How to use meal kits on a gluten-free diet

If you have a doctor-diagnosed, gluten-related disorder such as celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you may be used to the extra work that goes into sourcing meals that work with your diet. Finding a gluten-free meal delivery service can be a challenge, but there are good quality meal kits out there if you look hard enough.

A gluten-free diet can help reduce symptoms if you happen to live with a gluten-related disorder. There's even limited data supporting the idea of a gluten-free diet being helpful for alleviating pain or discomfort from other disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It's best to talk it over with your doctor first.

How to use meal kits on a gluten-free diet

When it comes to sticking to a gluten-free diet, finding a healthy meal delivery service that offers a variety of gluten-free options -- ideally backed up by reliable and sanitary meal preparation processes -- is key.

Here are our recommendations for the best gluten-free meal delivery services, plus tips on how to navigate meal kit menus and options while avoiding gluten.

The best meal kits for eating gluten-free

We highlight three top-quality meal kits below that offer a refreshing selection of nutritional meals -- all or most of which cater to a gluten-free diet. 

Find the best gluten-free meal kits that are available today below.

Best gluten-free meal delivery service: Green Chef

If you want a meal kit that strikes the perfect balance between nutritious and delicious, we highly recommend Green Chef. 

This meal delivery service is a certified gluten-free safe spot according to the gluten-tolerance group. This gluten-free certification means that Green Chef not only offers a decent selection of diet-friendly meals, but also follows food safety best practices that reduce the risk of issues like cross-contamination. 

Green Chef specializes in serving up healthy and organic meal kits. There are plenty of gluten-free options to choose from, such as vegan and plant-based entrees. This is also a top-tier meal delivery service for other dietary preferences -- you can find low-carb, grain-free, keto-, and paleo-friendly meals.

First time subscribers can save a total of $485 off their first nine boxes by signing up today using promo code FV-VSVM4. This breaks down to prices as low as $4.80 per serving.

Best plant-based meal kit: Daily Harvest

If you're in the mood for meals made from sustainably sourced fruits and vegetables, we recommend rushing over to Daily Harvest's menu. This plant-based meal kit switches things up by charging per item, rather than per serving, but budget-friendly prices balance this out nicely.

Find blended smoothies, nutritional harvest bowls, soups, and more when browsing Daily Harvest's refreshing selection of food items. Although each item is processed individually and delivered frozen, it is worth mentioning that production occurs in a facility that also processes gluten, making cross-contamination a possibility. If you have a severe gluten allergy, other meal kits like Green Chef may be a safer option.

For everyone else, here's some good news: All of Daily Harvest's menu items are 100% gluten-free, which means you don't need to tiptoe around the weekly menu to find diet-friendly options; the whole collection is compatible!

Plan options include small, medium and large, letting you pick between nine and 24 items per delivery. Save up to $25 by opting for larger plans -- and don't miss out on $20 off your first box! Use promo code FRUITVEG to save.

Best selection of organic meals: SunBasket

SunBasket is the perfect place to look for healthy recipes that cater to a gluten-free diet. Its wholesome dishes are made using USDA-certified organic ingredients, with any meat or poultry coming from farmers and ranchers that work directly with SunBasket. 

In addition to gluten-free meal kits and prepared dishes, SunBasket sets itself apart from other meal delivery services by sending customers unique recipes packed with bold flavors and interesting ingredient combos -- just look at the first gluten-free meal that's offered in this week's menu: pan-cooked sole with zucchini and puttanesca sauce. Yum!

In addition to gluten-free meals, you can also find other diet-friendly selections such as dairy-free, soy-free, keto- and paleo-friendly, vegan, and meals with no added sugar.

New customers can save $90 off their first four boxes and enjoy free shipping on their first box by signing up today. Prices start at $10 for fresh and ready meals or $12 for traditional meal kits.

Tips for choosing the right meal kit for a gluten-free diet

If you want to find the perfect meal kit for any dietary restrictions, you need to do a bit of snooping around. Gluten-free meals are typically tagged as such, making browsing weekly menus easy enough. 

The best meal kits, however, also offer a variety of specialized meal plans to choose from. Look for meal delivery services that offer the following:

  • A variety of meal plans: A meal kit with plenty of vegan and plant-based options like SunBasket is likely to have a greater selection of gluten-free meals for you to choose from.
  • Organic, sustainably sourced ingredients: Stick with meal kits that promote clear and healthy food prep and ingredient sourcing best practices. This can greatly reduce the risk of cross-contamination between gluten and gluten-free ingredients.

How we selected the best gluten-free meal kits

For a closer look at how we review certain products and services, here are some of the factors we considered while reviewing the best meal kits for a gluten-free diet: 

  • Certification: We looked for meal delivery services that are certified gluten-free, such as Green Chef.
  • Organic ingredients: Every meal kit company on this list is committed to shipping sustainably sourced, organic ingredients with every delivery.
  • Customer service: Sometimes, part of the hassle of sticking to a gluten-free diet is the ordering process itself. We made sure to highlight meal delivery services that are easy to navigate online – and more likely to offer a representative for additional help when you need it.

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