Family Friendly
Winner
Best Prepared
Meal delivery services are on the rise, especially as ingredients and preservation methods lead to tastier, healthier options across the board. However, you might be looking for a low carb meal delivery option as opposed to a traditional meal delivery service.
What makes a low-carb meal delivery service…well, low-carb?
The majority of meal plans that fit low carb diets will have more meat, eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts, healthy fats, and healthy oils to provide your body with the nutrients it needs for overall health. They also exclude traditional sources of carbohydrates like wheat, trans fats, and sugars. This isn’t to say that low-carb meal delivery services taste bad – quite the opposite!
In general, low-carb delivery meals have carbs less than 35g per serving. Let’s dig in to see which low-carb meal delivery services might be the top choices for you!
Green Chef
Winner
Out of all the available low carb meal kits, Green Chef is by far the best. They offer an excellent spread of meal options, all created with non-GMO, organic produce and antibiotic-free and pasture-raised meats. This also allows them to service a wide variety of diets, including keto, gluten free, and paleo.
Even better, Green Chef does most of the prep work for you. You still put the final touches on every meal, but there’s no denying that their service is a little easier to take advantage of. As a result, seniors may find it a great choice, as well. Let’s be honest; tedious meal prep is the least enjoyable part of cooking, and Green Chef eliminates that almost entirely!
Additionally, Green Chef will eliminate food waste in your kitchen. Pre-measured ingredients have the exact amount needed for each recipe. Gone are the days of buying an expensive ingredient at the grocery store for a recipe that will surely expire before you can finish it.
Key Benefits
- At least six low carb recipes in every weekly plan
- All ingredients are organic/non-GMO and delivered fresh
- Their keto and paleo plans are appropriately low carb and great-tasting, to boot
- Prices range from $11 to $12 per serving
- Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly deliveries
Factor Meals
BEST PREPARED
Factor Meals is the best low-carb prepared meal service we found. Making nutritionally balanced meals for customers is the priority above all else. They let you choose between 4 and 18 meals in total every week. As a bonus, this provider gives you cheaper prices the more meals you order from them.
The majority of their meals make use of plant-based carbohydrate substitutes like zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower rice. As a result, it’s also a great choice if you follow the carb-conscious keto diet.
This is the best meal delivery service if you want to take the guesswork out of low carb meal planning and focus on bettering your health, inside and out. It’s also a great choice if you want to learn more about the food you’re putting in your body. 20-minute nutrition coaching is included with a subscription so you can learn what makes the low carb recipes from Factor good for your health beyond the low carb count.
Key Benefits
- 14-16 low carb recipes per week, sometimes more!
- Keto-diet friendly – not all carb smart recipes are keto, but the ones that are have been clearly marked.
- Easy to pause or cancel delivery
- Subscriptions include 20-minute nutrition coaching
- 4, 6, 8, 12, and 16-meal/week plans available
Home Chef
BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY
Home Chef kicks it up a notch in terms of quantity, providing enough food to feed up to eight people per meal – this is notable since most other meal plan subscriptions only go up to four people. Your meal kit can provide low carb meals for the whole family! They also let you customize your protein option for most of the recipes, which tend to be classic or staple American options.
Like Green Chef, they use great ingredients (though some organic stuff is a bit pricier). Still, their flexibility and normally-free shipping make them a great contender if you need lots of food from a meal plan.
The low carb meal kits from Home Chef include (mostly) simple recipes, so you can get your kids involved in the kitchen too. A rotating weekly menu keeps healthy meals interesting so you won’t get bored during your low carb diet. For busy nights when you don’t have the time or energy to cook, Green Chef has heat and eat meals. These prepared meals arrive ready to heat in the oven and serve; no meal prep is required.
Key Benefits
- Some packaging is reusable
- At least 3 options for low carb meals each week
- Recipes are usually easy to make
- Plates can be customized with various food items
- All delivered fresh to be cooked within 15-40 minutes
Trifecta Nutrition
BEST QUALITY INGREDIENTS
Trifecta Nutrition is another great organic meal delivery service, offering a wide variety of dishes that can serve plenty of diets like vegan, vegetarian, keto, or paleo. Seven meals minimum go into every box, and prices are pretty reasonable overall.
Shipping is generally fast, and all the meals are packaged neatly for storage purposes, so there aren’t any messes in transit. This is one of the best meal delivery services if you want no-fuss meals to take with you to work, simply because the packaging does a great job of keeping meals fresh and neat.
However, note that you don’t get to pick each meal option, so you’re somewhat limited to what they decide to give you every week. Sometimes this can feel repetitive when one meal tastes similar to another, but other times it makes for a nice surprise when you get a meal you wouldn’t typically choose for yourself. We’re thinking of you, green goddess steak salad!
One of the biggest benefits of this meal delivery service is that every meal on their menu will fit into a low carb diet! Any specifications you make to your meal plan are in addition to meals being low carb. For instance, if you choose a vegan meal plan, you’ll receive low carb vegan meals.
Key Benefits
- All meals are low-carb
- Some meals taste too similar to one another
- No choice in plans – Meals chosen for you
- No gluten, dairy, or added sugar
Dinnerly
BEST BUDGET FRIENDLY
Dinnerly provides fast and affordable meal delivery for those who like to cook with both limited time and budget. To this end, each recipe includes just six ingredients. Prep work is essentially nonexistent, but the limited number of ingredients does mean that their flavor variety is a bit weak in comparison to what other meal delivery services offer.
Still, there’s a lot to like if you want to partake in a low-carb meal option without breaking the bank. Digital recipe cards are easy to follow and you can use them to recreate your favorite meals in the future.
If there’s a week when Dinnerly can’t fit your budget, it’s easy to skip a delivery. All around Dinnerly has less frills than other meal delivery services, but that’s what keep the price tag low! The produce quality in their meal kits isn’t as great as some companies, but it’s still consistently good. When you’re making something like roasted vegetables, you won’t notice a difference.
Key Benefits
- Only a few low-carb options every week
- Digital recipe cards instead of paper
- Very affordable – the cheapest around
- Able to skip weeks easily
- 6 ingredients in every dish
Paleo On The Go
BEST PALEO LOW CARB
Paleo on the Go is one of the best paleo delivery services around thanks to the fact that their entire menu works with dietary restrictions. They’re great for people who want to improve their gut health or who have various food sensitivities. Their fully-paleo kitchen also appeals to people with severe food allergies because there’s no risk of cross contamination.
Menu rotation switches around frequently and, of course, all the ingredients are sourced from local and responsible origins. Their prices are a bit higher than average, however. You can save some money by subscribing for regular deliveries, but you don’t have to subscribe to place an order.
We love the variety of global flavors Paleo on the Go includes in their low carb recipes. Despite what you might think, being on the low carb diet doesn’t mean your food has to be boring or bland!
The only downside to Paleo on the Go, besides the price, is their shipping. Many customers have noted a stall in their deliveries, which can be annoying if you include your delivery in meal plans for the week. There is an express shipping option, but it comes at an added cost.
Key Benefits
- Entire menu is low carb
- Shipping is pretty quick but easy to stall
- Additional “express” shipping available for extra
- Accommodates a wide variety of diets
- Meal bundles available for quick bulk ordering
Modify Health
BEST LOW FODMAP LOW CARB
The low FODMAP diet is a temporary elimination diet that’s designed to pinpoint the cause of poor gut health and digestive issues. If you’re having symptoms you can’t quite figure out a cause for, changing the way you eat is a good place to start. Unlike some meal plans that are meant to be followed long-term, low FODMAP is meant to be used to identify trigger foods to alter your daily diet.
Modify Health isn’t a low carb meal delivery service, but it is a low FODMAP and Mediterranean meal delivery service! Both diets don’t make low carb intake mandatory, but the foods you’ll be eating more of to stick to the diets are naturally lower carb.
All Modify Health meals are gluten-free, organic, non-GMO, and free of artificial ingredients. There isn’t a plan for low carb meals, but many of the weekly meals are low carb! Those that aren’t low carb are made exclusively with whole grains. This is a subscription service, but you have the power to select your meals each week. Pay attention to the nutritional value when selecting meals if you only want low carb meals.
Key Benefits
- Entire menu is low carb
- Shipping is pretty quick but easy to stall
- Additional “express” shipping available for extra
- Accommodates a wide variety of diets
- Meal bundles available for quick bulk ordering
Marley Spoon
MOST VARIETY
Marley Spoon is another great low-carb meal plan option. They provide possibly the most interesting variety of recipes to choose from, which is a big deal if you’ve used meal plan services before and want something that’s new and exciting. Many of their meals are twists on ordinary dishes rather than generic “meat-and-veg” offerings like you might get from other meal delivery services.
Furthermore, most of the recipes can be ready in less than 40 minutes. They’re pretty easy to throw together in a hurry, even if you don’t have a lot of experience in the kitchen. Martha Stewart, the creator of Marley Spoon, may an incredible chef, but the recipes included in her meal delivery service are designed for regular, everyday people to cook.
There are a few low carb meals on each weekly menu, but options are limited. Meal kits are filled with carefully curated, high-quality ingredients. This makes the dishes you make even more delicious and is a nice perk to compensate for the lack of low carb diet options.
Key Benefits
- 2-4 low carb options
- 22 recipe choices every week
- Shipping is not free
- All meals cooked within 6 steps
- Can be cooked under 30 minutes
Fresh n Lean
BEST FRESH LOW CARB
Fresh n Lean is the best meal delivery service if you want prepared meals that arrive fresh, never frozen. They have meal plans for so many dietary needs! The low carb diet, Whole30, and protein plus meal plans are their most popular options. Paleo and vegan low carb diet plans are very popular too!
Fresh n Lean has a chef-curated menu that updates weekly, so you’ll never be bored. There are at least 15 keto-friendly, low carb meals each week. This meal delivery service offers free shipping and excellent customer service if you have any questions or concerns about your plan. Cost-wise, Fresh n Lean is very comparable to other meal delivery services.
This is hands down one of the best companies to order from if you crave variety without the effort that goes into cooking meal kits. Each fresh meal is ready in minutes, making low carb diets easier than ever.
Key Benefits
- 15+ low carb meals per week
- Chef-curated menu
- Keto friendly
- Prepared meals are ready in minutes
- Free shipping on most orders
MealPro
BEST NO SUBSCRIPTION LOW CARB
MealPro is a hidden gem in the world of never-ending meal delivery service options. Not only is the food tasty, it’s good for you too. The menu is regularly updated to feature the freshest meat, seafood, and veggies for the season. There are plenty of vegetarian options too!
Every meal can be made low carb with the “no carb double veg” option. Making the swap doesn’t affect the cost of your delivery, and ensures you can try all their recipes without messing up your low carb diet. There’s also an option to double the protein portion, but that costs extra.
One unique feature of MealPro is the ability to shop al la carte for additional servings of protein and veggies. You can use these al la carte options to stretch your meal delivery further or save time in the kitchen with recipes you already know and love. Everything arrives fully prepared so you can get right to the good part, eating!
Key Benefits
- No subscription required to place an order, but recurring deliveries are available
- All meals can be customized to fit low carb diets
- Option to order al la carte servings of sides and protein
- Menu options are rotated regularly to feature in-season meat, seafood, and vegetables
Buying Guide
Low Carb, Paleo, or Keto
In general, you’ll hear all three terms tossed around as the primary no-bread or bread-light diets that are currently being enjoyed or tested by millions of people. The diets aren’t new, but they’re seeing widespread approval and use thanks to the Internet and new nutritional information.
A “low carb” diet is a catchall term for any diet where you eat fewer than average carbohydrates every day. The “average” used by these diets is around 45 to 65 percent of your daily caloric intake. Put another way, a low carb diet is any diet where less than 45% of your energy comes from carbs.
Note that this means you can still enjoy some carbs every day and still maintain a low-carb diet.
A “Paleo” diet aims to have you eat like the Paleolithic ancestors of modern Homo sapiens. In a nutshell, humans during this time period were thought to have scavenged for their food instead of through hunting or agriculture.
That means any kind of cultivated food items (including wheat, many types of nutritious vegetables, many types of fruit, dairy, salt, and sugars, and refined oils) are excluded from your menu. Paleo diets will instead have you eat things like fish, other types of seafood, grass-fed meat, eggs, fruits, and unrefined vegetable oils, in addition to nuts and seeds.
“Keto” diets are based around kicking your body into a “ketosis” state, which is a state characterized by your body burning fat for energy instead of carbs. The result?
Many people on keto diets have excellent results in terms of weight loss and report other beneficial side effects. Thus, these diets will have you eat zero processed carbs most of the time, focusing on protein and fat for your caloric intake needs.
Meal Kits VS Prepared Meals
One of the biggest factors to consider before choosing a low carb meal delivery service is whether the meals are prepared or if it’s delivered as a meal kit. Prepared meals are cooked, sealed, and packaged in containers that allow you to quickly heat and eat the food. This is a popular choice for people with busy schedules, seniors, people who live alone, and those who just don’t enjoy cooking.
Meal kits include pre portioned ingredients and recipe cards that will teach you how to prepare the meal. Meal kits are convenient because you can select the number of servings for each meal and brush up on your cooking skills. There is no right or wrong answer here; it’s all about your lifestyle. To be successful on your low carb diet, choose the type of meal delivery service that will realistically fit into your existing routine.
Menu Choices
The type of meals you enjoy is another factor that’s very personal. Some people enjoy browsing a weekly menu and making their meal selections, but others just want a delivery they don’t have to think about. If you aren’t picky, ordering from a service that choose your meals for you, like Trifecta, can be a great time saver.
However, if you aren’t a fan of the unknown, ordering from a company that chooses your meals could be a waste of money. Stick with plans that allow you to choose your meals before they arrive, but use it as an opportunity to step outside your comfort zone even if it’s only for one of the weekly meals. This keeps the low carb diet exciting and fun!
If you’re not sure which type of delivery you prefer, take advantage of new customer savings to try more than one delivery service with low carb meals. Finding the right low carb meal delivery for your budget and taste buds is one of the best ways to set yourself up for success on a low carb diet.
Key Takeaways
Ultimately, all of these meal plans’ low-carb options make them great choices for people on keto and paleo diets. And, most of them don’t sacrifice flavor or convenience to make this happen.
Go with Green Chef’s Keto or Paleo plans if you enjoy cooking and don’t mind paying a bit more for organic ingredients. If you’re looking for a quick heat and eat solution, Factor75 delivers tasty low-carb meals already prepared.