Tired of Takeout? Our Editors Evaluated the Best Meal Delivery Services

It’s the end of a long, exhausting day. You open the fridge and realize you have neither the energy nor the ingredients to throw even your favorite recipes together. To the rescue: meal delivery services. And now with meal delivery services perfect for just about everyone, including plant-based diets, singles, couples, families, athletes, seniors, and more, there’s no excuse not to give a meal delivery service a try.

Meal kits offer the best of dining out and eating in: Someone else does the shopping, but you’re the one doing the cooking (or heating up). It’s about as simple as healthy eating gets, like having a sous chef plan dinner, go to the store, and lay out all of the ingredients. Come dinnertime, all you do is chop, cook, and serve.

Compared to takeout, meal delivery services are healthier and more budget-friendly. In fact, research from the U.K. shows that people who eat more home-cooked meals are less likely to be overweight and eat more fruits and vegetables daily. Another Johns Hopkins study backs up these results, concluding that cooking at home is associated with a healthier overall diet and fewer calories consumed, whether or not you’re trying to lose weight.

These days, there are more meal delivery service options that include sending you ingredients to cook yourself, options to assemble and heat, or offer a totally hands-off experience where you can just open and eat your prepared meal. We’ve broken down the top-rated meal prep kits for you—no matter your dietary preferences or time constraints. Bon appetit!