We’ve been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.
Our top picks include high protein, budget-friendly and keto-centric plans.
If you’re following a low-carb diet, it can be difficult to stick with it. Choosing the right kind and amount of carbs is important, especially since carbohydrates serve as your body’s main energy source. By limiting starchy carbs like breads and pasta and emphasizing more non-starchy choices as well as protein-rich foods, research suggests that you can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But preparing this type of diet at home can be costly and time consuming.
Meal delivery services can be a great solution for putting delicious high protein, low-carb meals on the table in no time. “These services have evolved over the years to meet the ever-changing demands of home cooks and accommodate different dietary preferences and lifestyles,” says Registered Dietitian Stefani Sassos, Deputy Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab. “You can choose from traditional meal kits to fully prepared meals, all of which offer options like high protein choices, keto-friendly meals and more.”
The best carb meal delivery services do the carb counting for you, but our experts say that just because you’re lowering your overall carbohydrate intake doesn’t mean it’s automatically a healthy choice. Make sure to incorporate a variety of vegetables, lower sugar fruits, whole grains and lean proteins such as chicken, fish, turkey and whole forms of soy.
The food and nutrition experts at Good Housekeeping Institute conducted a three-month long meal delivery services study. We surveyed over 800 individuals to find out which meal delivery brands they loved. Then, we recruited over 150 people, as well as our in-house experts, to test the services and make sure they lived up to the hype. We evaluated each on: low-carb meal variety, pricing, serving size, ingredients and availability. Below, we’ve rounded up the top-tested low-carb options.
The Green Chef was the first-ever keto meal kit, and it includes multiple low-carb options. This company is USDA certified organic. The meals are easy to prepare and can be cooked in 30 minutes or less.
How it works: Create your box by selecting the Keto+ Paleo option, some of the Fast & Fit meals will also fall into the low-carb category. Next step is to choose your box size or however many people will be eating, and whether you prefer three or four meals each week.
Once you choose your dietary preference, pre-measured ingredients, including recipes, are delivered weekly. Low-carb options include meals such as baked ricotta chicken with pesto green beans, smoky beef taco lettuce boats roasted zucchini and beef tenderloin with garlic-thyme butter.
Lab lowdown: Our testers gave this service high scores for quality ingredients, generous portion size, freshness and variety of meals and recipes. “I really liked the portion size of the meals. The flavor creativity was great,” reported one tester. Other testers commented that the recipes were very easy to follow with clear instructions.
Pricing: Meals start at $9.99. There is also a special “hero’s discount” for first responders, medical providers, nurses, teachers, military and veterans.
Serving size: Choose to feed two, four or six people, and pick three or four meals per week.
Packaging: Packaging is made from recycled, reusable and/or compostable materials.
Availability: Available everywhere in the continental United States, except for parts of Louisiana as well as Alaska and Hawaii.
SIGN UP NOW
Home Chef claims to be the meal-kit company with the highest rate of customer satisfaction. Offerings are available onlinw and at more than 2,000 Kroger grocery stores nationwide. Home Chef offers both prepared or low-prep meals and also pre-portioned ingredients that you can put together yourself at home. Their many low-carb options include meals such as tomato parmesan turkey meatloaf with goat cheese zucchini and Tex-Mex-style pork stuffed peppers.
How it works: Start by choosing pre-portioned ingredients or the low to no-prep meals. Next step you choose carb-conscious meals. You can also indicate foods you may want to avoid, including items like mushrooms or pork. The final step includes how many people you’re cooking for and how many recipes you would like to receive.
Lab lowdown: Our testers liked that meals required minimal prep-time or were easy to prepare with pre-portioned ingredients. Tester comments included that the portions were generous for two and the quick and easy preparation made it great for dinner. One tester said that “It’s always hard to find new dinner ideas so these are a perfect variety to keep everyone happy and full.”
Pricing: Meals cost $9.95 per serving and add-ons cost $4.95.
Serving size: Choose to feed 2, 4 or 6 people and pick three or four meals per week.
Packaging: Cardboard boxes, bottles and jars are fully recyclable in curbside bins.
Availability: Delivery available nationwide.
SIGN UP NOW
Performance Kitchen offers both prepared and frozen meals designed by registered dietitians and chefs. Brand Ambassadors include NFL pro Russell Wilson and integrative medicine practitioner, Dr. Robert Graham, Chef, MD, MPH. Meal plans have been developed to meet multiple dietary needs including low-carb, gluten-free and dairy-free, and can be enjoyed by people with specific health needs. All meals are low sugar, containing less than 4g added sugar and less than 600 mg sodium. No artificial ingredients or flavors are used in anything. Registered dietitians are available by phone or video if a consultation is desired.
How it works: Once you select your dietary plan, subscriptions can be set-up for weekly or monthly deliveries, or you can choose a la carte. Low-carb menu items include options like chimichurri chicken, chicken cashew satay and spaghetti squash and meat sauce among others.
Lab lowdown: Our testers loved that it was easy to use and great tasting with one noting “It’s something I can feel good about eating.” Others said that they loved the variety of dishes and easy instructions. But one user commented they wish the portions were bigger and had more veggies.
Pricing: Individual meals start at $8.99 and meal plan bundles start at approximately $108 for 12 meals.
Serving size: Meal plans provide 12 individual portions and each meal is portioned for one person.
Packaging: Individual meal boxes and plastic film coverings can be recycled. Paper sleeves and bowls are not yet recyclable but in the works.
Availability: Shipping is available nationwide.
SIGN UP NOW
Fresh N Lean was founded by Lauren Asseo when she was 18 years old to help her father who was experiencing health issues. She is now co-CEO with her brother, Thomas. Fresh N Lean claims to be the #1 ready-to-eat, organic meal delivery service. They source most ingredients from a local farm in California and use grass-fed, free-range and cage-free animal proteins. Their meals can be heated in two-three minutes and their menu features low-carb vegan options, as well as keto, paleo and Whole30 approved menus, which all contain low net carb options.
How it works: Start by choosing your plan or pick from the a la carte options. Add the number of meals you would like, and then pick 5- or 7-day delivery. Low-carb meals include BBQ steak with veggies and spinach pesto veggies. Plus, there are limited breakfast items such as blueberry chia pudding. You can select up to three ingredients to exclude from your meal plan including cilantro, elk and curry. All meals are delivered on Friday.
Lab lowdown: Our testers loved the convenience of meals and that everything was pre-made and just needed to be quickly re-heated. They also loved the variety of meal plan choices. One tester commented that “there was a great variety with some surprising choices as well. Food was not heavily seasoned, so it allowed for personal tastes.” One negative is that some testers had difficulty opening the packaging after it was heated.
Pricing: Meals cost $8-10 per serving and a la carte requires a minimum of $85 per week.
Serving size: Each meal is portioned for one person and you can receive 7-21 meals per/week.
Packaging: Cardboard boxes, bottles and jars are fully recyclable in curbside bins.
Availability: Delivery available nationwide.
SIGN UP NOW
Sunbasket offers organic ready-to-eat meals as well as traditional meal kits with pre-measured ingredients. Their menu features multiple dietary options including carb-conscious, which contains meals with 25-35g net carbs, and diabetes-friendly with 20-70 grams or less of carbs, (recipes are approved by the American Diabetic Association). Both plans incorporate healthy fats and more than 10 grams of protein per serving. All meals are created with a team of culinary chefs and registered dietitians.
How it works: Start by selecting meal kits or fresh & ready meals. Choose four or more servings from the weekly menu, meal kits offer two or four servings and fresh and ready are available in single servings. Low-carb menu options include Mediterranean turkey meatballs with swiss chard and red pepper-cashew crema, Burmese salmon salad with lemongrass and apple
Lab lowdown: Our testers liked that meals are customizable with one commenting “there were a great variety of options for my week based on the amount of time I had each day.” Other tester comments included that the portions were generous, and ingredients were fresh and creative. Another tester commented, “My family does low-carb a few days a week and this kit was customizable for our specific dietary needs.”
Pricing: Fresh & Ready meals cost $11.99 per serving, Meals kits cost $13.49 per serving.
Serving size: Meal kits provide two to four servings.
Packaging: Most of the packaging is recyclable or compostable and they’re working towards getting it 100%.
Availability: Delivery is available to most zip codes in the United States, excluding AK, HI, MT, ND and parts of NM.
SIGN UP NOW
Factor differentiates itself by providing fresh, not frozen, ready-to-eat meals that are designed by registered dietitians and chefs. This service offers a variety of preferences including Keto, weekly low-carb selections that can include meals such as ginger miso chicken with broccoli rice, pesto salmon with haricot vert and keto turkey chili and Brussels sprouts.
How it works: With a menu of weekly rotating meals, you start by choosing dietary preference, then select how many meals per week you would like to receive. FACTOR also offers 20-minute free nutrition consultations to help you select the best meals for your individual tastes and needs.
Lab lowdown: Our testers loved the convenience factors, commenting that the meals were “so convenient when you have a busy life and don’t always have time to cook a meal.” Other testers commented on the freshness of ingredients and how well-balanced the meals were. Our dietitian loved that subscribers were able to schedule a consult with a registered dietitian.
Pricing: Starts at $11 per meal plus free shipping.
Serving size: Each meal is an individual portion. Choose between 4-18 meals per week. Some breakfast options can provide two lighter breakfasts.
Packaging: Cardboard boxes, bottles and jars are fully recyclable in curbside bins.
Availability: Delivery available nationwide.
SIGN UP NOW