*The information on this site is based on research, but should not be treated as medical advice. Before beginning any new diet plan, we recommend consulting with a physician or other professional healthcare provider. Results may vary based on various health factors, individual weight loss plans and adherence to the meal plan.
How Do Meal Kits Work?
There’s nothing quite like a delicious, healthy home-cooked meal, but sometimes the hassle of meal prep can leave you heading for the drive-thru for another fast food dinner. Luckily for you, help is on the way from the best meal kit delivery services.
With meal kit delivery services, you receive pre-packaged meals that are broken down into their individual ingredients and come with easy to follow recipes. Even if you’re a stranger to the kitchen, you can throw together fantastic meals that’ll have you forgetting about those pizza delivery magnets on the fridge. It’s meal prep made easy.
Vegetarian Meal Kits
Whether you’ve been a vegetarian for years or you’re new to the veggie lifestyle, it can be tough coming up with interesting all-veggie meals. Vegetarian meal kits can help you with this, by providing you with a whole list of new menu items that you can try out every week.
With most companies—like Hello Fresh and Home Chef—you get at least 3 or 4 vegetarian options per week. These companies are always coming up with new ideas, so you can rest assured things will stay interesting.
With many companies, there is a big emphasis on using sustainable, locally-sourced ingredients, and with Sun Basket, 100% of the ingredients are certified organic. The emphasis on organic and high-quality produce means you’re getting only the best ingredients and that that you’re supporting sustainable farming methods.
Before you take that leap and sign up for a meal plan of your own, take a look around to see which ones provide the most options at the right price. Get ready to get acquainted with your kitchen, and find somebody to invite over for dinner.
Our Top 3 Picks
- 1
A fully prepared, chef-cooked meal service- What's in the box - 4-16 meals
- Special diets - Vegetarian, vegan, low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, low sodium, keto, paleo
A fully prepared, chef-cooked meal serviceDescriptionRead CookUnity ReviewCookUnity’s most outstanding feature is its wide selection of menu items, all made by professional chefs who prepare meals from all over the world every week. Meals are pre-cooked and delivered from Tuesday-Friday. A wide range of dietary restrictions and preferences are catered for, making the service suitable for almost anyone, though it is on the pricey side, with the price per meal ranging from $10.39-$12.69.
CookUnity offers free shipping and a flexible service that can be canceled or skipped at any point at no extra cost. Plus, CookUnity makes an effort to minimize its environmental impact: the company uses biodegradable containers, and nearly all the packaging is recyclable or reusable. If you’re in the market for a new meal delivery service, CookUnity is certainly worth a try.
Pros & ConsCookUnity Pros & Cons
PROS
Meals pre-cooked by professional chefsUp to 100 meal options per weekPackaging is compostableCONS
Not available in all statesNot the best for those with food allergies - 2
Ready to heat and eat on arrival- What's in the box - 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 or 18 meals
- Special diets - Keto, vegetarian, vegan, low-calorie
Ready to heat and eat on arrivalDescriptionRead Factor ReviewFactor - Best for dietician-approved, restaurant-quality recipes
Factor is a chef-crafted, dietician-approved meal service that provides an approachable way to try healthy diets with heat-and-serve meals. Mary Sabat, a nutritionist and president of Body Designs, remarks on how they're "worth the extra money" and offer "many options for someone trying to stick to a specific diet."
Factor makes information transparent about their ingredients and nutrition, so you can filter out recipes that may not suit your wellness goals. Their meals range between 300-900 calories, giving you an easy way to lose weight depending on the low-calorie meals you choose to eat.
Why we chose Factor: In addition to Factor's microwave- or oven-ready dishes, they also offer nourishing add-ons like juices, smoothies, shakes, cookies, desserts, and breakfasts.
Our experience: Though the recipes were often high in fat, the ingredients were clean and of premium quality. We liked that we were able to hone in on the right meal plan for us through a complimentary consultation with one of their registered dietitians.
Pros & ConsFactor Pros & Cons
PROS
No-prep, heat-and-serve mealsPlenty of diet-friendly optionsIncludes initial 20-minute consultation with a dietitianCONS
Not suitable for families since meals are single-serving onlyMostly keto dishes that are high in fat - 3
A simple and healthy way of eating- What's in the box - 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 meals with 2 or 4 servings each
- Special diets - Vegetarian, flexitarian, pescatarian, low carb, low calorie
A simple and healthy way of eatingDescriptionRead HelloFresh ReviewHelloFresh - Best meal delivery service overall
HelloFresh makes it convenient to enjoy wholesome, fresh meals with minimal prep. Ron Stewart, a former corporate executive chef at Pastini, tested HelloFresh and was "surprised at the quality of ingredients and ease of putting together exceptional meals," calling their recipes "delicious as well as nutritious and balanced."
Each week, HelloFresh lets you choose from over 100 breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes. Every kit includes straightforward, step-by-step recipe cards with fresh, pre-measured ingredients to help you get dinner on the table in under an hour.
This service is best for individuals and households without strict dietary requirements, though they offer low-carb and lower-calorie meals too. It's possible to separately review ingredient information for each meal before ordering, including nutritional value and allergens, and any additional items you may need.
Why we chose HelloFresh: You can easily adjust or cancel your food delivery and subscription at any time. Meals are not overly complicated and reduce the need to buy ingredients in addition to what's delivered for each recipe.
Our experience: We liked that HelloFresh lets you know ahead of time what cookware you'll need so you can get cooking as soon as your delivery arrives. It was extra convenient that their extensive menu also let us swap out proteins.
Pros & ConsHelloFresh Pros & Cons
PROS
Adjust, skip, or cancel your delivery and subscription at any timeChange, swap, or upgrade 12+ sides and proteins each weekCompetitive pricingCONS
No keto or paleo meal delivery plansLimited flexibility for individuals with allergies
