Best Meal Prep Delivery in London 2026
An honest comparison of every meal prep service that delivers to London. Pricing, menu size, protein content - and what each service actually gets right and wrong.
Last updated April 2026 - all pricing verified
London has more meal prep delivery options than anywhere else in the UK. That is both an advantage and a headache. Six services deliver properly to London, but they are not all doing the same thing - some send ready meals, some send recipe kits you have to cook yourself, and one sells frozen comfort food through physical shops.
We have tested them all. Here is how they compare.
Quick Comparison
| Service | Type | Price/Meal | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| HomeCooks | Ready meals (chilled) | From £7.50 | Quality food, huge variety |
| Simmer Eats | Ready meals (chilled) | £7.49 - £7.96 | Simple weekly plans |
| Frive | Ready meals (chilled) | From £7.99 | Clean eating, no UPFs |
| Prep Kitchen | Ready meals (chilled) | £6.95 - £7.75 | Budget-friendly macros |
| Mindful Chef | Recipe kit (you cook) | £5.00 - £7.50 | Home cooking, dietary needs |
| COOK | Frozen ready meals | £6 - £12 | Comfort food, family meals |
London-specific note
All six services deliver across London, but delivery days and lead times vary. COOK also has physical shops in North London (Woodford Green, Southgate, Muswell Hill) and concessions in Spar, Co-op, and Londis locations. All other services are online-only.
The Full Breakdown
HomeCooks
Best Quality & VarietyHomeCooks works differently to every other service on this list. Instead of a central factory producing the same meals at scale, independent chefs and small food businesses cook in their own kitchens. That means the food actually tastes like something you would get in a restaurant - because it is made by real chefs who care about what they are cooking.
The menu is enormous - over 200 dishes spanning Indian, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Asian, British, and more. You will not get bored. Every meal is high protein (30-60g) with full nutritional data, but the focus is on food you genuinely look forward to eating, not just fuel for the gym.
The model is subscription-based: choose your meal plan size and pick your meals each week. Delivery is included in the price - no hidden fees.
Pros
- 200+ dishes - largest menu of any UK service by far
- Made by independent chefs, not factory-produced
- Restaurant-quality food that you actually look forward to
- 30-60g protein with full nutritional data
- Delivery included - no extra fees
Cons
- Subscription model - need to commit to weekly orders
- Menu rotates - specific dishes may not always be available
- No physical shops (online only)
Simmer Eats
Most PopularSimmer is probably the most well-known meal prep brand in the UK, with over 11,000 Trustpilot reviews. Founded in 2017 by brothers Simmy and Jhai Dhillon, they have built a strong following in the fitness community. Meals are produced in a central facility and arrive chilled.
The menu is tighter than HomeCooks (22 dishes at any time, around 50 across the year), but the meals are solid - particularly the protein-focused options. Customers consistently praise the taste and portion sizes. Plan sizes run from 6 to 18 meals per week.
Two things to watch: delivery costs £6.99 per order (free on your first), which adds up over time. And multiple reviewers flag difficulty cancelling their subscription - there is no phone support and the live chat can be hard to reach.
Pros
- Established brand with large customer base
- Good protein content (30-50g)
- Flexible plan sizes (6-18 meals)
- 3-minute reheat
Cons
- £6.99 delivery fee on every order
- Smaller menu (22 vs 200+)
- Factory production model
- Limited cuisine variety
Frive
Clean Eating FocusFrive (formerly Lions Prep) has built a strong reputation for clean eating - 4.5 stars from over 11,200 Trustpilot reviews. All meals are nutritionist-approved, macro-balanced, and made without ultra-processed ingredients. The menu rotates weekly with 27 main dishes plus desserts and sides.
Plans start from £35/week (3-day) up to £60/week (6-day), working out to roughly £7.42-£8.50 per meal depending on your plan. They have landed PR in GQ, Vogue, and The Times, and count Simon Pegg and Rita Ora as customers.
The food quality is genuinely good and the ingredients are clean. The trade-off is variety - 27 mains versus HomeCooks' 200+ means you will cycle through the menu faster. Some customers have also reported difficulty cancelling their subscription and occasional DPD delivery problems.
Pros
- No ultra-processed foods
- Nutritionist-approved, macro-balanced
- Weekly menu rotation keeps things fresh
- Natural ingredients throughout
Cons
- Most expensive per meal on this list
- Smaller menu than HomeCooks
- Some customers report difficulty cancelling
- Factory production
Prep Kitchen
Best ValuePrep Kitchen is the most affordable option on this list. Their Fat Loss plan starts at £6.25 per balanced meal, with Muscle Gain at £7.50. Lower Carb options add about 75p. Both come in Regular and Large portions - the Large option adds 35% more calories.
This is the most "food as fuel" service on the list - very functional, very macro-focused. If you want to hit your numbers for the lowest price, Prep Kitchen delivers on that. Clear nutritional information on everything. The menu rotates with 20-30 mains at any time, plus starters and desserts.
The trade-off is the food itself. Some reviewers note meals can look unappetising, and there have been reports of tough chicken and incorrect calorie information on packaging. If you care about enjoying your meals - not just hitting targets - you may find it bland compared to HomeCooks or Frive.
Pros
- Cheapest per meal on this list
- Two portion sizes (Regular + Large)
- Clear macro information
- Good option for budget-conscious trackers
Cons
- Smaller menu range
- Occasional DPD delivery issues reported
- Factory production
- Less cuisine variety
Mindful Chef
Recipe Kit - You CookImportant distinction: Mindful Chef is not a meal prep service. It is a recipe kit - you receive pre-portioned ingredients with recipe cards and cook the meals yourself. That means 15-40 minutes of cooking per meal, not 3 minutes of reheating.
If you enjoy cooking and want healthy, whole-food recipes without the hassle of shopping, Mindful Chef is excellent. They offer 28 recipes per week to choose from, all gluten-free and dairy-free by default. They are a certified B Corp, use 100% British free-range chicken, and every box donates a meal to a child through their One Feeds Two programme. Customers love the ingredient quality - 4.4 stars from over 20,000 Trustpilot reviews.
Pricing depends on box size: a 1-person box works out to about £9/serving, while a 4-person box drops to around £5-£6/serving. But you are paying with your time on top of that. For anyone choosing meal prep specifically to avoid cooking, this is not the right fit.
Pros
- Lower per-serving price (from £5)
- All recipes gluten-free and dairy-free
- B Corp certified
- Good if you enjoy cooking
Cons
- You have to cook everything (20-40 mins)
- Not macro-optimised
- Not a ready meal - different category entirely
- Premium pricing vs HelloFresh/Gousto
COOK
Frozen - London ShopsCOOK has been around since 1997 and takes a completely different approach. Their meals are frozen (not chilled), focused on comfort food - pies, stews, lasagnes, roasts, traditional British and European dishes. They have an outstanding reputation - 4.8 stars from nearly 50,000 Trustpilot reviews, with 87% giving five stars. BBC Good Food named them best overall meal delivery service.
This is a lovely option if you want home-style comfort food. But it is not designed for fitness or nutrition goals - protein content varies and is not a focus. The meals are more about enjoyment than health optimisation. B Corp certified, Great Taste Award winners, and a genuinely nice company.
London-specific advantage: COOK has shops in Woodford Green, Southgate, and Muswell Hill, plus concessions in Spar, Co-op, Nisa, and Londis locations across North London. You can also click and collect for free. Minimum £45 for home delivery.
Pros
- Physical shops across London
- B Corp certified
- Established since 1997
- Free delivery over £50
- Good for families and sharing portions
Cons
- Frozen, not fresh/chilled
- Not macro-focused or high-protein
- Higher price range (premium dishes £10+)
- Comfort food focus - not health-optimised
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | HomeCooks | Simmer | Frive | Prep Kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Ready meals | Ready meals | Ready meals | Ready meals |
| Price/meal | From £7.50 | £7.49-£7.96 | From £7.99 | £6.25-£8.25 |
| Delivery fee | Included | £6.99 | Varies | Varies |
| Menu size | 200+ | 22 (50+ yearly) | 27 mains | 20-30 |
| Protein/meal | 30-60g | 30-50g | Varies | High protein |
| Full macros | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prep time | 3 mins | 3 mins | 3 mins | 3 mins |
| Production | Individual chefs | Central factory | Central factory | Central factory |
| Format | Chilled | Chilled | Chilled | Chilled |
Mindful Chef and COOK are excluded from this table because they are fundamentally different products - Mindful Chef is a recipe kit (you cook), and COOK is frozen comfort food. Including them in a like-for-like comparison would be misleading.
How We Compared These Services
We ordered from each service multiple times over a 6-month period. Pricing was verified directly from each service's website in April 2026. We focused on four things that actually matter for meal prep customers in London:
- Value: Not just per-meal price, but total cost including delivery fees
- Protein and nutrition: Macro transparency and actual protein content
- Menu variety: How quickly you get bored ordering weekly
- Convenience: Ordering process, delivery reliability, and how long it takes to eat
We deliberately included Mindful Chef and COOK even though they are different products, because Londoners searching for "meal prep delivery" often encounter these services and deserve to understand the differences.
Which Service is Right for You?
If you want restaurant-quality food that is also healthy: HomeCooks (200+ dishes from independent chefs, 30-60g protein, food you actually look forward to eating).
If you want a reliable, established brand: Simmer (30-50g protein, smaller menu but strong customer base and good flavours).
If you want clean eating without ultra-processed ingredients: Frive is the clear pick, though you pay a premium.
If budget is the priority: Prep Kitchen is the cheapest per meal at £6.95, though watch for delivery costs and the smaller menu.
If you actually enjoy cooking: Mindful Chef sends you ingredients and recipes. It is not meal prep - it is a recipe kit.
If you want comfort food or family portions: COOK's frozen meals and London shops make it easy to stock up on pies, stews, and traditional dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all of these services deliver across London?
Yes. All six services deliver to all London postcodes. COOK also has physical shops in Woodford Green, Southgate, and Muswell Hill, plus concessions in Spar, Co-op, and Londis locations across North London. Free click and collect is available from their shops.
What is the difference between meal prep and recipe kits?
Meal prep services (HomeCooks, Simmer, Frive, Prep Kitchen) send you fully cooked meals that you reheat in 3 minutes. Recipe kits (Mindful Chef) send you raw ingredients with instructions - you cook from scratch, which takes 20-40 minutes. Both have their place, but they solve different problems.
Which service has the highest protein per meal?
HomeCooks leads with 30-60g protein per meal. Simmer offers 30-50g. Prep Kitchen and Frive provide high protein options but do not consistently match those ranges. Mindful Chef and COOK are not protein-focused.
Can I cancel or pause my subscription?
All subscription services allow pausing and cancelling. Some customers have reported that Frive requires contacting support to fully cancel rather than doing it through the app. HomeCooks, Simmer, and Prep Kitchen allow self-service pausing and cancellation.
Which is cheapest overall including delivery?
Prep Kitchen has the lowest base price (from £6.25/meal on their Fat Loss plan). However, total cost depends on delivery fees and order size. Simmer charges £6.99 delivery per order, which on a small plan pushes the per-meal cost significantly higher. HomeCooks includes delivery in the meal price. Always calculate total weekly cost, not just per-meal price.
Chef-Made Meals, Delivered to London
200+ dishes from independent chefs. High protein, full nutritional data, and food you actually look forward to eating.
See Our MenuRelated
How it works - Healthy Eating Made Easy.
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Popular High Protein Meals
Customer favourites with 30g+ protein per serving
Chargrilled Butter Chicken
Indonesian Beef Rendang
Chicken Tikka Masala
