Meal delivery services have been growing in popularity over the years, especially during the coronavirus pandemic when we were all avoiding shopping in person. But these handy services are here to stay and as well as offering a break from standing in front of the fridge deciding what to cook, they're also a great way of reducing food waste.
While you'll no doubt have heard of one or two of the meal delivery services in our round-up below, there really is so much choice, whether you're after vegetarian recipes, vegan recipes or looking to lose weight. Some will send ready-made meals that simply require popping in the microwave while others come with pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards to create your delicious dishes from scratch.
The best meal delivery services
Hello Fresh
You've no doubt seen the adverts for Hello Fresh. The rolling weekly meal kit delivery service has no minimum term or commitment and you can choose what goes in your box and when you want it and they will deliver all the fresh ingredients to you. You can skip a week, cancel or change anything at the touch of a button.
Price: £39.48 for four recipes for two people per week or £57.98 for four people
Allplants
This plant-based subscription service allows you to pick between over 100 nourishing meals where dishes include Teriyaki Udon and Lentil + Chutney Chana Bowl. You then choose between a serving size for one or two people. We love that you can return any packaging to Allplants for free and they'll reuse it again and again.
Price: £6.75 per serving + delivery of £4.99
Green Chef
Keto-friendly Green Chef helps you get the right portion size, carbs, protein, fats and calories to eat in line with your personal health goals. Start by picking a diet preference, or mix and match tasty nutritionist-designed recipes to fit your lifestyle and then just wait for your tasty delivery.
Price: 4 people, 4 meals a week – £4.70 per serving + £3.99 shipping
Gousto
One of the most popular options along with Hello Fresh, Gousto is a recipe box delivery service where you choose up to four dishes from 75+ recipes which are updated weekly. Your box is then delivered straight to your front door and contains fresh ingredients measured out and ready for cooking alongside step-by-step recipe cards.
Price: £34.99 for four recipes for two people per week or £50.25 for four people
Pasta Evangelists
A meal delivery service that specialises in authentic pasta dishes? We're sold! Pasta Evangelist will send you everything you need to make restaurant-quality pasta from fresh, at home. Choose from 15 delicious recipes and the day you want them delivered and that's it! Better yet, many of the recipes are ready within just five minutes.
Reviewed by Digital Writer Emily Gilbert: "The varied choice of mouth-watering pasta dishes from Pasta Evangelist made picking my recipes really difficult! I was really impressed with how quick, easy and tasty it was to produce a hearty meal in less than 10 minutes - which makes a huge difference when you've had a long day at work. Be sure to add on a dessert when ordering too, the Italian Profiterole Cup with Cioccolato & Cream is divine!"
Price: From £7.80 per portion
Mindful Chef
For this healthy meal delivery service, choose from one to four people boxes then build up your box of between two to five recipes of which there are 20 options to choose between. Recipes are pre-portioned and contain ethically sourced ingredients
Price: £88.50 for four recipes for four people
Diet Chef
The basic premise of Diet Chef is that you calculate how many calories you should consume to sensibly lose weight (using the Body Mass Index measurer on the website), then you are sent a hamper packed with breakfast, lunches and dinners plus snacks to help you achieve it. The pouches and ready meals do not need chilling as they have been specially cooked at a high temperature to enable them to be kept in a cupboard.
Price: Core plan for women: £245 for 4 weeks' worth
Balance Box
Choose what style of food box you prefer and what portion size you want, then Balance Box's nutritionists and chefs will freshly prepare your menu and meals which are delivered directly to you. Your box will include breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks per day allowing you to eat healthier without the stress or time constraints of counting calories.
Price: From £26.99 per day
Prep Kitchen
If you're trying to lose fat or gain muscle, Prep Kitchen is for you. Define your goal then choose meals from the biweekly rotating menu. There's no cooking involved, simply reheat in the microwave or oven and enjoy!
Price: £37.50 for 5 meals, £62.50 for 10 meals
TYME
TYME supplies ready-to-eat food and beverages, all of which are plant-based and packed full of plant-based fibres. The minimum order spend for a Flexi-box is £30 and all boxes have free delivery. Dishes are rotated throughout the year with new options released to suit the seasons.
Price: From £30
Riverford
Best known for their seasonal fruit and veg boxes, did you know Riverford also do their own recipe boxes too? Choose from a variety of seasonal recipes each week and they'll deliver simple step-by-step instructions from their own farm chefs, and exact quantities of every organic ingredient.
Price: From £13.45 per meal for two
Detox Kitchen
Select from six nutritionally balanced and healthy meal plans and receive ready-to-eat meals to your home. You'll receive all the food and drink you need for the day - even pudding! Unfortunately, this service is for London postcodes only.
Price: From £31.45 - £42 per day
Potage
Stock up your freezer with Potage's frozen meals which can be cooked in minutes. Seasonal, balanced and handmade, options include meals like classic fish pie and courgette, broad bean and ricotta cannelloni. You can also pick from one serving or two and can enjoy zero waste or washing up.
Price: From £6.95 for one meal
The Good Prep
Pick a plan that works best for your needs, activity level and schedule then choose your meals, made with delicious, fresh ingredients. You can add on snacks and juices and you'll receive everything in twice-weekly deliveries.
Price: From £132 per plan