11 best healthy meal delivery services and kits of 2024, plus expert tips

Meal kits have, from our experience, revolutionized the ability to fill our bodies with well-balanced, delicious meals in a flash. However, not all are created equal — and some feature unique offerings that may appeal to your specific dietary needs or lifestyle.

While everyone’s definition of “healthy” is different, we did the research and tested some brands to outline the best healthy meal kits of 2024 that — in our opinion — you should order from at least once.

Think about it: ready-to-deliver, fresh ingredients and foods shipped to your door? That sounds (1) like it’ll bring back some much-needed time to our days and (2) take some of the guesswork out of cooking easy yet gourmet-style meals at times.

“Meal kits take the mental effort out of cooking a homemade meal for those with busy lives who struggle to meal plan,” Desiree Nielsen, RD, registered dietitian and author of “Plant Magic,” told the New York Post.

“We’re so inundated by choice that it’s kind of overwhelming: I have plenty of clients with thousands of recipes saved to their Pinterest boards or Instagram who still struggle with what to make for dinner. When you commit to a meal kit plan, there are a limited number of options each week to choose from. And, when you’re tired at the end of the day, you don’t have to think; you just open the fridge and follow the directions.”

Our team of registered nutritionists and wellness experts provide the intel on what to know about healthy meal kits before you order (that’s in our in-depth FAQ section below). Plus, we put together a comparison table highlighting our top brands, shipping information and more.

In the meantime, click to jump to our tried-and-true, well-researched list of options:

Best Healthy Meal Delivery Services

Best Overall: Factor

Factor in just how busy you are and the importance of healthy eating, and you’ll conclude that Factor meals are the way to go. We wanted to start with the prepared meal option, as not only does Factor take the stress out of planning nutritious meals, but it also takes portion control out of the equation, as well as prep and clean up. We like popping a Factor meal into our bag for work, but also love relying on the meal delivery service during summer when it’s too hot to cook.

Each meal is designed by a dietitian, so it’s nutritionally sound. More importantly, ingredients and nutrition facts are listed on the site so you know what’s in what. There are more than 35 meals to choose from on the weekly menu, plus more than 60 add-ons, including smoothies and other yummy items.

Read our review of Factor here.

Sample Meal Plans: Chef’s Choice, Keto, Calorie Smart, Flexitarian, Protein Plus, Vegan & Veggie

---

Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service Kit: Home Chef

Home Chef is one of the best healthy meal kits for dinner, per our research, (1) because its menu looks absolutely delicious week after week and (2) the vast catalog of foods you can choose from is beyond compare.

From classic meal kits to convenient Oven-Ready and Fast & Fresh options, Home Chef’s meals are bound to fit your needs. Uniquely, you can use the brand’s Customize It tool to make your meals feel truly yours — based on your taste buds and dietary needs! For an easy twist to dinner, Home Chef provides fresh ingredients in pre-portioned amounts, allowing you to toss in and sprinkle over the pan and cutting board in a jiffy.

For singles or households of two, the Home Chef’s meals should work. Feeding a family of four? The Family Plan menu is a cost-effective option and is still full of nutritious choices for the entire home.

Sample Meal Plans:Carb Conscious, Vegetarian, Under 30 Minutes, Calorie Conscious

---

Best for Weight Management: BistroMD

If you’re looking to maintain your waistline or drop a few pounds, BistroMD is a suitable healthy meal kit that, impressively, is doctor-designed (hence, its MD name). Even more impressively, the food that’s delivered has been pre-designed to work alone or alongside GLP-1 medications commonly prescribed for those with diabetes.

First, you’ll select a plan that works for your dietary preferences and schedule. Each week, you’ll choose from more than 150 delicious chef-prepared meals ready to eat in five minutes or less.

Additionally, if you’re looking for healthy-eating, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, or menopause-friendly weight loss plans, BistroMD is more than equipped to help. You can even add EATS (Essential and Tasty Snacks) to accelerate your weight loss.

Sample Meal Plans: Signature Program, Heart Healthy, Gluten-Free, Keto Flex, Diabetic Program, Menopause Program, Vegan

---

Best Prepared Healthy Meal Delivery Service: CookUnity

Stand as a united front when deciding to have nutritious meals in your home. CookUnity is a great help, as the meal kit delivery service provides pre-made and pre-portioned meals, delivered fresh to your door to be reheated or frozen for later.

The menu varies by location, as CookUnity only serves up the freshest local recipes crafted by chefs across the nation. This also makes them one of the most sustainable meal delivery services, as well as healthy.

Sample Meal Plans: Low Sodium, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Keto Diet, Paleo, Less than 600 Calories, Low Carb

---

Best Dietitian Approved:Tempo by Home Chef

Tempo by Home Chef is a new meal-delivery service that offers healthy options for busy people who don’t have the time (or the desire) to cook but still want a healthy, satiating meal. The meals are designed to be prepared in just four minutes, and each serving contains less than 600 calories and at least 15 grams of protein.

Tempo also offers vegetarian options. Some standout meals include Tuscan-style turkey, Chipotle Beef Grain Bowl, Beef Meatballs au vin, and Southwest-style chicken.

If that isn’t enough, Tempo offers a lengthy list of extras to add on to any delivery. You can add something as simple as classic cinnamon oatmeal with ancient grains and seeds to keto cinnamon roll muffins with zucchini and carrots — even green chile and cheese tamales — with a different selection every week.

Read our review of Tempo here.

Sample Meal Plans:Fiber Rich, Calorie Conscious, Keto-Friendly, Protein Packed

---

Best Affordable Healthy Meal Delivery: Dinnerly

If you’re looking for budget-friendly meals, look no further than Dinnerly. The buzzed-about meal delivery kit is less than $5 per serving (side note: a pound or two of organic apples at the supermarket cost more than this!) and you’ll be pleased with its rotating menu.

How it works? First, you pick your delivery days and recipes of choice. Then, the brand delivers the ingredients in an insulated box, leaving you cooking and feeling like a “dinnertime wizard,” per the brand.

Each week, you can choose from more than 100 recipes, including family-friendly, vegetarian, vegan, fast, healthy and reduced-carb options. Interestingly, your pre-determined taste profile suggests recipes, but you can always swap them in your account up to seven days before your next delivery.

Sample Meal Plans: No Gluten Added, Kid Friendly, Low Calorie, Under 30 Minutes, One Pot Meals, Low Carb, Vegetarian, Dairy Free

---

Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service for Families: Gobble

Whether you’re trying to save yourself a trip to the grocery store or want to avoid the fast food drive-thru, Gobble is a stellar choice. The meal kit delivery service is super easy to use, taking the guesswork out of what’s for dinner…or lunch…or morning leftovers for breakfast.

Simply select your meals using the site or app, and then let their team takeover. Their chefs will dice, chop and all the other culinary things none of us have time for. All the ingredients and directions come to your door and can be prepared in 15 — yes, 15 — minutes! If you don’t eat meat, try the vegetarian plan. Carnivore or pescatarian, there’s more than a few meals you’ll enjoy from the Classic Plan or Lean & Clean Plan (the latter is also a good opt if you’re watching the calories).

Sample Meal Plans: Vegetarian, Classic Plan, Lean & Clean Plan

---

Best Sustainably Source: Daily Harvest

If you have freezer space and an appetite for fresh fruits, veggies and grains, this is for you. Daily Harvest is a great way to make sure you are getting in all the nutrients you need, despite not having time to grocery shop, cook and clean before your produce goes bad.

Each recipe at Daily Harvest is chef-crafted to be both nutritious and delicious. The majority of their ingredients are organic and all recipes are 100% plant-based. When browsing the menu to build your box you can also select dietary filters, such as Whole30, FODMAP foods, keto, paleo, low sodium, low sugar and more.

Read our review of Daily Harvest here.

Sample Meal Plans: Heart Healthy, Whole30

---

Best Ready to Eat: Blue Apron

One of Blue Apron’s latest offerings is Prepared & Ready (in fact, we wrote all about it at the top of 2024). The “Prepared & Ready” line features more than 16 nutritionist-approved meals to choose from, so you don’t have to worry if you’re getting enough veggies or enough protein in your day-to-day diet.

Namely, the chef-crafted menu features a variety of cuisines, seasonal produce, signature sauces and vegetarian options. Interestingly enough, you’ll also find select cuts of meat prepared sous vide, a French technique that locks in flavor and freshness for that tender, juicy end result we all know, love and crave.

Sample Meals Plans: Veggies, Fast & Easy, Family Friendly, Wellness, Chef Favorites

---

Best Organic: Green Chef

For those who still like to cook but don’t love coming up with nutritious recipes, Green Chef is your answer. The traditional meal kit service sends all the pre-portioned ingredients to your door based on the meal you choose from their rotating weekly menu.

They provide options for an assortment of different diets, including keto, Mediterranean, and vegetarian, and the brand’s distribution centers run on 100% renewable energy.

Read our review of Green Chef here.

Sample Meal Plans: Mediterranean, Gut & Brain Health, Calorie Smart, Plant Based, Keto, Gluten Free, Protein Packed, Quick & Easy

---

Best Vegan: Splendid Spoon

If you can spoon it or slurp it, we want it. Splendid Spoon specializes in plant-based and nutritious foods, all of which you can enjoy on the go. We love them for their ease of use, as their smoothies, juices, noodles, soups and bowls all come in easy-to-transport and re-heat containers — this makes healthy eating even easier!

All of Splendid Spoon’s offerings are plant-based, gluten-free and non-GMO, so no need to sign up for a specific plan for dietary needs. However, you can sort the menu by nutrition information, such as higher fiber, higher protein, lower sodium, lower sugar and lower fat to name a few.

Read our review of Splendid Spoon here.

Sample Meals: Dishes, Smoothies, Noodles

---

Meal Kits, Compared

Name	Price (Subject to change)	Shipping	Plans and Offerings
CookUnity	$5.99 per meal	$9.99 per delivery	Paleo, Vegetarian, Keto, Vegan, Mediterranean, Pescatarian, “I Eat Everything”
Factor	Starts at $12.49 per meal	$10.99 per delivery	Chef’s Choice, Keto, Calorie Smart, Protein Plus, Flexitarian, Vegan & Veggie
Blue Apron	Starts at $7.99 per serving	$5.99 on orders less than $50; Free shipping on orders $50 or more	Meal Kits; Prepared & Ready
Daily Harvest	Starts at $5.99 per meal	$9.99 per delivery	Smoothies, Harvest Bowls, Pasta, Grains, Soups, Forager Bowls, Pops, Flatbreads, Lattes, Mylk, Bites
Green Chef	Starts at $12.99 per meal	$10.99 per delivery	Mediterranean, Calorie Smart, Plant-Based, Keto, Gut & Brain Health, Quick & Easy, Protein-Packed, Gluten Free
Dinnerly	Starts at $7.49 per meal	$11.99 per delivery	Meat, Veggie, Fish
Splendid Spoon	Starts at $9.99 per meal	$13.00 per delivery	Higher Fiber, Higher Protein, Lower Calorie, Lower Carb, Lower Fat, Lower Sodium, Lower Sugar
BistroMD	Starts at $6.59 per meal	$19.95 per delivery	Women’s Program, Men’s Program, Heart Healthy Program, Gluten-Free Program, Keto Flex Program, Diabetic-Friendly Program, Menopause Program, Vegan Program
Home Chef	Starts at $7.99 per meal	$9.99 per delivery	Meal Kits, Express Meal Kits, Oven-Ready, Family Menu, Culinary Collection, Fast & Fresh
Gobble	Starts at $11.99 per serving	$8.99 per delivery	Classic, Lean & Clean

---

An FAQ on Healthy Meal Kits

Ahead, we turned to three dietitians and holistic nutrition experts to dial down what you need to know before ordering from one of the healthy meal kits above.

What are the benefits of ordering a healthy meal kit?

Of course, convenience and a repertoire of options are the two main attributes we can attest to, but the experts share even more tidbits of wisdom.

Between juggling demanding work schedules, managing a household, and for some, raising children, there is often very little time or energy left at the end of the day to make a meal from scratch, according to Kara Lydon, RD, registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor and owner of Kara Lydon Nutrition.

“People are looking for shortcuts in the kitchen to save time while still having access to nourishing meals,” Lydon told The Post. “Meal kits help take the guesswork out of dinner and save you time in the kitchen by minimizing meal prep, too.”

However, meal kits may be costly (but, “you’re paying for convenience,” Lydon offers), and you still need to factor in cook time (and some prep time) for most of them.

What different meal kits can I find online?

Many meal kits meet most specifications. “These can include vegan, paleo, keto, anti-inflammatory, carnivore, low-carb or weight loss-focused,” Danielle Pashko, holistic nutritionist and wellness author, listed.

If you look carefully enough, there are meal kits for every dietary need, such as gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian or diabetes friendly as well. “Some meal kit companies cater to those who want to make restaurant quality, chef-designed meals at home while others are meant for busy families who just want a filling delicious meal on the table fast,” Nielsen notes.

How can I *actually* tell if a meal kit is “healthy?”

Like any meal, the structure Nielsen recommends (and, comes back to again and again) is called the plate method: ideally, half your plate (or half the volume of ingredients in a stew or casserole) would be about 50% fruits and veggies, 25% high protein choices like tofu or chicken and 25% whole grains or starchy vegetables such as potatoes or farro.

“Often, meal kits will be anchored by grains or protein; you can boost vegetables by simply adding your own,” she adds. “Or, try to choose at least one meal kit per week that is more vegetable-focused, like a vegetarian chili or stir-fry.”

If you’re watching sodium intake, this can often be quite high and is one place where it’s helpful to look at the nutrition facts for the recipe. If it seems high — more than 50% of your DV for sodium — cut the salt required, or salty ingredients like soy sauce, in half. “And, we’re always looking for more fiber, which reflects the amount of plant foods like vegetables and whole grains a meal contains,” she says. “Ideally, a meal will have at least eight grams of dietary fiber per serving.”

What to look for in a healthy meal kit, per nutrition experts

Below, our team of health and wellness experts dish out the specific criteria to keep in mind before ordering your next dish:

• Look for meals that include a source of carbohydrate / fiber, protein and fat: This trifecta of essential macronutrients will give you the most energy, a balanced blood sugar response and keep you satiated the longest.
• Look for a meal kit that sounds satisfying to you: Think about satiety (physical fullness) and satisfaction (emotional fullness) when choosing meals. If you pick a meal that makes you feel physically full but are left feeling unsatisfied, you’re likely going to keep looking for more food until you feel some level of satisfaction.
• Look at sodium levels: Ideally, sodium should be less than 800mg per meal.
• Look at saturated fat levels: You want this number to be as small as possible, definitely no more than nine grams per serving.
• Look for vegetables: The more vegetables packed into a given meal, the better.

Remember that if you are only eating a half portion, you need to divide the amounts on the nutrition facts panel by half, too, Lydon pinpoints.

What meal kits are best for high cholesterol?

“I would recommend a meal kit that is similar to a Mediterranean Diet,” Pashko suggests. “This would usually include heart-healthy Omega 3 fats like wild, oily fish such as wild salmon, sardines, tuna and other varieties (as long as your mercury levels are not too high) olive oil, beans, lentils, whole grains and plenty of colorful vegetables and low glycemic fruits.”

What meal kits are best for high sugar levels? How about low sugar levels?

Those with high blood sugar will do better on a meal plan that is lower in carbohydrates and sugar, which could be a paleo or keto diet. “They also may have issues with detox diets like juicing because it’s too high in sugar,” Pashko explains.

People with low blood sugar tend to need to eat more regularly. “This is not a group that should be intermittent fasting,” she warns. “Healthy protein, complex carbohydrates, low glycemic fruit, and soluble fiber will help to regulate blood sugar in this population.”

For anyone concerned about how food is impacting their sugar, they may want to consider using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and track their meals so they can have a better understanding of how food is affecting them.

What meal kits are best for high calcium levels? How about low calcium levels?

“Many people only associate dairy with high calcium, although it’s found abundantly in many green leafy vegetables,” Pashko explains. “Eating a variety of lean meats, fish (without bones) and poultry can be beneficial. Beans and tempeh are good protein sources for vegetarians. The safer vegetables to eat are cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers and mushrooms.”

You also have a variety of low-calcium fruits like apples, pears, bananas, plums and blueberries. “Many packaged grains are already fortified with calcium,” she adds. “Potatoes and Japanese Yams can be safer starches to eat.”

People with low calcium can benefit from eating some healthy dairy such as Greek yogurt, Kefir, dark leafy vegetables, fish that has bones, tofu and almonds, per Pashko.

What meal kits are best for high iron levels? How about low iron levels?

“A vegetarian or pescatarian diet that allows some dairy, fish and eggs will provide enough protein but won’t be too high in iron,” Pashko says. “Grains that are high in phytates such as whole grains can inhibit iron absorption. Peppers, cauliflower and zucchini are also lower in iron.”

For low iron levels, red meat is one of the foods highest in iron — but isn’t the only thing that can help iron deficiency, if one has. “Beets are a rich source of iron for vegetarians in addition to other vegetables like dark leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale,” she adds. “Tofu, lentils, beans and chickpeas can also help prevent anemia.”

What meal kits are best for vegans or vegetarians?

According to Pashko, vegans can become deficient in protein, iron, Vitamin B12, and zinc if their diet is not balanced. Additionally, this kind of diet can become too high in carbohydrates if not monitored.

“It’s definitely possible to be healthy on a vegan diet as long as you have a variety of foods such as raw and cooked vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, tofu and tempeh,” she offers. “If someone has a thyroid issue they may want to avoid a kit that is too high in soy or cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts).”

---

Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.