While there are more meal delivery services out there today than ever before, not every single one offers low-carb options. In fact, there are many meal delivery services that claim they offer low carb options but, in actuality, they don’t.
Having spent more than 5 years purchasing and reviewing nearly every meal delivery service out there, I’ve narrowed down our top low-carb meal delivery services to help you find the one that’s right for your specific lifestyle.
Before we jump into everything, here are the specific guidelines we used to evaluate the low-carb meal delivery services and create this list of the top options:
- The meal delivery service must offer a low-carb meal plan or a variety of low-carb options to choose from.
- The ingredients the meal delivery service uses must be high-quality (organic when possible, non-GMO, grass-fed beef, no antibiotics used, and no hormones used).
- The meal delivery service must be able to ship throughout the United States.
- The meal delivery service must offer premade meals or a meal kit (whereby they deliver ingredients and a recipe for the meal to be made at home). We excluded all grocery delivery and low-carb snack boxes.
- The pricing must not exceed $12 per meal. Do keep in mind that premade meal delivery services are generally more expensive than meal kits due to the convenience of not having to cook the meal yourself.
- The meal delivery service must offer a rotating menu of low-carb options to ensure that customers do not eventually get bored eating the same meals over and over.
Food Box HQ Note: Since the phrase “low carb” is a bit vague and can be interpreted differently by different people, we defined it for this article as a single meal that has less than 35 grams of carbohydrates.
Best For Convenient Low-Carb Meals
Factor Meals
What It Is: Factor Meals (also known as Factor 75) is a premade meal delivery service that specializes in low-carb keto meals. Their chefs craft 20+ dietician-designed meals each week for you to choose from. In addition to entrees, Factor Meals also has a wide range of add-ons such as sides, appetizers, desserts, juices, and even additional meats. We first tested out Factor Meals back when they used to be called “Factor 75” and have been very impressed with their meals ever since. While not cheap, Factor Meals prioritizes quality ingredients to make a flavorful meal without going overboard on carbohydrates. Every meal is free from gluten, refined sugars, and GMOs as well as hormones and antibiotics.
Types Of Meals Factor Meals Offers: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, appetizers, desserts, and juices.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: 16 grams.
Starting Price: $11.00 per meal.
Our Favorite Low-Carb Factor Meals Dishes:
- Grilled Chicken Piccata (14 grams of carbohydrates)
- Peruvian Grilled Chicken (15 grams of carbohydrates)
- Keto Turkey Chili (16 grams of carbohydrates)
Why It Made This List:
- Since Factor Meals got their start in meal delivery by focusing on keto, they understand how to craft meals that are very low in carbohydrates without sacrificing flavor.
- Being premade makes their service very convenient for those looking to save time or are on the go.
- Since they have an add-on marketplace with low-carb soups, sides, desserts and more, it allows you to use Factor Meals as a replacement for grocery shopping. Check out our unboxing and taste test video of Factor's add ons here.
Best Overall For Convenience & Variety
Fresh n Lean (Keto & Vegan Low-Carb Plan)
What It Is: Fresh n Lean is a premade meal delivery service that offers a variety of different meal plans to suit a variety of specific dietary needs of their customers (e.g. paleo, vegan, high protein). When it comes to low-carb meals, Fresh n Lean has two meal plans that will work—Keto and Vegan Low-Carb. Both plans offer meals that are made with naturally low-carb ingredients. The Keto plan focuses more on meat-based dishes whereas the Vegan Low-Carb plan focuses on vegetable-rich meals.
Types Of Meals Fresh n Lean Meals Offers: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: The meals on their Keto plan are around 10 grams of carbohydrates and the meals on their Vegan Low-Carb plan are around 20 grams of carbohydrates.
Starting Price: Their Keto plan starts at $10 per meal and their Vegan Low-Carb plan starts at $9 per meal.
Our Favorite Low-Carb Fresh n Lean Meals:
- Cheesy Bacon Chicken with Broccoli (7 net carbs on the Keto meal plan)
- Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini and Kale (3 net carbs on the Keto meal plan)
- Roasted Vegetables with Caponata (18 net carbs on the Vegan Low-Carb meal plan)
- BBQ Broccoli Bowl (18 net carbs on the Vegan Low-Carb meal plan)
Why It Made This List:
- They use some of the highest quality ingredients we’ve seen out of any premade meal delivery service we’ve tried. Every meal is dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and uses organic produce. All seafood is wild caught, chicken is pasture raised, and beef is grass-fed.
- They’re one of the only meal delivery services that offers two different low-carb meal plans. This makes them a great option for either meat-based diets or plant-based diets.
- In addition to meals, they have many low-carb snacks too.
- They’re one of the only meal delivery services on this list that allow you to join a specific low-carb meal plan or order a la carte.
Best For Fully Organic Low-Carb Meals
Green Chef
What It Is: Known for their variety of healthy meal options, Green Chef’s Keto + Paleo plan offers some of the best tasting low-carb meals we’ve cooked to date. Not only are all Green Chef meals organic, they’re one of the only meal kits out there that are a certified organic company. Due to their commitment to prioritizing organic ingredients and from my personal using them, I believe Green Chef offers the cleanest low-carb meals out there.
Types Of Meals Green Chef Offers: Lunch and dinner.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: 20 grams.
Starting Price: $11.49 per meal.
Our Favorite Low-Carb Green Chef Meals:
- Parmesan-Crusted Chicken With Marinated Tomatoes & Green Beans with Hazelnuts (13 grams of carbohydrates)
- Blackened Barramundi With Dijonnaise Sautéed Collard Greens, Bell Pepper & Tomato, Toasted Pecans (11 grams of carbohydrates)
- Chicken With Mushroom & Caper Sauce Kale Salad With Radishes & Toasted Sunflower Seeds (12 grams of carbohydrates)
Why It Made This List:
- Green Chef is the only meal kit that is both certified organic and certified gluten-free.
- Having used Green Chef since 2018, we’ve found their meals to be very nutrient-dense.
- They are the most sustainable meal kit we’ve reviewed. 100% of the carbon and plastic is offset, their meal kit packaging is the most recyclable, and they work to ensure the proteins used come from farms that prioritize animal welfare.
Best For Active Low-Carb Dieters
Trifecta Nutrition (Keto Plan)
What It Is: If you live an active lifestyle, train, or are simply into physical fitness, Trifecta Nutrition covers your meal needs. They’re one of the few premade meal delivery services out there that offers a full day’s worth of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) as well as additional meal options for those who are extra hungry. Their Keto plan has meals with some of the lowest carbohydrates that we’ve ever tried.
Types Of Meals Trifecta Nutrition Offers: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, additional entrées, add-on proteins (chicken, beef, fish, bison, turkey, elk, and more), sides, and snacks.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: 9 net carbs.
Starting Price: $13.79 per meal.
Our Favorite Low-Carb Trifecta Nutrition Meals:
- Garlic Herb Elk Bites (13 grams of carbohydrates)
- Curry Grilled Chicken Breast (13 grams of carbohydrates)
- Beef Stroganoff (13 grams of carbohydrates)
Why It Made This List:
- Trifecta Nutrition is one of the only premade meal delivery services that offers up to 4 daily meals that are low-carb. This makes them perfect for those who are extra hungry or “bulking” up and need to stick to meals with lower portions of carbohydrates.
- They have the most add-on low-carb variety, including additional meats, sides, and snacks.
- From my experience, I’ve found that all of their meals are low-sugar and high-protein. Also, all of the ingredients they use are gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO.
Best For The Most Low-Carb Options
Sunbasket
What It Is: Sunbasket has been rated one of our top meal delivery services for years. This is because, year after year, they have evolved their meal delivery service to become more than just a meal kit. They’re one of the only meal delivery services that can replace grocery shopping entirely due to having everything from meal kits to fully premade meals as well as an add-on marketplace stacked with a variety of low-carb breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and sides.
Types Of Meals Sunbasket Offers: Meal kit meals, premade meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner, add-on meats, snacks, and desserts.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: 24 net carbs.
Starting Price: $10.99 per meal.
Our Favorite Low-Carb Sunbasket Meals:
- Mediterranean Meze Platter With Chicken And Spicy Tahini Dressing (19 grams of carbohydrates)
- Steaks And Romesco With Baby Broccoli, Squash, And Almonds (15 grams of carbohydrates)
- Black Angus Steaks With Chickpea, Artichoke, And Roasted Red Pepper Salad (18 grams of carbohydrates)
Why It Made This List:
- Sunbasket is the most customizable low-carb meal delivery service on this list. For example, if you’re a picky eater or are looking to avoid certain foods, you can select specific ingredients from meals you do not want to receive. This includes ingredients such as lamb, pork, beef, fish, poultry, and grains. Here's a screenshot of what I mean from the Sunbasket sign-up process.
- Out of all of the meal delivery services we have reviewed in the past, Sunbasket’s marketplace offers the most variety. In fact, it rivals many grocery delivery services we’ve tried.
- Having both low-carb meal kit and low-carb premade meal options allows you to tailor Sunbasket to fit your weekly routine. For example, on days we know we’re going to be busy, we opt for Sunbasket’s premade meals and on days when we want to make a home cooked meal, we order their meal kit options.
Best For Easy-To-Make Low-Carb Meals
Home Chef (Carb-Conscious Plan)
What It Is: Home Chef is one of the most popular meal kits out there and for good reason; they consistently deliver tasty and easy to cook low-carb recipes. They’re one of the few meal kits that offers oven-ready meals, which are fully prepped and simply need to be cooked in the oven with their provided pan. They also have quick-to-make meal kit options such as their 15 minute meal kit recipes which, as the name suggests, can be prepped and cooked within 15 minutes.
Types Of Meals Home Chef Offers: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, meat add-ons, bread, and dessert.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: 20 net carbs.
Starting Price: $6.99 per meal.
Our Favorite Low-Carb Home Chef Meals:
- Basil-Parmesan Crusted Salmon (10 grams of carbohydrates)
- Marinara Turkey Meatballs with Garlic Pepper Green Beans (22 grams of carbohydrates)
- Soy-Caramel Glazed Chicken With Garlic Broccoli And Bok Choy (20 grams of carbohydrates)
Why It Made This List:
- Home Chef is one of the only meal kits that allows you to customize your specific meals by swapping or doubling up on meats in certain dishes.
- From my experience having used Home Chef since 2017, their recipes prioritize simplicity without sacrificing taste.
- They’re one of the only low-carb meal delivery services out there that offer oven ready meals, which I’ve found makes cooking a breeze.
Best Low-Carb & Gluten-Free Option
FreshlyFit By Freshly
What It Is: Freshly is one of the most recognizable and oldest running premade meal delivery services out there. Their rise to popularity is mainly due to their commitment to high-quality, delicious tasting meals. In recent months Freshly has released a line of low-carb meals called “FreshlyFit”. These meals are packed with high-quality fats and lean proteins. What I enjoy most about FreshlyFit meals are that they are consistently delicious.
Types Of Meals FreshlyFit Offers: Lunch and dinner.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: 18 grams net carbohydrates.
Starting Price: $8.49 per meal.
Our Favorite Low-Carb FreshlyFit Meals:
- Oven-Baked Chicken Florentine with Creamed Spinach & Parmesan (15 grams of carbohydrates)
- Fiesta Beef Bowl with Citrus-Twisted Cauli Rice (16 grams of carbohydrates)
- Keto-Friendly Chicken Bowl with Super Greens Pesto & Cauli Rice (13 grams of carbohydrates)
Why It Made This List:
- All Freshly meals are certified gluten-free.
- Since first trying Freshly back in 2019, we’ve been very impressed with how tasty these premade meals have been.
- They’ve set high standards for all of the ingredients they use. Every meal is gluten-free, low-sugar, nutrient-dense (vegetables in every meal), and includes complex carbs.
- Being premade makes FreshlyFit meals very convenient to eat on the go.
Best Frozen Low-Carb Meals
Balance By BistroMD
What It Is: BistroMD is a frozen premade meal delivery service that focuses on weight-loss specific meals. Balance is their meal plan that focuses on weight-loss through low-carb meals. Out of all the premade meal delivery services we’ve reviewed, none have more options than BistroMD. Their low-carb plan has nearly 100 meals, snacks, and desserts to choose from.
Types Of Meals Balance by BistroMD Offers: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, sides, and desserts.
Average Carbohydrates Per Meal: 22 grams of net carbohydrates.
Starting Price: Meals are a la carte and there are no subscriptions. The average low-carb meal costs around $11.
Our Favorite Low-Carb Balance by BistroMD Meals:
- Grilled Salmon with Creamy Pesto (14 grams of carbohydrates)
- Smoked Chipotle Pork and Eggs (16 grams of carbohydrates)
- Herbed Chicken Parmesan (15 grams of carbohydrates)
Why It Made This List:
- They have an incredible amount of low-carb food selection and easily offer the most out of any other meal delivery service on this list.
- They are a frozen meal delivery service, which allow you to store their meals for longer periods of time.
- They’re the only low-carb meal delivery service on this list that is fully a la carte, rather than subscription based. This allows you to choose meals and have them delivered any time you want without being stuck to a recurring delivery schedule.
Our Process For Selecting The Low-Carb Meal Delivery Services On This List
Since launching this site in 2017, we’ve reviewed dozens of low-carb meal delivery boxes. Though we’ve found that not every single one is worth purchasing. Why? Some out there use low-quality ingredients, poor packaging, or greatly exaggerate exactly how low in carbohydrates their meal plans are.
To get to this list we had to consider over two dozen different low-carb meal delivery services. We began by narrowing down using the guidelines listed at the beginning of this article:
- They must offer low-carb meals or meal plan that are less than 35 grams of carbohydrates per meal.
- They must use high-quality ingredients.
- They must be able to ship nationwide.
- They must offer premade meals and/or meal kit options.
- Pricing must not exceed $12 per meal.
- There must be a rotating menu and/or a wide variety to choose from.
This narrowed down the list but as we began researching further, we began to exclude meal delivery services that were not the best low-carb options. For example, we considered HelloFresh’s “Carb Smart” plan but upon further inspection we found that many recipes on this plan are around 40 grams of carbohydrates. We also considered Blue Apron's WW meals but as I researched, I found that most of those meals were over 40 grams of carbohydrates too. Even most of the Blue Apron "Carb Conscious" meals are over 40 grams of carbohydrates (example here).
Why We Included Keto Meal Delivery Services
You may have read through the list above and wondered why we included so many meal delivery services with keto meal plans. If you’re unfamiliar, keto is a popular diet that focuses on heavily reducing carbohydrate intake while increasing healthy fats (such as nuts, olives, and coconuts). The average amount of carbs per day on the keto diet are around 50 or less. This means keto meal plans that many meal delivery services offer are perfect for those looking for low-carb meal delivery services.
Premade Low-Carb Meal Delivery Services vs. Low-Carb Meal Kits
You’ll notice in the list above we included low carb versions of both premade meal delivery services and meal kits. This is not only because both have low carb options but because both have their own benefits.
Premade low-carb meal delivery services are great for those who are looking to save as much time as possible. Of course, this comes at a premium since most premade meal delivery services are going to be more expensive than their meal kit counterparts. I tend to prefer premade meal delivery services myself because I’m not the best cook.
They’re also great for those who are starting a diet. I’ve used low-carb meal delivery services like Factor Meals for extended periods of time to “kick start” a diet because I don’t need to think about anything other than heating up the meal and eating it.
On the flip side, meal kits are a great option if you enjoy cooking and want to learn to make new low-carb recipes. Whenever we try a new meal kit meal that we enjoy, we’ll save the recipe using a 3-hole punch like this and put it in a binder to store it like this. I’ve found this to be a great way to organize recipes from meal kits that I want to make at a later date.
Food Box HQ Note: Regardless of whether you go with a low-carb premade meal delivery service or meal kit, be sure to check the carbohydrate levels on each meal. With most subscription based meal delivery services, if you do not select your meals for the week, they will automatically select them for you. There have been times in the past when we’ve ordered a box from a low-carb meal plan and some of the meals we’ve received have had over 40 grams of carbohydrates.
Low-Carb Foods To Look For In Your Meal Delivery Service
Around 2 to 3 times per year I will do a variation of a low-carb diet like keto or just simply reduce my carbohydrate intake when I feel like I’m putting on a little too much weight. Here are the low-carb foods I generally stick to so you can have an idea of what to look for when ordering meals from a low-carb meal delivery service:
- Eggs (0-1 carbohydrates)
- Beef (0 carbohydrates)
- Chicken (0 carbohydrates)
- Salmon (0 carbohydrates)
- Broccoli (0 carbohydrates)
- Brussels Sprouts (0 carbohydrates)
- Kale (0 carbohydrates)
Those foods by themselves may seem boring but look over the “favorite meals” section from each meal delivery service above and you’ll see that most of the meals incorporate foods from this list.
This is beautiful! You literally have no idea how much time you saved me... I have been dreading finding a true low-carb meal delivery service for my 77 year old grandmother. She can't drive any more because of her hip so she can't go out and get groceries. Plus the doctor said she needs to lose some weight and suggested a low carbohydrate diet. No more pasta! I didn't even know they have healthy pre-made meals delivered to your home these days. That is futuristic LOL.
Green Chef rocks! We've been using their super low-carb keto plan for a few weeks now and it's been a joy. We haven't had any "repeat" dishes like we have with another popular meal kit (which I won't bad mouth here haha). The keto diet is hard enough to stick to since it's super carb restrictive. These meal kits and even snack boxes make my life much easier......
I need to find a low carb meal delivery service that is low sodium but I have not seen any mention of these food boxes being low in sodium. Which is the right one for me?
If you need it to be premade, check out BistroMD. They have a huge selection and fit into multiple different diets. If you would prefer to cook the meals, Sunbasket is your best meal kit option. They also have a lot of variety when it comes to low-carb and low-sodium meals. I also love that they have a marketplace because it can replace 99% of grocery shopping.
I am wondering which of these food boxes has the best tasting meals? I have done atkins before but found it hard to find meals I like because of my carb cravings
That's a tough question to answer because the menu is different every week for each of the meal delivery services listed. In general though, I tend to think meal kit meals taste better than pre-made meal delivery services. This is due to the simple fact that you make meal kit meals in your own kitchen whereas pre-made meals are cooked at a central kitchen and shipped to you, so they're not as fresh. Sunbasket is one of my favorites when it comes to meal flavor. However, if you're looking for convenience and taste, Factor Meals is a great option to consider.
Which is the best for all 3 daily meals and has snacks? I would prefer to have all my meals and food covered. Trying this low carb thing this upcoming year!
Fresh n Lean covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as some low-carb snacks like nuts. Sunbasket is also another good option to consider because they have a full marketplace with more add ons and snacks than Fresh n Lean.
Which of these meal delivery services has the lowest carbs per meal?
Trifecta's meals are very low carb. The average meal is around 9 carbs. Do be aware that their meal delivery service is a bit more expensive than the others on this list though. Fresh n Lean's keto plan is very similar and comes in at a few dollars cheaper per meal but with around the same average carbs per meal. Here's an unboxing and taste test we did of their meals.
You can make these meals at home and save money! I don't know why people spend money on these things when it's cheaper to just buy the ingredients and find low carb recipes.
Many people use meal delivery services to help them save time in the kitchen and they're okay paying a little more for that convenience.
Im trying out the keto diet. Which is the best meal kit service here for that?
You may want to read our top picks for keto meal delivery services here. There is some overlap between the meal delivery services listed here and those but, if you're sticking to keto, you're much better off going with one of those instead.
Thank you! This made narrowing down our search for one of these lots easier!!
You're welcome!
My family uses HomeChef. It makes dinner easier but we only do the smallest meal plan so it's like 3 or 4 dinners a week from them I think. I'm thinking of asking my mom if we can increase so we can order more but if we do can I add snacks into our box?
As of right now, Home Chef doesn't have snacks but they do offer add-ons such as desserts.
Easiest to follow please?
Any of the pre-made meal delivery options listed here are going to be the easiest (since there is no cooking involved, only heating). Factor Meals, Fresh n Lean, and FreshlyFit are all good options to consider.
Dan, the videos are really helpful. It's super difficult to figure out all the portions/ingredients when in the store, and I only know a few low carb recipes. So I started searching for low carb meal delivery and found your website. I've had good success with buying snacks at Low Carb Cabana, but they don't offer fresh meals, so this was an awesome overview of options for low carb meal deliveries. I'll have to try a few to see which tastes best, but thanks again for this.
Hey Isabella, Thank you for the kind words! I really appreciate it :-).