Best Oven-Ready Meal Delivery Services of 2023

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Prepared Meal in lunch box — Larissa Veronesi / Getty Images

Oven-ready meals are a quick and delicious way to help take the guesswork out of making dinner. These meals are prepared by chefs and registered dietitians and delivered straight to your door for the ultimate time-saving convenience. That means no chopping or measuring required.

We’ve reviewed the best heat-and-eat meal delivery services to meet a range of needs including dietary goals, sustainability, and value.

Best Oven-Ready Meal Delivery Services of 2022

Best Overall: CookUnity
Best Vegan: Daily Harvest
Best Vegetarian: ModifyHealth
Best High Protein: Pete's Real Food
Best Gluten-Free: Epicured
Best for Sustainability: Territory

Best Overall: CookUnity

Cook Unity

Health.com Star Rating: 4.5

Key Specs

Starting Price: $10.39
Delivery Area: 39 states
Products Arrive: Fresh

Why You Should Try It

CookUnity wins as best overall oven-ready meal delivery service for its diverse menu offerings that are both chef- and dietitian-developed and its superior ease of preparation, taste, and ingredient quality. This service is great for food lovers looking to broaden their palates while also keeping eco-friendliness and dietary needs in mind.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Offers over 300 menu items across a range of diets
Reheating instructions available on website, mobile app and meals
Chefs and dietitian involved in menu development

Cons

Limited information about nutrition standards used
Limited to four or fewer servings

Overview

With a frequently rotating menu of over 300 items from well-established chefs specializing in various culinary cuisines, exploring new foods is easy with CookUnity. With the ability to filter out meals by a range of categories including gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, low-carb, organic, paleo, vegan, and more, it’s easy to meet your nutritional needs. At CookUnity, being mindful of environmental impact is non-negotiable, so there is an emphasis on ingredients like free-range eggs and poultry, grass-fed and organic beef, and locally-sourced seafood and produce.

Pricing and Plans

4 meals per week: $12.69 per meal
6 meals per week: $11.39 per meal
8 meals per week: $10.89 per meal
12 meals per week: $10.49 per meal
16 meals per week: $10.39 per meal

Meals We Tried

Coconut lime hanger steak
Carnitas street tacos
Butternut squash ravioli
Chili roasted shrimp

Best Vegan: Daily Harvest

Daily Harvest.

Daily Harvest

Health.com Star Rating: 4.5

Key Specs

Starting Price: $6.79
Delivery Area: 49 states
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It

With a full menu of over 100 easy-to-prepare meals including soups and flatbreads, Daily Harvest makes it easy to incorporate chef-crafted food built on sustainably sourced fruits and vegetables into your diet.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Meals created to help you eat more fruits and vegetables
Flexible plans
Focused on sustainability and a regenerative food system

Cons

Limited description of nutrient thresholds for dietary accommodations
No substitutions

Overview

No matter your dietary preference, Daily Harvest can help you incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet with its convenient, easy-to-prepare smoothies and meals. Besides vegan and vegetarian diets, Daily Harvest also caters to keto, low carb, calorie-restricted eating plans, and more.

Pricing and Plans

9 items: $56–$103
14 items: $85–$158
24 items: $138–$263

Meals We Tried

Mint and cacao smoothie
Mango papaya smoothie
Hazelnut and chocolate bites
Tomatillo and pepper flatbread
Portobello and pesto flatbread
Sweet potato and wild rice hash
Brussels sprouts and tahini harvest bowl
Spinach and shiitake grits
Tomato and zucchini minestrone soup

Best Vegetarian: ModifyHealth

Modify Health.

Modify Health

Health.com Star Rating: 4.3

Key Specs

Starting Price: $11.75
Delivery Area: 50 states
Products Arrive: Fresh

Why You Should Try It

Though ModifyHealth is specifically geared for those with chronic health conditions such as IBS, IBD, celiac disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, the company offers a variety of meals anyone can enjoy.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Dietitian available for ongoing support
Allow for ingredient exclusions if desired

Cons

Can’t order across multiple diets

Overview

ModifyHealth’s mission is to make “food as medicine'' simple and sustainable for the masses. Instead of tailoring meals to fad diets, the company takse an evidence-based approach by offering doctor and dietitian-recommended diets, including the Mediterranean diet and low FODMAP diet, to help those with chronic health conditions and support general wellness.

Pricing and Plans

Low-FODMAP

6 or more meals
Breakfast: $9.95 each
7 or fewer entrees: $13.50 each
8 or more entrees: $12.95 each
14 or 21 entrees (breakfast & entrees): starting at $180 per weeks

Mediterranean

6 or more meals
7 meals or fewer: $13.50 each
8 or more meals: $12.95 each
10 meals per week: $12.95 each

Meals We Tried

Greek chicken and rice
Longevity stew with black-eyed peas and kale
Shrimp chimichurri with black beans and rice
Lemon thyme chicken with tahini cauliflower and za’atar quinoa
Blackened salmon with quinoa, broccoli and red bell pepper
Roasted pistachio salmon with white beans and kale

Best High Protein: Pete’s Real Food

Pete's Real Food

Health.com Star Rating: 4.2

Key Specs

Starting Price: $15.60
Delivery Area: 50 states
Products Arrive: Fresh

Why You Should Try It

Pete’s Real Food is upfront about nutrition and emphasizes grams of protein and ounces of vegetables per serving. During our testing, we liked that nutritional information is accessible and easy to find, and there is a focus on whole-food ingredients.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Very diverse offerings across flavor profiles, dish compositions and cuisine types
Focuses on fresh whole food
Preparation instructions are straightforward

Cons

Meals only have a microwave reheat option
Nutritionist but no registered dietitian on staff

Overview

Pete’s Real Food focuses on “real food” made by real people, with everything made from scratch in house. It’s a good option for those without major dietary restrictions looking for quality quick and easy meals and who are not on a strict budget. In addition to their paleo options, they also cater to vegan and keto diets.

Pricing and Plans

5-meal plan: $98 ($19.58 per meal)
10 meal plan: $191 ($19.11 per meal)
14 meal plan: $251 ($17.95 per meal)
Family plan: $359 ($17.96 per meal)
Lite plan: $121 ($17.28 per meal)

Meals We Tried

Grilled chicken with sautéed cabbage and green goddess potato salad
Chicken chili with oven roasted tomatoes and spaghetti squash
Beef stroganoff over sweet potato noodles
Chicken meatballs with cauliflower mash and sweet potato fries
Turkey burgers with lemon garlic asparagus and roasted purple potato wedges

Best Gluten-Free: Epicured

Epicured

Health.com Star Rating: 4.1

Key Specs

Starting Price: $10.29
Delivery Area: 48 states
Products Arrive: Fresh

Why You Should Try It

When we tested these meals, we liked that not only is Epicured gluten-free and low FODMAP, but the company’s meals are also dietitian-approved.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Very diverse offerings across multiple meal periods
Accommodates a range of diets including vegan, vegetarian and GERD-friendly
Meals are dietitian-approved and backed by science

Cons

Limited to four or fewer servings when ordering
Delivery date is pre-set

Overview

Epicured models its gluten-free, low FODMAP meals with a “food as medicine” philosophy in mind. When selecting from a wide range of items across breakfast, snacks, desserts and entrées, users have the ability to filter by allergens and dietary preference.

Pricing and Plans

Build your own box: $15 per dish on average; free shipping over $100

Meals We Tried

Vietnamese rice noodles (veggie)
Pad thai with chicken
Grilled salmon (sesame crusted)
Pulled BBQ chicken

Best for Sustainability: Territory

Territory Foods

Health.com Star Rating: 4.3

Key Specs

Starting Price: $11.95
Delivery Area: 27 states
Products Arrive: Fresh

Why You Should Try It

Compared to other companies, this service uses limited packaging and simplifies recycling, making it a stand-out choice for sustainability.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Accommodates a range of eating styles
Nutrition facts and information about diets provided
Registered dieticians involved in meal planning and labeling process

Cons

Limited variety of meals to choose from
Only delivers to a select number of states

Overview

Territory is a smart choice for those with sustainability in mind who are also looking to meet their specific dietary needs such as vegan, vegetarian, Mediterranean, milk-free, gluten-free, keto/low carb, Whole30, and low fat. With a detailed breakdown of each eating style and easily accessible nutrition and recycling information, this program is good for those living within Territory’s limited delivery area.

Pricing and Plans

10 meals starting at $13.95 per meal

Meals We Tried

Beef birria de res with salsa rojo
Salmon and spinach croquette with arugula salad and lemon caper vinaigrette
Chicken shawarma quinoa bowl with pickled red onions and tahini sauce
“Sattvik” red dal kitchari with coconut yogurt and turmeric cauliflower

Final Verdict

There are a lot of options when it comes to oven-ready meal delivery services but ultimately CookUnity was our number one choice. While many services offer sustainability, affordability, and dietary specialties, CookUnity covers all of these and more. With its broad menu, straightforward preparation instructions, reasonable price, and focus on ingredient quality, this delivery service is a smart choice for those looking for meals that are ready to heat and eat.

Compare the Best Oven-Ready Meal Delivery Services

Company	Starting Price	Delivery Area	Products Arrive	Customers Can Choose Delivery Date?	Free Shipping?
Best Overall CookUnity	$10.39 per serving	39 states	Fresh	Yes	Yes, depending on how many meals ordered
Best Vegan Daily Harvest	$6.79 per serving	49 states	Frozen	Yes	Yes, with a recurring plan
Best Vegetarian ModifyHealth	$11.75 per serving	50 states	Fresh	No	Yes
Best High Protein Pete's Real Food	$15.60 per serving	50 states	Fresh	No	Yes for select states
Best Gluten-Free Epicured	$10.29 per serving	48 states	Fresh	No	Yes, on orders over $100
Best for Sustainability Territory	$11.95 per serving	27 states	Fresh	Yes	No

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Oven-Ready Meals Fresh?

All the services that we reviewed were delivered fresh with the exception of Daily Harvest, which specializes in smoothies in addition to other meal options. All other meals we reviewed came with fresh pre-portioned ingredients in oven-safe trays that require little to no preparation. Additionally, many of the meals we reviewed have multiple preparation methods, including microwave and stove top.

How Long Do Oven-Ready Meals Stay Good For?

Depending on the meal delivery service used, a use-by date and even freeze-by date are typically included on the packaging. This can range from three to seven days when consumed fresh and longer when frozen. Use-by dates are largely influenced by the ingredients used in the dish.

Can Oven-Ready Meals Help With Weight Loss?

Some of the oven-ready meal delivery services we reviewed offer calorie- and portion-controlled meals which can help support weight loss efforts. Nutritional information is provided with many meals and easily accessible on the website, apps, and on the meal itself. Additionally, some services offer access to registered dietitians who can provide ongoing support and personalized recommendations.

Are Oven-Ready Meals Customizable to My Diet Restriction?

While some of the heat-and-eat meal delivery services we reviewed specifically cater to certain diets, many offer the option to filter through dietary restrictions such as dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and low-carb. This allows you to customize your meals according to your specific dietary needs. Additionally, many of the services are transparent in labeling potential food allergens.

Methodology

We researched, ordered from, and tested 40 meal delivery services, many of which have heat-and-eat meals. When evaluating each, we considered key aspects including sustainability, transparency, cookability, taste, customer service, nutrition, and availability of a dietitian, as well as cost and number of diets catered to. The data we collected informed our list of companies that address a variety of dietary needs.

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