Some other recipes were hit or miss, but this was mainly due to each person's personal preference. The green beans were not plentiful, but the flavor was nice.” The potatoes tasted good and were very filling. The salmon pieces weren't that big, but they tasted good. The most popular meal with our tester’s family was the everything bagel salmon with creamy chive potatoes and green beans: “This was a big hit. The recipes were easy to follow, although she felt that the cooking times were “overly optimistic” - all but one recipe took longer than the estimated time. Our tester enjoyed Marley Spoon’s fresh ingredients and recipe ideas. Marley Spoon offers 45 recipes each week, and every meal is tagged with labels such as “kid-friendly,” “dairy-free,” “meat” or “vegetarian.” Not appropriate for severe gluten allergies.However, ingredients such as cheese, spices and sauces were individually wrapped in plastic, resulting in unnecessary waste. The cardboard delivery box and paper bags were recyclable, and veggies were placed in bags without individual packaging. The ingredients inside the box were divided by meal and labeled in individual brown paper bags. The package arrived on time in optimal condition, and the ingredients were fresh. It could have used garlic powder, dry ranch seasoning!” “Therefore the patties were kind of flavorless. “The recipe didn't tell me to mix anything into the ground beef,” our reviewer says. The white cheddar wonderburgers recipe was the only underwhelming meal in the kit. About one of the meals, zucchini and mushroom bibimbap bowls, she says: “I always order bibimbap at Korean restaurants, but I'd never considered that I could handle making my own! I was impressed with every aspect of this recipe - it was filling, tasty and easy to customize.” She also noted the ingredients allowed her to eat things she usually wouldn’t. Our tester sampled five different recipes and found most meals tasty, filling and easy to make. Most meals should take around 25 to 35 minutes to prepare, although a handful of “gourmet” recipes may take longer - up to 50 minutes. Hello Fresh’s meal kits include pre-measured ingredients and recipe cards with easy-to-follow instructions. Recipes may be too simple for experienced home cooks.Larger households, or customers who want meals for the entire week, are best served by other companies on our list.

On the downside, subscribers can only order up to four meals per week, and the servings are capped at four. It was visually appealing, and I would definitely order it again.” It was also nice to do an easy sheet pan meal, although I did have to put them on separate sheets because it wouldn’t all fit on one.

The combination of cheese and mango has both a sweet and savory taste that I rarely achieve when cooking on my own. One standout dish was the sheet pan cheesy mango chicken: “This dish was delicious and very filling. The recipes are easy to follow, and the pictures included help speed up the cooking process. Our tester sampled the Signature plan and enjoyed all the recipes, stating that she’d order from Blue Apron again. Additional search tags like “chef’s favorite,” “premium,” “family-friendly,” or “easy prep” help narrow your choices. The Signature plan has the most variety, with over 15 meal options. You can only order up to four meals a weekīlue Apron offers four meal plans: Signature, Wellness, Vegetarian and Signature for Four.Not suitable for vegans or other dietary restrictions.Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon – Best for families.HelloFresh – Best budget meal delivery service.Blue Apron – Best meal delivery service for beginners.Our Top Picks for Best Meal Delivery Services

Read below what our testers had to say, and find out which subscription boxes are our top picks for best meal delivery services. We tested 10 different companies and sampled four to five meals from each. For a fraction of the time and effort, subscribers enjoy home-cooked meals and explore new recipes each week. Meal delivery companies are subscription services that do most of the prep work, so all that’s left is the cooking part. But if you’re one of the many people who can’t fit homemade dinners into the daily grind, you no longer have to settle for freezer meals. Much effort goes into planning and preparing every tasty home-cooked meal.

Meal planning service