One of the most important activities we carry out every day also tends to be one of the least planned for: eating. Although we know we’re going to be eating at some point, when the time comes, some of us find ourselves standing in front of an open refrigerator, pondering our available options, and looking for the easiest route to a healthy meal—or feeling annoyed by the lack of options because we haven’t been food shopping. We may reach for a quick, sometimes unhealthy, fix in those moments.
Ellie Stamerjohn, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Nourish in Dallas, Texas, says there is a strong connection between what we eat and how we feel.
“Diets rich in whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, have been associated with improved quality of life and reduced likelihood of developing cognitive decline and depression symptoms.”
Because food has such a measurable impact on your emotional health (some of us are a bit too familiar with the irritable feelings that come with feeling “hangry” after waiting too long to eat), planning meals ahead of time can take a lot of the stress out of deciding what to eat and may even help you to make better choices.
Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by your lengthy to-do list and need to better optimize your time, or you’re committed to a long-term dietary plan for weight loss, healthy aging, or going vegetarian or dairy-free, having groceries delivered to your home can be a convenient solution.
Approximately 20 percent of shoppers in the United States bought groceries online in 2022, a number that is expected to increase. Our Handbook Team reviewed grocery delivery services to assess cost, quality, and convenience.
Best grocery delivery service overall: Misfits Market
Misfits Market is on a mission to cut down on food waste in the United States by selling surplus or slightly damaged organic grocery items at a discounted price. We like this mission-based business that works with farmers and food producers to provide seasonal groceries to people around the country.
Which grocery delivery service is right for you?
- Misfits Market: Best overall
- Fresh Direct: Best for people in the North East
- Amazon Fresh: Most convenient
- Thrive Market: Best for pantry staples
- Instacart: Best variety
Compare the best grocery delivery services
| Membership required to shop? | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Associated Fees | Flat-rate shipping starts at $5.99 | $6–$15 delivery fees, varies by location; $129/year for free delivery | Free shipping for Prime members who spend over $100 | Yearly plan: $60/year Monthly plan: $12/month | $3.99 delivery fee and service fee |
| Availability | Continental United States | NY, NJ, CT* | CA, IL, NY, NJ MD, PA, VA, & WA. | Continental United States | Continental United States and parts of Canada |
*New York: Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, Nassau, Queens, Rockland, Staten Island, Suffolk, Westchester
New Jersey: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Union
Connecticut: Fairfield
Jersey Shore (summer only)
Hamptons (summer only)
HelpGuide Handbook’s testing methodology for grocery delivery
Our Handbook Team tests the top grocery delivery programs by signing up as mystery shoppers to try the service and order groceries for one week’s worth of meals. So far, we have tested 8 of the top grocery delivery platforms. During that time, we do the following:
Sign up for the service as a new member.
Select one week’s worth of groceries.
Evaluate the program for dietary and food allergy options.
Place an order for the groceries and set a delivery date.
Track and evaluate the delivery.
Unbox delivery when it arrives and document the condition and quality of all items.
Contact customer support with questions or issues with any items.
Cancel subscription.
We become familiar with each grocery delivery service to learn how they work, the types of groceries they offer, and if they deliver items on time and in good condition. We specifically ask each tester to evaluate each grocery delivery service for the selection, convenience, food safety, cost, delivery options, and whether they offer any items besides groceries, like prepared meals, household items, toiletries, or cleaning products.
Testers also note their interactions with customer support. If an item is damaged during delivery, testers contact the brand’s customer service to learn how quickly they respond and how they fix any issues with a delivery.
We also surveyed grocery delivery service users to learn more about their experiences. We use these survey results, our testing data, and insights from nutrition experts to develop a thorough perspective on each grocery delivery service we review.
How we test grocery delivery
Our Handbook Team focuses on three core elements of grocery delivery services:
Convenience
Shopping online and getting groceries delivered to your home can be a convenient time-saver for busy people. The only part of home delivery we find inconvenient is when the boxes are heavy, making them a bit challenging to carry alone or to walk-up apartments. Packaging the delivery in a few smaller boxes makes it easier to carry and increases our convenience score for that brand.
Food safety
Food quality and safety are important factors when it comes to grocery delivery. We look at the type of packaging, number of freezer bags or ice blocks, and insulation to determine if the food has been packaged with safety in mind.
Cost
Cost can be a big factor when considering a grocery delivery service. We prefer to browse through the products before deciding whether to subscribe to the service. Misfits Markets does not always send the same products but provides a sneak peek of some items they’ll be sending. Amazon Fresh allows you to scroll through the entire website before entering personal data, such as your email address or phone number. Thrive Market, which offers pantry staples, adds fees for extras like wine delivery.
Other factors we consider
Some grocery delivery services offer prepared meals, which our testers order and assess for taste and whether the portion was just right, too much, or not enough. While portion sizes vary from person to person, the prepared meals generally failed to keep us full between meals. However, if you need portion control because of dietary requirements, the prepared meals can help you stay on track.
Best grocery delivery service reviews
Best overall grocery delivery service: Misfits Market
- Organic grocery delivery to your home.
- Flat rate shipping starts at $5.99.
- Company’s mission is to reduce food waste.
- Slightly discolored or surplus produce at a discounted cost.
- Organic produce, meat, and dairy.
- Cuts down on food waste.
- Prepared meals available.
- Lower costs for surplus or slightly damaged grocery items.
Service details
- Fees: Flat-rate shipping starts at $5.99.
- Membership required to shop: No.
- What’s offered: Organic produce, meat, dairy, prepared meals, and pantry staples.
- Delivery area: Continental United States.
This organic food order from Misfits Market includes vegetables and fruits, milk and creamer, three filet mignons, a premade shrimp dish, and a dozen eggs (not pictured) for $68.
Misfits Market’s mission is to provide high-quality foods while reducing food waste. The company works directly with farmers and food producers to source organic seasonal produce, meats, plant-based proteins, and pantry products.
Misfits is known for its funny-looking produce, which grocery stores have rejected because it is not “pretty enough.” They sell surplus items that have been discounted to sell quickly before they expire.
The organic strawberries from Misfits Market are a little smaller than the non-organic strawberries we bought from a grocery store.
From our tester
“The organic apples and strawberries are a little smaller than the non-organic fruit I buy at my local grocery store but certainly look and taste good enough to snack on or add to a smoothie.”
The concept of eating organic, seasonally available foods that might otherwise go to waste because they are not attractive enough for store shelves is appealing. Our testers were ready to see some “funny looking” or misshapen produce in their delivery, but they say that everything looked great, smelled fresh, and tasted good. All of the packaged items had visible expiration dates, though several of the included meats did not.
Although the box was packed well and the ingredients kept cool with four large freezer bags, the bags contributed to the heaviness of the box, which topped out at 30 pounds on one tester’s scale. Not all of the produce was from local farms. Some of the produce was sourced on the West Coast (this tester lives on the East Coast), but it was still fresh enough to eat. The one prepared meal one tester included in their delivery, chimichurri shrimp and veggies over rice, was delicious, but the smaller portion left them wanting more.
If you follow the Mayo Clinic Diet, Misfits offers many healthy foods this meal plan recommends, like fresh produce and lean proteins.
Best for people living in the Northeast: Fresh Direct
- Fresh pre-made meals and groceries.
- Only available in the Northeast.
- Annual membership is $129 for free shipping.
- Delivery fees of $6–$15 with no membership.
- Quality produce and meat.
- Early morning and late night delivery.
- Tote bags instead of a single large box.
- Lots of food variety.
Service details
- Fees: $129 per year for a subscription, $6–$15 delivery fees without subscription.
- Membership required to shop: No, but an annual subscription offers free shipping.
- What’s offered: Produce, dairy, meats, pantry staples, wine.
- Delivery area: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut.
Fresh blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries from Fresh Direct grocery delivery.
For one of our Fresh Direct testers, a working mom of a preschooler and a toddler, having groceries delivered to her home is a great time-saver. She likes ordering from a large selection of the same items she often shops for.
“They also offer lots of specialty foods, unique produce, and local produce, so I can shop for items from nearby farms,” one tester says. “Fresh Direct has everything I need, from basics like paper towels to prepared foods if I want to skip a night of cooking, to amazing fresh produce and pantry/freezer staples.”
If you’re following the Noom weight loss plan, Fresh Direct has a wide selection of healthy, fiber-rich produce and lean proteins.
From our tester
“I appreciate that they have early and very late delivery hours. I usually choose the 6–8 a.m. delivery window so the groceries are there when I am getting up for the day.”
We like that the Fresh Direct website is easy to navigate. There are many helpful subcategories to narrow your search, and they always show you your most recently ordered items so you can easily reorder favorites. Plus, they show you what’s on sale and the most popular products in each section. Our testers received damaged produce a couple of times, but customer service was quick to replace it. Although it’s a great delivery service for our New York-based tester, Fresh Direct hasn’t been able to expand to a nationwide service. With an annual DeliveryPass membership, there is no delivery fee on orders. Without a membership, delivery fees will vary by location and include an order minimum. These range from a $30 order minimum and a $6 delivery fee to a $99 order minimum and a $15 delivery fee.
Most convenient: Amazon Fresh
- No membership required to browse or buy.
- Groceries and pantry staples.
- Household and personal items.
- Prime members who spend $100 per order get free shipping.
- Groceries, pantry staples, and personal care products.
- Prime members who order over $100 get free delivery.
- Lots of food variety.
Service details
- Fees: Delivery orders under $100 with two-hour delivery windows include a service fee of $6.95 for orders of $50–$100 and $9.95 for orders under $50.
- Membership: Not required.
- What’s offered: Produce, dairy, meats, pantry staples, wine.
- Delivery area: All 50 states and D.C.
The Fresh Direct website makes it easy to reorder your favorites.
You can get free delivery if you have an Amazon Prime membership and spend $100 or more per order, but membership is not required to use the Amazon Fresh service. The grocery service is just like shopping for anything else on the Amazon platform, so it’s easy to navigate for people familiar with the site. They have a “buy it again” section, which makes finding your favorites and reordering them simple. And Amazon delivery offers more than groceries. If you need paper towels, deodorant, or over-the-counter medicines, you can buy those items too.
Amazon Fresh doesn’t cover every base, however. For people with specific dietary needs, like diabetes or gluten or dairy intolerance, Amazon may be unable to provide the necessary foods.
From our tester
“I order most of my groceries through Amazon Fresh, but I do end up having to go to my local grocery store for a handful of things. Since I eat a gluten-free diet, there are a few gluten-free staples that Amazon Fresh doesn't offer. I don't mind having to go pick up a few things in person when the alternative is having to pick up all of my groceries. It's a lot less overwhelming and stressful to have most of my groceries delivered to my house.”
Amazon Fresh is a one-stop shop for groceries, household items, and personal care items. This service has a lot to like, especially since you don’t have to be a member to shop. Amazon charges shipping fees whether you’re a member or not, but members who spend at least $100 per order have the fees waived.
Our testers say that sometimes the items they want to reorder are out of stock, and they would like to see more gluten-free products available.
Best for pantry staples: Thrive Market
- Groceries, pet food, household supplies.
- Baby foods and supplies.
- Annual membership is $59.95.
- Delivers nationwide.
- Variety of healthy and unique snacks.
- Pantry staples, personal care, and pet products for one-stop dry-good shopping.
Service details
- Fees: $59.95 for annual membership; $12 for monthly membership.
- Membership required to shop: Yes.
- What’s offered: Pantry staples, premade meals, frozen meat, wine, pet foods, personal care. cleaning products.
- Delivery area: Continental United States.
Packaged snacks, staples like coffee and pancake mix, and household cleaners from Thrive Market food delivery.
If you eat a specific diet or like unique snacks and premade meals, Thrive Market may be a good service for you. These are some of the filters to choose from:
- Organic.
- Gluten-free.
- Ketogenic.
- Paleo.
- Vegan.
- Vegetarian.
- Dairy-free.
- Certified Kosher.
- Peanut-free.
- Raw food diet.
- Soy free.
- Whole 30 approved.
Thrive Market’s shipping fees vary, and they can be pricey depending on what you buy:
- Grocery: Shipping is $5.95 or free on orders over $49.
- Frozen: Shipping is $19.95 or free on orders over $120. A $65 order minimum is required to checkout with frozen foods.
- Wine: Shipping is $13.95 or free on orders over $79.
One of our testers shops for a family of four, so they stocked up on snacks like popcorn and pantry staples, including pancake mix and coffee.
From our tester
“I think it’s helpful for people who really don’t have specialty stores or specialty offerings at their local grocery stores, and it could come in handy for people who have really specific food needs and have trouble finding yummy snacks.”
We didn’t appreciate having to share our email address and create a profile just to search the site to see if it has what we’re looking for. Thrive has pantry staples, baby foods and supplies, household cleaning supplies, pet foods, beverages, wines, and personal care products.
Thrive does not carry fresh produce or meats but offers frozen vegetables, meats, and seafood. If you order dry goods and frozen foods, they’re delivered in separate packaging. We also don’t like the additional fees on top of the basic subscription fee, including delivery fees, frozen food fees, wine delivery fees, worker compensation fees, and donation options, all of which can quickly add up.
Best variety: Instacart
- Large selection of groceries and household items.
- Membership not required to make purchases.
- Same-day delivery.
- Delivers across the United States and Canada.
- Produce, meat, and dairy.
- Household and personal items.
- Same-day delivery.
Service details
- Fees: $3.99+ delivery fee and service fee.
- Membership required to shop: No.
- What’s offered:Groceries, medications, household items, flowers.
- Delivery area: Across the United States and parts of Canada.
Instacart shoppers go to the local grocery store of their choice, purchase the items on their shopping list, and have them delivered to their homes.
Instacart hires personal shoppers to shop for you and deliver your order on the same day you place the order. Whether shopping for groceries, household cleaners like dish soap, medications from a pharmacy, or flowers to celebrate a loved one, you can have it all done and delivered right to your home.
We love the time-saving convenience of pulling up a website and ordering online from our local stores. And if you schedule your delivery in advance, you get a five percent discount. “After a few months, the savings do add up,” says one Instacart tester.
We also like that the company offers Instacart+, an optional service that offers unlimited free delivery on orders over $35 and reduced service fees for $99 per year or $9.99 per month.
From our tester
“My favorite thing is the ability to get non-perishable things (especially paper products and dog food) delivered on a regular basis. Instacart lets me click through all the different sizes and prices so I can find the one product that offers the most savings. It's a lot easier to see the savings differences in the Instacart app than it is to shop in person.”
Although this service is convenient, our testers say they sometimes ordered and paid for items that they later learned were out of stock. Of course, they were reimbursed, but it was still an annoyance. We would like it better if the app could determine whether all of the items we want are in stock at the time of the order, but we realize that a service that offers access to so many different stores is going to have hiccups.
On a few occasions, our testers received produce that was a little rough or looked like it was starting to go bad, and they had to run out to shop in person for replacements. If you prefer to personally examine your fruits and vegetables for freshness before you buy them, you may want to save that part of grocery shopping for yourself and let shoppers pick your dry goods for delivery.
Instacart is widely available across the United States and Canada, except for some rural areas where grocery stores or shoppers are scarce.
Frequently asked questions
Buying groceries online can be valuable for people with mobility issues, those with chronic illnesses who want to avoid crowds, and those who want to better organize their time. Whether you are buying pantry staples, fresh produce, or premade meals, it’s important to research each grocery delivery service to ensure they have the foods that will benefit your health and a good reputation with customers.
Grocery delivery service prices vary from site to site, and many have additional fees, especially when buying wine. Many services offer new member discounts or free shipping, and some will reduce the delivery cost or waive it altogether when you spend a specific amount. Shopping online allows you to quickly compare prices without having to travel from store to store.
Grocery shopping is relatively easy for people who are used to shopping online. The websites are often built with colorful pictures and descriptions of the foods available so you can see what you are buying before you click through to payment.
- Nearly 20 percent of U.S. shoppers bought groceries online in 2022. (2024, February 26). U.S. Department of Agriculture. Link
- Lane, M.M., Gamage, E., Travica, N., Dissanayaka, T., Ashtree, D.N., Gauci, S., Lotfaliany, M., O’Neil, A., Jacka, F.N., & Marx, W. (2022). Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Nutrients, 14(13). Link