After Testing Over 50 Meal Delivery Services, These 10 Came Out on Top for Low-Carb Meals

Green Chef is known for convenient and cookable meal kits filled with organic produce, but the company’s commitment to healthy eating goes beyond sourcing. It also offers a range of different options that fit a variety of diets, including Mediterranean, gut and brain health, and of course, keto and low-carb diets — and the nutrition guide Green Chef provides is more detailed than many of the others we reviewed.

Green Chef’s Carb Smart meals contain 40 grams or less of carbohydrates, as well as 50 percent of your daily value of protein. Keto meals have 20 grams or less of net carbs (this is what’s left when you subtract fiber content from total carb content) and are made without additives or added sugars.

I tested Green Chef personally and loved that the service features meals with seasonal flavors like Organic Chicken With Maple Fig Sauce (which includes cranberry-pistachio farro pilaf and Parmesan rainbow carrots as sides) and popular ingredients in dishes like Harissa Barramundi With Hot Honey Glaze (includes kale-cauliflower “rice,” schug sauce, and almonds). Menus rotate weekly and offer a healthy variety of 40 meal kits to choose from. Even after reviewing multiple weeks of meals, I remained intrigued by what was on the menu — and while not all of the meals are low in carbs, there is a robust quantity available if you’re looking for that. This is a service I’d definitely order from again.

The one downside is that the meal kits from Green Chef start at $11.99 per serving, which makes it one of the pricier options among our favorites. However, you get what you pay for. In our testing, the portions felt generous, making the service feel like a decent value, especially given the organic ingredients. In addition to the standard menu of meal kits, there are also quite a few add-ons to choose from, including breakfasts, beverages, proteins, sides, snacks, apps, desserts, and pantry staples to round out your weekly box. You can also get nutrition coaching, including a free 20-minute session with one of Green Chef’s in-house dietitians, making the service a well-rounded option for diabetes-friendly meals and support.

Home Chef makes it easy to prioritize the needs of feeding a family. It offers larger serving sizes, as well as meals with simple, approachable flavors for kids and a budget-friendly price point — as well as lower-carb options for those who want it. In fact, it offers two plan types: The Home Chef Plan, with meal kits containing portioned ingredients and recipe instructions, or the Family Plan, with meal kits that have simpler flavors and are easier to prepare, making them ideal for kids and picky eaters. You can also swap the proteins in some meals and upgrade to premium ingredients in others.

When we tested the service, we found a lot to love about it. “I loved that I could review the plans and the types of meals Home Chef offers before I signed up, which several meal delivery services don’t allow,” says Amy Sowder, our New York–based tester and health reporter. “This gave me a clear idea of what I was getting myself into.”

The cost is on the lower side compared to other meal kit delivery services we tried. Admittedly, the ingredients are more expensive than what you’d find at a supermarket, but the value of this service really lies in the convenience that comes with eliminating meal planning and grocery shopping. In addition, we found the flavors to be more enjoyable than those of some competitors, with dishes that showcased balanced and intriguing flavors alongside balanced spices and cooking techniques. “Our favorite dish was the Butternut Squash, Fig, and Blue Cheese Risotto, which showcased the ideal balance of savory and sweet with creaminess galore — without actual cream, just a few pats of butter,” says Sowder.

Blue Apron isn’t just a gift for foodies: It will keep low-carb diet followers happy as well. With a touch of luxury and of-the-moment ingredients (like truffles, pork belly, and scallops), Blue Apron prioritizes flavors while also offering carb-conscious menus across its meal kits and prepared meal options.

If you’re looking for meal kits, be prepared to potentially roll up your sleeves in the kitchen and multitask, but never fear, you’ll be aided by well-developed recipes that are a great opportunity to learn your favorite restaurants’ cooking techniques — like searing meat in a pan and finishing it in the oven. If you want a low-effort option, go for the prepared meals. The beauty of this service is that the kits and the prepared meals both have carb-conscious options.

I tested this service myself for Everyday Health, and I loved the ability to choose between meals that required more cooking (on nights when I wanted an activity or a challenge) and heat-and-eat or easy, low-effort cooking options (on nights when I wasn’t up to spending a whole lot of time in the kitchen). Plus, the flavors were always a hit at my house — we were always satisfied, and the menus were very exciting to pick through.

Keep in mind that the portions are on the more modest side, but we found that the quality of the ingredients compared to the price point offered some solid value. Meal kits start at $7.99 per serving, and prepared and ready-to-eat meals start at $9.49. While with both you’re definitely paying a premium for convenience, getting meals for under $8 per serving is a steal — even compared to what we’d expect to pay for groceries, let alone a meal out. Admittedly, not every meal we tried felt the healthiest (and some seemed aimed more at foodies), we could always find healthy options if we paid attention to the nutrition labels, and the service has some great carb-conscious offerings that don’t skimp on top-quality ingredients and epicurean flavors.

If you want one-stop low-carb shopping, Hungryroot is it. This hybrid service offers grocery delivery and easy-to-make meal kits that are customizable based on the recipe you choose, with several low-carb options to make things even easier. You can also easily toggle between groceries and meals while ordering. For example, you can order chickpea pasta and cashew pesto as stand-alone grocery items or as ingredients in a meal kit you select.

It’s worth keeping in mind that Hungryroot’s ordering process can be a little complicated. Ordering is based on a “point system” — instead of seeing the price of a meal or food item, you get a certain number of points to use to order groceries that week. Each recipe and add-on has a point value: stuffed peppers “cost” 11 points, avocado is one point, and fruit, nut, and cheese snack packs are three points each. Once you get a hang of the point system, it’s worth it.

When we tried it, meals often came together in less than 15 minutes and in five steps or less — perfect if you’re not looking to spend long nights cooking. In fact, some meal kits were so easy to make that it felt more like assembling than actually cooking. That’s why we especially love it for college students or busy professionals who want to minimize their time in the kitchen and maximize flexibility in their food spending. But keep in mind that it may not be the best option for an experienced cook, because the meals are very simple.

That said, the food itself was impressive. “The meals all left me full and satisfied,” says our tester, Ashley Brafman, RD, owner of Food Peace Nutrition in Lansing, Michigan. “The portion sizes for the ‘protein with a side dish’ meals were hefty for the two-serving meals.” Just make sure that when looking for low-carb options, you select the right meal filters, since the menu has over 1,000 options to choose from, with quite an assortment of dietary needs. The “carb-conscious” filter will limit your search to meals that contain 10 grams of carbs or less.

If you’re looking for low-carb, fully prepared meals, you can’t find a better menu than the one from Factor. The service is geared almost entirely toward keto-friendly meals, which is a specific type of low-carbohydrate diet designed to induce ketosis — a state in which the body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. And many of the meals work for lower-carb diets, even if your goal is not ketosis.

Unlike some of the services on our list, Factor’s meals are all hearty entrées that reheat in minutes in the microwave — rather than kits that you have to prepare and cook yourself. The menu offers a variety of favors and savory comfort foods with low-carb sides, such as Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken With Zucchini Noodles or Fajita-Spiced Shrimp and Filet Mignon With Chili Creamed Cauliflower and Zucchini.

“Compared to other premade meal delivery services, Factor meals stand out for flavor, texture, and appearance,” says our tester, Kristy Del Coro, RDN, LDN, cofounder of the Culinary Nutrition Collaborative in Portland, Maine. “Factor meals don’t turn mushy and all one texture when reheated. The vegetables maintain a good color, the food is seasoned well, and the portions are satisfying.”

There is also a good amount of variety. “There are a lot of meals with animal proteins, mostly chicken and beef, with some seafood and vegetarian options,” Del Coro says. “Extra portions of proteins and larger portions of a few select meals are also available, as well as protein powders, snack bars, and shakes designed for keto diets.” In addition, if you need nutritional support, Factor does offer a complimentary 20-minute coaching session with a dietitian, with the option to pay for additional sessions.

Pricing for the meals ranges from $11.49 to $13.99 per serving, with purchase quantities available in 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18 meals. While it may seem like the higher end is a lot of food, these quantities will unlock the lower prices — and with so many of the meals being freezer-friendly, you could certainly place a larger order to stock both your fridge and freezer, thereby keeping these tasty, fully prepared, low-carb meals at the ready.

While it may sound like going low-carb and gluten-free would go hand in hand, it can be somewhat challenging to do both at the same time without feeling limited by your diet. That’s why we liked Epicured’s medically tailored meals, which are crafted by dietitians and chefs and designed to be gluten-free and low-FODMAP, diets that often support folks with digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome. FODMAPs, an acronym for “fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols,” are types of carbohydrates that can be difficult for some people to digest and may contribute to certain symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and other types of digestive issues. In addition to prioritizing low levels of these very common nutrients, Epicured has an impressive selection of low-carb meals too.

Epicured’s menu doesn’t change week to week like some of the other services we tried, but with over 100 options that include meals, snacks, and different eating styles, there’s most likely something to fit almost every dietary need. You can also customize the proteins in most meals, like with the Green Thai Curry — you can pick shrimp, chicken, or tofu as the protein. Additionally, there are easy search filters, with one for specifically low-carb options, which will show you everything with less than 50 grams of carbs per serving.

I tested Epicured for Everyday Health, and one of the biggest highlights is that there is no cooking required. Many of the items I ordered, (coconut macarons, falafel wrap, salad) didn’t even need heating; I just ate them cold, straight from the fridge.

It’s worth noting that the low-FODMAP diet may be bland, especially since ingredients like onion and garlic are usually not included, and salt is limited for medical purposes. It can be difficult to achieve tasty meals without those ingredients, but Epicured goes to great lengths to create complex, layered flavors with herbs and spices.

The value in Epicured is baked into its safety and management of gluten-free diets — however, not all of the meals felt worth the total cost when it comes to flavor. But most of the options reheated well, and we did also enjoy the fresh options, such as salads that were fresh and crisp, even after a few days. Starting at around $15 per serving for an entrée and ranging upward of $25, Epicured can get expensive. Your best bet if you want to go more budget-friendly is to check out the preselected meal bundles or sign up for a subscription, which can mean significant savings.

CookUnity has some of the best single-serving, prepared meals we tried. If you’re cooking for one, there’s no need to feel like you have to dirty your whole kitchen just to eat the same thing all week — with CookUnity, you can have fresh meals daily, curated by chefs, and for under the price of what you’d pay for a Chipotle bowl. “My favorite meals included the Sesame Salmon, which had steamed bok choy on the side, and the Beef Birria Quesadillas, which had a great cinnamon flavor and delicious, melty cheese,” says our tester, health reporter Mary Sauer, based in Kansas City, Missouri.

While the quality of food and convenience might be the main reasons for ordering from CookUnity, the service also makes it easy to follow dietary restrictions. During the sign-up process, you’re asked about preferences, and there’s also a meal filter that lets you search by nutrients and ingredients to look for or avoid, so that you can find the low-carb choices easily.

Order sizes are in increments of 6, 8, 12, or 16 meals, with the cost ranging from $11.09 per serving up to $12.29 as a starting point. Certain meals may have markups based on specialty ingredients, but shipping is free, which is a nice bonus.

“If you need prepared meal deliveries because of a busy schedule but are easily bored eating the same thing week after week, and you consider yourself an adventurous eater, CookUnity is worth a try,” says Sauer. Whether you want to replace your favorite takeout option or you’re looking to fill the fridge for one person, CookUnity has you covered with low-carb options you’ll be genuinely excited to eat.

If having all of your low-carb meals neatly prepared and individually packed in your fridge is your favorite way to start the week, then Territory may be the meal delivery service for you. Offering fresh, fully prepared meals with a multitude of low-carb options, Territory is both tasty and convenient. Entrées are often simple, such as the Steak Bistro Salad or Roasted Salmon With Curried Cauliflower Rice, but they usually come with a flavorful sauce to boost your satisfaction and enjoyment.

Territory knows that nutrition is highly individualized, so there are menu filters that allow you to set your own parameters around nutrients like carbs, protein, calories, fats, fiber, and many more. The search filters also work to help keep out certain ingredients, like prominent allergens, and the meals are gluten-free and dairy-free from the start. I tested this service myself for Everyday Health, and I enjoyed being able to find foods I liked. Overall, I found the meals filling, hearty, and flavorful. I also appreciated how easy it was to heat a meal during a busy day and feel like I was getting my fill of nutrient-dense vegetables while also hitting my protein goals.

The biggest drawback to Territory is the price. The cost of some meals is so high that they were even more expensive than takeout. The starting price point is $13.95 per serving, but most meals cost upward of $15.99 or $20 per serving. While the food is functional for low-carb diets and is often tasty, it won’t rival your favorite takeout for flavor, so what you’re mostly paying for is the convenience factor. That said, for a low-carb option that feels like meal prep but elevated, Territory is a great choice — if you have the budget.

Gardencup is your ticket to produce on the go, with convenient jar-packed salads, soups, and bowls, plus sides of protein, produce, and snacks to make your low-carb diet easy to take with you. The menu includes familiar salad favorites like the Chicken Bacon Cobb, Southwest Fajita With Chicken, or Caprese. Sides include some low carb–friendly choices, like deviled egg salad, tuna salad, and even a cup of grilled chicken. While there isn’t a “low-carb” filter, there is a “high-protein” option, and the main menu lists both the protein and carb counts right under the photo of each dish, making it easy enough to figure out what is low-carb. Many of the options are under 30 grams of carbs per meal too.

Gardencup ships weekly or biweekly, with either six or nine options in each order, and all of the items are perishable. In testing, we loved the flavors and the freshness, but we did see that there was some browning on some of the lettuce after just a few short days. That’s why, with a minimum order of six items, Gardencup might be a better fit for those with more than one mouth to feed or people who want a combination of salads and sides. It’s also worth keeping in mind that while the service does offer vegetarian and vegan options, you will have fewer options to choose from if you also follow those diets.

In addition, “The menu doesn’t change all that often,” says one of our testers, Simone Scully, an editorial director at Everyday Health. “So I did find that I quickly got tired of ordering the same few salads each week.”

Pricing comes in at a typical $11.99 for an entrée salad with meat or $10.99 for a veggie option, which can be comparable to eating out. Soups and sides feel like they don’t hold quite the same value though, with snacks and sides in the $8.99 range. While you do need a subscription to place your order, it’s a simple and quick process to sign up, and you can have fresh, convenient salads and sides filling your fridge in no time.

Grocery delivery options can be just as effective as meal delivery services at taking some of the stress out of following a low-carb diet, especially a grocery delievery that’s as easy to navigate as Thrive Market. Thrive Market makes it easy to find your way to low-carb options with an easy search filter or use of the website map. There are also filters for many other diets, so you can find products that are high-protein, Mediterranean diet–friendly, high-fiber, vegan, vegetarian, and more.

“Thrive Market really excels when it comes to pantry items, especially if you have special dietary needs or are searching for something very specific,” says Brittany Vargas, a Los Angeles–based writer who tested Thrive Market for Everyday Health. “I found a wide variety of products for diets like vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, ketogenic, and low-FODMAP.”

Thrive Market mostly ships out weekly deliveries of shelf-stable snacks, beverages, and meat and seafood products. You can also order household items, cosmetics, and even supplements. We do wish we could order fresh produce from Thrive, but your shipment can still be chock-full of low-carb favorites like high-protein snacks, nut butters, low-carb breads and wraps, and more. The companion app has a clever feature to help you track things down: Use the app to scan products in your pantry to find healthy alternatives that Thrive sells.

“I found Thrive Market made it significantly easier to eat well,” adds Vargas. “The brand’s commitment to serving people on special diets means that I can easily find whatever I need based on any health issues I might be experiencing.”

While Thrive Market does require a subscription, you can pay it either as $60 per year ($5 per month) or $12 per month if billed monthly. Shipping varies based on what you buy, with typical costs of $5.95 for pantry items and $19.95 for frozen items. Pricing is comparable to a higher-end organic grocery store, so the savings didn’t always translate, but since there’s a price-matching option, you can always be sure that you’re at least getting the same rate, if not a lower one. Shipping is free on orders over $60, though, and subscriptions are flexible, so you can get shipments as often or as far apart as you like.