Best Value
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Best Clean Eats
We’ve all been at that point when life gets busy and healthy eating gets pushed to the side. When you live someplace like NYC, the temptation to just eat out or grab some to-go is strong. Meal delivery services are an alternative that is kind to your health and your wallet. We looked at meal delivery companies that serve the NYC area to find the best.
After spending some time reviewing each, and paying close attention to details like quality, freshness, cost, reviews, and a few other details, we really like MadeMeals for their quality and variety, plus they’re local to New Jersey and the NYC area.
Others passed the test of our strict criteria too. If you’re looking for delicious, healthy meal delivery in NYC, these companies are the best of the best.
Best Meal Delivery Services in NYC
MadeMeals
BEST VARIETY AND BEST OVERALL
MadeMeals is healthy, mindful eating, simplified, and delivered to the doorsteps of their hungry customers in the NYC area. Their meals, which are organic, responsible, and nourishing, feature locally sourced ingredients from farmers and purveyors committed to sustainable and humane practices. MadeMeals makes you feel good about the food you’re eating.
MadeMeals is located in NJ but delivers to the NYC area. MadeMeals is a locally owned, independent business that offers a great variety of meals delivered fresh to your doorstep. Customers can choose between one of their plans/packs or order a la carte. The meal packs are entirely customizable. You choose the meals you want and benefit from a nice discount.
Plans include breakfast and two meals for 3, 4, or 5 days. There are also 5, 8, and 12 meal packs, where you choose the exact meals you want. What’s also nice about their plans is that they can be customized to fit your budget. You see right up front how much each meal costs, minus your plan discount, so there are no surprises at checkout. Meals cost between $8.99-$18.99, with bulk items costing a bit more.
Meals are delivered fresh and include all sorts of delicious heat and eat options as Veggie Egg Muffins served with a good portion of roasted and sauteed vegetables, Hot Pepper Honey Glazed Salmon, Miso Tofu, and a selection of soups, bulk portions, and Living Juices. All in all, there are about 45 different meal options to fit your busy, healthy lifestyle.
My Cuistot
BEST FOR ROOMATES
It’s a typical weekday night, and you’re looking into a bare refrigerator and panty. You’ve wanted to eat healthier but dread the thought of going to the grocery store, shopping, cooking, and all the clean-up that comes with it. It looks like you’re in for another night of takeout with a dish that probably isn’t good for your health or wallet. My Cuistot can change all of this.
My Cuistot (French for “cook”) is one of the best meal delivery options in New York City if you’re looking for a fresh, nourishing meal with quality ingredients that require nothing more from you than a microwave oven and an appetite.
My Cuistot doesn’t just operate in New York City. They also serve Los Angeles, San Fransico, and Washington DC (good to know if you’re traveling). If you live in the Manhattan area and want to know if you can get delicious, healthy Cuistot meals delivered to your door, all you need to do is enter your zip code, and My Cuistot will help you take it from there.
My Cuistot meals are designed by registered dieticians and then prepared fresh when you order by a local chef in the New York City area. They also say they’ll deliver your meals to your door the very same day. Meals are made using organic ingredients, and they have a good selection of gluten-free, low-carb, and vegetarian options on their menu.
Some of My Cuistot’s recipes include Chicken Fricassee with mushrooms, glazed onions, rice, and Pork Chops with radish, chard, and pommes sautees. Vegetarian dishes include beetroot, tofu, roasted red beets, and spinach with fusilli, or spring vegetables with white beans, rice, and a savory garlic butter sauce.
We also like My Cuistot for meal delivery in NYC because they offer a significant discount as the size of your order increases. If you have roommates, this is a great option that will keep everyone satisfied, healthy, and fueled with nutritious energy without completely breaking the bank. Prices range from $15-$33 per dish, depending on the plan you choose.
Provenance Meals
BEST CLEAN EATING MEAL DELIVERY IN NYC
Provenance Meals is a healthy meal delivery service in the NYC area. They feature all organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free meals that are also entirely free of refined sugars. Each meal is created to be packed with nutrients and is developed by a team of nutrition and wellness experts.
Provenance Meals works with many farmers and producers in the Hudson Valley and Lancaster County area, so they’re focused on supporting the local community in as many ways as possible. They have high standards for the integrity of their ingredients, choosing grass-fed meats, sustainable seafood, and organic produce whenever possible.
What’s nice about Provenance meals is that they don’t require a subscription, and you can choose any combination from their selection of breakfasts, lunch, dinners, and snacks. They don’t have a huge selection of meals each week, but if you’re looking for fresh-tasting, clean-eating meals that taste like the ingredients were just picked from the organic farms they’re sourced from, then Provenance Meals is a good choice for you.
Provenance Meals has three separate healthy eating programs to choose from. Their Daily Essentials is their a la carte menu. The average a la carte meal price is $14-$29.The Feel Good Fix is a three-day detox program that is shipped as a complete kit. Their other option, the Provenance Detox, is a one-week, plant-based meal program that includes health coaching.
Provenance Daily Essential meals are delivered to Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and specific areas of Long Island. Deliveries are by courier on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings. Provenance’s Feel Good Fix program is available for nationwide delivery.
Buying Guide
Meal Delivery or Food Delivery
There’s a difference between meal delivery services and food delivery in New York City. The city is packed with restaurants that offer incredible, crave-able food. When the mood strikes for your favorite restaurant dish, food delivery services like GrubHub and Uber Eats are food delivery services and will pick up your takeout food from your favorite spot and deliver it to your door.
Meal delivery is a bit different. Meal delivery and meal kit services allow you to order meals ahead of time, have them delivered either fresh or frozen to your doorstep, and all you do from there is give them a little time in the oven, and you’ve got a hot, nourishing meal on the table.
The companies we’ve reviewed here fall in the meal delivery service category, along with some other great ones like Splendid Spoon, Purple Carrot, Home Chef, and others that we just didn’t have the room here to highlight each and every one.
Is There a Commitment?
This is important and something that you’ll want to check before placing your order with any home meal delivery service. With almost every meal delivery company, you will have to create an account. The difference is whether you have to sign up for a subscription or choose meals a la carte whenever you want without worrying about recurring deliveries.
If you don’t want a box of meals delivered to your home when you’re least expecting it, check to see if you can pause, delay, reschedule, or altogether cancel deliveries. Most meal delivery services are good about this since it’s such a vital area of customer service.
Where Do They Source Their Products and Ingredients?
Are you someone who likes to know that they’re eating organic, non-GMO foods, grass-fed meat? And sustainably sourced ingredients? If you are, this is a point to consider when choosing healthy meal delivery. Our top choice for variety, MadeMeals, does a great job supporting ethical and sustainable farming, fishing, and ranching practices.
If you just want good food and delicious recipes without worrying about anything else, this won’t b such a factor. Many meal delivery services try to use as many organic ingredients as possible, but what they’re really focused on is taste, freshness, and quality. Freshology is a good example of this.
Cost
Eating out in the city isn’t cheap, and neither are groceries, but if you’re on a budget, it’s important to pay attention to the cost of your meals because they can add up quickly. This is more of an issue with the smaller, local meal delivery services in New York City that allow you to order a la carte from a selection of differently priced meals. Provenance Meals is a good example of this.
Something else to be on the lookout for is the shipping cost. Some companies offer free shipping as part of their service, while others charge a hefty shipping fee with each order. Keep in mind that shipping charges often help the meal delivery service ensure that your box arrives in top condition and that the right packaging is used to preserve freshness. Still, you don’t want any surprises at check out.
Bottom Line
Living in NYC, you have no shortage of options for great food, but you might not always feel like going out, getting food to go, or spending time in the kitchen. Meal delivery in New York City can help you eat healthier, save money, and add a little variety to your diet. MadeMeals is a great local choice, but national companies like Sun Basket are really good too. Whichever you choose, take the time to relax and enjoy.