9 Best Meal Delivery for Weight Loss, Tested and Approved by…
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Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:With menus balancing nutrition, portion size, and loads of flavor, these services take the guesswork out of weight loss meal planning. Our experts have tested and scored these meal deliveries to help you find the right plan for you and your household.
Share on Pinterest One of the challenges of losing weight can be the amount of meal planning required to support your goals. Consuming more vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins sounds easy enough — until you need to think up and prepare flavorful, interesting meals again, again … and again.
Enter weight loss meal delivery. In addition to convenience, these services can add variety to mealtime while taking the guesswork out of following a balanced diet and managing portion sizes.
Our list includes services with prepared meals designed to help you lose weight and some that are naturally lower in calories yet pack a nutritional punch. Read on to learn more about our favorites.
Quick look at the best meal delivery for weight loss
Disclaimer: Many of the services tested below were tried by Healthline writers or editors, who received the meals for free. All opinions are our own. Read more about how we test meal kits.
Meal delivery for weight loss compared
Type of mealsPrice per servingShippingDiet friendlinessTrifecta Nutritionprepared$13.79+$9.99• paleo• keto• Whole30• vegan• vegetarianFactorprepared$10.99+$10.99• vegetarian• gluten-free• keto• low carb• paleo• dairy-freeBistroMDprepared$10.99+$19.95• gluten-free• heart-healthy• diabetes-friendly• veganCookUnityprepared$11.09+$9.99• keto• paleo• low carb• low calorie• gluten-free• dairy-free• low sodium• vegetarian• vegan• MediterraneanPurple Carrot• meal kit • prepared• Meal kits: $11+• Prepared: $13+• free for orders $99+• $10 otherwiseveganSplendid Spoonprepared$9.99+• free with 14 or 21 meals• $12.99 otherwise• vegan• vegetarian• gluten-free• dairy-free• higher protein• higher fiber• low calorie• low carb• low fat• low sodium• low sugarSunbasket• meal kit• prepared• Meal kits: $11.49+• Prepared: $9.99$9.99• gluten-free• vegetarian• pescatarian• paleo• keto• low carb• Mediterranean• diabetes-friendlyTerritory Foodsprepared$11.95+$9.99 to $17.99 • paleo• keto• plant-based• <500 calories• Performance Nutrition• Whole30• low carb• MediterraneanMosaic Foodsprepared$5.99+• free with 12 or 18 items• $9.99 to $19.99 otherwise• vegan• vegetarian• wheat-free• nut-free• high proteinOur picks for the best meal delivery for weight loss
Best overall
Trifecta Nutrition
Why we like it: Trifecta Nutrition earns our vote for best meal delivery services for weight loss overall, as it provides calorie- and portion-controlled dishes that are macro-balanced to help you meet your protein, carb, and fat content goals.
How it works: Meals are fully prepared and contain around 350 to 500 calories and 20 to 40 grams of protein per serving. Plus, each dish features lean proteins, complex carbs, and vegetables.
Most diet meal delivery plans are featured on popular nutrition apps, so you can easily track your intake. Trifecta also has an app that can help you track your meals, workouts, and more.
Each week, you can order 5 to 14 entrees, either with or without breakfast. You can choose your own meals or opt for a preselected menu and exclude one ingredient per week, such as shellfish, mushrooms, or poultry.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes4Meal variety3.5Nutrition5Sustainability5Ingredient quality5Ease of preparation5Taste4Affordability2What our tester says
“Trifecta’s meals are tasty, filling, and nutritious.
“They arrived frozen and were shipped and packaged well. [The meals] require a bit more preparation than some other similar services — they needed to be reheated on the stove — but they are generally very easy to make and may help save time on cooking.
“They were pretty tasty and maintained their texture for the most part. A few required additional ingredients, such as spices or veggies, to make them more palatable. Some also included large amounts of spinach, which became slimy after reheating.
“I think [Trifecta] is worthwhile for people who adventurous eaters, athletes, people with a busy schedule, and those following vegan, paleo, or keto diet plans.”
Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Trifecta Nutrition
“Trifecta’s meals are tasty, filling, and nutritious.
“They arrived frozen and were shipped and packaged well. [The meals] require a bit more preparation than some other similar services — they needed to be reheated on the stove — but they are generally very easy to make and may help save time on cooking.
“They were pretty tasty and maintained their texture for the most part. A few required additional ingredients, such as spices or veggies, to make them more palatable. Some also included large amounts of spinach, which became slimy after reheating.
“I think [Trifecta] is worthwhile for people who adventurous eaters, athletes, people with a busy schedule, and those following vegan, paleo, or keto diet plans.”
Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Trifecta Nutrition
Pros & cons
Product details
Best with dietitian support
Factor
$130 Off first 6 boxes with code HEALTHLINE130N
GET STARTED WITH FACTOR4.3out of 5healthline scoreHealthline's reviewWhy we like it: Factor is a meal subscription service that delivers nutrient-rich, fully prepared meals straight to your door. It also offers individual support from a registered dietitian, which can help foster health-promoting eating habits to support long-term weight management.
During testing, Factor scored highly for meal variety, nutrition quality, ingredient quality, ease of preparation, and taste.
How it works: Factor meals generally contain 350 to 900 calories per serving. However, its Calorie Smart meal plan offers tasty meals with fewer than 550 calories per serving to help you stay within your calorie deficit goals. A sampling of recent items included Mushroom Chicken Thighs & Wild Rice, Garlic Butter Shrimp and Creamed Kale, and Sun-dried Tomato Spinach Fusilli.
Detailed nutritional information is available for each item. Some meals can also be found on popular nutrition tracking apps, such as MyFitnessPal.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes4.5Meal variety4.5Nutrition5Sustainability3Ingredient quality5Ease of preparation5Taste4.5Affordability3What our tester says
“The meals I tried from Factor had great flavors and textures, even after reheating. Each meal contained a good serving of vegetables, and the chicken and fish were nicely cooked.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Factor
“The meals I tried from Factor had great flavors and textures, even after reheating. Each meal contained a good serving of vegetables, and the chicken and fish were nicely cooked.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Factor
Pros & cons
Product details
Best for prepared meals
CookUnity
What we like about it: CookUnity provides meals designed and cooked by regional chefs that cater to different dietary needs and preferences, including lower calorie options that come in under 600 calories.It’s also one of the tastiest meal plans we’ve tried.
However, entrees outside the low calorie options can be quite high in calories and saturated fat, so if you’re looking for prepared meals to lose weight, you’ll want to make sure you’re using that filter.
Our tester noted that some meals had less vegetables than she anticipated, so you might want to keep a salad kit or some frozen vegetables on hand to round out your meal.
How it works: You can filter the menu to find specific types of meals, such as meals that are under 600 calories, that are low in carbs or low sodium. Plus, you can filter meals by protein type and dietary restrictions.
Select items can be found on nutrition tracking apps, such as MyFitnessPal.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes4.5Meal variety4.5Nutrition3Sustainability4Ingredient quality4.5Ease of preparation4.5Taste5Affordability2What our tester says
“This is the first [prepared meal delivery service] where I genuinely would’ve thought that I was eating a takeout meal from a local restaurant. All of the meals were flavorful and tasted very fresh.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Cook Unity
“This is the first [prepared meal delivery service] where I genuinely would’ve thought that I was eating a takeout meal from a local restaurant. All of the meals were flavorful and tasted very fresh.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Cook Unity
Pros & cons
Product details
Best doctor-designed
BistroMD
What we like about it: BistroMD is a doctor-designed meal delivery service that specializes in prepared meals to lose weight and other health concerns, including diabetes and heart disease. We like that the program customizes a week’s worth of nutritionally balanced meals based on your goals and food preferences.
How it works: BistroMD allows you to customize your weekly meal plan by selecting from 150 meals, each of which can be reheated and enjoyed.
However, the meals are very low in calories. The meal plans are based on 1,200 calories per day for females and 1,400 calories per day for males. Snacks are available as add-ons and contain roughly 150 calories each. This may not be enough calories for some people.
All plans are high in protein, which has been shown to help reduce body weight, fat mass, and appetite.
The service also includes the option to receive email support from a registered dietitian in addition to free webinars and articles.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes5Meal variety5Nutrition4Sustainability4Ingredient quality4Ease of preparation5Taste4Affordability2What our tester says
“There are a wide variety of meals available, so you can really pick what you’re in the mood for, including everything from savory meals to sweet snacks and shakes.
“Each meal was prepared quickly and was very filling. Because there was just the right amount, I always finished it and didn’t have that “I ate too much” feeling afterward.
“Each meal had a good variety of flavors, veggies, and proteins.
“The taste and texture of the meals were also very good, which was surprising considering they were shipped and reheated in the microwave. I was impressed with their bold flavors, like BBQ salmon, that could have gone really wrong in the microwave but still tasted pretty good.
“The only issue — like you would find in a lot of microwave meals — is the small pool of trapped moisture you almost always find when warming up food. Not a huge deal, but was a little unappetizing when something like green beans would sit and absorb liquid if you didn’t eat it fast enough.
“Overall, I felt I didn’t need to add anything else. Especially with the snacks and shakes, I always had a full meal, even if I didn’t like something on the plate.”
— Steven Rowe, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of BistroMD
“There are a wide variety of meals available, so you can really pick what you’re in the mood for, including everything from savory meals to sweet snacks and shakes.
“Each meal was prepared quickly and was very filling. Because there was just the right amount, I always finished it and didn’t have that “I ate too much” feeling afterward.
“Each meal had a good variety of flavors, veggies, and proteins.
“The taste and texture of the meals were also very good, which was surprising considering they were shipped and reheated in the microwave. I was impressed with their bold flavors, like BBQ salmon, that could have gone really wrong in the microwave but still tasted pretty good.
“The only issue — like you would find in a lot of microwave meals — is the small pool of trapped moisture you almost always find when warming up food. Not a huge deal, but was a little unappetizing when something like green beans would sit and absorb liquid if you didn’t eat it fast enough.
“Overall, I felt I didn’t need to add anything else. Especially with the snacks and shakes, I always had a full meal, even if I didn’t like something on the plate.”
— Steven Rowe, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of BistroMD
Pros & cons
Product details
Best plant-based
Purple Carrot
What we like about it: Purple Carrot is a plant-based meal delivery service offering nutrient-rich vegan meals and meal kits with creative flavor combinations. Studies suggest switching to a vegetarian diet may aid weight loss.
Healthline Nutrition Editor Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, particularly liked how creative the recipes were compared with other meal delivery services. She also liked the generous servings of vegetables in each dish.
The meal kit recipes aren’t the most beginner-friendly, however, and can take up to 50 minutes to prepare.
How it works: Meal options change weekly, and customers can choose the meals they wish to receive, including a mixture of prepared meals and vegetarian meal kits. You can also select specific meal preferences such as High Protein, Gluten-Free, and Less Prep.
On average, meals contain 500 to 800 calories per serving. However, Purple Carrot also labels most items that contain fewer than 600 calories per serving, which can be useful if you’re looking for lower calorie options.
If you choose to receive the meal kits, your ingredients will come pre-measured and in labeled packaging. Purple Carrot also includes a recipe booklet with easy-to-follow instructions, although some people, like our tester, may prefer one of the larger-print recipe cards.
Our tester noted that most meals are straightforward to prepare and don’t require a using stack of dishes to clean afterward.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes3Meal variety3Nutrition5Sustainability3.5Ingredient quality5Ease of preparation5Taste5Affordability3
What our tester says
“I found that Purple Carrot’s recipes were the most unique [of other plant-based meal kits]. I enjoyed the flavors and textures of each dish I tried and loved that the service introduced me to new ingredients, or uses for ingredients, and flavor combinations.” — Kelli McGrane, Healthline contributor
A few meals in particular stood out:
New England “lobster” Rolls: “A creative twist on a classic dish. Used heart of palm in place of lobster meat. As someone who has eaten their fair share of lobster rolls, I was pleasantly surprised at how the flavor and texture hit all the right notes — just what you’d expect from this New England staple.”
Romesco Grain Bowls: “Included pan-roasted mushrooms and butter beans. Again, I found the dish to be brimming with flavor, and I appreciated the variation in textures.”
Spicy Almond Butter Noodles: “LOVED the sauce and the texture of the whole wheat ramen was awesome (super chewy). I also liked the bok choy as I don’t buy it often. My only complaint was that the textures felt a bit repetitive after a while, and I wished that there was tofu for an extra protein boost.”
Read our full review of Purple Carrot
“I found that Purple Carrot’s recipes were the most unique [of other plant-based meal kits]. I enjoyed the flavors and textures of each dish I tried and loved that the service introduced me to new ingredients, or uses for ingredients, and flavor combinations.” — Kelli McGrane, Healthline contributor
A few meals in particular stood out:
New England “lobster” Rolls: “A creative twist on a classic dish. Used heart of palm in place of lobster meat. As someone who has eaten their fair share of lobster rolls, I was pleasantly surprised at how the flavor and texture hit all the right notes — just what you’d expect from this New England staple.”
Romesco Grain Bowls: “Included pan-roasted mushrooms and butter beans. Again, I found the dish to be brimming with flavor, and I appreciated the variation in textures.”
Spicy Almond Butter Noodles: “LOVED the sauce and the texture of the whole wheat ramen was awesome (super chewy). I also liked the bok choy as I don’t buy it often. My only complaint was that the textures felt a bit repetitive after a while, and I wished that there was tofu for an extra protein boost.”
Read our full review of Purple Carrot
Pros & cons
Product details
Best for singles
Splendid Spoon
What we like about it: Splendid Spoon offers a broad selection of plant-based, ready-made meals, including smoothies, soups, noodle bowls, and grain bowls. Most entrees are also under 500 calories, which may be helpful for people trying to reduce their calorie intake to support weight loss.
Our tester really appreciated that the smoothies weren’t overly sweet and featured ingredients that she wouldn’t typically add, though she didn’t love the consistency of some smoothies.
How it works: Each week, you can mix and match your favorite items to create a custom box. For people trying to lose weight, most Splendid Spoon options are fewer than 500 calories, which can help support weight loss goals.
While the menu is gluten-free, foods are produced in a facility that also processes gluten, which may not be suitable for people with a severe allergy or sensitivity to gluten.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes4Meal variety3.5Nutrition4.5Sustainability5Ingredient quality5Ease of preparation4.5Taste4.5Affordability3What our tester says
“[The noodle bowls] included generous amounts of vegetables and featured flavor-filled sauces that aligned with my food preferences.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Splendid Spoon
“[The noodle bowls] included generous amounts of vegetables and featured flavor-filled sauces that aligned with my food preferences.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Splendid Spoon
Pros & cons
Product details
Best meal kit
Sunbasket
What we like about it: We recommend Sunbasket’s meal kits for people who are trying to lose weight because it offers several menus that may support weight management, including keto-friendly, Mediterranean, carb-conscious, and vegetarian plans.
During testing, the service scored highly for its meal variety, nutrition and ingredient quality, ease of preparation, and taste. In fact, it earned our pick as best overall meal delivery service.
How it works: Sunbasket is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic meal delivery service with a wide variety of nutritious meal kits.
In addition to choosing meals based on dietary patterns that may support weight loss, you can filter the menu to only view meals that contain fewer than 600 calories. This may be particularly helpful if you’re trying to reduce your calorie intake.
Meals include detailed nutritional information, and some can also be found on nutrition tracking apps.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes5Meal variety5Nutrition5Sustainability4Ingredient quality5Ease of preparation5Taste5Affordability3What our tester says
“Out of all of the meal kit delivery services I’ve tried, Sunbasket’s ingredients tasted the freshest, and I thought the quality of the meat and seafood was noteworthy,”
“The meals featured interesting flavor combinations, and I appreciated that the recipes included lots of vegetables.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Sunbasket
“Out of all of the meal kit delivery services I’ve tried, Sunbasket’s ingredients tasted the freshest, and I thought the quality of the meat and seafood was noteworthy,”
“The meals featured interesting flavor combinations, and I appreciated that the recipes included lots of vegetables.”
— Kelli McGrane, MS, RD, Healthline contributor
Read our full review of Sunbasket
Pros & cons
Product details
Best for special diets
Territory Foods
What we like about it: Territory Foods offers seasonal, chef-prepared meals for a variety of eating patterns. You can filter for fewer than 500 calories, allowing you to quickly find a large selection of meals that can support your weight loss goals.
Our tester gave Territory high marks for meal variety, nutrition quality, sustainability efforts, ease of preparation, and taste. It also scored well for ingredient quality.
The biggest downside? The price.
Still, if it fits within your budget, this meal delivery service might be one to consider to support your weight loss goals.
How it works: When selecting your meals, you use the filter the menu to view dishes that are fewer than 500 calories per serving. Detailed information on the nutritional content of each meal is available online, along with a breakdown of the macronutrient ratios in each serving.
Territory Foods chefs work in independent kitchens around the country and use locally sourced ingredients as well as humanely raised poultry, grass-fed beef, and sustainably sourced seafood. All meals are free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.
Our score breakdownSign-up, delivery, and cancellation processes4Meal variety4.5Nutrition5Sustainability4.5Ingredient quality4Ease of preparation5Taste5Affordability1What our tester says
“I would recommend Territory Foods,” Abellon said. “I think [it could be] especially helpful for individuals or couples, both those living on their own or who might have different needs for their diet than the rest of their household.
“The flavors were really good. It was a good level of salt for me, and I liked the combination and balance of ingredients.”
— Healthline Senior Editor Candice Abellon
Read our full review of Territory Foods
“I would recommend Territory Foods,” Abellon said. “I think [it could be] especially helpful for individuals or couples, both those living on their own or who might have different needs for their diet than the rest of their household.
“The flavors were really good. It was a good level of salt for me, and I liked the combination and balance of ingredients.”
— Healthline Senior Editor Candice Abellon
Read our full review of Territory Foods