Best Healthy Meal Delivery Kits For 2021

Whether you’ve put on the “quarantine 15” and are looking to shed a few pounds, or you’re just trying to eat healthier and incorporate more home-cooked meals into your routine, it can be tough to ditch delivery for more nutritious options.

Luckily, these health-focused meal delivery services make it easy to order custom meal kits straight to your door. There’s no grocery shopping necessary, and you can enjoy perfectly-portioned meals made from fresh ingredients without ever having to leave the house.

Overview of the best healthy meal delivery kits

Home Chef

• Best for – A variety of meal kit options.
• Cost – Starting at $6.99 per serving.
• Healthy options – Calorie-conscious and carb-conscious options.

Home Chef offers a variety of different meal kits, all of which include healthy, nutritious ingredients that are perfect for customers looking to improve their health or lose weight.

The subscription service lets customers customize their meal options depending on their preferences, including calorie-conscious and carb-conscious options for people looking to eat healthier meals. You can also choose between omnivore, carnivore, vegetarian, and pescetarian options, and indicate any special food categories, like dairy or gluten, that you’d like to avoid.

Home Chef also makes choosing delicious, healthy meals super simple. Every Monday, customers receive an email with 20+ meal options to choose from, and you have until Friday to select what meals you’d like for the following week. You can skip deliveries when you need to and cancel your subscription at any time. Meals like BBQ mushroom flatbread, Huli Huli tofu rice bowls, and turkey and butternut squash chili are just a few examples of the flavorful, healthy meal options on offer.

If you’re looking to eat healthier but don’t have the time or energy to cook meals from scratch each night, Home Chef also has a solution for that. With their oven-ready option, you can select what meals you’d like and they’re shipped straight to your door. Pre-portioned ingredients come in an oven-safe tray that you can stick directly in your oven, and with no extra pots and pans required it makes for easy cleanup.

Overall, Home Chef is a great choice whether you’re looking to switch up your dinner routine, spend less money on takeout, or eat healthy, nutritious meals.

Learn more about Home Chef or read our full Home Chef review.

Current promotion: Try Home Chef - Get $90 off your first 3 orders!

EveryPlate

• Best for – Affordable, crowd-pleasing meals.
• Cost – Starting at $4.99 per serving.
• Healthy options – Vegetarian meals and clear nutritional information for all meals.

EveryPlate specializes in healthy, affordable meals that are great for the whole family. They have clearly-marked vegetarian options and list the nutritional information for all meals, which is helpful if you’re counting calories or just watching what you eat.

All of EveryPlate’s meals are $4.99 per serving, making them one of the most affordable meal delivery kits available. While customers do pay a flat $8.99 fee for shipping, the quality, affordable meals are well worth this small additional cost.

Customers can choose from meals like caramelized zucchini linguine, Moroccan chickpea tagine, and citrus chicken and pepper bowls. The menu features a nice mix of family-friendly comfort food and more elevated flair, with plenty of options to choose from.

Each meal comes with an estimated preparation time clearly listed on the website, so you can choose different meals for different nights based on how much time you have to prepare dinner. The menu changes weekly, so you’ll always have new options to choose from.

Customers can easily skip a week or cancel their subscriptions online. Overall, EveryPlate is a great option for health-conscious customers who still want to indulge in the occasional comfort food, and are interested in creative recipes to switch up their dinner time routine.

Learn more about EveryPlate or read our full EveryPlate review.

Current promotion: Try Every Plate - Get $60 off your first three boxes!

FreshlyFit

• Best for – Ready to eat in three minutes.
• Cost – Starting at $8.49 per serving.
• Healthy options – Paleo and keto-inspired meals.

FreshlyFit is a new meal delivery service launched by parent company Freshly. These meals are built on a foundation of clean, whole-food ingredients with a nutritional profile that’s low in carbs, protein-powered, and gluten-free. If you’re trying to eat healthily but don’t have the time or energy to cook meals from scratch each night, FreshlyFit is a great option!

FreshlyFit’s meals start at $8.49 per meal, which is slightly more expensive than some of the service’s competitors. However, FreshlyFit really shines come dinnertime, since there is no preparation necessary, and cleanup is a breeze. Just microwave the meals in the container they come in for about three minutes, and then they’re ready to go! The meals feature nutritious whole ingredients and are perfectly proportioned with calibrated macros that help you achieve your fitness goals.

Menu items like roasted turkey with honey balsamic carrots, chicken Livorno with white beans and kale, and chicken parm with mozzarella and garlicky broccoli are just a few examples of the tasty meals FreshlyFit has to offer. The entire menu is gluten-free and peanut-free, and comes with detailed nutritional information for other dietary restrictions and preferences.

You can choose between four, six, ten, and twelve meals per week, and are free to skip or cancel a week anytime before the weekly deadline. Overall, FreshlyFit is a great option for health-conscious consumers looking for easy, nutritious, and tasty meals.

Learn more about FreshlyFit or read our full Freshly review.

Current promotion: Try FreshlyFIT - Save $40 off your first order!

Sunbasket

• Best for – USDA certified organic ingredients.
• Cost – Starting at $9.99 per serving.
• Healthy options – Paleo, vegetarian, lean & clean, and gluten-free options.

Sunbasket is a great choice for customers looking for healthy meals that are organic, sustainable, and ethically sourced. Sunbasket prides themselves on including only the highest quality ingredients in its meal kits.

Sunbasket’s meal kits feature organic produce, responsibly raised meats free of antibiotics and added hormones, and sustainably sourced, wild-caught seafood. All recipes are approved by a dietitian and are created in accordance with the latest science-based nutritional recommendations. Meals are typically between 500 and 800 calories and include fresh produce, whole grains, and high-quality protein.

Another aspect that makes Sunbasket unique is its commitment to ethical animal welfare standards. The company only works with suppliers who meet certain standards and treat their animals humanely and with care. If you don’t want to adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet but are still concerned about animal welfare, Sunbasket is a great choice if you’re trying to avoid factory farms and prevent animal cruelty.

Meals from Sunbasket start at just $9.99 per serving, and customers can choose meals that meet their specific dietary needs and preferences, whether they’re looking to adopt a Mediterranean diet, avoid excess carbohydrates, or follow a paleo or gluten-free diet. Overall, Sunbasket is a great choice for customers interested in ethical, sustainable eating and those with specific dietary needs.

Learn more about Sunbasket or read our full Sunbasket review.

Current promotion: Try Sunbasket - Get $90 off + a free gift and free shipping on your first box!

HelloFresh

• Best for – Fresh, healthy ingredients.
• Cost – Starting at $5.49 per serving.
• Healthy options – Schedule skipped weeks in advance.

HelloFresh’s commitment to fresh, affordable, and healthy meals makes it a great option for customers looking to eat better and lose weight without breaking the bank.

Each recipe comes with detailed nutritional information, which makes it easy to see just how many calories and nutrients you’re consuming with your meal. There is also clearly marked information for customers with food allergies or dietary preferences.

You can pick from a variety of plans, including options for yourself and your household. You can also skip meals up to six weeks in advance, change meals, and cancel your subscription at any time.

Meals start at $5.49 per serving and come with high-quality ingredients sourced straight from farms. Each recipe is tested 45 times to ensure deliciousness and simplicity, with plenty of vegetarian, gourmet, and kid-friendly options to choose from. Whether you’re in the mood for tacos, curry, quesadillas, paella, or more, there’s plenty of easy, healthy, tasty recipes on offer.

Overall, HelloFresh is a great choice for health-conscious customers looking to up their weeknight dinner game. The meal options feel fresh and creative, without requiring too much prep time. They’re also some of the most affordable meals we’ve come across!

Learn more about HelloFresh or read our full HelloFresh review.

Current promotion: Try HelloFresh - Get $96 off in total over your first 4 deliveries including free shipping on the first box!

Blue Apron

• Best for – Partners with WW for health-conscious meal options.
• Cost – Starting at $7.49 per serving.
• Healthy options – Vegetarian-only options.

Blue Apron is another great option when it comes to healthy, tasty meals delivered straight to your door. They’re popular for a reason, with a great combination of healthy ingredients, step-by-step recipes, and menus updated weekly so you’ll never get bored.

One great feature when it comes to meals from Blue Apron is their partnership with WW (formerly Weight Watchers.) Thanks to this partnership, several meals each week are marked with the WW logo, indicating that they’re great low-calorie, health-conscious options. These meals also list WW SmartPoints for easy tracking. If you’re already trying to lose weight and improve your health through WW, this makes meals from Blue Apron a no-brainer.

You can choose between meal plans for two servings, four servings, and vegetarian options, making it a great choice whether you’re looking to just feed yourself or the whole family. Prices range from $7.49 to $9.99 per serving, and shipping is free for most orders.

Meals like sour cherry glazed lamb chops, garlic caper chicken, and za’atar roasted chicken thighs combine restaurant-quality recipes with healthy, nutritious ingredients and easy preparation instructions. Overall, Blue Apron is a great choice if you’re looking to eat healthier meals, lose weight, or just get out of a recipe rut.

Learn more about Blue Apron or read our full Blue Apron review.

Current promotion: Blue Apron new customers: save $80 over your first 4 boxes.

Purple Carrot

• Best for – Delicious plant-based meals.
• Cost – Starting at $9.99 per meal.
• Healthy options – Dinner, breakfast, lunch, and packaged snacks.

Purple Carrot offers delicious plant-based meals delivered straight to your door. Customers can choose from Quick & Easy, High-Protein, Gluten-Free, or Chef’s Choice dinners, and Purple Carrot also offers breakfast and lunch options as well as packaged snacks.

Purple Carrot’s meals start at $9.99, which is a bit higher than many of the other meal delivery kits on this list. However, these meals emphasize healthy, fresh, nutritious ingredients, making them a great choice for health-conscious consumers looking for easy weekday meals.

Purple Carrot’s menu changes weekly. Some examples of tasty plant-based meals include cauliflower shawarma, black bean and corn quesadillas, and creamy tahini noodles. Snacks include mushroom jerky, oat chocolate bars, and peanut butter cup truffles.

The thing that makes Purple Carrot’s meals stand out is their commitment to plant-based menu items. Whether you’re looking to switch to a vegan or vegetarian diet, or just want to eat meat less often, Purple Carrot makes it easy to incorporate more plants into your diet. Far from boring salads and bland boils vegetables, these items are fresh, unique, and full of flavor.

Learn more about Purple Carrot or read our full Purple Carrot review.

Current promotion: With Purple Carrot - Get $30 off your first subscription with code carrot30

Green Chef

• Best for – Healthy organic meals.
• Cost – Starting at $10.49 per meal.
• Healthy options – Plant-based and keto options.

Looking to up your dinner game? Green Chef is a premium meal delivery kit company that offers healthy, organic meal options with fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients. Green Chef offers customized meal plans for keto and paleo dishes, balanced living, and plant-based vegan and vegetarian meals.

Green Chef’s meals start at $10.49 per meal. While this is more expensive than many other meal kits, the company’s emphasis on organic, sustainably sourced ingredients makes these meals worth the price if you’re interested in healthy eating.

The ingredients in these meal kits have no GMOs, toxic pesticides, irradiation, sewage sludge, antibiotics, or steroids, and come pre-measured and prepped along with pre-made sauces, marinades, and spice blends. The meals are also packed in eco-friendly packaging, which is a nice additional perk if you’re looking to reduce your environmental impact.

Green Chef menu options change weekly, and there are plenty of different meals to choose from. Keto and paleo meal examples include cheesy dijon pork chops and honey citrus grilled chicken thighs. Balanced living meals include a mix of meat, fish, and vegetarian options, with meals like Greek feta burgers and sausage and apple farro bowls. Plant-powered meals feature dishes like truffle butter risotto and Korean fried rice with kimchi.

You can skip individual meals or weeks when necessary, and cancel anytime. While Green Chef is a little on the pricier side when compared with some other meal kits, they’re an excellent option for health-conscious diners looking for delicious meals that are easy to prepare.

Learn more about Green Chef or read our full Green Chef review.

Current promotion: Green Chef promotion: Get $90 Off your first 4 boxes

Hungryroot

• Best for – Quality, sustainably sourced groceries.
• Cost – Starting at $59 per delivery.
• Best for – Personalized options and recipes.

Like the idea of meal kits, but don’t want to be limited to specific recipes and small quantities of prepackaged ingredients? Then Hungryroot might be just what you’re looking for. Hungryroot offers healthy, sustainably sourced groceries delivered straight to your door.

Customers can choose from fresh produce, meat and seafood, plant-based proteins, grains, pasta, sauces and dressings, bakery items, dairy and eggs, snacks, sweets, and more. Before you place an order, you can take a quiz in order for Hungryroot to create a customized grocery plan for you, with questions about your goals, how many people you’re feeding, dietary needs, and what you like to eat for dinner. Then, you can choose from hundreds of top-rated products to add to your cart.

Hungryroot isn’t a meal kit, and ingredients don’t come prepackaged in terms of individual meals. Instead, Hungryroot delivers fresh ingredients straight to your door, along with accompanying recipes. You can skip, cancel, or pause delivery at any time.

Weekly grocery deliveries start at $59. Hungryroot is designed to make up the majority of your grocery delivery each week. Customers also have the option to add on additional items on top of their base weekly order.

Overall, Hungryroot is a great option for people who are looking for more flexibility than a meal delivery kit can provide, while still saving time and money on groceries each week. Since you have access to over three thousand chef-inspired recipes, there are always new meals to experiment with.

Learn more about Hungryroot.

How I came up with this list

When researching meal delivery kit services, I looked for companies with an explicit focus on fresh, nutritious meals that can help people make healthy choices, whether they’re looking to lose weight, eat better, or follow certain dietary restrictions.

I also looked for meal kits that include a variety of different meals and plan options for both individuals and families. The services above represent a great mix of health, nutrition, flexibility, and taste.

What are meal delivery kits?

Meal delivery kits essentially attempt to answer the question of what to have for dinner. Rather than scrounging for snacks in an empty kitchen or resorting to another night of takeout after a long workday, meal delivery kits make planning out a week’s worth of dinners easy, affordable, and fun.

Why should (or shouldn’t) you use meal delivery kits

Meal delivery kits are great for a wide variety of people. These include:

• People who want to eat healthily and lose weight – Because meal delivery kits come in pre-portioned packages, it’s easy to eat the right amount of food without having to count calories or measure ingredients.
• People who want to learn new recipes – Many meal delivery kits feature simple, delicious recipes that are great for home chefs looking to master the basics.
• People who want convenience – Meal delivery kits make dinner prep way easier than planning, shopping for, and cooking a meal from scratch.
• People who want to plan in advance – If you’re the type of person who likes to know in advance your dinner plans for the week, meal delivery kit services are a great way to plan and customize your weekly menu ahead of time.

While meal delivery kits have many strengths, they’re not always the best choice for everyone. People who they might not work for include:

• People who like to improvise – These meal kits generally come with a fixed amount of ingredients along with specific preparation instructions. If you’re the sort of person who likes to improvise in the kitchen, meal delivery kits might not be the best fit.
• People who want to get the absolute lowest price – While many meal kits are very affordably priced, you can sometimes score even lower prices if you shop in bulk and cook meals from scratch.
• People concerned about the environmental impact – Most meal delivery services strive to be as environmentally friendly as possible, but they do impact the environment when it comes to shipping and packaging.

Most important features of meal delivery kits

When it comes to choosing a meal delivery service, here are a few of the features you should take into consideration.

Cost

Cost is one of the most significant aspects of a meal delivery kit. For most customers, meal delivery kits will still be slightly more expensive than shopping in bulk and cooking from scratch. However, meal delivery kits are often significantly less expensive than takeout and delivery. Meals typically range between about $5 to $10, so they’re still pretty affordable even if you’re on a budget.

Preparation method

Some meal kits involve spending some time in the kitchen preparing each meal, while others you can simply stick in the microwave for a few minutes. Which type is the better choice for you is largely a matter of personal preference. Meal kits like Sun Basket and Blue Apron tend to require a little more time in the kitchen, while services like FreshlyFit and some Home Chef plans are ready in minutes.

Meal variety and options

While all meal delivery kits have a variety of options to choose from, some go above and beyond when it comes to creative menu options or specific dietary accommodations. I found that Blue Apron had some of the most creative and appetizing menu items, while Sun Basket did a great job of accommodating different nutritional needs.

Summary

If you’re looking to eat healthily, lose weight, or just simplify your dinner routine, these meal delivery kits are all great options. It can be a relief not to have to think as much about what you’ll make for dinner each night, and the kits are full of healthy, nutritious ingredients that are the perfect complement to an active lifestyle.

Read more:

• Meal Delivery Comparison: Home Chef vs. HelloFresh vs. Blue Apron vs. Freshly vs. EveryPlate vs. Sun Basket
• Can A Meal Delivery Service Save Money? What About Time?