The revelation of meals delivered to your doorstep isn’t a new one. These days, the possibilities of food on four wheels are endless. Caviar, Uber Eats, and their competitors bring your favorite local restaurants straight to your living room, while meal-prep services like Blue Apron ship fresh ingredients, eliminating a trip to the grocery store. But what if you’re looking for something in between?
In a city with no shortage of busy professionals and families, a handful of locals are cooking up meals from scratch for anyone who doesn’t have the time or desire to spare (but does have the money). Whether you’re looking for breakfast, lunch, or supper; whether you want to eat healthier or go vegan; whether you need to feed one or 10; whether you’re looking for one lazy night or need three meals daily—sustenance is a click away.
Galley meal. (Photo via Facebook)
The story: Co-founders Ian Costello and Alan Clifford came up with the idea in 2015 out of frustrations that a healthy meal often meant “undertaking a time-consuming process of grocery shopping, cooking, and clean-up,” says Costello. He wanted to “make it easy for busy people to eat well.” A team of professional chefs cooks seasonally rotating recipes.
What’s on your plate? Peruvian chicken with spiced orzo, Tzatziki salmon, shrimp udon noodle stir fry, and chipotle chicken fajitas. Any meal can be paired with salads, desserts, a kids’ menu, or a bottle of wine.
What’s the cost? Single meals are $13 to $16. Meals for two and families run around $40 to $55.
How to get it: Order single dinners daily for delivery from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. or in advance for up to a week at time, and pick a delivery window that works for you. Galley delivers to D.C., Baltimore, Alexandria, Arlington, and Tyson’s Corner.
Healthy Fresh Meals. (Photo via Facebook)
The story: If you’re looking for portion-controlled meals that are 500 calories or less, Healthy Fresh offers weekly meals with clean and low-carb options. Founder Shana Greenbaum, who has a background in the restaurant industry, works with two trained chefs to craft her changing menu in a Northeast D.C. kitchen. Meals stay fresh for up to seven days. “We’re trying to be more of a company for everyone, not just for diet,” says Greenbaum. “Whether you’re 80 years old, or looking for a meal for your next body-building competition, we have what you need.”
What’s on your plate? Bison burgers with sweet potato, turkey chili, and spaghetti squash carbonara.
What’s the cost? $9.50 to $12.95 per meal plus a flat $10 delivery fee.
How to get it: Order by 11:59 p.m. Thursdays for Sunday home delivery. Healthy Fresh delivers in a 30-mile radius across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Stuffed veggies from Mezze Box. (Photo via Facebook)
The story: Whether you want Lebanese food a la carte or with a build-your-own subscription that can be delivered every one to four weeks, MezzeBox delivers. Founder Johnny Seikaly, who now lives far from Lebanon, missed his mother’s recipes and learned to cook them for his family. When he realized there was a demand for his cooking among friends, he traded a career in international development for a kitchen space at Mess Hall. Seikaly personally delivers meals and chooses dishes that make great leftovers. “This is the future of food,” Seikaly says. “Let me be that Lebanese parent to the DMV that is going to make sure, no matter how busy you are, you will always have something to pull out of your fridge to share with your family.”
What’s on your plate? Vegetarian grape leaves with olive oil and lemon juice; ground beef-stuffed vegetables cooked in nutmeg and tomato broth; lentil and rice salad; pita bread and black olives.
What’s the cost? $25 minimum order (that may be waived for customers in the District, depending on location and routes) to $110 for a dinner for 10.
How to get it: Order up to two weeks in advance or by 2 p.m. daily for same-day delivery Monday to Friday.
Mediterranean chicken with zesty lemon dill sauce from Territory. (Photo via Facebook)
The story: With a network of 25 local, independent chefs at its disposal, Territory’s meals aim to help four cities, including D.C., focus on wellness. Territory (formerly known as Power Supply) started in 2011. Co-founder Patrick Smith, busy with his career and ignoring his health and fitness,, saw a demand for health food delivery at his gym. “We want to provide tools to eat intentionally and maintain a commitment to wellness over time,” says Smith.
What’s on your plate? Tangine chicken salad, pistachio-crusted tuna cakes with fennel apple slaw, coconut salmon stew, or almond-flour breakfast tacos made by Anna Bran-Leis of Taqueria del Barrio. There are 11 different meal filters for two-day, three-day, or five-day plans, with options for expectant and new moms, eating plans for diabetes health, and low-carb or Whole30 diets.
What’s the cost? $9.95 for boost size (250-450 calories), $12.95 for standard size (400-650 calories), $15.95 for XL size (550-850 calories) per meal. House delivery for $4.99
How to get it: Order by Thursdays at 11:59 p.m. Meals will arrive the following Monday for three-day plans, Monday and Thursday for five-day plans, and Thursday only for two-day plans. Or pick up at designated locations for free (Vida Fitness, Crossfit MPH, Mint, Balance, Equinox DC, and Blast, to name a few). Find a full list of locations on the website.
Brown rice veggie bowl from Vegetable and Butcher. (Photo via Facebook)
The story: This Union Kitchen newcomer is the inspiration of two fitness and nutrition gurus with different takes on healthy eating—one a vegan, one who sticks to a paleo diet. They were looking to cut back on meal preparation and find a service that fit both of their needs. Chef Matt Baker of Ivy City‘s Gravitas developed the core menu, with executive chef Christina Brown adding new recipes to a rotating menu of 15-20 options each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An added bonus: all packaging is compostable or reusable. “There is so much information out there to determine what’s healthy,” says co-founder Turner Hoff. “What works best for you is what you learn over time—the idea of thinking simply. We are so disconnected from the food industry and where food comes from. It’s all about building relationships.”
What’s on your plate? All dishes—pad thai salad, roasted carrot and beet salad with mint and dill sauce, Vietnamese Summer Rolls, coconut quinoa pancakes with blackberry-infused maple syrup—are vegan (with optional protein), gluten-free, dairy-free, and given a nod of approval by a dietitian before being added to the line-up. Choose between vegan (Vegetable’s Basket) and non-vegan/paleo-friendly (Butcher’s Box) meals, and order any combination of breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.
What’s the cost? $11 to $13.50 per meal (including delivery) for a weekly subscription. A one-week trial ranges from $12.50 to $15 per meal including delivery. Subscription plans can be paused, modified or cancelled at any time.
How to get it: Choose a weekly subscription of two, four, or six days of meals (with orders due by Friday at midnight for the following week). Vegetable and Butcher delivers across D.C. and in Arlington.
Fresh spring rolls with steak made by Chef Mem of Foodhini. (Photo via Facebook)
The story: In a city where diaspora cooking is a part of the region’s terroir, it is surprising that it has taken so many years for a food delivery service to bring them to your door. These conflict cuisines have made the District the hottest dining destination. Foodhini is an online food delivery service featuring “authentic cultural meals, crafted by immigrant chefs,” according to their website.
What’s on your plate? Meal offerings range in origin, but are uniform in deliciousness. They have featured Laotian food, the cultural heritage of the company’s creator, Phil Vang. He says that other cuisines will be featured each month. And the order form allows you to adjust the spice level to your own taste. Helping the immigrant community while enjoying a tasty new cuisine is an exercise in gastrodiplomacy you will not forget.
What’s the cost? Two-person family style meals are $39, which includes tax, tip, and delivery.
How to get it: Orders can be placed Monday through Thursday. They also cater lunch. The limited menu must be pre-ordered a day in advance. Food is delivered in containers with notes from the chef about the origins of the dish and how to eat it.—Johanna Mendelson Forman
BBQ chicken from Kitchkat. (Photo via Facebook)
KITCHKAT (on hiatus)
The story: Kat Basile Runyan always loved making food for friends. Now the “one-woman shop” uses her home kitchen to cook up six meals a week for a much larger group of diners. Runyan, who will be on maternity leave until Labor Day, also disguises healthy food for picky eaters; one dish adds pureed cauliflower to mac and cheese.
What’s on your plate? Many recipes come from Runyan’s favorite food blogs—chicken and spinach enchiladas, kale and brussel sprout salad, sundried tomato pasta, and Mexican street corn—or are geared toward feeding families.
What’s the cost? $7 to $11 per meal with a $25 minimum for orders and a $3 delivery fee.
How to get it: You have from Wednesday to Sunday by 5 p.m. to place your order. All meals arrive on Tuesday.
And if you want a feel-good way to avoid the grocery store, but don’t mind some prep:
Hungry Harvest box. (Photo by Kate Stoltzfus)
The story: Think farm-share CSA to combat food waste. Boxes of fruits, veggies, and herbs that would otherwise be thrown away by farmers with a surplus or grocery stores who reject produce if it’s the wrong size, color, or sell-by date are delivered once a week. Founder Evan Lutz, who wants to “leave the planet in better shape than he found it,” was a senior at University of Maryland when he began selling “ugly fruits and vegetables” in the basement of his dorm in 2013. Hungry Harvest has grown into a food recovery model sourced by farmers in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, with food from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina in the winter. “On average, our boxes are 20 to 30 percent less than you would pay in grocery store. And you’re helping change the planet,” says Lutz.
What’s on your plate? A variety of fruits and veggies, plus optional additions like pesto, Michelle’s granola, bread, peanut butter, eggs, avocado, and coffee. Many items have arbitrary dates for shelf life and are good for weeks afterward, says Lutz.
What’s the cost? $15 for a mini recovered harvest (8+ pounds) and up to $55 for a super organic harvest (about 18-plus pounds).
How to get it: Choose your box size and edit your subscription at any time. Delivery days are once a week or every other week and vary based on zip code.
