You’ve looked at them all: the keto diet, Mediterranean diet, vegan diet, DASH diet, Paleo diet – and that’s just scratching the surface. After all, it’s not easy to make a serious commitment to changing a lifetime of eating habits, no matter how much weight you have to lose or what your health goals are.
You’ve compared and contrasted, you’ve read the reviews and testimonials, you’ve looked deep into your heart to determine whether you’d even be able to follow any diet plan over the long term.
And in terms of health benefits, you’ve picked a winner: the Paleo diet.
But there’s a huge catch: No dairy, no processed foods loaded with sugar and preservatives, no cereal, no grains, no juice, soda or artificial sweeteners, no (gulp) sweets? How on earth do you follow those rules – and still make meals that you’d be willing to eat?
Thankfully there’s an answer: having someone else do the hard work for you, by using one of the many Paleo meal delivery services now available.
How Healthy Paleo Food Becomes a Healthy Paleo Meal
If you’re considering a Paleo meal plan, you already know it’s largely based on eating healthy meals made from lean proteins and fresh veggies and fruit – anything that a caveman could have hunted and gathered thousands of years ago. (Which is why it’s sometimes referred to as the “Caveman Diet.”)
So you also know the primary ingredients which are Paleo-friendly:
- Lean meats and poultry (ideally hormone-free, grass-fed and/or organic)
- Game animals and fish
- A limited number of free-range eggs
- Non-starchy vegetables and some fruits (preferably all organic produce)
- Seeds, nuts, and oils made from them
At first glance, that looks like a real pain, involving a lot of expensive shopping at Whole Foods and health food grocery stores, and a mind-numbingly boring diet mainly consisting of chicken, fish and salads.
But first impressions can be deceiving, and your initial thoughts may not necessarily prove to be true. What would you think about a Paleo menu with the delicious meals below?
- Shrimp scampi with fettuccini
- Mustard-herb pork tenderloin
- Thai chili meatballs with a yummy stir-fry
- Pineapple chicken curry with cilantro-lime riced cauliflower
- Rosemary lamb leg with roasted kale salad, butternut squash and basil pesto
- A sweet potato frittata
Exactly. They sound and are delicious.
Here’s the point: you can have amazing meals when following the Paleo plan. And there are two ways to do it. You can spend a ton of time shopping for high-quality fresh ingredients, researching Paleo recipes, and buckling down to do meal prep after a long day at work. Or you can have someone else do most of the work for you.
The latter option sounds better to us. If it sounds better to you, a delivery service that specializes in Paleo meals is what you’re looking for.
What to Expect from Paleo Meal Delivery Services
First things first: expect Paleo meal kits to cost more, per dinner, than you’d pay to buy and cook a “normal meal” at home – which makes sense. You’re paying for Paleo-friendly, high-quality proteins and organic ingredients, which are more expensive than the stuff you pick up at the local grocery store.
You’re also paying for high-protein, low-carb Paleo meals specifically created by expert nutritionists, designed for effective weight loss and great taste, not just meals you throw together on your own.
Lastly, you’re paying for the convenience of having the correct fresh ingredients for your meal shipped to you, or in some cases, paying for the meals to already have been cooked in advance.
Here’s what you can expect:
- You’ll choose your meal options in advance, from an online weekly menu
- Most services will offer a choice of Paleo-friendly family plans, meals for two, or individual meals; some let you choose the number of meals per week and some provide plans with a set number of meals each week
- The majority of services will deliver just the ingredients and recipes; a few will deliver prepared Paleo meals
- Some services will offer à la carte add-ons for breakfasts, smoothies or snacks
- Some plans will let you choose a weekly delivery day for meals, and others to have a set delivery day you can’t change
- Most services will also offer a discount on your first order
The Top Paleo Diet Meal Kit Services
Each of the best Paleo meal delivery companies offers something a bit different. Here’s a quick summary, followed by our top choice:
- Green Chef: Organic and gluten-free ingredients for three Paleo meals each week, also offers plant-based vegan meal kits, fairly priced
- Sun Basket: Fresh ingredients for three gluten-free, dairy-free Paleo meals weekly, also fairly priced
- Trifecta Nutrition: Seven ready-to-eat organic, non-GMO, gluten-free meals available each week, meals can be refrigerated or frozen, à la carte and build-your-own plans are available, expensive
- Eatology: Full range of choices on number of pre-made meals, also delivers Zone and Primal diet kits, cost varies depending on choices
- Pete’s Paleo: Pre-cooked orders available for 5-20 meals weekly, uses farm-fresh ingredients, vegetarian and Sugar Detox programs available, prices vary
- Paleo on the Go: Pre-made individual or ten-meal packs, sustainably-sourced and gluten-free, auto-immune protocol-friendly option available, expensive
There are definitely some things to keep in mind when selecting a Paleo meal delivery service. Are they Paleo meals specifically created by dietitians, or just meal kits that emphasize protein instead of carbs? In order to maximize your results, you’ll want a company that sets you up for success!
Be sure to do your research on how the meals arrive. Are you getting ingredients and a recipe or fully-prepared meals? No one likes surprises, and if convenience is the name of the game for you, you’ll want to be sure to choose a company that offers the latter.
Lastly, you’ll want to be sure you’re clear on how the service works. With many meal delivery services being subscription-based, you’ll want to be sure to pick one that is easy to manage. Is the subscription easy to cancel? And what happens if you don’t pick your meals? The moral of the story is you’ll want to do your research.
Fortunately, there’s one service that’s thought of it all.
Our Top Choice for Paleo Diet Meal Kits
Our favorite Paleo meal delivery service is Factor, which offers a variety of meals for different dietary needs and preferences, including Paleo. Factor is very strict about what they put in their meals, and their chefs use only the highest quality, freshest ingredients available. All meals are gluten-free, non-GMO, free of refined sugars, antibiotics and hormones. Meats are pasture-raised and grass-fed.
Factor’s team of registered dietitians helps design every meal to optimize the nutrition. And as an added bonus, Factor also offers every new or prospective customer a free consultation to help maximize their success.
Factor offers a lot of flexibility, and plans vary from 4-18 meals per week. All meals are fully-prepared and delivered fresh, not frozen, ready for the oven or microwave. The subscription is very easy to manage, and you can skip, suspend or cancel any time.
Factor’s menu contains dozens of meal options (including breakfast) that you can choose from weekly, and their Paleo meals are clearly marked. Or you can have your menu picked for you! If you’re worried you’ll forget to select your meals, you can even add a preference on your account to indicate that you only want Paleo options!
Simply put, Factor offers delicious food that’s reasonably priced. We’ve found Factor to be the healthiest, most convenient Paleo meal kit plan.
