Best Gluten-Free Meal Kits
Winner
Best Variety
Gluten-free meal delivery (Canada) allows you and your family to lead a healthier lifestyle without a repertoire of chef-level cooking skills.
Have a special diet? No problem. There are meal delivery services in Canada that offer dairy-free, low-carb, low FODMAP, diabetes-friendly, and many other special dietary meal plans frequently designed by registered dietitians.
Today we are going to highlight those that feature a gluten-free meal plan for those who have digestive issues while eating wheat or other grains. In our research, we looked at major factors such as taste, quality, variety, price, and sustainability.
Though our overall winner for the best gluten-free meal delivery in Canada is Athlete’s Kitchen for their attention to not using gluten in any of their meals, high-quality ingredients, fresh preparation and delivery, and transparent nutritional information, there were four other gluten-free meal delivery services that made the cut.
Athlete’s Kitchen (Toronto Area)
BEST OVERALL
Athlete’s Kitchen is one of the few meal delivery services that have a completely gluten-free facility, as they do not use any gluten-containing ingredients in their recipes.
Athlete’s Kitchen offers fresh-cooked, healthy meals delivered right to your door in Canada. They follow a flexible subscription service with the ability to change your order within three days of the ship date, which is a rarity when it comes to meal services.
Their recipes are delicious, too. Try the Chimichurri Steak, Curry Goat, or Korean Kimchi Bowl. Other great benefits of Athlete’s Kitchen include:
Key Benefits
- Five meal plans plus breakfast to choose from depending on your goals, all of which are safe for gluten-free diets.
- Athlete’s Kitchen uses locally-sourced, organic ingredients as much as possible and refrains from using soy, lactose, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, dyes, and processed sugars.
- The menu changes each delivery period to keep options new and exciting.
- Meals are shipped fresh, can be warmed using the microwave or on the stovetop, and can be frozen if not eaten before the best-by date.
- Shipping is available to the greater Toronto area, and the cost depends on your location.
- Pricing ranges between $14.95-$25.95 per serving, depending on the meal.
Fresh Prep
BEST GLUTEN-FREE MEAL KITS
Fresh Prep is a meal delivery service offering meal kits for a variety of lifestyles, including those on a gluten-free diet.
Despite Fresh Prep’s strict following of Best Practices, they do not hold a gluten-free certification, so those with Celiac disease should be aware of the possibility of cross-contamination.
Fresh Prep is still an option for those just wanting the health benefits of a gluten-free diet. A few of the gluten-free menu items include those such as Thai Style Turkey & Coconut Rice, Tuna Poke Bowl, or Ratatouille Stew. A few key benefits include the following:
Key Benefits
- Choose 2-4 recipes from 10 weekly rotating options, including several gluten-free recipes for 2 or 4 people.
- Add other foods to your order, like marinated proteins, family-friendly meal kits & sides, or their house-blend seasonings.
- Most ingredients you need for each recipe are pre-chopped, premeasured, and proportioned to keep their tasty recipes under 30 minutes.
- Sustainably sourced ingredients from local distributors who follow sustainable practices.
- Delivery is free to your home or your work within their delivery zone.
- The price per serving starts at $7, though you can save overall by switching to a bigger meal plan.
LiveFitFood
Best Variety
LiveFitFood is a prepared meal delivery service that has a variety of menus catering to several dietary preferences that they call journeys.
One of their journeys is gluten-free. You can filter LiveFitFood’s more than 100 prepared meals to find those that are fitting for the gluten-free lifestyle simply by selecting the gluten-free journey.
Try meals such as Coconut Curry Shrimp with Rice and Vegetables or Roast Chicken with Mushroom Demi Gravy. There are several other benefits LiveFitFood has to offer as well, including.
Key Benefits
- Chef-prepared meals are made fresh daily and can be ordered a la carte.
- Choose between “Muscle Gain” & “Weight Loss” for many of the meals, which increases or decreases the portion sizes, respectively.
- Meals are shipped fresh in freezer, microwave, and oven-safe containers so you can refrigerate, heat, and eat or save a few for later.
- LiveFitFood follows a zero food waste cycle utilizing worms to break down food scraps into compost.
- Shipping typically starts at $7.95, depending on your location, though the shipping gets cheaper with larger orders.
- Gluten-free meals begin at $13.99 per serving.
Plant Prepped
Though not completely a gluten-free meal kit, Plant Prepped is a meal kit delivery service offering plant-based meal kits with gluten-free options.
Plant Prepped does use ingredients containing gluten in some of their meals, so despite them packaging everything separately, there is still a risk of cross-contamination. For this reason, Plant Prepped is better for those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Prepare meals like a Greek Bowl with baked tofu, green beans, potatoes, and vegan feta or Lentils & Portobello Mushrooms with roasted potatoes, asparagus, and carrots using Plant Prepped’s easy-to-follow instructions and perfectly-portioned ingredients.
Key Benefits
- Plant Prepped offers a two-person and a four-person meal plan which includes three recipes per week.
- Ingredients are sourced from local farms and artisans for you to cook into an absolutely delicious meal in under 30 minutes.
- The menu changes each week and usually has at least 1-2 gluten-free recipes.
- The packaging is mostly recyclable or reusable, and the bottles are BHT, BPA, sulfur, latex, and silicone free.
- Shipping is free, and they deliver to most of Ontario and Quebec.
- Pricing starts at $12.08 per serving.
Heart to Home Meals
BEST FOR SENIORS
Heart to Home Meals is a meal delivery service that caters specifically to seniors. In addition to offering a wide selection of gluten-free dishes, those with health challenges can get many of the dishes minced or pureed as well.
They also cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert with tasty choices such as Hash Brown Breakfast, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Butterscotch Swirl Ice Cream. Additional benefits of Heart to Home Meals include:
Key Benefits
- The frozen meals are delivered ready for your freezer and can be reheated from frozen in the microwave.
- Order meals in individual portions without a subscription and filter the menu based on your needs and other preferences.
- Free delivery to most areas of Canada, and the delivery driver will even put the meals in the freezer for you.
- Request a physical menu, order online or by phone, and pay online or with cash or check to the delivery driver.
- Pricing varies based on the item, though entrees typically range between $9 and $12 per serving.
Gluten-Free Diet Meal Plans Buying Guide
Each of these gluten-free meal delivery services offers a unique experience, so it can be challenging to decide which will be the best gluten-free meal delivery service for you and your family. To help you choose, here are a few things to think about before ordering gluten-free meal delivery in Canada.
Subscriptions vs. A La Carte
Meal delivery services are often set up for either subscription-based or a la carte ordering. There are benefits to both, depending on what you are looking for.
Subscriptions offer the convenience of a set schedule that you can adjust to your needs or set and forget it. A la carte ordering is great for those with unpredictable lifestyles who want to order gluten-free meals as they need them.
The downside to subscriptions is that the meal kits or prepared meals will automatically arrive at your door unless you actively go into your online account and cancel, which can be easy to forget. However, the downside of a la carte is that it can be easy to forget to place a new order.
Which is better for you largely depends on which fits better into your lifestyle.
Fresh vs. Frozen
A gluten-free meal kit always comes with fresh ingredients that you prepare and cook according to a given recipe. When it comes to prepared gluten-free meals, some are delivered fresh, like Athlete’s Kitchen, and some are delivered frozen, like Heart to Home Meals.
Fresh-delivered gluten-free meals warm much faster but have to be eaten faster, while frozen meals take a bit longer to warm but last much longer.
To figure out which one is better for you, ask yourself how often you will eat the meals throughout the week. If you just want a gluten-free meal delivery service for the nights when you don’t want to cook, a frozen meal delivery option is probably better.
Cross-Contamination
Individuals often follow a gluten-free diet for three main reasons– Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, or simply for the health benefits like decreasing inflammation.
For those with Celiac Disease or severe gluten intolerance, one thing to watch out for with gluten-free meal delivery services is the possibility of cross-contamination in facilities that offer gluten-free meals in addition to those containing gluten. It is important that these individuals go with a gluten-free meal delivery service that does not handle any gluten, like Athlete’s Kitchen.
Meal Variety & Taste
Of course, variety and taste are important in a gluten-free meal delivery service. If you get bored with the meals or simply don’t like them, then the service is not beneficial.
Each of these services we’ve listed here today has excellent reviews for taste, though everyone’s preferences are different, so it is important to know the cancellation policies before you order, just in case.
FAQs
Does HelloFresh have gluten-free meals?
HelloFresh does not have a specific gluten-free menu, though many options on their menu are gluten-free based on the ingredients list. However, keep in mind that all of their ingredients are processed in a facility that also processes gluten, so there is no guarantee anything will be free of cross-contamination.
Which meal service is best for gluten-free?
The best meal service for gluten-free meals is Athlete’s Kitchen, as they do not use gluten at all in their facility.
Does Chef’s Plate have gluten-free?
Yes, Chefs Plate often has gluten-free meals on its menu, though there are not always gluten-free items on the menu. Chefs Plate does package ingredients separately, but they do not guarantee that the meals are free of dietary allergens.
Does HelloFresh cater to celiacs?
No, HelloFresh does not cater to celiacs. In fact, the facility processes all major allergens, and therefore individuals with celiac disease should not order from HelloFresh.
Does Green Chef deliver in Canada?
Though Green Chef is certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group, making it an excellent gluten-free meal delivery option, delivery is only available in the continental United States. Green Chef does not deliver to Canada currently.
Key Takeaways
- Athlete’s Kitchen took the top spot for the best overall gluten-free meal delivery in Canada.
- Athlete’s Kitchen is only available in the Greater Toronto area, so the others on our list may be a better option depending on where you live.
- Subscription and a la carte meal delivery options are available
- Heart to Home Meals is designed specifically for seniors
- Avoid meal delivery services that don’t have a risk of gluten cross-contamination if you have Celiac disease