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Restaurant-quality meals delivered straight to your door.

The Blue Apron items out of the box on a kitchen counter

Photo:Real Simple

Are any of them worth it?

Some meals took longer than the recipe card said.

This is common with meal kits, though.

Blue Apron Meal Subscription

PHOTO: Blue Apron

All instructions were very easy to follow, and we didnt need much counter space.

There arent many plant-based options that include protein.

It gives you a wide variety of options including meat, fish, and seasonal produce.

A hand using tongs to plate items from the Blue Apron

Our favorite Blue Apron meal was these meatball pita sandwiches.PHOTO: Real Simple

Without tofu or beans, our vegan testers felt there was something left to be desired.

The majority of our bounty was fresh, and we found that cook times were mostly accurate.

With portion sizes for two, there were never any leftovers.

A spatula moving items from the Blue Apron in the pan cooking on a stove

Just note that if you want to cancel, the process isnt very intuitive online.

(We called customer service, and a friendly rep took care of it for us.)

Delivery fees can get pricey depending on where you live, and there arent many non-meat options.

hand putting sheet pan into oven

Your frozen dinner just got a major upgrade.

Petes Real Food uses seasonal produce, antibiotic-free, and free-roaming meat.

The beef is fed alfalfa and clover, and everything is organic when possible.

a hand holding a bowl over a sheet pan of veggies and potatoes

We were pleased with the variety of meal options available, including a wide selection of meats and cuisines.

The portion sizes were filling, too: Each meal had alarge serving of protein and vegetables.

Sometimes, we even had leftovers from our single servings.

a person unpacks a Blue Apron delivery box

Shipping could be a deal breaker depending on where you live.

That said, you could offset the cost by making room in your freezer and buying in bulk.

There arent a lot of vegetarian and vegan options.

everything that comes in a Blue Apron delivery box on a counter

The menu is diverse, with an emphasis on protein-rich meals with easy-to-track macros.

Heres the best part: You dont have to cook.

Everything comes pre-made, and all you have to do is pop it in the microwave for two minutes.

A hand using tongs to plate items from the Blue Apron

(You also have the option of reheating in the oven.)

We typically just add Greek yogurt to some of the meals to increase that.

It feels a little expensive for vegan ingredients.

A spatula moving items from the Blue Apron in the pan cooking on a stove

(In comparison, some meal kits can take around an hour with prep by two people.)

There were few ingredients overall, but when they came together, we were very impressed by the flavors.

That said, the price did feel a little expensive for vegan ingredients.

hand putting sheet pan into oven

You have to pay extra for beef, which isnt something that costs extra with other meal kits.

Easy doesnt mean boring, though.

There were a lot of different meals and cuisines to choose from, and the menu wasnt repetitive.

a hand holding a bowl over a sheet pan of veggies and potatoes

It was convenient that all sauces and broths were pre-made.

(This is common with meal kits, even without a subscription.)

Each dish was satisfying, tooeven the plant-based options.

a person unpacks a Blue Apron delivery box

One of the meals we tried wasnt enough for two people.

Now, its something well confidently add to our cart at the grocery store.

We really liked every single thing we tried, and there were never any leftovers.

everything that comes in a Blue Apron delivery box on a counter

Nothing took longer than an hour to make (the chili only took 20 minutes).

We also took note of how much packaging was involved and whether it was recyclable.

Each meal was cooked according to the instructions provided, and then we ate them.

HelloFresh Subscription

PHOTO: HelloFresh

Did the meal take longer than promised to cook?

Were the instructions clear?

Did the food taste good?

Cooked items from the HelloFresh on a plate

Hello Fresh has vegetarian options, like this rice, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes dish.PHOTO: Real Simple

Did it need additional seasonings, ingredients, or equipment?

Some menus even include dietician-designed meals.

Frozen meals are easy to take from home to warm up at the office, too.

The HelloFresh box on a table next to items from the kit

Shipping is often free for newcomers, but most delivery fees are around $10.99 per delivery.

If you want to fully cancel your subscription, that process should be easy.

We thought the portions were generous and all of the ingredients tasted fresh.

The instruction sheets for recipes in the HelloFresh box on a wooden surface

Sunbasket: Sunbasket stands out for its USDA-certified organic produce.

Most meals took about 30 to 40 minutes to make, though it did require learning some new techniques.

Questions You Might Ask

What is the most affordable meal delivery service?

Bags from the HelloFresh in their shipping box

Organic meats and produce and wild-caught fish usually cost more.

Shipping costs vary, and many services offer special discounts for new customers and those who reactivate old accounts.

Shipping is an additional $10.99 per delivery.

Items from the HelloFresh meal kit on a cutting board on a black surface with instruction sheet

What is the healthiest meal delivery service?

There is no one healthiest meal delivery service, since health means different things to different people.

What is the best meal delivery service for a single person?

Vegetables from the HelloFresh meal kit on a wooden surface

We also testedmeal delivery services for singles.

Check out ourwinners here.

Her current fixation is thiscreamy gnocchi chicken soupand a slice of crusty buttered sourdough bread.

Cooked items from the HelloFresh on a plate

The HelloFresh box on a table next to items from the kit

The instruction sheets for recipes in the HelloFresh box on a wooden surface

Bags from the HelloFresh in their shipping box

Items from the HelloFresh meal kit on a cutting board on a black surface with instruction sheet

Vegetables from the HelloFresh meal kit on a wooden surface

Pete’s Real Food

PHOTO: Pete’s Real Food

Two frozen Pete’s Real Food Meals

Each dish from Pete’s Real Food arrives frozen and can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.PHOTO: Real Simple

A Pete’s Real Food Meal after cooking

Food from the Pete’s Real Food Meals in a bowl

Different flavors of Pete’s Real Food Meals

Food from Pete’s Real Food Meals on a table setting

A Pete’s Real Food Meals with the plastic cover removed

Two frozen Pete’s Real Food Meals

A Pete’s Real Food Meal after cooking

Food from the Pete’s Real Food Meals in a bowl

Different flavors of Pete’s Real Food Meals

Food from Pete’s Real Food Meals on a table setting

A Pete’s Real Food Meals with the plastic cover removed

Eat Clean Bro

PHOTO: Eat Clean Bro

Three Eat Clean Bro meals stacked on top of each other

Eat Clean Bro delivers to most places in the U.S., but you can also get same-day delivery in certain parts of New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.PHOTO: Real Simple

An over head view of two Eat Clean Bro meals in boxes on a table

A meal with made with the Eat Clean Bro kit on a white plate on a red surface

A hand showing a packaged Eat Clean Bro kit

An overhead view of an uncooked Eat Clean Bro box placed on wood

A meal made with the Eat Clean Bro kit plated

Three Eat Clean Bro meals stacked on top of each other

An over head view of two Eat Clean Bro meals in boxes on a table

A meal with made with the Eat Clean Bro kit on a white plate on a red surface

A hand showing a packaged Eat Clean Bro kit

An overhead view of an uncooked Eat Clean Bro box placed on wood

A meal made with the Eat Clean Bro kit plated

Purple Carrot

PHOTO: Purple Carrot

A plated meal made from the Purple Carrot box on a wooden surface

Purple Carrot, with a menu of all-vegan dishes, has inventive concoctions, like this pear flatbread.PHOTO: Real Simple

A meal plated in a bowl filled with cooked ingredients from the Purple Carrot box

Packaged items from the Purple Carrot box on a white surface

Pasta and sauce from the Purple Carrot kit cooking in a pan on a stove

The ingredients for a meal from the Purple Carrot kit on a white surface

A plate filled with cooked ingredients from the Purple Carrot kit

A plated meal made from the Purple Carrot box on a wooden surface

A meal plated in a bowl filled with cooked ingredients from the Purple Carrot box

Packaged items from the Purple Carrot box on a white surface

Pasta and sauce from the Purple Carrot kit cooking in a pan on a stove

The ingredients for a meal from the Purple Carrot kit on a white surface

A plate filled with cooked ingredients from the Purple Carrot kit

Green Chef1

PHOTO: Green Chef

The Green Chef box and its contents on a wooden table

There are plenty of different meal options, including a variety of protein and cuisines.PHOTO: Real Simple

Items from the Green Chef kit in a pot on a stove with a wooden spoon

A spoon in a bowl containing cooked items from the Green Chef kit

Two hands removing bags from the Green Chef box

Cooked items from the Green Chef kit plated on wood

An overhead view of a plated meal made with the Green Chef box ingredients and instructions

The Green Chef box and its contents on a wooden table

Items from the Green Chef kit in a pot on a stove with a wooden spoon

A spoon in a bowl containing cooked items from the Green Chef kit

Two hands removing bags from the Green Chef box

Cooked items from the Green Chef kit plated on wood

An overhead view of a plated meal made with the Green Chef box ingredients and instructions

Home Chef

PHOTO: Home Chef

Food made with ingredients from the Home Chef kit after baking on a sheet

With Home Chef, we were able to work with pastry puff in a completely accessible way, giving our chicken a major upgrade.PHOTO: Real Simple

A spoon in a bowl of cooked ingredients from the Home Chef box

The Home Chef box, instructions, and packaged ingredients on a table

A close-up of ingredient packets from the Home Chef box on a counter

A meal made with ingredients from the Home Chef cooking in a pan

A close-up of cooked items from the Home Chef box in a bowl

Food made with ingredients from the Home Chef kit after baking on a sheet

A spoon in a bowl of cooked ingredients from the Home Chef box

The Home Chef box, instructions, and packaged ingredients on a table

A close-up of ingredient packets from the Home Chef box on a counter

A meal made with ingredients from the Home Chef cooking in a pan

A close-up of cooked items from the Home Chef box in a bowl

A hand holding a Eat Clean Bro kit without film packaging

Real Simple

A plate filled with a meal from the Marley Spoon kit on a wooden table

Cranberry-stuffed pork loin with sweet potato mash and garlic kale—a seasonal offering from Marley Spoon.Real Simple