The 9 Best Meal Subscription Boxes —Because We All Love Food

Last Updated on April 3, 2024 by ETC Team

Meal subscription boxes

Meal subscriptions can be a lifesaver, both for the everyday person, as well as the seasoned cook. Meal subscription boxes can do everything from helping you get hands on in the kitchen to indulging your cravings. They allow you to enjoy your favorite meals without having to shop for ingredients or spend hours preparing them. Whether you love, sweet, savory, or something in between, there’s a subscription service out there to treat your taste buds to a healthy snack, a delicious dinner, or a delectable dessert.

Monthly subscription boxes are a great way to explore new cuisines, treat yourself to something special, or find the perfect gift for a fellow food lover. Whether you’re looking for yourself, or a loved one, this mouthwatering guide, serves up some of our favorite meal subscription boxes.

The 9 Best Meal Subscription Boxes

1. Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh is currently rated as the best meal kit service in the United States. Each meal includes traditional meal kits that come paired with step-by-step instructions and their respective ingredients. You can order 2-6 recipes for 2 or 4 people each week, and select from 60-75+ recipes. They cater to a large range of diets and offer 6 major categories for their meal plans: meat & veggies, veggie, family-friendly, fit & wholesome, quick & easy, and pescatarian.

Pros
Order 2-6 recipes for 2-4 people each week
Ability to choose from 6 meal types
Huge selection of recipes
Cons
Doesn’t accommodate certain diets and allergens
There are no heat-and-eat meals
Ingredient sourcing isn’t as strict as other brands

2. Home Chef

Home Chef is all about customization with their meal subscription boxes. Choose from traditional meal kits, easy prep meal kits (~10-20 min prep), or heat-and-eat meals. You can choose from 16+ traditional meal kits and 20+ easy prep meal kits each week which include options for the vast majority of diets. Furthermore, Home Chef lets you add on proteins, swap ingredients, in addition to bundles and other extras too. You can order for 2, 4, or 6 people and include 2-6 recipes in each box. Or, upgrade to their Family Plan menu and you can order 4, 8, or 12 servings per recipe.

Pros
Offers a high level of customization
Choose from 30+ recipes and 18+ extras each week
Swap out ingredients and set dietary preferences
Cons
Customizations typically cost extra
Not a great choice for stricter, diets,( i.e. keto, paleo, vegan)
Pricing structure and plans are a bit confusing

3. Blue Apron

Blue Apron has a reputation for creative recipes that are surprisingly delicious, so it’s a great choice for adventurous foodies. While anyone can make Blue Apron meals, this is a favorite when it comes to meal subscription boxes among more seasoned cooks and couples who are looking to step up their weekly date nights. You can order 2-5 recipes per week along with 2 or 4 servings per meal. Choose from 70+ recipes from meal categories like chef favorites, wellness, family-friendly, fast & easy, or veggies. Blue Apron also offers a wine subscription that delivers 6 bottles of wine each month.

Pros
A mix of unique recipes and classics
Options for most subscribers
You can also subscribe to their wine box
Cons
Offers fewer servings than other brands
Fewer recipes for certain diets
Ingredient sourcing isn’t as good as other services

4. Green Chef

Green Chef focuses on providing subscribers with gourmet meal kits made from fresh, organic ingredients. They’re the first-ever CCOF-Certified Organic Meal Kit Company as well as the first food box to receive Gluten-Free Certification. Choose from 30+ recipes each week along with bundles of customer favorites for easy meals that are made to heat and eat. There are recipes for most major diets such as keto, paleo, and plant-based (vegan included). You can order 2-4 meals per week for 2, 4, or 6 people. This is by far one of the best meal subscription boxes available for those with dietary restrictions.

Pros
All produce and eggs are organic
Works with farmers for sustainable ingredients
Offers meals that fit several diets
Cons
Slightly more expensive due to ingredient sourcing
Fewer recipes for certain diets
Not always guaranteed to have all organic ingredients

5. Sun Basket

Sun Basket strives to help people eat healthier and more consciously through their meal kits and ready-to-eat meals. They feature farm-to-table recipes that use organic vegetables, antibiotic and hormone-free meats, and sustainable seafood. There are options for most diets and they address several different dietary restrictions.

You can order 2-5 dinners per week for 2 or 4 people, or receive 4-10 eat-and-heat meals per person. There are at least 20 meals kits and 10 Fresh & Ready meals to choose from each week. And, you can add on items like ready-to-eat proteins, pizzas, extra meat, and more. Sun Basket is one of the best meal subscription boxes to try if you prioritize ingredient sourcing and want to eat more mindfully.

Pros
Offers meals made from organic produce, meats, and poultry, plus wild-caught seafood
Options for both traditional meal kits and heat-and-eat meals
30+ meals each week as well as market items
Cons
More expensive than other brands
Fewer recipes for stricter diets (i.e. keto, vegan)
Not for those who shy away from adventurous, recipes

6. Every Plate

Every Plate is a wallet-friendly food subscription with crowd-pleasing meals. You can choose to subscribe to either the ClassicPlate, VeggiePlate, FamilyPlate, or EasyPlate plan, and can order 3-5 meals per week for 2 or 4 people. Each week features a rotating menu with 2+ tasty and kid-friendly recipes. Every Plate cuts out unnecessary expenses to keep their per-meal price low and is the most affordable meal kit service on our list.

Pros
25+ recipes each week
Recipes are easy to make
Most meals are kid-friendly
Cons
Isn’t the best for those on a strict diets
No heat-and-eat meals
Ingredient sourcing isn’t as good as other services

7. Purple Carrot

Purple Carrot is the best meal delivery service for vegans and offers both prepared meals as well as traditional meal kits. Each week you can choose from 12 dinners, 4 breakfast meals, and 4 lunches from their meal kit selections or pick from 8 prepared meals. Subscribe to 3 or 4 recipes per week with 2 or 4 servings each, or order 6, 8, or 10 prepared meals per week. With Purple Carrot you can customize your plan to include meals that are gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, and soy-free.

Pros
100% vegan friendly meals
Provides breakfast and lunch meal options
Can add on pantry items and other extras
Cons
Many meals require a blender or food processor
Longer prep time than other meal kits
Limited recipe selection

8. Mosaic

Mosaic is the top meal subscription for chef-inspired vegan meals and family-sized portions. There are plenty of veggie bowls, family meals, soups, oat bowls, and other entrees to choose from and each meal only requires 5 minutes or less to heat. You can choose to add 8-12 meals to your Mosaic Foods box and receive your meals every 1-4 weeks.

Pros
Offers individual and family portions
Includes chef-inspired entrées
Strives to use organic ingredients
Cons
$70 minimum order size
Limited chef-inspired entrées
Limited choices for bowls

9. Snack Sack Classic

Snack Sack is for those looking for the ultimate snacking subscription. This box delivers between 11 and 13 surprise snacks every month centered around a fun or seasonal theme. There are four snacking plans to fit different lifestyles: classic, vegan, gluten-free, or vegan and gluten-free.

Pros
Multiple snack options from classic, vegan, and gluten-free
Options available to have delivery to your work office
Nice rotation of items based on the season
Cons
Limited customization since snacks are chosen at random
Shipping can be slow
Currently available only in U.S.

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