Cheapest Meal Delivery Services of 2024 | Fortune Recommends Health (2024)

Due to the fast-paced nature of today’s world, people crave convenience at a good price, especially when it comes to food. Therefore, it’s not surprising that meal delivery services are becoming a go-to option for those who want to skip grocery trips and takeout. Whether you desire fully pre-made meals or pre-portioned ingredients with recipes, there are options available that’ll appeal to your dietary needs and budget.

However, there are many meal delivery services on the market, which could make it challenging to determine which one is best for you. To make it easier, our team tried numerous services and identified six of the cheapest meal delivery services currently available. Plus, I’ve tried a couple of them myself and can personally speak to what to look for.

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

Our picks for the cheapest meal delivery services

• Best overall: EveryPlate
• Best for weight loss: Nutrisystem
• Best prepared: Fresh N Lean
• Best vegan: Daily Harvest
• Best plant-based: Mosaic Foods
• Best for families: Dinnerly

Compare cheapest meal delivery services

	EveryPlate	Nutrisystem	Fresh N Lean	Daily Harvest	Mosaic Foods	Dinnerly
Rating	4.2/5	3.8/5	4.3/5	4.0/5	4.3/5	4.0/5
Price	Starts at $4.99 per meal	Starts at $9.86 per day	Starts at $10.49 per meal	Starts at $5.99 per item	Starts $5.99 per meal	Starting at $4.99 per serving
Serving	2, 4, or 6	1	1	1	1	2 or 4
Delivery	Weekly	Biweekly, monthly	Weekly, biweekly, triweekly, monthly	Weekly, monthly	Weekly, biweekly, triweekly, monthly	Weekly
Type	Meal kit	Prepared	Prepared	Prepared	Prepared	Meal kit, prepared

Best cheap meal delivery service overall: EveryPlate

Why we like EveryPlate as best overall

Although EveryPlate is one of the most affordable meal kit delivery services on the market, it doesn’t skimp on quality. With 31 family-friendly meals to choose from weekly, and starting at just $4.99 per meal, consumers can get variety without the luxury price tag. Plus, EveryPlate has flexible terms and uses primarily fresh ingredients, making it the best cheap meal delivery service overall.

EveryPlate is a solid option for those wanting meals they can prepare for the whole family. When picking a plan, you’ll need to choose the quantity of meals you need weekly and for how many people. The maximum box size provides five meals for six people, which drives the price per serving down to just $4.99. Getting a smaller plan, like three meals per week for two people, costs about $6.49 per serving.

You’ll also need to select your meal preferences. There are five categories to choose from:

• Quick & Easy: Meals done in 30 minutes or less.
• Calorie Smart: Around 650 calories or less.
• Meat & Veggie: Various meat, seafood, and veggie options.
• Veggie: Fully vegetarian meals.
• Family Faves: Kid-friendly, good for picky eaters.

With over 30 meal kits to choose from weekly, EveryPlate should give individuals enough variety to avoid getting bored with their food choices for a few months. It also helps that the selection changes weekly.

Some of the meals in their line-up include Roasted Garlic Dijon Butter Steak, Curried Coconut Chickpea Soup, and Creamy Peppercorn Salmon. Keep in mind that some of their food choices are considered premium meals and cost an additional $4.99 to $6.99 per serving.

Our product testers liked the simplicity of ordering via the website and mobile app. It’s easy to cancel or skip a week at no cost, and you can select your preferred delivery day. The latter really stands out to me, as some of the more expensive meal delivery services I’ve tried don’t allow me to pick a specific delivery day.

If you want to keep track of the amount of fat, protein, sodium, and more for each meal, their website also features nutritional information. This is helpful for those monitoring their health and wellness and hoping to monitor some ingredients like sodium, fat or carbohydrates. Research suggests that consuming more than 5 grams (5,000 milligrams) of sodium daily may increase the risk of adverse health outcomes. ( 1 )

“One of the benefits of meal services is the pre portioned foods provided. For those trying to increase their awareness of total calories or other specific macro- or micro- nutrients can do just that more simply than trying to calculate nutrients in meals from restaurants or even ones made from scratch,” adds Chris Mohr, PhD. “Self monitoring is a useful strategy in managing overall body weight and can play a positive role in overall health.” ( 2 )

Don’t like certain ingredients or have allergies? I recommend looking at the recipes online to ensure they work for you. EveryPlate shows three weeks’ worth of recipes so you can plan in advance. One big flaw, though, is that they don’t cater to special diets. Therefore, if you’re on a strict vegan, low-carb, gluten-free, or keto diet, this wouldn’t be the best plan for you. In addition, their vegetarian meal selections are minimal.

Once the EveryPlate cardboard box shipment arrives at your door, you’ll find gel ice packs, ingredients, and recipe cards inside. Even in hot weather, where the ice packs have melted, the food usually maintains its quality. One product tester tried this service for six months and rarely had any delivery issues. If delays did occur, EveryPlate was good about notifying them.

We gave EveryPlate a 3.9 out of 5 regarding food quality and meal preparation. Our product tester noted that the meal kit wasn’t really usable if they waited until later in the week to prepare meat, like chicken breast. Plus, the produce didn’t always arrive fresh. The prep time and cooking process found on the recipe cards were also occasionally off, as they sometimes took longer and were more complex than advertised. But the meals came in reasonable portions, and our testers often had leftovers.

EveryPlate also scored well in the taste department, earning a 4 out of 5 from our team of testers.

What customers are saying

On Trustpilot, EveryPlate has over 21,000 reviews and boasts a 4.2 out of 5 stars rating.

Another reviewer, Hailey Schisel, shares similar sentiments: “EveryPlate has been a lifesaver for my family, especially with the cost of groceries at the store lately! It also helps us cut down on food waste or buying things we don’t need.”

Trustpilot reviewer Jenna reported enjoying her EveryPlate meals, but planned on canceling her subscription. “Sadly, I have had nothing but issues with every box, from missing items to missing the entire meal! This time, the ice packs almost melted when I opened the box, and the temperature inside was only slightly cool. The produce seemed okay, but the chicken was not cold at all. Customer service was terrific, and the entire order was credited to my account.”

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Best cheap meal delivery service for weight loss: Nutrisystem

Why we like Nutrisystem as best for weight loss

If you’ve ever researched weight loss programs before, you’ve likely come across Nutrisystem. Since 1972, they’ve offered low-effort weight management products and services to help people achieve their goals. Their nutritionally balanced, heat-and-eat meal options allow individuals to take the guesswork out of meal planning and select plans that align with their budget.

Research reveals that some of the greatest barriers to weight loss are lack of convenience, time, and knowledge regarding making healthy food choices. ( 3 ) Fortunately, services like Nutrisystem remove some of those barriers.

Not only do they offer prepackaged meals and snacks, but they also have access to personal coaching, guides, and more. One study found that participants receiving health coaching lost more weight and had better psychosocial constructs than those without. ( 4 )

To get started with Nutrisystem, you’ll need to pick from one of their five plans, which are:

• Women’s Plans: For all ages or 50+.
• Men’s Plans: For all ages or 50+.
• Complete 50 Plan: For those 50+.
• Partner Plans: For two people.
• Club Advantage: An unstructured plan that allows greater control.

From there, you’ll select the menu you desire. You can go with “Chef’s Picks” or choose your own food options, but they recommend the former if you’re new. You then decide whether you want five or seven days of meals per week. Each day can come with breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.

If you opt for one of Nutrisystem’s structured plans, they’ll deliver your meals every two to four weeks. The monthly auto-delivery purchase option costs between $9.86 to $12.86 per day. However, you can save $98 to $288 (depending on the plan you chose) and achieve free shipping by prepaying for two to four shipments.

The Club Advantage plan is a more flexible solution, as consumers can decide the number of meals they want and when they want them. Breakfast and lunch meals usually cost just below $3 per serving, while dinner options are about $6 per serving. Shipping is free if you spend $99 or more on a single transaction. Anything less than that will cost $20 if shipped within the contiguous U.S.

As far as packaging, our product tester said everything arrived unharmed and intact.

Nutrisystem is an ideal meal delivery service for weight loss , especially for those who don’t want to go grocery shopping or spend time cooking in the kitchen. Their frozen and shelf-stable meals arrive fully cooked but may need to be reheated. Our product tester said the reheating process was straightforward and liked how they gave you instructions for reheating in the toaster, oven, or microwave. They also commented how the meat maintained its texture and flavor, but bread-based foods did not.

In terms of taste, our tester said the meals were good but not seasoned very much. The bland flavor, along with the occasional soggy sandwiches (when heated in the microwave), led to a 4 out of 5 for taste.

Nutrisystem offers a variety of meal options, all of which are diabetes-friendly. Their meals also don’t include excess sodium, as they follow the USDA’s recommended daily intake. ( 4 ) Without the excess sodium, you wont retain extra water weight, which can help to show true weight loss throughout the weeks. Some of their menu options include Roasted Turkey Medallions, Southwestern-Style Chicken, and Swedish-Style Meatballs with Green Beans. All of their meals also include reviews, so you can see what others think.

“Nutrisystem offers meals for every meal—breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts, which can really help those trying to closely monitor calories,” adds Mohr. “ This is different from most meal delivery services, which often focus just on more traditional lunch or dinner options. A person doesn’t need to eat solely from this program if trying Nutrisystem foods, unless that’s what they choose, but having that wide variety of options can be helpful for those who want that additional support.”

If you have special dietary restrictions or food allergies, you’ll have to sift through each meal’s nutritional information to determine if it’ll work for you. Regardless, those with soy or peanut allergies should consider a different meal delivery service.

What customers are saying

Nutrisystem has received over 2,100 reviews on Trustpilot. Based on many reviews, customers feel that Nutrisystem’s weight loss plan works, but their customer service is subpar.

However, Ann further remarked that their customer service is poor: “That being said, they say satisfaction is guaranteed, only the first month. After that no take backs. They are nice and helpful until you go to stop the plan. I had planned to still order a few items a la carte even after exceeding my goals. Not anymore, I’ll find alternatives elsewhere. They acted soooo rude. Understand your contract too. You can’t cancel for a while without penalty.”

Judy Ibeling, another Trustpilot reviewer, had a positive experience. “I don’t understand all the negative reviews. I have lost 32 pounds on the frozen plan and find the food to be very good. I follow the food plan by eating the snacks and tracking on the NuMi app. I have found the recipes to be very good and family-friendly. I have not had an issue with the customer service either. I find the Leaf by Nutrisystem to be informative and helps keep me committed to the program.”

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Best cheap prepared meal delivery service: Fresh N Lean

Why we like Fresh N Lean as best prepared

Fresh N Lean provides over 100 meal options and accommodates many dietary preferences, making it our pick for the best cheap prepared delivery service. Whether you want breakfast or lunch, or an entree and tasty add-ons, they’ve got those who want nutrient-dense foods covered. And they do all of this while using organic ingredients and staying fairly affordable.

Fresh N Lean prioritizes high-quality ingredients, so you won’t find overly processed, anywhere on its weekly menu. They also make sure to include animal products that are hormone- and antibiotic-free and non GMO ingredients. So, if you’re looking for USDA-inspected and certified prepared meals, they’re a solid top pick.

Right now, Fresh N Lean offers eight different meal plans, which include:

• Vegan
• Vegetarian
• Paleo
• Protein+
• Mediterranean
• Keto
• Whole30
• FNL Unlimited (best for those who have no limitations)

Those who sign up will need to indicate which plan they want, up to three (if any) ingredients they’d like to exclude from their meal plan, and if they have any allergies. From my experience, it’s rare to see meal delivery services ask about allergens and exclusions upfront. Usually, customers have to search the nutritional labels to ensure they select what meals meet their needs, so it’s nice that they ask.

Following that, you’ll need to decide if you’d like five or seven days of meals per week and if you want them to provide breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner options. Prices start at $10.49 per meal but could cost up to $15.99 if you opt for fewer meals. Once you subscribe, they’ll bill you every week but this can be changed if you contact them since they may permit a biweekly, triweekly, or quad-weekly schedule. Furthermore, shipping is free if you spend over $100 in a single transaction and reside in the contiguous U.S.

Fresh N Lean also has an a la carte option for those who’d prefer to customize their subscription. However, they’re unable to accommodate allergens and exclusions with this method, which may be important to you. In addition, they require a $85 minimum to order.

As in their name, all prepared meals arrive at your door fresh, never frozen. They’re shipped in a vacuum-sealed box that’s insulated and refrigerated. In our experience, the food was still cool to the touch, which is important for food safety, even after sitting in hot weather following delivery.

Our product testers enjoyed the food’s taste and were surprised by the quality. For instance, one commented that the medium-cooked steak was delicious, and even the vegetables were exemplary.

With Fresh N Lean, skipping a week of meals and adjusting your meal plan is fairly simple. However, canceling a subscription doesn’t appear as easy. The company says you can do so via the dashboard in your online account, but our product tester didn’t see this option. They had to reach out to customer support.

Although this affordable meal delivery service has much to offer, it’s not for everyone. For instance, their servings are designed for individuals, so if you want family meals, EveryPlate might be a better choice.

Also, switching the delivery day, which is currently Friday, costs extra. The fee is based on where your order is shipped and how many meals are included. When I inquired on a Saturday, they were very responsive and explained that seven dinner meals sent to my zip code would be $36. Their expedited shipping days are Wednesday and Thursday.

Overall, Fresh N Lean may be a great choice for individuals with specialty diets who want organically sourced meals that are ready in three minutes or less.

What customers are saying

Fresh N Lean has an average of 3.9 stars based on over 5,300 reviews on Trustpilot. Many customers raved that it was worth it in terms of food quality and flavor. The negative reviews usually mentioned delivery issues or communication hiccups with customer support.

Reviewer Lawrence Johnson didn’t have the best experience, though, saying they thought it wasn’t worth the hassle or price. “After trying to order meals for 2 people, we ended up with 4 subscriptions and 4 meal orders. We had to cancel 2 via customer service chat. When the meals arrived, the packaging was messy and covered in what looked like food particles. The meals themselves tasted okay. We likened their taste to airline food for a domestic business class flight.”

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Best cheap vegan meal delivery service: Daily Harvest

Why we like Daily Harvest as best vegan

While other meal delivery services might only have a few vegan menu items, Daily Harvest specializes in plant-based foods for cost-conscious vegans. They offer a variety of smoothies, flatbreads, soups, and other prepared meals, while also making strides in sustainability.

The menu items are completely plant-based, gluten-free, and free of fillers, preservatives, and additives. Daily Harvest has teams dedicated to food sourcing and safety, and partners with suppliers using FDA-registered facilities.

While all of their ingredients don’t hold organic certifications, they all follow food safety standards based on the Good Agricultural Practices Program.

Their ingredients are harvested during peak ripeness and remain frozen to preserve quality and nutrients. Even when they arrive at your door, they are shipped in a recyclable or compostable sealed box that contains dry ice. Once opened, you’re supposed to transfer everything into a freezer.

Following and preparing food for a well designed, nutritionally balanced vegan diet, takes a little more planning and can be a a time-consuming process. Fortunately, the items from Daily Harvest arrived sliced, diced and ready to go, which our product tester really appreciated.

Despite Daily Harvest’s efforts to provide the best ingredients, our product tester felt that they were just okay. They noted that the smoothie ingredients were pretty good, the skillet meals were alright, but the flatbreads were a miss. Therefore, our tester rated Daily Harvest a 3 out of 5 for ingredient quality.

The smoothies and the Mulberry + Dragon Fruit Oat Bowl stood out as tasting the best for our product tester. However, most of their other selections had to be spruced up with spices, as they found them bland. The smoothies are extremely convenient, since you only need to fill up the container with water prior to blending, so measuring is not required. If you would like to drink it right away, you can pour it back into the cup it was packaged in.

Daily Harvest makes the process of ordering, pausing, and canceling services simple. You can use their app or website to sign up for one of their three subscription plans:

• Small (9+ items)
• Medium (14+ items)
• Large (24+ items)

They also offer volume-based discounts, so if you order 24+ items, for example, you’ll get $25 off. Menu items cost $5.99 to $11.99 each.

Once you select your preferred plan, you can choose which of their 100+ menu items you want to try. Their menu includes everything from pasta dishes made with gluten-free noodles to grain, bowls, smoothies, soups, popsicles, and more.

While that sounds like a lot of variety, Daily Harvest doesn’t update its food options often. This is great for someone who counts on being able to select their favorite meal each week, but not so much for those who want more variety.

I like that you can filter dishes based on your likes, dislikes, and dietary needs. They have paleo, diabetes-friendly, heart-healthy, and Mediterranean diet options, to name a few. Those with certain severe food allergies should be cautious, though, as some dishes are made with soy, and the food is manufactured in facilities that process nuts, dairy, and gluten.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Daily Harvest automatically repeats your order. Some companies vary your weekly or monthly selections, but if you don’t manually alter it with Daily Harvest, you’ll get exactly what you ordered before.

Shipping and handling costs $9.99, and they deliver to 95% of the continental U.S. In some cities, like Miami, you can even get instant delivery using GrubHub or DoorDash.

What customers are saying

Daily Harvest has fewer than 1,400 reviews on Trustpilot but sports an average of 4.1 stars. Most people reported enjoying the food, but there were some negative comments regarding missing items and late delivery.

Other purchasers felt the food was tasty but needed some modifications.

“I really enjoy most of the Daily Harvest products. They’re tasty and convenient. My only minor complaint is that they don’t incorporate enough protein and the soups aren’t large enough portion sizes. As someone who follows avegan diet, I rely on the meals as my quick lunches. However, I have to supplement because there’s nowhere near sufficient protein in a serving. For example, most of the smoothies have 2-4g of protein, but ideal for me is 25g. Since these are such a high price point, it becomes a bit too much if one has to supplement them,” wrote Ashley, a Trustpilot reviewer.

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Best plant-based cheap meal delivery service: Mosaic Foods

Why we like Mosaic Foods as best plant-based

Plant-based eaters who want tasty, meatless meals that don’t break the bank may enjoy Mosaic Foods. They offer nutrient-dense, pre-made individual and family meals free of preservatives and artificial ingredients. Thanks to Mosaic Foods’s commitment to alleviating manufacturing waste and prioritizing recyclable materials, consumers also save money while reducing their impact on the environment.

Unlike other meal delivery services, Mosaic Foods makes you enter your email address and zip code to view their pricing. Sometimes, you can find this information on a website’s FAQ section, but it’s not available for this brand. Nonetheless, they offer three plans, where you can choose either six, 12, or 18 items per box. The latter two options come with free shipping. When I did a mock checkout for the six-item box, the shipping fee was $9.99 but would be waived for my first order.

Although it’s subscription-based, menu items are priced a la carte, so the price of your box will depend on what you pick. Here are their food categories and their associated prices:

• Veggie bowls: $10.99
• Smoothies: $9.99
• Four-serving family meals: $5.99/serving
• Pizzas: $11.99
• Veggie soups: $8.99
• Oat bowls: $5.99

After choosing your meals, you can determine if you want them delivered weekly, biweekly, triweekly, or once a month. If you need to skip a week or cancel altogether, both can be done by accessing the customer portal.

Currently, Mosaic Foods only delivers to select areas, making it an automatic deal-breaker for some. They deliver to the East Coast, the majority of the West Coast, and some states in between.

The food is shipped in recyclable, paper-insulated boxes with 10 to 15 pounds of dry ice, earning them a 5 out of 5 for shipping and packaging. Our product tester said the food was frozen and intact upon arrival, and each container included transparent nutritional information.

Admittedly, plant-based, ready-made foods can be hit-or-miss, as they’re sometimes bland or their texture doesn’t hold up. However, our product tester said Mosaic Foods didn’t miss. They gave them a 5 out of 5 for taste, citing that the noodles, pizzas, and smoothies were flavorful and satisfactory. The portion sizes were smaller than anticipated, but our product tester still felt full afterward.

“Multiple studies have found plant-forward diets to be a great choice for many. Typically, these diets offer more fiber, produce and other nutrient dense foods that have all been linked to lower risk of diet related diseases, like heart disease, hypertension and cancer. These types of diets, however, can take a little more planning and effort, than many others. Food delivery options like Mosaic Foods, can simplify the process of eating a plant forward diet” adds Mohr. ( 6 )

With Mosaic Foods, prepping and clean-up are very straightforward and quick processes. Most meals can be prepared in the microwave in under five minutes or warmed in the oven for 20 minutes. Large, family meals may take 60 to 90 minutes so do take a little more planning if this is what will be served.

Right now, you can enjoy their smoothies without needing a blender since they all come bottled. However, at the time of writing, their current smoothies are offered in partnership with another brand though it was being a limited-time offer. If the previous options come back, those will require blender use.

Mosaic Foods offers a smaller menu selection than some of the other meal delivery services on this list. I counted around 25 veggie bowls, less than 15 family meals, under ten pizzas, and less than five soups and oat bowls. Those getting weekly deliveries would probably want more variety after a while. Plus, if you forget to change your food selections one week, you’ll get the same items moving forward until you manually modify them.

Mosaic Foods lets you filter through its menu, so you can specify whether you want to view nut-free, soy-free, or meals with no added sugar, for example. However, this wouldn’t be the best service for those following certain diets (e.g., paleo and keto) or those who don’t prefer more unique, globally inspired flavors.

What customers are saying

On Trustpilot, Mosaic Foods has less than 1,000 reviews and a 4.8-star average rating. Most positive reviews were about the variety and quality of their plant-based foods. The majority of negative reviews were about late deliveries and missing items.

Another reviewer, Alison C., remarked, “I really appreciate the convenience of delivery, recycling, and preparing the meals. I like the variety between the types, too (soups/meals/smoothies, etc). That said, the meals have been hit or miss flavor-wise, and I do wish they would increase or mix up the variety of offerings. I’ve been using Mosaic for many weeks now, and the offerings have not changed. While they do have a big selection, after you’ve tried everything you do crave change.”

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Best cheap meal delivery service for families: Dinnerly

Why we like Dinnerly as best for families

Dinnerly features budget-friendly meal kits and ready-made meals with uncomplicated instructions that use only six ingredients or less. They’re a great solution for couples and families with varying dietary preferences who want two to six meals per week. With a seamless ordering process and some of the lowest prices on the market, Dinnerly is a popular option for those wanting to ditch the grocery store.

Getting started with Dinnerly is simple whether you use their website or app. First, you need to choose the types of meals you want so they can personalize your recipe recommendations. Their categories include:

• Gluten-free
• Low calorie
• Low carb
• Picky eater approved
• Quick & easy (meals done in 30 minutes or less)
• Vegetarian/vegan
• I like everything (best for those who like mixing it up)

Next, you’ll need to indicate whether you want meals for two or four people and how many meals you want per week. With the largest plan, prices can be as low as $4.99 per serving, but they go up to $8.49 per serving if you only need two meals for two people weekly.

Since Dinnerly doesn’t have a set meal plan, you’ll have to choose the recipes you want. This could be cumbersome to some, as they have over 100 options to choose from weekly. Other brands, like EveryPlate, present a weekly menu selection based on your specified plan, so it’s a little less overwhelming. However, some people may prefer Dinnerly’s approach.

One of the things I like most about Dinnerly is that it allows individuals to preselect their delivery days and preferred time slots. It’s a very convenient feature, but the $11.99 delivery fee is less attractive. Some companies provide free delivery if you select a bigger plan, but that’s not the case here.

In addition, our product testers were unimpressed by how the box was organized, mentioning how the ingredients looked like they were just thrown in. Dinnerly doesn’t arrange ingredients by recipe, so you must separate them yourself.

Also, even with the ice packs, sweating appeared on the items after the boxes were outside for only 10 minutes. Nonetheless, the produce and other ingredients still looked fresh. However, this could be an issue during the warmer months, especially if you can’t put your food in the fridge or freezer right away.

“Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot, is a general saying in the foodservice industry and for good reason. Food microorganisms can grow very quickly and more rapidly at warmer temperatures, particularly if you live in a hot, humid environment or during the summer months. Food packaging to keep foods at the right temperatures with meal delivery services is of utmost importance,” adds Mohr.

Dinnerly meal kits come with paper copies of the instructions, but you can also access them from the app. Our product testers said the kits only required about 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking. The ready-made meals took even less effort, as they could be microwaved and their containers recycled.

In terms of taste and ingredient quality, our product testers rated Dinnerly a 4 out of 5. The meal kits were satisfactory and even flavorful, particularly the Turkey Taquitos and Pastrami-Crusted Steak. However, our product tester said the ready-made meals were equivalent to TV dinners and weren’t really filling enough to be considered “dinner.” They may fare better as a light lunch.

Dinnerly accommodates different dietary preferences, but there are some limitations. They don’t offer menus for specific diets and allergens, so you have to review recipes to ensure they fit your needs. If you follow a vegetarian diet, you may see around 10 to 15 plant-based menu items available for selection each week. There are even fewer seafood choices for pescatarians.

Overall, it’s an excellent and affordable meal delivery service if you don’t have many dietary restrictions.

What customers are saying

Dinnerly has an average rating of 3.9 stars on Trustpilot and less than 5,000 reviews. Many customers found Dinnerly affordable and positively reviewed the flavor and quality of their meals. The negative remarks often mentioned the ordering process, which requires that people provide payment information before selecting meals, or missing ingredients.

Reviewer John Patton also enjoys the meals, but wishes there was more variety. “The vegetarian options are very limited now.”

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How we test meal delivery services

At Fortune Recommends™, we recognize that everyone is unique and has different preferences, budgets, and needs. In addition, there’s no one-size-fits-all meal delivery service. Therefore, we made it a point to personally and extensively test multiple meal delivery services to see their strengths and weaknesses. These experiences allowed us to provide unbiased, honest feedback to help you select the right option for your needs.

You can read our full meal delivery program testing methodology here.

Testing criteria

Meal choices—30%

Just because a meal delivery service is cheap doesn’t mean it should lack in providing numerous healthy, nutrient-dense options. In addition, the information provided should be clear so you can make informed decisions when ordering. Here’s what we take into account when rating our meal choices.

• Multiple options
• Substitutions
• Guidance
• Label transparency

Food quality—30%

When you sign up for a meal delivery service, you should be excited about the various cuisines and dishes arriving at your doorstep. Our goal is to pair you with brands with tasty, chef-crafted recipes that meet the nutritional expectations of registered dietitians and/or nutritionists. Here’s what goes into our quality rating.

• Flavor
• Healthiness
• Freshness

Value—20%

When you invest in a meal delivery service, you should feel like you’re getting a valuable solution that remedies one or more of your challenges. Here’s what we factor into a program’s value rating.

• Fair price
• Multiple quantity options
• Customization

Customer experience—20%

We believe a customer’s experience should be considered important and a priority. The brands you interact with should display competence, understanding, and professionalism when assisting you. Here’s what we review when rating customer experience:

• Packaging
• Ease of preparation
• Reviews
• Customer service

Benefits of cheap meal delivery services

Meal delivery services are gaining popularity, especially with rising grocery prices due to inflation, supply chain issues, labor costs, and more. Today, many people feel like they’ll spend the same amount, or even less, utilizing budget-friendly meal delivery services than going to the supermarket. Plus, these services offer many other benefits that we’ll explore below.

May reduce food waste

Think about how often you’ve gone grocery shopping to gather ingredients for a specific dish and never actually made it. I’m very guilty of this! Or how often you’ve prepared large meals that you only consume once and forget about until it’s time to clean out the refrigerator.

Meal kits and prepared meals may help you reduce food waste, according to recent research. ( 7 ) I find that it’s very rare for me to throw food out when I use a meal delivery service because the food is pre-portioned to meet my needs.

Cost-saving

If you aren’t wasting food, guess what else you likely aren’t doing? Wasting money. Cheap meal delivery services help you plan and budget in a way that traditional methods often can’t. It’s so easy to go into a grocery store for one thing and walk out with $50+ worth of extra items you don’t need. I’ve found that meal delivery services help me reduce impulsive spending.

On top of that, if you like meal variety, buying a bunch of ingredients for different dishes can get expensive. Meal delivery services either equip you with the exact ingredients needed to prepare recipes or already come prepared and ready for warming. While you typically wont have enough for leftovers, you won’t necessarily make the mistake of buying too much or too little of something.

While food delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats are also convenient, the upcharged meals, along with the delivery and service fees, can easily lead to a $25+ transaction for just one meal. You can get down to as little as $4.99/serving with certain meal delivery services.

Time-saving

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people spend approximately 53 minutes per day preparing food and drinks. ( 8 ) And that doesn’t even include the time spent grocery shopping. Many prepared meals take less than 5 minutes to reheat, and meal kits often require only 20 to 30 minutes of time. Therefore, busy people who need a time-efficient option, like meal delivery services, will appreciate having a few extra moments to do something else.

Expand your taste palate

I’ve found that some of the most affordable meal delivery services have dishes that you probably wouldn’t have tried before. This allows you to easily explore and experiment with different flavors and cuisines. While many meal delivery services offer traditional American meals, like burgers, you might also see something like Thai Beef with Romaine Lettuce and Coconut Rice from a service like Dinnerly. If you can get a dish like that for $4.99/serving, that’s a great value.

Better for health and wellness goals

Cheaper foods, like those you’d get in a drive-thru or as take-out, are often unhealthy. They tend to be highly processed and packed with more calories, sugar, and sodium than you need. Evidence shows that high added sugar intake, for example, can increase one’s risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and many other chronic conditions. ( 9 )

But even cheap meal delivery services can make selecting better food choices easier. Many let you indicate your needs, so if you’re trying to lose weight, you can focus on ordering low-calorie meals. Research shows that reducing caloric intake is one of the most important factors for weight loss. ( 10 ) Some even offer high-protein meals, which could benefit those trying to increase lean body mass and strength. ( 11 )

How to choose the best cheap meal delivery service

Often, when you read “cheap,” the thought of getting quality services of any kind goes out the window. However, as shown here, it’s still very possible to pick a cheap meal delivery service that provides a solid offer without sacrificing ingredient freshness, customer service, and more.

Here’s what we recommend when picking the best cheap meal delivery service for you.

Meal kits vs prepared meals

While meal kits and prepared meals are convenient solutions, picking the cheapest one for you depends on your lifestyle. For instance, meal kits often make more sense if you have a family, as some cost less than $5.00 per serving. However, they require additional time since you have to cook the food.

Prepared meals usually come in single servings and are better accommodations if you just need a meal for one person. Yet, they often cost more per serving and are smaller than ideal portions. Fresh N Lean, for example, costs $10.49 to $15.99 per meal, which can add up. The average take-out meal costs around $13 and, therefore, may be cheaper than meal delivery in some scenarios, though you typically receive poorer quality food in exchange.

If you’re a single person who wants to maximize meal delivery services, consider opting for meal kits. You could get the smallest plan and still have plenty of leftovers.

Sustainable packaging

One way that some meal delivery companies cut costs is by following sustainable packaging processes. Using fewer materials translates to less costs being transferred to the customer.

Shipped fresh vs frozen

One risk of utilizing meal delivery services that ship fresh, perishable items is that they may go bad. If you’re at work when your meals are delivered and can’t refrigerate them in a timely fashion, you’ll inevitably have to buy more food. Frozen goods shipped with dry ice give you a little more wiggle room.

Pausing, skipping, and canceling orders

When selecting the best cheap meal delivery service for your needs, double-check the process of skipping deliveries and canceling. After all, if you’re traveling for work or going on vacation, you don’t want meals delivered that you can’t utilize. Try to review the cut-off period for pausing or canceling meals, because if you reach out too late, you’ll likely still have to pay the costs.

Shipping fees

Another factor you’ll need to consider when choosing the best cheap meal delivery service is the cost of shipping and handling. I’ve found that most companies charge about $9.99, but larger meal plans may offer free shipping. Also, depending on where you live and if you need to request a specific delivery day, you could end up paying even more.

Initial offers and other discounts

Almost all meal delivery services extend deep discounts to first-time customers to entice individuals into giving them a try. However, many experience sticker shock when they receive subsequent orders at the actual rate. Therefore, always double-check the true cost of utilizing a meal delivery service past the introductory period.

There are other ways to save too. Some companies, like Daily Harvest, give volume-based discounts. You could even save $100+ with Nutrisystem if you prepay for multiple shipments.

FAQs