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Freshly is most compatible with people who are looking for freshness and convenience but don’t want to skimp on nutrition or variety. All meals are prepared by their team of chefs to ensure excellent taste and quality. Requiring less than 3 minutes of prep time Freshly offers a convenient way for busy eaters to stay healthy and satisfied. In the past, pre-made meals were notorious for unhealthy ingredients and bland options. For services that offer multiple menus, we requested entrees from each menu to get a more comprehensive view of the types of flavors and meals the service offers.
I’d never microwaved avocados or white beans before and was expecting a less-than-savory texture, but was instead given a well-cooked but still fresh tasting meal in under five minuets flat. I decided to go big or go home with my test cook, choosing a steak with mushroom cream sauce and roasted potatoes and carrots for a Monday night dinner. HelloFresh packages each set of ingredients conveniently into individual brown paper bags.
A quick look at the best prepared meal delivery services
Prepared meal delivery services offer a range of low-effort, ready-to-eat meals that you can pop into your oven or microwave during the week. These services can be a sigh of relief after a long, busy day — not only do pre-made meals let you avoid crowded supermarkets, but they also allow you to steer clear of cooking altogether. They can also be much more convenient than meal kits, which come with individual ingredients that you have to cook and prepare yourself. Factor provides a weekly rotating menu of over 27 pre-prepared meals designed by dieticians, according to the brand. Lisa Young, adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, recommended this service because it caters to a number of diets and dietary needs, including keto, paleo, low-carb, vegetarian, plant-based and high-protein. “ offers healthy and freshly-cooked meals that can accommodate different eating styles,” Young said.
I liked almost everything I tried, with recipes ranging from very healthy to more comfort-style food. There are plenty of options for vegetarians, too, but note that the menu will vary depending on where you live since they pull from local chefs to create the weekly offerings. When picking a prepared meal delivery service, be sure to consider factors such as cost, availability, variety, and quality. Diet-to-Go aims to make healthy eating easy, offering fresh, fully prepared meals that are dietitian-approved.
Best customizable meal kit delivery service: Home Chef
MagicKitchen.com has meals for seniors, dinners for diabetic diets, and even kidney meals for those on stricter diets. Delivery costs are calculated based on your location, typically about $10.PackagingAll Epicured boxes and liners are recyclable. PricingOat bowls are $5.99, smoothies are $7.99, soups are $8.99, veggie bowls are $9.99, and veggie crust pizzas are $11.99. Free shipping for 12 and 18 item boxes.PackagingEverything that comes in the box is fully curbside recyclable.AvailabilityMosaic delivers to most major metro areas in the Eastern and Western US.
Factor also lets you schedule a complimentary consultation with a registered dietitian to answer nutrition questions or determine if a Factor subscription is the right choice for you. Nothing beats a healthy, home-cooked meal, but the process of planning, shopping, preparing and cooking can be extremely time-consuming and not work for everyone. Fortunately, there's an easy answer for busy bees looking to cut down on fast food and takeout. Prepared meal delivery services will ship delicious, premade meals right to your front door, so you can enjoy something hot and fresh without the tedious legwork. Sakara Life is on the pricier side of meal delivery services, but it does offer a wide selection of ready-to-eat meals, all of which are gluten-free, organic, dairy-free and plant-based, according to the service.
Our Menu of Frozen Meals
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 and GMO-free too. All meals are ready to eat in 5 to 7 minutes in the oven or 3 minutes in the microwave. “I’m happy to pay a premium for healthier, high-quality ingredients that match my dietary needs,” she said.
We reviewed this kit back in 2020, but sadly since they didn’t yet deliver to Minneapolis, I had a colleague test the meals. This year, it was my new home in Brooklyn that allowed me to try the delicious meals, as they do ship to New York as well as most of the contiguous US states from three warehouses in New Jersey, Texas and California. A new sister-site to the HelloFresh family, Factor is unlike the rest of its siblings in that no cooking is required — unless you consider using a microwave cooking. However, I was rewarded for my time and effort, as the steaks were perfectly seasoned with her spice blend and the recipe yielded lovely mashed potatoes and green beans for a very all-American dinner. PricingMeals range from $10.49 to $13.49 depending on how many you order.PackagingThe box, thermal liners, meal container and meal sleeve are all recyclable. AvailabilityDelivers to most states excluding Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and West Virginia.
Best-tasting meal delivery service: Freshly
The meals are easy to reheat in the microwave, and you can safely store them in the freezer for 6 months or longer. In fact, the company’s menu boasts an array of options, including oat bowls, flatbreads, soups, harvest bowls, lattes, and more. “While other frozen meals often have pooled liquid in the tray after being heated, BistroMD didn’t usually have this problem, so the food was much more appetizing. Plus, the gluten-free meals are prepared in a facility that’s certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group, so Freshly is a good option if you have a gluten-related disorder. While most of the meals are gluten-free, it’s still a good idea to check each meal to make sure it has a gluten-free label before adding it to your cart. “I have to admit that any time I see a tray covered with plastic film, I get a bit nervous.
“I found that the meals contained a range of diverse ingredients and reheated well. Plus, I found that the variety of flavors helped keep me from feeling bored throughout the week. Freshly says its meals notably aren’t frozen and typically have a refrigerated shelf life of about three to five days. Certain items that the brand suggests should be eaten first will feature a badge on the package. Super easy to store, heat and eat, due to the sous vide style of boiling to reheat, which takes about six minutes from refrigerated.
The pineapple turmeric basil juice sounded super interesting, and sure enough it was as tasty as it was vitamin-packed. The option to go to my fridge instead of a 9-dollar-a-pop juice shop with a hipster barista is worth it in of itself for me. Home Chef brings the elements of comfort food and home cooking to your doorstep, with recipes tailored to fit your schedule. Pete's Paleo is an excellent meal service if you're adhering to that eating plan. Or maybe you’d like to explore buzzy diets like Paleo or Keto to get lean or lose weight. There are many diet specific meals which include low-carb meals and more specifically, of the Paleo and Ketogenic variety.
35+ different weekly menu options for keto, paleo, Whole30, vegan, vegetarian, low-carb, low-fat, plant-based and more. After gathering salt, pepper and oil, not included in the box, I decided to pick the steak as my meal, as I was making this for a filling dinner after a long day at work (well, work is cooking meal kits, so I can’t complain). While cooking red meat has always been a subject of some fear for me, the steaks were already cut into the two portions, so my hand-to-raw-meat interaction was a breeze, and isn’t bad even for the more squeamish. If you are a fan of quick and easy to cook meals then you would probably know about some popular soup and pasta meals.
I loved how this was a true ready-made meal, with no heating or even re-plating required. If you spend too much time and money on take-out health food or the Whole Foods salad bar, this is the kit for you. Like Home Bistro, these meals also come vacuum sealed in a plastic overlay, which makes it super easy to store and stack in the fridge without worrying about spilling.
Whether you're looking to save time or just want to change up your dinnertime routine, meal delivery kits are a great no-fuss solution for getting food on the table fast. Not only do meal delivery services take the stress out of meal prep, but they're generally a healthier and more affordable option than takeout. But if pulling out pots and pans is still too much (we feel you!), prepared meal delivery services bring convenience to a whole new level, with pre-cooked food delivered directly to your door, minimal assembly or heating required. Factor provides you with a new menu of over 27 dietitian-designed pre-prepared meals each week. It caters to a number of diets and dietary needs, including keto, Paleo, low-carb, vegetarian, plant-based and high protein, according to the brand.
You can opt for the two-person or the four-person plan and then select the amount of meals you need per week, from just two to six. The pre-made meals come refrigerated to your doorstep, each made with health in mind, even if you don’t choose the paleo, keto, vegetarian, vegan Whole30, plant-based or low-fat options. They are also all made without gluten or dairy, which is super great for those with allergies in the house. If you're looking for that happy medium between a little meal prep but not wanting to take out pots and pans, Tovala may be the solution for you. This unique meal delivery service offers prepared ingredients that only require short assembly and conveniently pair with the brand’s signature smart oven. If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's or other gastrointestinal issues, you may have avoided the option of meal delivery altogether.
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