If you have food allergies and are looking for meal kit and meal delivery options, we gathered info on over 13 companies that offer special diet options for meal kits and ready-to-eat meal delivery.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
Recently, I had a reader comment on one of my meal plan posts asking about meal delivery services, and it gave me an idea for doing a roundup/recap of meal delivery services for people with food allergies and special diets.
Whether you are super busy and don’t have a lot of time to cook, you’re a senior or have disabilities, or you need to get a jumpstart on a medical diet, this list has options for you!
In this post, I wrote up a brief recap of multiple (13+) companies I found that offer some form of special diet and gluten free and dairy free options for their meals and meal kits. I tried to cover important points like delivery area, average price range, special diets, etc.
This isn’t an in-depth review of each company, but a recap of important highlights with major meal delivery services, specifically concerning food allergies and special diets.
Here are some things I looked for when I included companies in this list:
- National (or mostly national) delivery and shipping vs region or city-specific meal services.
- Offering multiple special diet options, including major ones like gluten free and dairy free.
- Prioritized companies with ingredient lists and info on their site about allergens in the facility. We linked to allergen statements for each company when we could find them.
Ideally, I would try out some of these options myself so I can give my personal experience and feedback on them, but I have too many dietary limitations that most meal delivery services won’t work for me.
I do plan on trying out and reviewing Hungry Root soon, and I’ll link that here once I do!
If none of these companies are good options for you, check out our free gluten free and dairy free meal plans.
Things to keep in mind
Here are some important things to keep in mind while reading through this post:
- If you have severe food allergies, it’s safest to cook at home. Most of these companies have cross-contamination warnings for their facilities, so please keep that in mind if you have anaphylactic food allergies. Don’t rely on our list to determine if a company is safe for you.
- The best resource is the company: Recipes can change, kitchen facilities can change, and pricing can change. While I will try to keep this post updated, please always reach out to the companies if you have specific questions about their kitchens, deliveries, or pricing.
Disclaimer: Please always double-check ingredients and facility warnings on meal companies and don’t solely rely on our info since manufacturing and ingredients can change without notice.
Table of Contents
- Things to keep in mind
- Green Chef
- Snap Kitchen
- Sunbasket
- Thistle
- Pete’s Real Food
- Hungry Root
- Urban AIP
- Purple Carrot
- Paleo on the Go
- Cook Unity
- Sprinly
- Daily Harvest
- Bistro MD
- Splendid Spoon
- ModifyHealth
- Epicured
- Mom’s Meals
- Magic Kitchen
- Meal delivery and meal kit companies that offer limited special diet options
Green Chef
Offering: Meal kits
Brand values/special features: seasonal and organic ingredients with no GMO’s, no pesticides, and no antibiotics. They are CCOF-certified organic and Green Chef offers free nutrition coaching from a dietitian with a meal subscription.
Delivery: delivery in the entire continental US, not delivering to Alaska or Hawaii.
Price ranges: $11.99 per meal
Special diets offered: Mediterranean, plant-based, keto, gluten-free, gut & brain health, quick & easy, calorie smart. Not sure if you can combine special diets, but since this is a meal kit, you can swap out ingredients at home if you choose.
Food allergy notes: Green Chef ingredients are processed and packaged in the same facility with all 9 major allergens present. They follow a full allergen program to prevent cross-contact. In addition, Green Chef is a validated Gluten Free Safe Spot by the Gluten Free Food Service(GFFS). Read their full allergen information statement.
Discounts: Green Chef offers discounts for new subscribers, college students (through Student Beans), and they also have a Hero Discount program for medical providers, nurses, hospital employees, teachers, first responders, and military & veterans (must verify through ID.me).
Snap Kitchen
Offering: meal delivery, meal prep items, Snap stores, and meals at some Whole Foods
Brand values/special features: gluten free meal delivery with other special diet options
Price ranges: between $11-15 per meal, depending on order volume
Delivery: delivers in specific areas, add your zip code to see if they deliver in your area. They also have several physical stores and some Whole Foods stores.
Special diets offered: all meals are gluten free, special diets offered are paleo, keto, vegan, vegetarian, low carb, and high-protein. You can also sort by allergen for dairy free, peanut free, egg free, tree nut free, seed oil free, fish free, shellfish free, and sesame free.
Allergy notes: all meals are completely gluten free and most meals are also soy free. The kitchen is not certified gluten free, however they follow gluten free standards and testing. Individual meals have an allergy warning for their kitchen for milk, egg, fish, shellfish, and tree nut ingredients.
Discounts: discounts available for first-time customers, there is a referral program as well.
Sunbasket
Offering: meal kits, ready-to-eat meals, and grocery items
Brand values/special features: meals and kits include organic produce. They prioritize sustainability and give back by donating to food banks.
Price ranges: $9.99 per serving
Delivery: does not deliver nationwide, excludes some states and areas
Special diets offered: carb conscious, keto friendly, pescatarian, Mediterranean, paleo, gluten free friendly (not suitable for severe gluten allergies), vegetarian, diabetes friendly.
Allergy notes: Sunbasket meals are prepared in a facility that handles wheat, and while the Gluten-Free Friendly meal plan follows a gluten-free diet, due to risk of cross-contamination, meals are not suitable for people with severe gluten intolerance. Meals are packaged in a facility that handles gluten and all major food allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame). Read the Sunbasket allergen info.
Discounts: discounts offered for first-time subscribers
Thistle
Offering: ready-to-eat meals
Brand values/special features: Thistle offers plant-forward meals without dairy or gluten ingredients and with meat options available for lunches and dinners. Ingredients are organic whenever possible. You can return and reuse bags and cold packs.
Delivery: Offers local delivery options and shipping to certain locations, but does not deliver or ship everywhere.
Price ranges: for shipping plans, meals are about $14 for a vegan meal and $16 for a meal with meat. Local delivery costs less.
Special diets offered: Thistle meals do not contain dairy, gluten, refined white sugars or artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, additives, or dyes. However, their facilities do use allergens.
Allergy notes: While Thistle food and juices are made without dairy, eggs, or ingredients that contain gluten, their facility processes soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, seafood, and shellfish. They do not have a gluten free certification for their facility. See Thistle’s allergy note.
Discounts: Thistle offers first-time subscriber discounts, and they also offer discounts for military, first responders, nutritionists, students, healthcare workers, and education providers.
Thistle discount: Get 40% off your first week when you sign up for Thistle healthy meal delivery!
Pete’s Real Food
Offering: meal delivery
Brand values/features: paleo meals with AIP and keto options designed by a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef. Meals use seasonal ingredients, and menus rotate weekly and seasonally.
Delivery: nationwide wherever FedEx delivers, including Alaska and Hawaii.
Price range: between$13-17 if using subscription feature
Special diets offered: paleo, keto, and AIP meals available
Allergy notes: the facility is completely gluten free, however they manufacture meals for other brands which contain dairy and nut flour (the type of nut flour isn’t specified). Some of their paleo and keto meals include ghee.
Discounts: free shipping for first time subscribers, subscription discounts, and they offer a referral program
Hungry Root
Offering: meal plans with the accompanying recipes and grocery delivery, plus some ready-made meals and foods.
Brand values/features: nutritious meal plans, and meals that are free of partially hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, and artificial preservatives.
Delivery: offers delivery to most locations in the US except for Alaska and Hawaii, and they do not deliver to PO Boxes or APO/FPO/DPO.
Price range: the lowest prices for Hungry Root are listed as dinners as low as $8.99 per serving, lunch for $5.99, and breakfast for $3.99.
Special Diets offered: because Hungry Root is mostly recipe + grocery based, there are a ton of special diet options:
- Food & Flavor Preferences
- Exclude specific foods
- Gluten-Free (6K+ recipes)
- Dairy-Free (8K+ recipes)
- Peanut-Free (13K+ recipes)
- Tree Nut-Free
- Soy-Free
- Egg-Free
- Shellfish-Free
- Vegetarian
- Carb Conscious
- Less Sodium
- Less Sugar
- High protein
- Gut friendly
- Anti-inflammatory
- Food & Flavor Preferences
- Exclude Specific Foods
- Peanut-Free
- Tree Nut-Free
- Soy-Free
- Egg-Free
- Shellfish-Free
- Pescatarian
- Vegan
Allergy notes: because this is a mostly recipe + grocery-based plan, you can filter out recipes by food allergen. However, this only filters out foods that don’t have the allergens in them, but does not filter out the facility or cross-contamination warnings. You’ll have to look for that on each product/item description page. Check out their allergen info page for more details.
Discounts: discount offers for first-time subscribers as well as a free gift in every delivery and free shipping on boxes over $70.
30% Off Hungry Root Orders of $99+ Choose Your Own FREE Gift For Life
Check out our Thrive Market and Misfits Market reviews as well!
Urban AIP
Offering: meal delivery
Brand values/features: chef and nutritionist-designed meals that are auto-immune protocol (AIP) paleo. Their foods are also organic, seasonal, and non-GMO.
Delivery: Nationwide, they ship Monday through Wednesday
Price range: averages about $23 per meal
Special diets offered: meals are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, nuts and seeds free, egg-free and nightshade-free.
Allergy notes: Urban AIP meals are made in an AIP Core Elimination dedicated kitchen that is 100% free of gluten, dairy, nuts, seeds, nightshades and grains. They are not yet a certified gluten free kitchen.
Discounts: volume discounts for weekly AIP box subscription
Purple Carrot
Offering: meal kits, ready-to-eat meals, groceries, and food programs/plans.
Brand values/features: everything at Purple Carrot is completely plant-based and 100% vegan.
Delivery: delivery to 48 lower US states, excludes Alaska and Hawaii
Price range: meal kits and ready-to-eat meals start at $11 per serving
Special diets offered: everything is made without dairy and eggs since it’s all vegan, they offer gluten-free, high protein, and sodium smart meal filters.
Allergy notes: you can select meals, groceries, and meal kits that fit your allergen needs, however, food processed in their facilities shares equipment with top allergens. They list all ingredients on each recipe and product page. Read the Purple Carrot food allergy statement.
Discounts: discounts are available for new subscribers, and they have a refer and earn program for subscribers.
Paleo on the Go
Offering: meal delivery
Brand values/features: paleo and autoimmune compliant meals using organic ingredients when possible
Delivery: nationwide
Price range: ranges between $5 and $26, depending on what you order
Special diets offered: all the meals are autoimmune protocol compliant (AIP), so they are free from nuts, seeds, eggs, grain, soy, dairy, additives, sugar, legumes, nightshades etc. They offer Whole30 bundles and meals as well.
Allergy notes: meals are cooked and packaged in their dedicated gluten free and grain free commercial kitchen. Since none of the meals are prepared using nuts, eggs, dairy, etc. the kitchen probably won’t have cross contact for these major allergens, but it’s best to contact them to double check if you have severe nut allergies.
Discounts: welcome discount for new subscribers, discounts for subscribers vs one-time orders, as well as a referral program
Cook Unity
Offering: ready-to-eat meals
Brand values/features: fresh meals in a variety of global cuisines created by chefs. Meals are delivered in compostable, recyclable, or reusable packaging. The menu options change by region.
Delivery: delivery in most of the US since they cover major regions. However, some areas are excluded (check out the map to see if they deliver in your area).
Price range: between $11-14 per meal, depending on order volume
Special diets offered: GLP-1, pescatarian diet, Mediterranean diet, vegan, keto diet, paleo, low calorie, low carb. You can also sort by protein type, lifestyle, cuisines, and chefs.
Allergy notes: you can specify food allergies and dietary needs in your profile. However I didn’t see allergen information on the facilities where the food is prepared since they likely have multiple kitchens.
Discounts: discounts are available for first-time subscribers, as well as for military and teachers (verified through GovX).
Sprinly
Offering: ready-to-eat meals
Brand values/features: fresh meals that are 100% vegan and gluten-free, as well as organic and don’t use refined sugars or artificial ingredients.
Delivery: offers shipping throughout the US
Price range: between $16 to $18 per meal, depending on the order volume
Special diets offered: all meals offered are vegan and gluten-free, it doesn’t look like they offer any other special diet options besides those
Allergy notes: the Sprinly kitchen is gluten free, though it is not yet a certified gluten free kitchen. I’m unsure about other allergens, they do use peanuts, tree nuts, and soy in multiple meals.
Discounts: I didn’t find discounts available for Sprinly
Daily Harvest
Offering: smoothie kits and ready-made meals
Brand values/features: plant-based and gluten free smoothie kits and ready-to-eat meals focusing mostly on bowls. Snacks and protein powders are available as well. Their meal selection is smaller and is non-rotating, and they do not use refined sugar or GMOs.
Delivery: Continental US only (no delivery in Alaska or Hawaii)
Price range: meal prices range from $6.79 to $10.79 for pasta meals (which have 2 servings)
Special Diets offered: all foods, kits, and meals are dairy free, gluten free, and vegan. You can filter the meals and foods by dietary needs like diabetes-friendly, paleo, Whole30, etc.
Allergy notes: all foods are vegan/dairy free, gluten free, and most are soy free. Many foods contain nut ingredients and the food is made in a facility that processes dairy, nuts, soy, and gluten. Daily Harvest Allergy Statement.
Discounts: get 10% off every subscription order $100+. They also offer a student and teacher discount.
Bistro MD
Offering: ready-to-eat meals delivered frozen
Brand values/features: dietitian-designed menu programs and meals, with no artificial ingredients, trans fats, and no refined sugars.
Delivery: continental US (excludes Alaska and Hawaii)
Price range: between $10.99 and $14.99 per meal, depending on the order volume
Special Diets offered: meal programs/plans include signature weight loss plan, gluten free, heart healthy, keto, diabetic, menopause, and vegan.
Allergy notes: BistroMD uses allergen control programs in their facilities, however their kitchens handle multiple allergens, so cross-contamination is possible. They ask that people reach out to customer service to address food allergy issues or to combine multiple diet plans. Read more of their allergen statement.
Discounts: discounts offered for the first week
Splendid Spoon
Offering: ready-to-eat meals, smoothies, and juices. Like Daily Harvest, a smaller and non-rotating menu.
Brand values/features: all foods and products are vegan and gluten-free
Delivery: shipping available to the 48 continental US states
Price range: between $9.99 for smoothies and $13.49 for dishes
Special Diets offered: all meals are vegan and gluten-free
Allergy notes: meals are made in facilities that sometimes handle common allergens such as dairy, eggs, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soy. According to their website, Splendid Spoon follows strict protocols to prevent cross-contamination in their kitchens/facilities. Read their allergen statement.
Discounts: discounts are available for first-time subscribers, and they offer shipping volume discounts
ModifyHealth
Offering: ready-to-eat meals
Brand values/features: Dietitian-developed & chef-created meals designed for chronic diseases, meals are organic, gluten-free and non-GMO. ModifyHealth offers dietitian coaching & support for subscribers.
Delivery: free nationwide delivery to all 50 states
Price range: starting at $9.95 for breakfasts and $13.45 per entree
Special Diets offered: meal plans include low FODMAP (Monash University certified), Mediterranean, gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, heart-friendly/DASH, carb-conscious, and GLP-1 support.
Allergy notes: all meals are gluten free, each meal has a detailed ingredient list. I didn’t see facility info on the website for other allergens, so it’s best to reach out to them directly with questions about their facilities.
Discounts: discounts offered for first-time subscribers
Epicured
Offering: ready-made meals
Brand values/special features: a healthcare meal delivery company that has clinician-developed, medically tailored, gluten free and low FODMAP meals.
Delivery: throughout 48 continental US states
Price ranges: prices range quite a bit depending on one-time orders vs subscriptions, with some meals being multiple servings so I had a harder time determining price per serving.
Special diets: everything is gluten free and low FODMAP, and they have Monash FODMAP disclosures on meals. You can sort through meals by special diet including vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, and extra sensitive for IBD and IBS symptoms. Photos don’t always seem to reflect what the actual dish/meal looks like from what I can see on their website.
Allergy notes: meals and foods are made in a kitchen that uses milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut, peanut, wheat, and soy ingredients. Check out the Epicured allergen info.
Discounts: discounts are available for first-time subscribers
If you are a senior with mobility issues, Meals on Wheels has over 5,000 programs across the US, and many of the meal programs offer special diet options, such as renal diet, gluten free, diabetic, cancer support, soft foods, etc.
Mom’s Meals
Offering: ready-made, refrigerated meals geared more towards seniors, those with disabilities, or people needing special diet support for health conditions.
Brand values/features: medically tailored meals designed by registered dietitians. They offer nine condition-specific menus and 60+ meal options. The meals are packaged to last 14 days in the fridge.
Delivery: delivery is available nationwide
Price range: meals starting at $7.99
Special Diets offered: diabetes friendly, general wellness, gluten free, heart friendly, lower sodium, protein+, pureed (for those with swallowing and chewing difficulties), renal, and vegetarian.
Allergy notes: Mom’s Meals offers gluten-free, dairy-free, and tree nut-free options, a list of all ingredients is available on each meal details page. Their meals are produced where allergens might be present, but they take precautions to avoid cross-contamination.
Discounts: I’m unsure if Mom’s Meals offers discounts for new subscriptions, but they work with Medicaid and Medicare Advantage for those who qualify.
Magic Kitchen
Offering: ready-to-eat meals
Brand values/features: homestyle meals geared towards seniors, people with disabilities, and people with medical needs. Works with Medicare and Medicaid and offers pay-as-you-go options instead of subscriptions.
Delivery: continental United States
Price range: can range from $8 per serving to $20 per serving, depending on the type of meal/dish.
Special Diets offered: includes dairy free meals, gluten free, diabetic meals, senior meals, renal meals, dialysis meals, vegetarian, low carb, single serving meals, low fat, low sodium, and portion-controlled meals.
Allergy notes: gluten free meals are not certified gluten free since cross contamination in their facility is possible (I didn’t see info on other allergens in their facility). Meals have detailed ingredient lists.
Discounts: free shipping options available
Meal delivery and meal kit companies that offer limited special diet options
Here are a few other recipe and meal kit companies out there, most of which don’t offer very much for special diets.
Eat Clean: this company offers gluten free meals, as well as paleo, plant-based, etc. However, they don’t have a comprehensive ingredient list of meals on their website (at least from what I could see as a non-subscriber), and they don’t have information on their website about their facility.
Mosaic Foods: features plant-based meals, but doesn’t offer other special diet options (such as gluten free). They include peanuts, tree nuts, and soy items in their meals.
What A Crock Meals: meal kits with no subscription required. They offer some meals that are gluten free, dairy free, etc. but they prepare meals in the same facility so cross-contamination is possible.
Dinnerly meal kits: includes dairy free and “no gluten added” meals, but it doesn’t look like you can sort by diet or choose plans based on diet.
Tovala: has “gluten friendly” and vegetarian for special diet options, but I didn’t see an allergen statement for the facility. It looks like you need to have their smart oven to cook the meals as well (not sure if you can get the meals without their oven).
Meal kit and meal delivery companies that don’t offer special diet options
- Home Chef: no special diet options besides vegetarian, and they have an allergen cross-contamination warning for their facility.
- Hello Fresh: offers both meal kits and ready-made meals, but doesn’t include very many special diet options besides vegetarian. There is a cross-contamination warning for their facility for major allergens.
- Tempo (by Home Chef): They have nutrition call-outs (like high protein, high fiber, etc.), but not food allergy-specific or special diet options.
- Factor 75: has health options such as keto, high protein, etc., but doesn’t offer meals or plans with special diet options such as gluten free.
- Blue Apron: doesn’t offer specific allergy-friendly options outside of vegetarian and carb-conscious dietary options.
- Marley Spoon: meal kit service that has “no gluten added” meals, but it doesn’t look like they have special diet options besides that, except for low carb and vegetarian.
- Gobble: does not offer special diet options besides clean & lean and vegetarian.
- EveryPlate: doesn’t offer special diet choices outside of vegetarian.
- Yoko Street: Japanese meal delivery, no allergy or special diet options.
Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie which she founded in 2011. Sarah is based in Wyoming and has been managing food allergies for herself and her 2 children for over 20 years. Sarah was also a certified personal trainer for 12 years, as well as a group fitness instructor, health coach, running coach, and fitness nutrition specialist.