Which Grocery Delivery Service Is Best for You?

Like meal kits, grocery delivery service options have proliferated to the point where we’re spoiled for choices—so determining the best grocery delivery app or online service can be tricky, and varies from person to person. But we’re here to help.

It’s an old saw, yet blatantly true: we must eat to live—ergo, we must procure food. Even urban dwellers can grow some of it at home, but the majority of us have to go grocery shopping. Luckily, we live in an age where we can buy groceries online, from pet food to pantry items. Many supermarkets offer their own delivery or pick-up options, but there are also a number of other grocery delivery apps and services, each with their own pros and cons. There may not be an overall best grocery delivery service that gets the #GOAT, but there’s definitely one that will appeal most to you.

Here’s an at-a-glance summary. Keep scrolling for more details.

• Prime Pantry: included w/ Amazon Prime; free shipping w/ min. order; non-perishables only
• Prime Now: included w/ Prime; 2-hour delivery w/ min. order; groceries + select non-perishables from local stores, including Whole Foods
• AmazonFresh: add-on service for Prime; 1-hour delivery available; groceries only, including Whole Foods
• Instacart: no membership fee (free 2-hour delivery + ability to shop from multiple stores, including Costco, with paid upgrade); in-app discounts; first delivery free
• Google Express: no membership fee; free shipping w/ min. order; same-day shipping available; shop Costco items; non-perishables only
• Peapod: limited service area; free delivery for 60 days; next-day delivery available; double manufacturers’ coupons; gas rewards
• Shipt: yearly or monthly fee; personal shoppers fill special orders; shop Target; no surge pricing; free delivery on min. order
• Jet: no membership fee; free shipping on min. orders; only for non-perishables
• Walmart: schedule pickup; delivery available in some areas (with new “Unlimited Delivery” option in some cities); in-store prices
• FreshDirect: limited service area; free delivery with paid membership

Prime Pantry

Amazon

Amazon Prime membership confers a whole host of perks, including grocery discounts with Prime Pantry. Unlike Prime Now and AmazonFresh (read more about them below), Prime Pantry is for stocking your shelves with non-perishable goods like cooking oil, pasta, cereal, and snacks, even pet food, as well as cleaning supplies and other items. If you want free shipping on Prime Pantry orders, you have two options: pay a $4.99 monthly Prime Pantry membership fee and spend at least $10 on your order, or simply meet the standard order minimum of $35, easy enough to do; otherwise, there’s a flat delivery fee of $5.99. A few other cons: no 2-day shipping, no shipping to dorms (sorry, Prime Student members), and no delivery to Alaska or Hawaii.Shop Now

Prime Now

Amazon

If you’re looking for more fresh food in addition to pantry staples, Prime Now may be a good option. It’s included with a regular Prime membership (if you don’t have one of those, you can try a 30-day free trial) and it lets you shop for groceries and many other items like gifts and electronics, from a range of local stores, including Whole Foods. Standard 2-day delivery is free, but you can also get your order delivered within a 2-hour window (for free on orders over $35), or within just 1 hour (for a $7.99 fee); this includes select non-grocery items, so if you need eggs and a printer ink cartridge ASAP, you’re in luck! (But will probably have to place two separate orders since they’ll come from different stores.) If you prefer to pick up your groceries, you can do so in some locations (at your local Whole Foods) an hour after ordering at no extra cost, or within 30 minutes for a $4.99 service fee. Pick-up and delivery are available between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. 7 days a week. You can also order from local restaurants with Prime Now, but check Amazon’s site to see what’s available in your specific location.Shop Now

AmazonFresh

Amazon

Rounding out Amazon’s grocery options, there’s AmazonFresh. It’s very similar to Prime Now (in fact, it was expected that the two services would be merged by the end of last year, though that hasn’t happened yet), but it is exclusively for groceries, and it’s an add-on service (whereas Prime Now is already included in your Prime membership). If AmazonFresh is available in your location (you can enter your ZIP code to check), you can get fresh produce, milk, meat, and more—including Whole Foods Market 365 products—delivered within an hour, or whenever is most convenient for you. You can also schedule pick-up if you prefer. All delivery and pick-up options are free in most cases, though exceptions apply (order minimums and rush delivery/pick-up windows). If you’re in New York, according to Amazon’s FAQ, “Customers with a valid SNAP EBT card…receive free access to the AmazonFresh selection without monthly membership fees.” (The same applies to Prime Pantry.) As with Prime Pantry, AmazonFresh does not deliver to dorms.Shop Now

Instacart

Instacart

Instacart delivers from a variety of grocery stores (it depends, as always, on where you’re located), and in some areas also delivers from liquor stores, pet stores, and pharmacies. You can even order from Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale through Instacart, without needing to have a membership at those brick-and-mortar stores (though the same items will cost you more than they would in-store for members)—so it’s potentially comparable to Amazon’s Prime grocery options, without the annual fee. You can upgrade to Instacart Express ($99/year or $9.99/month) in order to get free 2-hour delivery on orders over $35 and to be able to shop from multiple stores in the same order. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay delivery and service fees on all orders ($3.99-$5.99), and those may be higher during busier periods. While they don’t honor in-store coupons, there are often in-app discounts on various items. New users get their first order delivered free.Shop Now

Google Express

Google

Google Express is sort of like a hybrid of Instacart and Prime Pantry; there’s no membership fee required, and you can order from various stores, including Target, Best Buy, and Costco (with the same member price caveat, though some items do go on sale at times), but you can’t get any perishables. If you meet the minimum order amount ($25 or $35 depending on the store you choose), you get free shipping. You may be able to get same-day shipping, but not always (depending on when you place your order), and they use companies like FedEx, UPS, and OnTrac for their deliveries.Shop Now

Peapod

Peapod

Peapod isn’t available in as many regions, but if you are in their delivery zones (several mid-Atlantic and northeastern states, plus Chicago and nearby metro areas), you can rack up major savings. They double manufacturers’ coupons up to $0.99, and offer a full 60 days of free delivery (with promo code 60DAYSFREE, which also gets you $20 off your first order, with a $75 order minimum); after that, you can buy a Pod Pass to get free delivery if you wish. Otherwise, the delivery fee is calculated based on your order total. Rather than sending shoppers into various stores for you, orders are fulfilled at Peapod warehouses, and you can schedule delivery up to two weeks in advance, if you like to plan ahead. You can’t get 2-hour delivery as with most other services, but you can get it as soon as next-day—or schedule a pickup at certain local stores. Peapod also offers its own meal kits, and in some markets where Peapod is affiliated with Giant and Stop & Shop stores, you can even earn gas rewards points with your purchases. A couple other nifty features: You can type a grocery list into their notepad and populate items in your cart, or use the Shopping Genius feature to auto-fill your online cart with items you regularly purchase.Shop Now

Shipt

Shipt

Shipt is pretty similar to Instacart, with a less widespread range and a requirement that you do purchase a membership to use the app, at $99/year or $14/month. The benefit is that you basically have a personal shopper who you can text with specific instructions and requests, so you get exactly what you want. You can even order items that aren’t listed in the app but that you know the store carries. They deliver from Target as well as Kroger and Meijer grocery stores and CVS. There’s also never any surge pricing, and no delivery charge on orders over $35 (otherwise, delivery will be about $7).Shop Now

Jet

Jet

Jet is owned by Walmart and is similar to Google Express, in that there’s no membership fee, there’s free shipping on orders over $35 (otherwise, it’s $5.99 for delivery), and you can only order non-perishable goods. They offer their own line of “Uniquely J” branded items (like sauces, condiments, coffee, and snacks), and have a real-time savings engine that indicates items you can add to your order to lower the total price. You can pay less for items you know you won’t want to return (like toilet paper or your favorite granola bars) by opting out of the free return option. They offer same-day delivery in select areas of New York, but you can order from anywhere in the continental U.S. if you don’t mind waiting a few days.Shop Now

Walmart

Walmart

Walmart initially partnered with Uber and Lyft to deliver groceries from their stores, but that experiment ended in 2018. Currently, they’re working with restaurant delivery company DoorDash to deliver groceries in certain areas nationwide—and TechCrunch just reported a new $98-per-year “Delivery Unlimited” option (with a $30 minimum order, and a monthly plan option at $12.95 per month)—but you can also order online and pick up your completed order at your convenience anywhere. While it may not be quite as easy as home delivery, it’s still quicker than shopping yourself, and means there’s no extra fee. Either way, prices are always the same as in-store, and same-day pickup service is available.Shop Now

FreshDirect

FreshDirect

FreshDirect only delivers to parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, D.C., and a few other areas (some, like the Hamptons, only seasonally), but they’re a great option if you live in one of those places. In addition to all the usual grocery store items like fresh vegetables, meat, dairy, dry goods, and home care supplies, they offer their own line of meals (both meal kits and fully prepared foods), as well as farmshare boxes. These farmshare boxes are just like what you would get if you joined a CSA, but with no long-term commitment; get fresh produce from local farms, including eggs and cheese in some areas. As with most other services, you can upgrade to a paid membership (see pricing tiers here) in order to get free delivery, as well as special offers and discounts. If you’re in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens, check out their little sister service FoodKick too (it includes alcohol delivery).Shop Now

Get $50 off your first order of $99 or more with code WELCOME19

Shop Now

UberEats

UberEats

Since Uber Eats no longer delivers from Walmart, you can’t get your groceries from them, but they do, of course, deliver from all sorts of restaurants. So on those days when you don’t want to cook at all (and since your magically delivered groceries still won’t cook themselves—yet), it’s a great backup choice!Order Now

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Another Alternative: Meal Kits

A happy medium between grocery delivery and takeout is the meal kit option—get fresh ingredients delivered to your door in just the quantities you need, with instructions on what to make with them and exactly how to do it, so dinner is easy and comparatively low effort, but still healthy and homemade. Check out Guide.com’s favorite meal kits, CNET’s meal kit recommendations, and our review of 5 popular meal kits—and if you want fully prepared foods with a healthy bent, see our Sakara detox meal delivery service review. As with grocery delivery, there are a wealth of meal kit options out there, but these guides will help you figure out which one is best for you.

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

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What Is the Difference Between a Milkshake and a Malt?

What is the difference between a milkshake and a malt? is a question you might ask your server at any 1950s-style diner or throwback soda fountain, and you might receive all sorts of answers, but the only significant difference is the addition of malted milk powder to the one beverage. But what does it taste like, and where did each one come from? We’ve got those answers too.

The Origins of Milkshakes

A milkshake—as we know it—is a glass of blended ice cream, milk, and other mix-ins or flavorings. (A malt or malted milkshake is simply a special kind of milkshake that includes the addition of malted milk powder.)

The first recorded use of the term “milkshake” was in 1885, when it was described as a sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink with eggs, whiskey, and more, served both as a tonic and as a treat. By 1900, people thought of milkshakes as wholesome drinks with chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrups.

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The milkshake made it into the mainstream when in 1922, a Walgreens employee in Chicago, Ivar “Pop” Coulson, took an old-fashioned malted milk (milk, chocolate, and malt) and added two scoops of ice cream. That concoction caught on quickly, becoming part of pop culture (ha!) for teens socializing at malt shops by the 1930s. Eventually, malts took on an old-fashioned, retro sheen, but milkshakes stayed current (although, wow, did Kelis really release “Milkshake” all the way back in 2003?).

Malt & Malted Milk—What Are They, Anyway?

Malt, the stuff inside Whoppers—you know, those chocolatey balls you buy (or lust after and don’t buy) at movie theaters—is a sweet, toasty syrup or powder made from barley or other grains that have been steeped, germinated, and dried. Malted barley is used to make beer. (So when you’re eating something that has malt in it, it’s kind of like you’re eating beer. Cheers!)

Malted milk is malted barley, wheat flour, and whole milk evaporated into a powder. Some flavors of Ovaltine contain malt. Carnation also makes a malt mix, in chocolate and plain flavors. Any of these can be added to ice cream or baked goods for that grainy-sweet malty taste. You can buy pure dry malt online, too, as well as malt syrup.

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Try a spoonful in your favorite shake, and add it to cakes, cookies, and other desserts too.

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Look for malted milk powder, the key ingredient in malted milkshakes, next to the powdered chocolate milk and other drink mixes at your local grocery store. (Or if you have all the other ingredients, just make a milkshake. We wouldn’t want to leave you hanging. It’s still drinkable ice cream. And ice cream is good.)

If you do have malted milk powder on hand, you add it after you’ve mixed your shake, according to CTL Foods, a Colfax, Wisconsin-based company selling malt powders, syrups, and slushes. Malted milk powder enhances the flavor of the other ingredients, giving you a sweetish, richer-tasting malt with that signature buttery-toasty note. One rounded teaspoon per shake is enough. You can add it to any flavor of milkshake to enhance the experience.

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Milkshake & Malt Recipes

Try some of our milkshakes and malts and turn your own kitchen into a soda shop.

1. Chocolate Malted Milkshake

Chowhound

Look for Hershey’s Whoppers, which should look familiar if you’ve ever ordered food at an American movie theater concession. Or try other brands. They’re critical for upping the awesomeness of this shake. Get our Chocolate Malted Milkshake recipe.

2. Grasshopper Milkshake

Chowhound

It’s minty fresh but with a chocolate infusion with a little booze to smooth things over. This is no children’s shake, but it may make you feel playful. Get our Grasshopper Milkshake recipe.

3. Stout Chocolate Malt

Chowhound

Grab your favorite stout or porter beer for an adult milkshake full of rich and malty overtones. To achieve this, buy some malted milk powder. Get our Stout Chocolate Malt recipe.

4. Oatmeal Cookie Milkshake

Chowhound

Have you ever looked at your oatmeal cookie and thought, “This is good, but it would be even better if I could drink it …”? No? Well, it’s a good idea, proved by this recipe. Vanilla ice cream, crunchy cookies, cinnamon, and caramel—clearly a great idea. We’d wager a dash of malt would only improve the experience. Get our Oatmeal Cookie Milkshake recipe.

5. Drumstick Milkshake

Chowhound

Milkshakes have more flexibility than we give them credit for. If you miss the lovely, honeyed, crackling crunch of the sugar cone, you can have that plus drink your shake too. Roasted, salted peanuts contrast the sweetness of the fudge so it’s not too cloying. Get our Drumstick Milkshake recipe.

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Chipotle Burger

Want to add a spicy kick to your burgers? These Chipotle Burgers are made by mixing smoky chipotle peppers in adobo with the ground beef! Top with jack cheese and avocado for the best burger of the summer.

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9 Summer Pasta Salad Recipes for Every Picnic, Potluck, and BBQ

If pasta salad didn’t already exist, the first person invited to a potluck picnic would pretty much have to invent it. A cold salad of penne or macaroni, tossed with summer vegetables, meats, cheeses, herbs, and a bold dressing is the perfect thing to transport out to the coast, to drop on a picnic table at camp, or serve up to harmonize beautifully with anything coming off the grill in your backyard. Here, as inspiration for what to haul to your next party, are 9 of our favorite summer pasta salads.

A note on food safety: some of these forgo mayo, but contrary to popular belief, store-bought mayonnaise rarely makes anyone sick; still, to be on the safe side, check out our outdoor entertaining hacks to see how you can use a simple shower cap and some ice to make snugly fitting bowl covers that keep things chill. And if you need to take your pasta salad on a journey, see our favorite stylish coolers for packing picnics all summer long.

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1. Classic Pesto Pasta Salad

Chowhound

Simplicity and vividness of flavor are the appeal with this time-honored potluck charmer: fresh basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, freshly grated parmesan, freshly cooked penne rigate—are you catching the thread? Get our Classic Pesto Pasta Salad recipe.

2. Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

Chowhound

Conchiglie (conch-shell pasta) shares bowl space with the freshest, sweetest veggies from the summer farmers’ market: corn, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes; grilling them before tossing them in gives them a smoky summer note. Crumbled feta and cilantro make it feel extra easy-going. Get our Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad recipe.

3. Muffaletta Pasta Salad

Chowhound

The Big Easy’s favorite hoagie-like sandwich—the muffaletta—gets the salad treatment here: salami and provolone cheese find the perfect home, surrounded by a zesty celery-and-olive relish. Get our Muffaletta Pasta Salad recipe.

4. Mom’s Classic Macaroni Salad

Chowhound

Even if you grew up hating macaroni salad, consider giving this one a try. A dose of red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard give this old church picnic standby a devilish personality. Get our Mom’s Classic Macaroni Salad recipe.

Related Reading: Perfect sides for BBQ Ribs

5. Italian Pasta Salad

Chowhound

The flavors get better and better as it sits, so this Italian-American classic (inspired by the antipasti plate, with its salty, briny, and rich elements) is perfect for a potluck. Get our Italian Pasta Salad recipe.

6. Sardinian Pasta Salad

Chowhound

Ricotta salata, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, basil, and parsley—this cold penne salad, adapted from Efisio Farris, sets the mood for a Mediterranean summer idyll. Get our Sardinian Pasta Salad recipe.

7. Pasta Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Dill

Chowhound

Twisty, dense gemelli pasta is the perfect vehicle to match with canned chickpeas, capers, diced cucumber, crumbled feta, and a mix of fresh parsley and dill. It’s breezy, light, and summery. Get our Pasta Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Dill recipe.

8. Orzo Salad with Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Chowhound

Orzo makes for a light, loose, and almost fluffy-textured pasta salad. This one combines cherry tomatoes with cucumber, scallions, toasted pine nuts, and lots of fresh herbs. Get our Orzo Salad with Tomatoes and Pine Nuts recipe.

9. Celery and Olive Orzo Salad

Chowhound

Another orzo salad, this time with canned chickpeas, fragrant herbs, picholine olives, and crisp-soft celery. It’s simultaneously sophisticated and casual. Get our Celery and Olive Orzo Salad recipe.

Related Video: 5 Pasta Shapes You’ve Probably Never Seen

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No-Churn Mascarpone Ice Cream

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These Summer Cocktails Are a Breeze to Make on the Beach

With summer making land upon the beaches, it will soon be time for long days spent with friends having a drink at your local sandy paradise. In preparation for those blue sky days that last forever but somehow still end too soon, Chowhound chatted with a few beach-side bartenders and put together a list of the best mixed drinks to make with your toes in the sand.

Of course, taking alcoholic drinks to the beach is always a tricky gig. Before you decide to get boozy, make sure that the beach where you’re headed allows for alcoholic beverages. And stick to unbreakable cups and containers, because no one wants to deal with broken glass on the beach.

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The bartenders who we talked to all agreed that the key to a great beach cocktail is to keep it simple (you don’t want to be lugging around a shelf of ingredients). You should also aim for something that has a fun-in-the-sun taste to it. These ingredients fit well into small tote-able coolers and are ideal for seaside sipping.

Orange Crush

Nikki Grillo, who works behind Dogfish Head Restaurant’s bar in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware suggested an Orange Crush; here’s her recipe:

• Ice
• Vodka (1 ½ ounces)
• Sprite
• Triple Sec (½ ounce)
• Fresh orange juice

She says: “Be sure that you don’t shake it; remember, you never want to shake a drink where soda is an ingredient. If you want to, go ahead and ‘roll’ the drink. For a different taste, try alternating the citrus—grapefruit juice makes another great crush.”

Chowhound

Blood Orange Cosmo

Nikki also recommended a Blood Orange Cosmo. This one is a little more complicated and requires some prep work. First you want to slice fresh blood oranges and let them sit in a pitcher of vodka for a week—put the pitcher in the refrigerator to keep it chilled. Then move it into a cooler and head to the beach. You’re going to want to shake this drink. Here are the ingredients:

• Blood orange-infused vodka (1 ½ ounces)
• Triple Sec (½ ounce)
• Ice
• Fresh lime and cranberry juice—mix it before you hit the sand

Blue Hawaiian

Scott Gruse, who bartends at The Lazy Pirate in Carolina Beach, North Carolina recommended a Blue Hawaiian, saying “it’s pretty refreshing, not a ton of ingredients to carry around with you.” Here’s his recipe:

• Coconut rum (2 ounces)
• Ice
• Blue Curaçao (1 ounce)
• Pineapple juice

Shake it all up and enjoy.

Mai Tai

Chowhound

The North Carolina bartender also suggested a Mai Tai, explaining “it’s a good drink if you wanna kick your feet up and relax in chairs and watch the sunset, it’s refreshing but also had a kick with the Myers.” Here’s how he makes it:

• Silver rum (1 ounce)
• Myers rum (1 ounce)
• Triple Sec (½ ounce)
• Ice
• Lime juice (½ ounce)
• Cranberry juice

Shake, pour, and sip.

The Corsican Cocktail

Chowhound

We’re going to plug one of our own recipes here too—this mostly make-ahead cocktail is a great option for picnics, parks, and beaches:

• 13 ounces Lillet Blanc, chilled
• 7 ounces limoncello, chilled
• 3 1/2 ounces elderflower syrup
• 1 3/4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 6 lemon twists (optional)
• 1 (10-ounce) bottle club soda, chilled

Simply mix everything except the club soda (and the lemon twists) together in a 3-cup container that’ll fit in your cooler alongside the bottle of bubbly water. When you get where you’re going, pour yourself a glass of the chilled cocktail base and top it off with the club soda.

Enjoy these delicious drinks wherever your beach happens to be! Or take it easy and try something ready-made; see our picks for the best spiked seltzers and best low-carb beers for summer.

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Air Fryer Chinese Egg Rolls

Make crispy, crunchy Chinese egg rolls in the air fryer in the fraction of the time it would take you to call for delivery or pan fry it. Chinese takeout happens at home!

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