But meal-delivery companies, which bring prepared food right to your door, have become increasingly affordable and flexible – and have made their food tastier – over the last few years. Some are even local.

As our definition of “healthy eating” shifts, so do the offerings from these companies. All aid in weight loss, but there are also meals for gluten-avoiders, nutrient-seekers, picky eaters, meat-refusers, diabetics, allergy sufferers, new moms, soon-to-be-moms, cleanse fans, and even those with the humble goals of eating organic and natural.

All of the companies we taste-tested offer versatility and ease of use. Clients can stock up for as many days and meal periods as they like, and the websites and ordering processes are seamless. Here is a look at the delivery services we tried. 

(excerpt)

The Fresh Diet, based in Surfside, Fla., also delivers a full day of eating, (snack and sweet included), does not have a shake, and best of all, lets you pick dishes through an easy-to-use website. For lunch, the Asian steak sandwich has nice slices of beef, and the egg-roll snack tasted good, although it was gone in two bites. The Key lime pie dessert was sweet and creamy with a thick graham crust.

With this premium plan, the more you commit to, the more you save. Seven days of food is about $60 a day; sign up for 31 days and the price drops to about $45 a day. With 72 hours’ notice, you can start and stop delivery days without a penalty, which makes taking the weekend off almost too easy.