Here Are the 15 Cheapest Meal Delivery Services for 2021

By Cynthia Bowman

May 24, 2021

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The cheapest meal delivery services manage to balance low cost with fabulous, nutritious meals. They may be the most convenient way to get your next lunch or dinner delivered straight to your door. You’ll save time on doing recipe research and having to go buy all the supplies. Best of all, there is no waste on your budget. If a recipe calls for a handful of carrots, that’s what you’ll get, instead of having to buy a one-pound bag at the supermarket.

Who Are Meal Services Good For?

Meal services are great for everyone. They can work for someone that is:

• Too busy
• Doesn’t like grocery shopping
• On a budget
• Cutting back on eating out
• Wanting to change the way they eat/make healthier choices
• Wanting to learn new recipes
• To break up the same old cooking routine

Cheapest Meal Delivery Companies Overview

Here’s a quick overview of the 15 cheapest meal delivery companies. You’ll notice some specialize in certain types of cuisines.

Best Meal Delivery Services

Take a more in-depth look at the best meal kit delivery kits and how they could simplify your life. You’ll free up your time and energy from some of the most tedious chores you may have to deal with right now — doing groceries and cooking. And hopefully, save money while you’re at it.

1. Blue Apron

Blue Apron provides some of the best meal kit delivery kits of fresh and sustainably sourced ingredients. You’ll receive easy to follow recipe instructions so you can put your meals together in a snap.

How Much Does Blue Apron Delivery Cost?

Starts at $8.99 per serving.

Who Is Blue Apron Best For?

• Best for sustainably conscious people who prefer responsibly grown or harvested food
• Best for diabetics on a strict diet
• Vegetarian, diabetes-friendly, and Weight Watchers-approved kits

2. Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh is one of the best-prepared meal delivery services. Known for flexibility, cancel at any time or skip a week. Plus, there are at least 20 recipes available each week.

How Much Does Hello Fresh Delivery Cost?

Starts at $7.49 per serving

Who Is Hello Fresh Best For?

• Best for low-carb keto and paleo diet followers
• Great variety of meals

3. Purple Carrot

If you’re in search of a quality plant-based meal delivery service or would like to vary your diet with a couple of healthy vegetarian days, Purple Carrot is a great choice.

How Much Does Purple Carrot Delivery Cost?

Starts at $9.99 per serving.

Who Is Purple Carrot Best For?

• Best for high-protein and gluten-free meals
• Breakfast, lunches and snacks are also available.

4. Veestro

Another vegan and vegetarian option to compete with Purple Carrot, Veestro provides organic and vegan ingredients straight to your door. The best part is, all you need to do is heat your meal.

How Much Does Veestro Delivery Cost?

As low as $9.90 per meal when you prepay for at least 30 meals.

Who Is Veestro Best For?

• Organic options
• No cook time needed — heat and serve.

5. Diet to Go

If you’re looking for a delicious plan that keeps your diet on track, Diet to Go checks all the boxes. You can order three meals a day to cover your breakfast, lunch and dinner, or scale back as you need.

How Much Does Diet to Go Delivery Cost?

Starts at $6.49 per meal.

Who Is Diet to Go Best For?

• Diet meal plans include balanced, vegetarian, and keto/low-carb
• Highly rated for taste by Epicurious

6. Martha & Marley Spoon

Martha Stewart’s meal kits give you the option of 22 meals per week delivered straight to your door. You’ll have access to meals for a variety of food restrictions and diets and one of the cheapest meal delivery services if you order in bulk.

How Much Does Martha & Marley Spoon Delivery Cost?

As low as $6.39 per serving, depending on frequency and number of people. Three meals per week for two cost $8.99 per serving.

Who Is Martha & Marley Spoon Best For?

• People with diet restrictions, such as dairy-free or vegan
• Family-friendly menus

7. Dinnerly

Dinnerly advertises itself as unfussy and affordable. It’s the cheapest meal delivery service in our roundup. You can sign up for comfort food delivery boxes for two people or a family of four.

How Much Does Dinnerly Delivery Cost?

$4.99 per portion.

Who Is Dinnerly Best For?

• Families on a budget
• Satisfying home-cooked comfort food cravings

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8. Sun Basket

Sun Basket is one of the best meal prep services for wholesome, USDA-Certified Organic meal options for busy families or for people who run out of recipe ideas during the week. The service has the widest range of food restriction accommodations, including paleo, diabetes, gluten-free, pescatarian, vegetarian and more.

How Much Does Sun Basket Delivery Cost?

Dinners start at $8.99 per serving.

Who Is Sun Basket Best For?

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus
• Individuals and families in search of healthier meals

9. Freshly

Freshly is a cheaper, healthier alternative to takeout. If you don’t cook, the plans ensure you’ll be eating healthier and saving money on your daily meals.

How Much Does Freshly Delivery Cost?

Depending on the frequency, $8.49 to $11.49 per meal.

Who Is Freshly Best For?

• Freshly prepared meals
• Fast, microwaved dishes

10. Daily Harvest

Daily Harvest does meal kits differently. You’ll have access to vegan Harvest bowls, smoothies and soups. You can freeze the items until you’re ready.

How Much Does Daily Harvest Delivery Cost?

Starts at $5.99 per item.

Who Is Daily Harvest Best For?

• Vegan or raw food diets
• Busy people looking for fast meals ready in less than five minutes

11. Freshology

Freshology is powered by Diet to Go. You can add some new and healthy meal options to your weekly menu that don’t need any cooking. All you need to do is reheat them and enjoy.

How Much Does Freshology Delivery Cost?

Starts at $11.98 per meal.

Who Is Freshology Best For?

• Keto
• People who aren’t fans of cooking or do groceries
• Nutritious variety

12. Home Chef

For the widest variety of menu options, Home Chef wins. It’s one of the best meal prep services for sheer variety and affordability. Home Chef offers dozens of dishes from around the world, many of which can be prepared in five minutes to 30 minutes.

How Much Does Home Chef Delivery Cost?

Starts at $6.99 per meal.

Who Is Home Chef Best For?

• Cheapest meal delivery
• Individuals looking for more spice and global cuisine variety

13. Home Bistro

Home Bistro touts restaurant-quality meals. Some of the dishes include Mediterranean Orange Honey Shrimp, Artichoke-Lemon Steak with Vegetables and Chargrilled Salmon and Honey-Roasted Carrots. While a few of the plates are affordable, some can be as expensive as a restaurant dish.

How Much Does Home Bistro Delivery Cost?

Meals start at $14.95 each.

Who Is Home Bistro Best For?

• People who want to splurge and satisfy a steakhouse or craving
• Good variety of enticing menus

14. Splendid Spoon

Splendid Spoon provides vegan bowls and juices to your door. If you’re detoxing or have decided to go on a juicing diet, Splendid Spoon can help you simplify your meal prep. You’ll get juice for breakfast, a grain bowl or soup for lunch and a light soup for dinner.

How Much Does Splendid Spoon Delivery Cost?

Starts at $9.00 per meal for the three-meal per day plan.

Who Is Splendid Spoon Best For?

• Light eaters
• Detox
• Three-meal plan

15. Gobble

If you’d like to get more cooking practice but you’re not ready for more advanced dishes, you’ll like Gobble’s simple recipes that can be made in a single pot or pan in just 15 minutes.

How Much Does Gobble Delivery Cost?

$11.99 per meal.

Who Is Gobble Best For?

• Best for couples or families who could enjoy the larger, sharable portions
• Good for novice cooks

Takeaway

There are no more excuses for living off of takeout or drive-thru food. The cheapest meal delivery services provide a variety of healthy, delicious menus that vary each week and can improve the quality of what you eat. They’re flexible — order one menu a week or daily. You can even pause your deliveries if you’ll be out of town or have other plans.

This article has been updated with additional reporting since its original publication.

About the Author

Cynthia Bowman

Cynthia Paez Bowman is a personal finance writer with degrees from American University in international business and journalism. Besides writing about personal finance, she writes about real estate, interior design and architecture. Her work has been featured in MSN, Brex, Freshome, MyMove, Emirates’ Open Skies magazine and more.