Meal delivery services can be a weeknight dinner game changer, adding culinary inspiration and healthy food options to your recipe repertoire. They also provide flexibility for households that need to pause or change meal plans, dietary preferences or cooking times.
Food delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats allow customers to order take-out from restaurants and have it delivered by the restaurant or their own delivery agents. They operate on a subscription business model.
Meal Kits
Meal kit services provide all the ingredients and recipes you need to make a complete meal. They usually come in two or four-person portions, but some have single-serving options as well. Many of the best meal delivery services are healthy and offer vegetarian or vegan meals. They may also cater to dietary preferences such as low-calorie or gluten-free.
You can find the best meal kit service for you by considering how much time you want to spend in the kitchen each week. You should also consider the amount of food you want to receive each week. Some meal kit services will only send one meal per week, while others will send multiple dishes that can be stored in the fridge until you are ready to eat them.
Another important factor is whether you prefer a specific type of cuisine. You can find meal delivery services that specialize in dishes from a particular country or region, such as Mexican, Italian, or Asian cuisines. You can also find services that cater to a certain lifestyle, such as Paleo or ketogenic diets.
Once you’ve narrowed down the options, check to see how convenient and flexible each company is when it comes to managing your deliveries. For example, check to see if you can skip or pause deliveries, and if you can choose the day of the week that you’d like to have your meals delivered. You should also check to see if each meal kit service shares nutrition information for its meals.
Semi-Prepared Meals
As a working mom, dietitian and foodie, Stefani Sassos uses meal delivery services a few times a week for healthy, ready-to-eat meals that cut back on time spent in the kitchen. But not all meals are created equal. She keeps tabs on the latest offerings to find services that offer high-quality, convenient, and affordable options for busy households.
Meal kit delivery services typically send frozen or refrigerated ingredients and instructions for making the dishes on a weekly basis. They also take care of the shopping and preparation, and often provide ice packs to keep food cold during transit.
Many of these services are curated by chefs and dietitians, allowing you to select from a menu that suits your dietary needs and preferences. You can also find options designed to help you eat more plant-based foods, manage your weight and carb intake, or follow other special diets.
Prepared meal delivery services differ from traditional meal kits in that they provide fully cooked, heat-and-eat meals delivered to your doorstep. They are perfect for those who prefer not to put in the work of meal delivery service or don’t have access to a kitchen. For example, Hungryroot offers prepared meals for one person with a focus on clean eating and a zero-waste supply chain. Another newcomer to the category is Mosaic, which focuses on preserving meal ingredients and eliminating food waste by preparing fresh meals and freezing them at their peak, then shipping them to your home in reusable containers. The company’s menu includes oat bowl breakfasts, smoothies, soups and veggie bowls—plus “family meals” that can feed four people for less per person than you would spend on other meal kits.
Fully Prepared Meals
Whether you want to add new foods to your diet, are a foodie looking for culinary inspiration or simply don’t have the time to cook on a regular basis, using a meal delivery service can help you make healthier eating a reality. These services range from guided cooking kits to fully prepared, individually portioned meals delivered right to your door.
The best heat-and-eat meal delivery services for your healthy diet will depend on your preferences, including what kind of dietary plan you follow and any dietary restrictions you have. The best prepared meal delivery services are those that offer a wide selection of menu items so you can find something that suits your tastes, while also supporting your nutritional goals and dietary restrictions.
For example, CookUnity is a meal delivery service that offers a variety of meals designed by different chefs from across the country. You can expect to find authentic dishes like Chinese dumplings, tacos and nicoise salad in a single box. Other prepared meal delivery services that deliver delicious and nutritious options include Epicured (a low-FODMAP meal delivery service) and Factor. Many of these services are available through a subscription, and many let you cancel, update or skip meals at your convenience. This can be a great way to test out a meal delivery service before committing long-term.
Customization
If you want to sell personalized meal delivery service online, it’s important to provide customers with a wide range of options and convenience. This will help attract customers and ensure that they’re able to find a plan that meets their dietary needs and preferences.
Some meal delivery services allow you to customize your meals based on dietary restrictions, allergies or portion sizes. Once you’ve chosen your meals, you can choose a schedule that suits you and have them delivered to your home or office. The food is typically prepared, pre-packaged and refrigerated before being shipped to the customer.
Other services offer “build-your-own” meal customization, where you can select ingredients to add to a pre-made dish. For example, you can customize a pizza with your favorite toppings or create a salad with a variety of fresh ingredients and dressings. This option is popular with the millennial generation, who love to experiment and enjoy the experience of building their own meals.
Many meal delivery services offer a wide selection of diet-specific meals, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free. However, it’s important to check that the foods used by these services are sourced and processed in clean facilities and adhere to strict allergen standards. If you have any dietary concerns, it’s a good idea to speak to the meal delivery company’s customer support staff before ordering meals.
