The Best Meal Delivery Services for Singles That Offer Perfectly-Sized Servings
By Megan McCarty,
2024-09-02
Cooking for one can be tricky. Often you’ll end up with too much, which can die a slow, moldy death in the back of your fridge. With today’s food costs, no one can afford that. If you often dine solo, consider it the ideal time to turn to meal delivery services, especially the ones that perfectly portion meals for one. Not only will you not have to hem and haw over what’s for dinner, but you’ll save serious time from cutting down grocery shopping, meal prepping, and dish washing. The best meal delivery services for singles offer fully prepared meals that balance nutritious with delicious, so a well-rounded meal is on your dining table in a matter of minutes.
You don’t need to live alone to recognize the benefits of a meal delivery service though. Many services offer ready-to-eat breakfasts, on-the-go salads, and a la carte snack options too—solid, cost-effective options for anyone, no matter your living situation or dietary restrictions.
Read on for the nine best meal delivery services for singles.
Best Meal Delivery Services if You Live On Your Own at a Glance
Best Overall: Gobble , $68+ Best Meal Delivery Service for Breakfast: Daily Harvest , $7+ Best Vegan Meal Delivery Service: Purple Carrot , $13+ Best Meal Delivery Service for Salads: Gardencup , $8+ Best Vegetarian Meal Delivery Service: Mosaic Foods , $10+ Best Meal Delivery Service for Fresh Meals: CookUnity , $12+ Best Variety Meal Delivery Service: Home Chef , $8+ Most Convenient Meal Delivery Service: Factor , $11+ Best Meal Delivery Service for Semi-Made Meals: Tovala , $10+
Are Meal Subscriptions Worth It for a Single Person?
Only you can decide if a meal subscription service is worth it for you, but here are a few things to consider. Do you often waste food, leaving leftovers to go bad? Do you regularly order dinner via food delivery services? Do you find cooking for one overwhelming or unenjoyable? If you answered yes to any of the above, then a meal subscription service can likely cut down on food costs while providing you a variety of meals with limited hassle of grocery planning and cooking prep.
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You may already know (and love!) Gobble for their chef-crafted meal kits. Now you’ll know (and love them even more!) for their Prepared & Ready line—single-serving frozen meal options that are just as delicious and nutritious as their kits. Just think: no prep work, no dirty dishes.
I recently tried Gobble’s Prepared & Ready meals and was pleasantly surprised at how much flavor and nutrients they pack into a single meal. Never have I ever had a faster, more delicious lunch. So long, sad salad and limp leftovers. Gobble is my newfound favorite for quick lunch and dinner options, whether I’m sneaking in a meal between meetings or simply can’t bring myself to go to the grocery store—especially helpful during the busy fall and holiday seasons.
Cost per serving: $10.99–$12.99 Serving options: 1, 2, or 4 Availability: Across the continental United States, except Montana, with limited service in Nebraska, New Mexico, and Kansas Sample meals: • Chicken parm with penne pasta and parmesan broccoli • Shrimp pad Thai • Saag paneer with basmati rice
Pros: • Prepared & Ready meals offer options for single servings • All meals can be made in less than 15 minutes • Meals made with high-quality ingredients
Meal delivery services often focus on lunch and dinner, but that doesn’t make breakfast any less important. That’s where Daily Harvest is especially helpful. Daily Harvest offers a wide range of organic a la carte options for all meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks too. Try their smoothies for breakfast, harvest bowls for lunch, and then a flatbread for dinner; their serving sizes on on the small side, so you may need to mix and match to feel full, but you definitely won’t waste food. No matter what you fill your cart with, all the meals will be delivered frozen, so clear some freezer space but rest assured you won’t have to throw away any wilted produce before you’re able to eat it.
Cost per serving: $6.79-$9.99 per menu item Serving options: A la carte single servings Availability: Continental United States Sample meals: • Tomato basil and portobello bolognese • Black bean and tomatillo breakfast bowl • Mint and cocoa smoothie
Pros: • Wide range of options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks • Can filter meals by dietary needs • A la carte offers flexibility
Single vegetarians, rejoice! Never again stare blankly into your refrigerator, wondering “What should I make for dinner?” Consider Purple Carrot your one-stop shop for all plant-based meals. The vegan meal and grocery delivery service offers quick and easy meal kits if you hate prep work and like leftovers, or opt for the single serving frozen meals for heat-and-eat meals. Round out your Purple Carrot order with add-on grocery items, so your pantry is always snack-ready. Cost per serving: Starting at $13 per serving Serving options: Single serving frozen meals, meal kits for 2 or 4 Availability: Continental United States Sample meals: • Spinach artichoke cavatappi • Plant-based meatball marinara • Sweet corn elote bowl
Pros: • Meals are easy to prep and quick to make • Can filter menu by dietary preferences • Grocery items can be added to any order
Say it with me: no more sad salads! Gardencup spares you from a weird, lackluster medley of whatever you find in your fridge, instead assembling made-to-order salads packed with fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients. The single serving salads are perfect for on-the-go moments, as all you need to do is shake up the cup and eat—no stressing and no prepping necessary.
Cost per serving: $7.99 – $11.99 Serving options: Single servings Availability: Continental United States Sample meals: • Chicken bacon cobb salad • Pesto pasta powercup • Caesar salad with grilled chicken
Pros: • Each meal hand-made to order hours before shipping • No prep necessary • Also offers grain bowls and produce snacks
“Meatless meals in minutes”—that’s the promise of Mosaic Foods . If you’ve been looking for quick, easy, single serving vegetarian meal options, consider your search over. Mosaic Foods meals require no prep work or cooking; simply heat and eat. Choose from high-protein veggies bowls, soups, and curries, then add on a few smoothies for breakfast or between-meal snacks too.
Cost per serving: $9.99 and up Serving options: Single serving or family meals that serve 4 Availability: Most zip codes across continental United States Sample meals: • Curried lentil soup • Creamy pesto cavatappi • Spinach artichoke pizza
Pros: • No prep work necessary • All heat-and-eat options • Meals made with whole foods and no artificial ingredients
When it comes to meal delivery services, it’s tough to top the quality of CookUnity . Their pre-made meals are all single serving and fresh—never frozen. Simple heat, eat, and revel in the lack of dishes you’ll have to wash. Their menu, which includes over 100 rotating items each week, are all developed by world-renowned chefs, which offers you a diverse range of cuisines and high-quality meals, all for a fraction of the cost of a dinner out.
Cost per serving: Around $12 per meal Serving options: Single servings Availability: Most metropolitan and surrounding regions in the continental United States Sample meals: • Rainbow grain salad with grilled salmon • Ground lamb gyro bowl with orzo tabbouleh • Garlic-herb grilled chicken with carrot thyme purée and sautéed mushrooms
Pros: • Flexible meal plans, from four to 16 meals per week • Over 100 meals to choose from each week • Ability to add on breakfast, snack, and drink options
No matter what kind of chef you are (or aren’t), Home Chef offers dinner options for singles and families alike. You can mix and match their meal kits, which require some prep work, with oven-ready meals and Fast and Fresh meals that can be popped in the microwave. This offers you flexibility if you enjoy the cooking process but don’t always have the time for chopping, sautéing, and glazing. Home Chef lets you build a box based on your cooking skills and time constraints.
Cost per serving: Starting at $7.99 Serving options: Single, 2, or 4 Availability: Most of the United States Sample meals: • Sirloin steak and bacon demi • Tuscan-style shrimp penne • Sweet chili pork lettuce wraps
Pros: • Easy-to-follow recipes • Customizable for different types of cooking prep • Wide variety of cuisines
Cons: • Meals have shorter shelf life than other delivery services
When you need a meal—whether that’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner—on the table fast , consider a subscription to Factor . Their pre-made meals take just a few minutes to make, which is extra convenient for singles who lack the time to cook or even prep any meal of the day. Choose from a rotating menu of 35 meals and more than 60 add-ons, such as honey yogurt pancakes or cold-pressed juice, to round out your fridge for a variety of well-balanced, chef-prepared meals with whole-food ingredients. Factor is especially great if you’re adhering to a specific diet, whether that’s calorie smart, vegetarian, keto, or protein packed.
Cost per serving: $10.99 – $13.99 Serving options: Single serving Availability: Continental United States Sample meals: • Grilled chicken and browned butter yukon mash • Sage and rosemary pork chop • Scampi-style shrimp and salmon
Pros: • Meals ready in just minutes • New menu items added each week • Option to add on breakfast, snacks, and smoothies Cons: • Some meals high in sodium
What doesn’t the Tovala oven do? The smart oven toasts, bakes, broils, reheats, and air frys, consolidating many kitchen appliances into one petite oven. Better yet, Tovala also offers a meal delivery service, with a variety of chef-perfected meals featuring fresh and seasonal ingredients that cook perfectly in their oven after scanning a QR code. The only catch: the meals require investing in the Tovala oven and cannot be made without it.
If your budget and kitchen countertop allow, I say it’s more than worth it. The oven retails for $249, but is discounted if you purchase alongside meals. (Currently you can receive the oven for $49 if you order meals six times over six months.) I’ve been testing the Tovala oven for nearly a year and can barely remember a time without it. Gone is my toaster, so long air fryer, and my oven is essentially out of service too, which significantly cut down on gas costs. It does everything , whether I’m cooking a premade Tovala meal, broiling veggies, or reheating leftovers.
Cost per serving: $9.99 – $12.99 Serving options: Single servings Availability: Continental United States Sample meals: • Gnocchi bolognese • Creamy bacon and spinach tortellini • Panko-crusted chicken breast with mac ‘n’ cheese and sweet BBQ sauce
Pros: • Meals come out of the oven perfectly cooked every time • Oven bakes, broils, toasts, reheats, and air frys non-Tovala meals • Can filter meals for various dietary needs Cons: • Must invest in a Tovala oven to make the brand’s meals
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