Consumer Reports: Are grocery delivery services right for you?

Between commuting, working, and taking care of your family, most people want more time for themselves. That's why more and more people across the country are turning to grocery delivery services and filling their fridges with the click of a button. So how do these services work and are they worth the money? Consumer Reports browsed hundreds of virtual aisles to find out.

Carolina Correa loves the convenience of her grocery delivery service.

"It saves me a lot of time," Correa said. "I don't have to go to the supermarket and kill two hours of my day shopping."

In just one year, Google searches for "grocery delivery" rose by nearly 40-percent. Are you interested in trying one out?

Consumer Reports put seven grocery delivery services to the test by ordering the same products from each company. While 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 the services generally met expectations.

To get the best out of the service you choose, Consumer Reports has some tips.

First, inspect your delivery. Got bruised a banana, for example?

"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, 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," Mujahid said.

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," Mujahid said.

Carolina says she always does that with her groceries. And once they're put away, she enjoys more time at home.

"The time that we save, is my absolute favorite part," she said.

An online grocery shopper for life.

Consumer Reports says before you commit to an online grocer, see if there's a 30-day free delivery trial to make sure it works for you.

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