When one of our MoM team members went on maternity leave, we gave her a voucher for a meal delivery service as a gift and she was as excited as if we’d given her a million dollars (well, almost). She said it was the most perfect present.

Most mums take on the role of preparing meals for the family every day…and sometimes it all just gets too much. So if you want to give a mum (or yourself) a break, give them (or you!!!) a gift of a meal delivery service. They will be so grateful for someone else to do the cooking for a change.

Meal-Kits Or Ready-Made

There are a number of different meal delivery services available in Australia. There are those companies that deliver ready-made meals, which you just need to pop into the microwave or oven to warm up or in the freezer to keep for another time. These services also cater for customers on special diets or trying to lose weight.

There are also those food delivery services that provide meal kits – which include ingredients and recipe cards on how to prepare the dish. These are fantastic to add variety to a routine and boring meal plan, but you do still have to prepare them, which can tiresome if you’re unwell or juggling a new baby.

Most meal delivery services will obviously work out to be more expensive than if you shopped for and prepared the menu at home. But sometimes, your mental health is more important and removing the burden of cooking can be priceless.

Our favourite Meal Delivery Services include:

MEAL KITS

Marley Spoon:

Marley Spoon is one of the most popular meal delivery services in Australia. This is a super-slick, professional organisation supported by a fantastic website and awesome customer service.

It’s very simple to order – you just need to choose which meals you would like to prepare from an extensive range of recipes. You then receive a Marley Spoon box delivered to your doorstep, packed with all the ingredients and instructions to prepare the meals that you picked.

All ingredients come measured so there is zero waste. The quality of the ingredients is also the very best – generally far better than the products I would normally pick when I shop.

Following the recipe is really easy – with simple instructions and clear photos to illustrate each step. We felt that Marley Spoon helped us get out of our boring meal rut and introduced us to flavours and tastes that we wouldn’t normally eat.

The only downer is that you still need to prepare and cook the meal – which can be a bit of a hassle if you’re tired or run off your feet.

Delivery Areas: Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Wollongong, Newcastle and the NSW Central Coast.

Pepper Leaf

Many families are raving about Pepper Leaf and are loving the quality and ease of the meal preparation. You can pick from a classic, vegetarian or family box and you get free seasonal fruit with your first two orders. The recipe cards are very easy to use and to follow.

We love the choice of recipes on offer with yummy curries, taco’s, and delicious home cooking, with an exotic twist.

Pepper Leaf is a local family business that works with top quality suppliers.

Delivery Areas: Melbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong, Adelaide, Canberra

Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh is one of the original meal delivery services and they offer classic, vegetarian or family friendly recipes.

Hello Fresh recipes are generally more simple and less exotic than some of the other meal delivery services, which is great if you’ve got fussy kids. They have many loyal customers who love the taste of their meals.

Delivery areas: Multiple areas in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Dinnerly

Dinnerly is the new ‘kid on the block’ – it’s Marley Spoon’s answer to a budget-friendly meal delivery service. You still purchase a weekly subscription – but the meals are priced from only $5.25 a serve.

The difference comes into the complexity of the dishes. While the quality of the ingredients are just as good as Marley Spoon’s the meals are much simpler. Plus you get digital recipes rather than recipe cards, less packaging and less choice of meals.

We love that the dishes are more reflective of the kind of food we would normally cook – so much less fussy. Think stir-fries, taco’s, macaroni and stews. All the meals are comforting and always tasty.

PRE-PREPARED MEALS

Lite N Easy

Lite N Easy is a popular choice for those who are watching their weight or those that are too time-poor to cook. This meal delivery service drops off your meals at your door-step

Delivery Areas: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia

Youfoodz

YouFoodz brings ultimate flexibility to a meal delivery service. You can create custom meal plans to suit your goal – whether it’s to lose weight, eat healthier, gain muscle mass or just avoid preparing meals. The meals come in individual serves so not ideal for family meals but still a good option to keep in the fridge, when you need a quick dinner-for-one.

All you need to do is remove the cardboard sleeve and microwave each portion for 90-120 seconds. There are also snack and rink options available. Plus you can buy the meals in many supermarkets across the country.

Dinner Ladies

Dinner Ladies is a family-run business that offers delicious, home-cooked meals, that you just don’t have time to cook yourself. Think pies, lasagne, stews, curries and soups. There are meals created especially for kids, as well as vegetarian and desserts.

Most meals come in two sizes – Small Serves two adults with accompaniments ; Large Serves four adults with accompaniments.

Dinner Ladies meals are perfect for the freezer and for those nights when you just can’t be bothered to cook. They also offer gift vouchers.

Delivery Areas: Sydney, Metro Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat.

There is a minimum order of $100 and a $15 delivery charge if your order is under $200 (delivery is free if over $200).

Gourmet Dinner Service

Gourmet Dinner Service offers Chef-prepared, healthy & ready-made home delivery meals.

You can pick from a single serving, a couple portion or a meal for a family. The dishes are all hearty and delicious – such as lasagne, pies, meatballs, Mac and cheese as well as bread and salads.

You can also buy meal boxes as well as desserts and cocktail food.

Delivery Areas: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra and surrounds.

My Muscle Chef

My Muscle Chef is a fantastic meal delivery service for those who looking to gain muscle, control calories or boost your nutrition for an optimal workout.

You can easily build your meal plan from a variety of delicious dishes – such as stir fries, stroganoff, curries, pasta and more.

Portions are individual so this delivery service is not ideal for a family but great if you need a quick dinner for one.

Delivery Areas: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and more.

Dietlicious

Dietlicious is a fantastic meal delivery service for those who are keen to lose weight. This is the healthy-eating version of Gourmet Dinner Service. You can do a food cleanse or pick your meals based on the number of calories you wish to eat per day.

If this is diet food, then we’re keen to go on diet for the rest of our lives. The meals are very tasty, while still being super healthy.

Do you/ Have you order from meal delivery services? Which is your favourite meal delivery service? Tell us in the comments below.