At the start of the pandemic, my freezer and pantry were nearly empty. Now, thanks to online grocery delivery services, we’re stocked up and receive regular deliveries. Here are my top five recommendations for grocery delivery and subscription services in the United States.
A Brief Personal Update
Since I last posted in December 2019, the world has turned upside down (in more ways than one).
At the start of the New Year, I decided to take a break to focus on getting settled in our new home. In the blink of an eye, it was Spring Break, and a pandemic was declared.
We were actually on a cruise in the Caribbean when it was officially declared a pandemic 😬. Turns out, it was not a relaxing vacation, and getting home was our top priority. Thankfully, we made it home safe and have been in self-quarantine ever since.
In the spring, I helped my 4th grader and 7th grader navigate e-learning to finish up the school year. My husband is working from home full time.
It’s been over four months now, just the four of us, together and safe.
In addition to all the pandemic anxiety, back in February, my mom moved into a long-term care facility in Minnesota. She suffered from Alzheimer’s.
Before the lockdowns, my dad and sister visited my mom daily. Then, they were prohibited from visiting. With her dementia, phone calls and Skype calls were difficult for my mom.
Whew! My tears are flooding my keyboard as I type this…
On June 10, 2020, my mom passed away at just 69 years old. It happened very quickly in the end. May she rest in peace.
The nursing home permitted end of life visits. My dad, sister, and one of my brothers and his wife were able to visit my mom before she passed.
I was able to say goodbye to her via Skype on my sister’s phone. I will never get over the fact that I couldn’t be there in person, for her final days or to grieve with my family.
My family made the difficult decision to postpone my mom’s “Celebration of Life” until next summer, when hopefully all her friends and family can safely gather to remember her.
Coping with the Pandemic
Needless to say, the pandemic sucks and has had far-reaching effects on all of our lives. So, as I thought about how I wanted to return to blogging, it only seemed fitting to start by sharing resources that have helped us cope with the pandemic.
As a mama bear, trying to keep my cubs safe and healthy, food quickly became my number one concern.
When we got home from our cruise mid-March, we came home to an empty fridge and a bare pantry. I wish I could blame it on recently moving to a new home, but the truth is, I have never been good at meal planning and keeping a stocked pantry.
Once lockdowns started across the US, I took swift action to figure out how we were going to get regular, reliable grocery deliveries, so we could stay in quarantine as long as possible.
For the last four months, we’ve used online grocery delivery services to get all of our groceries and household essentials delivered to our doorstep.
I want to share with you the grocery delivery services I use and recommend. I’ve personally used all of these services since March.
As many states may be heading back towards lockdowns, I recommend setting up your accounts now. Shortly after the first lockdown, many of these services started waitlists and delivery slots were booked up. Start getting regular deliveries now.
5 Recommended Online Grocery Delivery Services
Since the pandemic began, we have switched to 100% delivery for everything. We have not set foot in a store (or any public building for that matter) since March.
Below is a list of the five grocery delivery services we use regularly to get everything we need delivered to our house.
The reviews below are my personal experiences and opinions from using these services since March 2020. Your experience or availability of these services may vary based on your location and personal preferences.
I am an affiliate or referral partner for the services listed below. If you sign up for any of these services from one of my referral links, I may receive a commission or referral credit, at no additional cost to you.
Instacart Review
What I love about Instacart is I can get same-day grocery delivery from my favorite local stores. Also, through my tips, I can support the local essential workers that deliver my groceries.
Read my full Instacart Review and Shopping Tips
Click here to get $10 off your first Instacart order
The week my mom passed away, I was able to use my Instacart account to order groceries for my dad and sister. I was in Texas, shopping for my family in Minnesota. I’m very thankful for modern technologies, like Instacart, that made a very difficult time for my family a little easier.
ButcherBox Review
When the pandemic started, we were having a difficult time getting meat from our local grocers. It was even harder to find healthy meat options, like grass-fed, uncured, and antibiotic-free. So, I started looking for alternatives and I’m so glad I found Butcher Box.
Read my full Butcher Box Review and Ordering Tips
Click here to start your Butcher Box subscription
Every two weeks we get a box of healthy meats. Ordering from Butcher Box means I don’t have to add meat to any of my other grocery orders. We’ve been able to stock up our freezer easily.
Imperfect Foods Review
Imperfect Foods was the second grocery delivery service we signed up for. I was looking for a service that would keep us stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. I discovered Imperfect Foods has much more to offer. Our weekly delivery also includes organic eggs, a variety of meats, and pantry staples.
I love that we can count on a regular weekly grocery delivery.
Read my full Imperfect Foods Review and Shopping Tips
Click here to get $10 off your first Imperfect Foods order
Imperfect Foods has been a surprisingly fun way to try new foods, and a catalyst to try new recipes. When my son told his classmates he has always wanted to try mangos, I was able to order mangos the next week. He loves them! When we got some gigantic lemons, I taught him how to make homemade lemonade.
Thrive Market Review
We just started with Thrive Market and I don’t know what took me so long. Thrive Market is the best grocery delivery service we have tried. Read the delivery section of my review of Thrive Market to see why I was extra impressed!
Read my full Thrive Market Review and Shopping Tips
Click here to get 25% off your first Thrive Market order
As I shopped for the first time, I said to my husband, “This is just like shopping a gigantic Whole Foods or Sprouts Market.” I was able to find 99% of the healthy brands we love, all in one place. In a pre-pandemic world, I was physically going to 2-4 stores per week to find all the same items.
Chewy Subscription Review
Our fur babies need to eat too. While we can get pet food from our local pet store and other retailers via Instacart, we use Chewy. Our 15-year old dog is on a special renal diet and Chewy has the best price on her food.
You can place one-off orders or setup recurring subscriptions with Chewy. They can even fill prescriptions, like the special food one of or dogs needs or heartworm preventatives.
We don’t have to run to the pet store anymore, which always felt like an out of the way inconvenience. Now with the pandemic, it’s one less place we have to go.
Please Stay Safe
I hope you found these reviews helpful as you look for grocery delivery options to keep your family healthy and safe. I believe grocery delivery services can help slow the spread of Covid-19 by reducing the number of people out running errands.
Remember, when lockdowns and stay at home orders go into effect, demand for grocery delivery services increases. During increased demand, you may have to wait to place orders or become a member. If any of these services feel like a good fit for you, sign up for them now, while you can.
Here are the quick links to sign up now:
- Get $10 off your first Instacart order
- Get $10 off your first Imperfect Foods order
- Start your Butcher Box subscription
- Get 25% off your first Thrive Market order
Using these grocery delivery services has helped me with meal planning and keeping a well-stocked pantry. I finally feel like I’m finally ahead of my food concerns.
Oh, Jackie! I’m so sorry to hear about your mom! I’m sending you loving and supportive hugs for your grieving and healing. I’m so glad your dad, sister, and one of your brothers and his wife were able to visit your mom before she passed, and I’m so sorry that you couldn’t be there in person, for her final days or to grieve with your family.
When my little brother died in 2017, it became clear that even though it was painful, grief was just another form of love. If I hadn’t loved him, I wouldn’t be grieving.
Thanks for sharing your personal update. Wishing you and your family safety, health and love!
Thank you Kim. I like that idea of seeing grief as another form of love. I’m sorry you lost your brother.
I was wondering what happened to you, since I wanted to see more of how you were pulling your house together. Good for you for stepping back to take time for your family. Also, I am tremendously sorry for your loss. Losing your mother at a young age is terribly difficult.
We have been quarantining for the last 4 months at home, and what is hardest for me is seeing other families not take it as seriously. I commend you for doing your part to keep your family and others safe. Thanks for the reviews – I haven’t heard of Thrive before and am about to check them out!
Nicole, thank you for the well wishes. I will be back more regularly now. I 100% agree it’s hard for us, and our kids, to see others “living a normal life” while we stay home. But we’ve found so many joys and blessings to staying home too. Stay safe!
So sorry to hear about your Mom. Hugs.
Our household has been isolating as much as possible as my son was diagnosed with stage 4 small cell lung cancer in October 2019. First diagnosed with AML in 2010 treated with chemo and underwent a stem cell transplant in 2012. Cancer free for 7 years. I, myself have only one lung removed because of a histo lesion and severe asthma.
We are unable to participate in most of the delivery services other than chewy and thrive. We live in a rural small town and 3 of those are not available.
I am one who likes to pick my fresh produce and dairy products from the store. So a venture to the store masked up is our option.
Ardith, I am so glad you and your son are able to isolate and stay safe. I pray everyone around you and in your community is doing their part to help keep you safe.
I must admit, not being able to pick out my own produce is frustrating. We usually get great quality from Imperfect Foods, even if the produce is “ugly.” But with Instacart, it really depends on the shopper…more than once we’ve gotten berries that already have visible mold on them.
When you do have to go to the store, I hope you’re able to go when it’s not busy and buy in bulk to reduce trips. Please stay safe.
So thankful to see you post again but brokenhearted to hear of your loss. My mom is quite elderly (90 in 8 wks) and was just hospitalized yesterday for some serious, non-COVID issues. I cannot be there with her so your post resonated with me on multiple levels.
Elise, I’m so sorry you can’t visit your mom in the hospital. I hope you can call her. It was hard and not ideal, but the Skype calls with me mom were so helpful…even though I could only watch her sleep. I was able to talk to her, and I know that offered her some comfort. I hope your mom gets better soon and you can be reunited with her.
Oh, friend, I’m heartbroken to read about your mama’s passing. I can’t even begin to imagine the grief you’re going through. Thank you for sharing this deeply personal update. Saying a prayer for you and your family, and a huge virtual hug your way.
Thank you for your sweet prayers, Lauren. I miss you, friend.
Hi, Jackie.
During the week I was thinking of you and wondered why you had not been blogging and sharing more of your new home, I had really been missing you. But now I know that you had been going through a very sad time and my heart goes out to you and your family for having to say goodbye to your mom and not being able to be with her and grieve with your family. Thinking of you and sending cyber hugs.
Thank you, Petra. It’s so great to hear from you. I’ve missed posting on here. I look forward to sharing more of my home soon.
I am so sorry to hear about your mother, hugs are going out to you. My mom is early 70’s and living in a long term care home in the Twin Cities area, I live in Georgia and it is so hard not being able to go and visit her. Your mother was too young to be gone already. I’m sure she will be missed by many. I was thinking about you the other day and wondering how you were, so sad you are going through this.
Hugs and Prayers, Barbi
Barbi, Thank you for your sweet note. I’m sorry to hear you’re so far from your mother. Hopefully, you can call her often and remind her you love her.
My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family ~ my Mom also died from Alzheimer’s (also in a nursing home) and it is such a emotional, long goodbye. I think of my Mom with the Lord in Heaven and how happy she is knowing again who everyone is in her life~ she’s not surrounded by strangers…even though we were family…she had forgotten who we were. May you be comforted by the same thoughts.
Carrie, I’m sorry about your mom. I feel exactly the same way…“emotional, long goodbye” is the perfect way to explain it. My mom’s last word (that we know of from the nurses) was to call out for my dad by the wrong name she called him for the last year. I am definitely comforted knowing she is with her dad, mom, and her brother now.
The phrase “rest in peace” makes so much sense to me now, in particular with Alzheimer’s. My mom was sleepless, restless, and anxious for the last 2+ years. I am so glad she can finally rest.