The 12 Best Meal Delivery Services of 2025, According to Our Experts

Why We Like It

Thanks to a robust weekly menu that rotates for new tastes, as well as the option to choose between prepared or meal kit services, we found Home Chef to be the top choice for making our meal prep endeavors more enjoyable and convenient. Meals start at roughly $10 per serving and vary in price depending on the week’s availability and the size of your order. In addition, shipping fees start at $10.99, but first-time users do have the luxury of free delivery on their first box.

While our tester, a certified personal trainer, notes that Home Chef isn’t set up for a wide range of dietary restrictions, the platform can cater to a few. Their ordering process, which they rate at 5 out of 5, had them select between preferences such as Vegetarian meals, Calorie-Conscious meals, Carb-Conscious meals, Keto-Friendly meals, and Gluten-Smart meals.

“I also found that you can make some customizations before finalizing your order,” they add. “For example, your proteins are often customizable, allowing you to opt for a different meat source, and Impossible meat is occasionally available, too, making this a possible solution for vegan diet athletes.”

From a prep standpoint, our tester notes that standard meal kits can take between 25 and 30 minutes, while “Oven Fresh” and “Fast and Fresh” meals can take just a few minutes to assemble before being heated up in the oven or microwave.

Plus, the portion sizes are large enough to keep you well satiated. Our tester scores the portions at 5 out of 5, stating, “I was always left full after eating one of my kits. I also appreciate that serving sizes can be toggled for each meal up to eight servings, and ‘Family’ plans can offer portions up to 16 servings for larger groups.”

Lastly, we’ve had few issues when it comes to ingredient quality thanks to the great packaging practices employed by the brand. Cold and wet ingredients are separated from dry goods, and there is an included ice pack to help maintain freshness. However, we rate the ingredients quality at 4 out of 5, as our tester did experience some tarnished produce here and there. Thankfully, Home Chef’s customer service is quick to remedy any flaws as a result of shipping.

Read our full Home Chef Review.

Why We Like It

If you’re looking for a meal delivery service that caters to your entire family, we recommend Hello Fresh. The weekly offerings total over 100 meal and market items, which is great for pleasing every palate in your house. Plus, you can build out your weekly meal kit delivery service to include up to 24 servings, which can be a suitable number for a family of four.

“While calorie counts can be high in some dishes, I found my meals from Hello Fresh to be extremely easy to cook thanks to the detailed instructions, making it a great choice for beginners seeking the proper nutrition for athletes,” adds BarBend tester and certified nutrition coach Jake Herod. As such, we rate the meal prep at 4 out of 5. “I really enjoyed clean-up with Hello Fresh, too,” adds our other expert tester. “Most meals only required dirtying one or two dishes — a real treat when trying to clean up while also tending to the family.”

Hello Fresh also left us pretty satisfied in terms of taste, enough for a 4 out of 5 rating. The meal variety is decent across the different categories, though we found options catering to gluten and soy allergies to be in short supply. 

While we appreciate the range of dishes, which can also be great for pleasing picky eaters in the family, we do wish that Hello Fresh lived up to its name when it came to ingredient quality. Our tester scores the subscription service at 3.5 out of 5 for ingredients, as they experienced multiple orders featuring spoiled goods. 

“While my success rate with dairy and meats is solid, I’ve had multiple issues with veggies, namely peppers and scallions,” they note. “I could attribute this, though, to the delivery service in my area. I’ve used Hello Fresh in multiple states, so handling can vary depending on your parcel carrier.”

Read our full Hello Fresh Review.

Why We Like It

OK, so you’re looking to pack your weekly meal plans with the most nutrient-dense foods, but your household only has one mouth to feed. Instead of trying to ration your orders or preserve ingredients like you’re prepping for (another) lockdown, we recommend opting for a service like EveryPlate. With a rotating weekly roster of tasty meals, and orders capped at five meals per week, we think EveryPlate can be a perfect solution for singles.

We like how the platform keeps prices per meal low with dishes starting at just $4.99 per meal. Naturally, the fewer servings you order, the more you can expect to pay, but this can be a great starting point, nonetheless. 

Additionally, our tester points out that there are also a la carte items available for extra high-protein snacks, side sauces, crispy carbs, and other add-on goodies that can be great for rounding out your portions to your personal preferences. We score the available variety at 4 out of 5, respectively.

As far as shipping, we rate EveryPlate at 5 out of 5. Packages come with a good portion of gel ice packs to keep ingredients fresh, and we like that each order includes a physical recipe card. “Plus, I enjoyed how timely each weekly shipment was,” adds our tester, a certified nutrition coach. “When an issue did arise, EveryPlate was quick with a resolution, usually in the form of a coupon or free meals for my next order.”

Additionally, we think this meal delivery service is best for singles because of the amount of prep work needed for each dish. According to our tester, the time needed to make each meal may be too much for those looking to feed an entire household.

“There were plenty of instances where I’d spend over an hour in the kitchen between prep and actual cooking,” says our tester, who rates the preparation at 2 out of 5. “You also may need to have multiple portions of your meal cooking at once, so be prepared to extend your cooking skills with this service.”

Why We Like It

According to studies, the average home-cooked meal comes out to $4.23. (2) So, a meal delivery service that can come close to this metric can be a great solution for budget-minded athletes that want the added convenience of less trips to the grocery store. With meals starting at just $4.99, Dinnerly is the closest high-quality platform we’ve found to the average price of a scratch-made dish. Plus, shipping costs are always at $11.99, meaning there’s no variation depending on your order size.

In addition to the cost, we also appreciate the fact that Dinnerly offers both meal kits and prepared meals that just need a quick reheat before consumption. For meal kits, you can expect to spend about 10 minutes in prep with minimal cleanup, too. Our tester, a certified personal trainer, scores the prep work at 3 out of 5, though, given the fact that recipe cards are only available digitally.

“One of the first things I noticed is that there are no recipe cards in the box, meaning you’ll either need to have your laptop nearby or have the Dinnerly app up on your phone to work through the instructions,” says our tester.

As far as taste, we score Dinnerly at 4 out of 5. Yes, the meal kits were plenty flavorful, but the prepared dishes, according to our tester, were closer to a frozen TV dinner more often than not. “Aside from the convenience factor, I don’t see a reason to opt for the prepared options,” they add. “The flavor is fine, but if I’m going for this experience, I’ll just hit up my supermarket’s frozen food section.”

Another item of note about the Dinnerly box is that it doesn’t separate ingredients based on your weekly meals, but rather includes all of the necessary goods in one box. This isn’t a huge detriment to the quality of the service — we rate the packaging at 4 out of 5 — but it does require a little more attention when it comes to organizing your high-protein vegetables, meats, and other groceries once you’ve received your package.

Why We Like It

Need a meal delivery service to match your dietary preferences while still managing your energy balance for training? Each week, Sunbasket offers 50 different dishes catering to restrictions such as diabetes, plant-based diets, and gluten allergies, among others.

We enjoyed the ordering process across this platform, scoring it at 5 out of 5. You can pick your diet restrictions, servings per week, and delivery frequency rather easily, and there are also a la carte items available that can serve as a tasty snack or add-on.

Our tester, a certified nutrition coach, also liked how vast the options were across different restrictions and dietary needs. “You could easily use Sunbasket for months while never eating the same delicious meal twice,” they add in reference to their 5 out of 5 rating for the available meal plans.

Unfortunately, though, the aforementioned meal plans are capped at four dishes per week, meaning you’ll need to parcel out listed meals over multiple servings in order to complete a week’s worth of eating. Don’t fret, though, because each week comes with a revitalized roster of offerings, so while you may be stuck with a singular healthy meal for multiple days one week, there are more than enough options to keep your palate pleased in a given month.

Sunbasket offers both meal kits and prepared dishes, so you get to choose how much time you spend preparing dinner. We like the convenience of the ready-made meals, but the kits are easy enough to cook, too, according to our tester. Depending on your meal choice, you can expect to spend between 5 and 30 minutes in prep.

Lastly, our tester did note that the portions may leave some athletes underwhelmed in terms of size. They rate Sunbasket at 3 out of 5 for the delivered portions, stating, “I tend to eat larger portions given my macro goals and daily activity levels. When ordering for two people, I’d say that the given high-quality ingredients can feasibly feed 1.5 athletes. It could just be my diet preferences, but it is worth noting.”

Read our full Sunbasket Review.

Why We Like It

Disclaimer: Please note that none of these products describe themselves as specific weight loss options and, therefore, should not be taken as such. Please consult with a medical professional before beginning any weight loss protocol.

If you’re looking to count your macros for weight loss, it can help to find a meal delivery service with well-labeled packaging, as well as a kit that’s composed of healthier, all-natural ingredients. Based on these metrics, Eat Clean can be an excellent option for those on a weight loss journey. 

While the natural ingredients are enough to garner our attention, we also like how Eat Clean lists all the nutritional information for each meal — of which there are over 100 offered each week — online for easier logging. We rate this service at 5 out of 5 for the category given the fact that clear labeling and nutritional info can go a long way in ensuring that your weight loss journey is dialed in.

According to our tester, the meals available through Eat Clean are well-portioned. “Provided I actually ate the entire meal, I was left fully satiated,” they note. As such, we score Eat Clean at 5 out of 5 for the portion sizing.

While the portions can be excellent for satiety and fullness, we rate this best meal delivery service for weight loss at 3.5 out of 5 when it comes to taste. There were some occasions where we encountered bland veggies or weirdly-textured carbs. However, we can’t truly expect much from a prepared meal delivery service — you’re only cooking the available dishes in the microwave, after all.

Speaking of the microwavable makeup of each meal, we do appreciate the convenience but wish Eat Clean invested more in the actual containers for the dishes. According to our tester, the plates can begin to warp in the microwave when heated up. “It could mean absolutely nothing, but to me, it screams plastic contamination. I am, admittedly, a little paranoid about the subject when it comes to my food, though,” they add.

Why We Like It

For athletes wanting to fuel their performance with all-organic ingredients and meals (or those that want a nice pairing to their best organic protein powder), Green Chef is right up your alley. Prices start at $11.99 per meal, which is a good cost given the organic quality of ingredients on display with each offering. “Honestly, it’s a no-brainer for athletes looking to prioritize organic nutrition,” said our tester, a certified personal trainer, who rates the ingredients at 4.5 out of 5.

Green Chef also features physical recipe cards with each order, which can be great for future meals if you want a certain dish that’s no longer in the rotation. Plus, all of the nutritional information is available on the cards, so there are no questions when it comes to how your specific meal will need to be added to your best macros calculator. As such, we rate the nutritional info at 5 out of 5.

Our tester also enjoyed the variety of Green Chef meals, and there are dishes that cater to plant-based, keto, gluten-free, and other dietary restrictions. However, you’re only able to order four meals weekly, so be prepared to repeat some dishes if you’re looking to schedule out a week’s worth of meal prep. “The four-meal limit may also be disheartening to families needing to feed multiple mouths with a single order,” adds our tester.

Expect to use your standard pots, pans, and kitchenware to create your ordered Green Chef dishes, too. We rate the prep work at 3 out of 5 because of this, as other meal delivery services we tried require less equipment for the sake of one meal. Thankfully, all of the required kitchen utensils are listed on the recipe card along with the instructions and nutritional information.

Lastly, Green Chef requires you to pay upfront for your subscription service, which we found somewhat odd before selecting any meals. It wasn’t a true detriment to our experience, but we do mention it to ensure you have your card ready as you go to sign up for the service.

Why We Like It

Meal delivery services can be a convenient treat for athletes with busy schedules, but in the end, you still need to actually dedicate upwards of one hour to prepare and cook the dishes at home. For those trying to bolster their nutrition when meal prepping on the move, prepared meal delivery services can be just the ticket, with Factor remaining one of our favorites of the bunch.

Every Factor meal is packaged in a microwavable container, so all that’s separating you from chowing down on a nutritious lunch or dinner is a thin plastic film and a few minutes in the microwave. Additionally, we appreciate how Factor clearly lists the nutritional value of every dish on its packaging, which can be great for tallying up your macros for each meal.

Our tester, a certified personal trainer, rates the ordering process with this meal delivery service at 5 out of 5. “After signing up for the service, I was prompted to choose my preferred meal type — I went with a high-protein menu — and from there, you’re thrown into meal selection. It was a painless procedure,” they state.

Regardless of your fitness goals, we found the provided Factor meals to contain tastes that go beyond what you’d expect from a reheated meal prep container. Our tester, who rates the taste at 4 out of 5, notes, “The steak meal I tried actually had pink in the middle, even after microwaving. I can definitely cook better meals, but these are elevated beyond your typical microwave options.”

Factor meals do often feature a meat and side format, so the “variety” at play can be somewhat subjective — we score Factor at 4 out of 5 for the category, since the menu, at least, changes weekly. If you’re seeking more variety, we suggest opting for a meal kit service like Green Chef, Home Chef, or others.

Read our full Factor 75 Review.

Why We Like It

For those looking to stockpile their nutrition in the freezer, 518 Kitchen can be a perfect solution for more convenient meal prep. Each single-serving dish is flash-frozen to help preserve the freshness of the ingredients, and are stored frozen until it comes time to dig in. Perhaps the biggest perk of this prepared meal delivery service, though, is the fact that there are no meal plans — you can order as little or as much as you prefer (provided the order total surpasses $75).

Kate Meier, BarBend editorial member and certified personal trainer, rates the ordering process at 5 out of 5. “The entire process was so simple,” she states. “I really liked how you could filter meals by their type, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as well as by lifestyle, with categories including keto or low-calorie.”

We did notice, though, that all of the information regarding meals is kept online, meaning there is no companion app like other meal kits we’ve tried. It can be convenient to track your weekly boxes on your phone to ensure you’re receiving your order in a timely, efficient manner, so we missed having that option. 

The fact that these 58 Kitchen meals are frozen also lends itself to convenient prep, which we score at 5 out of 5. All you need to do is pierce the film, place the BPA-free plastic container in the microwave, and let the dish spin for its allotted time. We also found that these meals could be heated up in the oven, but you’ll need to remove the film entirely before opting for this reheat route.

Taste-wise, 518 Kitchen fared well, offering worthwhile proteins and sides that kept us satiated and pleased with each dish. Given the frozen makeup, you shouldn’t expect many carbs like flatbreads, rice, or pasta, making this an excellent option for athletes following the keto diet, too. “Veggies can be (naturally) soggy after a microwave reheat,” added Meier, who scored the platform at 4 out of 5 for taste, “But in general, I’d be fine with eating these meals day in and day out.”

Why We Like It

Perhaps you’re good with eating healthy on a budget and don’t need built-out meal kits or prepared meals to support your weekly menu. Still, though, grocery delivery services can make those troubling trips to the grocer a thing of the past. For produce needs, we recommend Misfits Market. Not only does this platform offer high-quality, primarily organic produce across its roughly 500 available weekly items, but the service also helps eliminate food waste by “rescuing” produce goods that would otherwise be rejected by chain retailers.

Having used Misfits Market in the past, I appreciate how this platform keeps cosmetically-deficient-yet-still-fresh ingredients in the system, which can help with the nation’s food waste issue. According to studies, up to 40% of America’s produce is wasted. (3) Misfits Market, however, is aiming to change the way we perceive visual defects in fruit and vegetables, showing that while an item may be misshapen or discolored, it’s still perfectly good to eat.

I rate the variety offered through this grocery service at 4 out of 5. In addition to produce, you can routinely find other must-haves, including meat and pantry items. However, I do drop the rating slightly given the fact that the availability can be hit and miss at times. You can expect roughly 500 goods each time you schedule your delivery, but I have noticed a few occasions where the roster of items was more or less than this mean average.

I also like how the Misfits Market app allows you to conveniently control your orders. You can cancel or skip deliveries well in advance, which can be a great benefit when you know you’ll be away from your home for extended periods. Overall, I score the ordering and shipment at 4.5 out of 5.

Lastly, it should be noted that Misfits Market is more of a grocery delivery service rather than a meal delivery service. You’ll need to plan your own recipes and portions, so this may not be the best option for those looking for the highest convenience in terms of meal prep.

Why We Like It

A big proponent of any well-rounded meal is the protein source, but do you truly have the time to hit up your local butcher each week for servings of steak, chicken, and pork? ButcherBox can take the headache out of finding high-quality protein (with free shipping!) through the brand’s monthly deliveries, giving you a nice variety of protein-rich goods ready for the oven, skillet, or grill.

I’ve used ButcherBox and really appreciate the robustness of each order. I rate the ordering process at 5 out of 5 thanks to a simple protocol that has you choose your delivery cadence (between 2 and 8 weeks) and protein sources (beef, pork, and/or chicken). 

Additionally, I like how the brand prides itself on providing high-quality meat cuts to every subscriber. Every cut is harvested from grass-fed and antibiotic-free animals, which can be great for those looking to focus on animal welfare as part of their nutrition. Plus, these practices lend themselves to better taste — I score ButcherBox at 4.5 out of 5 for the category, as I’ve yet to find a cut that wasn’t to my liking. The brand even has recipes available online, just in case you need a refresher on how to cook the perfect steak.

One thing that I have had issues with, though, is storing all of the provided meat. While I can get by with refrigerating some goods that I plan to eat immediately, I’ve had multiple instances where a complete rearrangement of my freezer was in store after receiving my order. I’d recommend ButcherBox for athletes that have ample freezer space available.

Naturally, with focus on beef, chicken, and pork, you won’t find any vegan or vegetarian options with this service. As such, I rate the variety at 3 out of 5. If you are looking to cater to a specific dietary restriction, we recommend a grocery or meal delivery service such as Purple Carrot or Home Chef. However, if you’re looking to keep your freezer stocked with nutritious animal-based protein, these boxes can definitely fit the bill.

Why We Like It

Catering your diet to a plant-based format can be tricky at times, especially when trying to find suitable protein alternatives to fuel your training progress. Purple Carrot takes the hassle out of eating clean thanks to an entirely-plant-based menu that offers tasty, filling options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

We were really pleased with the variety of over 20 meals offered across the board, which included a good mix of meal kits and prepared dishes. As such, we rate the variety at 4 out of 5. We also liked how Purple Carrot offers pantry items as well as frozen meals, which can be great for maintaining your plant-based diet throughout the day. Additionally, you can place extra filters for gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and other dietary needs when choosing your meals. 

“You do have to account for the fact that all available meals are plant-based, but I did enjoy the options to filter the dishes by certain categories like ‘high protein,’ or ‘less prep,’” adds our tester, a certified personal trainer.

When it came time to actually eat the ordered meals, our tester praised the flavors as well, and rated the portions at 4 out of 5. Despite what you’d think about a plant-based meal, they said every serving was generous and there was little to no hunger post-meal.

Purple Carrot also includes recipe cards with each meal kit, but we think the instructions may be too simplified when it comes to certain dishes. “I specifically recall a tofu-based dish that didn’t have steps for pat-drying the tofu. To me, that’s a definite precursor to cooking tofu,” they add. While it’s not an egregious omittance, they rate the overall prep work at 3 out of 5.

If you’re cooking for a large family, you may be underwhelmed with Purple Carrot’s format. You’re only able to order up to four meals weekly, which may not be enough to fuel a growing household. For smaller parties or individuals, however, this can be a great service, especially if you’re looking to add some much-needed plants and healthy carbs into your diet.