Looking for online food delivery services in the UK? We can't blame you, with lockdown 3.0 here and the government telling us to only venture outside if it's completely necessary, now has never been a better time to have food delivered directly to your door.
It's worth noting, though, that supermarket delivery services and meal box companies are experiencing quite high demand at the moment, although not as high as earlier in the year, so, at the moment, you should be able to get a delivery slot quite soon. You may need to switch from your regular supermarket brand (follow the links below to find an option that works best for you).
Note: if you're looking specifically for protective items, you might struggle to find them at the supermarkets. We have separate guides for where to buy hand sanitizer and face masks.
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The best online grocery shopping services
It’s hard to know which is the best grocery delivery service at the best of times: the prices change, delivery costs vary, and quality of service can often come down to how the delivery driver is feeling on the day… but when there's a global pandemic and associated complications that provides, it’s even harder to know where to start.
That's why we're not currently recommending a 'best' service, instead, we'd suggest you follow all of the links below and choose the service which suits you best.
We've learnt it's best to book your grocery delivery slot first, before you spend time filling up your basket, so you don’t miss your chance to secure a slot. You may have to wait up to two weeks for a slot, but some companies (such as Iceland) are prioritising customers are elderly, vulnerable or self-isolating.
By the time you delivery slot comes around, items you've previously ordered may be unavailable, so allow for substitutions where possible.
If you're self-isolating, you can use the delivery notes to tell the driver to leave the food at your front door, to minimise contact.
- Shop at Amazon Pantry (opens in new tab): Available for Prime members, good delivery system
- Shop at Tesco (opens in new tab): New slots created at 23:30 each day
- Shop at Amazon Fresh (opens in new tab): Big cities only, foods from Whole Foods Market, Morrisons and Booths, plus everyday essentials
- Shop at Iceland (opens in new tab): Delivery slots available, priority for vulnerable groups
- Shop at Morrisons (opens in new tab): Delivery slots available, discount for NHS staff
- Shop at Ocado (opens in new tab): Delivery slots available, new slots as soon as they become available
- Shop at Waitrose (opens in new tab): A good option
- Shop at ASDA (opens in new tab): Showing slots for the next two weeks
- Shop at Able & Cole (opens in new tab): Fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to your door
- Shop at Riverford Organic Farmers (opens in new tab): Seasonal fruit and veg boxes, as well as essentials like milk and bread
- Farmison & Co (opens in new tab): Essentials, groceries and pre-paired meals delivered
- First Choice Produce (opens in new tab) - London-only delivery company with fruit produce, meat, baked goods and dry goods
- Shop at Graze (opens in new tab): Health snacks perfect for the lockdown, currently running 30% off deal
- Shop at Sainsbury's (opens in new tab): Delivery slots available
- Shop at Co-op (opens in new tab): Shop online and get delivery in as little as 2 hours, if you can find a slot
The best meal box delivery service
An alternative to your supermarket grocery shop is meal boxes. These services give you a choice of meals (usually between three and five per week), and will provide the exact ingredients to cook said meals.
This type of food subscription service has increased dramatically in recent years with the likes of HelloFresh and Gousto becoming household names.
The benefits to these services are clear, they save time and the delivery is very convenient. You're also putting less strain on the supermarkets.
However, just like supermarkets, these meal subscription services are also starting to feel the pressure, and you may need to wait a few days or week for your first delivery.
- Order meals from Mindful Chef (opens in new tab): Nutritionist-designed recipes delivered to your doorstep, currently running as normal
- Order meals from Feast Box (opens in new tab): Weekly curated selection of global favourites
- Order meals from Allplants (opens in new tab): 100% plant-based meals prepared and cooked by chefs
- Order meals from Pasta Evangelists (opens in new tab): Each recipe kit includes pre-portioned fresh pasta, sauces and garnish
- Order meals from Able & Cole (opens in new tab): All organic, enjoy your 4th box for free
- Order meals from Riverford Organic Farmers (opens in new tab): Organic recipe boxes
- Order meals from Gousto (opens in new tab): 50 recipes every month, 20% off for 1 month
- Order meals from Hello Fresh (opens in new tab): Good selection of meals every week, large delivery network
- Order meals from Simplycook (opens in new tab): Cook with authentic flavour ingredients, hand-picked and blended by expert chefs
- Order meals from Gymology (opens in new tab): Pre-prepared meals for gym-goers
- Order meals from Chefly (opens in new tab): Prepared healthy meals delivered nationally, just heat them up
- Order meals from Love Yourself (opens in new tab): Healthy meal option, operating as normal
The best online takeaways
Are you celebrating a special occasion, or maybe you don't fancy cooking? Thankfully there are a number of takeaway food services still open.
These are super convenient, and a number of outlets (such as Dominoes and Uber Eats are offering no-contact delivery).
While we don't recommend getting these every day during lockdown 2.0 (if you did, you'd need to be rolled out of your house by the end of it), they're a great option for a treat in these dark times.
- Order takeaway from Dominoes (opens in new tab): Contact-free deliveries only, no collection
- Order takeaway from Pizza Hut (opens in new tab): All our deliveries are now contact-free
- Order takeaway from Uber Eats (opens in new tab): Large selection of cuisines, contact-free delivery
- Order takeaway from Deliveroo (opens in new tab): Large selection of cuisines, contact-free delivery
- Order takeaway from Just Eat (opens in new tab): Large selection of cuisines, contact-free delivery
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