2020 was not an easy year and, as a rule, when a year is not easy, people tend to gain weight. It was true for at least 70% of Americans. Most of us are unhappy with that gain and are ready to make some healthy changes. But losing weight is not that easy – from making time and effort for gym to grocery shopping and cooking at home.

Meal prep on Sundays is great, but if you don’t feel like it’s your cup of tea, don’t despair and try some services that can bring you ready to eat meals and meal kits that require very little effort and preparation. There are plenty of options these days and they are all designed to help you become and stay healthier the easy way.

Fad diets can be efficient ways to lose weight, but virtually none of them work long term. The surest way to lose weight and keep it off is by changing your lifestyle and becoming conscious how you eat for the rest of your life. That being said, we will always look for the fastest ways to make healthy meals because who wants to dedicate long hours to cooking?

Take a look at 5 companies that are definitely worth of your attention if you want to live healthier and eat better with maximum convenience:

1. Sun Basket

This company is a great help for anybody on a weight loss journey. They offer chef-created healthy meals that take just about 30 minutes to make. You can choose what you like, pick a size of the meal, and get cooking.

Sun Basket has Lean and Clean program, which offers lower calorie meals for people who want to lose weight or keep the pounds off. All the meals are balanced and filling, but contain just over 500 calories per serving. You will get protein and fiber, but no added sugars, gluten, or dairy.

You can expect to pay about $11-$13 per meal and can order individual or family meals.

2. Veestro

Veestro is known for natural and plant-based cuisine. It’s not exactly a meal kit service, but it’s the next best thing for anybody who is health conscious and busy. The company delivers gourmet organic meals that can be popped in the microwave or oven and heated for perfect nutrition in minutes.

There is a weight loss option, which includes 3 daily meals that together are only about 1,200 calories. This might not be enough for active people, but perfect for those who are looking for fast results.

Veestro meals are quite affordable and come to about $8 each.

3. BistroMD

This company also delivers ready-to-eat healthy meals. Over 150 menu choices here are approved by a geriatric doctor and are design to facilitate and sustain weight loss through portion control and balanced nutrition.

You can choose from a few different plans and order food for an entire week or choose just lunches and dinners for 5 days. You will pay around $143 for food for the entire week or $97 for 5 days of lunches and dinners. Overall BistroMD value is great, making this program very affordable at $9.50 - $13 per serving.

You can also choose plans based on your health needs – vegetarian, gluten-free, heart-healthy, for diabetic patients or for menopausal women.

The program has licensed dieticians on board for consultations and advice, but there are no real tools for long term support.

4. Nutrisystem

Here is another company that brings all the diet-friendly meals right to you. Everything is ready-to-eat or frozen, perfectly balanced, and low in calories. You won’t need any counting, thinking, measuring, shopping, or cooking, but you will have to be stuck with often bland foods for months at a time.

Sure, you are encouraged to supplement Nutrisystem food with fresh produce and an occasional home cooked meal, but overall the program is tailored for serious following. The company has been around for a long time and has helped countless customers lose weight fast. You can choose from over 160 meals and from a few different plans. You will be able to utilize counseling and nutritional support whenever you need help.

Nutrisystem is very affordable with average cost of about $9 for women and $10 for men per day. The best way to join Nutrisystem is to order a monthly supply and get serious about it. Vegetarian and diabetes-friendly plans are also available.

There are a few drawbacks, like with everything else – long term weight loss is questionable, the diet is restricted to frozen meals and thus hard to stick with for a long time, and they also use plenty of processed and refined ingredients.

5. HelloFresh

HelloFresh is one of the best meal kit delivery services around and is not only healthy, but very simple. All you have to do is pick recipes you like, get the needed ingredients and recipes delivered right to your door contact-free, and get busy cooking.

Meals are made of fresh high quality ingredients and can be cooked in about 30 minutes. Calorie Smart plan offers a nice selection of meals that are 650 or fewer calories.  Each serving will set you back by just $8.99, so it’s very affordable. You can pick 3-5 meals per week for 2 or 4 people.

You can try various cuisines and add deserts, lunches, and extra proteins. But the best thing is the convenience that HelloFresh offers – premeasured ingredients, no shopping for groceries, and short cooking time.