When I’d hear people rave about meal kits, I assumed the hype was overblown and that they weren’t worth the cost. As a vegetarian, I also figured meal delivery services wouldn’t cater to my diet, so I never bothered trying them.

However, once I started testing vegan meal kits for CNET, one service in particular made me realize I was wrong. It's the one I'd spend my own money on. That's why Blue Apron, which doesn't require a subscription, is CNET's favorite meal kit service. This is why it's my top pick.

The vegetarian recipes don't phone it in

Earlier this year, I tried four vegetarian meal kits from Blue Apron, which are as low as $8 per serving. All of them were delicious: roasted cauliflower and farro salad, white bean and veggie grain bowls, loaded veggie burritos and Thai-style curry noodles. I even saved the recipe cards and have re-created the farro salad and grain bowls on my own. 

I later tried pimento cheeseburgers with black bean patties, peanut udon stir-fry, roasted red pepper pasta and spicy mushroom and onion quesadillas. Again, absolutely delicious. No notes on taste. However, the pimento cheeseburger meal kit was missing one crucial ingredient, the pickled peppadew peppers, but I had a substitute on hand.

I could tell that whoever created these recipes didn't skimp on flavor or rely on old standbys like tofu or extra spice. I also felt that these dishes offered a good variety of fresh-tasting vegetables, greens, grains and different protein options, with the ability to adjust the sodium and spice levels to your liking. 

As someone who regularly cooks at home to avoid spending extra on eating out or takeout, I was genuinely inspired by these meal kits, particularly by the sauces that brought the recipes together. 

Prices are on the affordable end

You'd think that with more flavor and creative recipes, you'd have to pay a higher price. However, Blue Apron is one of the most affordable meal kits we tested, earning a spot on our list of the cheapest meal delivery services we love. So if you're one of the 61% of US adults who are concerned about the cost of meal kits, Blue Apron could be a good option -- especially if you're looking to waste less food or save on going out to eat.

No subscription required

Since I first tested Blue Apron, the brand has also completely revamped its model, eliminating its subscriptions in favor of à la carte meals. (Don't worry, if you liked the subscription, you can still opt for it and get discounts with the Autoship and Save feature.) 

Along with over 100 meals per week, double what it had before, Blue Apron also has two new product lines in addition to its meal kits:

• Dish by Blue Apron: Pre-made meals that are ready in at least 5 minutes, requiring no prep. Starting at $7 per service.
• Assemble and Bake: One-pan meals requiring at most 5 minutes of hands-on prep with pre-chopped or prepared ingredients. Starting at $11 per serving.

I enjoyed the new premade and ready-to-bake recipes

During my earlier testing, I tried the premade four-cheese enchiladas with rice and sweet and spicy tofu udon noodles. Although I enjoyed them both and found them filling, I wouldn't say they were better than the meal kits. 

More recently, I tried two Assemble and Bake dishes: the pesto gnocchi bake and the baked creamy mushroom and kale pasta. While they were tasty and filling like the Dish meals, and did save me time in the kitchen, they were a bit too cheesy for my taste. So again, the meal kits would be my top pick.

It's also important to note that Blue Apron's shipping cost is $11 per box. However, with a Blue Apron Plus premium membership, which costs $8 per month, you can enjoy free shipping on all orders, in addition to unlimited Tastemade Plus streaming and exclusive deals. If you plan to order Blue Apron at least once a month, this membership would pay for itself. 

What I recommended for vegan meal delivery

For dietary restrictions, Blue Apron only offers vegetarian options in addition to its meat- and seafood-based dishes, with about five vegetarian meal kits per week, up to four servings. There are at least two vegetarian assemble-and-bake meals and at least two premade, vegetarian Dish by Blue Apron meals per week.

If you're looking for vegan meal kits, I would recommend Green Chef. For prepared vegan meal delivery, Mosaic Foods is great, while Thistle was my favorite for fresh vegan meals (though it is on the pricey side). Purple Carrot's meal kits are also popular, as they're 100% vegan, but in terms of how the recipes tasted, I preferred Green Chef. For vegetarian meal kits, it's still Blue Apron for me.

My final thoughts on Blue Apron

The only issue I've had with Blue Apron is that my last order didn't make it on the scheduled delivery date. I waited a few days to inquire via email and received a response stating that it would take time to process my request because of the large volume of emails. Then, I messaged Blue Apron's virtual chat and, after waiting for about 45 minutes, was told that my order had been cancelled but I had never received a notification. I was refunded and able to order again with no issue, but I'd recommend keeping track of your order and reaching out immediately if you don't receive it when expected.

When it comes down to it, if I were to spend my own hard-earned cash on a meal delivery service, I would choose Blue Apron's meal kits. They have vegetarian options that aren't sad, are more affordable than others on the market and, most important, they taste delicious enough that I would (and have) re-created the recipes on my own. I might as well just get the ready-to-go meal kits next time and save myself the extra effort.