The Best Meal Kit Delivery Services of 2024, According to Taste of Home Editors

MOLLY ALLEN FOR TASTE OF HOME MOLLY ALLEN FOR TASTE OF HOME

Shop on Marley Spoon

BEST OVERALL

Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon

Shop on Marley Spoon

Queen of the kitchen, Martha Stewart, is the face of Marley Spoon meal delivery service, which offers an impressive selection of meals each week. Choose from more than 100 recipes, including vegetarian, vegan and family-friendly options, as well as meals that take fewer than 30 minutes to make. In addition to a wide variety of entrees, Marley Spoon also offers some breakfasts and desserts, as well as protein add-ons.

To order, start by selecting the number of people you’ll be cooking for (either two or four as well as the number of meals you’d like to receive per week (between two and six). At this step, you can also select if you’d like to make your box vegetarian. Next, you’ll enter your zip code and email address, set up delivery details and payment information—then it’s time to choose your meals. 

Our tester, Molly Allen, tried the Sheet Pan Piri Piri Chicken. “The flavor of the seasoned vegetables and chicken, paired with the drizzle of piri piri vinaigrette, was incredible,” she says. “I ended up eating every single piece of the roasted veggies in one serving—they were that good.”

Next up was the Italian Sausage Ragu Pasta. “This kit was quick and easy,” she says. “The prep for this recipe was super simple, as well as the cooking method. I was shocked by just how flavorful this dish was with so few ingredients. It easily stacked up to a restaurant-quality bowl of pasta.” Read our Marley Spoon review for the full scoop.

ANNAMARIE HIGLEY/TASTE OF HOME ANNAMARIE HIGLEY/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on HelloFresh

BEST CUSTOMIZABLE

HelloFresh

Shop on HelloFresh

HelloFresh is one of the most trusted meal kits, and it’s been around for years. It offers a variety of meals for both novices and kitchen veterans. Plus, the servings are on the more affordable side. What’s newer, though, is the HelloFresh market, which elevates a HelloFresh subscription to a truly custom experience. The market sells breakfast items, side dishes, snacks, beverages and even fresh produce. These add-ons then arrive in the same box as the other recipes and come from an array of popular brands and vendors.

Ordering is easy—and highly customizable. First, you select meal preferences such as “meat and veggies,” “family friendly” or “quick and easy.” At this step, you’ll also select whether you’re cooking for two or four people, as well as how many meals you’d like per week (between two and six). You’ll then create an account, checkout and select your meals.  

I was really impressed with the Street Cart-Style Turkey Bowls. All the components came together for an interesting, unexpected and texturally exciting dish. Maybe it’s because I’m partial to Middle Eastern food, but this meal was easily my favorite of the bunch. Same goes for the Creamy Dreamy Mushroom Cavatappi.

In all, I was blown away by the service’s flavorful meals. (Read my full Hello Fresh review for the full scoop.) It’s ideal for busy weeks when you want the convenience of takeout but the nutrition of a home-cooked meal. File it under food delivery services to gift a busy loved one. 

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Shop on Everyplate

BEST BUDGET

EveryPlate

Shop on Everyplate

EveryPlate provides the cheapest meals (by serving) around. It narrowly beats out Dinnerly, with costs as low as $4.99 per person. What gives? The company claims it’s able to offer low prices thanks to a limited meal selection and packaging adjustments, but we still wanted to make certain that the quality was on par with the other services.

The ordering process is standard. Opt between a variety of preferences, like “meat and veggie,” “family faves” or “nutrish and delish,” then select your box size. You can order for two, four or six people and between three and six meals per week. After that, you know the drill. It’s on to creating an account, filling out your address and payment details and selecting meals.

I was wowed by the delicious flavors and intentionality of the Creamy Bacon & Corn Chowder. The cream cheese added a tanginess where other corn chowders sometimes fall flat. The combination of textures with the crispy bacon, tender corn, semi-mashed potatoes and raw jalapeno was delightful.

The Sticky Soy Pork Burgers didn’t disappoint, either. The glaze, made of soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, lime, ginger and a couple of other ingredients, really took things up a notch, and the potato buns were a fluffy, tender complement to the equally tender pork. This service scored high marks across the board in my EveryPlate review.

ANNAMARIE HIGLEY/TASTE OF HOME ANNAMARIE HIGLEY/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on Blue Apron

BEST GOURMET

Blue Apron

Shop on Blue Apron

Among the most recognizable names in the game, Blue Apron is one of the brands that kickstarted the meal delivery service craze. Blue Apron offers 16 recipes each week, including vegetarian and wellness options, and its meals stand out for their complex and delicious flavor profiles. The fanciness is reflected in the cost, but it’s a small price to pay for homemade restaurant-level meals on demand.

When ordering Blue Apron, the first step is picking between meal kits or their new prepared meals. For meal kits, you’ll pick preferences like “chef favorites,” “fast and easy” or “veggies” and select either two or four servings for between two and five meals a week. For prepared meals, there are only three options—”600 calories or less,” “30g of protein” and “carb conscious.” Each meal is single-serve and you can order six, eight or 10 per week. After that, you’ll create an account and check out, then choose your meals. 

I enjoyed the Hoisin Pork Belly & Miso Ramen until the very last drop. It is the fanciest ramen I’ve ever made at home. The miso lent a richness and sweetness, and it made the dish that much more interesting. The perfectly soft-boiled egg that peeled easily, the acidic pickled radishes, and the glazed pork belly—albeit slightly overcooked—really took things over the top. I was thrilled to have leftovers for lunch the next day. Read my full Blue Apron review.

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Shop on Dinnerly

BEST FOR FAMILIES

Dinnerly

Shop on Dinnerly

Dinnerly is another meal delivery service with impressively low per-serving prices, in part due to the simplicity of its recipes. There are fewer ingredients per dish (which also translates into less prep work), and all the recipe cards are digital. Dinnerly offers more than 45 recipes per week with dizzying customization options available—in a good way, of course! It’s perfect for families on a budget, families with picky eaters, or families with packed calendars.

The Dinnerly ordering process is nearly identical to Marley Spoon. Pick between two and four servings for two to six meals a week. There is a checkbox if you would like to make your order vegetarian. You’ll then set a location, define delivery details and pay. Choosing meals is the last step.

Despite its simple nature, the Seared Cheddar Bratwurst got top marks. The dinner was absolutely delicious. It was filling, fancy-feeling and foolproof. It was as close to a 10 out of 10 as they come! See how other dishes compared in my Dinnerly review.

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Shop on Green Chef

BEST HEALTHY

Green Chef

Shop on Green Chef

Green Chef stands out from the crowd thanks to its certified organic ingredients, sustainable packaging and diverse meal plans. It aims to be healthy for you—and for the planet. Choose from standard, keto, paleo, vegetarian or “balanced living” plans. How do they taste, though?

Rather than meal preferences, Green Chef kicks off the ordering process with “lifestyle preferences.” Here you can select options like “gut and brain health,” “keto” or “calorie smart.” You’ll choose from two, four or six servings for two to four meals per week. After setting your details, it’s time to select your meals!

First, I made the Blackened Chicken Salad with Dijonnaise. The preparation process went super smoothly. This salad was chock-full of mix-ins, yet there was hardly any chopping to be done. It was so fresh, texturally interesting and flavorful—I was obsessed! Every bite was like a surprise inside.

Next, I tested out the Chicken with Basil Pistou. I would’ve never thought to pair artichokes, fennel, chard, red peppers and dates, but alas, it worked! That’s the beauty of these meal kits: getting you and your family outside of your comfort zone without much creativity on your part. Learn more in my Green Chef review.

MADI KOETTING/TASTE OF HOME MADI KOETTING/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on Mosaic Foods

BEST VEGETARIAN

Mosaic Foods

Shop on Mosaic Foods

It’s hard to file Mosaic Foods into one category—and that’s a good thing! Ideal for vegetarians, Mosaic is a plant-based meal delivery service. Its “fresh take” on frozen food means you’ll get the convenience of a TV dinner and the health benefits of a home-cooked one. All you have to do is pop them into the oven or microwave—no ingredient prep required. The weekly menu is robust, with plenty of plant-powered entrees.

Mosaic’s ordering process starts with an availability check to ensure the brand ships to your zip code. Next, choose between a box with six, 12 or 18 items. If you choose the latter two options, your box ships free. Now here comes the fun part: building your box! Choose between veggie bowls, family meals, pizzas, soups and oat bowls. Review your order, check out and get ready for plant-based goodness to show up at your doorstep.

Madi Koetting, Taste of Home product reviews editor, tried all of Mosaic’s yummy categories. “I won’t lie, I was a bit skeptical about eating veggie-forward frozen meals,” shares Madi. “But after diving into Mosaic’s range of tastes, I’m pleasantly surprised with how well the meals heat up.”

The winner of Madi’s tests was the mac and greens bowl. “It tastes just like gourmet mac and cheese, with the added benefit of eating good-for-you greens while you graze,” she says. “If you’re in search of a convenient way to get more veggies in your diet, Mosaic Foods is for you,” adds Madi. (Give these produce delivery and fruit subscriptions a try, too.)

What to Look for When Subscribing to a Meal Delivery Service

With evermore meal delivery service options, how do you choose the right one? These are the criteria that we suggest assessing. There are reviews to read (including ours!), of course, but there’s also the cost, flexibility and recipe variety to consider. If you or a family member have dietary needs, choose a service that can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan diets. Or, if you have a picky eater at your table, then opt for a meal delivery service with enhanced customization features.

Why You Should Trust Us

These meal delivery services were tested by various Taste of Home team members, all with varying degrees of cooking expertise. Molly Allen has previous professional baking experience, whereas myself and Madi Koetting are strictly home cooks. No matter where you fall on the culinary spectrum, you can be sure that the services on this list are within your capabilities based on our authentic testing methodology. Our testers’ needs, wants and budget reflect those of the average shopper.

We aren’t new to testing this product category, either. In additional to several meal kits, our team has reviewed meat and chicken delivery services like ButcherBox, Snake River Farms and Good Chop. Our testing extends to grocery services, like Misfits Market and Thrive Market, as well.

How We Found the Best Meal Delivery Services

This list is based on the success we had while sampling each of these meal delivery services. We tested over a dozen options, well beyond the favorites you see here. While weighing the actual taste and flavors of the recipes in each box, we also factored in the aforementioned criteria. This included value (i.e., price versus quality), freshness, recipe techniques and instructions, cleanup, recipe variety and more. We judged and rated each criteria on a scale of 1-5 for each service, then added together for a total score. Only the highest earners made our list.

Since many of the services are very similar, we also did comparison testing. We evaluated the ingredients, waste and cleanup commitment of the most popular services on the internet. Sure, they’re great on their own—but how do they compare? Get the full scoop in our Home Chef vs. HelloFresh and Blue Apron vs. HelloFresh comparisons.

FAQs

Who are meal delivery services best for?

Everyone! They cut down on time spent grocery shopping and meal prepping, so they’re ideal for those with busy schedules or anyone looking to revamp their meal routine. Whether you’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan or somewhere in between, there’s a meal prep service for you.

Are meal delivery services healthy?

It depends. Most meal delivery services offer a wealth of recipes, so if you prefer veggie-packed, gluten-free or low-carb meals, there are likely options. However, some services offer indulgent, hearty meals that can be caloric and somewhat fattening. It’s a good idea to check out the meal variety offered by each service and choose accordingly. From there, on a weekly basis, read through ingredients, allergens and nutritional facts before you order your box.

Do meal delivery services save you money?

Meal delivery services certainly help save money if you frequently order takeout or dine at restaurants. However, they can get expensive week after week because most don’t include everyday groceries like eggs, bread or everyday produce.