Why Use A Meal Delivery Service
Some of us are born Suzy homemakers but some of us simply arent. Some of us have the skills to cook, but our schedules are too hectic to really indulge in our culinary expertise. Meal delivery services are here to save the day for anyone desiring to skip the drive thru and eat healthy family dinners at home.
If you are wanting to learn how to cook but lack the basic skills, meal delivery services are a great option for you. You have all the ingredients shipped to you and most are ready to use straight out the box. Each meal comes with easy to follow recipes to help you learn many new dishes. Before you know it, youll be feeling like a pro chef without all the hassle that comes with it.
If you have the necessary skills but you spend most of your day trying to keep up with your busy work schedule, the lastsmorgasbord thing you want to do is spend all the time and effort to think up a great meal plan and go grocery shopping. Food subscription services make it possible for you to still eat fresh food with half the work and time you need to invest.
Food box delivery saves you time and stress by cutting out the weekly grocery shopping trip, the stressful cycle of coming up with new and exciting meals, and the prep and measuring. You know all those veggies that go to waste before you get to use them? Not with meal delivery services. All ingredients come in the correct portions for your meal to make sure that you wont be wasting money throwing away old produce.
What We Got For Our Green Chef Gluten
We couldnt wait for our first gluten-free food box to arrive. The package was delivered on time to our front door with the correct number of meals and quite impressive ingredients.
It is important to note that the Green Chef delivery arrives in planet-friendly packaging. The food was packaged in a recyclable cardboard box that is also reusable. Plus, the packing materials are compostable. Certain foods were further vacuum-sealed to ensure freshness. The ice packs ensured that things stayed cool.
We received three all gluten-free meal kits with recipe card instructions for the cooking process:
- Coconut-pecan crusted chicken with bell pepper & onion cauliflower rice.
- Roasted sausages & sauerkraut with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onion, kale & cabbage slaw.
- Italian shrimp and pesto with sautéed brussels sprouts, carrots & roasted red peppers.
Below is our experience with the ingredients and recipes that came with the three meals box we received from Green Chef.
Generally, each meal kit was remarkably fresh, and the dishes turned out superb with very little prep work. The recipes were easy to understand and carry out. We can say that the overall experience was excellent!
Here are our notes for each dish:
Best For Organic Meals: : Fresh N Lean
Fresh n Lean has multiple plans, catering to multiple diets, all of which are 100 percent gluten-free.
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Must contact customer service to change or cancel your plan
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Shipping costs extra on some days of the week
Founder Laureen Asseo started Fresh n’ Lean in her one-bedroom apartment when she was just 18 years old. The company concentrates on healthful ready-to-eat meals across a number of dietary categories, all of which are gluten-free. It also clearly indicates which ingredients are organic and which are not and utilizes grass-fed meat in some of its meals.
With Fresh n Lean, you can order breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all seven days of the week. Menu items include cheesy bacon chicken, Mediterranean salmon, kidney bean bowl, mushroom and spinach frittata, and bearnaise aioli steak with sweet potatoes. All the meals are single-serving, but theres a bulk/meal prep menu as well.
Fresh n’ Leans plans include high protein, paleo, vegan, whole30, low-carb vegan, and the aforementioned bulk menu. The minimum you can order is five meals per week. Each plan has about 14 lunch/dinner choices and a handful of breakfast options. Meals are delivered fresh weekly, and prices are fixed, whether you are ordering 5 or 7 days of meals. Plans are priced as follows:
- Breakfast alone: $10.50 per meal
- Lunch or dinner alone: $15.43 per meal
- Breakfast with lunch or dinner: $11.25 per meal
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner: $9.97 per meal
Also Check: Freeze Dried Gluten Free Food
What To Look For In A Meal Delivery Service:
When choosing a meal delivery service for weight loss, you should consider your needs and lifestyle. Here are four questions to ask yourself:
More great meal delivery service options we love:
Best For Birthdays: Sensitive Sweets
Sensitive Sweets
Sensitive Sweets offers a whimsical selection of customizable gluten-free birthday cakes.
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Vegan and soy-, peanut-, and tree nut-free
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No cakes without fondant
When Melanie Hohman’s son was diagnosed with a number of food allergies before he turned 1, she launched a search for a birthday cake that could accommodate his needs. This seemingly simple quest led Hohman deep down the rabbit hole of allergy-conscious baking. When she surfaced, she started Sensitive Sweets, a gluten- and nut-free bakery with a delightful selection of highly customizable cakes.
Customizing your cake from Sensitive Sweets is easy. Create your perfect cake by choosing from two sizes, nine flavors, four fillings, six fondant topper colors, seven accent colors, and 14 themes. If that’s not enough, Sensitive Sweets will even let you request special colors and themes via a text box at checkout. And, of course, you can add your birthday kid’s name.
The 6-inch cake serves six to eight guests and sells for about $75, while the 8-inch cake serves up to 14 for around $85. Shipping via FedEx costs extra. Note that you must order at least seven days in advance of your required delivery date.
Don’t Miss: Cupcake Atm Manufacturer
Roasted Sausages & Sauerkraut
Kale is notorious for going limp quickly. However, we were pleased to notice that the included kale in our second meal kit was crisp and green. It boasted ultimate freshness with no indications of being limp. The cabbage also had a nice crunch as we chopped it up.
The Roasted Sausages & Sauerkraut meal took about 30 minutes to cook, and the flavors were a treat. The correct amount of spices mixed wonderfully with the sausages.
This German-style dish was very authentic and can be an excellent dinner choice if you seek a nice and filling comfort food.
Pros And Cons Of The Green Chef Meal Kit Company
There are always pros and cons with any meal delivery service. You have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
- Certified gluten-free program by the Gluten Intolerance Group
- USDA certified organic ingredients.
- Easy to subscribe online.
- You can cancel or skip weeks at any time.
- Certified gluten-free meals are grouped in the Keto+Paleo plan, so you dont have to hunt to find which recipes are gluten-free and which are not.
- Recipe cards are easy to understand and follow.
- All packaging is eco-friendly.
- More expensive than other meal kit services.
- Extra shipping charges per week.
Read Also: Are Dove Ice Cream Bars Gluten Free
Best Budget: Mason Dixon Bakery And Bistro
Mason Dixon Bakery and Bistro
Mason Dixon offers a solid selection of gluten-free cakes that can be shipped nationwide at an affordable price.
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Vegan, soy-free, and egg-free options available
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Not organic
Dr. Ashley Ramirez was diagnosed with Celiac disease in college, so she had to begin learning to prepare gluten-free meals for herself on a student’s limited budget. Luckily, her Ph.D.-level chemistry program proved helpful, and soon her recipes were fooling even ardent wheat-lovers. When a job-related delay left her in limbo in Huntsville, Alabama, Dr. Ramirez used her skills to open Mason Dixon, Alabama’s very first gluten-free bakery.
Mason Dixon Bakery offers a selection of 8-inch layer cakes available to ship. Most cakes are actually full-sized versions of Mason Dixon’s cupcakes, so see the cupcake menu for the most detailed flavor descriptions. Our favorites include the Cookie Monster, the Stacy, and the Fat Elvis. We hope that someday Mason Dixon makes full-sized versions of the Alabama Mud and the Trash Panda, but for now, you’ll have to order those in cupcake form. In addition to being gluten-free, some cakes are also dairy-free, soy-free, paleo, and/or vegan. Mason Dixon ships custom cakes as well.
Most of Mason Dixon’s 8-inch cakes cost between $35 and $45, plus a flat shipping rate of about $30. That makes Mason Dixon the most budget-friendly option on this list.
Are All Freshly Meals Gluten
Yes! All Freshly meals are prepared in kitchens certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group, which means the company doesnt handle or store any items containing gluten. If youre looking for gluten-free meals geared towards specialty diets like keto and paleo, consider Fresh n Lean, which is also entirely gluten-free and has various meal plans.
Recommended Reading: Buy Premade And Flattened Ravioli Dough
Who Should Try A Gluten
Not so long ago, the idea of a gluten-free diet was looked at by many as just another trendy fad diet. Most people didnt understand what it was really about, much less why they would want to try it.
And then, theres a common misconception that having gluten-intolerance means youre allergic to wheat or you have Celiac disease, which isnt necessarily the case at all.
The thing is, many common health issues can be attributed to gluten intolerance even simple things like tummy troubles, brain fog, and chronic headaches. In fact, as many as 18 million people in the United States are gluten intolerant, and many of them have no idea.
Before we move on, maybe youre wondering what gluten is in the first place. Gluten is a protein thats found mostly in grains, like wheat, barley, and rye. In simple terms, its kind of like the glue that holds your bread together, allows it to rise, and keeps it from crumbling apart when you go to eat it.
Best Overall: Fresh N’ Lean
Fresh n Lean
Why We Chose It: Fresh n’ Lean offers healthy, ready-to-eat meals that cater to the most popular diets while also being entirely gluten-free.
What We LikeLots of options for Keto, Paleo, and veganOrganically sourced ingredients and sustainable practicesReady in three minutesBreakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options available
What We Dont LikeMeals are chosen for you unless you select the a la carte plan
Fresh n’ Lean delivers fresh, organically sourced, gluten-free meals that are ready to be enjoyed in three minutes. Each delicious, chef-cooked dish is full of macronutrients, balanced calories, and protein. In addition to dinner options, you can add on breakfast, lunch, snacks, and even bulk items.
Fresh n’ Lean accommodates the most popular dietary needs in their five meal plansProtein+, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, and Low Carb Veganand its A La Carte option. Once you subscribe to a meal plan, youll choose the number of meals and the number of days worth of food. Although you cant choose your exact meals, Fresh n Lean will send a variety of delicious and fully-prepared dishes that change weekly based on your preselected preferences.
You can skip a week, pause, or cancel Fresh n Lean anytime. Prices start at $7.95 per meal and depend on your meal plan and the number of meals received per week. Fresh n’ Lean delivers anywhere in the United States.
Don’t Miss: Costco Gluten Free Bread
Best For Families: : The Good Kitchen
The Good Kitchen is 100 percent gluten-free and will deliver up to 35 meals per week, perfect for families and other groups with many mouths to feed.
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Can order up to 35 meals weekly
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Bulk family style dishes available
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Organic ingredients
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Free shipping only for orders of 10+ meals
The Good Kitchen offers fully prepped meals, made in a facility that is 100 percent free of gluten, peanuts, and soy. The company delivers breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you can order between five and 35 meals to be delivered weekly, biweekly, or monthly, making it a great service for gluten-free families.
The Good Kitchen caters to four different dietary lifestyles as well: paleo, keto, low fat, and whole30 approved. You can filter the menu through a list of more than a dozen dietary and ingredient preferences. The company also engages in sustainable sourcing, utilizing organic produce, grass-fed and pastured proteins, and seafood watch compliant seafood. Here are some sample dishes:
- Matcha coconut glazed salmon and green curry cauliflower rice
- Bacon and cheddar frittata with yukon potato hash
- Pork loin with peach BBQ sauce and bacon jalapeno cauliflower risotto
- Mongolian pork skillet
All meals ship frozen. You can shop for meals a la carte, purchase a bundle, or order from the bulk/family-style menu.
The Healthiest Way To Live Gluten Free
Eliminate gluten without having to sacrifice nutrition or taste.
Stuck in a rut with your typical gluten free meal options? Our nutrition trained chefs and registered dietitian specialize in developing delicious dishes using the most nutritious ingredients.
Our menu options change every week, with a wide variety of healthy, zero gluten options that keep your diet exciting and interesting.
Our recipes provide all the essential micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals, and macronutrients like protein with naturally gluten free products.And all of our meals are portion controlled and packed with nutrition to fuel your body with better calorie control. Nutritional information and ingredients are printed clearly on each label for easy tracking.
Each meal is portion controlled for one serving and packed with nutrition to fuel your body with better calorie control. We use evidenced-based nutrition to provide the most balanced approach to each eating style. Nutritional information is printed clearly on each label for easy tracking.
Also Check: Does Onion Soup Mix Have Gluten
