We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Kitchen Products Meal Kits The 10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes of 2024 For healthy, delicious eats in a pinch. By Lesley Chen Lesley Chen Lesley Chen is a San Francisco-based freelance writer who covers shopping, home, tech, health, and general lifestyle topics for various websites.Highlights *Her work has appeared on SFGate, Well + Good, BuzzFeed, Byrdie, and PureWow. *She has a BA in economics and psychology from UC Berkeley and an MBA from UCLA Anderson. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 26, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Final Verdict How to Choose FAQs Take Our Word for It Photo: Real Simple / Alli Waataja Whether you're tight on time or trying to implement new eating habits, a meal subscription box can help make cooking easier. By streamlining the cooking process, meal kits and meal delivery services make it easy to enjoy a home-cooked meal. To find the best meal subscription boxes, we researched dozens of options and factored in type, variety, and value to choose the best. We also got tips from Catherine Gervacio, a registered dietitian and nutrition writer. Our final selection has something for everyone, from kid-friendly dinners to plant-based lunches. Best Overall: Blue Apron Blue Apron Sign Up Now What Stands Out It offers various prepared meals and meal kits suitable for all cooking levels. What Could Be Improved There are limited dietary options available. Blue Apron allows you to order meal kits, prepared meals, or a combination, making it a tailored option to suit any lifestyle. The menu rotates through about 80 options each week. You can view a few weeks of menus ahead of time, and the recipes utilize seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients. It doesn't offer specific dietary plans (other than vegetarian), but depending on whether you select meal kits or prepared foods, you can create a plan to suit your eating habits. Meal kits come in two or four servings, and plans range from 2-5 meals per week. Each meal kit has pre-measured ingredients and a recipe card with instructions and nutrition information. You only need salt, pepper, and olive oil to complete your meal, and each meal can take anywhere from 25-55 minutes to prepare. Blue Apron also offers Prepared & Ready meals, which are pre-cooked and chilled (but not frozen) and only require heating in a microwave for 2-3 minutes. Each meal is a single serving, and plans range from 4-10 meals. You can choose between keto-friendly, 600 calories or less, 30 grams of protein or more, or carb-conscious meals. You also have the option to purchase add-ons (sides, appetizers, or desserts), or individual Meal Kits without a subscription (though at a much higher per-serving cost). Blue Apron works directly with farmers and uses animal product that don’t have antibiotics or hormones. It can deliver in the 48 contiguous states. Price Range: $8-$12 per serving | Menu Options: Chef’s favorites, wellness, family-friendly, fast and easy, vegetarian, keto-friendly, 600 calories or less, 30g of protein or more, carb conscious | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 2-55 minutes Best Budget: EveryPlate EveryPlate Sign Up Now What Stands Out There are 30 different meals every week at an affordable price point. What Could Be Improved It doesn't offer single-serving or prepared meals. If affordability is your primary goal, it’s hard to beat EveryPlate, which offers options starting at just $5/meal. The meals are affordable thanks to their simple ingredients and minimal packaging, and are still healthy and delicious. There are about 30 different meals to choose from weekly, and each kit comes with all the ingredients you need (except for basics like salt, pepper, and cooking oil). Plus, each kit includes a simple recipe card with six steps that bring your food from prep to the table. There are no meals for special diets, but options like quick (under 30 minutes), vegetarian, spicy, or premium meals are available. You can also purchase add-ons such as extra servings of proteins or vegetables, rice or pasta, sauces, spices, and desserts. The meal plans are for 2, 4, and 6 servings per box and 3-5 meals per week, but the plans are flexible, allowing you to skip weeks or cancel your subscription up to five days before your next delivery. EveryPlate delivers to most of the continental U.S., and its boxes and separators are recyclable. Price Range: From $5 per serving | Menu Options: Meat & veggie, veggie, family faves, quick & easy, calorie smart | Required Skill Level: All skill levels | Preparation Time: 15-45 minutes Best Plant-Based: Purple Carrot Purple Carrot Sign Up Now What Stands Out It offers meal kits, prepared meals, and pantry options. What Could Be Improved There are fewer meal options, and you can only see the menu for the current week. Gone are the days when eating vegetarian meant a diet of boring salads. Purple Carrot's plant-based menu includes colorful meals like Peanut Pad Thai Noodles, Shawarma Burgers, and Pizzas Primavera. All Purple Carrot meals are vegan/plant-based and made with vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, and lean proteins. Plans are available for meal kits (2-4 servings per meal and 3-4 meals per week) and prepared meals (single serving and 6, 8, or 10 meals per week). The weekly menu includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and “plantry” (plant-based pantry) options. Meals can be low-calorie, gluten-free, high-protein, soy-free, and more. There are also "Less Prep" meals that you can make in under 25 minutes. Pantry items are also all vegan/plant-based and include specialty items like pistachio milk, kombucha, cookies, and more. Purple Carrot can deliver to all 48 contiguous states. Price Range: $11-$13 per serving | Menu Options: High protein, high fiber, less prep, gluten-free, soy-free, low sodium, Chef’s choice, <600 calories | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 5-45 minutes Best Gluten-Free: Epicured Epicured Sign Up Now What Stands Out The meals are particularly good for people with digestive disorders like IBS and Crohn’s. What Could Be Improved The menus are more restrictive, and the meals are more expensive. Epicured's meals are designed by clinicians for digestive health to be low FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols). The menu is also completely gluten-free and ideal for people with IBS, IBD, Crohn's, Colitis, and SIBO. There are three different plans to choose from: The Elimination Program gets you started on a low FODMAP diet with 32 pre-set meals a week based on your dietary preference (omnivore, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian) and number of weeks (2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks). Subscribe & Save lets you customize your subscription by choosing various breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, and more, while One-Time Ordering allows you to order meals without commitment. All meals arrive chilled and prepared, making prep even easier. Sample menu options include Montauk Crab Cakes, Chickpea Curry, and Classic Mac & Cheese (with lactose-free milk). Delivery is available across the continental U.S. Price Range: $12-$16 and up per serving | Menu Options: Low FODMAP, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, dairy-free, tree nut-free, peanut-free, and more | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 2-10 minutes Best Meal Kits: Hello Fresh HelloFresh Sign Up Now What Stands Out It offers weekly, chef-created meal kit options. What Could Be Improved It doesn't offer gluten-free, nut-free, keto, or paleo meals. With Hello Fresh, you have a wide variety of meal kits available each week, and you can browse six weeks’ worth of menu items at a time. Hello Fresh offers several meal types including meat and veggies, veggies, family-friendly, fit & wholesome, under 20 minutes, or pescatarian. Unfortunately, there aren't meals catered for specific diets such as gluten-free, nut-free, keto, or paleo, but there are two vegan options each week. Across the menu, you can expect delicious meals like Homestyle Turkey and Biscuit Pot Pie, Zesty Salmon and Guacamole Grain Bowls, and One-Pot Italian Vegetable Soup. You can swap out proteins and sides, and each meal kit includes pre-measured ingredients and a simple six-step recipe. If you need dinner inspiration, Hello Fresh also offers over 2,500 free recipes on their website. You can customize your subscription plan by choosing between 2-4 servings per meal and 2-6 meals per week. Delivery is available across the continental U.S. and select zip codes in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Anchorage, Alaska. Price Range: $10 per serving | Menu Options: Meal & veggies, veggies, fit & wholesome, under 20 minutes, pescatarian | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 20-50 minutes Best Prepared Meals: CookUnity CookUnity Sign Up Now What Stands Out Its high-quality prepared meals are crafted by award-winning chefs. What Could Be Improved The meals are designed to serve one. Just because you’re eating at home doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy fine dining. CookUnity’s meals are created by award-winning chefs—James Beard Award winners, restaurateurs, and Food Network alums—in small batches and delivered fresh to your door. All you have to do is heat them and enjoy. You can choose your meals or let the company choose them for you based on the preferences you set when selecting your plan. It also offers vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, daily-free, and high-protein plans. In addition to prepared meals, CookUnity has treats, breakfasts, and cold-pressed juices. Each meal is a single serving, but you can choose 4, 6, 8, 12, or 16 meals per week. The menu is posted two weeks ahead of time and varies by region. Sample menu items include Mom’s Sunday Sauce Rigatoni, Tangy Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia, and Bulgogi Bibimbap. Delivery is available for most of the continental U.S., and you can check if they ship to your zip code on the website. Price Range: Varies by zip code, approximately $12 per meal | Menu Options: Vegetarian, vegan, low carb, keto, paleo, gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, < 600 calories | Required Skill Level: All skill levels | Preparation Time: 2-10 minutes Best Organic: Green Chef Green Chef Sign Up Now What Stands Out Meals are made with organic produce and sustainably sourced ingredients. What Could Be Improved It has a higher price point. Green Chef is the first certified organic handler in the meal kit category. That means its organic fresh produce and eggs come from certified suppliers, and it maintains a list of ingredients that meet organic guidelines. It also offers organic beef, chicken, and wild-caught seafood for pescatarians and meat-eaters alike. We also love that there are no GMOs, pesticides, or antibiotics in any ingredients. The company also focuses on sustainability, and it offsets 100% of the delivery emissions and plastic in each box, according to the brand. 46 of the weekly meal options are gluten-free, low-sodium, low-sugar, keto, vegan, and more—think delicious dishes like Baja Cauliflower Bowls, Pork Filet With Creamy Pistou, and Smoky Chicken Sandwiches. You can customize your meals by upgrading, switching out the protein, or doubling the portions. Beyond meal kits, you can add on items such as breakfast, sides, additional proteins, and canned beverages. Green Chef also offers professional nutrition advice, and you can book a session with a registered dietitian to set up your nutrition goals. Plans can accommodate 2-, 4-, or 6-serving meals and 3-4 meals per week. Each meal kit includes pre-prepped ingredients and a recipe card and takes about 30 minutes. Green Chef delivers to most of the continental U.S. Price Range: $12-$14 per serving | Menu Options: Mediterranean, gut & brain health, calorie smart, quick & easy, plant-based, protein-packed, keto, gluten-free | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 30 minutes Best for Kids: Little Spoon Little Spoon Sign Up Now What Stands Out It offers prepared meals across a wide age range. What Could Be Improved The mixing and matching options could be better. Any family with kids knows meals can be a struggle. Little Spoon offers quick and nutritious meals for kids of all ages, making family meal time much easier. The brand has pureed organic baby food for 6-9 months, biteables for babies moving to solid foods, and plates for kids of all ages. You can also opt for Lunchers, which are cold lunches with 10 grams of protein for bigger kids. We also love that there are vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options depending on your child’s dietary needs. Subscriptions vary depending on the age of your kiddos, and each delivery contains two weeks' worth of food. For example, for Babyblends, you can choose a two-week supply of 1-3 blends/day, and for Plates, you can choose 4, 6, 9, or 12 plates a week. You can mix and match across some age groups (e.g., Biteables and Plates, or Lunchers and Plates), otherwise you might need to have different plans for different ages. Little Spoon delivers throughout the continental U.S. Price Range: $3-$8 per meal | Menu Options: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, wheat-free, soy-free | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 0-90 seconds Best for Families: Home Chef Home Chef Sign Up Now What Stands Out It offers customizable meals and larger serving sizes for families. What Could Be Improved There are no gluten-free options. Sometimes, you want an easy meal for your entire family, and that's where Home Chef comes in. The company offers two plans; one has meal kits for two, while the Family Plan serves four. You can view six weeks of menus at a time, each with over 35 meals available. Sample menu items include Salmon With Lemon Picatta Butter and One-Pan Sesame-Orange Chicken Cutlet. You can customize your protein for most meals, and there are different types including express, oven-ready, fast & fresh, and culinary collection (premium ingredients and proteins). You can add extras to your plan like breakfast items, extra protein, salads, or treats. There are some dietary preferences accounted for, like keto, paleo, vegetarian, and “gluten-smart” meals, though they may contain trace amounts of gluten and aren’t suitable for anyone with Celiac or severe gluten intolerances. You can customize your plan by size; decide if you want to feed 2, 4, or 6 people, and if you want 2-6 meals per week. Home Chef delivers to most of the U.S. Price Range: $8 per meal | Menu Options: Calorie-conscious, carb-conscious, fresh start, keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, vegetarian | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 15-50 minutes Best Quick: Factor Factor Sign Up Now What Stands Out All the meals are dietitian-approved and only require a few minutes to heat. What Could Be Improved Meals are only one serving. Enjoying a quick bite and a healthy meal aren’t mutually exclusive. Factor provides nourishing, healthy meals that only require a few minutes to heat. You can choose from 35 ready-made, dietitian-approved, chef-prepared meals each week. The meals are designed to feed one, and they arrive fresh, ready to be heated in the microwave or oven for just a few minutes. You can browse three weeks of menus at a time, and sample items include Roasted Garlic Chicken, Filet Mignon & Mushroom Risotto, and Peanut Buddha Bowl. You can also shop from add-ons such as breakfast, juices, wellness shots, protein shakes, and energy bites. Factor also offers keto, calorie-conscious, vegan, and vegetarian meals to suit almost any dietary preference. And if you have any questions on general nutrition or setting goals, you can sign up for a free 20-minute nutrition consultation with one of the brand's registered dietitians. Plans vary from 6-18 meals a week, and Factor delivers to the 48 contiguous states. Price Range: $11-$14 per serving | Menu Options: Chef’s choice, keto, calorie smart, flexitarian, protein plus, vegan & veggie | Required Skill Level: All levels | Preparation Time: 2-7 minutes Final Verdict Our top pick is Blue Apron, thanks to its ample weekly selection of prepared meal kits with seasonal ingredients. For more specific dietary plans, you may want to consider plant-based Purple Carrot or gluten-free Epicured. For a kid-friendly meal subscription box, Little Spoon has foods designed for different development stages, from babies to bigger kids. How to Choose a Meal Subscription Like a Pro Type Meal subscription boxes are most commonly meal kits, prepared meals, or a combination. Whether you choose a service that has meal kits versus prepared meals will depend on how much cooking you want to do. Also, look at the menus and plans to see if they meet your dietary goals, preferences, or allergies. If you want a hyper-tailored meal kit, you may want to consider a specialized service. For example, Little Spoon is specifically designed for babies, toddlers, and kids. Purple Carrot’s meals are all vegan/plant-based, so you don’t have to worry about filtering our animal proteins in the weekly menus. And if you have a sensitive digestive tract or a digestive order, a service like Epicured, which has gluten-free and low FODMAP meals, may be a good choice. Variety “Variety is important to prevent meal fatigue, so always go for those that offer a wide range of cuisines and dishes,” says Gervacio. Meal subscription boxes often have rotating weekly menus you can browse ahead of time, which helps to keep meals new and exciting. If you have specific dietary plans or preferences, ensure the menu has plenty of options. Most companies offer vegan, vegetarian, low-calorie, keto, and gluten-free meals, so you can easily see what preferences are available. Some have customization options, like switching or doubling the protein or adding pantry items like breakfast, beverages, or desserts. Value The cost of your meal subscription service is important, as it can range from grocery-equivalent prices to nearly as expensive as going to a fast-casual restaurant. You can look at the cost per serving, portion sizes, and the quality of ingredients relative to how much it would cost to buy everything to make that meal yourself. Meal subscription boxes with more servings or meals per week usually have a lower per-serving cost because you’re buying in volume. Also, consider the value in convenience and time saved when things are delivered to your door or already portioned out. Plus, new subscribers can typically enjoy various promotions or discounts on their first box or order. Questions You Might Ask What’s the difference between a meal kit and a meal delivery service? Meal kits and meal delivery services provide convenience for people who want to enjoy a meal at home with less effort. Meal kits provide ingredients and step-by-step recipes on how to make the meal. Typically, you'll need kitchen basics like cooking oil, salt, and pepper. Meal kits are for people who like cooking but don’t want to go grocery shopping for a list of individual ingredients (some of which may be specific to only certain recipes). The ingredients are also pre-measured, reducing prep time. That said, the kits still require some level of cooking proficiency, and may not be for those who want a meal in under 10 minutes. On the other hand, meal delivery services provide fully prepared meals straight to your door. They’re convenient for people who want a quick meal—whether it's because they can’t cook or don’t want to cook varies by individual. The meals usually arrive chilled and last a few days in the fridge, and, at most, require a few minutes in the oven or microwave to heat. What skills do I need to prepare meals from a subscription box? For meal delivery services, you only need to know how to use a microwave or oven, so if minimizing your time in the kitchen is your goal, you should order prepared meals. With meal kits, you’ll need basic cooking skills like chopping, sautéing, and simple cooking term comprehension, says Gervacio. Meal kits all come with recipes that walk you through the process from start to finish, so they tend to be beginner-friendly. Are meals from a subscription box healthy? How healthy a subscription box is mainly depends on its ingredients. “If it is healthy when fresh, whole ingredients are used, and has well-balanced meals with adequate servings of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats,” then that's a good indicator of a meal subscription box being fresh, according to Gervacio. Several companies, such as Green Chef and Factor, have dietician-approved meals or dietitians available for virtual consultations. Gervacio also recommends checking the nutritional information for each meal and considering factors like portion size, calorie content, and whether they adhere to your health goals. How much do meal subscription boxes cost? The cost of meal subscription boxes can vary depending on how many servings are in each meal, how many meals per week you choose, the types of meals offered, and any extras or upgrades you add. You can expect to pay about $7 to $15 per serving or meal. The most affordable option on this list is EveryPlate, which offers meals starting at $5 per serving. On average, we think it’s probably cheaper to have a meal kit or prepared meal than to eat out. CookUnity, for example, uses award-winning chefs to craft their meals, so you can have a restaurant-quality dinner at home for a fraction of the cost of eating at a restaurant. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Lesley Chen, a contributing writer for Real Simple with experience writing commerce, home, and lifestyle stories. To compile this list, she thoroughly researched meal subscription boxes based on type, variety, and value. For expert advice, Lesley spoke to Catherine Gervacio, a registered dietitian and nutrition writer.