The 10 Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services

Delicious pre-cooked prepared meals delivered to your doorstep

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Last updated: October 2024
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Editor's Choice - October 2024
  • 10 Free Meals + Free Breakfast For Life + First Box Ships Free + Hurry! Limited Time Only!
  • “#1 Meal Kit” 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by USA Today
  • 50+ weekly menu with Vegetarian & Pescatarian-friendly options
  • 30-minute fit & wholesome meal plans & fully customizable recipes
9.9
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Over 7800 people chose Hello Fresh today!
Most Affordable
  • Get 37% off + free shipping on your first order
  • The most affordable meal kit in the US
  • 45+, no fuss, easy recipes every week
  • Enjoy tasty, home-cooked meals in 5 simple steps
  • Get 40% off + free shipping on your first order
  • Dubbed as Martha Stewart’s meal kit
  • Make chef-worthy recipes in 30 minutes
  • Healthy recipes with extra Low-carb
  • Get 60% off your first box
  • Keto + Protein Packs, Vegan, & Gluten-Free options
  • 25-minute quick fast & fit meal recipes
  • Certified organic, hand-picked ingredients
  • Get 18 free meals + free shipping on your first box + free dessert for life
  • 30+ weekly menu options including oven-ready options
  • Dietitian-approved, calorie-conscious meals
  • Ranked #1 in customer satisfaction
Best Premade Option
  • Enjoy $130 off + free wellness shots for life
  • Fully-prepared, ready-to-eat meals
  • Tasty dishes with 500 calories or less
  • Free consultation with a qualified nutritionist
  • Enjoy $1.49 per meal on your first box
  • 17 affordable recipes each week
  • Classic, Veggie, Family, Easy options
  • Tasty 30-minute home cooked meals
  • Get 45% off each of your first 5 boxes
  • Microwave & oven-ready meals in 15 minutes
  • 25+ customizable weekly recipes
  • Easy-adjust plans for dietary preferences
  • Get 50% off + 20% off your next month
  • Balanced no-prep meals ready in 4 minutes
  • 100% meal satisfaction guaranteed
  • Customize flavorful protein-packed menu
  • Enjoy $4.30 per meal on your first box
  • Over 500 meals to choose from
  • 2-minute heat and eat meals
  • Paleo, Keto, and Plant-based options
  • Not available in all states
  • Can be expensive

Our Top Choice

Editor's Choice - October 2024
  • 10 Free Meals + Free Breakfast For Life + First Box Ships Free + Hurry! Limited Time Only!
  • “#1 Meal Kit” 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by USA Today
  • 50+ weekly menu with Vegetarian & Pescatarian-friendly options
  • 30-minute fit & wholesome meal plans & fully customizable recipes
9.9
VIEW PLAN
Over 7800 people chose Hello Fresh today!

The 10 Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services

Prepared meal delivery services send you dinners with fresh ingredients requiring very little effort on your part – just heat and enjoy!

Prepared-Meal-Delivery

Ready Meals vs. Meal Kits

Prepared or “ready” meals differ from meal kits because the ingredients are already combined when they arrive – the prep work is done for you! The meals usually come in oven or microwave-safe containers that only require you to place the food inside and allow it to heat. Microwaveable meals are done in just a few minutes. You also save time on clean-up because fewer items are used in the kitchen. Another distinction is that ready meals often come in single-serving sizes (as opposed to serving 2 or 4), so they work well for lunches at work or give more choices to different household members. Some meal delivery companies specialize in having only pre-packaged, ready-to-heat-and-eat meals, while others have both meal kits and prepared meals, giving you the option each week to have some extra time-saving dinners available. 

Prepared Meal FAQs

What types of prepared meals are available?

The meal delivery industry has a wide variety of prepared meals, including oven-ready, microwave-ready, grill-ready, dinner salads, keto, and vegetarian. The company websites display their weekly menus, and you can check out the current offerings to see what types of meals are available in their plans.

Are prepared meals as healthy as meal kits? 

The companies use the same fresh ingredients in their prepared meals as they do in their meal kits. If you want to see what you are consuming, the ingredients lists are available when you click on the recipes. Like prepared meals, you can select meal kits based on labels that indicate nutritional information you want, such as “Low Calorie,” “Mediterranean,” or “ Heart Healthy.”

Do prepared meals cost more than meal kits? 

The price per serving is generally the same for prepared meals and meal kits. You don’t get the full home chef experience, but you benefit from the time-saving, so you could argue that the value remains the same.

Meal Delivery Service FAQs

Do meal delivery services really save me time and money?
While it depends on how much of each you spent previously, not worrying about what to have for dinner or getting the ingredients translates to time saved for most. Pre-portioned ingredients cut down on tedious cooking tasks and also reduce the cost of food wasted from purchasing or preparing too much. One meal kit company even did a 10-week study and showed a 75% lower cost for its customers compared to shopping at nationwide grocers.
Are meal delivery services eco-friendly?
Reduction in food waste and car trips to grocery stores are key eco-friendly features of all meal kit delivery services. The companies are aware of the need to be environmentally friendly in their practices as well, so many are making an effort to provide recyclable packaging and support sustainable farming practices, and some are even managing to be carbon-neutral.
How do I choose the best meal delivery service for me?
First, check out the weekly menu on the company website and see if it appeals to you. Many services also have additional features, like extra pantry items or referral programs, which might be a critical factor for you. New customer deals can also help motivate you to pick one plan or another. With all the options available, you can also just select based on your household needs, whether that means budget, dietary restrictions or simply the number of mouths to feed, there is a plan for you.

10 Free Meals + Free Breakfast For Life + First Box Ships Free + Hurry! Limited Time Only!

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