Where to Find Healthy Prepared Meals in St. Louis – St. Louis Magazine
We all have those days—and weeks—where we’re just too busy and tired to cook. Unfortunately, a lot of the easiest options in a pinch are some of the unhealthiest. Wouldn’t it be nice to have something that’s both ready-to-eat and healthy? The dishes below are chef-crafted, fresh meals that will keep you nourished and well-fed when you need a little help. Some, you can order ahead for when you know you’ll need them. Others are available on demand. All of them are locally owned, delicious, nutritious, and made with your health in mind.
Delivery: Yes (within a 15 mile radius of Sunset Hills)
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Rachel Carr’s Plant Craft Kitchen (3860 S. Lindbergh) strives to balance great-tasting ingredients with meals that are completely vegan and mostly oil-free (many are either gluten-free or can be made as such). Carr posts a weekly menu on Sunday, and ordering remains open through Thursday for pickups on the following Sunday. Meals are delivered cold and designed to be heated at home, or you can pop them in the freezer so that you have something healthy to eat on hand.
Must-try menu item: The Mediterranean hummus and quinoa bowl, adorned with cashew yogurt and filled with veggies, is a bright, satisfying blend of flavors.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Pure Plates offers an entirely gluten-free menu with food that’s optimized to help you maintain a healthy diet. Meal plans cater to a variety of health and wellness needs, including those designed for keto, diabetic, 5 Day revive and Fresh Start needs. Order online by 7 p.m. and your meal will be ready for delivery or pick-up (703 Long Road Crossing) the next day.
Must-try menu item: The chicken piccata is a high-protein, low-carb option that’s soy-free. The service’s fiesta chicken quesadilla is also soy-free, as well as low-carb and low-fat.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Fit Flavors’ menu offers a robust and diverse selection of meals that will fit just about any diet. Whether you’re looking for dishes that are vegan, low-carb, gluten free, diabetic-friendly, anti-inflammatory, or otherwise, Fit Flavors carefully curates plates that are nourishing and tasty. The options appear on a rotating basis, and diners can choose to have meals shipped to their door (with a $50 minimum purchase), or have them available for store pickup at one of five St. Louis area locations, where you can also drop in to grab items they already have in stock, no advance order required.
Must-try menu item: Ever the crowd-pleaser, the Cheeseburger Bowl includes ground beef, basmati rice, cheddar cheese, mustard, pickles, and onions.
Delivery: Yes (via DoorDash)
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Visit Revel’s brick-and-mortar locations in Brentwood (8388 Musick Memorial), Kirkwood (11215 Manchester) and Maplewood (7520 Manchester) to order salads, wraps, smoothies, and custom-made bowls. If you’re looking for grab-and-go, prepared meals, you’ll have to visit Schnucks. The grocer carries a variety of bowls, salads, juices, and more from Revel.
Must-try menu item: The Don’t Kale it a Comeback is Revel’s most-purchased prepared meal at Schnucks. The dish features kale, grilled chicken breast, Romano cheese, red pepper flakes, gluten-free cornflake crumbs, and garlic aioli sauce combined in a whole wheat wrap.
Delivery: Yes (within a 50-mile radius of Ful.’s South St. Louis kitchen)
Subscription: Yes
In a nutshell: Former Herbie’s and Kingside Diner executive chef Chris Vomund runs this health-focused meal service, including a grab-and-go retail location in the former Copper Pig location (4611 Macklind) in Southampton. Vomund draws upon his fine-dining background to make meals feel indulgent while still clocking in under 450 calories.
Must-try menu item: The weekly menu consists of six dishes (from a roster of 40). Among past favorites: the turkey burger with braised black beans, turmeric cauliflower rice, and pickled red onions.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Jen and Jon Maness got into the prepared meals business by way of their juice and smoothie bowl company, Hello Juice. Working with registered dietician Allison Lesko, they’ve created a meal service that is supposed to make you feel good both in body and spirit, following a “Flavor First” philosophy to their food. Order by Thursdays for delivery on Sunday, or pickup at their Grove or Kirkwood locations, where they also stock their coolers with grab-and-go options.
Must-try menu item: The Shepherd’s Pie, a beefy concoction covered in mashed potatoes and gravy, is less indulgent than it tastes.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: The Webster Groves–based caterer offers a variety of prepared dinner packages, ready to take home, including fresh or frozen casseroled, pints or quarts of soup, family-size salads and more. Menus are updated weekly; on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the service focuses on gourmet, lighter side and low-sodium specialties. Although advance ordering is available, it’s not necessary.
Must-try menu item: The cheese and spinach stuffed portabella is a satisfying vegetarian feast.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Although often thought of as a catering company, Gourmet to Go offers two nightly dinners for pickup and delivery. Orders must be placed 24 hours in advance.
Must-try menu item: The menu changes daily; be on the lookout for the chicken enchiladas, smothered in piquant green chile verde.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Time for Dinner has made a name for itself as a meal assembly service where guests prep dishes using provided ingredients and cooking implements. However, the service also offers ready-made meals for carryout and delivery. Meals can be ordered anytime and must be picked up within one week.
Must-try menu item: Time for Dinner has an extensive menu of ready-made appetizers, salads, sides, entrees and desserts. It’s Asian pork tenderloin, marinated in mouth-watering soy, sriracha, sesame oil and brown sugar, is a crowd-pleaser.
