Best Food Subscription Boxes of 2023

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There's an easier way to prepare meals at home without grocery shopping, and no, it isn't getting cold, overly expensive takeout. Introducing the food subscription box — your new alternative to long trips to the grocery store and picking out ingredients yourself. Regardless of what you're after, whether it's sweets, rib-eye steak, or even live lobster, food subscriptions come in such a great variety that there is bound to be something on the market for you.

As you'll see, there is something for everyone when it comes to food delivery, and if you're ready to ditch the produce aisle for a fresh delivery of new foods to your door every week or month, then check out PEOPLE's list of the best food subscription boxes.

Best Food Subscription Boxes of 2023

Best for Meat: ButcherBox
Best for Lobster: Lobster Anywhere
Best Meal Kits: Blue Apron
Best for Fruit: Hungry Harvest
Best for Cookies: Milk Bar
Best for Coffee: Trade Coffee
Best for Seafood: Blue Circle Foods
Best for Gifting: Hickory Farms
Best for Candy: Treatsbox
Best for Smoothies: Frozen Garden

Best for Meat: ButcherBox

Butcher Box

Key Specs

Starting Price: $146 per box
Delivery Area: 48 states
Delivery Frequency: Monthly

Why You Should Try It

ButcherBox's mouthwatering selection is your new one-stop shop for all your premium meats.

Pros

All of its livestock is grass-fed and humanely raised
Sourcing and sustainability information readily available on site
Boxes contain between 24 to 60 portions of high-end meat

Cons

Not all meat is from the U.S.
Expensive price per shipment

Overview

You no longer need to choose between quality and quantity. ButcherBox offers three different meat delivery options, ranging from 24 to 60 meals, making it one of the top food subscriptions available. Of course, the price per shipment is a bit expensive, but considering the quality of the grass-fed, humanely raised meats and the fact that the meals in each shipment average around $6 per serving, the price tag ends up being more than worth it. Not only is ButcherBox a delicious and cost-effective meal partner, but it is committed to sustainability, which is rare (no pun intended) for a meat producer.

Best for Lobster: Lobster Anywhere

Lobster Anywhere

Key Specs

Starting Price: $139 per dinner
Delivery Area: 50 states
Delivery Frequency: individually

Why You Should Try It

Who would have thought you could get gourmet lobster delivered right to your door?

Pros

Large variety of whole lobsters, tails, rolls, and other seafood
Rotating list of specials, including surf and turf
Gifting options available

Cons

Expensive cost per meal
Shipping fees for Saturday deliveries

Overview

Yes, you read that right. With Lobster Anywhere, you can enjoy gourmet lobster from the comfort of your own home. Its specialty is the "Maine Squeeze" lobster dinner, which features two lobster tails and New England clam chowder, but Lobster Anywhere also carries a fantastic variety of other seafood like shrimp and scallops. Missing those lobster rolls from your vacation in Maine? No worries, this site has those too. Of course, since you are ordering lobster, you'll find that its offerings are pretty pricey, and while Lobster Anywhere provides free shipping most days, there is a fee for Saturday deliveries.

Best Meal Kits: Blue Apron

Blue Apron

Key Specs

Starting Price: $7.99 per serving
Delivery Area: 48 states
Delivery Frequency: Weekly

Why You Should Try It

Blue Apron offers some fantastic meal kits, which specialize in chef favorites, family-friendly meals, and more.

Pros

Affordable weekly subscription
Can skip or cancel orders at any time
Also sells wine bundles and kitchen tools

Cons

Uses lots of plastic packaging
No gifting options available

Overview

Blue Apron offers some of the best meal kits on the market, which makes it a no-brainer for this category. Just look through Blue Apron's premium offerings like rib-eye steak, hoisin pork belly ramen, and roasted butternut squash, and you'll see why. Suddenly, going out and buying your groceries sounds much less appealing. It offers many different menus that alternate offerings regularly so that you can order meal kits based on your preferences. Most of Blue Apron's kits offer two servings per shipment, but if you have a lot of people to feed, you'll be happy to know its family-friendly menu items come with four servings.

Best for Fruit: Hungry Harvest

Hungry Harvest

Key Specs

Starting Price: $15 per box
Delivery Area: 5 states
Delivery Frequency: Individually

Why You Should Try It

If you're looking for the best food box subscriptions for fruit, then look no further than Hungry Harvest's fresh, organic offerings.

Pros

Full organic options
Subscriptions available that let you skip delivery days
Free shipping

Cons

Only delivers to specific ZIP codes
Requires purchase of fresh produce before other items can be added to cart

Overview

Fruits are an excellent daily choice of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, so if you're looking for the top food subscription boxes that offer plenty of fruit, then Hungry Harvest is for you. While its online menu is full of nutritious fruit and vegetable options, it offers so much more, and you can filter the menu by category to find just what you're looking for. If you are serious about only eating organic, you'll be glad to hear that two out of Hungry Harvest's three harvest boxes feature exclusively organic produce. While its offerings are no doubt great, at this time, the company only delivers to select ZIP codes, so make sure you have access before getting too excited about placing an order.

Best for Cookies: Milk Bar

Milk Bar

Key Specs

Starting Price: $175 per three boxes
Delivery Area: 50 states
Delivery Frequency: Monthly

Why You Should Try It

Regardless of what your sweet tooth has been craving, Milk Bar is more than happy to oblige.

Pros

All box items are prepared by world-class pastry chefs
Online baking classes available
Brick-and-mortar bakeries in several large North American cities

Cons

Some reviews say items are too sweet
Subscription is expensive for desserts

Overview

Let's face it, we'd all be better off with a box of cookies and desserts showing up at our home every month. Fortunately, that's exactly what Milk Bar does, and its team does it with style. Whether you're looking for a perfect birthday cake for a friend, trying to find the perfect tin of assorted cookies to brighten up the office, or just really want some red velvet cake, Milk Bar's seemingly endless offerings are bound to keep you interested. Best of all, its pastries and goodies are all prepared by world-class bakers constantly working to innovate and perfect all your classic favorites. The only downside? Milk Bar's price tag is a bit more expensive than your runs to the pastry shop.

Best for Coffee: Trade Coffee

Trade Coffee

Key Specs

Starting Price: $35.50 per shipment
Delivery Area: 50 states
Delivery Frequency: Monthly

Why You Should Try It

There's a lot of food on this list, clearly. How about a coffee subscription instead?

Pros

Affordable subscription options starting at just $16
Features premium coffee from all over the world
Several gifting options available

Cons

Customer support not available on weekends

Overview

Wouldn't it be nice to have someone in your corner who could remember to send you a regular shipment of coffee every month, so you didn't have to do it yourself? With Trade Coffee, that's precisely how it works. Trade Coffee offers two tiers of subscriptions, both of which offer premium coffee from around the world. Subscriptions are customizable based on your preferred brewing method and level of coffee experience. If you're looking to save a loved one from the pain of decaffeination, there are various gifting options to choose from, ranging from individual boxes to regular subscriptions.

Best for Seafood: Blue Circle Foods

Blue Circle Food

Key Specs

Starting Price: $12 per package
Delivery Area: 48 states
Delivery Frequency: Monthly

Why You Should Try It

Need something to pair with that white wine? Pick up some fresh, sustainably sourced seafood from Blue Circle Foods.

Pros

Delicious seafood offerings starting at just $12
Embraces sustainable seafood sourcing for its products
Recipes on site for appetizers, main courses, and breakfasts

Cons

Slightly limited selection
Cannot cancel the subscription after it's been sent out

Overview

Seafood is a terrific way to load up on protein without the saturated fat, among many other health benefits. So, if you're looking for a convenient way to help introduce more fish into your diet, this may be a good option for you. Blue Circle foods has a great selection of smoked salmon, fillets, shrimp, fish patties, and more that are both budget-friendly and delicious. All products are shipped with dry ice, so you don't have to worry about your seafood going bad in transit (nothing worse than rotten fish, after all). Blue Circle also uses sustainably sourced fish for all orders, making it an earth-friendly choice.

Best for Gifting: Hickory Farms

Hickory Farms

Key Specs

Starting Price: $19.99 per box
Delivery Area: 50 states
Delivery Frequency: Individually

Why You Should Try It

From meat and cheese platters to birthday cupcakes, Hickory Farms' seemingly endless gifting options make them the best subscription food box for gifting.

Pros

Over 100 gifting options available
Option to sort gifting options by holiday, occasion, items, and more
Baskets start at less than $20

Cons

Shipping is not included
Cannot deliver wine gifts to every state

Overview

From birthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day, and more, there are so many occasions that are made cheerier just by having extra food and treats nearby. If you're in the market for a handy gift basket of food, whether it's cake, cheese, sausages, or otherwise, Hickory Farms has over 100 different gifting options to choose from. Best of all, it is incredibly budget-friendly, with items starting at less than $20. Remember, however, that due to strict laws many states have about shipping alcohol, you cannot send this store's wine gift boxes and baskets to every state. We recommend checking with its customer service department before purchasing any orders that contain alcohol so you don't have any problems placing your order.

Best for Candy: Treatsbox

Treatsbox

Key Specs

Starting Price: $25 per shipment
Delivery Area: 50 states
Delivery Frequency: Monthly

Why You Should Try It

A subscription service that delivers limited edition candy to my door every month? Yes, please.

Pros

Three different subscription sizes to choose from
Limited edition candies available
Delivers to all 50 states

Cons

Cannot swap items based on allergies
Candy does not repeat

Overview

What else is there to say about Treatsbox? You want candy delivered straight to your door, and it does just that; it's a perfect match. Every month, Treatsbox sends you a variety of chocolates, hard candies, lollipops, and more, and since there are three different tiers to choose from, you can choose how much candy you receive. If you want to start small, sign up for the regular box, which gives you eight to 10 items, but if your sweet tooth is more demanding, go with its colossal option, which gets you between 30 to 34 candies. Box themes include Wonka, retro, chocolate, sour, and original, all of which give you a variety of classic favorites and limited edition treats.

Best for Smoothies: Frozen Garden

Frozen Garden

Key Specs

Starting Price: $7.69 per smoothie
Delivery Area: 48 states
Delivery Frequency: Weekly or individually

Why You Should Try It

With rotating seasonal flavors and variety packs of delicious smoothies, the Frozen Garden takes the cake for the best smoothies.

Pros

Products are all handcrafted from locally sourced ingredients
Features regular deals and discounts on site
Gifting options available

Cons

Free shipping only on orders $150 or more

Overview

Smoothies can be such a refreshing and easy way to load up on fruits and vegetables, and the Frozen Garden's healthy selection makes it even easier. In addition to smoothies, this online food store carries garden bowls, fusion-flavored waters, and more. While many smoothies and juices you can pick up at the supermarket are loaded with added sugars and preservatives, all Frozen Garden's menu items are vegan and contain zero added sugar. So, your taste buds and your health will thank you. Unfortunately, the Frozen Garden only includes free shipping on orders of $150 or more, but it does a great job of regularly posting deals and discounts clearly on its site.

Final Verdict

The joy of a food subscription box really lies in the convenience it offers. If you want fresh, high-quality meat shipped directly to your door, a service like ButcherBox is just a click away. If you're looking to take the stress out of meal planning, Blue Apron will send you everything you need to get fresh, inventive dinners on the table. Cookies, coffee, and sweets are similarly accessible through retailers such as Milk Bar, Trade Coffee, and Treatsbox. With a food subscription box, you can even give someone else the gift of tasty treats (along with the luxury of time saved).

Compare the Best Food Subscription Boxes

Company	Starting Price	Delivery Area	Delivery Frequency	Free Shipping?	Gift Option?
ButcherBox Best for Meat	$146 per box	48 states	Monthly	Yes	Yes
Lobster Anywhere Best for Lobster	$139 per dinner	50 states	Individually	Yes	Yes
Blue Apron Best Meal Kits	$7.99 per serving	48 states	Weekly	Yes	No
Hungry Harvest Best for Fruit	$15 per box	5 states	Individually	Yes	No
Milk Bar Best for Cookies	$175 per box	50 states	Monthly	No	Yes
Trade Coffee Best for Coffee	$35.50 per shipment	50 states	Monthly	Yes	Yes
Blue Circle Foods Best for Seafood	$12 per package	48 states	Monthly	Yes, on orders over $150	No
Hickory Farms Best for Gifting	$19.99 per box	50 states	Individually	No	Yes
Treatsbox Best for Candy	$25 per shipment	50 states	Monthly	No	Yes
Frozen Garden Best for Smoothies	$7.69 per smoothie	48 states	Weekly or individually	Yes, on orders of $150 or more	Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Food Subscription Box?

A food subscription box is just what it sounds like, a subscription you sign up for that delivers food to you regularly. As you can see from the article, these have so much variety, and you can find subscriptions that serve you everything from lobster to seafood. These are sometimes different from meal delivery services, however, which give you either preportioned ingredients and recipes for you to prepare or frozen meals you need only heat up in the microwave.

Can a Food Subscription Box Be Sent as a Gift?

Every food subscription box is a bit different, but generally, there are plenty of companies that let you buy subscriptions as gifts. Some even have several different gifting options for other holidays, occasions, preferences, and more for you to send your friends and loved ones. Of course, we recommend Hickory Farms due to its massive variety of gift boxes.

How Much Does a Food Subscription Box Cost?

No two food subscription boxes cost the same; how much they will cost depends on the quality and quantity of items included (not to mention the shipping costs). However, as far as base prices go, you don't have to look very hard to find a box that only costs between $20 to $30 per shipment.

Do Food Subscription Boxes Offer Alternatives for Allergies?

Some food subscriptions are more flexible than others. You probably won't find many boxes on the market that will let you swap items at will, but many of them at least have options that accommodate common food allergies like nuts, dairy, and gluten. Of course, when in doubt, we recommend contacting the customer service team of whatever food subscription box you are interested in.

Methodology

Food subscription boxes can be a great way to add a little flavor to your pantry or refrigerator, and our testers at PEOPLE want to ensure that this list reflects only the best possible choices on the market. To do that, our team put extensive research into this article. We ranked dozens of different food subscription boxes and delivery services against each other and a wide range of criteria. These included price, shipping cost, delivery area, variety of offerings, customer reviews, and more.