Meal Delivery

Mellie289
Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
edited August 2021 in Food and Nutrition
Hi All - I'm just over a month in after putting on lots of baby weight and then the COVID 19 from a year+ of being totally sedentary. I'm trying to follow low carb/keto as that keeps me from feeling hungry and thinking about food all the time, but I find Wednesday - Friday nights are my Achilles heel - I'm so tired by the end of the week, I usually cave and eat the high carb junk if I don't have something prepped. I'm so sick of cooking two menus (I have two 4 year-olds who refuse to eat a lot of what I would eat, and they want chicken nuggets and processed carbs). I have decided to subscribe to one of the meal delivery services I keep getting ads for on Facebook.

Anyone have luck with losing using one of these delivery services? I'm trying one out (Factor) beginning next week that is fresh and ready to heat. I might change if I'm not happy with it though. I don't want one of those meal kit services that you have to cook yourself, but I think I'm going to have to freeze some of the meals to last the week. Anyone try one of these that you really liked? Are there any that ship frozen low carb/keto meals? If anyone even has suggestions from the frozen aisle of the supermarket of some decent meals I could stack in my freezer.

Thanks for any ideas!

(Edit to add: I realize the enormous financial privilege in this. This would be a temporary investment in my weight loss that I'm sure will cost me less in the long run if I have good health.)

Replies

  • BuddhaBunnyFTW
    BuddhaBunnyFTW Posts: 157 Member
    I have a friend who really enjoys the meal delivery service, he has a really busy life so he doesn't have time to cook.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    penguinmama87 wrote: »
    This isn't exactly what you're asking for, but could you prep yourself on a day when you aren't quite so tired?

    Thanks for your long, thoughtful response, penguinmama. I don't see this as a long-term solution and I will get back to doing what you suggest - I have liked to do big meal prep days on Sundays in the past. I just have so much on my plate right now (no pun intended), that I can't spare the time on weekends. I'm a single parent and my house has a lot of DIY jobs I need to take care of and just general cleaning. I would have to pay for something - a maid service, a handyman or meals, so I'm opting for the meals for now so I can take care of the other more expensive things myself as much as possible, like a very necessary bathroom renovation.

    Unfortunately, I'm tired all the time now as I got really burnt out from switching to online teaching last year, and I think the extra weight I'm carrying is taking its toll as well, so I can't do it all. After I make progress on the house, I will tackle the meal prep.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    Mellie289 wrote: »
    penguinmama87 wrote: »
    This isn't exactly what you're asking for, but could you prep yourself on a day when you aren't quite so tired?

    Thanks for your long, thoughtful response, penguinmama. I don't see this as a long-term solution and I will get back to doing what you suggest - I have liked to do big meal prep days on Sundays in the past. I just have so much on my plate right now (no pun intended), that I can't spare the time on weekends. I'm a single parent and my house has a lot of DIY jobs I need to take care of and just general cleaning. I would have to pay for something - a maid service, a handyman or meals, so I'm opting for the meals for now so I can take care of the other more expensive things myself as much as possible, like a very necessary bathroom renovation.

    Unfortunately, I'm tired all the time now as I got really burnt out from switching to online teaching last year, and I think the extra weight I'm carrying is taking its toll as well, so I can't do it all. After I make progress on the house, I will tackle the meal prep.

    Oof, yes, that is a lot! I think prioritizing makes sense even if it gets expensive to do so. We do have limited time and effort and burning out can't work long term (BTDT). So if that's where you want to save your energy for now, I get it!

    I'm about halfway through a 70ish pound weight loss and the difference in my energy levels is really something. I hope you end up experiencing the same and get the satisfaction from ticking off some of those to-dos, too. Getting house projects done is SO satisfying.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    I had never heard of Factor, so looked it up.
    I use a local place that delivers, but is close enough (6 blocks?) that I have never used delivery. It is in the same shopping center as a grocery store. It is less $ than factor—still higher than cooking. There was another, more gourmet food, a little more $, a little farther, pre-pandemic. I liked it better, used it more. Both more than willing to customize meals.
    Short version— anything local?

    Another thought— a lady on MFP said she bought precooked frozen meats, like grilled chicken breast, and individual size and small bags frozen veggies and sides, so she and kids could pull out what they wanted and microwave.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    I'm a fan of meal delivery services. I absolutely hate cooking for just myself and will give up a lot in my budget and expectations to avoid it.

    I'm currently using Splendid Spoon. I like their food a lot, although I do usually end up adding protein. I keep a bag of frozen grilled chicken, some frozen shrimp and things like that on hand to round out their bowls. Their options would freeze well, although they're sold refrigerated. I don't have a lot of freezer space, so I've avoided Daily Harvest and those that come frozen. I think they're pretty reasonable as well.

    I've used Freshly in the past and their delivery was horrible. It was about 50/50 odds whether your food would even arrive, much less in an edible state. I've never had an affinity for low carb/keto foods so I'm not much use for advise on those.

    Overall, I've been very happy with using meal delivery. It's better for me than constant takeout and is quicker than barely warm delivery food.
  • Kevvboy
    Kevvboy Posts: 81 Member
    I know you said you don't want to cook, but I have had great luck with the Marley Spoon/Martha Stewart kits. They've really helped with my weight loss. You have to order 2 servings of each entree, so any time you cook, you're taking care of two meals. They have a wide range of low-calorie and low-carb options that are really delicious. I found my grocery bill went DOWN because I have very little food waste now. Basically I add salads to the meal kits, usually takes about 30 minutes or less to cook. They'll give you a few free meals to try it out....
  • BrightEyedAgain
    BrightEyedAgain Posts: 259 Member
    I don't have any experience with meal delivery, but I wanted to applaud you for being willing to invest in yourself this way. We all have times when we can't handle everythng at once, and it would be easy to give up and eat junk. So it's great that you're going to find a way to get through this time even if it costs extra money.

    As an aside, I was wondering--do you know what it is about having to cook that makes it feel overwhelming to you? Like, is it the activity itself, the time, or the burden of deciding what to do?? I ask because I hate to cook, and it's helped me to identify the reasons so I could find ways around them. In your case, you've got a short term solution, but for the long term, maybe it would help you to figure out what exactly makes the prospect of cooking so draining for you. Meanwhile, I hope you find a good meal service that works for you.
  • coderdan82
    coderdan82 Posts: 133 Member
    I've been using a meal delivery service for the past two weeks and I love it. It does cost a lot more money than cooking your own food but it frees up so much of my time and it makes calorie counting super easy because they provide the nutrition info for each meal.
    I think service availability depends on where you live. I'm in Toronto, Ontario and the service I use is called Protein Chefs. They offer meals for all kinds of different diets, including keto, paleo, vegan as well as some specialized ones for athletes.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    @corinasue1143 - thanks for the suggestion to look locally. I'll have to get online and search around.

    Thanks to others for suggestions. I will look at Splendid Spoon and Protein Chefs, but I am in California, so the Toronto one might not operate in the USA. I will definitely avoid Freshly - I canceled a fresh produce delivery when they missed me one day as I don't need the added stress of wondering if my package will make it.

    I would be interested in something like the Marley Spoon/Martha Stewart kits in future possibly, but for now, I want to cut out the half hour or so that meal prep kits take. It might night sounds like a lot, but when we get home from daycare around 6 PM, I am nonstop with preschooler needs until 7:30 PM or later and I want something just to microwave. I bought a meal kit from the supermarket to make Pad Thai once and I was so annoyed to find that I had to prepare all the vegetables and the chicken. To me, chopping is the worst! If the meal kit has everything ready to dump in the pan, that's a different matter entirely. :smile:

    @BrightEyedAgain - right now it's only about time cooking and cleaning up afterward, so time. I normally like to prep my own food for the week, but switching to keto/low carb, I feel like I have lost my go-to dishes that I would cook in bulk and portion out. I suppose I have to figure that out again, but while I have struggling to get everything done that needs to get done, this is one burden I can lift.
  • BrightEyedAgain
    BrightEyedAgain Posts: 259 Member
    Good idea to lift this burden and give yourself time to sort out your new go-to meals. Maybe your delivery service will help with that since it will give you a chance to try things without having to make them yourself.
  • Kevvboy
    Kevvboy Posts: 81 Member
    Yeah, I really like to cook, and Marley Spoon wouldn't work for someone who doesn't. I like it because the food is fresh and I prepared it, the recipes are tasty, and as I said it almost totally eliminates food waste. I really hate throwing expensive produce away because I couldn't cook it all. I also thinking cooking my own meals really helps me connect with the food and appreciate it more, and is more satisfying. My old way of eating and the reason I had to lose 80 lbs (and still need to lose at least 20) is that I liked just opening the fridge and eating something prepared. Or ordering a pizza. Or microwaving something. I realized that doesn't work for me, I got too fat doing it that way. So the meal kits are a nice compromise, mindful but also easy because the shopping/portioning/recipe is all done for me. Good luck however you find to sort it out!
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    Kevvboy wrote: »
    Yeah, I really like to cook, and Marley Spoon wouldn't work for someone who doesn't. I like it because the food is fresh and I prepared it, the recipes are tasty, and as I said it almost totally eliminates food waste. I really hate throwing expensive produce away because I couldn't cook it all. I also thinking cooking my own meals really helps me connect with the food and appreciate it more, and is more satisfying. My old way of eating and the reason I had to lose 80 lbs (and still need to lose at least 20) is that I liked just opening the fridge and eating something prepared. Or ordering a pizza. Or microwaving something. I realized that doesn't work for me, I got too fat doing it that way. So the meal kits are a nice compromise, mindful but also easy because the shopping/portioning/recipe is all done for me. Good luck however you find to sort it out!

    It's funny how people are so different. For me, having something prepared that I can open the fridge and pop in the microwave has been the best way for me to maintain my weight and lose when I need to. Most of the time I'd rather go hungry than cook, especially after work and all that adulting life stuff. Unfortunately, that usually meant I'd eat anything not nailed down the next day. (Lunchmeat ham and jelly on saltines, anyone?) Especially now that I mainly work from home! Having a stock of ready meals that I know I like means I can literally grab the first thing I touch and be eating a hot, nutritious, and filling meal within minutes. I don't think you necessarily have to cook food to be mindful about it, I think you can eat with intention and mindfulness regardless of the source.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    edited August 2021

    It's funny how people are so different. Most of the time I'd rather go hungry. Unfortunately, that usually meant I'd eat anything not nailed down the next day. (Lunchmeat ham and jelly on saltines, anyone?)

    That much just rang so true for me. Exactly why I have so much trouble losing weight. But ice cream straight from the carton is even easier and more inviting than crackers and jelly. Which is how I discovered the meal prep down the street.

    Stick with it until you find a good one @Mellie289. It’ll be worth it!



  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Mellie289 wrote: »
    [snip]

    (Edit to add: I realize the enormous financial privilege in this. This would be a temporary investment in my weight loss that I'm sure will cost me less in the long run if I have good health.)

    I have no suggestions for specific services but want to congratulate you for realizing your current situation has you feeling overwhelmed and taking steps to doing something about it. Don't feel guilty about the financial privilege :) At some later point in your life you can give back by volunteering and/or donating to worthy causes.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    I was thinking a little more about this and two other things you might want to consider to help simplify things for you: if you're not familiar with slow cookers, it might be worth trying a few things. A lot of older cookbooks have weird recipes (though I find that's true of cookbooks in general from the 70s-90s :D) but there are some really nice ones online. I'd stick to the "dump everything in and turn it on" type for now because they are the simplest. Having all your prep be in the morning, rather than in the evening after you get home with hungry kiddos might be helpful.

    The other thing is evaluating your support system. It's definitely good you have enough money to be able to outsource some labor, and I agree that you shouldn't feel bad about that at all, but do you have other adults around for emotional or other support, whether that's friends, family, or some combination? I know it's hard with everything in the world the way it is, but when I had a bunch of littles a local mom's group was my lifeline, even if I couldn't get to meetups super often.
  • SpanishFusion
    SpanishFusion Posts: 261 Member
    Have you tried Publix Apron Meals and/or Kits? The kits are a little less expensive but you have to do your own cooking, but it comes with everything, like HelloFresh. The meals are prepared and ready to cook in the oven. I'm loving Publix's fresh new approach to easy to eat healthy meals. I'm not sure if they deliver. I know that they deliver, but there is probably an upcharge for it. I think they taste great. Another thing I like about them is that there is no commitment to purchase weekly. You can purchase as needed.
  • Kevvboy
    Kevvboy Posts: 81 Member
    "It's funny how people are so different. For me, having something prepared that I can open the fridge and pop in the microwave has been the best way for me to maintain my weight and lose when I need to. Most of the time I'd rather go hungry than cook, especially after work and all that adulting life stuff. Unfortunately, that usually meant I'd eat anything not nailed down the next day. (Lunchmeat ham and jelly on saltines, anyone?) Especially now that I mainly work from home! Having a stock of ready meals that I know I like means I can literally grab the first thing I touch and be eating a hot, nutritious, and filling meal within minutes. I don't think you necessarily have to cook food to be mindful about it, I think you can eat with intention and mindfulness regardless of the source."

    Hi COGypsy, I didn't say that cooking my own meals is either the only way or the right way to lose weight, or to be mindful of your food. I said that it works that way for me. It's great you've found a way that works for you. Good luck on your journey!

  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 921 Member
    My roommate has tried a lot of those meal delivery kits (which I have indirectly benefited from if she's out of town and won't use them or whatever)....so I've done some of them. She's gotten the Factor meals before (bc she had a coupon/deal or something, she stated that they were expensive full price). I loved the 2 that I ate of those, and as far as an easy quick go-to they seem good. She never froze hers though so that made me get the impression that they aren't supposed to be frozen....but IDK.

    She also has gotten another meal delivery thing that basically all the meals only take 20-30 min to prepare (everything is already measured out - all you have to do is season it, cut it maybe, and cook it). That might be something to look into for you instead of one that is more like....the whole cooking process.


    I also think it might be good for you to look into food prep tips/tricks for like a slow cooker or instapot or something just bc the meal delivery kits are expensive once you're not on the discount deal anymore so I think your dollar can go farther when you grocery shop yourself.

    I don't think using a meal delivery services has anything to do with whether you lose weight or not --- except for the fact that the meals are portioned, so you're not just putting your own portion on your plate. And this is when you follow the recipe - because for example...if it comes with a pack of dressing or sauce....the recipe might say a measurement for how much sauce to use (the packet is more than that). So if you use the whole pack, it's really more calories than the recipe says.
  • Kevvboy
    Kevvboy Posts: 81 Member
    westrich20940 wrote: »
    I don't think using a meal delivery services has anything to do with whether you lose weight or not --- except for the fact that the meals are portioned, so you're not just putting your own portion on your plate. And this is when you follow the recipe - because for example...if it comes with a pack of dressing or sauce....the recipe might say a measurement for how much sauce to use (the packet is more than that). So if you use the whole pack, it's really more calories than the recipe says.

    This is true. Often times the Marley Spoon recipe calls for 2 Tbsp of butter and I just make that 1 tbsp, same with oil and some of the other ingredients. It's easy to alter them to make them even lighter and I find the meals are pretty filling as prepared.... It does help me with seeing what other people consider "a portion." Sometimes I am extra hungry and have to eat tomorrow's lunch protein tonight, if you know what I mean. But calories in, calories out!
  • panda4153
    panda4153 Posts: 418 Member
    I like Home Chef.I do 3-4 meals a week for my whole family with them.
  • Kevvboy
    Kevvboy Posts: 81 Member
    edited August 2021
    Panda, do you think they save you money or cost more? I think I save a little bit overall, and I definitely throw less food away. Another thing I like is I definitely throw about half the previous amount of garbage away because with the meal delivery I'm not using all that excess packaging.
  • panda4153
    panda4153 Posts: 418 Member
    Kevvboy wrote: »
    Panda, do you think they save you money or cost more? I think I save a little bit overall, and I definitely throw less food away. Another thing I like is I definitely throw about half the previous amount of garbage away because with the meal delivery I'm not using all that excess packaging.

    It for sure saves me money, way less food waste, and I am a terrible impulse buyer at the grocery store, this means fewer trips to the store for me. It’s also been great to get my kids cooking more, the recipes are easy to follow.
  • Kevvboy
    Kevvboy Posts: 81 Member
    edited August 2021
    That's an excellent point, it has cut way down on the impulse buying at the store for me too. I only go in for stuff to fill in around what comes in the meal boxes - usually I had some salads and extra green veg especially now in summer when there is so much good fresh stuff. That's cool that it's got your kids cooking more. If you decide you would like to try the Marley Spoon/Martha Stewart boxes, I can send you an invite for a free box. If so, just send me your email in a direct message?
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    @Kevvboy - I will certainly consider a meal kit in future. I just cleared out my fridge yesterday and threw away so much money's worth of good intentions. I hate wasting food too and the meal kits would at least do all the planning out for me.

    @panda4153 - I looked at the Home Chef page and that looks pretty appealing. I'll look into that with the Martha Stewart/Marley Spoon later.

    I have just finished a whole week of keto meals and it has been so awesome! The next 8 meals arrive tomorrow. The meals were actually really good, but I will have to weigh my options in future after the initial deal is over (first 3 weeks) and they become more expensive. I'm thinking I might switch to having deliveries every other week after the first month to balance out the hefty price tag, and I'm going to make a plan of easy or ready to eat options for in-between. This weekend I felt really good and had lots of energy for the first time in a very long time and spending less time on cooking meant that I could start to tackle some lingering jobs around the house.
    I credit losing about 14 pounds, so I hope this will continue and I will continue to have the energy to do get my house chores finished and eventually start cooking again.
  • iam4scuba
    iam4scuba Posts: 39 Member
    Not sure if someone mentioned this and I missed it, but have you checked out the meals at grocery stores? You could buy several at a time and it's basically the same except you don't have to deal with the delivery, boxes, huge ice packs they send that sometimes burst, and it's probably healthier too. If you want to get food that lasts a bit longer, there are things like frozen pizzas that can be healthier (even some with non-bread crust, no cheese, etc.) that you just throw in the oven.

    You can also do things like a precooked rotisserie chicken and microwaveable veggies.
  • wingsandahalo
    wingsandahalo Posts: 2 Member
    I'm in LA and have tried quite a few, here's my POV!

    Territory - really good selection based on specific diet preference. You can choose between paleo, keto, etc. The only thing I didn't like about it was the packages are shrink wrapped so meals don't look at appetizing - though they taste delicious.

    Freshly Fit - not as much diet preference but an overall good selection of meals. Good quality and tasty. I did this one for a while and then just became bored because I found my favorites and then overdid it with them.

    Thistle - this one was good but had lentils in most of the dishes which I'm not a huge fan of. Very healthy though and worth looking into based on what flavors you like. Not as much diet preference specification as the ones above.

    Hungry Root - this is a great option if you are looking for a vegetarian diet and don't mind some cooking. Simple easy to use ingredients that only take about 10 to 15 minutes per meal.

    Veestro - Great option for plant-based food. The only downfall in this one is the items are frozen so you have to have room in your freezer.

    Every Table - this is my current favorite. Lots of fresh salads, wraps, and you can get individual grocery items as well. It's not subscription-based which is also nice because you don't automatically get shipments sent out. Not as many hot meal options as the ones above. This one I have a referral code which is $40 off. https://everytable.com/subscribe?code=3J3LG5MP

    Happy to answer any other questions on these and might be able to dig up a promo code for the ones above as well!

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