Advertisement
5 Of The Best Mediterranean Meal Delivery Services Of 2024 Packed With Whole Foods & Healthy Fats
There's a reason the Mediterranean diet has been around for over 70 years; it's been linked to longevity, metabolic health, and brain health, among other impressive health benefits.
While a Mediterranean diet is certainly not as restrictive as other eating plans (such as the keto diet) it does require planning to ensure you're hitting a good balance of healthy fats, carbohydrates, and lean proteins—and that's where the best Mediterranean diet meal delivery services come in.
- Best with wine: Blue Apron
- Best for families: Green Chef
- Best prepared: Purple Carrot
- Best budget: HelloFresh
- Best meal kit: Sunbasket
Since the Mediterranean lifestyle also promotes the importance of social relationships1, we chose to skip ready-to-eat meal delivery services and instead opted for meal kits with servings for multiple people. While most meal delivery services don't curate their options specifically to a Mediterranean diet, they do offer a wide variety of recipes that fall into this eating pattern.
We vetted each option on our list for quality, variety, sustainability, price, and taste—and we ultimately landed on five options for the best Mediterranean meal delivery services. Learn more about our top picks and our selection process below.
Blue Apron
While you shouldn't start consuming red wine just to follow the Mediterranean diet, moderate consumption is encouraged. Blue Apron's wine program helps you perfectly pair choices with the brand's weekly rotation of recipes.
The details
The details
You won't have a curated Mediterranean diet menu, but Blue Apron's Wellness plan follows similar basics: whole ingredients and healthy fats. These nutritionist-approved recipes feature sustainably sourced seafood, non-GMO produce, and antibiotic- and hormone-free meats available in up to four servings per meal.
Example meals:
- Sheet pan salmon with green goddess potatoes and arugula
- Black bean and quinoa bowls with guacamole and roasted sweet potatoes
- Za'atar tilapia and vegetable farro with harissa-honey glaze and tzatziki
Sustainability & quality: Blue Apron hit its goal for carbon neutrality in March 2022, making the brand one of the more sustainable choices. Along with following an animal welfare policy, the meal delivery service is on a mission to make all packaging either compostable, reusable, or recyclable by the end of 2025.
Pros & cons
Pros & cons
Pros
- Improves culinary skills
- Carbon neutral
- Humane animal treatment
Cons
- Not fully organic
Green Chef
Image by Green Chef
Image by Green Chef
The good news? green chef is a USDA certified organic company, so you'll reduce food waste and get all the high-quality ingredients you need without a trip to the grocery store. The bad news? While you can filter your preferred meal type to the Mediterranean diet on the sign up page, this actually directs you to Green Chef's Balanced Living meal plan.
The details
The details
This meal plan is not Mediterranean diet-specific, so you may need to give the recipes a little extra vetting to ensure they fit your desired eating pattern. Typically, the recipes offer a balance of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates with a mix of vegetarian, meat, and seafood options. (All example meals came directly from the Balanced Living meal plan.)
Example meals:
- Smoky tilapia with rémoulade and cheesy cauliflower grits
- Harissa-spiced shrimp with cauliflower and slaw
- Garlic-honey chicken with couscous kale salad and almonds
Sustainability & quality: Green Chef was the first meal delivery service to go carbon-emission-neutral and sets the precedent for making the process more sustainable than the typical grocery supply chain. Along with selecting completely organic ingredients, the brand partners with sustainability organizations to ensure it lives up to the "green" in its name.
Pros & cons
Pros & cons
Pros
- Improves culinary skills
- 6-serving meals
- Organic
Cons
- Smaller menu
- Delivery fee
- Limited allergen filters
Purple Carrot
Image by Purple Carrot
While seafood is often considered an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, it's not a necessity as long as you're sticking to a produce-heavy diet with plenty of fat. Plant-based meal delivery service Purple Carrot gives a robust selection of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options to stick to your eating plan with filters for gluten-free, high protein, or under-600 calorie meals.
The details
The details
Unlike other brands, Purple Carrot doesn't charge a delivery fee, but its offerings are pricier. Save money by opting for larger serving sizes (up to four per kit) and more deliveries—with recipes this delicious, you won't mind having leftovers. Plus, it offers both prepared options and meal kits.
Example meals:
- Falafel bowl with harissa glazed carrots and dill garlic sauce
- Loaded avocado toast with dill and seeds
- Sumac tofu fattoush with kalamata olives and creamy cucumber dressing
Sustainability & quality: Purple Carrot prioritizes organic ingredients when possible but doesn't promise a fully organic meal, instead focusing on quality and seasonal availability. It also works with the Farmlink project, which connects farmers to food banks to prevent food waste. Plus, recycling is easy thanks to the brand's in-depth onsite guide.
Pros & cons
Pros & cons
Pros
- No shipping fee
- Plant-based
- Ready-to-eat options
Cons
- Pricier per serving
HelloFresh
HelloFresh likely needs no introduction—it's a leader in the meal delivery space. But that innovation is far from over: The brand lets you swap out sides and proteins to make a recipe your own with the HelloCustom plan, ensuring you're able to adapt recipes to suit the Mediterranean diet. Whether you're swapping steak for salmon or switching processed sides for veggies, it's possible to transform the recipes to work for you, not the other way around.
The details
The details
Additional filters allow you to search for family-friendly, pescatarian, vegetarian, or quick-and-easy meals from the weekly catalog of more than 30 recipes. Bonus: Servings are super affordably priced.
Example meals:
- Roasted veggie kale salad with chicken
- Chickpea-powered Mediterranean bulgur with zucchini
- Pesto-spiced shrimp with pesto couscous and blistered tomatoes
Sustainability & quality: HelloFresh visits every supplier facility to ensure it's up to standards, although it doesn't focus on organic ingredients. Its biggest sustainability standout is creating a team specifically to reduce packaging waste by testing new materials and new products to work toward less waste.
Pros & cons
Pros & cons
Pros
- Affordable
- Customizable
Cons
- Not Mediterranean diet-specific
- Not organic
Sunbasket
Spend less time stressing over your meal selection with Sunbasket's curated Mediterranean plan. It lets you filter out meals that fit the lifestyle's criteria, along with additional filters for gluten-free, pescatarian, or vegetarian recipes.
The details
The details
Get even more specific with options to skip soy, dairy, shellfish, and more to ensure the final food selection best suits your body's needs. You'll also have the choice of ready-to-eat meals or meal kits—although we prefer the latter for more control over your menu. Just be sure to look for the "speedy" options in the recipe description if your weekdays tend to run low on time.
Example meals:
- Chicken breasts with olive-leek sauce and sautéed kale
- Lentil, mushroom, and apricot burgers with arugula salad
- Curried salmon and kale salad with warm carrot-ginger vinaigrette
Sustainability & quality: Almost all produce is organic with rare exceptions, earning Sunbasket high marks for quality ingredients. A majority of packaging is also recyclable or compostable with the brand actively working toward 100%.
Pros & cons
Pros & cons
Pros
- Mostly organic
- Variety
Cons
- Longer prep time
- Shipping fee
- Pricier per serving
Comparing the best Mediterranean meal delivery services
| Product | Best for | Dietary considerations | Max meals per week | Shipping fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Apron | Those wanting a wine option | "Low-carb/Vegetarian/WW-approved" | 4 | $9.99 |
| Green Chef | Families | "Gluten-free/Paleo/Keto/Mediterranean/ Vegetarian/Vegan/Low-calorie" | 4 | $9.99 |
| Purple Carrot | Those who want pre-pared meals | "Gluten-free/High-protein/Soy-free/Low-calorie" | 4 | Varies |
| HelloFresh | Those on a budget | "Vegetarian/Beef-free/Pork-free/Seafood-free/Low-calorie" | 6 | $9.99 |
| Sunbasket | Those who want a complete meal kit | "Gluten-free/Low-carb/Paleo/Mediterranean/ Pescatarian/Vegetarian/Dairy-free" | 5 | $7.99 |
How we picked the best Mediterranean meal delivery services
- Quality: We searched for the highest quality of ingredients with an emphasis on organic options that are sustainably or locally sourced.
- Variety: We scanned every menu to ensure customers felt empowered with options. We also made sure the brand allows for customization based on dietary needs.
- Sustainability: We vetted each brand's commitment to staying green as part of our requirements.
- Price: Every food budget is different, so we provided a range of options to suit different allowances.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The best part of the Mediterranean diet is that it emphasizes eating a robust rotation of whole foods rather than drastically restricting what you can eat. This flexible approach has made it a popular pick for many, and U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking even picked it as the best overall diet.
The base of the diet is whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, herbs, and spices—all familiar additions to anyone who follows the Blue Zone diet. It also incorporates lean protein from fish and seafood with a less regular consumption of poultry, eggs, cheese, and yogurt.
While you can eat red meat and processed foods, they tend to be limited. Of course, there is one unexpected part of this diet: the encouragement of moderate red wine consumption, which is high in antioxidants2.
Just remember: The Mediterranean diet is more a lifestyle than a diet. It also encourages regular physical activity and social relationships. In fact, a 2020 cross-sectional study found3 a link between social support and sticking to a Mediterranean diet, although further studies are needed.
Benefits of the Mediterranean diet
- Has been shown to promote heart health4
- Studies indicate it could increase longevity5
- Emphasis on healthy fats, nuts, and oils
- A more effective method of weight loss6 than a low-fat diet
- Linked to a reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes7 and metabolic syndrome8
- Associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer9
- Could delay or reduce the risk of Alzheimer's10 disease and depression11
- Non-restrictive
FAQ
Does HelloFresh do a Mediterranean diet?
While HelloFresh does not offer a specific Mediterranean diet meal plan, the meals are easily adaptable to suit this style of eating.
Does Blue Apron have a Mediterranean diet plan?
Sort of; Blue Apron does not offer a Mediterranean meal plan, however the wellness plan best replicates the basics of the popular Blue Zone diet. It encourages whole ingredients and healthy fats, as well as moderate red wine consumption with the brand's wine program.
Are Mediterranean diet meal delivery services good for weight loss?
Not only have studies show that the Mediterranean diet is a more effective method of weight loss than a low-fat diet, it also boasts plenty of other health benefits. As previously stated, studies have linked the Mediterranean diet to promoting heart health and a longer life span.
The takeaway
The Mediterranean diet may promote longevity, but it can still be a time-consuming and expensive way of eating.
A Mediterranean diet meal delivery service saves you time and money by skipping the grocery list in favor of a weekly delivery to your door—and we've already found the best services.
Whether you're a plant-based eater seeking new recipes or a pescatarian hoping to invigorate your taste buds, our curated list has an option for you that'll make it feel like you're living on the Mediterranean coast. Flights not included.
11 Sources
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/mediterranean-diet-pyramid-today-science-and-cultural-updates/70359644D12A038AC003B935AA04E120
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10940346/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7681167/
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303?query=recirc_curatedRelated_article
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5902736/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8017325/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4011042/
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/199488
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5691680/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20182044
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29775747
Watch Next
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
What Is Meditation?
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins
Box Breathing
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
What Breathwork Can Address
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
Nutrition | Rich Roll
What to Eat Before a Workout
Nutrition | Rich Roll
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Nutrition | Sahara Rose
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
Love Languages
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
What Is Meditation?
Box Breathing
What Breathwork Can Address
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
What to Eat Before a Workout
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love Languages
Advertisement
How To Use Food To Recover From Autoimmunity: An MD's Top 4 Tips
Sara Szal Gottfried, M.D.
