About NoStove
We are meal delivery experts who have tracked local meal services since 2022. Our mission is to help you find healthy, affordable, and convenient meal delivery options in your city.
🔎 How we verify data:
- ✔ Constantly updated info on meal providers
- ✔ Independent & unbiased rankings
- ✔ User feedback & direct company verification
Trust & Transparency: How We Gather and Evaluate Meal Delivery Services
At NoStove, we take pride in maintaining the largest and most comprehensive database of U.S. meal delivery services. Our goal is to provide accurate, unbiased, and detailed information to help you find the best meal delivery options. Below is a summary of the key factors we evaluate, followed by a deeper look at each one.
Quick Checklist: What We Evaluate
- ✔ Diet types accommodated
- ✔ Business/Cook type (heat-and-eat, meal kits, prep-style, comfort food)
- ✔ Delivery area (cities, states covered)
- ✔ Pricing details (meal cost, order minimums, delivery fees)
- ✔ Subscription options (one-time vs. recurring, cancellation policy)
- ✔ Shipping method (local van delivery, pickup, mail shipping)
- ✔ Packaging details (fresh vs. frozen, eco-friendliness, waste level)
- ✔ Customer reviews & ratings
Detailed Breakdown of Our Evaluation Criteria
Diet Types Accommodated
We assess whether a meal delivery service caters to specific dietary needs, including:
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, paleo, Whole30, and more.
- If meals are customizable or if dietary preferences are strictly pre-set.
Business/Cook Type
Understanding the meal type helps users determine if a service fits their lifestyle:
- Heat-and-Eat: Fully prepared meals, simply requiring reheating.
- Meal Kits: Pre-portioned ingredients that require cooking.
- Assembly Required: Some chopping and prep but no major cooking.
- Traditional vs. Fitness Meal Prep: Is the focus on comfort food and variety, or is it more macro-friendly (e.g., chicken, broccoli, rice style meals)?
Delivery Area
We document the cities and states where each service is available, ensuring users don’t waste time browsing options that don’t deliver to them.
Pricing Details
We gather information on:
- The cost per meal (e.g., $7-$15 per meal).
- Order minimums (some require a minimum spend per order).
- Delivery fees, including free delivery thresholds.
Subscription Options
Flexibility is key, so we evaluate:
- Whether the service allows one-time orders or requires a subscription.
- Subscription plans, including weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly deliveries.
- Cancellation policy – Is it simple and user-friendly?
Shipping Method
Different businesses use different shipping methods:
- Local delivery vans (some allow leaving a cooler outside for drop-off).
- Pickup locations for users who prefer to collect their meals.
- Shipped in the mail with ice packs in insulated boxes.
Packaging & Sustainability
With increasing concerns about packaging waste, we evaluate:
- Are meals fresh or frozen upon arrival?
- Is the packaging recyclable or eco-friendly?
- Is there an excessive amount of plastic or unnecessary packaging?
Customer Reviews & Ratings
While we collect real customer reviews when available, we also:
- Identify common praises and complaints from multiple sources.
- Evaluate overall customer satisfaction trends (e.g., quality, consistency, service).
How We Rank Meal Delivery Services
Our ranking algorithm is based on a data-driven approach, combining objective metrics and user feedback. Here’s what goes into our scoring system:
| Category | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Meal Quality & Variety | 30% | Based on taste, ingredient quality, and menu diversity. |
| Delivery Coverage & Reliability | 20% | How widely available the service is and if deliveries are on time. |
| Pricing & Value | 15% | Cost per meal, fees, and whether the service offers good value for money. |
| Customer Satisfaction | 15% | Ratings, reviews, and reported issues like customer support responsiveness. |
| Flexibility & Convenience | 10% | Subscription options, cancellation policies, ease of ordering. |
| Sustainability & Packaging | 10% | Eco-friendliness, recyclability, and packaging waste levels. |
Have Questions or Found Incorrect Information?
We strive for 100% accuracy. If you notice outdated or incorrect details, please contact us to help us improve our data!
