Using a meal delivery service can simplify your everyday life by allowing you to stock up on meals, prepare them quickly after a long workday, and have little to no cleanup left afterwards. For folks on a budget, there are plenty of services that offer both prepared meals and meal kits for a reasonable price. As a busy professional, your time and your money are valuable, and one of these meal delivery services may be just what you need to ensure you’re getting maximum value from both.
We tested and selected the five cheapest meal delivery services of the year, weighing both the overall value and cost rather than simply choosing the cheapest option. Our testers and team considered factors such as ease of preparation, taste, portion size, and customization, all of which factored into our ratings.
Cheapest Meal Delivery Service of 2026
- Best Cheap Meal Delivery Service Overall: Home Chef
- Best Cheap Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Factor
- Best Cheap Meal Delivery Service for Singles: EveryPlate
- Best Healthy Cheap Meal Delivery Service: HelloFresh
- Best Cheap Plant-Based Meal Delivery Service: Dinnerly
Cheapest Meal Delivery Services Comparison Table
Best Cheap Meal Delivery Service Overall: Home Chef
Home Chef
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Home Chef
- Our thoughts: Our team loves that you can swap out ingredients
- Who it’s for: Folks who want a mix of meal types / preparation
- What makes it different: You can remove individual ingredients from recipes
Pros
- User-friendly website and app
- Customizable recipes
- You can mix meal preparation methods
Cons
- Has a minimum weekly order spend
- Limited plant-forward recipes
- Portions may be too small for some folks
Our Thoughts on Home Chef
Home Chef is our pick for the best cheap meal delivery service overall because its basic meals start at $9.99 as of this writing. The brand does have a minimum weekly spend, which is about $50.95 for the regular plan. Home Chef has multiple choices for meal preparation style, ranging from heat-and-eat microwave meals to oven-ready meals, or full meal prep kits.
Kayla tested Home Chef and rated her general ordering experience a 5 out of 5. “The UX of the website is great and easy to use. You can change the cadence of how often you receive your meals, ranging from weekly to monthly,” she said. “You can also customize your meals and swap out protein types, as well as different ingredients.”
“I love the booklet provided with the instructions,” Kayla said. “The prep time does seem very quick for the amount of steps, but nothing is hard to do.” She loved that the instructions help you manage your time. Everything she received was pre-portioned, so her prep was limited to cutting mushrooms and chives. She rated the preparation process and the instructions a 4 out of 5.
Our tester liked all of the options she could choose from, rating customization a 4 out of 5. “You can customize this kit more than some of the other ones I’ve tried–you can switch out specific ingredients and protein, which is great,” she said.
Kayla noted that there were multiple different meal plans to choose from. Keep in mind that allergen information is provided, but the brand does not claim full allergen-safe/certified allergen-free facility use, so folks with severe allergies may still be at risk.
Her delivery experience was excellent, earning a 5 out of 5 rating. “Delivery was super smooth–my meals came the day it was scheduled to, and I was even able to schedule a specific time for it to be delivered, which is rare,” she said. Her meals were properly packaged and ice kept everything cold throughout the whole delivery process. “It was fresh, cold, and I had no problems with the packaging,” Kayla added.
Best Cheap Prepared Meal Delivery Service: Factor
Factor
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Factor
- Our thoughts: We love the variety of flavor profiles and cuisine
- Who it’s for: Folks who want prepared meals ready in under three minutes
- What makes it different: Meals are created by chefs and dietitian-approved
Pros
- Macro options can help support weight loss goals
- Large rotating menu
- Ready in under three minutes
Cons
- No customization available
- Vegan and gluten-free options are limited
- Some meals are high in sodium
Our Thoughts on Factor
Factor is our pick for the best cheap prepared meal delivery service because their meals start at $10.99 as of this writing, depending on the number of meals you order per week. Shipping isn’t free though, and is around $10.99 per box. The brand often runs promotions and discounts which can help reduce the cost further. And, the meals are chef-crafted and dietitian-reviewed, which adds to their value.
Taylor tested Factor and shared his feedback with us, rating the meal plan availability a 4 out of 5. When signing up the service, he responded to their questions about his health and macro goals. “The questions weren’t as detailed as I would think would be necessary to fully customize a plan, but the brand was able to provide options like high protein, keto, paleo, and more,” he said.
He rated the prep and instructions for the meals as very clear; rating them a 5 out of 5. “The meal had very detailed instructions to heat up the food. I felt like the time was not accurate for the microwave option and leaned more towards cooking times for frozen meals. However, their directions state to keep them refrigerated so the cook time was a bit of overkill and made my meals too hot,” he said.
Taylor thought the meals he tried were very flavorful, especially considering they were prepared meals. “They were all well-seasoned, and the meals weren’t soupy as I’ve experienced with some other meal delivery options,” he said.
“Some of the meals also had a sauce or butter added, which was great for extra flavor,” Taylor wrote. “While I enjoy a meat, carb, and veggie meal option, sometimes you need a little extra seasoning or sauce to make it really tasty–and Factor did a great job of that.”
Looking to lose weight with the help of prepared meals? Factor is our top pick for weight loss.
Best Cheap Meal Delivery Service for Singles: EveryPlate
EveryPlate
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at EveryPlate
- Our thoughts: The produce is incredibly fresh–farmer’s market quality!
- Who it’s for: Budget-conscious solo diners
- What makes it different: It’s the cheapest meal delivery service on our list, by far
Pros
- Simple, six-step recipes
- You can swap proteins or sides
- Less plastic waste than other meal kits’ packaging
Cons
- No gluten-free, keto, or paleo plans
- Prep time may not match what’s advertised
- Menu may be repetitive
Our Thoughts on EveryPlate
EveryPlate is our pick for the best affordable meal delivery service for singles because its low per-serving pricing makes home-cooked dinners affordable without sacrificing taste. It’s a great way for solo diners to keep costs down while still delivering filling, easy-to-follow recipes that fit neatly into your routine. As of this writing, the brand is running a promo that makes the meals even more affordable—get the meals for $2.99 each for the first box, and 10% off next month.
Kate tested EveryPlate, rating the price per serving as a 5 out of 5. For the base plan, it costs $6.63 per meal, which is the most affordable plan on our list.
The preparation and cooking process wasn’t the easiest, but Kate said it wasn’t overly challenging either, rating it a 3.5 out of 5. “As someone who isn’t the biggest chef, it was a bit overwhelming and definitely took me longer than the 30 minutes advertised,” she said. Kate thinks that someone who is comfortable in the kitchen would have no problem, as there weren’t a ton of ingredients or prep, but it is more work than a prepared meal.
She rated portion size a 3 out of 5, saying it fell short of what would be needed for two people. “It was great for one person with slight leftovers, but for two, this was not enough food—I’d definitely be hungry if I had to split this evenly with another person,” Kate said.
However, we think the portion size would be perfect for someone dining solo, as you might have some leftovers, but you’ll be full with a two-person portion.
Kate was wowed by the ingredient quality; rating it a 5 out of 5. “These ingredients looked like they were picked from my backyard garden. The brown paper bag came full of fresh potatoes, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsley, and fruit,” she said.
She felt as if she had strolled through a farmer’s market and picked everything out herself, writing: “The lemon sat in my fridge for about four days, and even then, it was fresh and juicy. This produce was better than some of what I’ve bought at the grocery store!”
Best Healthy Cheap Meal Delivery Service: HelloFresh
HelloFresh
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at HelloFresh
- Our thoughts: Our tester loved the high-quality ingredients she was sent
- Who it’s for: Folks who want healthy labels on their meals to help them choose
- What makes it different: Wellness-focused meals, like grain bowls, fish and veg, and other meals that focus on whole food ingredients
Pros
- Easy to follow instructions with photos of each step
- You can mix and match both prepared meals and meal kits
- Ingredients are high-quality
Cons
- Some meal kit recipes require multiple dishes and equipment
- Not for beginners
- Some recipes are very rich (calories over 800, high sodium)
Our Thoughts on HelloFresh
HelloFresh is our pick for the best healthy and cheap meal delivery service because the brand has special labeling for their more health-focused recipes. Some of the tags include “Calorie Smart” and “Protein Smart” which are both under the brand’s “Fit and Wholesome” plan. These healthier meals focus on oodles of vegetables along with lean proteins, remaining under 650 calories where possible.
Gwen tested HelloFresh, rating the price as a 4 out of 5. Meals range from $8.99 to $12.49, which is on the lower end of the price spectrum for these services.
She rated the meal plans for specific diets as a 5 out of 5, saying, “HelloFresh offers a lot of customization options for different allergies, dietary restrictions, health or fitness goals.” It’s also easy to access nutrition information for the meals on the website and app. Gwen said that most of the ingredients also came with labels on them.
After cooking some meals, she rated the overall taste of HelloFresh options as a 4.5 out of 5. “The flavor was really impressive,” Gwen said. “I made a honey soy chicken with rice dish, and then a chicken buffalo wrap—both tasted like something I’d order at a takeout spot.” She was also pleased with the freshness of all of the ingredients.
There was a good amount of prep involved for Gwen to make her chosen meals. “I had to bread chicken for one of the meals, and do both baking and frying at the same time,” she said. “I also went through a good amount of dishes, so I wouldn’t recommend this to folks who don’t have a dishwasher.” That being said, Gwen found the steps to be simple to follow. She did note that the meals took her longer to prepare than advertised by the brand.
Gwen recommends going with a prepared meal instead of a meal kit if you are on a time crunch or want to put in less effort. She used this as a fun date night activity and felt it was a great time.
Best Cheap Plant-Based Meal Delivery Service: Dinnerly
Dinnerly
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Dinnerly
- Our thoughts: Our tester loved the variety of vegetables she received
- Who it’s for: Folks focused on a plant-forward way of eating
- What makes it different: Sustainable and environmentally friendly recipes are labeled as Climate Hero
Pros
- Extensive, frequently rotating menu
- Wide variety of plans to choose from
- Climate hero label on sustainable meals
Cons
- Meals may take longer to make than advertised
- Meals are not bagged individually; box can arrive unorganized
- Portions may be too small for some folks
Our Thoughts on Dinnerly
Dinnerly is our pick for the best affordable plant-based meal delivery service. The brand offers a mix of at least 18 vegan and vegetarian meal options each week. Dinnerly also shares ingredient list for each of their meals on their ingredient hub, in case you’d like to know exactly what’s in each item.
Beth tested Dinnerly, rating the price of the meals a 4 out of 5. Each meal cost $8.99, along with shipping, which is a $10.99 flat fee.
Her ordering experience was a breeze; she rated it a 5 out of 5. “The weekly recipes are laid out very simply, allowing you to click each option to see detailed ingredients and the time commitment. It’s easy to skip shipments or edit delivery times,” she said. Beth also appreciated that it is easy to find information about past orders and invoices on Dinnerly’s website. And, you can set your preferences to dietary choices such as vegetarian-friendly, gluten-free, low calorie, and more.
Beth rated taste and flavor a 5 out of 5. “My meal took me about 50 minutes to make, but I found the recipe easy to follow and the output was even better than expected. I loved the variety of vegetables,” she said. She found the quality to be equal to HelloFresh, which she’s tried before.
Our tester felt good about the portion size, which was for two people. She thinks that her boyfriend probably could’ve eaten more, and they both cleaned their plates. “You can customize the serving size if you want more, but that adds to the cost. We had dessert afterwards, because we were still a tiny bit snacky, but could have gone to bed feeling satisfied,” she said.
Other Cheap Meal Delivery Services We Tested
We tested over ten cheap meal delivery services, including the most popular brands on the market. Here are a few that didn’t make our list and why:
- Green Chef: Our tester noted that the meals took longer than the thirty-five minutes listed to cook the meals.
- Purple Carrot: Our tester liked some of the dishes, but most of them lacked seasoning or the texture was off.
How We Tested and Selected the Cheapest Meal Delivery Services
We tested and ranked cheap meal delivery services and scored them on a scale of 1-5 for factors such as UX of the brand’s website/app, ease of ordering, taste and flavor, portion size, packaging, and value. Our testers evaluated the products based on their own individual experiences and preferences. We then review their testing feedback and data to share our findings and recommendations with you.
Cost and Value
When it comes to selecting the best cheapest meal delivery services, we considered both overall value and cost instead of simply choosing the service that has the lowest price. Our testers and team evaluated ease of preparation, taste, portion size, and customization, all of which factored into our ratings.
Plans and Customization
When examining available meal plans, we check how many meals the delivery services offer per week, and if ingredients can be excluded depending on specific dietary needs or restrictions. We also check to see if double protein can be added, if meals can be tailored to individual family members, and how easy it is to delay or modify an order.
Taste
Flavor and taste are a huge part of our testing process, especially when it comes to meal delivery services. Our testers rate the flavor on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best, and provide feedback on how specific meals tasted, the texture, sauces and seasonings, freshness of produce, and more.
Meal Variety
We review the types of meals (meal kits, prepared meals, oven-ready meals, groceries, etc.), along with specific diet plans (keto, gluten-free, GLP-1 friendly, paleo, heart healthy, and more). We also make note of how many meals are available from the meal delivery service brands, which is especially important for families. We look to see if meals are repeated week over week, or if you’ll get more variety when selecting meals.
Ordering Process
Our testers provide feedback on how user-friendly a cheap meal delivery service’s website is, how easy or difficult it is to order, and if they can see the menu and options ahead of putting in their payment information. If needed, we also communicate with the brand’s customer service. We also check to see if the brand has an app and test its functionality.
Ingredient Quality
We look for cheap meal delivery services that offer fresh ingredients, focus on sustainably sourced meat and seafood, and provide additional information on where the ingredients originated. Our team also checks that quality is not sacrificed for the sake of a lower-costing meal.
Protip: Keep in mind that some meal delivery services charge a flat fee for shipping, so you may pay the price of another meal (around $10.99) to get your meals sent to you. Check the brand’s website for the shipping before signing up to avoid any surprises!
How to Find the Best Cheap Meal Delivery Service
There are many affordable meal delivery services available these days. Brands often run promotions, whether it be for new customers or to get you to reactivate your subscription and return to using their service. Here’s how to choose the best affordable meal delivery service for you.
Dietary Variety and Meal Options
You may want to prioritize different types of meal options when shopping, such as choosing between meal kits (which take about 30-40 minutes to cook with fresh, portioned ingredients) and prepared meals, which are typically re-heated in the microwave for three minutes or less.
Many cheap meal delivery services offer a mix of both types of meals. You can also shop by cuisine or dietary needs, such as high-protein, high-fiber, low-carb, and more. It’s now very easy to order meals that fit both your diet and lifestyle!
Ingredient Quality
We recommend choosing a meal delivery service that’s transparent about their ingredient sourcing, added sugars, calories, and quality. Some meal delivery services have an ingredient hub or detailed ingredient list for each recipe on their website–it’s worth looking into, especially if you have allergies or want sustainably sourced seafood and proteins.
Prep Process
Prepared meal kits take only a few minutes to heat in the microwave. Meal kits can be more complicated and involve prepping (such as cutting vegetables or breading chicken), cooking time, and cleaning up. Before purchasing a meal kit, we recommend checking how much prep is involved in the meals and considering how much time you’re able to spend cooking.
Cost
Meal delivery services generally cost between $8 and $16 per meal. Many offer discounts if you purchase more meals at a time. Brands frequently have great introductory offers which can help you save more money upfront when you want to try out a meal delivery service for the first time. They often offer discounts if you’ve cancelled or taken several weeks off from the service, as well, to return.
Benefits of Cheap Meal Delivery Services
Affordable meal delivery services have multiple benefits, and can sometimes cost less than groceries. Here are some benefits:
- Convenience: Skip making a grocery list, shopping, prep, and cleanup by buying cheap prepared meals
- Dietary selection: If you have allergies or are following a particular way of eating, many cheap meal delivery services have options to customize your meals
- Reduce food waste: Meal kits only come with the amount of ingredients that you will actually use, so you won’t be wasting any extra foods
Frequently asked questions
What is the best and cheapest meal delivery service?
Home Chef is our pick for the best cheap meal delivery service overall because its basic meals start at $9.99 as of this writing. The brand does have a minimum weekly spend, which is about $50.95 for the regular plan. Home Chef has multiple choices for meal preparation style, ranging from heat-and-eat microwave meals to oven-ready meals, or full meal prep kits.
Who has the lowest fees for food delivery?
Dinnerly has the lowest delivery fees as of this analysis; it costs $9.99 to have their meal delivery service sent to you.
Are meal kits really cheaper than groceries?
Buying groceries is usually cheaper than a meal delivery service, but various factors can change this, such as grocery store availability, cost of the meal delivery service, area where you live, and more.
