Best Meal Delivery Services of 2024
I put all the meal delivery services to the test, finding the best ones for you depending on what you like and what you need.
Our Experts
What to consider
Meal kit versus prepared meal delivery
Cost
Healthiness
Number of meals per week
Our Picks
What's the best meal delivery service?
Blue Apron serves up steak and seafood for as little as $8 per serving, depending on the plan you choose.
With grocery prices high, meal kits are a better deal than ever (I even did the math.) Which meal kit has the best food for the best price? After more than 60 hours of cooking kits, heating prepared meals and taking lots of notes, Blue Apron tops this list as the best meal kit service overall. Blue Apron recipes mostly take less than 30 minutes, and the standard menu includes everything from healthy, low-calorie meals to hearty bistro steaks and roasted salmon or trout at no extra charge.
You can't help but love meal kits for the convenience they offer. That they've become affordable in 2024 only sweetens the deal. I've tested every meal delivery service I could get oven mitts on, many of them two or three times, to find the best meal kits and meal delivery services in a sea of options. In this list, I included picks for the best meal kits (cooking required) and prepared meal services along with the best meal delivery options for vegans, families, gluten-free eaters and those on a budget.
Below you'll find the best meal delivery services of 2024, all tested and reviewed by CNET.
Best meal delivery services of 2024
- Steak and seafood options are included in a standard meal plan
- Affordable if you choose more than two recipes per week
- Fewer recipe options than other services
- Doesn't allow for much customization
Blue Apron's steaks and seafood are the best I've had from a standard meal kit plan.
Why I picked Blue Apron: With tasty, premium entrees such as steak and seafood at some of the best prices in the meal kit category, Blue Apron represents the best overall value for any meal delivery service I tried. I also loved the oven-ready family-style meals which take about 5 minutes to prepare and make four or five servings.
Blue Apron is the granddad of meal kit programs in the US and the brand still manages to deliver excellent meals with easy-to-follow recipes all at a fair price. It's also the most eco-friendly meal kit, according to this study.
Weekly menu choices available range from simple pasta dishes to inventive global cuisine, with high-end recipes including those for steak and seafood at no extra cost. The value of this service is clear. I compared the cost of Blue Apron meal kits to the cost of buying the same groceries at a market and two out of three were cheaper when made with Blue Apron.
Read my full review of Blue Apron.
Blue Apron's steaks and seafood are the best I've had from a standard meal kit plan.
- Most of the food we tried was good or great
- Healthy options to service many eating plans
- On the pricey side of average
- No family-sized meals making it expensive to feed a crew
Best prepared meal delivery service
Fresh N Lean
Why I picked Fresh N Lean: With extremely high-quality meals, tons of healthy options and fair pricing, this service was an easy pick for the best prepared meal delivery service. In several rounds of testing, I've tried well over 20 Fresh N Lean meals and nearly all of them were good or better.
Fresh N Lean ran away from the competition, ticking more boxes than any other with healthy food that is thoughtfully prepared, tastes great, looks appetizing and is fairly affordable depending on the plan you select. Fresh N Lean has five meal plans to help keep folks on track with their specific nutrition goals including low-carb, vegan, paleo and protein-plus options. The food was all cooked exceptionally well using simple, whole ingredients.
Read my full review of Fresh N Lean.
- More than 50 weekly recipes
- Good for keeping to specific diets or eating plans
- Some recipes are a little boring and uninspired
- Extra $10 for shipping
The spicy beef soup (aka chili) was super fast, simple and satisfying.
Best meal kit service for families
HelloFresh
Why I picked HelloFresh: HelloFresh combines, convenience, selection and family-friendly options for an all-around excellent meal kit experience.
HelloFresh has the most recipes per week of any meal kit service I tried making it a good pick for families and homes with picky eaters. This meal kit service's portion sizes are generous and there are meals to fit eating plans and diets of all sorts. It's also affordable, especially if you order larger meals. You know, for a family. HelloFresh recipes are mostly fast and easy to follow, even for beginner cooks. Plus, they'll allow you to make substitutions so you can always find a recipe that suits your taste.
Read my full review of HelloFresh.
The spicy beef soup (aka chili) was super fast, simple and satisfying.
- The most affordable meal kit service
- Most recipes were either good or better
- Not a ton of plastic waste
- Some produce was past its prime
- Recipes are somewhat basic
- Very little customization allowed
Many of EveryPlate recipes are simple and fuss-free. I like that.
Best cheap meal kit service
EveryPlate
Why I picked EveryPlate: At just $5 per serving -- even cheaper with a sign-up offer -- and an emphasis on delicious, hearty meal options and generous portion sizes, EveryPlate is the best cheap meal kit service I've tried.
EveryPlate keeps overhead costs low (often cheaper than if you bought the groceries yourself) by offering just eight easy meal kit recipes to choose from weekly, which mostly excludes vegetarians and those on special diets, but the eight available meals are full of variety and flavor otherwise. You can expect a lot of comfort food from this meal kit service such as meatloaf, burgers and pasta dishes but everything I made was solid. Best of all, you can score meals for as low as $1.49, with free shipping on your first order.
Read my full review of EveryPlate.
Many of EveryPlate recipes are simple and fuss-free. I like that.
- Tons of healthy menu options per week
- Healthy food to service most diets and nutrition plans
- Expensive if you only choose a few meals per week
- Quality was somewhat inconsistent
Best meal delivery for singles
CookUnity
Why I picked CookUnity: This is a prepared meal service aimed at those with refined tastes and an adventurous palate. The best thing about CookUnity is the sheer volume of meal options you can choose from, all originating from chefs -- some famous and some less so -- of different backgrounds and culinary styles.
I liked almost everything I tried, with recipes ranging from very healthy to more comfort-style food. There are plenty of options for vegetarians too, but note that the menu will vary depending on where you live since they pull from local chefs to create the weekly offerings. Use promo code CNET30 for a 30% discount on your first purchase.
Read my full review of CookUnity.
