What is the best prepared meal delivery service?

October 22, 2025 •

3 min read

According to a 2025 report by DeliveryRank, prepared meal delivery services have grown significantly in popularity, providing busy consumers with convenient, healthy alternatives to cooking. With an increasing number of options available, determining what is the best prepared meal delivery service requires careful consideration of several key factors. This guide will help you navigate the landscape by reviewing top contenders and highlighting what sets each one apart.

Quick Summary

An analysis of the top prepared meal delivery services, comparing cost, culinary quality, dietary variety, and convenience. Review key features of leading brands like Factor, CookUnity, and Tovala to help you find the best service for your personal needs.

Key Points

Factor: Ideal for health-conscious users seeking fresh, dietitian-designed meals tailored for specific nutritional goals like keto or high-protein.
CookUnity: Best for foodies who want a gourmet, chef-crafted dining experience with a vast menu of global cuisines.
Tovala: A unique service that combines prepared meals with a smart oven, ensuring perfectly cooked food with minimal effort.
Territory Foods: Specializes in locally sourced, chef-prepared menus that cater to a wide range of dietary needs, including vegan and paleo.
Consider Your Priorities: The ideal prepared meal delivery service depends on personal preferences for convenience, quality, cost, and dietary options.

With hectic schedules becoming the norm, the demand for high-quality, heat-and-eat meals has surged. Prepared meal delivery services promise to eliminate meal prep, grocery shopping, and extensive cooking, delivering delicious, ready-made meals directly to your door. The right service for you depends heavily on your priorities—whether that's budget, dietary restrictions, flavor, or speed.

Top Contenders for the Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service

Factor

Factor is a top choice for those with specific wellness and nutrition goals, such as keto, high-protein, or calorie-conscious diets. Meals are designed by dietitians and arrive fresh, never frozen, with many customers noting the taste and freshness are superior to typical prepared options. They are ready to eat in minutes, making them an excellent choice for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner.

CookUnity

For a truly gourmet, chef-driven experience, CookUnity stands out. This service partners with renowned chefs to create an expansive, rotating menu of over 400 meals spanning a wide variety of global cuisines. The meals arrive fresh and are praised for their restaurant-quality flavor and texture. While it can be pricier, the quality and culinary variety are unmatched, making it ideal for foodies who don't want to cook.

Tovala

Tovala offers a unique, high-tech solution by combining its prepared meal service with a proprietary Smart Oven. You simply scan the barcode on a meal and the oven automatically cooks it to perfection using a combination of baking, broiling, and steaming. The result is a meal with texture and flavor that rivals scratch-cooking, but with the convenience of a prepared meal. You do, however, need to purchase the smart oven to use the service fully.

Territory Foods

Territory Foods focuses on delivering locally-sourced, nutritionally-dense meals prepared by independent chefs. They offer an impressive variety of dietary plans, including vegan, paleo, and keto options, and rotate their menus based on the region. This focus on local sourcing and variety makes it a great option for those who prioritize both health and supporting local businesses, though regional availability can vary.

Comparison Table: Prepared Meal Delivery Services


Feature	Factor	CookUnity	Tovala	Territory Foods
Best For	Health-conscious, macro-counting	Gourmet foodies, wide cuisine variety	Tech-savvy, best reheat quality	Health-conscious, locally sourced
Meal Cost (Starting)	~$11 per serving	~$11 per serving	~$11 per serving	~$12 per serving
Meal Type	Fresh, ready-to-heat	Fresh, chef-prepared	Meals cooked via Smart Oven	Fresh, chef-prepared
Variety	Nutrition-focused menu with add-ons	400+ options covering diverse cuisines	30+ meals weekly, pre-set menus	35+ weekly options, varies by region
Dietary Options	Keto, Vegan, Calorie-conscious, High-protein	Vegetarian, Vegan, Keto, Paleo, etc.	Vegetarian, Vegan, High-protein	Vegan, Paleo, Keto, Low-Carb
Prep Time	~3 minutes in microwave	~2 minutes in microwave	Set it and forget it via oven	Minimal reheating, ~5 minutes

Tips for Choosing the Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service

Align with Your Goals: Consider if you're aiming for general convenience, weight management, or a specific diet. Services like Factor excel in goal-oriented nutrition, while CookUnity is for culinary exploration.
Prioritize Quality: Evaluate if the service delivers fresh or frozen meals. Fresh services often provide better texture and flavor but may have a shorter fridge life.
Read Reviews: Customer reviews offer insights into taste, delivery reliability, and customer service. Always check recent feedback, as quality can change over time.
Look Beyond the Meal: Assess the company's commitment to sustainability, ingredient sourcing, and packaging materials. Many companies, including Factor, use eco-friendly or recyclable packaging.
Check Flexibility: Ensure the service allows you to skip weeks, pause your subscription, or customize your plan easily to match your schedule and needs.

Conclusion: Finding the Right Prepared Meal Delivery Service for You

The best prepared meal delivery service isn't a one-size-fits-all answer but a personal choice based on your individual needs. Factor is a strong contender for those focused on healthy eating and convenience. For the best-tasting, most diverse gourmet options, CookUnity is the clear winner. If you're open to investing in a unique cooking experience, Tovala provides an innovative, high-quality solution. Ultimately, by assessing your preferences for health, flavor, and convenience, you can confidently choose the service that makes your life easier and your meals more enjoyable.

For more information on the broader meal delivery landscape, Bon Appétit offers extensive reviews on both prepared meals and meal kits.

Frequently Asked Questions

For many, prepared meal delivery services are worth the cost due to the time saved on meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. While they can be pricier than cooking from scratch, the convenience and quality of pre-made meals often justify the expense.

Yes, many prepared meal delivery services offer very healthy options. Services like Factor and Territory Foods specialize in nutritionally balanced meals designed by dietitians, often accommodating specific diets like high-protein or vegan.

Companies use specialized insulated packaging with gel packs or dry ice to keep meals at a safe, fresh temperature during transit. Some, like Factor and CookUnity, ship fresh meals to be refrigerated, while others use flash-freezing to lock in nutrients.

Customization options vary by service. Some, like Home Chef, allow you to swap proteins in certain dishes. Services like Factor and Territory Foods primarily offer customization by allowing you to choose from different dietary plans.

First, identify your dietary needs (e.g., vegan, keto, gluten-free). Then, research services that specialize in those plans and read reviews from users with similar restrictions. For instance, Purple Carrot is best for plant-based diets, while Factor excels in keto.

A prepared meal delivery service sends ready-to-eat, pre-cooked meals that only require reheating. A meal kit provides pre-portioned ingredients and a recipe card for you to cook yourself. Prepared meals offer maximum convenience, while meal kits still require some cooking.

Most reputable meal delivery services offer flexible subscription options, allowing you to skip weeks, pause, or cancel your subscription at any time without penalty. It's always best to check the specific service's terms before signing up.