Bottom Line – Factor is one of the best meal delivery services of 2023 if you’re looking for ready-to-eat low-cal meals to keep your diet easy!
Unlike many meal delivery services, which feature meal kits and a small selection of prepared meals, Factor offers only premade menu items. Their primary focus is on delivering healthy and easy meals during the week for those with busy schedules. Every meal includes fresh ingredients that are never frozen.
After Factor was acquired by Hello Fresh a few years ago, the company prioritized expanding its meal categories, leading to options for keto, vegetarian, vegan, protein plus, and low-calorie meals per week.
We recently tried the Factor calorie-smart meals and can see why this meal delivery service, offering fully prepared meals, comes with high praise.
How We Tested the Service
We begin with the ordering process with each meal delivery service we test. Then, we worked through the website as if we were customers ordering for the first time. This process allows us to thoroughly review Factor meals, from meal selection to delivery and customer service.
We always order a few meals from the different categories, so we can compare the flavors and how filling each dish is.
In our first delivery, we received the following meals:
- Roasted garlic chicken with sour cream & onion mashed potatoes
- Creamy poblano chicken with poblano zoodles, queso verde & ranchero beans
- Fusilli & ground pork tomato ragu with roasted green beans
Each meal we received was flavorful and filling, with sufficient seasoning. While we enjoyed every meal, the fusilli, and ground pork was a favorite meal among our team members. We particularly appreciated how Factor took a classic dinner dish and made swaps to increase the fiber, protein, and nutrients.
Factor Menu: Primarily Low Carb, High Protein Recipes
Those interested in a prepared meal delivery service focusing on healthy meals will enjoy Factor (also known as Factor75 and Factor_). With a focus on low-carb replacements, such as cauliflower “rice,” red lentil pasta, and zucchini noodles, you’ll find each dish packed with fiber and nutrients. Each dish also includes a protein of some sort, which helps keep you full for longer. These low-cal premade meals are each 550 calories or less.
Moreover, the Factor menu offers a large selection of add-on options, like light breakfast, smoothies, and healthy snacks.
Other Low-Cal Meals To Try When You Want To Lose Weight
- Chipotle queso chicken with Mexican cauliflower “rice” & roasted zucchini
- Broccoli cheddar ground beef with chili garlic zucchini & red bell peppers
- Shredded chicken taco bowl with roasted corn salsa & cilantro lime sour cream
- Stuffed pepper casserole with roasted green beans
- Chive & garlic grilled chicken breast with creamy cheddar mash, green beans & mushrooms
- Homestyle ground beef & chive potato mash with broccoli & carrot coins
- Creamed corn chicken with roasted white cheddar potatoes
- Ground pork & cheddar chili mac with roasted broccoli & garlic-chive corn
- Cranberry BBQ chicken with brown butter sweet potato mash & garlic green beans
- Sweet corn-jalapeño polenta & chicken with creamy corn grits & roasted peppers
Factor Meals Pros & Cons
Pros
- Convenient ready-to-eat meals
- Dishes ready in a few minutes
- No grocery shopping/meal prep/clean up necessary
- Huge selection of meals in the weekly rotating menu
- Balanced and delicious flavor
- Supports a few different dietary preferences
- Includes ingredients like grass-fed meat and organic produce (when possible)
- Less expensive than take-out meals – and much healthier!
- Add-ons selection with calorie-smart options
Cons
- Not ideal for those with severe food allergies
- It does not offer the ability to practice cooking skills like other meal delivery services
- Pricing for smaller quantities can be more costly than grocery shopping
Factor Ingredients And Sourcing: Sustainable Farms
One benefit of purchasing Factor meals is their focus on sustainable farming. Factor makes it a point to avoid protein suppliers mistreating their animals. Factor prides itself in using ingredients that are all non-GMO.
Each recipe includes grass-fed meat, antibiotic-free eggs, or pasture-raised animals. As a bonus, all Factor recipes are gluten-free meals.
Meal Plans On Offer
The factor meal plan subscription is offered from as low as four meals per week to as high as 18 meals per week, as you choose.
You can select between chef’s choice, vegan and vegetarian, keto, calorie smart, and protein plus when you initially set up your account. You’ll also find each dish conveniently tagged to demonstrate which meal plan(s) each recipe falls under.
Factor Customer Service: Very Professional
We had a pleasant experience with Factor’s customer service team. They were easy to reach via call and email and responded quickly to our questions.
Additionally, a live chat feature makes it convenient to chat with the team. While chatting with a customer support member, we appreciated the professionalism and quick solutions provided.
Factor Calorie-Smart Meals Flavor – Crave-Worthy
Even though the calorie-smart meals are lower in calories, Factor does not sacrifice flavor in any way. These dishes are made with fresh, high-quality ingredients that are well-seasoned. The meat is tender, the vegetables are packed with flavor, and the fresh meals taste similar to what you’d get from a local restaurant.
Factor Delivery and Packaging: Mostly Eco-Friendly Materials
This meal delivery company focuses on shipping eco-friendly materials. Each box is recyclable, and the remaining packaging is made from recycled materials or reusable. If you’re unsure what to do with the packaging, Factor has a detailed instructions list in their FAQ section noting which items to recycle, toss, or reuse.
Cooking Factor Meals: Healthy Food Couldn’t Be Easier
Factor has made it incredibly easy to prepare their meals, as you only need to heat them for 4-6 minutes before they’re ready to consume. You can decide whether you want to zap them in the microwave or warm them in the oven. Then, remove or prick the plastic wrap (depending on the heating method), warm the meal, and eat it. There’s no mess, no cooking, and virtually no cleanup.
Signing Up For Factor: How Does It Work?
Signing up for Factor is an easy process. You’ll begin by deciding which categories of meals you want. Then, you’ll note how many meals you prefer each week (6-18) and enter your personal information, such as address and payment method, before selecting your meals. You’ll get the option to choose your meals before delivery every week.
Factor Price And Shipping
When ordering Factor meals, you can choose between 6 – 18 per week. The smallest meal option does have a higher price tag per meal (starting at about $11 per serving), which may be pricier than a grocery run. However, the price per recipe decreases as you increase the number of meals. Once you reach 12+ meals per week, the cost per recipe is on par with many other meal kits.
As a note, there is a flat shipping fee for each delivery. This fee stays the same regardless of how many entrees you select.
Does Factor Help You Lose Weight?
While losing weight while eating Factor meals is very much possible, they are not designed for weight loss. However, each meal is designed by dieticians, and many meals offer low-calorie counts that can help with weight loss.
Additionally, the recipes include nutritional facts, which make it easy to stay on track with a diet plan.
A Factor subscription includes the option to converse with a dietician from the Factor team at no cost.
Final Verdict
If you’re interested in healthy premade meals that are easy to take on the go, consider ordering from Factor. With 35 meal choices per week, you’re sure to find at least a few dishes that fit your taste preferences.
This is an ideal delivery service for those who don’t have time to cook homemade meals yet want to avoid consuming heavy or high-calorie take-out meals. We recommend trying Factor if you’re interested in low-calorie, flavorful meals delivered to your door weekly.
Other Related FAQ
Is Factor Meal Delivery Easy To Cancel?
Yes, Factor makes it easy to cancel their delivery service. There is no minimum subscription timeframe, so you can cancel anytime. If you’re not ready to cancel, you can skip a week of fully prepared meals. Both options require you to sign into your account before making changes.
Is Factor Meal Delivery Service Good For One Person?
Yes, this is one of the best-prepared meal delivery services for individuals, as every meal comes as a single serving. It’s also a great option for couples who want to enjoy healthy meals during the week.
