ROANOKE, Va. – You have a lot going on -- that's why plenty of people are letting someone else handle the grocery shopping.
If you've been thinking about trying a grocery delivery service, here's a look at if they're worth the money and which service works best.
Consumer Reports put seven grocery delivery services to the test by ordering the same products from each company. Some of those services ship directly from a warehouse, others use a personal shopper at a local store.
Shipt, owned by Target, and Amazon Prime Now led the pack in Consumer Reports' overall satisfaction score. However, all of the services generally met expectations.
To get the best out of the service you choose, CR has some tips.
First, inspect your delivery.
"If you're not satisfied, all of the services will offer a refund, replacement or credit voucher," said Sana Mujahid, Consumer Reports manager of food safety research.
While some services like FreshDirect packed food thoroughly, Consumer Reports says others didn't take recommended safety precautions with raw meat and poultry.
"If there's space for special instructions when you're placing the order, or some way to communicate with your shopper, indicate which items you want packaged separately to avoid leakage and cross-contamination," said Mujahid.
And be sure to pick your delivery window carefully.
"The US Department of Agriculture recommends that you refrigerate your perishables within two hours of shopping, one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees - so you'll want to do that immediately," said Mujahid.