu section.

What’s on the Menu?

The menu includes many dishes inspired by worldly flavors. In addition to typical American dishes, you’ll find Italian, Mexican, Pan-Asian, and other cuisines.

Home Chef has menu filters you can use to narrow down suitable options. These include Calorie-Conscious, Carb-Conscious, < 30min, and Vegetarian.

You can choose to exclude certain ingredients from your meal selection when setting up your meal plan. This way, you can narrow down your menu based on your tastes, allergies, and dietary needs.

What Makes It Special?

Keep an eye out for the Customize It button on selected dishes. This is where you can swap out ingredients to suit your preferences. This feature is generally only available on meal kits, however, as noted in our tried-and-tested Home Chef review.

Home Chef’s customization options are limited to proteins. For example, you can swap the ground beef in a burger dish for lean ground turkey or plant-based Impossible Burger. These options vary from recipe to recipe and come with a variable per-serving upcharge.

Is It Good Value?

The maximum order is 6 portions for 6 people. The minimum purchase is 2 recipes for 2 people. The cost per meal starts at $9.99. The mandatory delivery fee is $10.99, regardless of the box size. 

6. Nutrisystem – Fresh and Frozen Ready-To-Eat Dishes

Nutrisystem boasts many fresh and frozen meals it ships separately. And there's no guessing involved since it clearly labels the frozen dishes on its menu. With over 100 weekly options, you'll have plenty of alternatives to build your meal plan whether you're a fan of frozen or fresh food. 

What’s on the Menu?

The service specializes in weight loss and tailors plans for various individuals. It has specific plans based on gender, and plans for seniors, too. And if you and your partner want to lose weight together, the company even has a weight-loss program for couples. 

You can select between different programs to suit your needs. These programs provide calorie-controlled prepared meals while allowing you to supplement them with your favorite groceries. Find more details about the available programs in our full Nutrisystem review. 

As for dinner, the company offers pizzas and stuffed chicken breasts among other dishes. Cakes, pretzels, and bars are some available snacks. The service has a limited range of cuisines on offer. Most of the food is typical American cuisine. If you want a more diverse menu, check out Blue Apron.

What Makes It Special?

All plans give you the benefit of a dedicated app. It helps you personalize your meal plan based on your metabolism. What's more, you get 1 to 1 coaching to help focus you on your weight-loss goals. 

Nutrisystem delivers throughout the continental US and beyond, unlike many other services. If you live in Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, you can get your food in 1 to 5 business days. Shipping to APO and PO Boxes and military addresses typically takes between 4 and 6 weeks. 

Is It Good Value?

Nutrisystem's meals have a pretty long shelf life. You can store most of its dishes from 6 to 18 months. Just check the Best by date printed on the package once you receive your order. Even if you forget about the meals and rediscover them after their expiration date has elapsed, they still may be safe to eat if you stored them properly.

The price you'll pay per day depends on the plan you choose. The starting price, however, is $9.64 per day. You may also have to pay a delivery fee, depending on your location and whether the food is fresh or frozen.

7. Eat Clean – Best Prepared Meal Service for Portion Control

Eat Clean lets you customize the size of your portions, which is a rarity among meal delivery services. After providing your zip code and email address, you can select a desired plan based on your dietary needs and preferences.

What’s on the Menu?

The service has 4 diets for you to choose from. These are Traditional, Plant Based, Paleo, and Keto. Check our dedicated Eat Clean review to learn more about these dietary plans. The company has Italian-, Mexican-, and Caribbean-inspired dishes in addition to American.

You can check the ingredients and nutritional facts for each meal. I noticed that most meals on the menu have less than 500 calories. Also, I found some options that are under 200 calories. Information about carbohydrates, saturated fats, dietary fibers, and sugar is also available.

Eat Clean delivers fresh meals. The menu is suitable for even picky eaters, with dishes like Turkey Sausage Breakfast Pizza, Italian Meatball & Pasta Bowl, and BBQ Crusted Chicken Breast with Mac N Cheese.

What Makes It Special?

You can select between 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 20 weekly meals whichever portion size you choose.

You can heat Eat Clean meals in the microwave or the conventional oven. Microwave warming typically takes 2 or 3 minutes. If you take an oven-baked approach, heating can take up to 30 minutes.

Eat Clean caters to busy people best. It has 50+ menu options that incorporate natural ingredients prepared by chefs. The downside in my book is that you cannot order meals from different plans, although this may suit you if you strictly follow one of the diets I mentioned above.

Is It Good Value?

The service doesn’t accommodate requests for ingredient swapping. So, check each recipe to ensure it doesn’t have undesirable ingredients. Alternatively, try Home Chef, which lets you eliminate up to 9 common allergens.

The price per dish varies depending on the number of meals and the portion size. But the rule of thumb is the more meals you purchase, the lower the cost per recipe you pay. The price per serving starts at $8.60. You'll also have to pay a shipping fee, which ranges from $9.99 to $17.99 per delivery. You'll learn the exact shipping cost at the checkout.   

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service

Stick to the following tips to find the best prepared meal delivery service for you:

• Consider dietary goals. If weight loss is your priority, choose low-calorie meals. If you cycle, jog, lift weights, or engage in some other regular physical activity, prioritize services offering high-protein recipes. It's always a good idea to consult a licensed dietitian or nutritionist before deciding, and Factor is a service offering a free 20-minute coaching session. 

• Take your budget and storage space into account. Some services, like BistroMD, offer a lower cost per meal when you order larger quantities. Besides, you may save on delivery costs if buying in bulk since many services have a flat-rate delivery fee. So, consider buying more meals at once if you have sufficient freezer space to maximize your savings.

• Consider value for money. Striking a balance between the cost and what you get is another factor I deem crucial. In this regard, I consider Blue Apron 1 of the best providers of prepared meals. In short, it offers gourmet meals for reasonable prices. 

• Familiarize yourself with delivery terms. Each service has its own delivery schedule. Delivery days may vary depending on whether the company has its own delivery network or relies on third-party carriers like UPS and FedEx. You should reach out to customer support to learn what happens if you're not home when the driver arrives.
  

FAQ

What is the best prepared meal delivery service?

Many dieters consider Factor the best prepared meal delivery service. It has over 30 weekly restaurant-quality recipes catering to various dietary needs and requirements. It advertises upcoming meals 3 weeks in advance and offers a free nutrition coaching session to its customers. 

What is the most affordable prepared meal delivery service?

Nutrisystem is the cheapest prepared meal delivery service. At the time of research, it charged the same amount for 3 main meals and snacks as many other services charged per meal.  

Are prepared meal delivery services affordable?

Reputable prepared meal delivery services provide a good value for money, which tends to come with a higher price tag. But the price ultimately depends on the meal plan and the number of meals. In general, the more dishes you order, the lower the cost per individual recipe you pay. Also, many meal deliveries provide special deals for new customers and occasional discounts. BistroMD is among the most affordable prepared meal delivery services.  

Do prepared meal delivery services offer healthy meal options?

Yes, prepared meal delivery services typically offer various healthy recipes. Many source fresh, high-quality, even organic ingredients and create balanced meals combining various nutrients. And they often provide options for specific dietary needs, such as low-calorie, gluten-free, and diabetic- and heart-friendly. Check Blue Apron for some healthy quick-prep options.

Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service in 2024 – Final Score