Meal Delivery Service Comparison - Which Option Best Suits Your Needs?

Meal Delivery Service Comparison - Which Option Best Suits Your Needs?

In a cooking rut? Need recipe inspiration? Want to save some time and even some trips to the grocery store? 


These (and more!) are all common reasons why you may want to try a meal delivery service. 


Time is a commodity, and with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, choosing a meal delivery service to handle dinnertime may be the ticket to enjoying more free time - and maybe even providing your family with a more nutritious meal. 

Meal Delivery Service Options: A Quick Comparison

While most meal delivery services promise to help you save time, money and prepare a delicious meal everyone will enjoy, how do you choose the right one for your family?


We’ll go over some of the top options when it comes to having your meals delivered to you, plus, the pros and cons of each. 

Option #1: Online Meal Kits (Think HelloFresh or Blue Apron) 

Services like HelloFresh or Blue Apron are convenient, relatively easy to use and have become incredibly popular over the last few years. 


These types of meal kit delivery options often range from about $5 to $12 a plate. Some come ready to toss in the microwave while others send you the ingredients and the recipe, and let you do the rest. 


While these meal kit services are no doubt convenient and supply healthy dinner options, they can end up getting fairly pricey, especially after the initial promotion. Plus, since most require a subscription, selecting weekly meals or remembering to skip an order can end up being another thing on your to do list 

Option #2: Fast Food Meal Delivery (Like GrubHub or DoorDash)

Another option if you want your meals delivered is to use a service like GrubHub or DoorDash. These guys will go grab your dinner (healthy or not healthy) from a local fast food chain or restaurant and bring it directly to your door. 


The catch? 


Tack on higher priced menu items, a delivery fee and driver tip, and you realize pretty quickly that you’re paying a good amount for convenience. 


Most would agree this isn’t an option for everyday needs. 

Option #3: Meal Delivery Through Local Grocer (Such as InstaCart or Shipt)

Just as HelloFresh or Home Chef would bring the ingredients for dinner right to your door, so can a service like InstaCart or Shipt. Of course, this also means you’d be the one planning what’s for dinner, ordering everything you need, and doing all the prep work. 


So while this option may save you some time since you’re not having to run to the grocery store, it may not be taking enough off your plate.   


And again, when it comes to the expenses, you’ll need to take into account the delivery fee and driver’s tip.

Option #4: Local Meal Delivery Service

When many people think of meal delivery services, they often think of the national companies like HelloFresh or HomeChef. But the reality is that there’s likely a local meal delivery service in your area. 


Many local delivery services, such as MealFit in Birmingham, AL, offer ready-made meals that you can pop in the microwave or oven on those busy nights, and even prepped meats and vegetables that allow you to create your own dinner - just in much less time, with much less effort. 


While most don’t deliver right to your door (though some do), these types of companies do make sure to have a range of pickup locations in order to make it incredibly convenient for you to pick up your order.


Many might say this is a win-win. Healthy meals with no subscription needed, nor shipping or delivery fees.

Now Who’s Hungry for Healthy Meal Delivery in Birmingham, AL?

Local meal delivery services like MealFit offer great benefits and can help you save time, money and energy. Having someone do the shopping and chopping might be the key to helping on busy nights! 


If you’re in the Birmingham, AL area, Mealfit is a local solution to your meal delivery service needs. We create fresh, nutritious meals each week with convenient pickup locations over the metro area.


Whether you’re looking for pre-packaged individual meals or healthy options to feed the family, we have you covered with tasty options. Have questions? Contact us about meal prep or give us a call at (205) 597-4480


We can’t wait to hear from you and help you provide delicious AND nutritious meals for your family!


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