The 7 best meal kit delivery service for seniors for 2024

Cost: From $8 per meal | Meals arrive: Prepared | Menu options: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, shakes | Dietary Considerations: Heart-healthy, diabetic-friendly, dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb, low-fat, low-sodium, vegetarian, Mediterranean, menopause | Covered by Medicaid or Medicare Advantage: No

Silver Cuisine, a branch of BistroMD, offers doctor and dietician-designed meals geared specifically toward the 50-and-up crowd and unlike the typical weekly meal delivery service, Silver Cuisine is based on a pay-as-you-go plan. There are no contracts or subscriptions to keep up with or worry about canceling. It's as easy as ordering the meals you want for a week or two, and when you’re finished eating those meals, place a new order. The dietary considerations for seniors are also something to rave about. There are heart-healthy and Mediterranean options, as well as meals for people with diabetes and those going through menopause. Meals include a cheese omelet with turkey sausage, chicken pad thai, Moroccan lentil and sweet potato stew, Merlot chicken meatballs with orzo pasta, cheesecake and protein shakes.

It’s worth noting that some of these meals can get pricey — some seafood options cost around $18 per serving — but there is a section for meal options on sale to help offset some of the pricier picks. Free shipping is available for orders over $99, and AARP members get 25% off and free shipping on their first order, and 10% off with free shipping on all following orders.

Cost: From $10 per serving | Meals arrive: Kits with pre-portioned ingredients or prepared | Menu options: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, snacks, prepared meals, wine, and extra proteins | Dietary Considerations: carb-conscious, 600 calories or less, vegan and vegetarian, high-protein, wellness, family-friendly, and fast and easy | Covered by Medicaid or Medicare Advantage: No

For seniors who are looking for fresh, wholesome meals for two or more people (and want to skip a few trips to the grocery), we recommend Blue Apron. It is a personal favorite of mine that I have subscribed to for a few years. During the pandemic, it was a life-saver to be able to feed my family breakfast, lunch, dinner and even healthy snacks and desserts for what I considered the same amount of money I’d spend at the grocery store, if not less. Skipping the food shopping led to skipping the junk food and extras I didn’t need but bought anyway. Most of all, Blue Apron took the guesswork out of planning, purchasing and lugging home all the ingredients needed to prepare healthy, flavorful meals — something seniors who aren’t feeling as mobile as they once were can appreciate it.

With Blue Apron’s “Prepared & Ready” meals, seniors who want easy-to-cook meals will love having something healthy and tasty that’s ready to eat in as little as two minutes. Of course, you can stick with the meal kits Blue Apron is known for, which consist of pre-portioned ingredients so you can whip meals up from scratch. Choose from more than 80 menu options, add-ons like breakfast and lunch, prepared meals, salads and even charcuterie boards. Everything you need for each meal comes in the meal kit (down to the butter, vinegar and sesame oil).

Better yet, do a mix of both meal kits and prepared meals by adding on the “Prepared & Ready” meals to your meal kit order each week. Whatever option you choose, Blue Apron caters towards a large range of dietary needs, from vegetarian and vegan, to keto-friendly and carb conscious. I love the ability to customize the meals with preferred proteins, including swapping red meat for fish or shrimp. Plus, it's easy to skip a week if you are going on vacation or cancel via the app or website. Some great introductory offers are also available, so look for those when signing up.

Cost: From $8 per meal | Meals arrive: Freshly prepared | Menu options: Breakfast, lunch and dinner | Dietary Considerations: General diets, diabetic, vegetarian, low-sodium, gluten-free, renal-friendly, cancer support, pureed meals | Covered by Medicaid or Medicare Advantage: Yes

Who would have thought that even in your Golden years, “mom’s meals” would still be your mainstay for nourishment? And just like the meals your mom may have made, these are freshly prepared for you. If you’re a Medicaid or Medicare recipient, they could be free, too! Each of the service’s medically-tailored meals comes fully prepared, fresh (not frozen), and is designed to last up to two weeks in the refrigerator or can be frozen for a later date.

Another feature of Mom’s Meals is the attention to dietary needs, which is not always common in meal delivery kits. In addition to the general health, diabetic, heart-healthy and low-sodium meal options, there are also pureed options, cancer support kits, meals catered to dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), and meals designed for those with chronic kidney disease.

Last but most certainly not least, if you’re a Medicaid or Medicare recipient, contact your health plan to see if you are eligible to receive a home-delivered meals benefit. You could also contact your Area Agency on Aging to see if you qualify for government-funded programs that will cover the service’s cost.

Cost: From $7 per meal | Meals arrive: Prepared | Menu options: Breakfast, lunch and dinner | Dietary Considerations: Weight loss, heart-healthy, plant-based, low-calorie, diabetic, vegan, keto | Covered by Medicaid or Medicare Advantage: No

BistroMD provides low-effort, fully prepared frozen meals designed by doctors and dieticians, with an emphasis on weight loss. There are low-calorie diets, heart-healthy meals, gluten-free options, plant-based meals or diabetic-friendly dinners. There are also programs designed specifically for men's and women's needs, including those who may be dealing with menopause symptoms regularly.

Choose from the more than 150 meal options or you can let the meals be selected based on your dietary preferences. Meal plans start at $150 for five days of lunches and dinners — equaling about $7 per meal — or you can opt for the full program, which includes daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner options for $220. There are even more meal plan options to choose from that may better fit your lifestyle and budget. There’s always the option to skip a week whenever you need to, and you can cancel anytime.

Cost: $10 per meal | Meals arrive: Frozen | Menu options: Breakfast, lunch and dinner | Dietary Considerations: Diabetes-friendly, heart-healthy, renal-friendly, cancer support, gluten-restricted | Covered by Medicaid or Medicare Advantage: Yes

Since 1997, Homestyle Direct has stayed true to its vision of “providing delicious, healthy, homestyle meal options to vulnerable populations facing food insecurity and health challenges.” There are about 40 to 50 meal options to choose from, which change seasonally. Choose from breakfast, lunch and dinner options categorized as cancer-support, diabetes-friendly, gluten-restricted, heart-healthy, and renal-friendly meals. One thing to note is that Homestyle Direct’s meals are delivered every other week, which makes it less frequent than other meal services on this list. The meals also come frozen with instructions on how best to thaw and reheat.

While the menu options are not as robust as other meal delivery services on this list, the potential to receive them completely free is a major bonus for many seniors on limited incomes. Individual caseworkers are available to help you sign up for Homestyle Direct’s services by getting you the best financial aid and support possible.

Cost: From $7 - per meal | Meals arrive: Frozen| Menu options: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts | Dietary Considerations: Dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb, low-fat, low-sodium, vegetarian | Covered by Medicaid or Medicare Advantage: Yes

Magic Kitchen is one of the most unique meal delivery services I have ever come across, because it meets customers wherever they are in life. If you have a busy, active lifestyle that keeps you on the go and the last thing you want to do is cook dinners after a busy day, there are single-serving heat-and-eat à la carte meals. There are sides or meals specifically packaged for two or four people, all with or without desserts so you can choose your meals based on your plans that week. Since there are no contracts, you can order meals for one week and then not again for a month with no fee or penalty.

If you have mobility limitations, opt for the bundled meals in sets of eight or 15, which include nutritionally balanced meals like beef stew, chicken marsala, braised beef bourgogne, mushroom soup, potato soup, and cranberry orange muffins that come in one delivery that can be easily stocked in your refrigerator and freezer and eaten on your own schedule. There are also economically-priced trial packs, such as a 15-meal bundle that offers low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, portion-controlled meals, or a renal- or dialysis-trial pack with 12 lunch or dinner meals and three breakfasts.

With no contracts to worry about, you can order meals only when you need them. Another bonus is the ability to have the meals covered by your healthcare provider, Meals on Wheels, Medicare or Medicaid. For pay-as-you-go, out-of-pocket meals, the costs are between $7 and $13, plus shipping.

Cost: From $11 per meal | Meals arrive: Freshly prepared | Menu options: Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks | Dietary Considerations: Protein+, Vegan (standard and low-carb), Whole30, keto, Paleo, Mediterranean, Vegetarian | Covered by Medicaid or Medicare Advantage: No

Fresh N Lean’s meals include organic ingredients, sustainably sourced proteins, dietician- and doctor-approved meals, eco-friendly packaging and more than 100 organic menu items to choose from each week. For seniors focused on premium, high-protein, low-effort meals, Fresh N Lean is our top pick. The Tuscan vermicelli noodle bowl, Greek lemon garlic chicken quinoa bowl with feta, and Basa with Mediterranean vegetable medley caught my eye immediately. In addition to the lunch and dinner options, you also have the option to add on breakfast and snacks that are gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free. We'd choose the organic chocolate drizzled macaroons or smokey BBQ almonds first.

Meals arrive freshly prepared with locally sourced organic ingredients that are never frozen and ready to heat and eat. Deliveries are weekly, but you can easily skip a week or cancel anytime.