5 Best Low-Carb Meal Delivery Services Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Diet & Nutrition

The 5 Best Low-Carb Meal Delivery Services

Following a low-carb diet? These services can help take the hassle out of grocery shopping and meal prepping. By Andrea KornsteinReviewed: June 26, 2018Fact-CheckedMany meal delivery services design their meals so they are balanced and nutritious, with many offering options that complement various diets.Claudia Totir/Getty ImagesAll products and services featured here are chosen for their potential to inspire and enable your wellness. Everyday Health may earn an affiliate commission on items you purchase. Meal delivery services have emerged as a hot new culinary trend. Though you might not be sold on the idea at first, these businesses can actually offer many advantages. For starters, the convenience factor is undeniable; your need to grocery-shop, recipe-plan, and prep for meals is virtually eliminated. They can also be surprisingly cost effective. And because all of the meals are carefully portioned, you’re less likely to toss uneaten food. Additionally, these services can help introduce you to new recipes and enable you to gain confidence in the kitchen as well as hone your cooking skills. A number of meal delivery services also design their meals so they are balanced and nutritious, with many offering options that complement various diets. So even if you follow a low-carb plan, you’re bound to find multiple meal services that meet your needs.

What to Consider Before Taking the Plunge

Ingredients Quality ingredients are the backbone of any solid meal delivery service. While many companies partner with local farms and food suppliers, you should research how everything is sourced and packaged. Be confident that you’re cooking with the freshest, healthiest ingredients possible.Variety Variety is also key to enjoying a meal service. No one wants to eat the same foods every night. Choose a company that offers a multitude of options that satisfy your dietary needs and your taste buds.Time and Prep People typically gravitate to these services in large part due to their convenience. Nevertheless, some meals are more intensive and time consuming to whip up than others. You can find options that can be prepared within 30 minutes and some that take upwards of an hour. And while many kits only require basic kitchen skills, there are a few that demand a modicum of culinary know-how. It’s best to understand what’s involved before committing.Subscription Options Subscription flexibility is another important factor to consider. If you sign up for recurring deliveries, be sure the company will allow you to pause, skip, or even outright cancel some meals. After all, work, travel, and social obligations can easily arise. You don’t want to waste food or be stuck paying for a meal you won’t eat. Additionally, you should look for a service that offers one-off meals as well. That way, you can do a culinary test-drive before making a bigger commitment.Delivery Options Flexibility is also critical when it comes to the actual delivery. Some companies have very fixed schedules, such as delivering meals every Monday without exception. Others allow you to tailor deliveries to your own schedule. You can adjust week-to-week and even request next-day orders.Cost Before choosing a service, we recommend conducting a quick cost analysis. What’s the price point based on ingredients and portion size? Some companies might appear more affordable on the surface, but their meals may be smaller or leave you wanting. Others may charge additional fees for shipping, cancellation, or even the overall subscription. Make sure you know what you’re getting for your money. Here are our top picks for low-carb meal delivery services:

Home Chef

Home ChefHome Chef allows you to easily prepare elegant, restaurant-quality meals within 30 minutes. The delivery service is flexible with menus set five weeks in advance, granting you plenty of time to plan. You can also mix and match to fit your food preferences. Moreover, you’re able to customize delivery dates and skip weeks when needed. Finally, rest assured that Home Chef uses sustainable, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Cost: $9.95/serving

Freshly

FreshlyFreshly prides itself on providing wholesome food that’s both healthy and delicious. The company carefully sources all of its ingredients and ensures that no artificial flavors, colors, or refined sugars are ever used. Even better, all menu options are gluten-free. Freshly also works with any diet and/or lifestyle, offering meal categories such as high protein, low carb, paleo, vegetarian, and under 500 calories. Regardless of what you choose, your food will arrive fresh, perfectly portioned, and already cooked by Freshly chefs, so they are ready to eat within minutes. Cost: $59.99/6 meals (most popular plan)

South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is a popular service among people actively trying to lose weight and burn fat. The company creates meals with foods that are high in protein and low in carbs. Meals are also low in added sugar and avoid artificial flavors and sweeteners. South Beach maintains three types of plans — silver, gold, and platinum. All three operate on a four-week cycle, though the gold and platinum options offer a little more choice when it comes to selecting menu items. Every order is shipped free via FedEx, regardless of your chosen plan. Cost: $12.32/day (Gold plan) RELATED: A Detailed Review of the South Beach Diet for Weight Loss and Heart Health

Green Chef

With Green Chef, you can be confident that you’ll receive the freshest, healthiest ingredients. That’s because the company offers the first meal kits to be certified organic per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hence, roughly 95 percent of the products included are organic. Green Chef also closely vets their suppliers to make sure they use ethical and sustainable practices. Additionally, the service offers five different menu types: vegetarian, paleo, omnivore, carnivore and gluten-free. No matter which category you choose, most recipes can be prepared within 30 minutes. And with Green Chef, there’s no set commitment. You can easily skip, modify, or even cancel meals, seven days before delivery. Cost: $10.49 - $14.99/meal

Chef d

Have you always dreamed of cooking like a Top Chef winner or Food Network star? Well, Chef d aimes to make your kitchen dreams come true. The company works with renowned chefs to create thousands of delectable recipes for their customers. Given the mega menu of meals available, you’re guaranteed to find options that satisfy any dietary needs and restrictions. Best of all, there’s no subscription minimum; simply order meals as you go and choose the delivery date that works best with your schedule. Cost: Varies depending on order NEWSLETTERS

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5 Best Low Carb Meal Delivery Services Everyday Health