| # NAME | AVG MEAL COST | DELIVERY LOCATIONS |
|---|---|---|
| $7.50 (per 3 meals) | NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD | |
| $7.99 (per 3 meals) | NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, WA, NT, TAS | |
| $11.33 (per 3 meals) | NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, WA, NT, TAS | |
| $9.99 (per 10 meals) | NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, WA | |
| $12.30 (7 meals) | NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA |
In Australia, we have some of the freshest and best produce available, but it does come at a price. So if youâre trying to find meals to feed yourself and your family without breaking the bank or budget, it can be a struggle.
One way weâve found to better budget your food costs for the week is using a meal delivery provider. Not only can the cost per meal often work out cheaper than when you buy and cook your own meals, you also take the hassle out of having to go to the shops, spend time buying the food and getting home, unpacking and washing the produce and so on.
So, if youâre looking for the cheapest meal delivery provider in Australia, weâve got you covered.
In this article, weâll be looking at who offers the cheapest single meal on average (because many providers offer varying discounts on bulk orders), as well as any intro deals offered.
Can we skip to the CHEAPEST and most affordable meal delivery provider?
OK so youâre looking for a cheap meal and want to know our top recommendation, the cheapest meal delivery provider AustraliaâŠ
First, we have to preface by saying in our list we have both ready-made meals and meal kit providers. Ready-made meals are easier to work out cost per serve, whereas meal kits can get a bit trickier as you typically have to buy a meal plan, and choose the amount of people (anywhere from 2-6) and the number of meals per week.
The more people and the more meals, the cheaper each meal becomes. Itâs similar to ready-made meals when you buy a plan, individual meals become cheaper. Except with ready-made meals, youâre typically buying for one person.
So, we tried to break it down as fairly as possible by choosing the minimum number of people and meals per week with the meal kits (2 people for 3 meals per week).
In saying that, the cheapest meal delivery provider in Australia who offers on average the cheapest cost per single meal is:
EveryPlate.
With meals at around $7.50 per plate (2 people for 3 meals per week), it really doesnât get cheaper than that.
The List of the Best Cheapest Meal Delivery Providers
If youâre looking for a good deal on meal delivery services, Mealprep has put together a list of the top 5 cheapest meal providers to help you choose the right one for you and your needs.
Howâd we make this list?
We based our list on the following criteria:
- Average cost per meal: whatâs the average cost per meal?
- Average size per meal: whatâs the average size (g) per meal?
- Delivery locations: where in Australia do they deliver?
Delivery cost: is delivery free?
Weâve also put together a bunch of handy tips and FAQs on how you can save money when shopping for groceries, and a whole lot more. Letâs get to it!
1. EveryPlate (meal kit)
AVG MEAL COST: $7.50 (per 3 meals)
AVERAGE SIZE PER MEAL: 500g
DELIVERY LOCATIONS: NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD
DELIVERY COST: $9.99
The cheapest meal kit delivery provider in Australia is EveryPlate. EveryPlate delivers a lower price per plate by cutting out the frills. Everything you need and nothing you donât. Just quality ingredients and a selection of fuss-free recipes with 4 simple steps, for a guaranteed tasty feed.
Itâs also great for big families as you can cater for 2, 4 or up to 6 people, choosing between 3-6 meals per week.You can also choose meals that are rated as vegetarian, premium, quick & easy, kid approved and customer top-rated.
Itâs not great news for allergy sufferers, with the only dietary option you can choose being vegetarian.
Discounts: As of July 2022, you can get a total of $52 OFF throughout your first 3 boxes.
2. Dinnerly (meal kit)
AVG MEAL COST: $7.99 (per 3 meals)
AVERAGE SIZE PER MEAL: n/a
DELIVERY LOCATIONS: NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, WA, NT, TAS
DELIVERY COST: $10.49
Dinnerly is another one of the cheapest meal delivery providers in Australia, offering simple, traditional recipes. Dinnerlyâs approach is simple: less ingredients, online recipes, and minimal packaging.
Currently, Dinnerly offers two plans: two-person with 3-6 meals per week or a family of 4 for 3-6 meals per week. You can make your meal box vegetarian if you wish, but otherwise dietary requirements need to be selected after you choose your plan. There are several dairy-free, no added gluten, low cal and vegan options.
Discounts: Sign up and get up to $130 off (over the course of 4 boxes)
3. HelloFresh (meal kit)
AVG MEAL COST: $11.33 (per 3 meals)
AVERAGE SIZE PER MEAL: 450-500g
DELIVERY LOCATIONS: NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, WA, NT, TAS
DELIVERY COST: $9.99
HelloFresh is another one of Australiaâs cheapest and healthy meal delivery providers, coming in at around $11.33 per meal (for 2 people at 3 meals per week).
HelloFresh provides you with high-quality ingredients that are fresh, seasonal and pre-portioned ingredients in colour-coded meal kits with recipe cards to help you prepare healthy meals in just 15 minutes.
You can choose if you want 3,4, or 5 recipes per week, and whether you want it for two or four people. While you canât custom pick ingredients, you can choose whether you want your food box to be veggie, meat & veggie, calorie smart, low-carb and more meal plans for families.
The one thing to note about Hello Fresh is that it doesn’t cater for special allergies or intolerances. However, since HelloFresh boxes only contain unprocessed ingredients, it is possible to omit, or replace, any ingredient that could cause an allergic reaction.
Discounts: $90 in total spread across your first 4 boxes
4. My Muscle Chef (performance ready-made meal plan)
AVG MEAL COST: $9.99 (per 10 meals)
AVERAGE SIZE PER MEAL: 350g
DELIVERY LOCATIONS: NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA, WA
DELIVERY COST: $15.00 (free over $99 when you subscribe)
My Muscle Chef is one of the cheapest prepared meal providers on the market, coming in at under $10.00 per meal. You can choose to buy off the a la carte menu option, or select a plan. You can save 15% on meal prices when you order 25+ meals too. There are also several dietary options like keto, low cal and vegan.
Or, you can order a meal plan like Back on Track Pack, Low Carb Collection, Low Calorie Shred Pack, The Chef’s Top Picks, Keto Friendly Pack, High Calorie Best Seller Pack, Low Carb Pack, Vegan Booster Pack or the Couples Lunch and Dinner Pack.
MMC is also readily available in major supermarkets and smaller chains across the country for added convenience. So, if youâre looking for tasty and cheap cooked meals, checkout My Muscle Chef.
Discounts: $20 off first order
5. Soulara (plant-based ready-made meals)
AVG MEAL COST: $12.30 (7 meals)
AVERAGE SIZE PER MEAL: 350g
DELIVERY LOCATIONS: NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, SA
DELIVERY COST: $10.00
Soulara is a 100% plant-based meal delivery service with fresh meals focused on whole food ingredients, minimally processed foods and maximum nutrition.
Soulara is a ready-made meal provider – so no cooking necessary – but it is a subscription based model offering a variety of plans at different prices. You can choose from 7, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24 meal options per week, with the more meals you choose, the cheaper each meal gets.
Weâd recommend Soulara for those eating a plant-based diet or who have dietary requirements like high protein, low calorie, gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free and sesame-free.
Discounts: Save $100 over your first 4 orders
Cheapest Meal Delivery Provider FAQs
Are meal deliveries cheaper than home cooking?
It really depends on the individual person/family and your typical grocery shop. Itâs true meal delivery services can be a little pricier than shopping yourself, but when you consider the time and effort portion of going to the shops, cooking, cleaning, and even petrol to get you there and back, meal delivery services often work out much cheaper.
Whatâs the best meal provider?
The best meal provider will depend on you, your goals, your budget and taste preferences. Whatâs an amazing meal provider for one person might not be the same answer for another!
Do meal delivery services work for weight loss?
Meal delivery services can be great for weight loss. Many meal providers often have plans/meal packs that are low calorie or low carb, or something similar to help with your weight loss journey.
How can I make my meal delivery service more budget-friendly?
Buy in bulk to make meal delivery services more budget-friendly! Typically the more you buy, the cheaper it works out per meal. Of course, this might not work with meal kits as food comes fresh and ready to make, but you could always spend a day cooking the food, and freezing it for later.
Whatâs the cheapest and most affordable meal kit provider?
EveryPlate is the cheapest meal kit provider, with its cheapest cost per serving coming in at $3.99 per plate.
Do meal delivery services cater to dietary requirements?
Most ready-made meal delivery services will cater to dietary requirements like gluten-free, dairy-free, soy and nut-free, vegan, pescatarian and so on. When it comes to meal kits providers, itâs not as easy to cater to everyoneâs individual needs so be sure to do your research and double-check the meals offered and the ingredients in them before you commit.
Do you get a new weekly menu or is it always the same meals?
Most meal kit providers offer a rotating menu, whether thatâs weekly, fortnightly or monthly it will depend on the provider. Ready-made meal providers typically have more of the same meals, with new meals added in every so often.
Are ready meal delivery providers family-friendly?
Most meal kit providers are family-friendly offering different meals to suit different taste buds and preferences, even of fussy toddlers! Ready-made meal delivery providers are typically best suited to older people who arenât as fussy as younger kids might be.
Do meal delivery providers come with fresh ingredients or frozen?
Meal kits come with fresh ingredients you need to cook yourself, while ready-made meal providers come cooked (but not frozen).
Do I still need to go grocery shopping when using a meal kit delivery service?
Yes, when using a meal kit delivery service youâll still need to grocery shop as most meal kits are designed to provide you with one meal per day – usually dinner. That means you still need to grocery shop for other meals, as well as pantry essentials like oil, salt, spices, fruits and snacks.
Are there any cheap paleo meal providers?
Macros offers a range of paleo meals and is one of the cheapest paleo providers, with the average paleo meal costing $9.65.
Are meal deliveries cheaper than takeout and takeaway?
When you factor in delivery fee and service fee, meal delivery services definitely work out a whole lot cheaper than takeout meals where youâre paying upwards of $20-$30 per meal.
Whatâs the best and cheapest vegetarian meal provider?
Soulara is one of the cheapest vegetarian and plant-based meal providers, with meals coming in at around $9.10 per veggie meal.
Are all meal providers subscription services?
Most meal kit providers work on a subscription-based service, but you can usually cancel or pause at any time. Ready-made meal providers are usually a bit more flexible, allowing you to order a la carte and once-off meal deliveries.
What are the delivery options when you choose a meal provider?
What day and time you get your food will depend on each provider as well as your delivery area. Some providers deliver the next day, others have set days they deliver and set time frames. Most meal providers will leave the food in some kind of cooler bag so it can stay outside until you get home. But it will depend on each provider, and they should provide you with clear delivery instructions once you’ve ordered.
