Best Meal Kits Under 500 Calories | Best Low-Calorie Meal Kits 2019

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Last Updated on November 14, 2019

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While many diets have come and gone over the years, one well-known method for weight loss is calorie counting. The problem is, it’s hard to eat fewer calories and still feel full after a meal. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent meal kit services that concentrate on delivering flavorful meals with fewer calories so you can stay on track with your goals.

The following four meal kit services are a fantastic solution to traditional calorie counting.

#1

Score 9.8

#2

Score 9.7

#3

Score 9.7

With these options, you won’t have to count calories—just prepare your meals and enjoy.

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our pick

Quick HelloFresh Review:

HelloFresh is the largest global and USA player in the meal kit industry, offering a large variety of healthy eating meals every week, with the freshest ingredients and the most delicious recipes, that suit the needs of singles and families.

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#1 Hello Fresh low-cal meal kit service:

Hello Fresh is one of our favorite meal kit services, and for us, it is obvious why this meal kit service is #1 in the US. Hello Fresh offers a special low-calorie plan (named “calories-smart” plan), that has specially designed low-calorie meals all with a calorie count of around 600 calories per serving or less. The Hello Fresh low-cal dishes are designed by the company in-house chefs and are packed full of farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients.

What is nice about the Hello Fresh low-calorie recipes is that they are very easy to follow, and the meals are simple to prepare. The recipes are usually quite classic but include some tasty modern twists to keep your diet interesting and full of delicious flavors

Here are some of the best Hello Fresh low calories meals:

Lemon tortellini Palermo with roasted bell pepper and parmesan
Zucchini and tomato flatbreads with lemon ricotta, basil, honey, and chili flakes
Barramundi and scallion sriracha pesto with buttery ginger rice and roasted Brussels sprouts
Honey-thyme pork tenderloin with roasted potatoes and broccoli
Crispy maple mustard chicken with roasted potato wedges and carrots

The Hello Fresh menu is diverse and caters to many dietary and lifestyle requirements. In addition to the low-calorie plan, their menu features options such as family and kid-friendly meals, easy-to-cook meals, vegetarian meals and more.

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The best

Quick Review: Sun Basket

Sun Basket provides a variety of Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Paleo-friendly, vegan, Mediterranean, pescatarian or Chef’s Choice.

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#2 Sun Basket low-cal meal plan:

Sun Basket has a range of healthy options, but the plan that has been designed solely with calorie-counting in mind is the Lean & Clean Plan. This subscription plan includes lean protein, “clean” ingredients, and enough fiber and protein to keep you feeling satisfied.

The Lean & Clean dishes contain less than 600 calories per serving, and they are free of any added sugar, gluten, soy, and dairy. Of course, leaving out those ingredients doesn’t mean that your meal will be lacking in taste. Sun Basket uses a variety of house-made sauces to add plenty of flavor.

You’ll also find 20 grams or more of protein in each of the Lean & Clean recipes, along with at least five grams of fiber. That means food that is satisfying will help you meet your calorie goals while also eliminating those junk food cravings. The Sun Basket menu is easy to navigate, and when searching their menu, you can filter all meals that are under 600 calories. Sun Basket meals are 100% organic, adding another healthy element to your low-calorie plan. Their menu includes plenty of good fats – thanks to ingredients like olives, seeds, nuts, and avocados, so you won’t feel like you are missing out on anything with these flavor-packed recipes.

Here are some popular low-calorie meals from the Sun Basket menu:

Ecuadorian chicken stew with bell pepper and brown rice
“Chiles Rellenos” with turkey, black beans, and vegan cheese
Musakhan chicken wraps with pickled carrots and lemon-dill yogurt
Lemon Salmon en papillote with green beans au Poivre

In addition to organic produce, Sun Basket also uses antibiotic and hormone-free meats plus sustainably sourced seafood. Sun Basket delivers to all 48 continental states and offers meal plans to cater to many different needs – diabetes, gluten-free, Mediterranean, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, heart-healthy, dairy-free, soy-free, easy-cooking, family-friendly and more.

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our pick

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Home Chef‘s mantra is to bring people together around the dinner table, by delivering meals that are familiar but with an interesting twist. Most meals can be made in about 30 minutes.

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#3 Home Chef low-calorie meal kits

Home Chef has a huge selection of recipes to choose from, and the ability to pick your dishes is one of the perks of being a Home Chef customer. They clearly mark which meals are calorie-friendly under ‘Calorie Conscious’ on their menu selection page. They also use a red heart for many low-calorie selections. It’s easy to see which recipes have only 500 calories or less per serving, so you can adjust your menu each week to fit your diet plan.

Some of the most popular low-calorie recipes from Home Chef are:

Neapolitan pizza Margherita with an arugula salad
Teriyaki charred broccoli and shiitake mushrooms with sesame noodles
Lemon thyme chicken orzo paired with kale and grape tomatoes
Blackened salmon with avocado-corn salsa and black beans
Mesquite chicken with loaded potato wedges
Soho seak with parmesan potatoes and mushrooms

Clearly, Home Chef provides plenty of flavor in all these dishes, but without sacrificing your low-calorie goals. In addition to their standard recipe choices, there are also quick Salads that take five to ten minutes to prepare, such as:

Spinach and Arugula Salad with Apple Vinaigrette
Creamy Salsa Verde Taco Salad
Chipotle steak and guacamole salad

Other highlights in the Home Chef weekly menu include low-carb meals, fresh and easy meals, easy-cooking and family-friendly meals. Many recipes feature “customize it” options, meaning you can change, upgrade or double the portion of protein in your selected meal.

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The best

TLDR Dinnerly Review:

Dinnerly – the cheapest meal kit delivery service in America! Dinnerly is a meal kit service that delivers meal kits to your doorstep at the most affordable price ever! Their meals are simple, delicious, and easy to cook and provide an affordable weeknight meal option.

#4 Dinnerly low-calorie meal kit service

Dinnerly is a meal kit company focused on providing the most affordable meals in America! Their meal kits cost only $4.99 per meal! Their meals are not only super cheap in comparison to other meal kit services, but their menu is also incredibly diverse. They offer meals to cater to many lifestyle and dietary needs, like vegetarian, low-carb, kid-friendly, low-calorie meals and more.

From the Dinnerly menu, which provides 16 different meals every week, you will be able to find at least 4-5 low-calorie meals with a calorie count of approximately 500-600 calories per serving.

The meals are marked very clearly as low-calorie meals when looking at the menu, so it is easy to find low-calories meals every week.

Some popular low-cal meals from their menu are:

Seared chicken & Alabama sauce with pickled green bean & corn salad
Broccoli cheddar soup with cheesy croutons
Thai coconut curry chicken with snow peas & sticky rice
Crispy parmesan chicken with roasted broccoli

Some other great features from Dinnerly include low-carb meals, fast-cooking meals, kid and family-friendly meals, no added gluten meals and affordable meals.

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The Best

Quick Martha and Marley Spoon Review:

With Martha & Marley spoon you get the privilege of cooking Martha Stewart’s best recipes – Classic home cooking at its best!

Martha and Marley Spoon Meal kits are most appealing to couples and families with kids.

#5 Martha & Marley spoon low-calorie meal delivery service

Martha & Marley Spoon offer a selection of meals, designed to help you cook like Martha Stewart while still keeping your calorie count low. The company weekly menu features at least 5 low-calorie meals every week – each designed by the queen of home cooking, Martha Stewart. The meals are easy to cook and designed to be ready to eat in less than half an hour.

Martha & Marley spoon offers a flexible subscription of 2 – 4 meal kits per week, for 2 or 4 people, and will help you save plenty of time on menu planning and shopping for your ingredients for your dinners. All of their meals are full of fresh, seasonal ingredients and Martha’s unique spice blends, so you are guaranteed to enjoy amazing flavors in the comfort of your own home.

Check out some of the popular low-calorie meal kits from Martha & Marley Spoon:

Steak pizzaiola with roasted broccoli
Garlic-dill salmon with quinoa tabbouleh & spinach
Grilled chicken & fontina melt with arugula Caesar salad
Steak au poivre with caramelized carrots and salad
Moroccan-spiced salmon & salad with green beans & tarragon dressing

Some other great options from Martha & Marley Spoon include low-carb meals, fast cooking meals, kid and family-friendly meals, gluten-free meals, healthy meals and more.

What is the needs of a low-calorie diet?

A low-calorie diet is based entirely on the number of daily calories that you consume. It is interesting to note that the USDA suggests a diet of 2000 calories a day to maintain your weight. So, to look at any sort of weight loss, you need to be eating less than 1900 calories a day. Generally, the low-calorie diet reduces your calorie intake even further to somewhere between 1200 and 1500 calories a day. When you are on a low-calorie diet, it is not just a matter of reducing your calories; it is also a matter of ensuring that your diet remains well-balanced and provides your body with all its nutritional needs. On a low-calorie diet, you need to consume only a certain number of calories per day while also ensuring you are eating meals filled with ingredients that provide the necessary nutrients that you need to stay healthy and active.

What should you eat on a low-calorie diet?

The best sorts of foods to be consuming on a low-calorie diet are those foods that are low in calories but high in nutrients. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and proteins are obviously very important ingredients in any low-calorie diet. Then in moderation, grains, good fats, pulses, etc. can be added to your meals.

Benefits of using a low-calorie meal delivery service

One of the challenges of properly following a low-calorie diet is ensuring that your body gets all the nutrients it needs. This can be hard to achieve if you are new to the world of dieting or are not confident in the kitchen. The beauty of using a low calories meal delivery service is that it does all the hard work for you. That’s right – you won’t need to worry about planning recipes that are low in calories while also being nutrient-dense, doing the grocery shopping and then weighing and measuring your food to ensure that you are not going over your daily calorie goal. A meal delivery service not only does all of this for you but then it provides meals that are easy to prepare, delicious, enjoyable and satisfying while also being low in calories. A low-cal meal delivery service can help you achieve your weight management goals while also freeing up your time for things like exercise and relaxation!

How to choose the right low-calorie meal kit service to fit your needs?

The meal-kit industry is now so extensive that it can be hard knowing where to start. There are more and more low-calorie meal kit options out there as well, so if you have weight-management goals, it can be overwhelming. We always recommend starting with our reviews and comparisons, as our team of experts has done all the testing and tasting for you!

We also think that it is a great idea to trial at least 2 companies at the same time so you can compare and get a better idea of what style of service best suits your needs. Most companies offer a pleasing amount of flexibility so you can skip weeks and trial more than one company at a time. You can also then take advantage of some great beginner’s promotions.

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Then you need to assess the price, variety of the menu, the flexibility of the subscription, ease of meal preparation, the style of meals and finally the taste! When choosing a low-calorie meal kit service, there are quite a few things to consider. Only you will know what the most important factors are, and you will need to assess these accordingly.

Conclusion:

If you are looking to monitor your calorie intake while also balancing a busy lifestyle, you can’t go wrong with these low-calorie meal kit companies that provide delicious meal kits with under 600 calories per serving. Using a low-cal meal delivery service will take the guesswork out of shopping for ingredients, sourcing recipes, and then calculating calories and other nutrition facts. With one of these low-calorie meal kits, you can enjoy what you are eating, while also feeling good about it. Low-cal meal kits mean no more stressing about things like the nutritional content, calorie count and other details. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, manage a health condition, or just add more healthy ingredients to your diet, any of these low-calorie meal kit services can help you reach your goals in the easiest way possible.