Karla Tafra
If you don’t like grocery shopping or aren’t a wiz in the kitchen, you can still enjoy delicious meals at home with a meal delivery subscription.
There are dozens of incredible meal delivery subscription boxes at your disposal. They either come with the necessary ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions or fully cooked. These are our favorites.
Best Value: Hello Fresh
Pitched as “America’s Most Popular Meal Kit,” when you look at what Hello Fresh offers, it’s not hard to believe it. The company has delivered meal kits to millions of Americans over the last year, thanks largely to how reasonable the pricing is. You can get a box delivered to your door for as little as $7.49.
Whether you’re cooking for yourself or a household of five, Hello Fresh has you covered. Each box comes with all the ingredients you need to prepare your meals. Some boxes contain extra ingredients you can use later. The easy-to-follow instructions can turn anyone into a Masterchef.
Involve the whole family, and turn it into a fun, bonding activity.
Veggie Heaven: Purple Carrot
Plant-lovers can’t give Purple Carrot enough praise. Some have said it even feels like they’re eating at a restaurant. One of the rare meal delivery subscription boxes that offer packaged snacks, Purple Carrot definitely makes sure you have everything you need.
There are four plans: High-Protein, Gluten-Free, Quick and Easy, and Chef’s Choice. You can also customize your meals and choose from the ever-changing menu.
You’ll receive everything you need to prepare your meals in the box. The clear and concise instructions make cooking seem like the easiest task in the world. Plus, you’ll have the amazing snacks to hold you over until your meal is ready.
Smoothie Lovers: Daily Harvest
If you’re after creative smoothies and chia seed puddings, look no further than Daily Harvest. It’s a one-stop-shop for all fruit and vegetable concoctions. This company became famous for its smoothies and smoothie bowls. However, it’s expanded to include everything from savory harvest bowls and flatbreads, to soups, overnight oats, and even superfood lattes.
Daily Harvest proudly states that it gets its ingredients directly from farms. The company then harvests the crops at their peak ripeness and immediately freezes them to ensure maximum quality.
As all bowls come frozen, make sure you put them in the freezer as soon as possible so they don’t thaw. You can prepare them in minutes, either by throwing them in a blender or heating them up. It only takes 15 to 20 minutes to get the crispiest flatbread.
And the best part is first-time customers get three bowls free! Now, that’s a deal!
Most Variety: Sun Basket
Coming straight to your doorstep from sunny California, Sun Basket offers a variety of meal plans sure to accommodate everyone’s dietary restrictions. From paleo and gluten-free, to vegetarian, pescatarian, or even the “carb-conscious” plan, there are tons of options to choose from here!
Sun Basket uses only clean, organic ingredients. The meat and organic eggs are 100 percent antibiotic- and hormone-free. The seafood options are wild-caught and recommended as Best Choice or Good Alternative by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. Even Sun Basket’s box and packaging are recyclable.
Especially famous for its signature, in-house sauces, Sun Basket spices up every dish to make it feel like you’re dining out. Award-winning chef, Justine Kelly, is also the main recipe developer, which only adds to the value!
Restaurant-Worthy: Blue Apron
Chef-designed, super-quick one-pan meals are what Blue Apron is known and loved for. As many of its customers will tell you, its meals are also perfectly portioned to avoid waste.
The ingredients are top-notch, and the instructions are ridiculously easy to follow. Your meals will be done in minutes.
Blue Apron also offers kitchen tools, pantry items, and even wine (yes, there’s a vast variety to choose from). This makes it so easy to keep your kitchen well-equipped and stocked with whatever you might need.
Eat Like a Celebrity: Sakara Life
Founded by lifestyle and fashion gurus, Danielle Duboise and Whitney Tingle, Sakara Life is focused on better living through food. Based on a whole-food, plant-rich diet, Sakara meals are nutrient-dense. They’re also full of superfoods and gut-healing ingredients, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and seriously delicious.
Although the prices might be a bit high for mere mortals (the company’s advocates include Miranda Kerr and Jessica Alba), it varies depending on many things. Your zip code (they have kitchens in New York City and Los Angeles), whether you want meals three or five days per week, and how many meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, or all) you want per day all affect the cost. No matter which options you choose, though, be prepared for some sticker shock.
The company also offers detox and bridal programs for those who need some help in the digestive department or are just preparing to walk down the aisle
The meals come freshly cooked—all you have to do is heat them up (if the instructions call for it). Each package also includes some of the products Sakara Life is famous for, like Probiotic Chocolates and Beauty Water Drops.
It’s time to skip the grocery store and the hassle of brainstorming meal ideas. These amazing companies deliver meals straight to your doorstep. Bon appétit!
