If you’ve had to cut gluten from your diet due to a sensitivity, allergy, or celiac disease, you already know how tricky it can be to adjust your daily meals.
Even though there are a plethora of companies creating gluten-free products, you may still have to spend a lot of time planning and closely inspecting ingredient lists and nutritional information. And you will definitely have had to switch up your weekly dinner plan to remove ingredients such as wheat, barley, and rye.
The good news is, meal planning while living a gluten-free lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult. There’s also no need to fall into a rut of making the same meals over and over because you’ve run out of ideas. Instead, you can turn to gluten-free meal delivery services to make cooking easier than ever. It’s going to eliminate the need for meal planning and making shopping lists and also cut down on all those trips to the grocery store. If that sounds like what you need in your life, check out these services…
JUMP TO A SECTION
- 1. Freshly
- 2. Healthy Chef Creations
- 3. BistroMD
- 4. Sun Basket
- 5. Green Chef
- 6. 22 Days Nutrition
- 7. Veestro
- 8. Hungryroot
- 9. Purple Carrot
- 10. Daily Harvest
- 11. Splendid Spoon
- Honorable Mention: Thrive Market
- Benefits of Using a Gluten-Free Meal Delivery Service
- What to Consider When Choosing a Gluten-Free Meal Delivery Service
1. Freshly
While some meal delivery services merely offer a gluten-free plan, Freshly is a bit different. They’re a subscription service that is fully focused on providing delicious meals that never contain gluten. Everything on their menu is gluten-free and safe for someone with a gluten sensitivity, allergy, or celiac disease to consume. You never have to worry about whether the meals are safe, so there’s no need to inspect ingredient lists beforehand.
When ordering through Freshly, you’ll be able to select new meals each week from their rotating menu. Those prepared meals will arrive on your doorstep before you know it, packed inside a refrigerated, recyclable box. The meals are made with fresh ingredients (never frozen) and are rich in nutrients so you know you’re doing your body good by eating them. All you have to do is heat them up and enjoy!
Some of the dishes you’ll find on the Freshly menu include: Baked Penne Marinara with Italian Sausage, Buffalo Chicken Breast with Loaded Cauliflower, Steak Peppercorn with Sautéed Carrots & Asparagus, Homestyle Meatloaf with Creamy Potatoes & Spinach, and Roasted Turkey with Quinoa Stuffing. There are a variety of selections, including some popular meals that have been altered specifically to be gluten-free for you to enjoy.
Freshly currently offers four different meal plans, which are based on how many meals you’d like to receive per week. You can choose to order four, six, nine, or twelve meals, which allows you to customize the plan to your needs. It’ll cost $49.99 per week for four meals, $59.99 for six meals, $89.99 for nine meals, and $107.99 for twelve meals. The cheapest per-meal cost is $8.99/meal and all plans come with free shipping.
2. Healthy Chef Creations
Another option to consider is Healthy Chef Creations, which offers a plan specifically for gluten-free meals. Because they’re not strictly a gluten-free company, they do offer a few other meal plans as well. Those other plans are not suitable for those who live a gluten-free lifestyle or have celiac disease.
With the help of their award-winning chefs, Healthy Chef Creations has created a menu of meals that never contain gluten. Like Freshly, these are already prepared meals that will arrive in single-serving portions. The meals are never frozen and are always made with natural and organic ingredients. Whenever you’re feeling hungry, all you have to do is pop the dish into the microwave or oven to heat it up. In no time at all, you’ll have a tasty, gluten-free meal to enjoy.
One of the great things about this company is that they go beyond just providing dinner options for their customers. They also offer breakfast, lunch, side dishes, and desserts. Everything you could possibly crave is on their menu and available for you to order. With so much to choose from, it’ll be tough to decide what you’d like to order.
On the menu, you’ll find dishes such as: Spinach Italian Omelet, Tuscan Chickpea Salad, Vegetarian Tortilla Soup, Flounder Florentine, Grilled Chicken Au Jus, Lemon Chicken Piccata, and even classic Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The cost when ordering from Healthy Chef Creations will depend on how many weeks you sign-up for and how many meals you’d like to receive. You can choose between plans that last one week, two weeks, four weeks, and 13 weeks. You’re also able to order three days worth of meals, five days, or seven days.
View All Healthy Chef Creations Meals
3. BistroMD
If you’re sticking to a gluten-free diet and are also on a journey to lose a little weight, BistroMD can help. This company is committed to making healthy eating easier for their customers, while also providing them with access to a dietitian to ensure someone is available to answer all their nutrition questions. Not only that, but your assigned dietitian will help craft the meal plan that’s specific to your goals.
When joining BistroMD, you’ll receive already prepared meals that you simply have to heat up and enjoy. These meals are a balance between lean protein, complex carbohydrates, vegetables, and also healthy fats. After all, a balanced meal is going to satisfy you and help you see the weight loss results you were hoping for.
You’ll have four different plans to choose from when placing your order. You can receive just lunches and dinners for five or seven days or you can opt for the full program for five or seven days. With the full program, you’ll receive plenty of breakfast options to dine on as well.
If you’re ready to dive into the full program for an entire week, it’s going to cost you $134.96, which is quite a steal when you consider how much you’re spending at the grocery store every week. This full plan gets you seven breakfasts, seven lunches, and six dinners because you have the chance to take a night off and enjoy a “cheat meal” off the plan.
4. Sun Basket
With gluten-free, paleo, and vegetarian options on the menu, Sun Basket is committed to providing customers with organic and non-GMO recipes. Instead of providing you with already prepared meals, they’ll send pre-measured ingredients alongside delicious recipes for you to cook the dinner on your own. This is perfect for anyone who enjoys cooking and wants to learn new gluten-free dishes that are easy to whip up. The meals are typically ready in about 30 minutes or less.
Not only is this a great way to discover new dishes, but it’s also going to make cooking less stressful for you. You won’t have to worry about planning meals or doing the grocery shopping because Sun Basket has done all the hard work for you. All you’re required to do is put the meal together in your kitchen.
On their menu, you’ll find meals such as: Steak Salad with Romesco Vinaigrette, Seared Albacore Tuna Steaks with Green Beans and Soft-Cooked Eggs, Chicken Breasts with Charred Romaine and Nectarine-Almond Salsa, and Grilled Pork with Ginger-Plum Sauce and Endive Salad. These creative gluten-free recipes are sure to get you out of any food rut you may have previously been stuck in.
The Sun Basket gluten-free meal delivery plan balances essential macros as well. Each meal is portioned at about 550-800 calories per serving, at least 20 grams of protein per serving, at least 5 grams of fiber per serving, and rich in omega-3s (sourced from olives, nuts, seeds, and avocados).
When ordering with Sun Basket, you’ll find you can choose gluten-free meals on both their classic menu and their family menu. Their classic menu gets you three recipes per week and each meal will be two or four servings. The price per serving on this plan is $11.49. For the family plan, you can choose between two or four recipes a week. Each meal will provide you with four servings, which is enough to feed you and your family. The price per serving is $9.99.
5. Green Chef
Like Sun Basket, Green Chef is a meal kit that sends you pre-organized ingredients along with a recipe. The main focus of this meal kit is to help people eat well. While not technically a “diet” meal delivery service, the meals are definitely health-conscious and tasty too.
On their menu, you’ll find dishes such as: Roasted Italian Pork Sausages, Roasted Chicken Thighs With Romesco, Spiced Beef Patties With Aïoli, Barramundi with Chimichurri, and Japanese Vegetable Fritters. As you can probably already tell, the Green Chef menu is very diverse in what it offers.
What makes them one of the best meal kits on this list is the fact that they are a certified gluten free food service. This means that they were approved and certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group. This is a lengthy process by which Green Chef meal prep, ingredients, sourcing, and menu was audited and reviewed by the Gluten Intolerance Group. What this means is that their meals are 100% gluten free and backed by a third-party organization.
Ordering from Green Chef is pretty straightforward. Their Gluten-Free plan is $11.99 per meal. You have two options when ordering. First is their 2-Person Plan which contains 3 dinners for 2 people (6 meals total per box). Second is their Family Plan which contains 2 dinners for a family of four (8 meals total per box).
6. 22 Days Nutrition
If you’re both vegan and gluten-free, you’re really going to appreciate 22 Days Nutrition. They’re a meal delivery service that’s focused on providing vegan meals, but everything they offer is also free from soy and gluten. Their meals are all plant-based and made with organic ingredients so you never have to question what you’re putting into your body. Plus, everything is already made into the perfect portions and ready to eat.
One of the great things about ordering with 22 Days Nutrition is that you don’t have to commit to a subscription if you don’t want to. They offer a la carte shopping, which is great if you want to test out their service before you buy or if you only need a few meals. All you have to do is select the dishes you want, add them to your cart, and submit your order. Breakfast dishes typically cost $6.95, while the lunch/dinner items will cost $12.95.
Alternatively, if you prefer the ease a weekly subscription provides, you can do that as well. They offer plans that last five days, seven days, or 22 days (hence the name). The meals are delivered on a weekly basis, which cuts down on meal planning and grocery shopping.
The five-day plan costs as lost as $12.50 per meal, the seven-day plan comes in around $11.50 per meal, and the 22-day plan is their best value at around $9.50 per meal.
View All 22 Days Nutrition Meals
7. Veestro
Veestro also makes our list of gluten-free meal delivery services and like 22 Days Nutrition, they’re also fully vegan. They focus on providing pre-made, plant-based meals with organic ingredients and zero preservatives. Even though they aren’t 100% gluten-free, they do have options available on their menu. All you have to do is check their menu and look for the icon that indicates whether or not a dish is gluten-free.
Some of the gluten-free items on their menu include: Red Curry with Tofu, Enchilada Casserole, Veggie Lasagna, Moroccan Melange, Portobello Steak Dinner and Chocolate Cheesecake. All of these dishes are vegan, preservative-free, non-GMO, dairy-free, and made from natural ingredients you can feel good about eating.
They have a few different options to select from when placing your order. You can go the a la carte route and order individual meals based on your favorites. This is great if you won’t want the commitment of a subscription since you’ll be able to pick and choose what you want and how much you want. You’ll be able to select from breakfast, entrees, soups, desserts, and juices. The price starts at $10 per meal and sets you up with a one-time delivery.
You can also choose the gluten-free meal pack, which starts at $8 per meal. You’ll receive 24 hand-selected meals for you to enjoy. In this pack, you’ll receive a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a great way to sample everything Veestro has to offer their customers.
8. Hungryroot
Hungryroot is a hybrid gluten-free and vegan meal kit option that sends mostly pre-made dishes for you to enjoy. For some meals, there may be an element of prepping and cooking involved. However, all meals are ready to eat in under 15 minutes.
While they do not have a plan labeled “gluten-free” they have gluten free meal options. After you sign up, you’ll be redirected to a screen where you can list what diet specifications you have. Once you list gluten-free, all of your meal choices will only be gluten-free ones.
Hungryroot has a ton of different meal options. You’ll find dishes such as Pad Thai Fried Rice, Salmon Brussels Grain Bowl, and Avocado Bean Southwest Salad. However, our personal favorite gluten-free item that they offer is their Black Bean Brownie Batter. If you’re going to order from Hungryroot, we highly recommend adding it to your bag. It’s better than the real thing!
9. Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot is another vegan and gluten-free meal delivery service. However, unlike Veestro and 22 Days Nutrition, Purple Carrot provides you with the ingredients plus a recipe so you can make the meal yourself.
They do not have a specific gluten-free plan but they have many gluten-free options. Just be sure to filter their meals by “gluten-free” and look for the icon when choosing.
On their menu, you’ll find dishes such as: Tofu Saag Paneer, Carrot Spinach Socca, and Roasted Cauliflower Wraps.
What we love about Purple Carrot is the fact that they allow you to add extras too. For example, gluten-free smoothies, breakfast options, and more.
Purple Carrot has three different plans available — Quick & Easy for dishes that can be made under 30 minutes, High Protein for meals built to energize, and Chef’s Choice for gourmet meals meant to taste the best. All three plans come out to $12 per meal.
10. Daily Harvest
How would you like to have easy-to-prepare, healthy smoothies and soups at your disposal whenever you want them? Well, that’s exactly what Daily Harvest provides to their customers. They’re a meal delivery service that focuses solely on smoothies and soups that are made from high-quality ingredients to provide you with a nutritious meal. Not to mention, each item on their menu is made with superfoods your body is going to love.
On the smoothie menu, you’ll find combinations such as: Strawberry + Peach + Greens, Banana + Greens, Blueberry + Hemp, Cacao + Avocado, Cold Brew + Almond, and Chocolate + Blueberry. For soups, you’ll find options like: Coconut + Carrot, Mushroom + Miso, and Zucchini + Black Garlic.
But that’s not all! Daily Harvest has recently added chia parfaits and overnight oats to their shop, giving you even more delicious options to choose from. You’re sure to love the Mango + Golden Milk chia parfait and the Cinnamon Protein + Banana overnight oats. With so many options to choose from, it’s going to be hard to limit what you put into your shopping cart!
To get started, you’ll need to select a plan by deciding how many cups you want to receive. You can choose between six or 12 cups weekly or you can go for 24 cups monthly. Six cups will cost $7.99 per cup, while 12 cups comes in at $7.49 per cup. If you’d like 24 cups each month, you’re looking at $6.99 per cup.
11. Splendid Spoon
Like Daily Harvest, Splendid Spoon is a meal delivery service that focuses on smoothies and soups. However, they offer a wider selection of smoothies as well as smoothies and soups for every meal of the day.
They offer smoothies such as Chocolate Cherry, Strawberry Coconut, Power Greens, Green Mango, and Blueberry Acai. In terms of soups, you’ll find items such as Cauliflower Tikka with Coriander and Cashews, Garden Misestrone with Zucchini and Basil, Leek and Turnip Chowder with Celeriac and Parsley, and more.
You can choose from 3 different plans. First is their Lunch plan which sends you 5 plant-based lunch bowls each week for $13 per meal. Second is their Breakfast + Lunch plan which sends you 5 plant-based breakfast smoothies and 5 plant-based lunch bowls each week for $9.50 per meal. Last is their Breakfast + Lunch + Reset plan which sends you 1 full day reset meal, 5 plant-based breakfast smoothies, and 5 plant-based lunch bowls each week for $9 per meal.
Honorable Mention: Thrive Market
If you’re not necessarily looking for gluten-free meals to be delivered to your doorstep but you’d rather have gluten-free snacks and other pantry essentials instead, Thrive Market is the best option. Their online store allows you to filter down specifically to foods that are purely gluten-free.
While they do have their own line of gluten-free foods, they also have a wide variety of other gluten-free foods that are sometimes hard to find in the grocery store.
There is no membership cost for joining Thrive Market and all orders above $49 receive free shipping.
Benefits of Using a Gluten-Free Meal Delivery Service
Whether you’re gluten-free because of an allergy, intolerance, or just by choice, you don’t have to feel like you’re unable to try out the popular meal delivery services currently on the market. While the “big ones” like Blue Apron and HelloFresh don’t offer 100% gluten free plans/options, there are many meal kits out there that do.
If you’re still on the fence about how a gluten-free meal delivery service could help you, let’s explore the top benefits…
It Allows You to Follow a Rather Strict Diet Much Easier
The great thing about using a meal delivery service of any kind is that it provides an easy way to follow specific diets. You won’t have to scour the web for recipes or do weekly meal planning, which can be quite stressful for some. Instead, all you have to do is choose from a selection of recipes or pre-made dishes and wait for everything to land on your doorstep.
While there are plenty of gluten-free recipes available right at your fingertips online, trying to find ones you like can be a struggle sometimes. A gluten-free meal delivery service provides you with plenty of options so following a strict diet doesn’t have to be boring or bland.
There’s No More Wondering if What You’re Eating Has Gluten
Avoiding gluten can be a struggle for those who have an intolerance or an allergy. Unfortunately, sometimes we accidentally consume gluten without even realizing it, which can lead to discomfort or sickness later. Not good!
By using a gluten-free meal delivery service, especially one that is certified gluten-free, you don’t have to worry about this happening. You can have confidence in knowing that your meals are totally safe for you to enjoy.
The key here is to make sure you choose a service that specifically offers gluten-free meals and prides themselves on avoiding cross-contamination with gluten. Lucky for you, all of the meal delivery services listed above are great options!
You’ll Have the Ability to Learn New Gluten-Free Recipes
Do you ever get bored of making the same gluten-free dishes over and over? Sometimes we get stuck in a food rut, especially when following a specific diet. We find ourselves sticking to what’s easy and familiar as opposed to searching for new recipes and experimenting with something different. It gets old after a while!
Thankfully, you don’t have to do that with a gluten-free meal delivery service. Instead of trying to find great recipes, planning out your meals, and going grocery shopping… These services are doing all of the hard work for you. You’ll have the ability to learn plenty of new gluten-free dishes, which you can then recreate on your own whenever you want. Never again will you have to worry about getting bored with your meals.
You Get to Spend Less Time on Grocery Shopping
Another one of the benefits of using a gluten-free meal delivery service is that you can spend less time in the grocery store. And who wouldn’t want to cut down on the amount of time they spend there? Not only will you have less items to pick up since you’re getting meals delivered to you, but you won’t have to spend ages inspecting nutrition labels on everything before you make your purchase.
When Factoring in Time, It’s Not More Expensive Than Shopping & Cooking for Yourself
Many people worry about the cost of using a meal delivery service. Initially, it may seem more expensive than doing the grocery shopping and cooking yourself, but it’s really not. For one, consider how often you have to buy an excess of one ingredient just for a single recipe. Then, you probably wind up throwing out what you didn’t use or you have things that expire before you’re able to use them entirely. It creates a lot of food waste, that ultimately hurts your wallet because it costs you more money in the end.
Not only that, but consider the amount of time you’re saving. You’ll have less meal planning to do each week and less grocery shopping, which is certainly a plus. If you go for a meal delivery service that provides fresh ingredients and a recipe, everything is already pre-portioned and ready for you to cook. These meals typically only take about 30-45 minutes to prepare as well, which is great since you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen.
The pre-made meals that simply need to be heated are beneficial as well if you’re always in a hurry. You can have a delicious meal soon the table in just a matter of minutes. With the time you get back into your day and your week, you can use it to do other things like spend time with your family or tackle that lingering to-do list. So, not only will it save you money, but it’ll save you time as well.
What to Consider When Choosing a Gluten-Free Meal Delivery Service
When choosing a gluten-free meal delivery service, there are a few thing you need to consider. After all, you want to make sure you’re getting access to a nice variety of meals, that the ingredients are high-quality, and that the service is going to work for your lifestyle. Not only that, but it’s crucial that you learn about how each meal is prepared so you don’t have to worry about the risk of cross-contamination, which could lead to you feeling ill later on.
We put together this list of services based on a specific set of criteria listed below. Feel free to use them to find the right meal kit for you.
Variety of Meals Offered
Just because you’re sticking to a gluten-free lifestyle, it doesn’t mean you have to be subjected to a life of boring, bland foods. You’re entitled to have variety in your life when it comes to your meals and you can have just that with a gluten-free meal delivery service.
Instead of resorting to cooking the same old, familiar meals over and over, you can be presented with a variety of options on a weekly basis. The great thing about most meal delivery services is that they have a rotating menu that changes each week, thus providing you with a nice selection of dinners to choose from.
You’ll never get bored with the options available to you. Plus, you’ll have the ability to try new things. So, you’ll want to take a look at the most recent menu options for the meal delivery services you’re considering trying. Are there meals in line with something you’d normally eat or are they kind of out there for your personal tastes? Or maybe you’re looking for something more adventurous?
Nutritional Content
Another element to consider is the nutritional content of the meals you’ll be receiving. Are you going to be getting a balanced diet with the essential nutrients your body needs to perform at its best? Some meal delivery services work with nutritionists and dietitians to make sure of this, so do some research to find out. You don’t want to deprive yourself, otherwise you won’t be able to look and feel your best.
Speaking of the nutritional content of the meals, it’s so important for those with a gluten allergy or intolerance to figure out if there’s a risk of cross-contamination with their meals. Some meal delivery services merely offer a gluten-free plan, alongside other meals that contain gluten. When gluten-containing meals are prepared in a facility where gluten-free meals are also prepared, there is always a risk of cross-contamination.
For example, Green Chef is the first national meal delivery service to receive a gluten-free food service certification through the Gluten Intolerance Group. This is important for those who truly cannot tolerate gluten and provides them with peace of mind knowing their meals will be safe.
Quality of Ingredients
Next, do some research to find out what kind of ingredients are being used in your meals so you know exactly what they’re made of. The quality of the ingredients is important to consider since you want to make sure everything is fresh and will taste great!
For instance, if you’re someone who is passionate about using organic ingredients when cooking, you’ll want to find a gluten-free meal delivery service that prides themselves on doing the same. You may also want to look for companies that work specifically with local farmers so you know where your meat and produce is coming from. For instance, this is something that’s very important to Sun Basket, who offers a gluten-free plan and sources only 100% organic ingredients.
Are the Meals Pre-Made or Will They Need to be Prepared?
One of the main things to consider when choosing a gluten-free meal delivery service is how the meals need to be prepared. Are they pre-made, simply requiring you to heat them in the microwave or oven? Or will you receive a box filled with recipes and fresh ingredients, which you’ll need to cook yourself?
Either one is a great option. It really just depends on your lifestyle and how much time you have to dedicate to cooking a meal. Do you want something that will be ready in a matter of minutes? You’ll want to go for pre-made meals then!
Are you someone who enjoys cooking and loves to spend time in the kitchen? If this is the case, you can choose to have fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and recipes delivered to your door instead.
The great thing about using a meal delivery service is the convenience it provides to you. You want to make it work for you. You don’t want it to be a hassle, otherwise you won’t continue to use the service. Think about what works best for your life before making a final decision.
Overall Cost & Price Per Serving
And finally, you want to think about the overall cost of the meal delivery service you’ll be using. In our overview of the services listed above, you’ll see a breakdown of the plan and pricing.
It’s also important to ask yourself the following questions… How many meals are you getting each week and how much will you be paying for them individually? Is there a shipping cost you need to account for as well? Does the cost go up after the first box ordered? This will tell you exactly what you’ll be spending each week so you’ll know if it works for your budget.
If you feel like the cost seems high initially, you’ll want to consider a few things. Think about the ingredients that are used to make each meal. Dinners that are made with organic, locally-sourced ingredients tend to be more expensive, but you’re paying for the quality. You’ll also want to consider the fact that you’ll be cutting down on the amount of food waste you produce, which saves you money in the long run.
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