Compare Diet Food Delivery Prices

You are thinking about starting a diet plan, but you're too busy to prepare special meals. How about a diet-food delivery service? Several companies will, for a fee, do the cooking for you.

Benefits

• Signing up with a delivery service takes the guesswork out of meal planning. Each program offers options catered to your personal tastes, measured and portioned for your specific dietary guidelines. Meals are delivered to your door, and, in most cases, you only need to heat and eat.

Plans

• Nutrisystem, eDiets, Diet-to-Go and DineWise offer flexible and customizable plans based on your taste preferences and nutritional needs. A variety of menus are available, ranging from low-fat and low-carb to vegetarian. Each company provides a breakfast/lunch/dinner plan, with or without snacks. You may sign up for five- or seven-day-a-week plans.

Cost

• Pricing as of September 2009 is for a seven-day plan with each company:

  Nutrisystem: $299.95 (28 days' worth of meals, automatic renewal each month until you cancel, free shipping)

  eDiets: $159.60 (7 days' worth of meals, price includes shipping)

  Diet-to-Go: $113.99 to $149.99 (7 days' worth of meals, price does not include shipping)

  DineWise: $209.99 (7 days' worth of meals, price does not include shipping)

Specials/Promotions

• Most companies offer periodic specials and promotions to their customers. Deals on shipping and/or free meals may be available when you sign up for a specific program.

Considerations

• Depending on your budget, home meal delivery can be a costly alternative to home cooking. Research your options carefully, and don't forget to check for discounts.