The Best Online Meal Delivery Services for a Hassle-Free Thanksgiving Dinner
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Whether you’re looking forward to that autumn family feast where politics are never off the table or your long-awaited Friendsgiving, one thing’s for sure: someone is going to be responsible for cooking up that festive spread.
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Maybe that someone is you, and maybe the past few years of contact-free food deliveries have opened your eyes to the conveniences of, well, avoiding the heat of the kitchen. For those seeking a stress-free celebration sans the turkey basting or air frying, we’ve rounded up some of the best online meal delivery services for Thanksgiving dinners.
There’s something for every culinary level and diet preference, from pre-prepared meals (including meat-free ones) that just need to be popped into the oven, to options for the hands-on chef that thrives on chopping and baking (but just not the shopping). Even better news? There’s plenty of time to place your order for delivery ahead of Thursday, Nov. 23. Ahead, check out some of the best Thanksgiving meal delivery services to try now.
BEST OVERALL
1. Blue Apron
Price From $110.99
Servings From 6 to 10
Last day to order Nov. 15
Already a Blue Apron subscriber, or thinking of signing up? The gourmet food kit service offers plenty of savory options for carnivores and vegetarians this holiday, so long as the order is placed by 12 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 15 for delivery before Thanksgiving. The Classic Thanksgiving Box ($132 for six to eight servings) includes savory butter-roasted turkey breast, garlic and herb gravy, brown butter and white cheddar mashed potatoes with romano cheese and chives, roasted brussels sprouts with fried rosemary and pumpkin seeds, fresh cranberry sauce with ginger and spicy maple syrup and an apple crumble pie.
The Vegetarian Holiday Box ($125 for 8 to 10 servings) includes three-cheese cascatelli pasta bake with mushrooms, roasted Brussels sprouts ith Calabrian brown butter vinaigrette and walnuts, arugula and orange salad with pistachios and creamy date dressing, smokey delicata squash, spinach and truffle breadcrumbs and chocolate mousse pie. There’s also a Holiday Ham Box ($165 for 8 to 10 servings) that includes everything in the vegetarian package, plus a baked ham with brown sugar-honey glaze.
The offerings are also available at Walmart.
BEST AFFORDABLE
2. Hello Fresh
Price $19.99-$26.99 per person
Servings 4-6 guests; 8-10 guests
Last day to order Nov. 16
Place your order by Thursday, Nov. 16 to guarantee a classic Thanksgiving spread for up to 10 guests at $19.99 per person. On the menu is a roast turkey with a garlic herb rub plus five hearty sides (such as roasted delicata squash and shallots, creamy mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon) and a delicious apple ginger crisp; or a mouth-watering peppercorn-crusted beef tenderloin dinner with four sides and dessert. There’s also a four- to six-person beef tenderloin dinner for $26.99 per person.
BEST FOR FOODIES
3. Goldbelly
Price From $21.95
Servings Varies
Last day to order Nov. 15
Prefer to eat local — or are you craving a Thanksgiving banquet from your hometown across the country? Food e-commerce platform Goldbelly will deliver pre-made dinners and meal kits from your favorite restaurants both near and far by or before Nov. 24. A sampling of offerings includes Dallas-based Uncle Ray’s famous Cajun deep fried turkeys ($130), celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson x Ritz’s four-dish Friendsgiving kit ($140), the All-Madden Turducken ($200) from New Orleans’ Gourmet Butcher Block ad more.
4. Omaha Steaks
Price From $140
Servings From 4 and up
Last day to order Nov. 16
Omaha Steaks has meat lovers covered for Thanksgiving, and not just for prime cuts of beef. The gourmet food delivery platform lets you customize your holiday menu for four to eight people starting at $140 per package, and you can choose from a whole basted turkey with all of the traditional fixings, a fully-cooked prime rib roast or homestyle ham with sides such as cauliflower and broccoli gratin and green beans in butter sauce, among the many, many options.
BEST GROCERY DELIVERY
5. InstaCart
If you’re a hands-on type who prefers to cook up the entire Thanksgiving feast, but can’t bring yourself to deal with the actual grocery shopping, let InstaCart do the aisle-roaming for you. The grocery delivery service makes it a cinch to restock your pantry and fridge — from fresh meats and produce to dairy and packaged goods — from local and national grocery chains and retailers (think Target, Costco, Walmart, Ralphs, Sprouts and more) and chat with your shopper in real-time, should you need substitutions for out-of-stock ingredients or if you forgot to add something to your cart.
On top of the price of groceries, delivery fees start at $4 for same-day orders of $35 or more (additional service fees may apply), or you can opt for the annual Instacart+ membership ($99) with lower service fees and forgo the $4 delivery charge.
BEST VARIETY
6. Harry & David
Price From $110.99
Servings From 6 to 10
Last day to order Nov. 17 for standard shipping
Whether you simply want mouth-watering sides (like brown sugar sweet potatoes or parmesan creamed spinach) or the full shebang with a roasted turkey or spiral-sliced ham, Harry & David has your Thanksgiving table covered. The online gift basket and food delivery service offers full gourmet meals (such as a turkey feast for $270 or the Wow Holiday meal for $500), appetizers, sides and desserts, and you can add wine, that best-selling Moose Munch popcorn and more. If you want to avoid weekend deliveries, note that orders placed after 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET on Wednesdays will ship on the following Monday.
BEST VEGAN MEAL DELIVERY
7. Purple Carrot
Price From $11 per serving
Servings 2-4
Last day to order Nov. 14 by 11:59 p.m. ET
One of the best meal delivery services for vegetarians, Purple Carrot’s offerings for the week of Nov. 19 include Thanksgiving sandwiches, roasted chickpea bowls, crispy brussels sprouts and other veggie-powered dinners for two to four people.
If you’re not yet familiar with the brand, Purple Carrot offers plant-based prepared meals and dinner kits that can be customized by the number of servings and frequency per week. Dinners start at $10 per serving for meal kits and $13 per serving for prepared meals, and you’ll get $20 off your first week.
BEST HEALTHY MEAL DELIVERY
8. Sun Basket
Price $170-$190
Servings
Order by Nov. 16 at 11:59 p.m. ET
For the health-minded folks, you can’t go wrong with Sun Basket, which offers Original Thanksgiving Dinner ($170 plus shipping) or the Chef’s Table Thanksgiving ($190 plus shipping), both serving four to six. The Original Thanksgiving Dinner ready-to-cook turkey, fennel and apple stuffing, roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta, roasted carrots with miso-honey-orange-sage butter, yukon mashed potatoes, turkey gravy and cranberry cherry compote.
The Chef’s Table package includes everything above, plus citrus and spice candied yams with sticky plums, gruyere ad black pepper biscuits and ginger pear crisp with oat-walnut topping.
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