We Tested Over 50 Meal Delivery Services, and These Are Our Top 10 for Low-Cholesterol Meals

The Green Chef nutrition guide offers detailed information about each plan type, which is a helpful resource for those looking to choose the right option for lowering cholesterol. If you feel you need more assistance, Green Chef also offers nutrition coaching, which includes a free 20-minute session with a registered dietitian who can assist with meal selection and answer general health questions.

I was fortunate to be able to try out Green Chef myself and found the meals to be flavorful and filling, as well as helpful for following a healthy diet. While there were some stumbles in the produce department — namely, some underripe tomatoes and inedible Brussels sprouts — overall the amount of vegetables and whole grains was impressive and the portions of the meals themselves were generous.

Green Chef meals are on the more expensive side, starting at $11.99 per serving, with some meals coming in at an even higher premium price. However, given the organic produce options and generous portions, there is value in the cost. Meal kits are available in serving sizes of two, four, or six, making them functional for families.

Sunbasket’s organic produce and responsibly sourced proteins provide a viable jumping-off point for low-cholesterol eating, but the service’s offerings extend beyond just ingredients into meal plans that can make following some of the recommended lifestyle modifications easier and tastier. Developed by in-house dietitians, there are several meal plans to consider for lowering cholesterol, including the Mediterranean plan, with meals ranging from 400 to 800 calories per serving, each with at least 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, as well as beneficial unsaturated fats like those from avocado, nuts, and seeds. Also worth highlighting is the Diabetes-Friendly plan, which balances carbohydrates with fiber content and keeps sodium under 700 milligrams per serving. There are also vegetarian and pescatarian meal plan options for those looking to reduce dietary cholesterol from meat consumption.

We love that Sunbasket’s menu changes weekly and incorporates seasonal ingredients and global inspirations, with meals like Pan-Seared Salmon With Italian Peperonata and Squash, Chicken Piccata With Brussels Sprout and Apple Salad, and Quinoa Tofu Bowls With Pickled Vegetables and Cashew-Lime Dressing.

During testing, we found the meals to be flavorful, and we loved that Sunbasket always focuses on including quality, organic produce. I was able to test Sunbasket personally, and the seasonal menus were consistently enticing, and the meals themselves were quick to whip up and satisfying overall. The meals offered an opportunity to experiment with new ingredients and expand my palate, but I was still able to pull off preparing most of them in under 30 minutes.

Most of the meals are not customizable, but there are some dishes that allow customers to switch out their choice of protein, such as substituting beef for salmon or tofu, lending a bit more variety and personalization to the meals.

The meal kits are definitely the best bet among Sunbasket’s offerings for lower-cholesterol options, but there are also many prepared meals and add-ons to consider with widely varying nutritional profiles. Prepared meals start at $9.99 per serving, and kits start at $11.49 per serving. Add-on options include additional proteins, sides, pantry staples, breakfasts, and more. They vary in price but are comparable to what you’d find in an organic grocery store.

Though Sunbasket is priced a little higher than other services, with meals starting at $9.99 per serving, we love the variety of evidence-based diets to choose from, the sustainable sourcing standards, and the enticing menus offered each week.

Daily Harvest’s plant-based menu is the ideal service for stocking your freezer with cholesterol-friendly meals. The service offers smoothies, harvest bowls, flatbreads, pasta, and grains, as well as breakfast options and snack bites. The service is entirely vegan and gluten-free, and each meal or snack is absolutely jam-packed with nutrient-dense ingredients like fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, grains, and more. Beyond the volume of these ingredients, you also have a unique variety of flavors like acai, cacao, tart cherry, passion fruit, hemp, and black sesame — and that’s just on the smoothie menu.

Our testers loved the ingredient lists and overall nutrition content, and the lack of animal protein lends itself to a naturally low-cholesterol menu, while the abundance of fiber-filled ingredients can help assist in improving blood cholesterol numbers. “Simply adding more plant-based meals into your diet a few times a week can go a long way in keeping you healthy,” says our tester, Caitlin Beale, RDN. “There are several nutrients that we get from plants that are the reason for these benefits. Fiber, for example, helps stabilize blood sugar by slowing down digestion, making you feel full longer, and promoting healthy gut bacteria.”

We did find the portions to be on the smaller side, but in some cases adding additional protein can help with satiation.

While the menu is static, there is still a lot to choose from, and our testers also loved the colorful, aesthetic appeal of the website and food alike. “What struck me right away with this is how flexible Daily Harvest makes the process of filling my box: Instead of committing to a specific meal plan, I could customize my order with an array of delicious options,” says Beale.

Purchasing from Daily Harvest is easy. Just add what you want to your box, and as long as you meet the $50 order minimum, you’re good to go. Expect to see pricing like $8.49 for smoothies and soups, $9.79 for more substantial items like harvest bowls, flatbreads, and pasta, and $7.99 for bites. Shipping is an additional $9.99, but you can save a little money with a 10 percent discount on orders over $100.

While Thistle is not a completely vegan service, it does earn a spot as the best vegan option for low cholesterol, based on its largely vegan menu, fully prepared meals, and how much we loved it during testing. Brittany Vargas, a health journalist at Everyday Health, tested the service and says, “It was amazing to eat a variety of nutrient-dense whole foods in every meal, and flavor was certainly never an issue. I’m both a picky eater and health conscious, so satisfying my high standards on both levels attests to Thistle’s quality.”

In testing, Thistle was really a hit, not only because it provides meals filled with nutrient-dense whole foods, but also because each meal was a joy to eat and never faltered on quality. We wouldn’t hesitate to order each of the foods we tested again, but we especially loved the Moroccan-Inspired Tagine, Pad Thai With Sesame-Baked Tofu, and English Pea Pasta Salad. However, as much as we enjoyed the food, the service is somewhat costly — so unless you have the disposable income to enjoy it on a regular basis, it may feel like a splurge.

Thistle starts at just over $10 for a breakfast meal and $12.46 per entrée, and it runs upward of $15 per serving for some items. While it certainly won’t save you compared to groceries, there is a potential for cost savings if you’re subbing Thistle for meals at a restaurant.

Just because you’re navigating a low-cholesterol diet doesn’t mean you don’t also have other dietary considerations to work with. Multiple dietary restrictions can add stress to an already complicated set of food decision-making criteria — especially if you’re gluten-free. That’s precisely why we love services like ModifyHealth, where all of the meals are gluten-free at baseline, and beyond that there are multiple other diets to choose from, including Low-FODMAP, Mediterranean, Diabetes-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Heart-Friendly, Carb-Conscious, and GLP-1 Support. While the Heart-Friendly option is the best choice for those looking to lower their cholesterol and support their heart health, the Mediterranean option could also be beneficial.

The Heart-Friendly meal plan includes less than 6 grams of saturated fat and less than 700 milligrams of sodium per meal. Plus, ModifyHealth states that all meals have been developed based on the nutrition guidelines of the American Heart Association (though they don’t exactly state which guidelines those are). The Mediterranean plan is more focused on ingredients and includes nutrient-dense vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats like extra-virgin olive oil.

No matter which plan you choose, you have the option to either purchase meals or opt in to the Quickstart Program, which includes sessions with a registered dietitian, downloadable tools and resources, as well as a substantial 50 percent discount on your first meal order.

À la carte meals are priced at $13.45 per serving, no matter what you buy or how much of it, and there is a six-meal order minimum per week, though you do have the option to skip weeks or pause deliveries if needed. The meals on offer are enticing, with options like Blackened Shrimp & Grits With Zucchini & Peppers or Yellow Curry Chicken & Vegetables With Forbidden Rice. The meals are all single-serving and heat up in minutes, making ModifyHealth one of the easiest ways to eat gluten-free and low-cholesterol.

If your idea of a perfectly stocked fridge means meal prep made with veggies, lean proteins, and basic carbs, you’ve met your match with Trifecta. The service has an assortment of plans to choose from, including Clean, Paleo/Whole30, Keto, Plant-Based, and GLP-1 Friendly. Additionally, the platform offers a Meal Prep selection of à la carte proteins, carbs, and veggies that can be purchased separately. Customers also have the option to choose their meals à la carte or have their order curated for them.

Trifecta’s produce is organic and its proteins are sustainably raised, and all of its meals meet specific nutrition standards (which can vary but are outlined under each plan). While we can assume from the sample menus and the nutrition examples that many of Trifecta’s meal offerings are low-cholesterol friendly, the exact meals are not viewable until after you’ve paid for your subscription, which does create a bit of a gamble.

We’ve tested the service ourselves and found that the meals on the Clean plan tended to be high in protein, packed with fiber, and reliant on ingredients like whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins — which is ideal for a low-cholesterol diet. That being said, we found that the fat content varied from meal to meal. The sodium content, however, was lower than what we’ve found with similar meal services. Trifecta also offers nutrition coaching, but it’s unclear whether this is with a dietitian, and there is a disclaimer that says customers should meet with a healthcare provider or dietitian before making dietary changes.

The price point for Trifecta’s fully prepared meals ranges from $13 to $15 per serving, which is on par with its competitors. Given the overall appropriateness of the nutrition content of these meals, it may be worth giving Trifecta a try if prepped entrées are what you’re looking for.

Dinnerly’s biggest advantages are its low price point, with meals starting at $4.99 per serving, and its offering of simply prepared, family-friendly options. While not all of their meal options are good for low-cholesterol diets, the weekly menus have 100-plus options to choose from, and there are always heart-healthy picks available.

In order to unlock the lowest price possible of $4.99 per serving, you do have to purchase the maximum amount of food per order, which is six meals per week. Since each meal contains four servings, this might work well if you’re planning to make Dinnerly your go-to meal each night. But if you want a smaller amount of food (like four meals for four people), your cost will bump up to $6.99 per serving. Even at this price point, Dinnerly is still well below many other meal delivery services, but be sure to also factor in $11.99 for shipping each week.

For singles, mealtimes often involve a lot of cleanup just to feed one person, which is why we love prepared meal delivery services like Tempo. As an offshoot of the widely known and beloved Home Chef, Tempo offers single-serving, microwave-ready meals that are hearty and filling, with plenty of options for those seeking to lower their cholesterol.

Not all of Tempo’s meals are appropriate for a heart-healthy diet, but there are still a good number of options to choose from each week — enough to supplement a person’s overall diet on those nights that they’re looking for a quick and easy meal. To find the most low cholesterol-friendly options, use the Fiber Rich diet plan or menu filter, which will show you meals that include 20 percent of your daily fiber, like the Saucy Marinara Chicken and Farro With Spicy Tuscan Buttered Cauliflower . Just remember to keep an eye on the sodium and saturated fat levels.

Price-wise, Tempo can cost as little as $10.98 per serving, but the service has a buy more, save more approach, and in order to get that price you’ll need to buy 16 or more meals per order. Also, keep in mind that shipping is an additional $10.99 per order. Still, if you’re new to a low-cholesterol diet, keen to supplement your current cooking regimen, or using these meals as an alternative to something like fast food, Tempo could be a good fit for individuals prioritizing the convenience factor.

There is no meal delivery service that’s more in tune with the dietary needs of seniors than Mom’s Meals. Specializing in single-serving, fully prepared meals, Mom’s Meals has multiple diets on offer that are specifically relevant to older populations, including Renal-Friendly, Heart-Friendly, and Pureed. The ordering process is also catered toward this group, since Mom’s Meals allows a third party (like a caregiver or case worker) to order meals on someone else’s behalf. The platform is also set up to help those with certain types of insurance receive meals that are fully or partially covered by their plan.

Mom’s Meals is committed to helping seniors manage chronic illness and reduce hospital readmissions through food. While the meals themselves may not be the most dynamic culinary offerings, there is a robust selection with each diet plan. Plus, all of the meals lean into comfort food favorites, while prioritizing nutrition factors like lower fat, lower sodium, and more. Orders can be placed on a recurring basis or as a one-time purchase, making it easy to try the service out or keep meals on hand at all times.

A grocery delivery option like Thrive Market can cover not only dinner but also every other meal, as well as snacks and sometimes even household and personal care needs. While not all of these options will factor into a low-cholesterol plan, the grocery portion can certainly offer support.

Thrive Market’s online grocery store is easy to navigate with an inviting website and an abundance of search filters that help you explore their massive catalog of goods. There’s even a dedicated “cholesterol-free” search filter. Other filters include high-fiber, high-protein, Mediterranean diet-friendly, vegan, vegetarian, and more.

Thrive Market requires a subscription, which will cost either $60 per year or $12 per month (if you opt for monthly billing). Subscriptions are flexible, with the option to customize delivery frequency to more or less than once per month (just remember to make delivery changes before 11:59 p.m. on the Saturday before your shipment would be delivered). Shipping is an additional cost, and the price varies based on what you purchase.