The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team researches these products & services and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made through links included.
The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team extensively researches and tests the products & services shared and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made. Learn more about how we test products and write reviews. NCOA does not receive a commission for purchases. If you find these resources useful, consider donating to NCOA.
A healthy diet and regular exercise can offset some of the chronic conditions associated with aging, such as osteoporosis, cognitive decline, and poor sleep. But getting adequate nutrition takes time and energy. You may enjoy planning, shopping, prepping, and cooking healthy meals, or you may prefer to cut out a few steps. This is where meal delivery services can make the process smoother and potentially get you out of a cooking rut.
Emily Van Eck, RD, a registered dietitian who sees clients through Emily Van Eck Nutrition & Wellness, loves how meal kits might introduce you to new flavors, ingredients, or combinations. “We often get bored making the same meals night after night. A meal kit can shake things up while still giving you the necessary macronutrients and vitamins,” she said.
What matters to many people is the cost of food. In an April 2024 survey of 600 people who have subscribed to meal kits, 56% of respondents said the cost of meal kits was a factor in canceling their subscription. We looked for less expensive options and found some good contenders.
Best Cheap Meal Delivery Service Overall: CookUnity
When cost is a consideration, the best meal delivery service is CookUnity, because this prepared meal delivery service provides budget-friendly meals that are full of flavor and variety. Subscribers can order four to 16 meals per week.
| Starting cost per serving | $11.09 | $4.99 | $4.99 | $7.99 | $9.99 |
| Shipping cost | $9.99 | $8.99; first delivery is free | $11.99 | $10.99 | $10 |
| Availability | Contiguous United States except Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia | Contiguous United States | Contiguous United States | Contiguous United States | Contiguous United States and select ZIP codes in Alaska and Hawaii |
| Diet or food allergy options | Vegetarian, vegan, low carbs, keto diet, gluten-free, < 600 calories, paleo | Meat and veggie, vegetarian, family favorites, quick and easy, low-calorie | Low-carb, low-calorie, vegan, vegetarian, and picky eater | Wellness, low-calorie, low-carb, fast, family-friendly, and vegetarian | Meat and veggies, vegetarian, pescatarian, family-friendly, fast & easy, fit and wholesome |
| Cancellation method | Website | Website | Website or app | Via phone, email, app, or website | Website |
New users can sign up for CookUnity on their website or using their mobile app, which is available for download on Apple and Android devices. After collecting identifying information, CookUnity will ask you about your taste and dietary preferences, your favorite proteins, and how many meals you would like to receive each month. Using this information, CookUnity will suggest meals for your upcoming delivery, but you can also select your own meals.
We particularly liked the search function, which allows you to filter meal options based on your dietary preferences, type of protein, health goals, and more. Once you’ve made your choices, you can select your preferred delivery day, but there is no way to schedule a delivery time. Instead, CookUnity delivers within a large window of time on your chosen day.
Our testers tried several CookUnity prepared meals, including the Crispy Chicken Cutlet with Za’atar Rainbow Potatoes, Three-Cheese Tortellini with Shrimp, and Chipotle-Maple Glazed Salmon. All of the meals came with everything you need to heat and serve them, and our tester said everything arrived fresh and looked great.
Our tester enjoyed many of the meals, including the Three-Cheese Tortellini with Shrimp.
“This was one of my favorites. The tortellini and shrimp tasted great and there was the perfect amount of parmesan to spring on top.”
Our tester noted that not all the ingredients seemed to heat up well in the microwave.
“ I liked the Chipotle-Maple Glazed Salmon. The salmon tasted really fresh, but the green beans didn’t heat up in the microwave well.”
To sign up and select meals, subscribers can visit the website or the app, which they can download to an Apple or Android device. On the website, EveryPlate is actively trying to ensure the website is accessible to all visitors and encourages people who visit the website or the app to contact customer service if something is not accessible visually or when using a screen reader, magnifying glass, or other assistive technology. Some of the orange font on the recipe card was hard to read.
Our testers tried several recipes, including “BBQ Sweet Potato and Corn Tacos,” “Sweet and Saucy Soy Garlic Chicken,” and “Sweet ‘n Tangy Cherry Meatballs.” Not everything you need is in the box, and our tester needed ketchup and butter, for example. Our tester noticed that not all items had expiration dates on them.
Some recipes took a few minutes longer than the recipe called for, but nothing too extreme, and the instructions were easy to follow.
Of the cherry meatballs, our tester said, “It was relatively easy to make. I am very much a beginner in the kitchen, and I was able to follow all of the steps with ease.”
To sign up and select meals, subscribers can visit the website or the Dinnerly app, which they can download to an Apple or Android device.
Our tester ordered a variety of meals with proteins and vegetables from different cuisines, including Indian and Korean dishes. Overall, our tester made four meals that each served four people, with a standout meal being the Mediterranean chicken pita/pizza (pitza), which only took 15 minutes to make. In fact, it took five minutes less to make than the recipe card estimated. This may be ideal for home chefs who desire convenience and time savings when preparing meals.
“This meal is delish and easy to make! It’s ideal for a busy weeknight when you want something delicious and simple that doesn’t require dirtying several pots or pans.” Our tester doesn’t love extensive chopping, but the only chopping required was cubing a cucumber, making the prep speedy and easy.
Everything included in this meal was pre-proportioned and required very little prep, according to our tester. “There was no marinating or extensive chopping. While cooking, I did not use the entire cucumber or the entire bowl of sauce, so I had leftovers for other meals throughout the week.”
Some ingredients are already peeled, chopped, and ready to cook, and you’ll find a variety of prepared meal options each week in the “Heat & Eat” section of the website or on the app, which you can download to any Apple or Android device.
For the “Heat & Eat” meals, all you need to do is heat them up in the microwave. For the meal kits, most can be ready in fewer than 45 minutes, but many are ready faster in about 25 minutes.
Our tester said the instructions were straightforward, although she would have preferred a larger font on the recipe card. However, the temperatures in the recipe were a bit too high and may cause food to burn for some, depending on their oven and pans. She cooked the chicken in a pan on medium heat, not medium-high, as instructed.
“I really liked this meal. Everything came out well, and it was relatively simple and quick. I would definitely make this again. With the butter and mascarpone cheese, the mashed potatoes were restaurant quality. The sauce was very good, too.”
– From our tester
Ordering on the website was quick and easy. Subscribers can also manage their accounts, select meals, and interact with customer service from the Apple or Android app. Ordering was a snap. Our tester was able to choose the day of her delivery but not the time of day, as Dinnerly allows, and her first delivery arrived after she would normally feed her family.
Our tester’s food arrived in a paper bag, unlike the other meal kits, which arrived in cardboard boxes with multiple freezer bags and insulation. She was concerned the bag contained just one ice pack, which could ruin a meal that sits on your step on a hot day. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a helpful video about food safety when shopping for meal kits.
Our tester was happy with the condition of the fresh produce and proteins. She and her family tried several different meals, including pork chops with roasted Brussels sprouts.
“I was surprised at how fresh the produce was,” said our tester. “At times, it looked nicer than what I would find at my local grocery store. Even things like scallions, which are fragile, were immaculate.”
At first glance, the recipe looked complicated, but our tester was pleasantly surprised by how everything came together at the end of the cooking process. “I would normally be intimidated to cook a pork chop, but the directions were great,” she said. “I was also nervous about doing so many things at once (roasting veggies, making mashed potatoes from scratch, cooking pork, and making a sauce), but the directions spaced everything out really well, so I had time to do one step and let it cook before moving onto the next.”
![Brown sugar bourbon pork chops topped with apples and paired with mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts]](https://d1udq3vihwjgqu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16134705/Final-Meal-Comparison.jpg)
Based on our testing, research, and expert consultations, we determined the following factors to be essential for our readers when signing up for a meal delivery service:
We also have all of our articles medically reviewed by a nutrition expert to ensure the information is appropriate for NCOA readers’ needs.
If you are looking for a way to switch up the recipes you make from week to week, a meal kit delivery service may be right for you. If you just want something quick and easy, a prepared meal delivery may be the best option. Some services like Blue Apron offer both meal kits and prepared meals that you can combine in your order.
It’s important to consider certain conditions like diabetes, allergies, or other dietary restrictions when researching a meal delivery service. Dinnerly and Blue Apron offer low-carb meal plans that would be appropriate for someone with diabetes or weight loss goals. It’s important, though, to be careful about possible cross-contamination of ingredients you’re allergic to. While a meal may not contain dairy, nuts, or gluten, it may have been prepped in a kitchen where it could have come into contact with dairy, gluten, or nut products. Contact the company’s customer support team to ask any questions about specific diets.
If you’re looking to feed a family, HelloFresh offers the most meals per week (six) with multiple servings each meal and offers instructions for making additional portions. Make sure you know exactly how many people will be eating the meals and how often to determine the best service for you. You may just want to order dinners a few times per week to accommodate your schedule.
Before deciding on a service, consider your budget. Most meal delivery services offer a discount on the first few meals, so you can try them at a lower cost before committing. Also, ordering more meals at one time can sometimes lower the cost per serving. If you are looking for organic options or top steak cuts, those options will cost more.
Meal delivery services provide a way to change up your cooking routine, and we’ve reviewed some that won’t break your budget. Whether you want to cut down on trips to the grocery store or simply need prepared meals to heat in the microwave, our Reviews Team likes CookUnity as the best cheap meal delivery service overall. Starting at just $11.09 per serving, this meal delivery service is an excellent option for people looking for convenience at an affordable cost.
We also like Dinnerly for people who eat a varied diet and have a changing schedule because you can choose the time your delivery arrives. If you’re looking for a low-calorie meal, Blue Apron can accommodate you. For families who need a few more portions, HelloFresh would be our top recommendation.
We chose CookUnity as the best cheap meal delivery service overall because of its low $11.09 price per serving and the high quality of its meals.
Yes, using a meal delivery service can save you money on gas by eliminating the need to drive to the grocery store and buy ingredients you don’t frequently use or in amounts beyond what your recipes call for.
Yes, meal delivery services are less expensive than eating at most restaurants because you’re only paying for the food and sometimes delivery. At a restaurant, you are paying for the experience, the ambiance, and the service.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
