Are you tired of the same meals every week but don’t feel inspired to cook or feel too tired to make much? Everyone needs breaks now and then, hence why there are now meal deliveries to make your life easier!
We’ve got our top picks for the cheapest meal delivery services for you to check out and make your weeknights smoother.
What are the cheapest meal delivery services? When looking for the best meal delivery service with tasty meals, it’s essential to know your options and which one will be the best for your budget.
You’d be surprised that meal kits could be an affordable option for your family that makes your evenings much easier!
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best and cheapest meal delivery services out there and compare them so that you can find the perfect fit for your needs!
Our Top Cheap Meal Delivery Picks
- Best Overall: HelloFresh
- Best For Kids: Yumble
- Best Affordable Price: Dinnerly
- Best Home-Style Menu: EveryPlate
What Are Meal Delivery Services?
Meal delivery services are a great way to get dinner right to your door. They put together meals and deliver them straight to your house!
It’s also great for those on a tight schedule, parents with young children, and singles who enjoy having plans of their own. Most services offer a variety of meal plans, so you can find one that best suits your needs.
Cheapest Meal Delivery Services
Now that we know what meal delivery services are, let’s look at some of the cheapest options. Keep in mind that these prices may change depending on your plan and the company you choose.
1. HelloFresh
Cost Per Serving: $7.99+
Number of Servings: 2 or 4-serving plan
HelloFresh is one of the cheapest meal delivery services available, and you can get up to 6 recipes per week.
They offer 25+ meals that include vegetarian, low-carb, and low-calorie meals. You can select between six different plans: Meat & Veggies, Veggie, Family-Friendly, Calorie Smart; Quick & Easy, Pescatarian (seafood only), or Gluten-Free.
Are you looking for meals that have comfort foods in them? Most meals from HelloFresh usually include meat, starch, and fresh produce. You can also opt for a vegetarian diet with five or six plant-based recipes each week.
They also ship to all states in the continental United States!
2. Yumble
Cost Per Serving: $6.99+
Number of Servings: 1
The Yumble meal delivery service is an affordable price per meal and offers convenient options for families. The meals are designed specifically for kids aged 1 – 12, and a nutritionist approves them.
All ingredients are carefully sourced, and the meals are fully cooked. Plus, there are over 40 different options to choose from each week. You can pause, skip or cancel the subscription at any time.
3. Dinnerly
Cost Per Serving: $4.69+
Number of Servings: 2 or 4-serving plan
Dinnerly is one of the cheapest meal delivery services. It is perfect for people who want to cook fresh meals that don’t cost a lot. Many menu options include fresh low-carb, low-calorie meals or comfort foods such as ravioli or tacos. The ingredients are fresh, and the recipes are delicious.
You can choose a two-person or a family box with 3 – 6 meal kits a week delivered to your home each week.
There are no fancy marketing campaigns or paper recipe cards. Dinnerly’s recipes are delivered digitally. Plus, you can skip any delivery you want or pause your subscription completely.
The packaging is made out of recyclable materials and is simple. You don’t have to worry about any waste.
4. EveryPlate
Cost Per Serving: $4.99+
Number of Servings: 2 or 4-serving plan
Many companies offer similar cheap meal kits, varying in price and quality. However, they all have one thing in common: the more you order from the service, the cheaper it is per serving.
So if you’re looking for a cheap meal kit service with high-quality menu options, EveryPlate might be right for you!
EveryPlate has 17 delicious recipes that change every week. Each recipe has only six simple steps for preparation. The options include 3 – 5 meals a week for 2 or 4 servings.
Worried you won’t be home when your meals are delivered? The EveryPlate box comes hand-packed with delicious ingredients and recipe cards. Your ingredients are also insulated, so they stay cool even if you’re not at home.
You can order a Classic Plate, Veggie Plate, Family Plate, or Easy Plate- even protein packs and other add-ons. No matter what you choose from EveryPlate, you’ll be able to cook up a delicious and affordable meal in 30 minutes or less!
5. Mom’s Meals
Cost Per Serving: $6.99+
Number of Servings: 1
Mom’s Meals is a meal service that cares about assisting others in need, particularly the elderly and healthcare professionals.
The quick and easy meals will last up to 14 days from delivery and are delivered straight to your home nationwide. For just $6.99 per serving or $7.99 for pureed, renal-friendly, and gluten-free dietary preferences, customers will receive a broad menu of nutritious meals at Mom’s Meals.
The meals are heat-and-serve and come with custom, easy-to-read labels in a custom cooler that keeps the food cold during transportation.
Mom’s Meals offers 10, 14, or 21 meals per delivery with an a la carte or chef-curated menu. The big draw for this service is that they cater to clients covered under Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid plans Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) programs, or the Older Americans Act.
6. Home Chef
Cost Per Serving: $6.99+
Number of Servings: 2, 4, or 6-serving plan
Home Chef has been in business since 2013 and is one of the cheapest meal kit services that deliver fresh and pre-made meals to your door. Home Chef offers many dishes, including carb-conscious, calorie-conscious, and vegetarian options.
They offer different options that include Meal Kits ready in 15 or 30 minutes, Grill Ready, Oven Ready, Culinary Collection, and Fast & Fresh. Each Home Chef meal can take anywhere from 5 – 30 minutes to make, depending on the option you choose.
They deliver their meal kits in coolers with insulated linings, so the food stays cold until it arrives at your doorstep. If you prefer to get Home Chef from the store, you can find several Home Chef products at Kroger-owned grocery stores across the country.
If you’re looking for an affordable meal delivery service, then this is one to consider!
7. Daily Harvest
Cost Per Serving: $5.99+ per item
Number of Servings: 1
Daily Harvest offers a healthy and delicious meal plan to eat right at home with 100+ chef-crafted smoothies, harvest bowls, soups, and more delivered when you want them.
Daily Harvest plans start at an affordable $5.99 per item, including options for three boxes: a small box with nine items, a medium box with 14 items, and a large box with 24 items.
Each Daily Harvest item is ready to enjoy in minutes and made with organic ingredients, non-GMO fruits, and vegetables. The great thing is that there is no shopping, chopping, or prepping needed. You can customize your order to include as many vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free items as you like.
8. Freshly
Cost Per Serving: $11.79+
Number of Servings: 1
Freshly is a meal delivery service that focuses on fresh, healthy food. With the Freshly app or website, customers can choose from over 30 meal options for all-natural delicious meals cooked by chefs and sent to their door.
These meals are prepared with quality ingredients and have a refrigerated shelf life of about 3 – 5 days before they need to be eaten or frozen for later use. If frozen, the meals can be taken straight from the freezer to the microwave.
Each meal is perfectly sized for one person to enjoy and is ready in about three minutes. If you like comfort food, this may be the service for you! People rave about their chicken casserole, mashed potatoes, and don’t get us started on their soups and chilis- perfect for our cold winter!
Freshly offers anywhere from 4 – 12 meals per week, starting at $11.79 per meal. There are no contracts, and you can cancel your subscription at any time.
9. Blue Apron
Cost Per Serving: $7.49 – $9.99
Number of Servings: 2 or 4-serving plan
Blue Apron is one of the first names people think of for cheap meal delivery services. You can choose between two and four recipes per week. The portions in their meal kits are perfectly portioned, so you don’t have to worry about waste.
Blue Apron meal kits are an excellent option if you want to cook but don’t have much time. Each meal takes between 35 – 45 minutes to cook.
There are three meal styles to choose from: Signature, Wellness (includes WW options), and Vegetarian. All ingredients are responsibly sourced and of high quality.
Other services include wine delivery, gift cards, and an impressive inventory of kitchen items available on Blue Apron.
10. Little Spoon
Cost Per Serving: $2.79 per puree for The Baby Stage; $4.99 per meal for The Toddler Times and The Big Kid Years
Number of Servings: 1
Little Spoon offers healthy, pre-cooked meals for children. The meal kit service offers three meal kit plans: The Baby Stage, The Toddler Times, and The Big Kid Years.
Meals are sealed on colorful plates with thoughtful dividers for picky eaters. Each meal can be refrigerated for up to 14 days or popped into the freezer for 2 months or less.
11. Revive Superfoods
Cost Per Serving: $6.99+
Number of Servings: 1
Revive Superfoods is a company that provides healthy, plant-based meals and snacks.
Revive Superfoods offers three meal kit plans each week with an option for 9, 12, or 24 meals a week in each delivery. The fully prepared meals are packaged and delivered frozen right to your door and ready in minutes.
You can easily skip weeks or be charged. Or, if you need to cancel for any reason at all, shoot them an email, and they will take care of it!
Final Verdict: Cheapest Meal Delivery Service
Which meal kit delivery service is the cheapest? It’s tricky to answer because it depends on your budget, how many meals you need, and personal preferences when picking affordable meal kits.
Little Spoon is the cheapest meal delivery service, but it specifically offers kids meals to help busy parents- which doesn’t help if you’re looking for adult options.
Dinnerly kits are cheap in terms of price, with meals starting at $4.69! And, they offer a family plan which is great if you’re cooking for more than one person.
For me, I like the convenience of Blue Apron’s meal kits. I also love that they source their ingredients responsibly and offer a good variety of delicious food made from high-quality ingredients, including vegetarian options.
Meal Delivery Service Pros & Cons
When looking for the cheapest meal kit service, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of each option. That way, you can find the best service for your needs. Here are some of the pros and cons of the most popular services:
Pros
Eat at home more, less typical, or unhealthy take-out. Eating at home can be especially helpful if you have a busy lifestyle and want healthy ingredients.
Try new dishes. They offer a variety of meal options, so you’re not stuck eating the same thing every day. You can set menu preferences and get a wider variety, including things you may never have made otherwise.
The prep work is done for you. Most send you fresh food with pre-portioned ingredients, which takes out all guesswork. It’s great getting oven-ready meals that we can pop in to cook with no work on our part!
More time for you. You can spend more time with your family cooking meals or doing other things that you enjoy. Most are quick and easy meals that don’t take over an hour to prepare and cook altogether.
Learn new cooking techniques. They offer cooking tutorials and recipes to expand your culinary skills with family-friendly menu options.
There is less food to waste. These services send you what you need for the recipe, so you have fewer ingredients in the cupboards taking up room, and there’s less food waste.
Cons
The cost can be expensive. Meal kit delivery can be expensive, especially if you’re ordering for a family. It can be cheaper than ordering take-out, but the meals plus shipping costs may not be affordable for everyone.
You have a membership to watch each week. These delivery services usually require a membership or subscription fee. Meals also need to be chosen and ordered in advance.
There can be a lot of packaging in the boxes. Since most meal delivery services send you fresh ingredients in their meal kit, there is usually a lot of packaging that includes insulated bags, dry ice, and the box.
You still have to get other groceries. Delivery services are delivered to your door, but you still have to go grocery shopping at some point. You still have other meals every day you need to think about!
Meal Delivery Service Vs. Meal Planning
We’ve taken a look at the pros and cons of affordable meal kit services; let’s look at how they compare with meal planning.
Planning your meals is self-explanatory- you create a meal plan and grocery list for the week, then cook all of your meals at home. Buying groceries is usually cheaper than eating out or having your meals delivered.
People use meal planning for a few reasons:
- Planning your meals is cheaper than delivery. It is cheaper than most delivery options. You can use Rakuten, Ibotta, and Honey to help keep the price of groceries down.
- Control over their food. It allows you to choose your ingredients and recipes, which gives you more control over what you’re eating.
- Dietary restrictions or allergies. If you have specific dietary restrictions, cooking your meals is safer, and not all services may have meal choices for your individual needs.
Savvy Tip: Like the convenience of having your meals delivered to your home but not the price of the meal kit services? You can meal plan using our T$C Meal Planner and order your groceries delivered to your house with Instacart!
Meal Prep Hacks
Meal prep is an essential part of the week, and it’s not nearly as complicated as you might think. Here are some hacks that can help with meal prep ideas, so it’s easier and more efficient for your week ahead!
- Decide what meals to cook before the grocery store trip.
- Set aside time to meal prep!
- Choose recipes that are simple and easy to prepare.
Looking for more great tips to help you get started with $5 meal plans? We love this quick start guide, $5 Meal Plan! It has more great tips and ideas!
Want to batch cook for the month and freeze the dishes? My Freeze Easy can help you get started with their free Quick Start Guide.
Savvy Tip: If you’ve got picky eaters, there are quick and simple substitutions and food options to make your life easier! Don’t be afraid to mix and match meal plans too! Our kids love mashed potatoes more than every other potato side, so I’ll often trade out wedges or tater tots for them.
Final Thoughts
Cheap meal delivery services are a great way to get dinner on the table without any hassles and at a reasonable price. Most have easy-to-follow recipes, take the guesswork out of shopping for ingredients, and are easy to use.
The most significant benefit of meal delivery services is convenience. People are busy and don’t always plan and shop for a home-cooked meal.
Delivery services offer a wide variety of meals that you prepare in the convenience of your kitchen, without any extra fuss. Plus, most even provide a small list of what you’ll need to make the recipe again!
All in all, meal delivery services are a great way to spend less time cooking and more time enjoying your family!
