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How is it almost summer already?
If you find yourself as busy as we are, you may be looking for some quick ways to get nutritious meals on the table. Perhaps you want to try vegetarian options for the first time. Or maybe your primary care doctor or nutritionist has recommended a weight-loss or weight-management program for you in 2023.
Whatever your reason for needing a little help with dinner, we’ve got you covered. We found the best nutrition and food distribution programs in 2023. These meal kits and food distribution programs include vegetarian and vegan options, allergy-friendly meals, family-friendly meals, prepared meals, and more. Many of these services are supported by nutrition science and nutritionist-licensed.
Whether you’re sticking to a 2023 budget and looking for a wallet-friendly meal delivery service or want to try a celebrity-favorite nutrition program, we’ve found the right food service for you. We compared the most popular diet nutrition food delivery programs to find brands with the widest delivery areas, the best meal plans, nutritious meal options, the most options for eaters with dietary preferences and dietary restrictions, as well as the most sustainable ingredients.
Best Meal Kit for Plant-Based Eaters: Purple Carrots
Purple carrot
Purple carrots will help you achieve that New Year’s goal of eating less meat in 2023. The brand offers an extensive menu of both vegan meal kits and prepared vegan meals. The brand offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and plant-based grocery items. Customers choose the number of servings per meal and how many meals they want delivered per week. Plant-based eating is more sustainable. According to the brand, each purple carrot meal kit emits 72 percent less carbon into the atmosphere than typical American meals with meat.
CBS Essentials senior writer Lily Rose is a fan.
“I love the variety of meals Purple Carrot offers. Just being plant-based doesn’t mean your food has to be boring. The instructions are easy to follow and I love that the meals on the Purple Carrot site include how long it takes to prepare them. They’re high- Protein, gluten-free, nut-free and more.”
Purple Carrot, $55 and up
Best meal kits for dietary restrictions: Green Chef
green chef
Green Chef is a great option for people with food sensitivities such as gluten-intolerance, vegetarians, vegans, or customers on doctor- or nutritionist-recommended meal plans such as keto, paleo, and Mediterranean diets.
Customers choose the number of times these meals are served and the number of meals per week. Most meals can be cooked in 30 minutes.
Menu items include Shrimp and Kale Caesar Salad, Vegan Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder, Egg Shakshuka with Red Pepper and Pesto.
Green Chef, $81 and up
Best nutrition program for adventurous eaters: Sakara
connection
A favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop staff, this trendy nutrition program involves minimal meal prep. The organic, plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO and no refined sugar food service has gone viral on social media for its adventurous and nutrient-dense breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Menu items include golden gooseberry parfait, a red beet burger and a butterfly bowl (blue pea flower rice, massaged lacinato kale, and elderberry dressing).
Customers choose the quantity of their food and the frequency of their delivery. Customers can “super-charge” their results with three green smoothies or three probiotic coconut kefir for an additional $39 a week. The brand also offers snacks and supplements for an additional cost.
Sakara, $63 and up
Best customizable meal delivery plan: Home Chef
Home Chef
Home Chef creates a customized meal plan for you. The program asks customers to answer a few questions about their taste, serving size and delivery preferences. Customers can select recipes and use Home Chef’s “Customize It” tool to upgrade, swap or double ingredients.
The brand offers a wide menu of dishes including vegan, vegetarian, carb and calorie-conscious dishes, desserts, coffee and more. Because it is so customizable, prices will vary. Meal kits start at $8 per serving.
Right now, some of Home Chef’s offerings include green chile pork flautas, basil and parmesan-crusted salmon, Filipino-style chicken asado, and more.
Home Chef meals are also available at Kroger stores.
Home Chef, starting at $8 per serving
Best Food Delivery Plan for Busy People: Factors
factor
Nutrition programs don’t mean cooking for yourself.
Factor’s nutrient-dense meals are freshly prepared and ready to pop in the microwave or oven. The brand offers keto-friendly meal plans, vegetarian and vegan meal plans, a calorie-conscious meal plan (550 calories per serving or less), a protein-focused menu (all meals contain at least 30 grams of protein), a dessert menu And much more.
Customers who sign up with their phone number can get a 60% discount on meal plans.
Factors, $78 and up
Most budget-friendly meal delivery program: EveryPlate
each plate
Your 2023 nutrition plan doesn’t have to break the bank.
EveryPlate offers meal kits at budget-friendly prices. EveryPlate allows customers to choose and combine meal options such as EveryPlate’s “Nutritious and Delish” menu (meals 650 calories or less), the brand’s “Quick and Easy” menu (meals prepared in 30 minutes or less), family- Food friendly, vegetarian. Food and more.
EveryPlate, $39 and up
Best traditional meal kit delivery experience: Blue Apron
blue apron
Blue Apron is a popular meal kit service that also offers a nutrition-led program. In addition to the brand’s signature and vegetarian menu, Blue Apron offers a wellness menu with what the brand calls “nutritionist-approved recipes designed for your overall health.” Selections include carb-conscious and Weight Watchers-recommended options.
Current offerings include seared chicken and Dijon pan sauce, sambal-glazed salmon and cilantro rice, and for a vegetarian option, a harissa-honey tofu bowl.
Create your plan by choosing the number of servings you want in each box as well as the number of meals you want each week.
Blue apron, $58 and up
Shop for kitchen essentials
Now that you’ve ordered your new nutrition program, order these top-rated kitchen essentials to prepare your meals. All of these items are on sale now
Pioneer Woman Non-Stick Cookware Set: $49
Pioneering women through Walmart
Pioneer Woman’s Fancy Flourish Cookware Set features Ree Drummond’s signature floral print. The set contains 19 kitchen essentials.
When you shop this Walmart deal, you’ll get a 2.5-quart saucepan, a 5.5-quart Dutch oven, a skillet, a mini skillet and a cast iron skillet, an acacia wood spoon, an acacia wood turner, a 4-piece A 12″ x 8″ ceramic baker with melamine measuring cup set, a 4-piece melamine measuring spoon set and a lid.
“This is a wonderful, high quality, cook and bakeware set,” wrote one Walmart customer “It’s a great looking set too. I absolutely love the pretty baking dishes, and the measuring cups! It really helps cheer everything up and adds some elegance to my kitchen. Everything feels very sturdy and durable and well made. The pots and pans feel heavy. does and isn’t flimsy or cheap at all. They all work great and make cooking a breeze.”
The Pioneer Woman Blooming Bouquet Aluminum Non-Stick Cookware Set, $49 (reduced from $129)
Pioneer Woman 11-Piece Knife Block Set: $49
Walmart
CBS Essentials readers can’t get enough of ‘The Pioneer Woman’ kitchenware — it seems like the perfect combination of style, performance and value. This 4.7-star-rated stainless steel knife block set includes one eight-inch chef knife, one eight-inch bread knife, one 6.5-inch nakiri knife, five-inch utility knife, 3.5-inch paring knife, four 4.5-inch steak knives, A pair of scissors and an acacia block.
Available in four colors.
Pioneer Woman 11-Piece Knife Set, $49
Pioneer Woman 12-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set: $89
Walmart
CBS Essentials readers can’t get enough of Pioneer Woman cookware and kitchen items this holiday season. Now, Walmart has discounted this ceramic cookware set from the best-selling brand for the holidays. The set includes twelve items; A 1-quart saucepan, a 3-quart saucepan with a lid, a 4.5-quart saute pan with a lid, a 5-quart Dutch oven with a lid, 8″ and 10″ skillets, an egg pan, an acacia wood chip, and a Acacia wood ladder
Pioneer Woman 12-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set, $89 (reduced from $99)
PowerXL Dual-Basket Vortex Air Fryer: $69
Walmart
This top-of-the-line air fryer is currently $80 off. With this air fryer, you can cook two meals at once using the dual-basket design or combine into one extra-large 9-quart basket for larger items or family-sized meals.
PowerXL has 7-in-1 functionality so you can air fry, dehydrate, roast, broil, bake, air boil and reheat food.
PowerXL Dual-Basket Whirlpool Air Fryer, $69 (reduced from $149)
Gourmia Ice Coffee Maker: $25
Walmart
This is the perfect gift for the iced coffee addict in your life. This machine can easily make iced coffee at home and comes with a reusable tumbler.
Gourmia Ice Coffee Maker, $25