Do you want delicious food on a diet but don’t have time to prepare ahead of schedule? It’s rather challenging to maintain a consistent menu plan when there’s no time to cook. However, people who want healthy eating made easy – you are in luck! Meal delivery services were created just for that, offering a range of fully prepared meals.
Which is the right one, you ask? We have three prepared meal delivery services in mind – Freshly, BistroMD, and Trifecta Nutrition. These are three of the most respectable meal delivery services to consider.
Throughout this review, we will present each service’s highlight, making it easier for you to figure out which one stands above the rest for your needs.
How Do Prepared Meal Delivery Services Work?
A prepared meal delivery service works like this:
- You set up a subscription account online very easily.
- You select your plan based on how many meals per week you wish to get per week.
- There is a vast meal selection on the menu to choose from.
- You can select meals based on your dietary needs.
- You can skip weeks when needed and cancel at any time if you wish.
Freshly, BistroMD, and Trifecta Nutrition all prepared meal delivery services offering meals based on specific diets and preferences. For example, you can choose gluten-free, high-on-protein, dairy-free, and more. You can also select meals designed for weight loss if that is your primary goal.
You can set how many prepared meals you get per week helps with your food management and calorie intake.
What are the Benefits of Using Meal Delivery Services?
- No cooking required! Plenty of free time for yourself.
- Allows an easier way to track your portion control and calorie count.
- Most meal services offer healthy, well-balanced meals.
- Provides better portion size for less food waste.
- Making your meals more diverse and mealtime more enjoyable.
- Special diets are becoming more manageable.
With these benefits in mind, we are happy to share with you our review of the three meal delivery services –
Freshly, BistroMD, and Trifecta Nutrition – Our Full Comparison:
Freshly Premade Meal Delivery Service – Our Winner!
While other contenders make strong claims for the title of “Best Meal Delivery,” Freshly is our pick thanks to their food philosophy and the meals’ taste.
Freshly believe in delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make food. Freshly uses smart nutrition for their meals, which means they prioritize the right combination of fresh ingredients and healthy living.
You get the best service in terms of high-quality, healthy meals. Each dish is a chef’s choice of organic meals to meet your needs. Everyone has a different dietary meal planning but Freshly makes it easy for you to decide what you want. There are over 30 different menu items, which change every once in a while. By doing so, it keeps it interesting!
Freshly is an accessible meal delivery system for beginners. If you never tried it out for yourself, you should consider Freshly. With the clear-cut interface of their website, you can access everything you need without any issue.
Pros and Cons – Is Freshly Any Good?
Main Pros:
- Fully prepared meals, just heat-and-eat – all it takes is three minutes in an oven, microwave, or stovetop.
- A considerable number of meals per week to choose from.
- Affordable meal delivery service
- Great taste as a result of creative protein and vegetable combinations
- The Freshly Fit Athlete diet plans are great for fitness needs.
- Healthy organic ingredients
- Flexibility to skip weeks or cancel online
Main Cons:
- Lacks breakfast options
- Lack of vegan and vegetarian options
Freshly Offered Plans
Freshly allows you to have four different meal plans – 4 meals per week, 6 meals per week, 10 meals per week, or 12 meals per week. In all plans, each meal is with a single serving. Keep in mind you are allowed to skip weeks whenever needed.
Best For Who?
If you don’t have time to cook your meals, then food delivery from Freshly is the way to go! Does steak peppercorn sound good? You might not have the time to visit a grocery store and find all the specific ingredients you need. Freshly cuts out the shopping and cooking, with their extensive menu, which offers a single portion-sized premade meals delivered fresh and ready to eat in 3 minutes.
Freshly is excellent for people who wish to live a healthier life – with Nutri-dense meals that are all gluten-free.
Freshly also crafts specific recipes for fitness-minded people, with their new ‘Freshly Fit‘ offering – carb-conscious menu options to build energy and stay in lean shape. Whether you need a meal right before a work-out or afterward, Freshly offers a low-carb fitness diet. The Freshly Fit subscription works precisely the same as their regular one.
How Many Calories Are In Freshly Meals?
We took a look at the menu on the Freshly website. Under the Plans and Menu page, you can find a listing of their delicious meals. When you click on a particular one, such as Peppercorn Steak, it gives you all the information you need on nutritional value. Freshly also provides a full ingredient list and a description of the dish.
The average seems to be anywhere from 450-600 calories per single meal.
Since all the chef-prepared meals are sized for one person and with no extra ingredients to add at home, there’s no additional calorie intake for the meals. The good news is you can look at each dish info to find the right calorie amount for your diet.
Few examples are the peppercorn steak with 500 calories per serving, Cauliflower Shell Beef Bolognese with 490 calories per serving, or oven-baked chicken florentine with 450 calories per serving.
Sample Freshly Prepared Meals
We tried six Freshly meal selections. For the sake of diversity, each of these meals offers different calorie intakes and culinary-style. Each meal is also clearly tagged in correspond with the particular diets it support:
- Steak Peppercorn with Carrots and Green Beans – high-protein, soy-free, gluten-free.
- Pork with Purple Rice – dairy-free, gluten-free.
- Chicken and Beef Risotto with Rainbow Carrots – high-protein, soy-free, gluten-free.
- Turmeric Turkey Bowl -dairy-free, high-protein, soy-free, gluten-free.
- Chicken Livorno with Herbs – dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free.
- Cauliflower Sausage Bake – soy-free, gluten-free, carb-conscious.
BistroMD Prepared Meal Delivery Service
BistroMD began to as a food project by certified medical doctors – Ed and Caroline Cederquist. They aim to apply their nutritional knowledge to delicious food programs with health benefits in mind. These doctors create meal kits delivery service with meals ready to eat – from low blood sugar too high cholesterol – based on dietary suggestions. You have expert insight into what makes healthy yet delicious food!
Based in the United States, BistroMD provides frozen diet meals using fresh ingredients. It’s not your average dinner tray – these are high-quality entrees. Most of their meals use a protein, a sauce, and two sides that are typically healthy grains and vegetables.
Pros and Cons – Is BistroMD Any Good?
Main Pros:
- Frozen meals, for longer shelf life, that are easy to heat in the oven and microwave
- Leading doctors specifically develop this meal plan
- Primary focus on weight loss for a healthier lifestyle
- No artificial ingredients, preservatives, or sweeteners
- Ample meal options for breakfast, lunch, dinner
- High-level ingredients
- unique plans for diabetic-friendly, heart-healthy, menopause, and more.
- Free support from registered dietitians.
Main Cons:
- The minimum plan is 10 meals per week (five lunches and five dinners)
- Frozen meals don’t seem as fresh, despite being flash frozen right after cooking!
BistroMD Offered Plans
We checked their programs page and found BistroMD offers five different plans. Each of them provides unique dietary restrictions, which depend on your plan. They are as follows:
- Standard – Conventional weight loss with all meals available
- Gluten-Free – Meals without wheat, barley, and rye
- Heart-Healthy foods – Contains fewer amounts of sodium and saturated fat.
- Diabetic – Promotes healthy blood sugar with fewer carbs.
- Menopause – Burns fat, maintains insulin and boosts energy.
You can also choose five-to-seven-day programs depending on breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We particularly like how diverse these selections are!
Best For Who?
Bistro MD is suited to people looking for an extensive meal plan to cover most of their meals throughout the week.
Thanks to their extensive diet programs, BistroMD caters to a wide range of specific needs. Are you a diabetic who wants to improve your blood sugar levels? BistroMD has you covered with their Diabetic-friendly plan! Do you want to avoid gluten at all costs? Their gluten-free diet meals ensure you limit your selection of whole grains. There are also heart-healthy meals with low cholesterol.
Most importantly, you can achieve weight loss goals with their basic plan. You can enjoy a healthy meal while you lose weight! Their weight loss program is doctor recommended since there are no trans fats within the meals.
How Many Calories Are in BistroMD Meals?
According to our research, what makes BistroMD stand out is the low-calorie intake per meal. On average, their menu options range from 200-450 calories each. The company makes sure to use lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole carbohydrates to balance each meal.
Few examples are the Chicken Piccata with 320 calories per single serving, Merlot Meatballs with Grits with only 280 calories per single serving, or Grilled Salmon with Champagne Sauce and lentils with 400 calories per single serving.
Sample BistroMD Ready to Eat Meals
We took a sample of ready-to-eat meals per day, including dishes from breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What makes BistroMD meal delivery service stand out is they offer fruit in addition to vegetable sides. Below we have a listing of what we believe to be the most delicious meals:
Breakfast
- Red Pepper Frittata with Artichoke and Spinach
- Seven Whole-Grain Waffles with a Strawberry Compote
Lunch and Dinner
- Manicotti with a Vodka-Infused Marinara Sauce
- BBQ Pork with Hickory Smoke and Broccoli
- Lasagna with a Garden-Based Marinara Sauce
- Grilled Salmon covered in Dill Mustard Sauce
- Blackened Chicken alongside Smoked and Creamy Paprika Sauce
- Salmon Stuffed with Feta and Spinach
Trifecta Nutrition Prepared Meal Delivery Service
Lastly, we get to Trifecta Nutrition! Trifecta mainly focuses on ready-made organic meals to help you perform your best in and out of the gym with its macro balance system. Macro is a shorter term for the word macronutrient, three main categories of food you eat. Trifecta gets their name from these three energy sources – protein, carbs, and fats. Their mission is to provide all these macros with a nutrient-dense focal point.
Trifecta Nutrition uses a rotating menu with an in-house professional chef, so you get exclusive healthy recipes. Their nutrition is backed by scientific studies, with lean proteins, lots of veggies, and complex carbs.
Trifecta Meal Plans
Trifecta’s meal plan delivery offers convenience and control. They have a personal head chef who decides what goes into the menu. What makes Trifecta stand out is how many diets they cater to.
Below are their chef’s choices for these particular diets:
Trifecta also offers an a la carte menu, where you can customize your meals. How it works is simple! We can pick our bundle and portion out the remaining food to fit our needs. If we want to mix it up with seasonal veggies and sauces, we can do so! The a la carte meals make it easy for meal preppers to reach their individual goals, such as bodybuilders and athletes.
Pros and Cons – Is Trifecta Any Good?
Pros:
- Meals can be heated in an oven, microwave, or stovetop.
- Each meal is designed for athletes to meet their fitness requirements.
- Clean organic ingredients from grass-fed animals and sustainable resources.
- Wide variety of dietary preferences elections for a fitness approach – paleo, keto, vegan and more.
Cons:
- The minimum plan is for seven meals per week.
- Relatively expensive subscription.
- If you choose a specific plan, you can’t select your particular meals.
Trifecta Offered Plans
Trifecta Nutrition meals cater to specific dietary preferences. As we previously mentioned, Trifecta has a diverse selection of meal plans, which range from paleo to keto diets. They also have bundled on a la carte items.
It should be noted each of their offered plans is chosen by health and nutrition directors. Their plans prioritize macronutrients for a healthy balance in anyone’s day-to-day diet. Once you select a plan, you cannot choose your meal variety, and you have to trust them to send you meals to suit your taste.
Best For Who?
On the main website, we notice how Trifecta promotes fitness lifestyles with their brand. If you want to bulk up with lean proteins, you can maintain a good physique with these programs. Trifecta mainly caters to athletic groups and their various diets. It’s in contrast to Freshly and BistroMD, which focus on reducing health risks of specific conditions like obesity and diabetes.
Not only do we appreciate their perspective towards balanced eating, but also their specific dietary programs. For example, meal kits for paleo diets mainly focus on lean meats. There is also a low-carb-keto diet for high fats, medium proteins, and low-carb meals. Fitness experts on a keto diet can appreciate how Trifecta fits all these dietary requirements into their fresh meals.
Vegetarian and vegan diets are also supported with organic ingredients from plant-based resources. There is plenty of protein in each of these handcrafted meals, so you don’t have to worry about missing out. For example, nuts and beans are high in protein, which also boost your energy.
Even if you don’t subscribe to these diets, you can still promote a healthier lifestyle thanks to the a la carte Trifecta menu. The right balance of proteins, carbs, and fats is essential for your overall health, which Trifecta provides in their dietary approach.
How Many Calories Are in Trifecta Meals?
Notably, Trifecta wants to control your calories in order to balance it out with specific dietary restrictions. We checked their website for more information, and we can say there is an average of 400-500 calories in a single serving, depending on the meal plan.
You can find the information on the labels of each packaged meal and on the website. If you want low fat and low-calorie content per meal, Trifecta may be the right place. Your fitness goals are easily attainable with their program.
Sample Trifecta Meals
For our sample prepared meals, we wanted to try out everything from each respective diet. We include the meals, along with the particular diet it falls under. Here are our personal choices for the best Trifecta kits per meal:
- Salmon and Wild Rice with Dried Cranberries and Rosemary (Clean Plan)
- Roasted Chicken Breasts with a Citrus Glaze and Asparagus (Paleo keto Plan)
- Beanless Chile Con Carne with Grass-Fed Beef, Topped with Cheese (Keto low-carb Plan)
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with a Tangy Sauce and Quinoa (Plant-Based Vegan Plan)
- Crispy Tofu Skillet with Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic, and Olive Oil (Vegetarian Plan)
- Flat Iron Steak with Brown Rice and Mixed Veggies (Classic Meals)
Keep in mind that each plan offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal options. We only scratch the surface of these sample meals.
Bottom Line – Freshly or BistroMD or Trifecta – Which Is Our Favorite?
You can maintain a well-balanced diet with any of these delivery services! However, we consider Freshly our personal favorite healthy meal delivery in this lineup.
While they lack breakfast and vegetarian options, Freshly was the most straightforward program. We tasted several meals from their menu, and they were delicious and felt like fresh home-cooked meals that we would love to eat regularly.
Freshly is not only accessible, but their many meals and the rotating menu keeps things fresh! Healthy food is made more comfortable with their large selection of meals.
Every meal on the Freshly menu contains high-quality ingredients with no added refined sugar or preservation. Whether you want to lose weight or gain muscle, Freshly and Freshly fit new service supports many diets and lifestyles.
No matter if you prefer Freshly, BistroMD, or Trifecta, you can’t go wrong with any of them. We highly recommend you try for yourself as soon as possible.
Meal delivery makes everything easier for you – from meal planning to spend a long time in the kitchen – so give it a go! We promise you won’t be disappointed with the results.
