Convenient, nutritious meal delivery kits

Container Stock photos by Vecteezy

By Lori Zanteson
Posted on August 28, 2025

It takes time and energy to plan, shop and prepare meals that align with dietary needs in the midst of a calendar already bursting with daily demands. And what about nutrition knowledge and cooking skills?

Meal delivery services can help by providing healthy meals without all of that preparation and know-how. Here are some points to consider if you think meal delivery might be right for you.

How they work

A meal delivery kit is a subscription service that delivers ready-to-heat and eat meals (such as Mom’s Meals or Top Chef Meals) or pre-portioned ingredients for quicker home cooking right to your door (Blue Apron, HelloFresh).

Subscribers order meal kits on the company’s website or app, choosing the number and frequency of meals and menu choices for a week or other set period of time. The customized meal kits arrive packaged as complete pre-cooked meals to be stored until ready to eat or packaged with meal ingredients to prepare with easy-to-follow recipes.

“Meal delivery kits can be a great tool for supporting your health goals because they take the guesswork out of meal planning,” said Andrea Mathis, MA, RDN, LD, owner of Beautiful Eats & Things.

“They typically offer balanced, portion-controlled meals that are convenient which makes it easier to stay on track,” she said.

Not only do they save time by taking care of planning, grocery shopping and meal prep, they eliminate the need for desperate dashes to the market or fast-food restaurant when the temptation to grab a less than healthy meal threatens to upend healthy dietary goals. All you need to do is choose which meals you want each week.

Discover new foods, recipes

Meal delivery kits offer many different types of flavors and cuisines, including many with global and cultural flair.

Each week you can try something new, which is just as enjoyable as it is inspiring. You might discover a novel way to eat asparagus or a healthy chicken recipe to add to your favorites and prepare on your own even after your meal delivery service ends.

Many services to choose from

With more than 300 meal delivery kit services in the U.S., there are lots of options. Mathis suggests starting by deciding what’s most important to you, such as health goals, dietary preferences, budget or convenience.

Some meal delivery services are built upon a particular dietary pattern, like low sodium, plant-based, keto, high protein or vegan.

Whichever appeals to you, Mathis said, “Always check the nutrition information to make sure the meals align with your needs and preferences. A good meal kit should include a balance of protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep you full and satisfied.”

She also advised to double-check the sodium and added sugars and be wary of buzzwords like “clean” or “guilt-free” and marketing claims that promise unrealistic results.

If your family members have different dietary goals or food preferences, Mathis said meal delivery kits can still work.

“Many services offer customized options, allowing family members to choose meals that fit their preferences,” she said. “Some allow for add-ons or modifications, so one person can enjoy a plant-based dish while another gets a higher-protein option.”

Do a test drive

Many companies offer significant discounts on your first order to encourage people to give their service a try. Mathis recommends starting with a trial period.

After a week, she said, “evaluate the meal delivery service to determine if it’s something that you would like to continue. If it helps reduce stress, adds variety, and supports balanced eating, great! But if it feels too rigid or expensive, there are plenty of other ways to eat well without it.”

Environmental Nutrition is the award-winning independent newsletter written by nutrition experts dedicated to providing readers up-to-date, accurate information about health and nutrition in clear, concise English. For more information, visit environmentalnutrition.com.