If you’re in the market for a meal kit delivery service, there’s a good chance you’ll feel overwhelmed by all the options. Eating vegan or giving Whole30 a try? Cooking for yourself or a family of six? Are you an experienced chef or a complete newbie? No matter what your circumstances, there’s a service out there that caters to your needs. Some meal kits provide ingredients paired with recipes, while others send pre-made meals or grocery items. All of them are meant to make the process of planning and cooking meals more convenient.
I spent months testing every meal kit I could find on the market (14 of them). I have some good news and bad news. The good news is that every meal kit I tested was pretty usable. The bad news is that opting for a meal kit subscription leaves you with more choices than you likely realized. I’m an avid foodie and I love to cook at home. I don’t have dietary restrictions, but I made an effort to try plant-based meals along with more omnivorous options. Taking into account the recipes, ingredients, ease of use, the amount of packaging waste generated, and the fact that every home chef has different needs, I recommend the following meal subscriptions.
Much like mattress-in-a-box companies, meal kit companies usually have some sort of promotion going on, so keep an eye out for those if you decide to sign up. Most meal kit pricing models follow a similar style: the more meals you purchase per week, the lower each serving’s price will be. We go into detail on dietary restrictions and subscription costs below. If you ever want to skip a week or cancel, you can find that information in the account section on your chosen service’s website.
A Note on Meal Kits and Covid-19
Updated April 3, 2020: As of March 31, at least some of the meal kit delivery services on this list, notably Blue Apron, are experiencing high demand, shipping delays, or reduced menu options due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Meal kit delivery services can help you comply with social distancing guidelines set by the CDC and other health authorities.
However, meal kits aren’t the only food delivery solution. If you cannot safely get to a local grocery store, you may also be able to opt for grocery delivery through a service like Instacart or Postmates. Despite some bare shelves at the moment, grocery stores are not going to run out of food, so there’s also no need to panic-buy.
For more answers to commonly-asked questions regarding Covid-19, head here. You can also check out our many buying guides, including our Best Cookbooks and Best Coolers guides.
