What to Buy Food Food & Meal Delivery Best Oven-Ready Meal Delivery Services CookUnity is the best meal delivery service with prepared meals that are ready to heat. By Pete Scherer Pete Scherer Pete Scherer is a cook and baker with a decade of experience across many facets of the Southern California food scene. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 13, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Photo: Prostock-Studio / Getty Images An oven-ready meal delivery service delivers fresh or frozen fully-prepared, ready-to-heat meals to your door. The goal is to allow customers to get a hot, delicious meal on the table with no grocery shopping, prep, or cooking required. And many of these services are available by subscription, so you can set your preferences once and let the company take care of the rest. The best oven-ready meal delivery services have interesting menus that are well-designed and easy to navigate. These companies also use high-quality ingredients crafted by skilled chefs, package the meals with recyclable or sustainable materials, and deliver the boxes quickly. Finally, the best companies care for your peace of mind as well as your palate by providing comprehensive, easily accessible information and convenient, responsive customer support. Best Oven-Ready Meal Delivery Services Best Overall: CookUnity Best Gluten-Free: Epicured Best Keto-Friendly: Factor Best Paleo-Friendly: Paleo on the Go Best Organic: Trifecta Best for Sustainability: Territory Best Overall: CookUnity Courtesy of Cook Unity Sign Up Now Key SpecsStarting Price: $10.39 per servingDelivery Area: 46Products Arrive: FreshWhy You Should Try It CookUnity is a unique service: a chef collective that offers a wide variety of signature dishes from decorated chefs like Tony Perez, Esther Choi, Akhtar Nawab, and others. Pros & Cons Pros Accommodates a range of dietary preferencesCelebrity chefsMenu has lots of variety Cons Higher cost per serving for smaller plansOnly single-serving mealsOverview The fresh, single serving meals from CookUnity are a great way to get restaurant quality food at home. They come fully cooked and ready in just minutes. The large menu has lots of variety so you'll never get bored with what's on offer, and their customer service team is always there if anything goes wrong during the delivery process. Pricing and Plans4 meals per week: $12.69 per serving6 meals per week: $11.39 per serving8 meals per week: $10.89 per serving12 meals per week: $10.49 per serving16 meals per week: $10.39 per servingMeals We TriedCoconut lime hanger steakCarnitas street tacosButternut squash ravioliChili roasted shrimp Best Gluten-Free: Epicured Epicured Sign Up Now Key SpecsStarting Price: $10.29Delivery Area: 48 statesProducts Arrive: FreshWhy You Should Try It Gut health and transparency are the hallmarks of Epicured's business model. From sourcing to recycling, along with a robust FAQ section for gluten-sensitive customers, Epicured has you covered. Pros & Cons Pros 100% gluten-freeGreat selection and varietyFresh, fully prepared meals Cons No family-size mealsOnly available by subscriptionOverview Epicured hired a chef, Daniel Chavez-Bello, who has worked in some of the world's best kitchens, including El Bulli and Mugaritz. The comprehensive menu features categories like breakfasts and beverages as well as snacks, all designed in collaboration with registered dietitians. The large menu features both consistent favorites and seasonal options. Pricing and Plans With Epicured you can order anything from one smoothie to multiple bundles. Your most recent order will recur weekly until make alterations. The entrees sell for between $10 and $24, and bundle options go for anywhere between roughly $100 and $200. Meals We TriedVietnamese rice noodles (vegetarian)Pad Thai with chickenSesame crusted grilled salmonPulled BBQ chicken Best Keto-Friendly: Factor Courtesy of Factor Sign Up Now Key SpecsStarting Price: $11Delivery Area: 48Products Arrive: FreshWhy You Should Try It Factor is an excellent meal delivery option for those looking for high-quality keto meals with minimal effort. The meals are approved by dietitians, cooked by real chefs, and made from nutritious, sustainable ingredients. Pros & Cons Pros Clear keto criteriaExcellent flavor and textureOffers a variety of add-ons Cons Not ideal for familiesRelatively expensiveOverview Factor is a meal service that delivers single-serving dishes to folks focussed on fitness. The carefully curated menu of fresh food plus unique add-ons like juices and keto-friendly desserts sets it apart from other meal services. Testers were very impressed with the quality and flavor of Factor's keto-friendly selections. Pricing and Plans4 meals per week: $15 per serving6 meals per week: $12.83 per serving8 meals per week: $12.38 per serving10 meals per week: $11.99 per serving12 meals per week: $11.50 per serving18 meals per week: $11 per serving Best Paleo-Friendly: Paleo on the Go Sign Up Now Key SpecsStarting Price: $15.93Delivery Area: 50Products Arrive: FrozenWhy You Should Try It Rather than seeing paleo as a restriction, Paleo On The Go treats its meals as a way to enjoy the variety a paelo diet has to offer. The menu is fully compliant with the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, yet utilizes paleo-friendly ingredients for comfort foods like tacos, pot pie, empanadas, and even cake. Don't worry; there's bone broth too. Pros & Cons Pros Offers both subscriptions and one-time ordersBreakfast, lunch, and dinner itemsTransparent about food sourcing Cons Menu doesn't change muchRelatively expensiveOverview Paleo On The Go is built on the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, which eliminates many ingredients like grain, beans, nightshade plants, eggs, dairy, and sugar. The menu has around 50 items, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Most dishes are one or two servings, all fully-prepped and frozen for shipping. Pricing and Plans Paleo On The Go offers both subscriptions and one-time orders. One-time orders require a minimum of eight items. Dishes are individually priced, with discounts tied to the size of your order. You can receive recurring shipments every two, four, or eight weeks. (Weekly shipments are not available.) Box sizes with accompanying discounts are as follows: 8 items: 5% discount12 items: 7% discount16 items: 9% discountMeals We TriedHomemade chicken pot pieBacon apple chicken burger with maple cranberry sauce and collard greens with smoky baconCoq au vin with herb mashed Japanese white sweet potatoesSalisbury steak with mushroom gravy and onion confit cauliflower mash Moo shoo pork tacosGerman brats with sauerkraut and home fried potatoesPolish stuffed cabbage rollsThai basil shrimp Best Organic: Trifecta Trifecta Sign Up Now Key SpecsStarting Price: $11.42Delivery Area: 50Products Arrive: FreshWhy You Should Try It Trifecta employs organic ingredients and humanely raised, grass-fed meats. Plus, the company offers a comprehensive nutrition and fitness tracking service, including optional coaching services. Pros & Cons Pros Plans for keto, vegan, vegetarian, and moreOffers bulk meal prep itemsExcellent mobile app Cons You can't choose your mealsSubscription onlyOverview Trifecta is a fitness-oriented, subscription-based meal delivery service offering flavorful meals made with high-quality ingredients. The service is fully automated; although you can set preferences, you cannot pick your individual meals. Simply pick a plan and Trifecta will take care of the rest. Pricing and Plans Trifecta plans are flexible. Pricing varies depending on the number of meals you want per day. The minimum order is seven lunches or dinners per week, but you can add breakfast and/or a third entrée if you like. Trifecta offers the following plans. Clean: starts at $110.99 per weekWhole30 Approved: starts at $110.99 per weekPaleo: starts at $110.99 per weekKeto: starts at $110.99 per weekVegetarian: starts at $99.99 per weekVegan: starts at $99.99 per weekMeals We TriedKung pao grilled chicken with broccoli and roasted sweet potatoBeef skillet with roasted sweet potato and marinated cabbageHerb roasted cod with walnut basil pesto and vegetablesSlow-cooked rosemary thyme beef with root vegetablesSalmon Mexican bowl with tomato salsa and vegetablesGinger shrimp with herb marinated sweet potatoCajun chicken andouille sausage and roasted vegetables Best for Sustainability: Territory Courtesy of Territory Sign Up Now Key SpecsStarting Price: $11.95Delivery Area: 27 statesProducts Arrive: FreshWhy You Should Try It If you live in one of the 27 states that Territory serves, you're in luck. The company's model prioritizes local sourcing and preparation, meaning not only are the meals delivered super fresh, but you're supporting the local economy and minimizing environmental impact as well. Pros & Cons Pros Large menuOffers breakfast, lunch and dinnerGluten-, dairy-, and sugar-free Cons Limited delivery areaSubscription onlyOverview Territory bills itself as a chef-powered marketplace. The company's team of dietitians collaborates with chefs across the country to design and deliver locally-sourced meals to customers within its delivery area. While the specific menu varies depending on where you live, the overarching ethos is consistent: sustainably-sourced whole foods, nutrient-dense meals, and a variety of internationally inspired flavors. Pricing and Plans You can select four, six, eight, 10 or 12 items for once or twice weekly delivery. Menu items are individually priced and range from around $8 to over $30. Most entrees are in the $15 to $20 range. Meals We TriedBeef birria de res with salsa rojoSalmon and spinach croquette with arugula salad and lemon caper vinaigretteChicken shawarma quinoa bowl with pickled red onions and tahini sauce"Sattvik" red dal kitchari with coconut yogurt and turmeric cauliflower Final Verdict CookUnity is the best overall oven-ready meal delivery service. Our testers were impressed with the creative, premium-quality meals, as well as the company's platform and customer service. Testers also loved the chef-collective model, which allows you to enjoy meals from some of the top culinary minds around. CookUnity's compatibility with a variety of dietary accommodations also makes it a good choice for customers with different dietary needs. Compare the Best Meal Delivery Services Company Starting Price Delivery Area Products Arrive Customers Can Choose Delivery Date? Free Shipping? Best Overall Cookunity $10.39 46 states Fresh Yes No Best Gluten-Free Epicured $10.29 48 states Fresh No Yes, on orders over $100 Best Keto-Friendly Factor $11 48 states Fresh Yes No Best Paleo-Friendly Paleo On The Go $15.93 50 states Frozen No No Best Organic Trifecta $11.42 50 states Fresh No No Best for Sustainability Territory $11.95 27 states Fresh Yes No Frequently Asked Questions How Do Oven-Ready Meal Deliveries Work? An oven-ready meal delivery company prepares meals, chills them, packages them for shipping, and partners with a delivery service to get the meals to your door. All you have to do is select a plan and meals online, receive your order, then heat and serve. Many services operate on a subscription basis, but some allow one-time orders. How Long Do Oven-Ready Meals Stay Good For? All meal delivery services specify the shelf-life of their meals. When checking out a particular service, review the company's FAQ for this information. In general, meals stay fresh for about four to seven days, but can be frozen for extended storage. Can an Oven-Ready Meal Feed a Family? Most oven-ready meal delivery services offer single-serving meals, but that doesn't mean you can't feed a family. Some services allow large orders. Territory, for instance, can deliver 12 meals twice weekly. Hungryroot is also somewhat family-friendly in its portion sizes. Are Oven-Ready Meals Expensive? Prices vary substantially. However, generally speaking, the cost of oven-ready meal delivery falls somewhere between home cooking and restaurant takeout. If your aim is to save time and pay less than you typically would for takeout or local restaurant delivery, an oven-ready meal delivery service will likely help. Methodology In the world of meal delivery services, it's not just about which company has the best prices or the fastest shipping. We tested 40 companies to find out how each one stacked up based on our rigorous analysis that scrutinized every aspect from flexibility to variety in flavor and texture, as well sustainability, nutrition, cookability, and customer service. How We Test and Rank Meal Delivery Services Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! 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