Best Meal Delivery Service 2019

5 Hello Fresh

Meals tried: Cherry balsamic pork chops, meatloaf balsamico (pictured), shrimp spaghetti with a kick
Price: $9 per meal for two adults ordering three meals ($54 total, plus $7 shipping)
Pros: More like Hello Bargain! $9 per meal is hard to argue with, though you're definitely getting what you pay for.
Cons: Hello Fresh is meal delivery for the masses, meaning none of those specialised diet options. You can choose between vegetarian or classic plans, which may be a deal-breaker for some households. The meals we got were OK, but the recipes weren't exactly reinventing the wheel. They also sent us the wrong recipe card (we were able to access the recipe online, so it wasn't a huge deal) and left out an ingredient (garlic butter!) in one of the meals.
Overall total:

1 / 5

Meals tried: Shrimp tacos, cauliflower "risotto" (pictured), orange pork with sweet potatoes
Price: $12 per meal for two adults ordering three meals ($72 per week total)
Pros: Sun Basket offers a range of options for those with specialised diets, including vegan, low-carb, Paleo, Mediterranean, gluten-free, pescatarian, and even a category labeled "diabetes friendly" for those with the condition. This is a huge plus if you or your significant ascribe to a certain diet for any reason.
Cons: The closest thing to a "we eat everything" plan that Sun Basket offers is what's called a "Chef's Choice" plan. These meals aren't limited in type of ingredient, but they still cap out at 800 calories and focus on protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Frankly, all these meals felt too healthy and some of the portions weren't filling. I found myself putting extra ingredients from my refrigerator in to liven up the flavours (salty goat cheese really improved the cauliflower "risotto"). At $12 a meal, I don't want to be reaching for supplemental materials.
Overall total:

2 / 5

Meals tried: Chicken al pastor tacos, Italian sausage puttanesca, tumeric diced steak, tamari-balsamic chicken, orzo with veggies, southwest beef patties
Price: $12-13 per meal for two adults ordering three meals ($72-78 per week, plus $7 shipping)
Pros: In addition to those with specialised diets (keto, Paleo, etc.), Green Chef caters to the eco-conscious consumer. Think organic ingredients, biodegradable packageing, and local suppliers. While healthy, the meals were filling and we didn't find ourselves reaching for the Häagen Dazs after. Some of the stranger meals (southwest beef patties, anyone?) turned out to be the most delicious, and I appreciated that they respected our right to pasta — though it was whole wheat pasta.
Cons: None of the recipes sounded very appetizing, and I'm still not sure how I feel about the tumeric diced steak. I love a good taco and was excited about the chicken al pastor tacos, but the tortilla fell apart instantly and I ended up eating the ingredients in a bowl. They also locked in our meals earlier than the other sites, and I got stuck with an extra week of food.
Overall total:

3 / 5

Meals tried: Seared tilapia and lemon-caper sauce, cavatelli pasta and pork ragù, General Tso's chicken (pictured)
Price: $10 per meal for two adults ordering three meals ($60 total)
Pros: Blue Apron was tasty, y'all! Lemon-caper sauce is a holy grail item for me, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the General Tso's chicken. Their recipes come together very quickly (some in as little as 20 minutes), which is helpful after a long day . . . or if my husband is cooking.
Cons: Again, this service isn't for those with special dietary needs. Meal options aside, I noticed that some of the ingredients weren't as fresh as I'd like (the bok choy in particular seemed past its prime) and I didn't like the way things were packaged as much as the other kits. (The week's ingredients were loose in the box rather than contained in separate bags for each night.)
Overall total:

4 / 5

Meals tried: Barbacoa tacos, chipotle burgers, roasted salmon with ginger-scallion sauce (pictured)
Price: $10 per meal for two adults ordering three meals ($60 total)
Pros: Home Chef was the first service we tried, and we were impressed with the large selection of meals (26 options a week), the ease with which recipes could be prepared, and the overall tastiness. Chipotle burgers on a weeknight with no food waste (meaning I don't have to throw away a package of six unused buns)? Sign us up! I was also impressed that their recipe sheets came three-hole-punched, because I could just pop them into my recipe binder in case I wanted to make them again with storebought ingredients later.
Cons: Admittedly, I did have to make a 9 p.m. Taco Bell run after the roasted salmon — but I attribute that to the fact that I'm pregnant and cravings are real.
Overall total:

5 / 5