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Cheapest Meal Delivery Services

We’ve compiled Australia’s cheapest meal delivery services and compared providers and information to provide you with insights on how to choose the best meal delivery!

Rose Fenasse
- Updated : August 13, 2023
Fact checked Fully qualified and expert nutritionists have reviewed and checked this content to ensure it is as accurate as possible at the time of writing.

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What are meal delivery services and what makes them so cheap?

A meal delivery service is a service where customers can order fresh or frozen ready to eat meals directly to their homes. Customers can choose a service that meets their preferences by flavour, quantity, portions, dietary restrictions, location and cost. Meals are prepared in bulk which lowers premiums for consumers and individually pre-portioned and packed. This eliminates the cooking and preparation time out of meals leaving customers to simply heat meals and enjoy.

Meal Kits are often cheaper by serve in comparison to a prepared meal service this can be equated to a few reasons such as:

  • Ingredients are sourced in bulk by suppliers
  • The consumer receives pre portioned amounts of ingredients eliminating waste potential
  • They don’t supply staple ingredients such as oils, egg, butter etc.
  • Some providers such as dinnerly have reduced waste and packaging including recipe cards allowing the consumer to download it online
  • Recipes have been simplified meaning recipe ingredients are kept to a minimum.

What is Australia’s most popular affordable meal delivery service?

meal delivery services

One of Australia’s most favourite meal delivery services based on availability, easiness and price is My Muscle Chef.

Customers can source My Muscle Chef meals in stores and online with a huge range of nutritionally optimised meals with plenty of flavours to choose from at competitively low prices.

My Muscle Chef also caters to a range of health-related goals such as workout fuelled meals, muscle building, weight loss and healthy eating.

Cheapest gluten-free meal delivery service?

Meal kit provider Dinnerly offers meal options as cheap as $5.25 per serve

However, if you’re looking for a ready to eat gluten-free meal service Garden of Vegan offers gluten-free meals as low as $9.95 per serve.

gluten free meal delivery service-min

Are there any NDIS approved meal delivery services?

Yes, there are many NDIS approved meal delivery services explore our NDIS page to find a service that meets your needs.

Garden of Vegan offers NDIS meals starting from $2.20 per serve. 

Good Meal Co offers NDIS meals starting from $1.50 per serve.

activate-foods-dairy-free

Most affordable meal delivery in NSW

  • Soulara – Offers affordable plant based meal delivery options, with ready to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items. Cost per serve averages around $8.50 per meal.


    Check out more Vegan meal delivery options in Sydney to compare more plant based providers in your area!

Vegan Soulara
Check out Soulara!

Most affordable meal delivery in Victoria

  • Youfoodz – offers fresh ready-made meals, snacks and beverages by delivery or instore.

    They deliver to most areas in Australia with serves starting from $9.95.
youfoodz-hello-fresh
Check out Youfoodz!

Most affordable meal delivery in Queensland

  • Macros – offer fresh pre prepared meals delivered with single serves or family servings to meet most needs including dietary requirements.

    They deliver to most areas in Australia and meals start from as little as $9.40 per serve.
Macros dairy free meals
Check out Macros!

Most affordable meal delivery in other states

  • Chefgood – offers an array of meals designed by chefs and nutritionists. Their meals start from $10.80 per serve offering delivery to NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA.
  • My Muscle Chef –  offers a wide range of fresh prepared meals delivered Australia wide or in store. Meals start from as low as $9.30 per serve and their range caters to a number of health related goals and dietary restrictions. 
Chefgood Everyday Wellness meal delivery
Check out Chefgood!

Are there any cheap meal delivery services that are healthy?

Soulara Vegan Meals

Soulara is a popular, cheap plant-based meal delivery service offering vegan meals that are nutritionally designed to include high protein options which create a satiating balance to meals. They’re range offers a range of different flavours and nutritionally tailored options to cater to a number of dietary requirements and health orientated goals i.e. gut health, mood, immunity etc.

The Soulara meals start from $8.50 per serve and are delivered throughout NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA.

 

What are the Pros & Cons of meal delivery services?

low carb meals pros and cons

Meal Delivery Pros

  • Budget-Friendly - This can be a more cost-effective alternative to buying groceries and preparing meals regularly
  • Allows for meal planning throughout the week - Having a meal service organised allows for consumers to know what meal times are throughout the week taking pressure off planning and preparation.
  • Are a great alternative to take away - If customers need a break from cooking or even need a meal available for workdays or busy nights, having a meal delivered and stored in the fridge is a great way of avoiding takeaway options.

Meal Delivery Cons

  • Cheaper services may not offer high-quality ingredients - If you are looking for ingredients that are high quality and locally sourced you will need to ensure meal delivery services that are cheaper are meeting the quality you are looking for.
  • Companies may stick to a smaller menu to eliminate high costs - You may find cheaper providers don't have an extensive and rotating seasonal menu as meals are prepared in bulk to meet cheaper costs.
  • Companies that offer cheaper meal delivery may not offer customisations - If you have a dietary preference or requirement you may not find this as an option with all providers.

What are some cheap meals suitable for uni students?

For those students looking to eat healthy without breaking the bank, looking at a meal delivery service may be the most cost effective and time-saving step while focusing on studies.

Some affordable prepared meal services that students can throw in the fridge or take to uni with them include:

For those students that have a little bit more time and adventure in their scheduling they may want to experiment with some affordable meal kit services. Some popular meal kits to try include:

Key factors when comparing cheap meal delivery companies

When choosing the right option for you, consider the following factors:

Location

Ensure meal delivery services are available in your state and specific suburbs, most provider pages have a postcode tracker to determine if delivery is available.

Cost per meal VS a higher quantity order

Typically meal delivery services are cheaper with larger orders as an incentive to order more meals. If you are planning to order a few prepared meals, look to see if the meal provider offers meal package deals.

Nutrition

Ensure meals that you are ordering offer adequate nutrition and are going to satisfy you. Check the nutritional labels and ingredient contents to determine if they meet your nutritional requirements. It can also help to see if meals are constructed by a dietitian or nutritionist.

Health Goals

Ensure the meals you are ordering align with your personal health goals. If you have a specific health goal such as increasing muscle, optimising performance, losing weight or managing a diet requirement ensure you investigate the provider and its catering allowances before committing to an order.

Cheapest Meal Delivery FAQs

Not necessarily, this depends on your health goals and also your time management. If you have no issue shopping, preparing and cooking meals then a meal delivery service may not be needed for you. However, if you’re struggling to come up with ideas for mealtimes, are tired of the same recipes, or are simply time-poor, a meal delivery service can be a great addition to eliminating stress around mealtimes.

This will vary from person to person, however, it can end up being cheaper especially for singles if they are buying and preparing meals just for themselves. It can eliminate the need for being more of singular ingredients that may not be reused throughout other meals.

Yes a popular weight loss meal delivery service that is competitively cheaper than most services is My Muscle Chef.

Yes a popular cheap meal delivery service that is vegan only is Soulara.

Not all will cater to your individual needs, if you’re unsure of meal service you can take our meal finder quiz to find out a service that caters to your needs.

There is plenty of cheap meal kit options available a popular one is Every Plate offering meals from as cheap as $4.85 per serve.

Most of these meal delivery services offer meals that would appeal to the elderly, if there are specific dietary requirements or unsure of a service that is right for them and their budget take our meal finder quiz  to find out a service that caters to your needs. 

  • Prepared salads – using canned lentils, beans or legumes for protein. Look for cans with no added salt and wash well before consuming! Prepare mixed leaves, veges of choice, a starchy carb or brown rice and pair with a salad dressing of juice or lemon juice. 
  • Overnight Oats – add spices and flavours like vanilla with seeds, nuts, berries. 
  • Chia Pudding – add protein powders, flax seeds, vanilla or cinnamon to flavour. This is a great breakfast or snack filler. 
  • Burrito Bowls – Brown rice with a handful of mixed leaf and protein of choice, paired with canned beans and salsa.
  • One Pan Roasts – Roast vegetables of choice in spice mix and pair with a protein source of your choice. This is good for meal prepping over the week into separate containers and pairing with a tuna can and a salad mix.

Search and compare wellness and health delivery services in Australia including meal kits, ready to eat meal delivery, vitamin subscriptions and much more at Wellhub. All content and information on this site is provided by qualified Australian nutritionists to ensure accurate representation of all products reviewed. Learn more about our expert team here.