5 Best Healthy Meal Delivery Services of 2026, Tested and Reviewed by a Registered Dietitian

One of the biggest meal kit services in America, Hello Fresh, has something for almost everyone. You can choose from different types of meal plans, including classic, vegetarian, pescatarian, quick and easy (recipes that take 20 minutes or less), and prep and bake (less than five-minute prep time). You can also specify certain dietary preferences, like high-protein, low-calorie, plant-based, low-salt and more.

The meals themselves are mostly crowd-pleasing staples with high-quality ingredients, and this is definitely the service to choose if you're feeding a family. Because Hello Fresh has such a huge recipe catalog, it's easy to choose recipes that meet your flavor preferences and dietary needs. Hello Fresh isn't certified gluten-free, but there are gluten-free meal options that you can choose each week. Unfortunately, there aren't many fully plant-based options, so this service wouldn't be a good fit for anyone following a vegan diet.

I chose not to pre-select my Hello Fresh meals and instead let them choose my menu. The meals came neatly packaged in a cardboard box with paper-and-foam insulation, plastic cold packs, and brown paper bags to separate the ingredients for each recipe (all recyclable). Every meal I tried from Hello Fresh was tasty, but some were better than others. My favorite dish was the Firecracker Meatballs with Roasted Carrots and Jasmine Rice — the meatballs themselves were really flavorful, and the sauce was a little spicy, a little creamy, and a little sweet. The biscuit-topped chicken pot pie didn't impress me as much because it felt too one-note, but I bet a kid with simpler tastes would love it.

The instructions came in both written and photo form, which made the process almost foolproof. I especially liked that they had me prep every ingredient that needed to be chopped or measured in the first step, so that the actual cooking was more seamless. Nutritionally speaking, some of the meals were on the higher-calorie side, but that's not necessarily a bad thing if you're feeding kids, if you're active or if you have higher calorie needs for another reason. All meals included at least one serving of vegetables and plenty of protein, so I was always satisfied after eating.

Ask anyone who loves to eat: Sunbasket is the tastiest meal kit service out there. Every recipe is creative and super flavorful, and Sunbasket offers both meal kits and prepared meals. Plus, everything in there is dietitian-approved. Although the service is pricey and probably not suitable for kids or picky eaters, it's a dream for anyone who wants restaurant-quality meals that are nutrient-dense and cost less than actual takeout.

Sunbasket caters to a wider variety of special diets than your average meal kit service: vegetarian, paleo, carb-conscious, gluten-free friendly (although the meals aren't certified gluten-free), diabetes-friendly, pescatarian, Mediterranean and keto-friendly. You also have the option to add certain specialty grocery items chosen by the Sunbasket team, like breakfast foods, snacks and packaged lunch options.

I've never ordered the pre-made meals, so I can't speak to those, but every Sunbasket recipe I've tried has been delicious. A salmon dish with delicata squash, kale and raisins gets tied together with pomegranate molasses and Parmesan cheese, a flavor combination I hadn't thought of before that's now a regular feature in my dinner routine. Unlike other meal kits that serve pretty classic meals (which isn't a bad thing), Sunbasket's recipes usually feature at least one ingredient that you wouldn't have thought to use, like the aforementioned pomegranate molasses or a made-from-scratch spice paste.

If you're looking for a meal delivery service that requires absolutely zero cooking, Factor fits the bill. The company caters to a health-conscious crowd, so you can choose from its classic menu (which contains a balance of nutrients and plenty of veggies), or its more specific options: protein plus (at least 30 grams of protein per serving), calorie smart (550 calories or less), keto (low-carb, high-fat) or vegan/vegetarian (although fully vegan options are limited).

Each subscription also comes with a free 20-minute consultation with a registered dietitian, which is a cool perk but probably not a replacement for regular, longer meetings with a more specialized dietitian if you're managing a specific health condition like diabetes or IBS. And while the meals are a bit pricier than other services, remember that you're also paying for the convenience of getting meals that are ready to heat and eat.

If I'm being honest, I was prepared to dislike the Factor meals. Their marketing has always felt a little bit "gym bro" to me, and I assumed the meals would be high-protein but bland. But when I actually tried the Factor meals, I was blown away by the fact that they all tasted great, and that they included delicious ingredients like pasta, cheese, and cream sauce that often get a bad rap in "clean eating" circles. The meals arrived in a cardboard box with cold packs and insulation, all individually portioned in black plastic containers. Although these containers are marked as microwave-safe and recyclable, I erred on the side of caution, as there are questionable recycling practices involved with black plastic.

I enjoyed all of the meals, but I especially loved the taste of the Shredded Chicken Taco Bowl and Nonna's Sunday Beef Bolognese. Everything tasted like something I would cook myself, and I mean that in a good way. Nothing was too fancy or too bland, and the reheating process was so easy. Factor meals contain 600 calories on average, according to the company, but they can range from 350-900 calories depending on the meal. For most people, 350 calories isn't enough unless you're eating tons of snacks before and after. If you're planning on ordering this meal service, be sure to pick options that fit your needs.

If you're vegan and looking for a meal kit service, Purple Carrot is not just your best bet; it's also one of your only options. That doesn't stop Purple Carrot from bringing you creative and flavorful options for vegan meals. They don't customize meal plans to particular diets other than being fully plant-based, but you can choose meals that fit certain needs, like gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, high-protein or high-fiber (although the meals aren't suitable for those with severe food allergies, since ingredients are processed in facilities with major allergens). In addition to its meal kits, Purple Carrot offers refrigerated prepared meals, frozen meals, and an in-between option that still requires cooking but has much of the prep done for you. I only tested the meal kits, so that's what my review will speak to.

My Purple Carrot meal kit came with ingredients for four meals, as ordered. It was delivered in a cardboard box with insulation and cold packs that were all recyclable. The ingredients for each meal came in clear plastic bags, and most of the ingredients were also wrapped in individual plastic bags, which seemed a bit wasteful. Recipes were printed on individual cards with both written and photographed instructions, and I found them easy to follow. During testing, the Sweet Potato Lentil Bowls were the highlight, with lots of flavor and a nice variety of textures you don't often get with meal kits, thanks to the combination of al dente lentils, soft roasted sweet potatoes, a creamy vegan "cheese" and chopped nuts.

One bummer was that when cooking the Massaman Curry, I realized that the corn was missing — a huge misstep considering that the only add-ins for the curry were corn and baby kale. I ended up adding frozen vegetables I had on hand, and it worked out fine, but even then, it felt like the curry would have felt more complete with some kind of protein source mixed in, like tofu, tempeh or chickpeas. The Tofu BLT Sandwiches were interesting and satisfying, although I found cutting the tofu into "ribbons" to be a little bit awkward, and I ended up cooking them in the oven for less time than the recipe called for because they were definitely done.

As an omnivore, I felt like the Purple Carrot box expanded my usual dinner repertoire with some creative plant-based options, although not every meal was fantastic. Still, I'd recommend it to plant-based eaters looking for convenience and variety.

Epicured is one of the only meal kit services out there whose meals are all 100 percent gluten-free, making it a great choice for anyone who has celiac disease or who follows a gluten-free diet for another reason. They bill themselves as a healthcare company, with menus designed by clinicians and meals created by chefs within certain parameters.

In addition to being gluten-free, the meals are designed for people with digestive health conditions like IBS, IBD, Crohn's, colitis and SIBO, and/or people who want to follow low-FODMAP diets to manage these conditions. There are a plethora of options to choose from, from sandwiches to soups, to salads or snacks — all made with fresh ingredients. Meals come prepared and ready to heat-and-eat, and you can either choose all of your own meals or select a set menu based on your needs. There's a $30 minimum for orders, which comes out to about two meals. If you have a monthly subscription, meals will be up to 40 percent cheaper. Without a subscription, some meals can cost as much as $40 per serving.

In my Epicured delivery, I got seven meals and two sides. They came in a cardboard box with insulation and cold packs (all recyclable), and each meal came in a black plastic container (probably not recyclable, see here) with cardboard sleeves. Every meal came with specific microwave directions that were easy to follow, and nothing took more than a few minutes to reheat.

When it came to taste, I found the Epicured meals inconsistent. I didn't like the taste or texture of the gluten-free bread that the Roasted Turkey Sandwich was served on, which may just be because I'm not used to eating gluten-free foods. But I also found the turkey to be super dry, which seems like something the company could work on while still staying compliant with dietary needs. On the other hand, the Pulled BBQ Chicken with Dirty Rice was good, maybe because it's a naturally gluten-free dish. I also liked the Chicken & Eggplant Parmigiana, which was served as one big layered piece coated with gluten-free breadcrumbs.

As a dietitian who has worked with clients who manage several different dietary restrictions, I’m inclined to grant Epicured a little grace on the couple of things that didn't taste all that great. Cooking a wide variety of meals without gluten and high-FODMAP foods is really difficult, so I give them props for having so many options that, for the most part, are satisfying.