Tested: The 8 Best Frozen Meal Delivery Services of 2023

Meatballs and broccoli and rice lunch boxes cooked in advance and ready to be frozen — fortyforks / Getty Images

The concept of frozen food may stir up thoughts of bland, freezer-burnt TV dinners complete with mystery meatloaf and mushy potatoes on the side. But it doesn’t have to be that way—at least, not if you sign up for a frozen meal delivery service.

These services ship gourmet flash-frozen meals straight to your door, eliminating the need to schlep down the frigid freezer aisle of the grocery store to grab them yourself. And if you think these meals skimp on taste, think again. “Frozen” does not mean “flavorless” when it comes to meal delivery. Read on to find our top picks for the best frozen meal delivery services out there.

Best Frozen Meal Delivery Services of 2023

Best Overall: Daily Harvest
Best for Budget: Clean Eatz
Best for Single-Serving Meals: Revive Superfoods
Best Heart-Healthy Meals: bistroMD
Best Vegetarian: Splendid Spoon
Best Paleo: Paleo On The Go
Best for Seniors: Magic Kitchen
Best for Families: Mosaic Foods

Best Overall: Daily Harvest

Daily Harvest

Key Specs
Starting Price: $5.99 per serving
Delivery Area: 48 states
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
Daily Harvest combines the ease and convenience of frozen food with a sustainability mindset, offering a menu that’s entirely plant-based and made mostly of organic ingredients.

Pros
Fully plant-based and gluten-free menu
Affordably priced foods with volume-based discounts
Emphasis on organic ingredients

Cons
Some meals may not be satiating
Must order a minimum of nine items with each delivery

Overview
Variety, sustainability, and nutritiousness? Check, check, and check. Since 2015, Daily Harvest has been serving up plant-based, gluten-free meals that are made with organic and sustainably sourced ingredients. You won’t find any GMOs, refined sugars, fillers, or artificial additives in Daily Harvest’s food—“Don’t eat it if you can’t read it,” the company says on its website. (And honestly, we agree.) Daily Harvest’s expansive menu comprises over 100 items, including grain bowls, flatbreads, soups, snacks, lattes, smoothies, and dairy-free frozen treats known as “scoops.” Best of all, these foods can be ready to enjoy in mere minutes after simply blending, thawing, or reheating.

Pricing and Plans
When placing orders, you'll start by choosing a box size—either Small (9 items), Medium (14 items), or Large (24 items). Then, simply fill the box with whatever you like. While pricing will depend on what you order, Daily Harvest offers volume discounts where the more items you buy, the more cash you'll save.

Per-Item Pricing:
Lattes: $5.99
Forager Bowls: $6.79
Mylk & Bites: $7.99
Smoothies & Soups: $8.49
Scoops: $8.99
Harvest Bowls & Flatbreads: $9.79
Harvest Bake: $11.99

Volume Discounts:
9-11 items: $5 discount
12-23 items: $10 discount
24-26 items: $25 discount

Meals We Tried
Mint and cacao smoothie
Mango papaya smoothie
Hazelnut and chocolate bites
Tomatillo and pepper flatbread
Portobello and pesto flatbread
Sweet potato and wild rice hash
Brussels sprouts and tahini harvest bowl
Spinach and shiitake grits
Tomato and zucchini minestrone soup

Best for Budget: Clean Eatz

Clean Eatz Kitchen

Key Specs
Starting Price: $7.99 per serving
Delivery Area: 48 states
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
With meals as low as $7.99 each, plus the option to order your meals in bulk, Clean Eatz is a shoo-in for budget-friendly frozen meals.

Pros
Hearty, filling meals
Snacks and supplements available
Bulk orders of up to 30 meals

Cons
No subscription option available
Menu availability depends on location

Overview
If you’re looking to pack the most flavor into the lowest price point possible, Clean Eatz comes in clutch. The company’s meals start around $7.99 each for a six-meal plan, with the option to order 30-meal bulk packs that shave the cost down to around $6.50 each. Choose from over two dozen dishes, with hearty selections like beef nacho fries, buffalo chicken empanadas, meatball marinara, and even protein-filled pizzas with cauliflower crust. Need a little something sweet? Clean Eatz also offers five flavors of dessert bars that you can tack onto your order.

Pricing and Plans
Standard meal plans (six meals): start at $47.99 (or $7.99 per meal)
Bulk meal boxes (30 meals): start at $195 (or $6.50 per meal)

Best for Single-Serving Meals: Revive Superfoods

Revive Superfoods

Key Specs
Starting Price: $6.99 per serving
Delivery Area: 50 states and Canada
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
Cooking for one? Revive Superfoods’ menu of plant-forward, single-serving meals will keep you satisfied at any time of the day.

Pros
Meals arrive in convenient single-serve cups
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner options available
24 different smoothies to choose from

Cons
Limited menu compared to other services
Portions can be small for some items

Overview
If you’re looking for a quick meal, it doesn’t get much easier than taking a cup out of the freezer—and that’s exactly the aim of Revive Superfoods’ game. The company offers a menu spanning everything from grain bowls to oats to smoothies to frozen desserts, all of which arrive in preportioned cups that are ready to eat after thawing, blending, or reheating. Most notably, Revive boasts a selection of 24 different smoothies, which can be whipped up in seconds after adding liquid to the cup, pouring it into a blender, and pureeing it to perfection.

Pricing and Plans
Pricing depends on what you order. You’ll begin by selecting a box size of either nine, 12, or 24 items, then you’ll fill it with your choice of menu selections. Per-item pricing is as follows:

Oats: $6.99
Smoothies: $7.99
Bites: $6.99
Soups: $6.99
Frozen Desserts: $7.99
Supermeals: $8.99

Meals We Tried
Hazy Cocoa smoothie
Pink Dragon smoothie
Acai Twist smoothie
Chipotle and black bean supermeal
Lentil and sundried tomato supermeal
Avocado and quinoa supermeal
Chickpea and pomegranate supermeal
Guajillo tortilla soup
Artisan bean and tomato soup

Best Heart-Healthy Meals: bistroMD

BistroMD

Key Specs
Starting Price: $6.59 per serving
Delivery Area: 48 states
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
Designed by doctors and prepared by chefs, bistroMD’s meals allow you to reach your health goals the easiest and tastiest way possible.

Pros
Entire meal program dedicated to heart health
Dietitian support available
Over 150 meals on the menu

Cons
No modifications to meals

Overview
BistroMD works with doctors, dietitians, and chefs to craft meals that are both flavorful and nutritious. While the company primarily caters its meals toward weight loss, it also offers multiple meal programs that target specific health needs, including heart health. BistroMD’s “Heart Healthy” meal program consists of dishes that are “at or below the American Heart Association’s recommendations for sodium, total fat, and saturated fat.”

Pricing and Plans
Heart Healthy Meal Program:
Lunches and dinners for 5 days: $89.94
Lunches and dinners for 7 days: $113.97
Full program (all meals) for 5 days: $113.97
Full program (all meals) for 7 days: $131.88

Meals We Tried
Chicken, rice, and cheddar casserole
Salmon with dill mustard sauce
Turkey breast with cranberry apple chutney
Oven-fried catfish with spicy tomato leek sauce
Baked pasta marinara with chicken sausage
Meatloaf with honey bourbon glaze
Mojo pork with black beans and rice
Chicken pad Thai
Grilled salmon with creamy pesto
Lasagna with garden marinara

Best Vegetarian: Splendid Spoon

Splendid Spoon

Key Specs
Starting Price: $9.99 per serving
Delivery Area: 48 states
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
Featuring an entirely plant-based menu with everything from noodles to grain bowls to ready-to-drink smoothies, Splendid Spoon is a top-notch choice for vegetarians and vegans alike.

Pros
Whole menu is both plant based and gluten free
Smoothies require no blending
Menu can be sorted by multiple dietary needs

Cons
A bit pricier than other similar services
Shipping costs extra for smaller orders

Overview
Splendid Spoon’s meals hit the sweet spot between light and hearty. Everything on the menu is both gluten free and plant based, making it an excellent service for both vegans and vegetarians. With meals like tomato quinoa chili, shepherd’s pie, and pasta with vegan meatballs, you’re sure to find something filling and flavorful. Additionally, Splendid Spoon’s menu can be sorted by various dietary preferences, including lower sugar, lower sodium, higher protein, and higher fiber. And if you’re a fan of grab-and-go smoothies, Splendid Spoon has nearly two dozen options that all come pre-blended and ready to enjoy.

Pricing and Plans
Splendid Spoon offers three different box sizes of seven, 14, or 21 meals. If you choose the 14- or 21-item box, you’ll receive free shipping as well as a discount on the total cost of the order. Pricing will depend on what you select for your box, with per-item prices as follows:

Dishes: $13.49 each
Noodles: $13.49 each
Soup & Grain Bowls: $12.49 each
Smoothies: $9.99 each

Meals We Tried
Smoothies:
Cacao almond
Blackberry basil
Green matcha
Power greens
Raspberry cacao

Soups:
Red lentil dal
Green tomatillo chili
Lentil and kale
Kimchi fried quinoa
Cauliflower tikka
Cauliflower potato
Butternut turmeric
Garden minestrone

Best Paleo: Paleo On The Go

Paleo On The Go

Key Specs
Starting Price: $14.95 per serving
Delivery Area: 50 states
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
If you follow the paleo diet, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better selection of paleo-friendly meals than Paleo On The Go.

Pros
Entire menu is paleo-friendly and AIP compliant
Plenty of variety
Both subscriptions and one-time purchases available

Cons
A bit pricey
$99 order minimum

Overview
As you may guess from the company’s name, Paleo On The Go specializes in paleo food. Not only that, but its entire menu is also AIP compliant. Short for “autoimmune protocol,” the AIP diet involves eliminating foods like nuts, seeds, grains, eggs, dairy, soy, legumes, and nightshades, which can trigger inflammation. Paleo On The Go’s menu comprises dozens of items, from entrees to soups to baked goods, proving that being on a restrictive diet doesn’t mean you can’t have variety in your meals.

Pricing and Plans
To order, you’ll select a box of either eight, 12, or 16 items and fill it with whatever you like. Then, you’ll set a delivery frequency of every two, four, or eight weeks. Pricing will vary depending on what you select, with meals starting at $14.95 per serving.

Meals We Tried
Homemade chicken potpie
Bacon apple chicken burger with maple cranberry sauce and collard greens with smoky bacon
Coq au vin with herb mashed Japanese white sweet potatoes
Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy and onion confit cauliflower mash
Moo shoo pork tacos
German brats with sauerkraut and home-fried potatoes
Polish stuffed cabbage rolls
Thai basil shrimp

Best for Seniors: Magic Kitchen

Magic Kitchen

Key Specs
Starting Price: $5.25 per serving
Delivery Area: 48 states
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
Boasting an entire menu section dedicated to senior meals, Magic Kitchen makes nutritious eating both easy and delicious for senior citizens.

Pros
Excellent variety of meals, sides, desserts, and more
Menu caters to a range of dietary needs
Entire section of the menu specifically for senior meals

Cons
Shipping fees can get steep
Some items run out of stock quickly

Overview
Kansas-based meal delivery company Magic Kitchen is a boon for seniors who want nutritious and delicious meals that can be heated to perfection in minutes. Boasting over 100 menu items, Magic Kitchen’s food is specially designed to accommodate a range of dietary restrictions, including gluten free, dairy free, diabetic friendly, low sodium, and dialysis friendly. There’s also a section of Magic Kitchen’s menu that is dedicated to “senior meals,” which are balanced, dietitian-approved meals consisting of an entree and a side dish all in one easily reheatable tray. With options like baked tilapia, balsamic chicken, and beef bourguignon, seniors can enjoy a gourmet meal experience with ease thanks to Magic Kitchen.

Pricing and Plans
Magic Kitchen's pricing will depend on what you order. Most meals average around $10 to $14 each, and there are discounts applied if you sign up for a meal program. Sample pricing is as follows:

1 meal per day (choice of breakfast, lunch, or dinner): $82 to $90 for 7 days
2 meals per day (choice of breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner): $164 to $180 for 7 days
3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): $246 to $275 for 7 days

Meals We Tried
Vegetable caponata with orzo and spinach
Beef and broccoli over noodles and vegetable blend
Balsamic glazed chicken with roasted potatoes and green beans
Chili with beans with carrots and broccoli florets

Best for Families: Mosaic Foods

Mosaic Foods

Key Specs
Starting Price: $5.99 per serving
Delivery Area: Depends on ZIP code
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It
Feeding a crowd? Mosaic Foods’ ready-to-heat family meals provide comforting, crowd-pleasing dinners that serve up to four people each.

Pros
Entire menu is either vegan or vegetarian
Celeb chef collaborations
Family-sized comfort food dishes available

Cons
Limited delivery area

Overview
With its bold flavors and wide selection of menu items to choose from, Mosaic Foods is an excellent choice whether you’re a fully plant-based eater or are simply wanting to include more vegetables in your meals. Mosaic’s entire menu is meat-free, with everything from pizzas to soups to noodle bowls on offer. The company also has a line of bake-and-serve “family meals,” which serve four people each. Choose from kid-friendly, comfort food-leaning dishes like veggie potpie, enchiladas verdes, and broccoli cheddar mac, all of which include four or more vegetables in each serving.

Pricing and Plans
Smoothies: $7.99
Pizzas: $11.99
Veggie bowls: $9.99
Soups: $8.99
Oat bowls: $5.99
Mosaic+ chef-crafted meals: $11.99
Family meals (4 servings): $19.95

Meals We Tried
Spicy dan dan noodles
Buffalo cauliflower pasta bake (family size)
Mac and greens
Pozole verde
Veggie kebab platter
Coconut chickpea curry

Final Verdict

When it comes to frozen meal delivery, it’s hard to beat Daily Harvest. Not only does the company’s menu consist of over 100 items, but it’s also fully plant based and gluten free. On top of that, Daily Harvest emphasizes sustainable sourcing, with its meals consisting of mostly organic produce with no fillers, GMOs, or artificial additives. Combine that with its affordable pricing model and you’ve got one stellar frozen meal delivery service.

Guide to Choosing a Frozen Meal Delivery Service

Factors to Consider

Price/Cost Per Meal: Perhaps most importantly, you’ll want to make sure the frozen meal delivery service you choose fits into your budget.
Number of Meals Per Delivery: Make sure the service can provide an adequate number of meals, whether you’re looking to feed a family of five or you simply need a few supplemental meals every week.
Flexibility: Going out of town? Most meal services will allow you to cancel or pause deliveries at any time, but it’s a good idea to make sure that’s the case before you sign up.
Menu Selection: Many meal delivery companies will let you view the menu before ordering your meals for the week, which helps ensure that you’re getting food that you actually want to eat.
Nutrition Goals/Dietary Restrictions: Allergic to peanuts? Limiting your sugar intake? Whatever dietary needs you have, it’s important to verify that your meal delivery service can accommodate them.

Are Frozen Meal Delivery Services Right for You?

If you enjoy the convenience of having tasty meals on hand that can go from freezer to table in minutes—all without having to set foot in a grocery store—then a frozen meal delivery service is an excellent option for you. Many of these services have chef-designed menus, so you’ll know the offerings are top-notch. However, if you’ve got picky eaters in the house, you may want to reconsider signing up for a frozen meal delivery service, as many of them don’t allow customizations or modifications to the meals. And if you’re working with a limited budget, the cost of a meal delivery service may be a bit higher than what you’re going for. At the end of the day, whether or not a frozen meal delivery service is right for you will depend on your personal needs and priorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Frozen Meals Healthy?

Let’s start by clarifying that the word “healthy” means something different to everyone. We all have individual health needs, including food allergies and dietary restrictions, and not every meal delivery service will accommodate them all. With that being said, there are plenty of frozen meals that are made with nutritious ingredients—in fact, most of the services on our list have menus full of nutrient-packed dishes, from Daily Harvest’s veggie grain bowls to Revive Superfoods’ fruit-forward smoothies. What’s more, produce is typically frozen at peak ripeness, meaning you get all the nutrients in a more shelf-stable package.

Are Frozen Meal Delivery Services Worth It?

This depends on a variety of factors, including your budget and your priorities. Since food delivery is a bit of a luxury, there are convenience-related costs that come along with it. But, while you may be able to find cheaper food at the grocery store, that means you’ll also have to take time out of your schedule to shop, prep, and cook the food yourself.

And despite the bad reputation frozen food seems to have, there are actually benefits to it. For one thing, frozen food has a longer shelf life than fresh food, meaning you can keep your kitchen stocked with delicious meals without worrying about them spoiling after a few days. This helps cut down on food waste since you’re not tossing expired food in the trash as often. When you combine these factors with the convenience that frozen meal delivery services offer, you may find that they’re well worth the money.

Do Frozen Meal Delivery Services Accommodate Dietary Restrictions?

Many of them do! In fact, most of the frozen meal delivery services on our list accommodate various dietary restrictions. For example, Daily Harvest and Splendid Spoon both have entire menus that are gluten free and vegan. BistroMD also has a gluten-free meal program, in addition to keto, diabetic friendly, and “heart healthy” programs. Paleo On The Go’s food is suitable for both paleo and AIP diets, and Magic Kitchen’s meals cater to over 10 different dietary needs, including dairy free, low sodium, low sugar, and dialysis friendly.

How Much Does Frozen Meal Delivery Cost?

While frozen meal delivery services range in cost, most of them fall around the $8 to $12 range per serving. With that said, you’ll find meals as low as $7 and as high as $16 with the companies we’ve listed. You’ll also need to account for shipping costs, which can get steep, especially if you live outside the lower 48 states.

Methodology

Our team of food researchers and testers ordered food from 40 different meal delivery companies before evaluating each of them based on an extensive list of criteria. This included pricing, menu selection, user-friendliness, flexibility, customer service, delivery area, and even materials used in the packaging. And, of course, we took the flavor and quality of the food into consideration before making our final decisions for this roundup.

How We Test and Rank Meal Delivery Services

Article Sources

Simply Recipes uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.