If you’re single, we don’t need to ask how hectic it is to prepare meals at home by yourself. People hardly make time out of their busy schedule to have 5 hours of sleep. How can they manage to prepare 3 meals at home that would cost 30 minutes each, sometimes even more?
When you feel highly clueless, the best premade meals for singles come into play.
Everyone has to eat, but preparing meals takes time and effort unless you’re lucky enough to have a personal chef. Consider the time and effort required for food purchases, preparation, and consumption.
Long supermarket excursions can be reduced by signing up for a meal-kit delivery service. However, if you want even more culinary convenience, check out these best-prepared premade meal delivery services for singles.
When you order from a standard meal kit delivery company, you receive a package of materials. On the other hand, ready premade meal delivery providers offer you whole meals.
You should defrost them whether you’re using the oven, the microwave, or the stove. Even so, most of the labor is finished before the box arrives at our doorstep. The real draw of food delivered by mail is the opportunity to eat more and prepare less.
Thankfully, this doesn’t restrict the kinds of meals you may get through these companies. Since people aren’t expecting you to prepare their food, chefs are free to be more inventive. The best options include dishes like morning frittatas, nutritious smoothies, and sophisticated soups. On occasion, you can enjoy a chilled salad without heating the dish.
Why Are Premade Meal Delivery Kits Good for Singles?
Health Benefits
At any time, we should be worried about what we consume. But as we get older, it becomes even more crucial, especially for singles. A healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for extending the time you can spend at home.
However, just because it’s the right way to eat doesn’t mean it’s simple to accomplish. Because they are quick and easy, takeout or drive-throughs may become our preferred method of eating.
Based on your choices, restaurant food may be full of fat, sodium, sweetener, and other unhealthy ingredients. These ingredients can exacerbate or even create new health problems. Companies that supply meal kits can offer far better nutritious options to singles.
Most of these businesses use chefs who choose the menu items and ingredients. Others use licensed dieticians or nutritionists who choose foods by suggested daily limits, ensuring you get the proper quantity of nutrients your body requires.
The best thing is that you may select from various healthy options. In addition to personal preferences, our health and medical conditions frequently determine what foods we should and ought to consume.
Convenience
Even cooking for two may be challenging, especially for singles. Finding quick and simple recipes that don’t require an extensive list of components might be difficult, and regular grocery runs might get tedious.
Even if you have the physical capacity, you might not want to take on such duties every week. Delivery services for meal kits are a practical method to avoid that inconvenience, and the convenience of getting everything ready on their plate can be quite addictive for singles.
It’s simple and handy to bring ready-to-cook meals to your house once a week. Simply create an online profile with the best meal kit delivery service for singles after selecting it, then start browsing and selecting the meals you wish to test.
Almost No Cleanup
Have you ever come across somebody who likes doing the chores and tidying up the house after dinner?
Even if you have a machine, cooking can create a stench, and the cleanup process is not enjoyable. One of the things that makes the services so alluring is the cleanup included with meal kit delivery.
You will typically only require pantry essentials to make the meal. Everything else is already included in your purchase. To cook and slice the components for most dinners, you will need a frying pan, a sheet pan, a blade, and a chopping board.
As a result, cleaning is typically quick – it only takes 5-10 minutes for singles on average.
Trying New Things
For singles, eating is the next name for boredom. As we age, we tend to stick to our preferences and not stray too far from them. However, it’s crucial to attempt novel things.
Sometimes, our circumstances demand it. For example, a health concern or setback may compel you to alter your diet. An excellent approach to experimenting with new and nutritious food alternatives without exerting much effort is to get meal kits.
Don’t be worried about making a dish you’ve never tried properly. Each meal comes with a leaflet that contains a thorough and simple-to-follow recipe. Most of them include illustrations to make it as simple as possible to complete each step correctly.
Are Premade Meal Delivery Kits Good for My Health?
Some singles who cook at home sometimes fall into the trap of consuming huge servings all at once. Large food sizes might make us feel lethargic. As a result, this may cause us to be less effective in the hours after eating.
The food you eat using a premade meal delivery service has been divided into servings. With built-in portion management, you can ensure that you eat to promote your work effectiveness and regain more of your energy.
Moreover, singles on a diet can also use these premade meal delivery services. There are several different healthy diets to take into account. While paleo has maintained its appeal, keto is presently a trendy diet. For its advantages to health and the environment, vegan cuisine is becoming increasingly popular.
Meal preparation might be challenging if you adhere to a specific diet plan. You must first familiarize yourself with the guidelines of your particular diet plan. Then, you must ensure that the food you cook follows these rules. You can then put a lot of time and effort into the procedure.
Difference Between Home Prepared Meals and Premade Meals for Singles
Meal kits with ingredients and recipes are an excellent option for someone looking to pick up some fundamental cooking techniques. You can save time using these subscriptions instead of selecting a recipe and going to the supermarket to catch some supplies.
Minimal food waste results from using kits since you obtain the precise amount of ingredients for your meal and don’t have to bother about portioning out your supplies.
The recipes you receive from meal kit providers are likely to be ones you wouldn’t have created on your own. They can teach you how to cook items you might not be accustomed to using.
It will cost you money to subscribe to a meal kit provider. Most meal kit providers charge at least $9 per meal, and not all offer free delivery. Additionally, not all meal kit services provide various recipes throughout the week.
Meal kits are not for busy people who don’t have time to prepare meals. Even if you cut back on preparation and shipment, cleaning and cooking will still take up space and time in the kitchen.
Meal kits should also be avoided if you are a terrible cook since you cannot be satisfied with your ability to prepare meals.
Meal preparation, on the other hand, entails consuming meals planned and made all at once. In addition to saving time on cooking during the week, it is simpler to eat healthily.
The issue with this approach is that cooking all meals for the entire week at once and on one day requires excessive time. All this comes after you’ve gone grocery shopping and created a meal for yourself.
Meal prep services may be helpful for individuals who lack the time, want to save money and effort, and want to eat better and maintain a particular diet.
You’ll save time and money and get to try various dishes if you prepare your meals in advance. You’ll spend less time cooking, cleaning, and purchasing things like meal packages.
Meal kits are, therefore, for singles who want to cook but want to skip the preparation and buying stages.
Best Premade Meals for Singles
1. Thistle
Perhaps you came to our page to research after hearing that Thistle is the most outstanding vegan meal subscription service. Do they provide excellent, nutritious food by the bushel at Thistle Food? Everyone wonders when they want to change to a new meal delivery service, give one a try for the first time, or want to break their meal rut.
Thistle is a sustainable food delivery business well-known for its incredible fresh-pressed juices and plant-based alternatives. Still, when it comes to meal delivery, Thistle has it all. Just don’t anticipate that enchilada to include any milk or gluten!
Many people fortunate enough to reside in Thistle’s delivery area use the service for anything from weight reduction to dietary allergies.
If you dislike the effort of reading the small print on each prepared meal to hunt for foods on your no-can-do list, that makes purchasing your meals quite simple.
If you’re searching for a meal plan to achieve a fitness goal, the nutritious ingredients and manageable quantities of Thistle meals may be just what you need.
The idea is that Thistle provides healthful, delectable cuisine. Moreover, it is catered for those with unique dietary needs. However, it can also imply that everyone will find this service to be delightful.
What Premade Meal Types Does Thistle Offer?
Thistle offers a wide range of nutritious meals with vegan and other meal alternatives for individuals wishing to avoid cooking and cleaning.
Let’s discuss a little bit about what it’s like to eat thistles! In its dishes, Thistle emphasizes “nutrient variety.” A Thistle meal that is brought to you typically has five to eight different fruits, vegetables, plants, or meats.
If you reside in the Thistle local delivery area, you have a variety of alternatives. There are four boxes available if you are just in the shipping zone.
Vegan lunch and vegan dinners are their specialties. However, this doesn’t at all mean that Thistle can’t do any other thing better. In fact, Thistle is also famous for its Full Day Vegan.
Furthermore, they also have omnivore lunches and omnivore dinners which you can enjoy and treat your taste buds well.
Which Plans Should Singles Choose?
“Somewhere between a startup and a farm-to-table business” is how Thistle defines it. Their team of seasoned culinary industry professionals, as previously noted, updates the menu every week.
Thistle Food’s weekly meal schedule is posted online well in advance, which is fantastic.
You may now visit their website to learn more about each meal on the menu, including reviews, a detailed list of ingredients, meat vs vegan options, and medical analysis.
Unlike other companies, Thistle also fully discloses what you’re putting into your body, andwe applaud them for doing it.
Given how frequently Thistle changes its menu, you need to dig in and try a few things on your own to determine if this is your type of cuisine.
Ultimately, the meals do an excellent job of evoking both the modern, tastefully packed aura of a company and the feeling that a buddy who runs the neighborhood organic farming collective just delivered a special surprise to you!
There are a few standout dishes on the menu, such as the Mocha Chia Smoothie Bowl for breakfast, the Lemon Herb Roasted Artichoke Bowl for dinner, and the Peach Coconut Yogurt Parfait for dessert.
While analyzing all of the incredible components and flavors of every Thistle meal would take all day, let’s concentrate on the Hearty Pesto RightRice Bowl, which was recently a highlighted item on the weekly menu.
This filling dish includes Right Rice and a rice alternative made from lentils. Roasted yams, broccoli, and sunflowerseed pesto are served at the right price.
Singles can expect 264 calories, 26 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, and 5 grams of carbohydrates from this meal.
The current Yelp rating for Thistle is 4.5 out of 5. For the hardy Californians who have access to some of the most extraordinary culinary selections on Earth, that’s saying a lot! According to widespread opinion, Thistle is the most excellent option available for persons with hectic schedules who expressly want to maintain a “healthy” and “vegan” dietary regimen.
Overall, Thistle’s authentic dishes receive outstanding ratings. However, the business does receive some criticism from reviews regarding delivery issues and customer service.
The Shipping Process
Because they provide both delivery and shipping alternatives, the company’s policies are a little bit different from other services of a similar nature.
The Thistle delivery area is only available in California, so people who live elsewhere will have to make do with meal shipments (only available in regions of six other states).
You shouldn’t be shocked that you cannot give Thistle’s food back. The meals are perishable, so reusing them would not be viable or safe. Considering that you can easily cancel your membership, it is not exactly a dealbreaker.
Call their customer support immediately if you got the incorrect order or if there is an issue with the meal.
Pricing
Let’s go down to the point of determining whether or not Thistle food delivery is a go for you. Thistle meals – are they costly? Depending on your purchase, the response might change, just like at any restaurant or meal service.
Meals from Thistle Food start at $11.50 each. Sincerely, that’s approximately how much you’d shell out these days for a disappointing fast-food lunch. With a basic Thistle plan, it’s easy to get by with about $42 per week.
On Thistle food delivery, vegan dishes are often less expensive. For instance, if 3 vegan meals were to be delivered to a workplace each week, the cost would be $44.
However, that might rise to roughly $240 if you choose 6 days of omnivorous meals delivered to your house. Let’s revisit the bundle choices we covered before. We’ll nevertheless enter some pricing depending on what you might anticipate.
Just be aware that costs may fluctuate depending on your precise location, any special requests you’ve specified, and Thistle’s updates to the menu.
It nearly seems stupid not to test this service if you reside in the Thistle local delivery area! You have absolutely nothing to lose by giving Thistle meals a go for 1 week to check how you feel about the service because you have the option to cancel your membership at any time.
The cost per meal won’t change significantly if you currently get salads from a nearby restaurant for lunch or dinner.
Best Brand’s Features
- This brand is committed to providing better value to its customers. It might feel a bit expensive, but it brings something for that extra price.
- Thistle food has a wide variety of premade meals available so that you can choose from nutritious choices with freedom.
Popular Recipes of Thistle
PinenapplePachadi Bowl
Tofu, flavored with a wide range of spices, notably turmeric, which has anti-inflammatory effects, serves as the meal’s protein choice. Other essential components are pineapple, broccoli, bell peppers, onions, and cinnamon.
Enchilada Bake
Nothing compares to an excellent enchilada. It’s high-quality comfort food without regret or guilt. It includes a wholesome, though somewhat monotonous, side of cabbage salad. The dinner gets a nice kick from the lime and cilantro.
If you choose the vegetarian meal, pinto beans serve as the food’s protein source.If you choose the meat dish, jerked chicken serves in that capacity. In any case, you will also receive other ingredients.
2. Freshly
Over the last few years, there have been many possibilities for meal delivery. This is a good thing if you’re looking for a solution to make mealtime simpler, and I mean much more straightforward.
More meal subscription alternatives, including those for healthy and vegan meal delivery, family dinners, and some reliable, affordable meal-by-mail solutions, are the result of all the competition in the market. If you seek in the appropriate areas, you can get meals for less than $5 per dish.
While Freshly’s prepared meal subscription is by no means a brand new business, it was among the first to enter the prepared lunch and supermarkets nationwide.
Freshly doesn’t advertise itself as the healthiest meal delivery service in the market or concentrate on elegant cuisine or menus for specific diets. Nevertheless, it does offer some of the most delicious and fresh food delivery in 2022.
Whether it’s as a result of clever marketing, experience, or simply a solid track record, one of the most well-known prepared meal subscription businesses is, without a doubt, Freshly.
According to a cursory scan of Internet evaluations, freshly has an expanding following of devoted fans. But by no means does the mere fact that you’ve heard of a business guarantee that it’s among the most excellent premade meal services.
Two examples of genuinely outstanding and nutritious food delivery services that are not widely recognized are Pete’s Paleo and Mosaic Foods. What about Freshly, then? Does it maintain its positive public image?
What Premade Meal Types Does Freshly Offer?
You may select a Freshly meal plan membership on the website that includes as few as 4 prepared meals per week or as many as 12. Freshly offers a wide variety of lunch and supper alternatives and dietary restriction-friendly options like gluten-free, keto, low-carb, and low-calorie meals.
There are few plant-based alternatives, albeit not as many as other providers. I’d think that for vegans, there will be some far superior meal delivery options in 2022. Each of the bottom 48 states receive fresh shipping.
If you only want to try Freshly for a week or two, minimal risk is involved because you may alter, suspend, or cancel your meal plan.
The cuisine at Freshly doesn’t alter excessively or frequently. You always have a selection of roughly 60 meals. Even though the corporation occasionally changes them, they could be the same from week to week.
According to a corporate official, the company recently lowered its selection to streamline the production process and maintain commercial operations during the COVID-19 epidemic when the demand has been robust.
You shouldn’t anticipate a brand new menu every week as you might from other meal-kit services like Blue Apron and Green Chef. The meal options do periodically vary. To be fair, other per-serving meal delivery businesses that aren’t kits often function similarly to Freshly.
What can one anticipate? Meat, veggies, pasta, rice, or potatoes are the main ingredients in most Freshly meals.
For instance, steak peppercorn is frequently served with mashed red potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Served with pesto and zucchini pasta are turkey-mushroom meatballs. What about chicken?
Every type of chicken imaginable is available, including chicken parmigiana and Buffalo chicken.
Which Plans Should Singles Choose?
Several premade meal options suit singles, especially those looking for non-mundane food.
Freshly takes pride in producing nutritious meals with a serving of whole grain carbohydrates, fresh vegetables, and protein. The firm claims that Freshly chefs also make ingredient adjustments to increase the nutritional value of the dishes.
For instance, they’ll use mashed squash or cauliflower instead of butter or heavy cream to impart richness to a meal. They frequently substitute nut butter for flour for thickening sauces and use honey instead of corn syrup or other artificial sweeteners.
The beauty of Freshly is that you can view the whole ingredient list and nutritional information for each meal before placing your order. Do you need to consume dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb, or low-calorie food due to dietary limitations?
Freshly is a fantastic choice in the meal delivery industry if you’re searching for meals that are relatively nutritious and provide fast convenience. This is particularly true if you eat only certain things or just want to know precisely what’s in your meal.
The Shipping Process
For packing, no food delivery service receives an A+. The industry might benefit significantly from improvements in this area. Even if certain packing materials are recyclable, they produce a lot of garbage. Freshly delivers premade meals in paper bags.
Gel-based cold packs are frozen liquid cubes enclosed in solid plastic bags. Although you may reuse them, if you routinely get meals by mail, your freezer will be stuffed within a month.
Therefore, if your neighborhood recycling center takes plastic, you must let them defrost, empty the contents into the garbage, and then wash and return the packaging.
It is wasteful and untidy. There must be a better approach, but no firm appears to have discovered it right now.
A plastic film is placed on the meal’s black plastic container. Each meal has a thin cardboard wrapper that contains information on the meal’s name, ingredients, and expiration date.
But remember that Freshly, like most meal delivery services, frequently updates its menu. Since we conducted our initial taste tests, many of these recipes have been altered or deleted.
Pricing
Each Freshly prepared meal ranges from $8.99 to $11.79, depending on how many you order at once. You may anticipate paying around the exact per-serving pricing to compete with meal kit and meal delivery services.
You may purchase 4, 6, 9, or 12meals each week with Freshly. You agree to get a delivery every week when you create an account. However, you may always opt to miss a week or pause your membership.
There is one serving for each meal, and varying shipping prices and delivery costs increase with the size of your shipment.
Brand’s Best Features
- Freshly is a brand known for its diversified menu. Their premade meals are available in Italian, American, Mexican, and continental delicacies.
- Their premade meals for singles are enormously valuable for money. They might look expensive initially, but considering their overall offerings, it narrows down to a good deal.
Popular Recipes of Freshly
Almond Ginger Chicken Bowl
These bowls are an overall treat for you, but the Asian-style grilled chicken and vegetables over rice with the spicy ginger sauce stand out. The contents may be heated rapidly and effectively without burning out the bowls.
Turkey Meatloaf
The meatloaf is soft and has a great taste. Additionally, it isn’t oily or salty, and the cauliflower mash and bean salad that come with it are delightful side dishes.
3. CookUnity
The meal planning packages that give you supplies and recipes should be abandoned. The very next step in taking back your mealtime is this. Members of CookUnity may select meals from a sizable menu, which are then supplied once a week and come ready for reheating.
Most meals may be prepared in a few minutes (between 8 and 20 min) using only a burner or microwave.
The cooked meal service’s chef-centric approach is called “CookUnity.” Small-batch meals made using ethically sourced ingredients are created by local chefs. The names and images of these chefs are included on every box so that you may begin to identify whose dishes appeal to you.
CookUnity, a self-described “chef collaborative,” was established in 2016 and prided itself as the “first chef-to-consumer platform.” More than 60 people are currently employed by CookUnity, including upcoming chefs, seasoned restaurateurs, and pioneers in the culinary world.
Modern kitchens are available for CookUnity’s chefs to practice and make meals throughout the USA. This service, which is offered nationally, lets customers enjoy fantastic meals at home without worrying while also supporting their neighborhood chefs.
Make a plan. Once you download the app, you may choose your meals. It’s straightforward to accomplish because of how the software is designed.
Each meal has a photo; you can learn more about it by clicking on it, including its ingredients, calories, and user reviews. If you like a dish, mark it as a favorite by clicking the heart. This gives you another category to assist you in picking from the countless menu selections the following week.
Your meals will be delivered on the day you specify as soon as you confirm your order. Even better, you may sign up to get delivery-related notifications with tracking data.
What Type of Premade Meals Does CookUnity Offer?
Home-cooked cuisine presents all the necessary elements that improve your health and aid your recovery after a long day. CookUnity, however, is your best choice if you feel that preparing meals at home is too time-consuming and burdensome at the moment.
They transport organic, freshly prepared meals across the country. Additionally nutritious and suited for those with diseases like excessive lipid, hypertension, and blood glucose imbalance, CookUnity meals are available.
There are approximately 200 recipes as well as Mediterranean-style diets that are heart-healthy. Additionally, most meals contain lean protein, healthy carbohydrates, and whole grains with high fiber content.
Diabetes-friendly meal plans are available through CookUnity. According to the sources, a meal that is suitable for people with diabetes should have 14 grams of smart carbs per 1000 calories and 540-700 calories per dish.
Based on your needs for calories, carbohydrates, and fiber, CookUnity enables you to tailor meals. Therefore, you may personalize diabetic meals from CookUnity by the diabetes dietary recommendations.
Furthermore, you can also customize the premade meals according to your needs.
Shipping
CookUnity could only ship to New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Massachusetts, some areas of Pennsylvania, and some in Maryland at the time this article was written.
They need to hire more professionals who are qualified enough to join their staff as they expand to service more locations.
When you choose or join up, we advise utilizing their delivery map to check whether they can transport you to your region. The meals must remain secure and refrigerated during transportation because they are premade.
Additionally, it’s crucial that the packaging avoids needless environmental waste generation, which is common in the meal kit market. Thankfully, the packaging that CookUnity developed is both secure and sustainable.
Pricing
Customers choose 4, 6, 8, 12, or 16 meals weekly. At the highest number of meals per week, each meal costs $10.49, and at the lowest number of meals per week, each meal costs $13.49. We like that delivery was also free, which keeps the cost consistent with that of a fast-casual restaurant meal.
Cook Unity’s Best Features
- CookUnity operates by introducing diners to the top regional chefs in the USA. They have kitchens spread out across the country’s biggest cities.
- They continue to include family farms and cooks from famous eateries in their supply networks. For example, they buy vegetables from Lani’s farm for cooking in their New Jersey house. Because of this, CookUnity finds it simpler to use local, organic products and provide just-in-time cooked meals from top chefs to diners and food enthusiasts.
Popular Recipes of Cook Unity
Soft Polenta with Mushroom Ragout
Although it may appear gruel, this is a warm embrace on a platter. The meal is precisely what it sounds like.It tastes just as you expect it to. The mushrooms are earthy and excellent, and the polenta is silky and enticing.
Handmade Merguez Sausage
This meal recipe is delicious. The dish tastes extremely homemade, and the merguez sausages are great despite being a bit shorter -undoubtedly a success.
4. Blue Apron
A meal kit delivery business called Blue Apron makes it simple to receive a selection of nutritious dishes delivered right to your house. You must select the meals you want, purchase them online, and then wait for delivery.
Blue Apron is a business that offers pre-portioned food kits and recipe cards for mouthwatering dinners. It was established in 2012.
There’s no need to go grocery shopping or prepare meals because the firm handles all the preparation for each meal.
Simply preparing and cooking the ingredients are all that is required. Blue Apron strives to make it simple for you to prepare delectable meals, even if you are short on time and have no cooking experience.
If you’ve ever used a premade meal kit service, Blue Apron will work similarly to most of them since it founded the industry in the first place. You’ll begin by choosing a plan and entering your email address.
The Blue Apron meal plans are easy to understand. You may select 2- or 4-person dinners and 2, 3, or 4 recipes per week. More orders result in lower prices for meals.
Only when ordering two meals may you enter dietary choices such as vegetarianism or wellness. Although the family-sized or four-portion meal plan is much less expensive, it doesn’t offer as much flexibility for specific diets.
Premade meal kits are supplied on a day other than Sunday and come with everything you require to make supper.
The dinners will be delivered weekly, and you will be billed if you don’t stop or cancel your subscription. The meals will be chosen for you by Blue Apron depending on your original plan if you don’t actively select recipes using the app or the website.
What Type of Premade Meals Does Blue Apron Offer?
Blue Apron offers several different plans for singles. You may have it brought to your house two, three, or four times each week, depending on the programs you choose.
The Veggie platter offers a selection of four meatless dishes per week, such as veggie pancakes and pasta primavera. They utilize fresh, in-season food that is delivered to your house.
Four “nutritionist-approved” meals that Blue Apron develops each week are available on the Wellness menu.
These well-balanced meals include lean meats, low-carb dishes, and Weight watchers-recommended dishes.
The 18 inventive and varied meals on the weekly-changing Signature menu include beef, seafood, and vegetables.
The pan-seared steak, breaded scallops, and curry peanut chicken were my favorite dishes from the Signature menu.
We have nothing against the other options, but the tastes on the Signature menu were the most alluring.
Which Plans Should Singles Choose?
In addition to vegetarian alternatives, Blue Apron also sells meal packages for singles that are low-calorie, strict vegetarian, or carb-conscious.
The ingredients are listed in detail in the nutrition data for each dish. In this manner, you may decide what to get if you have allergies or sensitivities.
The business often adds new kits to its inventory. We appreciate how this business continues to seek out novel and intriguing recipes rather than resting on its laurels.
Furthermore, singles also have different tastes and preferences. So, they can choose the premade meal which best suits their needs.
Shipping
For sales under $50, shipping is $5.99.On the other hand, shipping is free for orders over $50. The business ships to all 48 of the contiguous United States. However, it is unable to deliver to PO boxes.
Furthermore, the shipping process is also pretty quick and smooth. All the premade meal kits will arrive to you in new condition.
Pricing
Blue Apron provides three distinct options. However, the price is determined by how much food you buy, not by which plan you select. No matter whatever design you choose, Blue Apron also imposes a flat rate of $9.99 for shipping.
While Blue Apron includes some more expensive products here, like nuts and plant-based proteins, it was a bit strange that the vegan plan costs the same price as other meals.
Blue Apron’s Best Brand Features
- A broad selection of elegant meals that are simple to prepare at home are available from the Blue Apron meal kit company. And now that there are new heat-and-eat meal alternatives, things are even more straightforward.
- All types of food requirements and some concerns can be accommodated by the menu choices offered by Blue Apron. There are many big dinners for singles who are meat eaters and carnivores, as well as vegan and plant-based alternatives.
Blue Apron’s Most Popular Recipes
Calabrian Chile Meat Balls
This meal with Italian influences is nicely spicy without being overpowering. The meatballs are served with potato salad, green beans, and a light tomato sauce.
Soy-Miso Chicken and Udon Noodles
Japanese stir-fries influence these noodles and chicken. The sauce is excellent, and the udon maintains its chewiness wonderfully. This takeout-style supper looks nutritious because there is a fair quantity of chicken in the dish.
5. Gobble
Businesses have done a fantastic job of figuring out how to differentiate themselves in the environment of premade meal delivery services for singles. Some people practice veganism exclusively.
Some provide keto and paleo diet support. The primary differentiator of Gobble is its emphasis on fast meals that can frequently be prepared in less than 15 minutes. More than two pans won’t likely be used during the procedure.
Apart from that, Gobble is firmly decent. Gobble sells add-ons, but Gobble also allows you to add on groceries. The pricing at Gobble is approximately typical. However, the delivery cost is slightly less than average. Although it celebrates tastes worldwide, its menu doesn’t pander to any specific diet.
It could improve its online interface and do a better job of decreasing the plastic used in packaging. Gobble is mediocre overall but suitable for fast, simple dinners. The food at Gobble has a modern vibe while still feeling cozy. It provides a good selection as well.
Inefficient wrapping is a severe problem for fans of meal kits. Minimizing material waste is difficult because of the necessary transportation and the necessity to keep food cool and free of contamination.
Nevertheless, certain businesses excel at it. For my orders, Gobble utilized unnecessary wrapping. Each component was packaged in plastic, and the meal kit was in its huge plastic bag.
Only one of the zucchinis was not covered. Otherwise, everything was packaged in two plastic layers. If there is a recycling center in your area, many of these plastics might be recycled there. Recycling is, of course, just the third-best choice after minimizing and reusing.
What Type of Premade Meal Kits Does Gobble Offer?
Gobble performs similarly to the majority of its contemporaries. Three plans are available:
- Classic
- Vegetarian
- Lean & Clean
However, you may select meals from different programs and pay the same amount, so don’t spend too much time deliberating.
The only other options are whether you want dinners for two or four people and if you want three or four dishes every week. It’s important to note that other meal delivery services only permit you to purchase two meals per week.
Unless you cancel or skip a week, which is simple to do, your box with everything you’ll require to cook your selected dishes is sent once a week.
Most of Gobble’s meals contain protein, a vegetable or salad, and some carbohydrates. If calorie tracking isn’t your thing or you want to treat yourself occasionally, many spaghetti meals, burger recipes, and other comfort foods are available.
Most of the meals draw their inspiration from several international cuisines, including Japanese, South and Central American, Italian, and many Thai-inspired foods.
Which Plans Should Singles Choose?
There is a plethora of different mouthwatering plans for singles on Gobble. There are around 23 recipes available each week. Thirteen of those dishes are the significant dinners that come with your meal kit plan. In contrast, the remaining recipes mix breakfast items, appetizers, soups, snacks, and desserts that may be added for an extra fee.
There are more fish selections and around four vegetable dishes per week than other providers. Most meals are adaptable, allowing you to upgrade to a premium protein like cobia fillet or prime steak from chicken. On the other hand, you can also switch in an equivalent number of free proteins like shrimp for chicken.
Shipping
With limited coverage in Kansas, New Mexico, and Nebraska, the Gobble food delivery business distributes meal kits everywhere except Montana in the contiguous United States.
Pricing
Most dishes at Gobble cost $11.99 per serving. Nevertheless, the business does charge more for its distinctive premium dishes.
We observed two meals that were eye-poppingly expensive: a fillet mignon lunch for $26.99 per person and an Italian seafood stew for $23.99 per person.
Despite not being promoted, the minimum purchase is four dishes (two dinners with two parts each). The requirement seems to be three meals with two pieces per meal when you join up.
Gobble’s Best Features
- Gobble promises to exclusively utilize natural, fresh ingredients for its meal delivery services. This entails the absence of artificial additives or extra preservatives.
- You can choose the tastiest meals while they are in season since Gobble modifies its menus to take advantage of the freshest foods.
Popular Recipes for Gobble
Cilantro Pesto Salmon
This is simple to prepare, and delicious pesto is delicious, but the sides need more salt and pepper. Both the fragrance and the flavor of the fish are fresh.
Vegetarian Tofu Noodle
Singles can put together this excellent lunch in just 20 minutes. The flavors blend well, and the tofu is soft – a delicious and straightforward Thai takeout-style supper.
6. Shef
Shef is a service that sends freshly prepared by neighborhood cooks to your door. Does it seem too fantastic to be true? You’re right! I’ll list the benefits and drawbacks of this service below. Shef will transport freshly prepared meals by neighborhood chefs to your order, and you may pick from several cuisines based on what’s accessible in your city.
Shef allows chefs to reach a larger audience with their cuisine without investing the time and resources necessary to run their restaurants.
Alvin Salehi and Joey Grassia started Shef in 2018. Today, the company has raised more than $20 million.
What Type of Premade Meals Does Shef Offer?
Visit the website, enter your zip code, and view the available Shef homecooked meal selections to begin the ordering process.
You may view nearby specialties, order meals for delivery the next day, or look for a particular cuisine. You will order a few days in advance to give chefs ample time to purchase and prepare the items for your dinner.
One aspect of Shef that we enjoy is that signing up for a subscription service is unnecessary. Instead, meals are purchased individually, allowing you to taste a variety of meals anytime you choose.
Do you want to have Mexican one night and Filipino the next? If there is a Shef in your neighborhood that sells it, you may order it!
Which Meal Plans Should Singles Choose?
As you can see, ordering food through Shef may need trial and failure. She is not like some other premade meal delivery brands for singles.
In other brands, you can place an order from a reputable nearby diner and receive food that is, ideally of a generally high standard. Moreover, you can also check reviews on independent websites.
You might need to try a few chefs before you discover one that you genuinely appreciate because chefs prepare their meals in their homes. Thus, meal quality might vary.
Shef, in your opinion, should do a better job highlighting the top-rated and best-selling meals in your city.
Shipping
The shipping process for singles is relatively straightforward. However, there aren’t any fixed shipping charges, and they charge shipping costs depending on your location.
Moreover, they offer free shipping on orders over $25, which is a big plus because other rivals don’t offer free shipping below the $50 minimum.
Pricing
Shef dinners cost $7 a meal, plus additional items like sides and desserts. The meals, cuisines, and sides offered to depend on the Shef you order from.
Chef’s Best Features
- Although, Shef isn’t too fancy like other top premade meals for singles brands, there are several things it does better than others. Firstly, it’s economical. You can pick any customized meal and then pay for it varyingly.
- The wide range of premade meals for singles available at Shef is also a big reason to use their service.
Shef’s Most Popular Recipes
Hummus
This is one of the beloved recipes of Chef users. Hummus tastes a bit tangy, which tickles your taste buds. Furthermore, the crunchy pistachios inside the layer will give you a diverse taste.
Eggplant Stew
The main ingredients in this recipe are eggplant, rice, and garlic. The overall taste of this recipe is pretty juicy, and most eaters will love it.
7. Factor
If you’ve never heard of Factor, there’s a good chance you’ve at least heard of HelloFresh, the parent firm. The leading provider of meal kits purchased the Chicago-based firm in November 2020 to support its expansion and expand its consumer base.
A meal delivery business called Factor (formerly Factor75 and Factor_) significantly focuses on health and well-being. It offers a changing menu of delicious single-serve meals created by certified dietitians and culinary professionals.
Factor meals are for those who have healthy lives, adhere to specialized diets, and need easy access to correctly portioned prepared meals on busy days.
Ready-to-eat meals are also a lifesaver for people who don’t want to cook. Instead, they would spend additional time on tasks like reaching your exercise goals or tidying your house because they require no culinary expertise.
Essentially, Factor is the ideal prepared food delivery service for you if you want your fridge to be stocked with wholesome, delectable meals. These meals only require 2 minutes to heat.
There are various methods to sign up for Factor and the procedure is simple. On your smartphone or computer, go to www.factor75.com or install the Factor app for even simpler browsing. Whichever way you take it, the process is the same.
Just input your email address and zip code first to obtain the correct price and delivery information. Next, decide how many meals – 4, 6, 8, 12, or 18 – you wish to include in your weekly order.
Once you’ve decided on a plan, you may pick the meals and extras you want delivered. You may explore the complete Factor menu or utilize the categories to locate meals that suit your needs.
What Type of Delivery Kits Does Factor Offer?
This allows Factor to understand if you want high-protein meals, gluten-free meals, low-carb meals, or low-calorie meals to be sent while you are always free to test fresh dishes of any type.
Then, Factor provides 8 meal plans, with delivery options ranging from 4 to 18 meals each week.
The next step is to choose the individual dishes you wish to try or to let Factor create your menus based on the meals you’ve already decided to serve.
There is a lot of versatility with the choices of 4, 6, 8, 12, or 18 meals weekly.
You will enjoy not having to stick to a predetermined meal and being able to pick the precise foods you want to eat off the weekly changing menu.
Which Premade Meal Plans Should Singles Choose?
Instead of always eating the same meals, this prepared meal delivery business changes the cuisine selections weekly to keep things new.
Factor publishes its website’s menu for the upcoming 3 weeks before the week officially begins. Singles may list the meals they wish to eat in the future.
There are also several possibilities, with over 23 selections accessible each week.
Each menu item includes a picture and a detailed explanation, making it simple to know precisely what you will get before it is delivered to your house.
Breakfast alternatives and meal supplements like energy pieces, protein packs, health shots, and cold-pressed juices are available at Factor.
With so many options on the meal plan, Factor makes good nutrition simple regardless of your goals. Your goals may include weight loss, eating low-carb or high-protein meals, or having dietary limitations.
Factor differs from most other meal delivery businesses because of its unusual offering.
Shipping
Factor allows shipping to any location in the contiguous United States, although the day of the week of delivery depends on your zip code.
The Wednesday before the delivery week is the deadline for the withdrawal of orders.
This guarantees that you only receive the cleanest meals available and enables Factor to purchase only the items it needs to prepare the cuisine for the upcoming week.
Pricing
The number of meals you buy each week determines how much the company’s plans cost.
Four meals may be purchased for $15.00 each, or 18 meals can be purchased at $11.00 each.
Factor’s shipping policy is very rigid compared to other meal kit delivery services, catching us off-guard. We did not believe the pricing would be as cheap as those for similar services.
Brand’s Best Features
- Factor provides premade meals in insulated boxes with specific instructions for each meal on how to heat it. This makes preparing dinner relatively easy. Additionally, if you unintentionally throw away the packaging, you may get the meal’s instructions by clicking on it on their online menu.
- This prepared meal delivery business thinks that everyone should have access to a healthy diet. As a result, its network of reliable partners provides the ingredients.
Popular Recipes of Factor
Shrimp Alfredo
Singles can mix the broccoli florets that came with the wild-caught shrimp alfredo into one bowl for a memorable Thursday night dinner.
Green Chile Chicken
Singles should be careful to divide the queso among the chicken and rice as this dish also includes a side of cauliflower rice with a Mexican flair -so tasty!
8. Snap Kitchen
Snap Kitchen, based in Austin, Texas, has a clear goal: “Healthy meals for busy schedules.” Unlike most meal delivery businesses, Snap Kitchen has its own physical storefronts in Texas and in-store alliances with Whole Foods in various states.
The business provides straightforward, healthy meals outside the traditional “diet” setting and has essential marketing and a minimalistic look. The encounter is quick, straight, and to the point – a mindset that views food as fuel.
Either from a personal computer or a mobile device, registering for Snap Kitchen online is quick and straightforward.
After creating an account, you may explore the menu, choose your meal plan and desired delivery dates, and fill your box with meals. You may sort meal selections by diet, calorie range, protein type, allergies, and selected carbohydrate, salt, and fiber ranges.
With Snap Kitchen, you don’t have to subscribe to a specific diet, and meals from several diet groups can easily be combined. Just make sure to enter your order accurately since after it’s sealed in, you won’t be able to edit it.
Snap Kitchen exclusively provides heat-and-eat meals that are fresh, never frozen. Since each meal is intended to feed one person, this service is ideal for busy folks with access to a microwave or traditional oven.
There is no option to personalize the meals, so you receive exactly what you see. The brand does provide a wide range of taste characteristics though.
What Type of Premade Meals Does Snap Kitchen Offer?
The menu is filled with brilliant and alluring dishes that promise flavor and flare as you scroll through it. With only one option for breakfast and 35 dishes that may be served for lunch or supper, Snap Kitchen keeps things straightforward.
No meal customization or item exclusion choices exist, and no meal add-on possibilities exist.
To your box, however, you might be able to add cold brew coffee, kombucha, prepared salads and soups, and healthy snacks like plantain chips, pumpkin seeds, almond butter packets, and beef jerky. This will depend on the delivery region you are in.
A few seasonal dishes are included on the menu, along with some brand-new words and old standbys like the Korean barbecue meatballs. Moreover, some classics that evoke comfort cuisine, like the turkey meatloaf and ranch burger dinners.
While the entrees are diverse, there isn’t a lot of vegan or vegetarian food available.
If you recall to go in and miss a shipment or stop your membership, it will automatically renew each week. There is no possibility to order simply one meal or on demand. The autorenewal might be a problem for those who are busy (or forgetful).
Which Plans Should Singles Choose?
Two meal plan options are available with a Snap Kitchen membership, depending on how many meals are sent each week.
Both 6 and 12 meals are served each week. After purchasing your package, Snap Kitchen offers a wide selection of recipes. You have selections that match a range of dietary requirements. All of this are due to the meals their menu developers make which are keto-friendly, low-carb, gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole 30.
We like that there are selections with a lot of protein. Flexibility is also provided by the option of 6 or 12 meals each day.
Shipping
Only specific regions of the United States may receive Snap Kitchen meals by delivery. To find out if they ship to your area, visit their website.
Customers getting weekly shipments enjoy free shipping, contributing to Snap Kitchen’s plans having one of the most affordable meal kit delivery businesses.
Overall, shipment goes without a hitch. The food arrives hot and prepared for serving.
Pricing
The cost of the business depends on the meal plan you select. Compared to the 6-meal program, ordering 12 meals weekly will cost $10.50 per meal, and this plan is pretty economical for singles.
Brand’s Best Features
- Meals from Snap Kitchen are ready to eat when they reach your door. They guarantee you will be prepared to eat 3 minutes after receiving the dish.
- You can immediately cook fresh, healthful cuisine or store it in the refrigerator for later. According to the business, it only makes tasty meals for its clients using the best products.
Most Popular Recipes of Snap Kitchen
Beef Bourguignon
The turnip potato mash in this recipe is to die for. This recipe is enough to tickle your taste buds. If you are single, this meal can quickly suppress your appetite.
Korean Baq BQ Meatballs
The meatballs have a lovely umami-rich BBQ sauce and are tender and delectable. The complementary broccoli is still somewhat tender.
How to Choose the Best Premade Meal Delivery for Singles
Consider the Purpose
Before everything else, you need to consider why you’re ordering meals. Are you hosting a sizable gathering? Do you want prepared meals delivered to your door? Or perhaps you wish to order prepared cuisine.
Food delivery firms have begun to specialize in one or a few products while focusing on specific clientele due to the abundance of alternatives on the market.
Consider Your Dietary Requirements
Are you satisfied with a standard delivery service, or do you need one that is concentrated on assisting you in losing weight?
Do you have food allergies, or do you need to eat meals suitable for people with diabetes? These should be considered before signing up for a food delivery service. In my opinion, you should make healthy decisions whenever you can.
Everyone likes to eat at home since it is convenient and comfortable, but no one wants to do so at the expense of their general health by consuming the wrong food.
Make a Budget
You should consider the vendor’s price alternatives before choosing a particular service. However, you should know that most of these suppliers charge comparable rates.
The typical cost of lunch is between $10 and $12. However, this might change depending on the amount, brand, ingredients, and quality. A complete lunch package might cost between $60 and $75.
It’s neither affordable nor pricey. It all depends on how you view it. It’s cheap if you consider this a takeaway. If you believe it to be home-cooked cuisine, the price is excessive.
Numerous vendors provide free trials or price reductions, especially for new customers.
So, before signing up for a specific delivery service, ensure that you take advantage of all these discounts.
Know Your Skill Level
While specific meal delivery kits are more suitable for novice cooks than others, there are solutions to suit all levels of culinary expertise.
In light of this, your degree of cooking should also be considered when selecting a home meal delivery service. In this area, specificity is essential.
Research Recipes
Aside from pricing and health requirements, the most significant aspect of a meal kit service is the one that delivers dishes you enjoy eating.
However, it is true that this aspect is entirely subjective, and that personal choice ultimately determines how it will be used.
While some individuals are cautious and adhere to tried-and-true dishes like traditional meals, others are braver and are prepared to explore new foods.
Choose the services that blend or alternate originality with traditionalism if you’re seeking diversity. Ensure that the food you order is to your liking, whatever you decide.
Look for Both Customer and Expert Reviews
Check out for Internet reviews of various food delivery services and try to answer the following questions:
- What are the provider’s ratings?
- What do customers think of the food’s flavor, quality, and other attributes?
- Do experts have anything to say about the online vendor you want to explore?
Instead of focusing just on the number of stars a business has earned, investigate further to determine the precise reasons why customers either enjoy or dislike its food. I would avoid interacting with marketing materials like testimonials if I were you.
Nothing can guide you better than an honest review of a brand or company.
Dietary Considerations
Several meal delivery services have recognized that customers’ dietary requirements might vary considerably.
Be sure that your service suits your needs. Whether you must avoid certain foods due to an allergy or other medical condition or practice a particular diet out of personal choice.
Many delivery services provide general diets like the Mediterranean diet, Whole30, or the ketogenic diet. Others allow you to make more precise nutritional substitutions.
It might be possible to choose a low-carb diet while simultaneously stating that you don’t consume tomatoes or pork, for instance.
However, some services continue to have somewhat constrained offerings. There isn’t much control beyond the simple dietary modifications people may make, like going plant-based.
While you might be able to discover meals that suit your needs, the choice is likely to be somewhat limited. Before choosing one, look over the menu to find out what the service offers.
If required, confirm that meals are prepared in allergen-free kitchens. Although some businesses may provide meals free of nuts or gluten, there is always a chance of cross-contamination. Some people make use of allergen-free kitchens.
Why Are Premade Meals for Singles Good for You?
Saves Time
You may cut costs and save time by using meal delivery services. When you keep track of the total price, you will be astounded by how much you may save, even if it initially feels like you are spending a lot on these meals.
For example, you won’t have to waste time going to the grocery shop and save dollars on petrol. Additionally, you may keep the headache by gathering, prepping, and measuring all the required items.
You won’t waste food when you get weekly or daily meal boxes as sticking to a set meal schedule will be much simpler.
Home-Cooked Meals Aren’t the Best Option for Singles Anymore
Prepare your meals at home and advise professionals in both health and finance. However, what if you do not have a significant amount of energy or perhaps even cooking skills?
That’s where wholesome prepared meals may help. You’re not even required to consume them at home! Enjoy the piping-hot, spicy chicken noodles. They make staying healthy simple and inexpensive.
So, here’s how it works. Buying prepared food is similar to having access to your chef who is also a dietician. You don’t need to cook at home to enjoy prawn noodle stir-fried dishes. There is no need to go shopping, chop, peel, or stir.
How does it taste? Some people could argue that these premade meals are superior to anything you could expect because the chefs who prepare them are experts in their fields. As an added plus, no cleanup is necessary (other than clearing your dish).
Convenience
Using the fitting meal kit, you may improve your life and maintain a healthy diet. Cooking at home from scratch is challenging, especially if your schedule is hectic.
You may resist the desire to purchase unhealthy processed meals by subscribing to meal delivery services. All you have to do is look for a plan that meets your requirements.
Low-calorie meals, low-carb or keto-friendly menus, gluten-free options, and more are available. Consider that most of these meals are prepared by trained chefs and dietitians.
Let’s You Practice Portion Control
When you make your food at home using your supplies, it’s simple to become misinformed or duped into putting more than is required and overfilling your plate.
Americans are notorious for overeating, and I am also aware that purchasing several measuring devices to weigh every item would be time-consuming and inconvenient. Thus, pre-measured and portioned ingredients are typically included in meal kits.
You will be aware of the quantity of each nutrient on your plate. Every company tracks calories, and many of them also offer nutritional data.
Gives You New Ideas
A meal delivery service may inspire and push you to cook while also introducing and encouraging you to experiment with new flavors, ingredients, and cuisines.
The time required for preparation will also be reduced if you get your ingredients from a meal delivery service. Finally, if you’re ready to learn, you may take advantage of the service’s ease of use while learning new culinary methods.
Furthermore, it brings you out from the constant circle of those boring and uncool foods which you eat daily.
Premade Meals for Singles are Healthy
Although getting takeout delivered seems convenient, many individuals prefer not to feel guilty about spending money when healthier alternatives are accessible.
Furthermore, if any single is diet-conscious, or on keto, they can order specific food to keep up with their diet regimen.
However, it turns out that you can get actual food delivered to your house virtually every day! The details above should clarify that ordering prepared meals online has several advantages.
These meals might be a crucial component of your life if you’re trying to lead a better lifestyle or have trouble finding time to prepare nutritious.
The best part is that there are hundreds of possibilities, so you should be able to pick one that suits your preferences and schedule.
Quality
We are frequently urged to base our meal selection on “freshness.” It’s a frequent misconception that all fresh meals are healthier and tastier than premade meals for singles.
Multiple studies comparing the nutritional value of fresh and frozen veggies discovered no difference with both foods containing the same vitamins and minerals. Food is naturally preserved by freezing, and people have done it for thousands of years.
Helps Someone with a Busy Schedule
Unique culinary dishes like Shepherd’s Pie could be challenging to prepare due to a hectic schedule. There may not be much time left for buying groceries, preparing meals, or cleaning up because of the responsibilities of a job, school, or family.
Regarding the price and grade of the meal, ordering delivery isn’t always practical. Premade meals are a fantastic solution.
Home-cooked meals prepared by a local chef can be bought in-store or ordered online and delivered fresh to your door in handy wrapping, known as ready-made dishes. You may freeze or refrigerate them until you’re ready to reheat and consume them.