I was recently asked if I could recommend any healthy meal delivery services. This industry has certainly grown since the first company called Middagsfrid was launched in 2007 in Sweden by Kicki Theander. I reached out to members of the Zing community for the suggestions in this SmartBite.
With the latest round of restrictions on restaurants, meal delivery services are a good way to prepare new and interesting food at home. While people tend to tire of them in the long run, any of these services are worth a try, especially if you are tight on time or want to avoid the grocery store.
Recommendations
Sun Basket. This meal delivery service provides fresh and sustainable ingredients and easy to follow recipes every month. There are a lot of different options (e.g., Mediterranean, vegetarian, low calorie, etc.) and it is suitable for couples, families, or single individuals. There are meal kits that can be made in 15-40 minutes, as well as fresh & ready options available in 6 minutes. Many people object to these meal delivery services because there is so much packaging, but at least Sun Basket uses recyclable and compostable packaging.
HungryRoot. This is a hybrid meal delivery service and grocery store. You choose the foods you like to eat such as gluten free pasta and chicken, and they provide the ingredients and simple to follow recipes. All can be made in one pot or pan in 10 minutes. The service includes a wide range of plant-based options as well as meat.
Blue Apron. This was one of the first delivery services providing “easy to prep” meals, but note that I put quotes around “easy.” My husband and I tried it for about 8 months but found that the meal prep became a chore. The recipes were high in calories, and we had to get three dinners a week, which was just too much. Since then, the company has modified the options to include vegetarian foods and only two meal deliveries a week.
Daily Harvest. If you want really fast meals, this is an option. The foods are all plant-based and include flatbreads, harvest bowls, and soups. There are also smoothies, but from a nutrition perspective these typically have too much sugar. If you choose a smoothie, make sure it includes greens, not just fruit.
GoodEggs.com. Good Eggs is slightly different than the options above because it is a farmer market food delivery service that also has prepared meal options. So you could do grocery shopping and get healthy meals. When you visit their site, check out Meal Kits. I liked these because they are healthy and easy, but a little prep is required. I considered using this service, but when I looked at the recipes thought, “I can just make it myself.” Delivery is limited to the San Francisco Bay area.