Regardless of your skill level in the kitchen, healthy food delivery services can be a game-changer for anyone, especially if you have limited time to shop and cook at home during the week. The best meal delivery services make prep painless and use good-for-you ingredients to make you feel better, whether you’re trying a new diet, fueling a fitness plan, or being a picky eater (or any combination of the three). ).
A quick search will bring up dozens of options, and with all these brands vying for your attention, it’s hard to choose the right option. No more poring over one-page recipes to get delicious meals on the table; here’s everything you need to know before choosing one, according to nutrition experts, plus a guide to the best options on the market right now, including many we’ve tested for ourselves.
Our top picks
Are food delivery services better than eating out?
“Unfortunately, not always,” says Karman Meyer, RDNculinary nutrition coach and author of The All DASH Diet Meal Prep Cookbook. “It might seem like cooking a meal, mostly from scratch, at home would automatically be lower in calories, lower in total fat, and just plain better for you. But it really depends on the meals you choose as part of your meal kit and the type of dish you choose at the restaurant.
Tiffany Ma, RDN, says that to make sure you’re actually getting something healthy, it’s worth doing a little extra research: look at each brand’s philosophy and mission statement and see how serious they are about the provision of nutritious rather than simply convenient meals. Before selecting your foods, Meyer recommends taking a quick look at their nutritional values to make sure they match what you want to eat.
Additionally, if you end up choosing a service that delivers ready-to-eat meals instead of kits or ingredients, both experts recommend looking closely at the amount of salt in each dish. “The higher sodium content of some of these convenience foods may be a concern for those with high blood pressure or concerned about their blood pressure,” Ma warns, even though they are low in calories or fat. .