The Best Affordable Meal Delivery Services for Easy Weeknights

Striking the perfect balance of affordability and inventive, delicious meals, Dinnerly is always a crowd-pleaser in my house. It has a massive weekly menu to choose from, with over 100 weekly recipes and a substantial amount of vegetarian dishes. The more you order, the lower the cost per serving, and meals come as low as $4.99 per serving (plus a flat shipping fee of $11.99 per order).

The service keeps costs down by using fewer ingredients per dish (which translated to less chopping and cleaning for me) and simple, uncomplicated packaging. I did notice that some items came loose in the box to minimize packaging, but the quality is still there and the food arrived cold. The brand used to only offer digital recipe cards, but now gives you the option to receive printed cards in the box (if you're like me, I want a physical recipe card to hold and look at while cooking from a kit).

I appreciate that Dinnerly remains affordable without sacrificing flavor or quality. Testers were impressed with the abundance of meals to choose from and just how tasty they were. "My family and I really enjoyed the meals!" said one tester. "We were all very satisfied — the meals were filling, tasted good and were out of the realm of what we would normally choose." But you'll often need to work in a few basic additional items of your own. "It seemed like we also had to provide a lot of ingredients from our own pantry," a tester commented. That said, you can see in advance what ingredients they will send and what you'll need to have on hand.

Most meal kits price based on quantity, meaning the more servings you order the cheaper the price per serving. I like that EveryPlate is transparent and gives you one flat low price of $5.99 per serving, no matter how many servings you order. If you live alone or with a partner, this is great because it allows you to take advantage of more competitive pricing without having to buy a ton of meals.

The company is able to keep costs down by using less packaging and simple, accessible ingredients. Items aren't as carefully packaged as other kits (you may have to go digging for that potato in the bottom of the box), but the quality of the packaging materials themselves are solid and keep the food cold in transit.

The weekly menu includes 27 rotating recipes, and allows for a variety of dietary preferences. Add-ons like sides and desserts are also available, and there is a flat shipping fee of $10.99 per order. Although the offerings lean more toward the comfort-food side, I like that the nutrition facts for each meal are readily available on the website. Dishes are great value for the price, and testers loved how easy they were to prepare. "I felt like the serving sizes in this kit were more generous than others. I also found the cooking instructions less complicated," a tester commented. Another said, "I like that EveryPlate has simple directions and comes with everything you need (even stock packets) to get your meal going."

Rated as our best overall meal delivery kit, Blue Apron offers high-quality ingredients, inventive recipes and options for different dietary needs. But the service is also quite affordable, coming in as low as $7.99 per serving (plus an $11 shipping fee per order). Not only is the menu substantial, but the dishes are absolutely delicious. Everything comes extremely well organized, and nutrition facts labels are available on the site, along with the complete recipes and ingredient lists. It does feel like quite a bit of plastic, but the brand has detailed instructions on how to properly recycle the materials on its website.

I consistently find the ingredients fresh and high-quality from Blue Apron, and testers gave the service rave reviews for the creative recipes that were full of flavor. The recipe cards offered simple step-by-step instructions, and the meals had substantial portions. "Blue Apron is a solution for busy people who like to explore new recipes and ingredients," said one tester. "It's adventurous without being extreme. The ingredients are perfectly measured, packaged well and fresh." Another said, "It'd be great for anyone struggling to find dinner ideas and anyone feeling overwhelmed with grocery shopping and cooking." But you can only get up to four servings for meal, so this service isn't best for larger families.

HelloFresh has been in the meal kit game since 2011 and focuses on easy-to-follow recipes. They did launch our Best Value pick, EveryPlate, several years ago, but the flagship brand still provides an incredible meal delivery kit at a fairly reasonable price: as low as $9.99 per serving. Not only are all ingredients pre-portioned for each recipe, but they have a great selection of weekly dishes and accommodate for different dietary preferences. Upgrades and add-ons are available as well, and there is a flat shipping fee of $11 per order. The brand now offers ready-made meals and prep and bake entrees too.

I love how perfectly packaged everything comes from HelloFresh, all neatly organized into little bags with separators. The packaging in general also proved superior to other services we tested in terms of both performance and sustainability. Testers appreciated the number of recipes, with one saying, "I liked that it seemed to have a lot of variety of meals to choose from." Portion sizes were rated well, and the recipes were easy to make with clear pictures for each step — perfect for beginner cooks who are looking to get more comfortable in the kitchen. One tester said, "It allowed me to try new foods, minimize food waste and save time planning meals for the week." Another reported that HelloFresh was "a great way to experience fancy recipes without needing to know new techniques." Just take note that the sodium is on the higher side for certain meals.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Is HelloFresh Worth Trying?

Home Chef offers boxes that feed up to six people per meal, making it a great choice for larger families. They provide plans that include both pre-portioned ingredients with easy-to-follow cooking instructions, as well as low- or no-prep meals for busy families. I like that there over 30 weekly meal options to choose from plus a variety of extras, and you can even find the kits at Kroger grocery stores nationwide if you'd rather pick them up.

I love how many meal kit options Home Chef offers, whether you're looking to get something on the table fast for the family or want to indulge in a more special premium cooking experience. Full nutrition facts are readily available for every recipe on their website, but I did find the sodium content on the higher side for certain meals. Not only did 100% of testers say this service encouraged them to try dishes they would not normally prepare themselves, but they were also very impressed with the quality and freshness of the ingredients and just how easy and quick the meals were to make. "The flavor and the ingredients were all top quality, and it was easy to cook the meals. Great taste! I was very pleased," a tester said. Another commented, "It's always hard to find new dinner ideas; these are a perfect variety to keep everyone in your family happy and full."

Popularized for their convenient plant-based smoothies, Daily Harvest has a large menu with an impressive selection ranging from harvest bowls and soups to flatbreads, pastas, frozen pops and more. Everything is fully vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free, and meals arrive frozen in sustainable packaging materials. There is an order minimum of $50, but per serving the items are fairly reasonable with breakfast bowls starting at under $7. Just make ample room in your freezer.

The meals are not only made with thoughtful, nutritious ingredients, but they don't sacrifice taste or quality. "Even though it's frozen, the food still tastes really fresh," one person said. "I love the flatbreads for lunch, and I sprinkle a little cheese on top to make it heartier." Both myself and our testers did feel that some of the meals had small serving sizes, so note that these items are definitely lighter fare. I'll oftentimes add something to bulk up the meal, like hardboiled eggs or beans, or may find myself eating more than one serving.

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