The Best AIP Meal Delivery Services for Beginners

Learn what food services can help take the guesswork out of an autoimmune protocol diet.

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Managing an autoimmune condition can be multifaceted, and while there’s no doubt that diet can play a role, the exact impact of specific foods isn’t always as clear. For this reason, some are looking to the AIP (autoimmune protocol) diet for assistance. This diet includes a very strict elimination phase, followed by a reintroduction phase, thought to help identify trigger foods. While there’s very little clinical evidence to support the use of this diet, it is one option to consider and discuss with your health care provider.

If you do choose to undertake the diet, these AIP meal delivery services could be of assistance to you, especially for managing the difficulties of the elimination phase of the diet. A registered dietician from our Medical Expert Board has reviewed this article for medical accuracy and claims.

The 8 Best AIP Meal Delivery Services of 2023

Best Variety : Paleo On The Go


Paleo On The Go

Paleo On The Go 

Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $15.93 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 50 states
  • Products Arrive: Frozen
Why You Should Try It

These AIP-compliant and paleo-friendly meals are here to cover you across all meals—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks and baked goodies. 

Pros and Cons
Pros
  • Fully AIP-compliant menu

  • Breakfast and dessert options

  • Subscribe and save

Cons
  • No substitution or customization

  • Pricey

Overview

Paleo On The Go is all about crafting paleo and AIP-compliant meals so you can get on with your diet without completely missing out on foods you love. The savory meals rely heavily on animal proteins, root vegetables, and substitute ingredients like rice tortillas, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to choose from with dishes like smoked pork carnitas tacos with “pico” and cauliflower “rice” or Greek lamb moussaka. There’s even an assortment of AIP-focused baked goods, both sweet and savory, so you’ll be able to enjoy a chicken potpie or try out a vanilla chai donut if you like. 

Meals We Tried  
  • Homemade chicken potpie
  • Bacon apple chicken burger with maple cranberry sauce and collard greens with smoky bacon
  • Coq au vin with herb-mashed Japanese white sweet potatoes
  • Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy and onion confit cauliflower mash 
  • Moo shoo pork tacos
  • German brats with sauerkraut and home-fried potatoes
  • Polish stuffed cabbage rolls
  • Thai basil shrimp

Best Meal Kits : Green Chef


Green Chef logo

Green Chef

Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $11.99 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 48 states
  • Products Arrive: Fresh
Why You Should Try It

Meal kits from Green Chef pack in plants and proteins, making it easy to find meals that work with an AIP diet while helping you make cooking at home more convenient. 

Pros and Cons
Pros
  • Certified organic

  • Plant-filled meals

  • Lots of grain substitutes

  • Meal kits are customizable at home

Cons
  • No AIP-specific meals

Overview

While there aren’t necessarily AIP-specific meals from Green Chef, there are plenty of options that would be easily customizable at home to make them work, and it may be worth the convenience and quality to give it a look. By omitting a crema or pistachio topping, you can enjoy dishes like Middle Eastern-style beef bowls with cauliflower rice, or turkey coconut curry soup. As you incorporate ingredients and exit the “elimination phase,” we think Green Chef is also a delicious option to grow into, with quality ingredients like house-made spice blends and organic produce. 

Meals We Tried 
  • Harissa-spiced shrimp 
  • Sesame ginger bavette steak and shrimp 
  • Middle Eastern-style chickpea bowls 
  • Maple-glazed carrots with figs

Best Prepared Meals : CookUnity


Cook Unity logo

Cook Unity

Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $10.39 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 47 states
  • Products Arrive: Fresh
Why You Should Try It

CookUnity is a crowd-pleaser in the prepared meal category, with restaurant-quality execution and many dietary accommodations. 

Pros and Cons 
Pros
  • Extensive menus of options

  • Always fresh and high quality

  • High-level culinary execution

  • Easily searchable diet filters

Cons
  • Need an active subscription to view menu filters

Overview

While enjoying your favorite restaurants and takeout spots while on an AIP protocol may seem out of reach, CookUnity is an incredible substitute option. You can easily find alternatives to meet your dietary needs with a menu that rivals your favorite local eateries and search filters for paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and more. Enjoy meals like slow-roasted cod with bell peppers and micro greens or garlic hanger steak with vegetables and cilantro-avocado sauce, always delivered fresh to your front door.

Meals We Tried  
  • Coconut lime hanger steak
  • Carnitas street tacos
  • Butternut squash ravioli
  • Chili-roasted shrimp

Best Gourmet : Pete’s Real Food


Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $15.60 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 50 states
  • Products Arrive: Fresh
Why You Should Try It

This meal delivery service is strictly paleo and AIP friendly, and the meals are chef-prepared and feature seasonal ingredients.

Pros and Cons 
Pros
  • Choose the plan or mix and match your meals

  • AIP-friendly search filter

  • Chef-crafted meals

Cons
  • Can’t select meals on plan

Overview

Pete’s Real Food specializes in multiple diet-friendly meals, including paleo and AIP-friendly plans. The focus here is not just on eliminating undesired ingredients but also on prioritizing a culinary experience with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, chef-crafted flavors, and meals that are delivered fresh for maximum enjoyment. We recommend the mix-and-match options with the AIP filter to view what Pete’s has to offer. 

Meals We Tried  
  • Grilled chicken with sautéed cabbage and green goddess potato salad
  • Chicken chili with oven-roasted tomatoes and spaghetti squash
  • Beef stroganoff over sweet potato noodles
  • Chicken meatballs with cauliflower mash and sweet potato fries
  • Turkey burgers with lemon garlic asparagus and roasted purple potato wedges

Best for Fitness : Trifecta


Trifecta
Trifecta.

Trifecta 

Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $12.80 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 50 states
  • Products Arrive: Fresh
Why You Should Try It

Trifecta’s paleo meal plan includes nutritionally balanced meals that may fit your AIP diet while supporting your needs in fitness. 

Pros and Cons 
Pros
  • Choose paleo plan or BYO meal prep

  • Good on flavors overall

  • Dietitians on staff

  • Can indicate some additional avoidances

Cons
  • Can’t select dishes on plans

Overview

Trifecta’s meal plans are designed to be a no-brainer; pick your plan and how many meals you want per week, and the rest is on autopilot. We recommend checking out the paleo plan as a starting point for those who want AIP-friendly meals. While the experts are choosing meals for you on the various plans, that may mean you’ll need to indicate other ingredients you want to avoid, or you can select the meal prep option where you choose your protein and sides for yourself. 

Meals We Tried 
  • Kung pao grilled chicken with broccoli and roasted sweet potato
  • Beef skillet with roasted sweet potato and marinated cabbage
  • Herb-roasted cod with walnut basil pesto and vegetables
  • Slow-cooked rosemary thyme beef with root vegetables
  • Salmon Mexican bowl with tomato salsa and vegetables
  • Ginger shrimp with herb-marinated sweet potato
  • Cajun chicken andouille sausage and roasted vegetables

Best High Protein : Fresh N Lean


Fresh n' Lean

 Fresh n' Lean

Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $10.66 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 50 states
  • Products Arrive: Fresh
Why You Should Try It

Fresh N Lean really gives you your money’s worth with its reasonably priced meal plans designed to provide you with adequate protein intake. 

Pros and Cons 
Pros
  • Paleo meal plan option

  • Protein priorities across all plans

  • Transparent sourcing

  • Fridge or freezer to table in minutes

Cons
  • No customization options

Overview

The paleo plan from Fresh N Lean is a great place to start if you’re looking for protein-packed options while undertaking the AIP diet. The paleo plan is free from grains, dairy, gluten, and added sugars, and while you may need to avoid certain common ingredients like seeds, you can easily do this during meal selection. Meals arrive every Friday, but you can adjust to a later date if you prefer, and this service is one of the few that’s accessible across all 50 states. 

Meals We Tried  
  • Grilled shrimp with caper dill aioli and roasted winter squash
  • Moroccan mint grass-fed steak with spiced cauliflower and brown rice
  • Tikka chicken with turmeric-roasted cauliflower and quinoa
  • BBQ turkey meatballs with white beans
  • Cajun salmon with Yukon potato and tomato rice

Best Organic : Sunbasket


Sunbasket

 Sunbasket

Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $11.50 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 46 states
  • Products Arrive: Fresh
Why You Should Try It

Sunbasket’s commitment to sourcing starts with organic and takes it a step further, with attention to detail in sourcing high-quality and sustainable meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and more. 

Pros and Cons 
Pros
  • Environmentally conscious sourcing

  • Meal kits and add-ons

  • Semi-customizable kits

Cons
  • Not everything is AIP friendly

Overview

Meals from Sunbasket are not only enticing from a flavor perspective but also bring a lot to the table for those following an AIP-specific diet. While you may want to initially omit certain ingredients like nuts and seeds until you can determine if those are problematic foods, quite a few meals from Sunbasket’s paleo-style kits will work with the protocol. We love the sound of the Mediterranean-style halibut with artichoke hearts and olives, or a chipotle butternut squash stew with chorizo, especially if the prep is made that much easier with a meal kit. 

Meals We Tried  

Meal Kits

  • Sea scallops over fresh fettuccine with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach
  • Snapper with romesco, vegetables, and almonds
  • Burmese chicken and sweet potato curry
  • Sirloin strip tacos with zucchini scallion salsa

Prepared Meals

  • Broccoli mac and cheese
  • Chicken chow mein with broccoli, mushroom, and toasted garlic
  • Beef donburi rice bowl with edamame and kimchi-lime vegetables
  • Burrito bowl al pastor with plant-based Impossible Beef

Best Allergy Friendly : The Good Kitchen


The Good Kitchen
The Good Kitchen.

The Good Kitchen 

Key Specs
  • Starting Price: $11.50 per serving
  • Delivery Area: 50 states
  • Products Arrive: Fresh
Why You Should Try It

Just because you’re following the AIP diet doesn’t mean you don’t have other foods you need to avoid, and that’s just where The Good Kitchen comes in, allowing customization for your exact needs. 

 Pros and Cons 
Pros
  • Meals are fresh and ready in minutes

  • Can order proteins and sides family style

  • Use the “allergen card” to note food allergies

  • Dietitians on staff to support food production

Cons
  • Must create an account to preview the menu and all diets

Overview

Meals from The Good Kitchen start out free of gluten, refined sugar, dairy, and soy, giving you a great starting point for following AIP protocols. Selecting either the “Whole30” or “Paleo” filters will narrow down the options further, and from there you can select meals that work for wherever you’re at in your diet journey. If you need to include additional allergen avoidances, simply head to your dashboard and enter your “ingredients to avoid” in any upcoming deliveries. 

Meals We Tried  
  • Beef shepherd's pie
  • Bison and beef sloppy Joe with potato leek gratin
  • Chicken satay with cilantro rice and broccoli
  • Chili lime chicken with fajita veg and cilantro cauliflower rice
  • Miso-glazed wild boar meatballs and hibachi zucchini
  • Tomato, asparagus, and spinach frittata with Yukon potato hash

Final Thoughts

If you’re interested in diving into the AIP diet, we highly recommend doing so with the support of your health care team—and some of our favorite meal delivery services. While the diet may be heavily restricted, there’s nothing to say you can’t enjoy the convenience of prepared meals or the deliciousness of gourmet cooking while you work to improve your health. 

Compare the Best AIP Meal Delivery Services

Company Starting Price   Delivery Area Products Arrive Customers Can Choose Delivery Date? Free Shipping
Best Variety: Paleo On The Go $15.93 per serving 50 states Frozen No No
Best Meal Kits: Green Chef $11.99 per serving 48 states Fresh Yes No
Best Prepared Meals: CookUnity $10.39 per serving 47 states Fresh Yes No
Best Gourmet: Pete’s Real Food $15.60 per serving 50 states Fresh No No
Best for Fitness: Trifecta $12.80 per serving 50 states Fresh No No
Best High Protein: Fresh N Lean $10.66 per serving 50 states Fresh No No
Best Organic: Sunbasket $9.99 per serving  46 states Fresh  Yes No
Best Allergy Friendly: The Good Kitchen $11.50 per serving 50 states Fresh Yes No

Guide to Choosing the Best AIP Meal Delivery Service

What to Consider

  • Price/Cost Per Meal: Price ranges can vary depending on quantities purchased, sourcing of ingredients, and more. Be sure to know your budget before shopping for the right AIP meal delivery service. 
  • Number of Meals Per Delivery: Most services will have a minimum order quantity, so be sure to know what quantity of meals you need as you go to place your order. 
  • Flexibility: Most services will allow for the flexibility of skipping weeks, pausing membership, and canceling easily, enhancing the customer experience, but be sure to know your service’s weekly cutoff times so you don’t get charged for food you don’t need. 
  • Menu Selection: Certain services don’t allow you to select your own meals and operate from a set menu of options. If you’re more of a selective eater, or simply want the control of choosing your own meals, make sure you opt for a service that allows that.
  • Nutrition Goals/Dietary Restrictions: While the elimination protocols of the AIP diet are likely to eliminate other potentially sensitive ingredients, it’s certainly possible that you may have allergies or other avoidances in the mix. Ensure you’ve selected a company that can meet all of your needs before you order.

What Are AIP Meals?

AIP meals are those that meet the requirements of the autoimmune protocol diet, meaning those that do not contain any of the restricted ingredients or foods. These meals can take shape in many ways, with many components, so long as they’re on the list of approved options.

How to Start an AIP Diet

The best place to start any diet, especially one as restrictive and with as little scientific evidence behind it as the AIP diet, is with a trip to your doctor or dietitian. Undertaking a diet of this kind, especially for individuals with autoimmune considerations, can have negative side effects such as weight loss or nutrient deficiency, so it’s always best to check in and undertake these diets with medical supervision. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What Is the Difference Between the AIP Diet and Paleo?

    The AIP diet seems to have been derived from the paleo diet, though they are not identical. Both diets have similar exclusions; however, the paleo diet is considered to be for general use, while the AIP is regarded as an elimination diet, used to identify foods that may trigger autoimmune responses in some people. Neither diet is widely accepted as medically relevant, and while some elements are supported by science, both lack evidence for recommendation. 


  • What Foods Should You Avoid on an AIP Diet?

    During the elimination phase of the AIP diet, one is told to avoid all grains, all gluten, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts and seeds, soy, refined oils, refined sugar, sugar substitutes, alcohol, caffeine, and generally all processed foods. 

  • How Long Do You Use the AIP Diet?

    Commonly, the “elimination phase” of the diet would last between four to 12 weeks, and in subsequent weeks certain foods would be reintroduced one at a time while monitoring symptoms. Typically, one would try between one and two eliminated foods per week, with well-tolerated foods being reintegrated into the diet as you move forward, meaning the diet could last upward of six months, depending on how reintroduction is handled. We recommend that this be done under the supervision of a health care professional like a dietitian, as many factors can impact symptoms, and it may be challenging to track and identify triggers on your own.

Methodology

Our team of experts was given the task of ordering, cooking, and reviewing over 40 different meal delivery services. Each company was analyzed based on its approach to nutrition, sustainability, quality, taste, cookability, and information transparency. Services are ranked according to how well they scored during testing and included in our “best” lists based on how well they prioritized the needs of the diet. 

Fresh salad with soft boiled eggs

Claudia Totir / Getty Images

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