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  • 10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes in 2022 (Sunbasket, Factor 75, and More) 1
  • 10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes in 2022 (Sunbasket, Factor 75, and More) 2
  • 10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes in 2022 (Sunbasket, Factor 75, and More) 3
  • 10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes in 2022 (Sunbasket, Factor 75, and More) 4
  • 10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes in 2022 (Sunbasket, Factor 75, and More) 5

10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes in 2022 (Sunbasket, Factor 75, and More)

Do you struggle to find new meals to cook? Or perhaps you don't have time to run to the grocery store? Meal subscription boxes deliver pre-packaged, pre-portioned ingredients for meals right to your doorstep. These boxes take out the time-consuming process of finding a recipe, shopping, and preparing a meal. They can be a lifesaver for busy, but they're also helpful for people new to cooking. Some meal subscriptions offer premade meals, while others require cooking.


After researching the various types of meal subscription box plans available, we think HelloFresh is the best because of its diverse meals and preparation styles. Take a look at the other meal subscription boxes that made our top 10 list, and read through our buying guide for tips on choosing the best plan for you! 

Last updated 09/26/2023

Quick List - Top Meal Subscription Boxes

1

HelloFresh

One serving
One serving

Many Different Cuisines and Options to Choose From

2

Sun Basket

One Serving
One Serving

An Eco-Conscious Meal Plan

3

Factor 75

One Serving
One Serving

Ready-Made Meals for a Range of Diets

4

Gobble

One Serving
One Serving

Home-Cooked Meals Without the Prep Work

5

Freshly

One Serving
One Serving

A Certified Gluten-Free and Healthy Option

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How to Choose Meal Subscription Boxes

Meal subscription boxes have become a popular service, which means there are many choices. Luckily, that means that there are options that will suit your lifestyle and needs! Here are some points to keep in mind as you look for the right one for your household. 

1

Decide How Hands-On You Want to Be

Decide How Hands-On You Want to Be

Whether you hate cooking or it's one of your biggest passions, there are meal subscription boxes that can cater to you and your skills. Some meal subscription boxes come with pre-cut or pre-mixed ingredients that require little prep work, while others require washing and cutting ingredients.


If you want to learn how to cook, a subscription with varying levels of difficulty can help you learn techniques and seamlessly transition to more difficult cooking methods. Recipes come in a card, booklet, or digital form and sometimes have accompanying visuals to help guide you through the process. 


The average cooking or preparation times for the meals are usually listed next to the recipe to help you schedule that time into your busy day. There are even subscriptions that offer fully made meals that only need to be heated up in the microwave or oven.

2

Take Dietary Restrictions into Account

Take Dietary Restrictions into Account

Some subscription services are specifically catered to various diets, like ketogenic, gluten-free, or vegan. If you or someone in your family has dietary restrictions or preferences, this is one of the most important things to consider when narrowing down your choices. 


Some services allow you to substitute or omit certain parts of a meal, so check how customizable the meals are. Up-to-date and past menus are usually available online, so looking through the options and customization choices can give you a better idea of what you'll receive. 


For those with severe food allergies, many subscriptions have a risk of cross-contamination, so be sure to keep that in mind. 

3

Look into Frequency and Delivery Time

Look into Frequency and Delivery Time

Delivery schedules vary from service to service. Some subscriptions allow you to choose the date and time, while others have a set delivery day. Consult your schedule and think about when you are available to receive the box. 


While the boxes are designed to keep the food inside fresh and protected, being home to receive the delivery will ensure proper food preservation, keeping the ingredients fresher and tastier. Most boxes don't require you to be home during delivery, but be sure to check the protocol to ensure you don't miss the delivery day!

4

Check Out the Variety of Food

Check Out the Variety of Food

If you or anyone in your family is a picky eater, look through the types of meals a subscription service offers to get an idea of what you may be signing up for. 


If you are an adventurous eater and want to experiment with new dishes or cooking methods, a meal subscription service with a wide variety of options and cuisines is a fun way to try out flavors you didn’t know existed


Most services publish several weeks' worth of menus so you can get an idea of the types of food they offer and what is coming up. Since most menus rotate weekly, looking for a subscription with a lot of menu choices will decrease the likelihood of having the same meal twice

Decide What Meals You Want Delivered

Decide What Meals You Want Delivered

Subscription services usually only offer lunch or dinner. If you're looking for a meal box to cut cooking time for breakfast, you may be eating dinner for breakfast or end up paying more to add breakfast services. 


Some subscriptions even offer snacks, which may be helpful if you get too busy to eat during the day. Make sure to check exactly what’s offered so you can get the most out of your subscription.

5

Make Sure You Have the Necessary Tools

Make Sure You Have the Necessary Tools

When looking for a meal subscription, read through some of the recipes and note what they require. Getting an idea of what kitchen tools and supplies are necessary for the meal will prevent the dreaded moment of receiving a meal to prepare only to realize you can’t make it! 


In terms of tools, most subscriptions will assume that you have a pan, pot, oven, and microwave. Most services also assume that you have kitchen staples like oil, salt, pepper, and butter. 


There may also be recipes that require a blender or mixer. Information on what kitchen tools you need are usually listed in the FAQ section on subscription sites. 

6

Consider Finding Local Farms or CSA Boxes

Consider Finding Local Farms or CSA Boxes

Subscribing to a local CSA (community-supported agriculture) is a great way to support your local community and receive fresh, in-season vegetables. Farmers fill boxes with fruits and vegetables that reaped a good harvest and send them about once a week.


CSA boxes are a great chance to try new foods and recipes because you may not know what exactly you're going to get. Since the produce you receive is in-season, it will have a higher nutrition content than out of season produce. Knowing exactly where your food is coming from and how it’s handled is an added benefit of CSA boxes.


CSA boxes can be difficult for some people, though. Since the produce is fresh, it's prone to going bad more quickly. Recipes aren't always included, so researching recipes can be necessary. Because CSA boxes have an aspect of shared risk, some weeks may bring a lot of food, while others might not yield anything. 

Was the Buying Guide helpful?

10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes Ranking

Here are the best Meal Subscription Boxes, ranked according to 10 Best Meal Subscription Boxes (as of 11-04-2022). The products are ranked independently by mybest.
Popularity

Products

Image

Click to purchase

Key features

1

HelloFresh

One serving

HelloFresh  One serving  1

Many Different Cuisines and Options to Choose From

2

Sun Basket

One Serving

Sun Basket One Serving 1

An Eco-Conscious Meal Plan

3

Factor 75

One Serving

Factor 75 One Serving  1

Ready-Made Meals for a Range of Diets

4

Gobble

One Serving

Gobble One Serving  1

Home-Cooked Meals Without the Prep Work

5

Freshly

One Serving

Freshly One Serving 1

A Certified Gluten-Free and Healthy Option

6

Every Plate

One Serving

Every Plate One Serving 1

A Low-Cost Meal Subscription

7

Yumble

One Serving

Yumble One Serving  1

A Meal Plan Full of Nutrition for Kids

8

Home Chef

One Serving

Home Chef One Serving 1

Customizable Meal Kit With Big Serving Sizes

9

Blue Apron

One Serving

Blue Apron  One Serving 1

Creative Meals With Easy Instructions

10

Purple Carrot

One Serving

Purple Carrot One Serving 1

A 100% Plant-Based Meal Kit Service

If you don't see the product you're looking for, you can request that it be listed.
No.1

HelloFresh
One serving

One serving  1
Source:hellofresh.com
Reference price
$8.99
Mid
Reference price
$8.99
Mid

Many Different Cuisines and Options to Choose From

HelloFresh offers over 22 weekly recipes. There are a variety of dietary options to choose from, as well recipes that take little time to make and are easy to clean up. Plus, you can skip weeks or cancel without a problem.


HelloFresh does not offer gluten-free, dairy-free, or nut-free meals. They also don't offer a vegan plan, but the vegetarian plans can be modified to exclude animal products. Reviewers note that when you sign up, Hello Fresh charges your credit card for a noncancelable order without a delivery date.


Many reviewers have run into issues with receiving bad produce and leaky meat or seafood packages. Customer service is receptive and offers credits for spoiled or missing ingredients, but reviewers were understandably annoyed with having to call to report problems


When things went smoothly, reviewers enjoyed the meals that they made with HelloFresh. Many were able to learn new cooking techniques and try out different cuisines. The meals are generally easy to prepare and allowed reviewers to try out flavor combinations and cooking methods they had never thought of before. 

Was this Ranking helpful?
No.2

Sun Basket
One Serving

One Serving 1
Source:sunbasket.com
Reference price
$10.99
High Mid
Reference price
$10.99
High Mid

An Eco-Conscious Meal Plan

With an emphasis on organic ingredients and sustainability, Sun Basket has diverse menu options to suit your dietary needs. Unlike many other meal subscription services, each meal's protein can be swapped out or increased.  


Meals take about 15 to 40 minutes to prepare. Breakfast, lunch, and snack options are available as well. The packaging can be reused or recycled in some way. The Sun Basket website lists information and ideas for reusing and recycling. 


Generally, reviewers found the food to be flavorful when the delivery goes smoothly. Reviewers complained about deliveries that were consistently late by several days. Others have had times when ingredients are missing or mistaken. 


However, even negative reviews complimented the meals. Many reviewers found the recipes to be tasty and easy to make. Reviewers that prioritize organic foods also appreciated Sun Basket's organic ingredients. 

No.3

Factor 75
One Serving

One Serving  1
Source:factor75.com
Reference price
$11.00
High Mid
Reference price
$11.00
High Mid

Ready-Made Meals for a Range of Diets

These single-serving, premade meals are compatible with a variety of popular diets, such as keto, paleo, gluten-free, and vegetarian. For those who don't have time to cook, this service is a great option. All you have to do is reheat meals in the microwave or oven


Factor 75 is also a good choice if you're looking to get into a specialized diet, like the keto diet. They currently offer a complimentary 20-minute nutrition consultation to help you create your personalized nutrition plan.


A few reviewers mentioned that the meals get redundant sometimes, so adventurous eaters who are looking to try new foods weekly may want to study the menu closely. 


Reviewers who follow the keto diet were especially excited about the meals they received, thankful that the logistics were already figured out for them. Most reviewers raved that the meals were not only delicious but healthy and convenient.

No.4

Gobble
One Serving

One Serving  1
Source:gobble.com
Reference price
$11.99
High
Reference price
$11.99
High

Home-Cooked Meals Without the Prep Work

If you like cooking but could go without the prep work, Gobble offers the best of both worlds. Their meal kits come with pre-prepared ingredients, which means that you can skip the washing, chopping, and clean up that tends to come with cooking. 


In addition to dinners, Gobble offers sides, soups, salads, breakfasts, snacks, and sweets that you can add to your box. Each recipe comes with a recipe card that lists the three steps to preparing the meal in 15 minutes or less


Several reviewers were dissatisfied with the customer service when trying to resolve problems with missing ingredients or late deliveries. However, reviewers complimented the tasty meals and easy preparation. They especially liked the freshness of the ingredients and the variety of recipes to choose from.

No.5

Freshly
One Serving

One Serving 1
Source:freshly.com
Reference price
$8.49
Mid
Reference price
$8.49
Mid

A Certified Gluten-Free and Healthy Option

Certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group, those with gluten sensitivities can enjoy a wide range of safe and healthy choices with this box. All meals have a focus on whole, unprocessed ingredients to pack a nutritional punch. 


Freshly is a good service for those who want to effortlessly eat healthily. Meals are premade and never frozen, so all you have to do is reheat them in the microwave or oven. 


A few reviewers didn't enjoy the recipes, saying that some meals were too salty or mushy. However, they liked that they are exposed to different foods and flavors. They enjoyed the convenience this box brings to their lives. The meals are easy to prepare, tasty, and healthy, which left reviewers feeling good. 

No.6

Every Plate
One Serving

One Serving 1
Source:instagram.com
Reference price
$4.99
Low
Reference price
$4.99
Low

A Low-Cost Meal Subscription

Every Plate's weekly subscriptions are suitable for single-person households or households of four. If you live alone, Every Plate recommends the two serving plan so that you can have dinner and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.


Compared to other meal subscription services, Every Plate costs less. They make budget-saving adjustments to the menu and packaging when possible. However, these cost-cutting measures mean that plans that cater to special dietary needs are unavailable.


Some reviewers reported receiving boxes with smashed, spoiled, or missing items. Others were less than impressed with the customer service, with some reviewers saying they received rude service. 


Busy reviewers who often struggle to find time to cook were happy with the simple and tasty recipes. Several mentioned that the picky eaters in their lives are satisfied with the meals. Reviewers liked that they get ingredients that are portioned out for recipes, reducing their food waste overall. 

No.7

Yumble
One Serving

One Serving  1
Source:instagram.com
Reference price
$5.99
Low Mid
Reference price
$5.99
Low Mid

A Meal Plan Full of Nutrition for Kids

Yumble is a meal subscription box that helps busy parents feed their children a healthy, tasty meal. The meals are good for school lunches, dinners, or snacks and only require about a minute and a half in the microwave before they are ready to eat. 


Curated by nutritionists, the meals are free of added preservatives, artificial colors, trans-fats, and artificial sweeteners. Meals accommodate kids from one to 13 years old. Options for meals that are free of gluten, milk, soy, egg, and meat are also available. 


A few reviewers commented that the portion sizes are too small. However, many were impressed with the nutrition-packed, balanced meals that are easy to serve. Even picky eaters were reported to have slowly started eating a variety of foods, thanks to Yumble. 

No.8

Home Chef
One Serving

One Serving 1
Source:homechef.com
Reference price
$8.99
Mid
Reference price
$8.99
Mid

Customizable Meal Kit With Big Serving Sizes

Home Chef is a good option for big families because they offer up to eight servings per meal. In addition to meals that require cooking, there are also premade meals or meals with little prep work. Meal plans are fairly customizable, with options to switch out or double the protein in a meal. 


Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are updated weekly to incorporate in-season ingredients. Each recipe comes with visual step-by-step instructions. You can choose between omnivore, carnivore, pescetarian, and vegetarian options, as well as low calorie or carbohydrate recipes.


Many reviewers reported issues with the packaging, like receiving leaking packages of meat or spoiled produce. Others ran into troubles with the shipping, receiving their packages late or too warm to be usable. 


Reviewers were satisfied with the recipes for their flavor and ease of preparation. Cooking novices and regular cooks alike learned new techniques and flavor pairings, enjoying foods they normally wouldn't have tried. Many were eager to recreate some of their favorite recipes in the future. 

No.9

Blue Apron
One Serving

One Serving 1
Source:blueapron.com
Reference price
$9.99
Mid
Reference price
$9.99
Mid

Creative Meals With Easy Instructions

Blue Apron was one of the first delivery services to offer meal kits. Vegetarian menus are available for two serving households, as well as a menu that's compatible with the Weight Watchers program and low-carb diets. 


Since there are no premade meal options available, Blue Apron is best suited for those who want to get into cooking or learn new skills. Blue Apron also sells kitchen tools, wine, and spices.


Reviewers ran into problems with billing and delivery. There were some accounts of getting charged for a week of deliveries that they had previously canceled. Some said gift certificates were not properly redeemed by the company, and subscription boxes would arrive late. 


However, reviewers consistently complimented the creativity of the recipes they received and said they were very tasty. Since the recipe cards are easy to understand, a few reviewers mentioned that they have recreated past favorites by themselves

No.10

Purple Carrot
One Serving

Reference price
$9.99
Mid
Reference price
$9.99
Mid

A 100% Plant-Based Meal Kit Service

Purple Carrot is a vegan meal subscription box with options for breakfast, lunch, or snacks. There are two- and four-serving plans. Single households, couples, or small families may be best suited for this subscription box. 


Meal choices are on the limited side with eight recipes that change weekly. Choices get even more limited for those who choose the four-serving plan option; the four meals you get are decided for you. All recipes are gluten-free but may not be soy or nut-free. 


Reviewers ran into problems with deliveries being late by a few days or products being damaged or spoiled. Others skipped a week of delivery but still received a box and got charged. 


The recipes are on the complex side and often require some multi-tasking, according to reviews. This box is a nice choice if you want to improve your cooking skills or learn tasty vegan recipes

The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.

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