hungry roots ($65+) is basically an online grocery store. You’ll take a quiz about what you like to eat, and the service will deliver groceries to your door, along with recipes based on whatever’s in the week’s box. For example, one of my boxes has a chickpea pasta crust and superfood ketchup, but I’m free to garnish it with whatever I want or use separate ingredients. It’s a great way to complement your pantry. You can choose to pick your groceries yourself, or Hungryroot will do it for you based on your food profile. Allergy and dietary filters abound. Plan for one, two or three or more people. You can See stock available here to get an idea about the services.
Food is not perfect (prices vary) is one of the most famous “ugly food” grocery boxes. Deformed, non-perishable products that are perfectly fine but past the “best” shelf life, dented boxes… these do not make foods dangerous, but they make them difficult to sell. Imperfect food is anything but traditional. After signing up, you will be able to share your dietary preferences and see the specified delivery date. Fill in your box each week from alternate choices. You can choose to deliver weekly or biweekly. Component prices vary and shipping ranges from $6 to $9.
Sun basket ($11+ per serving) offers a variety of meal plans, with an emphasis on fresh and organic ingredients. There’s a huge variety on offer on each weekly menu, so there’s always something for everyone. Several other meal subscriptions I tried had wilted products or poor taste — Sun Basket didn’t. Its dinners were full of the same ingredients as the ones I picked up at the store, including spotless seasonal fruits and vegetables. In addition to a nutritious dinner, you can also add things like coconut yogurt, nut butter, sous vide eggs, soups, and snacks like chocolate nuts and crickets. (If you’re wondering, yes, crickets are great.) The dietary filter allows options like Mediterranean and pescatarian, along with allergens. You can also add things like dried meats, dips, sauces, and sweets to your weekly shipment. For meals and groceries combined into one service, Sun Basket is a safe bet.
crowd of cows (prices vary) is a grocery box that has all kinds of meat. (You can also order side dishes and desserts, but I didn’t try those.) From ground beef to Waygu steak, from select fish like lobster tail and salmon to Main courses like chicken and ham, Crowd Cow offers them all. You can even get bison, duck, or other hard-to-find animal proteins. The packaging is 100 percent compostable and recyclable, and shipping is carbon-free. The company also tries to make its meat like as sustainable as possible. Boxes are available a la carte, or you can opt for recurring shipping to save 5 percent and get free shipping. Prices vary, but Crowd Cow could be a good choice for landlocked seafood lovers like me (or anyone who wants see supply chain their meat).
Live Farmbox ($41+ per box) production box only. There are several varieties to choose from, but they all contain only fruit and/or vegetables. You’ll choose the size you want, but content customizations are limited. You can do up to five substitutions per week based on the rotation menu. I was able to use most of my mixed fruits and vegetables, but I had a few that went unused (such as a giant bunch of kale that wilted before I could get it). This service may not be for everyone, but if you are a production geek or a juicer enthusiast, it might be worth a try. Bonus: Free shipping.
gorgeous spoon (prices vary) offers a wide variety of smoothies, soups, noodle bowls, cereal bowls and treats. Every item I’ve tried tastes natural—so yes, those lemonades drop in price just as you’d expect. A very bitter experience aside, I like everything I’ve tried and I especially love the brand’s smoothies. The ingredients are also clearly listed, so Lemon Fiasco can be avoided. All meals are plant-based and free of both gluten and GMOs. Plans include a mix of different services, and deliveries can be scheduled as infrequently as once per month. Just make sure there’s some space in your fridge—products are a bit bulky.
steam train (from $120) unlike some of the other meal delivery services in this summary, as it is not a subscription. This is still the best seafood-focused pick we’ve tried (including the subscription options). It’s basically a seafood boil delivered straight to your door via Goldbelly. Choose your seafood, choose your seasoning mix and follow the clear instructions to have yourself a hearty feast. Everything cooks up quickly in the included steamer, and you can even line it with paper for easy cleaning of the shell. While the prices may seem high, the servings and ingredients provided are reasonable and may be lower than what you can find at a restaurant. As an inland seafood lover, many “fresh” seafood delivery services have a fishy smell—both figuratively and literally—let me down. Topsail Steamer just left me full of happiness.
