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Diet plan Description
Paleo Diet
Mediterranean Diet
Low Carb Diet
Keto Diet
Pescatarian Diet
Vegan Diet
Lifestyle Description
Family Plan Diet
Athletes Diet
Seniors Diet
Single Plan Diet
Last Updated : February 4, 2024
First, you must probably be thinking, what’s the catch when discussing premade or ready-to-eat meals? After all, premade meal kits are affordable and healthy, and companies also cater to special dietary demands. So what’s the trade-off then? Is it the lack of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, etc.? Not really, to be honest.
With the best meal delivery services, there’s no compromise! Simply because they’re equipped with a wide-ranging menu featuring highly nutritious options that also accommodate specific diet plans.
The one diet that has become quite popular in the United States because of its easier long-term sustainability, even for first-timers, is the Mediterranean diet. Now how about the Mediterranean premade meals – do they meet expectations? Let’s find out all about this!
The Mediterranean diet is no fad; all health-conscious people like me are sure! This particular diet consists of, for the most part at least, plant-based meals. A Mediterranean diet, no denying it, has worked for many as a long-term diet pattern. It’s no fad, nor is it a temporary or short-lived plan.
Does the Mediterranean diet have anything to do with the Mediterranean Sea? Is that also something you think about? Well, YES! Italy, Greece, and Croatia are the countries outlining the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. Not surprising then that the Mediterranean diet is mainly centered around the local cuisines from these countries. So there is a connection there!
What types of foods are a part of this Mediterranean diet? It’s mostly plant-based ingredients:
The diet plan also includes the following:
The point is not to incorporate red meat, sweets, white flour, and fried foods into your daily diet. What foods are not allowed in the Mediterranean diet? Now you know!
Despite the “restricted” food items, the Mediterranean diet is not a restricting diet pattern, even though it paves the way for weight loss and a healthy heart. In that lies the importance of a Mediterranean diet!
Since the diet plan prioritizes more plant-based recipes and dishes, your meals are highly nutritious. They include healthy fats from olive oil, essential vitamins and nutrients from vegetables, omega-3 from fish, and lots more. All of which certainly improve heart health!
Moreover, there’s almost no space for processed foods or ingredients when your eating approach is like this. On top of that, a Mediterranean meal is always an exceedingly colorful meal, with traditional protein sources such as chicken being the side or secondary dish in comparison to natural and maybe even organic produce.
Lastly, wine connoisseurs love the little allowance the Mediterranean diet offers for red wine consumption. A moderate amount of red wine – 5 ounces or less per day – works when following a Mediterranean diet.
Please note that I’m, in no way, encouraging or promoting drinking wine. Nor am I implying that drinking 5 ounces or a glass of red wine daily is mandatory for keeping up with the Mediterranean eating plan. Thus, if you don’t drink, there’s no need to change anything.
How about now we look at all the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet? After all, this particular eating strategy has received much attention from health and fitness enthusiasts and the entire medical community.
Consuming more Mediterranean-style meals daily will help with weight loss – here’s the science-backed proof you might want to check out!
If you’re overweight, by little or even a large number, a Mediterranean diet promotes greater weight loss than a diet comprising of low-fat food. Perfect for long-term weight loss as well!
Reducing the risks associated with cardiovascular diseases can also be achieved through a Mediterranean-centric eating pattern. Hence, you’re playing your part in lowering the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke. To be more specific, you minimize those chances by around 30 percent.
Plant-based foods cut down the level of bad cholesterol, known as LDL, in your body.
The same result is accomplished when you eliminate processed ingredients from your daily diet, precisely what a Mediterranean diet promotes. In my opinion, it is indeed an ideal model of nutrition for boosting cardiovascular health.
Many research studies suggest that consuming Mediterranean-diet-friendly meals protects your body from developing Type 2 Diabetes. Eating vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, etc., keeps blood sugar levels in check for those already dealing with type 2 diabetes.
Plus, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are pretty much like siblings. Hence, you hit two birds with one stone when scraping your unhealthy eating habits for a more health-boosting Mediterranean diet plan.
As you grow older, your brain function starts to recede. With that, the chances of the onset of conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease also increase. However, you can and must take certain steps right now in the present moment to lower the risks associated with such cognitive illnesses or dysfunction.
A Mediterranean diet, in that case, and context, plays quite an active role in reducing the chances of these types of medical and mental diseases that impair your capacities of memory.
When following a Mediterranean-style diet, you’re consuming a lot of vegetables and fruits daily. What’s the one thing that fruits and veggies have in common? Plenty of antioxidants! To be clear, plenty of disease-fighting and preventing antioxidants!
The role of antioxidants can never be overestimated, ever. These substances protect the cells of the body from disease-causing free radicals. That means minimizing the likelihood of the formation of cancer, heart disease, and more.
Be it a meal kit or premade meal, both types of services accommodate special diet plans, that’s for sure! More and more health- and fitness-conscious adults are switching to specialized diet patterns like Mediterranean because of its many health benefits. However, is adopting the premade-meal approach suitable for a Mediterranean diet plan?
I honestly don’t see anything bad or wrong about meal delivery services for ready-to-eat meals, even with a Mediterranean-friendly diet. First of all, you eliminate the process of grocery shopping, meal prepping, and the cooking process itself. Therefore, so much effort and time are saved!
Along with proper meal kits, even premade meals meet specific dietary requirements, whether for the Mediterranean, Keto, or Paleo diet. You get a wide choice of healthy recipes, Mediterranean-friendly, of course, to choose from.
These lunch/dinner dishes and even breakfast and snack items are prepared using ingredients that fit the Mediterranean plan. For example, delicious, colorful recipes with bell peppers, cauliflower, kale, mushrooms, artichokes, apricot, almonds, and so much more.
The range of ingredients in your daily diet is broad and diverse. Some of them that are part of Mediterranean-tagged meals are hard to find at regular grocery stores, supermarkets, etc. But you’ll find them in the premade meals of Freshly, Factor, Snap Kitchen, Modify Health, and the others mentioned in this article further below.
These ingredients are fresh and, in most cases, even locally and sustainably sourced, certified organic, and the like.
I would also like you to consider the impressive menu variety available, even for premade meals, so you’re not stuck with consuming the same dish or dishes. The menus have a new set of Mediterranean recipes every week. Thus, your taste buds don’t have to compromise just because you want to eat healthy, nutritious food.
Just look at BistroMD’s Heart-Healthy menu, which includes a Tilapia-based entrée with Orange Parsley Sauce, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, and many more such options.
There’s also the Green Chef with its Lemon-Basil Caper Pork recipe embellished with sautéed cauliflower, bell pepper, almonds, and feta cheese, tagged Mediterranean, keto, and gluten-free.
You and I both know by now that premade meals, which are already-cooked meals, simplify the entire process of healthy eating, even more so than meal kits. They also keep you from meandering away from your choice of diet plan. In this case, that would be the Mediterranean diet.
More importantly, who’s got the time to do meal planning, right? Some may have the time but no interest and/or patience to go about it.
Furthermore, how to decide what to eat! How to pick ingredients that suit and encourage a healthy eating habit? That’s where meal delivery services’ convenience, menu variety, diet-specific meal plans, etc., come to the rescue.
These are the most important and appealing health benefits of premade meals:
Best meal delivery services usually mention the nutritional value of each ready-to-eat recipe, just like they typically do with meal kits. The nutritional data label allows you to check the macros and nutrients of your every meal. Keeping up with nutrition this way is perfect when your health-related goals involve muscle building, weight loss, etc.
For example, on Freshly’s menu, if you click on any dish, you’ll get to know all about its nutritional information – how many calories, proteins, carbs, and more!
The portion size of a single-serve pre-cooked meal from one of the healthy meal delivery services like Freshly, Thistle, Modify Health, etc., is quite filling for one person.
A too-large portion size means you overeat, feeling very sluggish and less productive after meals. On the other hand, a too-small serving will not satiate your hunger or appetite.
In that case, the best-premade meal delivery services prioritize built-in portion control to support your meal cravings and overall productivity.
Your goal is to incorporate Mediterranean-style meals into your daily diet, correct? However, you may not have the time, energy, or interest to cook these specialized dishes. What do you do then? Turn your attention to meal prep kits, meaning premade meals.
The companies/services endorsing and creating them have become quite transparent about the ingredients used to prepare your food. You can even find out what the nutritional content of the recipe is, this includes getting to know the sodium level that is often too high when you decide to order junk food instead.
On the other hand, premade meals on the menus of so many meal delivery services are undoubtedly the comparatively healthier alternative to fast food. You just heat it and eat it!
You may have certain food allergies and/or specific diet preferences. For instance, your diet plan is “Mediterranean”, and, at the same time, you might also be allergic to nuts or gluten.
At such times, meal delivery services like Thistle, Fresh N Lean, Factor, etc., can help you. All thanks to their filters, tags, or labels such as gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan, Mediterranean, and so much more for both meal kits and ready-to-eat meals.
Compared to takeout food, home-cooked meals are definitely better in every way. Homemade meals beat junk/fast food for the following reasons:
What about premade meals made available to you by meal delivery services versus home-prepared meals that you cook from scratch? Pre-made is just like home-cooked meals. Also, premade or ready-to-eat option is a much healthier alternative to fast food, junk food, and the like.
Not only are they healthier, but premade meals are also more affordable than when you order takeout. If that wasn’t tempting enough, please note that the former offers more nutritional value and a wider variety of flavors and recipes. They cater to specific diets such as Mediterranean and accommodate food allergies.
You may also feel relieved to know that top meal delivery services have become more see-through. This just means they’re more forthright regarding the quality and quantity of ingredients. And also about the growing/sourcing standards of these ingredients used for prepping and cooking their oven-ready dishes.
Freshly comes with a simple and compelling food philosophy: to provide prepared meals that take less than 5 minutes to heat and serve. The premade meals are cooked without preservatives, artificial sugar, and processed ingredients.
You can expect more nutrient-dense and organic vegetables, fruits, and meat. Freshly has antibiotic- and hormone-free meat options and gluten-free meals for those who prefer it for dietary reasons.
It is a huge advantage to know that Freshly is a popular service for most people, including singles and families. Make mealtime faster and easier with prepared meal kits that require no prepping! You have to heat and eat the meals.
Prepared meal deliveries can also have drawbacks if you don’t know much about them. For instance, they use lots of sodium in the recipe. Another would be adding preservatives to keep the meal fresh for longer. Most importantly, some meal delivery services send stale vegetables with a funny appearance and weird odor.
Freshly’s menu and meal subscription solves everything related to such hygienic and quality problems. It’s not an outdated or unethical meal delivery service by any means. Though their prices can be considered budget-friendly, their meals are super high-quality and preservative-free.
Their menu focuses on different tastes and appetites, featuring gluten-free, plant-based, and expertly-designed nutritious recipes that are healthy for you and delicious.
Speaking of a flexible menu, meal planning according to the number of meals per week is also quite convenient and practical, especially for newcomers. Unlike meal kit delivery services, you get a single serving only in each meal, so the prices are on a per-meal basis. I will get to this a bit later on.
Are the meals offered by Freshly diet-friendly, and more specifically, Mediterranean-friendly? Freshly features a few menu categories that you can think of as diet preferences:
Freshly’sPurely Pant diet category features meals high in vegetarian proteins and no meat. Some of these recipes are low in calories, and most are gluten-free. A few of those fit the dietary requirements of a Mediterranean diet with healthy fats, no sugar, nuts and seeds, and loads of leafy greens.
Plant-based proteins power these meals from ingredients like peas, chickpeas, and lentils. They also include loads of exciting vegetables from chefs and nutrition experts, so you will be amazed to try out new recipes every week.
A Mediterranean diet also favors a diet free of processed foods, including cheese and other dairy products. You’ll be pleased to know that in Freshly’s Purely Plant diet plan, the cheese is made from natural ingredients. So the vegan cheese here comes from cashew nuts, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, and butternut squash. It tastes exactly like cheese, but the sauce is 100% dairy-free.
Freshly processed plant-based proteins with chickpeas, nuts, whole grains, and legumes. Everything is whole and fiber-rich, the ideal solution for people looking for a Mediterranean diet plan.
Freshly’s Signature Collection, I’ll admit, has more recipes than any other diet category they offer. You can infer that Freshly boasts special diet plans since most of its meals cater to a balanced and healthy meal plan.
Some of the recipes in this collection are Mediterranean-friendly, with lean proteins such as chicken cooked in different ways and paired with nutritious vegetables.
A major drawback to Freshly for people following a Mediterranean diet plan is that they do not serve seafood. Thankfully, Freshly includes many healthy chicken recipes you can eat twice or thrice a week. The meals are carb-conscious and calorie-conscious by default, so you can expect a high nutrient value from every recipe.
For some really tailored recipes, especially if you’re on a weight loss diet plan, the FreshlyFit category is perfect. It features low-calorie and low-carb meals only with mostly chicken and some Turkey meals. These recipes are under 500 calories per serving for starters and are high in proteins, soy-free, gluten-free, and low in carbs.
You can quickly read the nutrient value and ingredients list of the recipes you like to decide whether they fit your Mediterranean diet plan. I can assure you that some of them do. You’ll find recipes with rich veggies and lean proteins to keep you full for longer.
Freshly serves extra portions of grilled chicken, turkey meatballs, and green beans that you can quickly add to your meal plans. The green beans are sautéed in a creamy, dairy-free mushroom sauce and almond-oat crumb. Ideal for adding a boost of proteins to your mealtime!
The grilled chicken breasts are another great addition, seared with thyme and parsley. On a Mediterranean diet, you should consume a lot of meat.Some light and lean proteins are permitted, so you can opt for an extra serving of grilled chicken if you like. This protein boost is welcome despite the Mediterranean”diet.”
The bottom line is that while Freshly does not specifically cater to a Mediterranean diet, it is health-conscious and nutritious. The meal preferences provide a convenient palette for someone on a Mediterranean diet. They ensure complete transparency because you can read the ingredients list of each recipe before signing up or placing an order.
Here I pick one vegetarian option and a non-vegetarian option that meets the demands of a Mediterranean diet plan. All the recipes are single-serve only.
Purely Plant Shepherd’s Pie with Butternut-Cauli Mash
The portion and ingredient list of this recipe are plentiful. It comes with mushrooms, peas, pinto beans, and cauliflower. These are beautifully paired together to create a plant-friendly and wholesome meal. Plus, it has many healthy labels such as dairy, soy, gluten, and plant-based.
Oven-Glazed Chicken Marsala with Cauliflower Mash & Lemon-Pepper Broccoli
A few things make this dish special for Mediterranean eaters. First, it is low-carb, with fewer than 45g of carbs in a single serving. Second, on top of the protein-packed chicken beast, you get an extra dose of proteins with broccoli and mushroom veggies. Plus, it is surprisingly high-calorie despite the low-carb and low-calorie nutrition value.
A subscription to Freshly allows you lots of healthy and wholesome choices. These meals are diet-friendly, with less than 8g of sugar, no preservatives, and other important nutrients. While you may be unable to filter your meals according to a Mediterranean diet, you can opt for their low-calorie and low-carb meals.
I especially liked how they have built a balanced and nutritious meal plan around plant-based and lean proteins like chicken.
Another best thing about Freshly is how quick the meals are to prepare. The premade meals take less than 3 minutes to heat and serve. Just heat the meal box in a microwave without taking it out of the plastic container. The plastic container is microwave-friendly. No clean-up afterward since you have to only peel back the cover of the container before heating it.
Each meal box has heating instructions printed on its label, which you can follow in case you want to heat the meal on a stove or oven.
The pricing structure of Freshly is easier than most other meal delivery services. It’s super easy to understand. Instead of charging different prices for different meals, Freshly has single-serve meals and add-ons that cost a little extra. The more you increase the meals per week, the lower the cost per meal gets.
Speaking of cost, Freshly lets you pick from 4 to 12 meals at a time. The larger boxes come with a significant discount, which is great for people who want to order for large families. All the meal plans cost the same, and you can pay a little extra for proteins such as grilled chicken, turkey, or green beans.
Shipping is calculated on every order starting from $4 to $12 per order depending on delivery and the order size.
| 4 meals per week | $11.49 per serving |
| 6 meals per week | $9.49 per serving |
| 8 meals per week | $9.29 per serving |
| 10 meals per week | $8.99 per serving |
| 12 meals per week | $8.49 per serving |
The proteins and sides cost anything from $1 to $5, depending on your pick. Plant-based items cost less and premium ingredients such as meatballs, turkey, or steak, if included in the week’s menu, cost the most. Sometimes, an extra serving of steak may cost as much as $11 per 10 oz. Make sure you read the serving size of each item before placing an order.
Freshly’s shipping costs $4-$12 per order. The price varies based on the size of the order and the delivery location.
Speaking of which, the delivery time and date depend on your area. Freshly promises to deliver between 8 am to 9 pm on all days of the week to all locations, primarily within the lower 48 states of the United States. Freshly’s meal deliveries are quite customizable and accurate.
The delivery according to this time frame is quite flexible. Unfortunately, Freshly doesn’t let you choose the time of delivery. But just know that the meals are packed with proper, durable insulation, such as ice gel packs, to keep the meal fresh for up to 12 hours after it arrives on your doorstep. Even if you’re not home, the meal can stay out for 12 hours before you keep it in the refrigerator.
Plus, any changes you’d like to make to your order, you can do so 3 weeks ahead. For the next week’s order, you can edit your order 5 to 6 days before the scheduled delivery. You have a say on delivery day, which is helpful, and you can edit other settings, such as your meal selections or the size of the order easily.
Freshly’s packaging is durable, leakproof, and contains cold packs. The cold packs can keep meals fresh for up to 12 hours. Once the package arrives, you can keep the meal box in the fridge or freezer for a month or make it immediately by taking the plastic film wrapper off and heating the meal box. For more help, read the label for each meal for the proper heating instructions.
Thistle caters to plant-focused eaters who’d like more options in vegetarian and vegan meals than what other premade meal services offer. Everything available to you on Thistle’s menu is plant-powered, plus it’s never repetitive because the meals change weekly.
A premade meal package like this can be good and bad for someone on a Mediterranean diet. You’d also like to know that the meals are dairy-free, which checks another box that suits the dietary preferences of a Mediterranean meal plan.
Thistle works simply and conveniently. You can pick from multiple options, from breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to the basics such as juices, wellness shots, snacks, and other small food items. All these are prepared and packaged by Thistle using high-quality and fresh produce. No preservatives, artificial sugars, or inorganic ingredients.
Even though you can choose how many meals you’d like from different categories, you must pick at least 6 meals per week. You can customize your meals from 3 to 6 days per week and include as many meals and snack items as you want.
Plus, Thistle allows you to swap meals at the last minute in case you find something else that’s more compelling.
Let’s talk about their menu and what it looks like for someone on a Mediterranean diet.
The menu structure of Thistle is quite unlike what you will see on other similar premade meal plans. You can select from recipes for each day of the week, from Monday to Saturday. The meals you select in total will arrive together for the entire week, so it’s only during placing an order that you can select a recipe for each day.
For example, on Thistle’s current week’s menu, the recipes for Monday include a Mocha Chia Smoothie Bowl as a breakfast item, Crispy Chickpea Mediterranean Salad for lunch, and Dirty Rice Bowl for dinner, and Black Sesame Hummus for a snack.
The recipes for Tuesday, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, are different. Some of these recipes also have vegan options for you to switch to.
The meals you select arrive in an easy-to-reheat container. You can customize each meal according to serving size. Some recipes also contain meat options to swap the plant protein into chicken, seafood, or pork.
This is a more than welcome premade meal plan for those on a Mediterranean diet. It’s completely a Mediterranean-friendly premade service with a 100% organic and dairy-free menu. All the creams, marinades, butter, milk, and cheese that conventionally use dairy products are made in-house with healthy nuts and veggies.
The recipes are designed and prepared with certain milestones, starting with boosting each meal’s protein count.
Next, because Thistle focuses more on plant-powered meals than meat, it uses different kinds of veggies, nuts, legumes, seeds, etc., to pair together. None of the recipes I’ve come across seems too dull or bland. In fact, some recipes have vegan options and meat substitutes for you to try out.
Thistle’s nutrient breakdown and health benefits meet the standards of a Mediterranean diet. Even though all their meals are vegetarian, you can still get your daily ration of healthy fats. These healthy fats come from legumes, nuts, seeds, plant-based dairy products, and loads of veggies. Plus, for some meals, you can opt for meat options too.
Thistle also follows a certain protocol when sourcing natural, high-quality ingredients such as foods without processed carbs, sugar, artificial fillers or colorants, or preservatives. The recipes are naturally rich in vitamins, antioxidants, healthy fats, fiber, and low glycemic carbs. Plus, most meals boast comparatively low calories, the average range is between 400 to 600 calories per meal.
Thistle’s most attractive feature is its menu is more advanced and intricately organized than most other premade services. They offer you a selection for each day of the week until Saturday for different meal items such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The lineup will be presented a week or two in advance, so you know what’s coming up.
For a Mediterranean diet, you can read the ingredients of each recipe before placing an order. I found so many recipes with vegan varieties and other vegetarian substitutes. They are of big help for someone willing to commit to a vegetarian diet with moderate chicken intake.
Crispy Chickpea Mediterranean Salad
You have two options to choose from within this recipe: plant-based protein with Zahtar green lentils or Zahtar chicken. The rest of the ingredients remain the same, regardless of your selection. It has “Mediterranean” written all over it with a healthy, rich Tahini mint dressing and loads of nutrient-dense veggies.
Greens & Sun “Cheese” Salad
Nothing speaks Mediterranean better than a healthy, fruity, and delicious green salad. The salad comes with apples, beets, and plant-based sunflower seed cheese, which is nothing but refreshing. You can, however, switch to a meat option with Herb Pulled Chicken instead of Herb Navy Beans, which is a plant-based option.
Thistle’s meat selection criterion is extraordinary because they optimize each meal to meet the ideal dietary requirements. Not only can you read the nutrient label and ingredients of each meal before selecting ones that you like, but you get the option to swap plant-based proteins with meat.
All of Thistle’s meals contain a balanced yet wholesome display of proteins, fiber, healthy fats, zero sugar, and natural carbs essential for building stamina and fighting cholesterol and high blood sugar.
Compared to other premade meals, Thistle has quite an impressive customer following. It is one of the best choices for vegetarian and vegan eaters. The added meat option lets you pick chicken or seafood now and then, keeping you at the top of the game if you’re following a Mediterranean diet. All the meals are dairy-free and gluten-free.
Thistle features more than just premade meals on its menu. You can select recipes that cater to a specific type of healthy lifestyle, so the breakfast, lunch, and dinner items are designed to meet your daily dietary needs.
Plus, you get to select from a bunch of snack items from Monday to Saturday, all being dairy-free and 100% organic. There’s no doubt that with a premade delivery service like Thistle, you can avoid unhealthy bingeing habits. Another plus is that you get all your week’s meals sorted without grocery shopping.
The meal price varies between plant-based and meat selections. The prices start from $14 per meal for a vegan or vegetarian recipe to $16 per meal for a meat-based recipe. More premium meat ingredients such as pork, steak, or seafood may cost $.5 to $2 more.
Now here is where things get more interesting. If you order a 6-day meal plan with 3 meals per day, the cost you pay will be less than a 6-day meal plan with 2 meals per day.
The least you can order on Thistle is 6 meals in total spread across a 2-day meal plan and 3 meals per day. Snacks and juices are priced separately during checkout.
The cost for shipping depends on the number of meals you order and/or your delivery address. But, on average, I found that most of Thistle’s orders come with free shipping, even on their minimum order.
Thistle may charge a shipping fee on certain orders for select areas. The delivery fee is usually calculated when you have added all the meals you want in the cart during checkout based on the number of meals you select.
Areas such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento/Davis, and some of Portland, Seattle, and Las Vegas are areas under “local delivery.” Suppose your area falls under the local delivery category. In that case, you won’t be charged a shipping fee since Thistle will deliver to you directly without the help of a regional shipping partner.
Areas such as Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California require a separate shipping partner.
One drawback of Thistle is that it has been known to use excessive plastic in its packaging. The meals arrive on time, and you do get to select your delivery time depending on the location. The meals are packed with ice packs to keep the food fresh even if you do not store it in the refrigerator immediately, so there is some flexibility.
You can also customize your meal order after and any other upcoming delivery scheduled for the next week. The cutoff for orders like these is 12 am on a Thursday preceding the scheduled delivery. The items get delivered mostly on Mondays and Thursdays, some orders are even eligible for overnight delivery, mostly for local delivery areas.
Fresh N Lean – we’re now entering a realm of diet-friendly and health-conscious recipes. These cater to specific diets such as Paleo, Keto, Protein+, Vegan, Whole, and Mediterranean, plus there’s the Bulk option too. You can guess what each meal plan contains, but let me give you an overview.
You can eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and oils on a paleo diet. These are similar to the Mediterranean diet plan. Both diets become distinct in Paleo’s meat and eggs diet, which a Mediterranean diet doesn’t allow. On the other hand, chicken can be consumed in moderation along with seafood on both Paleo and Mediterranean diets.
Any processed foods, sugar, dairy products, artificial sweeteners, and trans fat should be avoided. Paleo also discourages ingredients such as legumes, which a Mediterranean diet permits.
A Ketogenic diet is high-fat, balanced proteins, and low carbs. Unlike Mediterranean, which has various health benefits, a keto diet breaks down fats stored in the body to convert them to energy. A keto diet’s only primary health benefit is losing body fat for weight loss and controlling blood sugar.
The diet’s effectiveness also encourages better mental health, PCOS, and lower chances of obesity and heart diseases.
Food allowed on a keto diet includes fish and seafood, low-carb vegetables, antioxidant-rich berries, eggs, healthy oils, nuts and seeds, Greek yogurt, dark chocolate, unsweetened coffee and tea, and poultry.
Foods to avoid include grains, high-sugar fruits, sweetened yogurt, coffee, tea, chips, baked goods, honey, juices, and sugar. Even more than keto, Paleo is a better companion to a Mediterranean diet. Keto is for those who want to lose body fat and gain muscle with intense body training.
Vegan meals are all plant-based with in-house plant-based creams and marinades, including dairy products. The main difference between a vegan and Mediterranean diet plan is that the latter lets you eat meat in moderate amounts. While vegan meals discourage any animal-based products.
Vegan is the way to go if you’re a vegetarian looking to kickstart a Mediterranean diet. It cuts out all processed ingredients, including sugars, processed carbs, unhealthy fats, and preservatives.
Recipes in this meal plan are balanced and nutrient-based. Chicken, meat, vegetarian, and seafood food items are included. Not the ideal choice for a Mediterranean diet plan, but it comes very close to delivering wholesome meals for building stamina and increasing consumption of healthy veggies.
Fresh N Lean offers a wide variety of Mediterranean meal plans, including breakfast items and main courses. The menu changes every week so that you won’t be repeating the same Mediterranean recipe more than once. Plus, you can read all the nutrient info, ingredients, and other important details before adding a meal to your cart.
The Bulk meal plan does not include meal recipes rather, they have add-ons for proteins if you want to double up your protein intake in any particular recipe.
The Bulk section is for increasing the protein content of each meal. You can get an extra serving of veggies like sweet potatoes, quinoa, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, or mixed vegetables. Meat eaters can pick from different seafood options, chicken, turkey, and red meat.
All Fresh N Lean meals are organic with homemade alternatives, such as sauces, creams, marinades, etc. This is a great way to avoid food items with vague, inaccurate ingredients.
Since they cater to various diets, the expansive menu is a delight to partake in. After reading the ingredients and nutrition facts, you can select as many meals as you like. All the meals are premade, including breakfast, entrees, and proteins that you order.
For all the dietary categories, Fresh N Lean adopts a transparent and expert-certified method of selecting newer and more creative recipes each week. With nutritionists assisting the kitchen staff, all the meals are wholesome, accurate, and delicious to eat. It’s exactly what a nutritionist would tell you to cook yourself had you been following a Mediterranean diet plan from scratch.
This is my favorite of all the premade meal services I’ve evaluated and compared. It considers the precise Mediterranean criterion, what to eat, what to avoid, and what to cut back on, if not completely, while on a diet.
All these are meals you have to reheat, so they’re definitely worth considering for a hardcore Mediterranean diet plan.
Fresh N Lean spoils you for choice when selecting from their “Mediterranean Diet” menu. You have 9 main course items and 3 breakfast items that are pre-cooked and cater to a Mediterranean diet plan. Some are high in proteins, low in unhealthy carbs, and contain both plant-based protein and non-veg options.
Mediterranean Salmon
High in proteins with fewer carbs, salmon is the #1 seafood option for those on a Mediterranean diet. It’s filling, wholesome, and brags about having fewer calories per serving.
Romesco Quinoa with Tofu and Roasted Kabocha
A vegetarian meal option with high protein quinoa and tofu! The clean ingredients in this recipe complement each other, plus it’s vegan-friendly and low-calorie.
Everything about the Fresh N Lean meal plan feels rewarding and wholesome. Their menu choices are perfectly tailored to suit a Mediterranean diet plan. It also allows you to try your luck with other interesting and health-boosting diets such as paleo, keto, vegan, whole, and protein+.
You’ll appreciate Fresh N Lean’s options if you’re a health nut like me.
One thing that stands out with Fresh N Lean meals is that the dishes are fresh once they arrive. The vegetables aren’t mushy, the meat doesn’t smell weird, and the sauces look more homemade than packaged, which I usually encounter with premade meals.
When packaged and during transportation, certain meals have an off-putting texture and smell upon opening, even though they are still fresh. With Fresh N Lean, I did not encounter any such problems. The meals turned out to be fresh consistently, not at all dry, messy or unevenly cooked.
For a Mediterranean diet, the prices that Fresh N Lean offers are quite competitive in a good way. You can pay as little as $9 to $12 per meal if you order more than 10 meals per week. The added advantage that Fresh N Lean offers up to 10 Mediterranean recipes, plus a few breakfast items, is of big help.
Compared to the average cost of $13 to $15 per meal that you pay for other premade meals, even paying $12 with Fresh N Lean is budget-friendly for most people.
Reading about Fresh N Lean’s pricing, I realize it’s cost-effective for the average meal kit enthusiast. Fresh N Lean doesn’t charge shipping, which is a huge advantage. If you order more than 10 meals per week, you pay less. Other premade meal services don’t come nearly as close to the freshness standards of Fresh N Lean despite their higher cost per meal.
Note that each meal plan has a different price. For Mediterranean, you pay a different cost per meal than their other diet plans for high protein, keto, paleo, etc. The cost also varies on the number of meals you select each week, but here’s the price breakdown.
For 1 meal per day:
For 2 meals per day:
For 3 meals per day:
The cost range for other diet meal plans is similar to that of Mediterranean. Premium meat options with seafood and chicken cost more than vegan/vegetarian meals. Always remember that the price per serving decreases as you increase the number of meals per week.
Fresh N Lean’s FAQ page mentioned that they deliver nationwide, all over the United States. Plus, Fresh N Lean does not charge any shipping fee, regardless of box quantity or delivery area.
Fresh N Lean sends all meal boxes via GLS or FedEx Air. Once you place the order, the tracking number and other important details will be emailed to you for live tracking. The delivery days can be selected from Monday to Friday. Weekend delivery is not applicable.
Having said that, if you’d like your order to get delivered on Friday or Saturday, you might be charged some shipping fee based on your location and box size.
Fresh N Lean leaves each meal box on your doorstep. Unless you contact customer service with special instructions for delivery, this is the default mode of delivery. All the meal boxes are packed using leakproof and spillproof materials. The meals are also packed with ice packs whenever needed to ensure long-lasting freshness, taste, and quality.
To make any changes to your upcoming orders and change the delivery address or timing, you can make the edits on Saturday by noon PT the preceding weekend.
The packages are recyclable and well-insulated with BPA-free plastic seals that you take off before heating in the microwave or oven. Ice packs keep the food cold, so the meals stay fresh for a few hours before storing them in the fridge.
ModifyHealth caters to a specific diet plan, which includes Mediterranean and Low FODMAP certified meals. All meals are gluten-free, non-GMO, and organic. Expect more vegetarian recipes and some seafood and chicken options. Only 1-2 red meat favorites are included in every week’s diet plan, such as Steak and Pot Roast.
These premade meals are cooked fresh and packaged. No preservatives, artificial sugar, and best of all, the meals are all low in sodium. Unlike many other premade meal services, the meals on ModifyHealth can be modified to suit allergies and other dietary needs.
Low FODMAP meals are catered to improve digestive health. These meals work synonymously alongside Mediterranean meals that are great for improving overall health and well-being. You can view both meal plans separately according to your personal requirements. Not all Mediterranean meals are Low FODMAP, so make sure you select from your preferred diet category.
ModifyHealth’s meals are impressively diverse and wholesome. The amount of chicken and fish included in their Mediterranean diet plan is the best choice for meat lovers. Vegetarians won’t feel left out because there are plenty of vegetarian options.
For paleo, keto, and balanced nutrition, ModifyHealth does not have such dietary filters. The meals suit vegans and vegetarians and a low-calorie, low-sodium, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, and dairy-free diet.
The ingredients are naturally sourced without antibiotics, hormones, preservatives, and GMOs. Organic vegetables and fruits, free-range chicken, wild-caught seafood, and grass-fed beef.
It appears ModifyHealth has taken great measures to ensure sustainable and authentic food practices. You can clearly read the label behind every meal to check for ingredients and the nutrient value of every recipe.
ModifyHealth features the Low FODMAP diet. This is a digestion-friendly meal plan good for boosting good gut bacteria. It also helps in reducing inflammation, such as bloating, and other symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
If you experience a lot of stomach pain and bloating, switching to a Low FODMAP diet may just be the perfect solution.But first, consult a doctor before switching to any strict diet plan. A Low FODMAP diet allows for foods like protein-rich meat, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds, fewer nuts, dairy products, coconut or olive oils, and fresh condiments and seasonings.
It’s a common misunderstanding that a Low FODMAP cannot be delicious. ModifyHealth is among the few premade meal services that bust this myth by introducing weekly flavorful, light, and IBS-friendly meals.
These Mediterranean meals are low in sodium, gluten-free, nutrient-dense, and made from organic ingredients only. There are over 25 Mediterranean recipes with different dietary labels such as seafood, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and spicy.
BBQ Pulled Chicken with Broccoli & Roasted Potatoes
Anything starting with the words “BBQ Pulled” ends on a good note, including this lean and clean BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe. It has broccoli and roasted potatoes, great for a weeknight pick-me-up with lean proteins and low calories.
Herbed Chickpeas with Quinoa Salad
Vegetarian, vegan, and Mediterranean, this dish ticks every box. It’s one of the best meals for a plant-powered dinner or lunch with protein-rich quinoa and wholesome chickpeas, basil, garlic, and herb dressing.
Nothing better than following a meal service that caters to your specific dietary needs. ModifyHealth does that with over 25 Mediterranean recipes with vegetarian, chicken, and seafood options.
Everything you need to kickstart your Mediterranean lifestyle is in this meal plan. The menu changes weekly, so you don’t need to have the same recipe two weeks in a row. Prioritizing different vegetables and fruits to include in every week’s meal plan. A great option to try out if you’re bored of making the classic Mediterranean salad at home!
Selecting your meal plan and placing an order with ModifyHealth takes only minutes. It’s super easy, and the interface is user-friendly and smooth. You can customize your subscription effectively too. Changing meals, skipping a week or two, or even pausing or canceling your orders without paying any charges is possible.
All the recipes come nutritionist-approved and are one of the most affordable choices for a Mediterranean diet. You can even contact a GI-trained dietician on ModifyHealth to determine your food triggers.
It seems like ModifyHealth is the ideal choice for health-conscious eaters who are serious about their diet. Whether you follow strict rules because of a specific allergy or food intolerance, you have plenty of options with this meal service.
The pricing of ModifyHealth is simple. Their per meal costs from $7.90 to $12.50 for breakfasts and lunch/dinner meals. Whether a Low FODMAP meal or a Mediterranean meal, the price is much the same. Breakfast items cost less than main course meals with main protein and vegetables on the side.
Fortunately, ModifyHealth does not charge shipping, even on the minimum order.
ModifyHealth delivers everywhere in the United States except PO boxes. You can schedule your delivery every Friday as they use carriers like FedEx and UPS to deliver right on time. You can also live track your order as soon as it’s placed via the confirmation link they email you.
Thanks to the special delivery instructions, you do not always have to be present at the time of delivery. It will be dropped off at your doorstep, and the ice packs inside the meal box keep the meal fresh for hours at room temperature.
The meal boxes are vacuum-sealed with ice packs, guaranteeing freshness for up to 10 days after delivery in the fridge and 8 weeks in the freezer. These boxes are made from BPA-free plastic and are recyclable. All the plastic liners, seals, and cardboard boxes are eligible for curbside pickup.
Once discovered, a good premade meal service is hard to let go of. CookUnity happens to be one of the best for those with specific dietary needs. Their sample menu has many different customizations for seafood, vegetarian, meat, vegan, low-calorie, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, and a few others.
Diet-wise, the meals are designed according to a paleo and keto diet. For the Mediterranean diet, however, there isn’t any special filter to pick meals from.
You can pick many dishes that fit the requirements of Mediterranean diet eaters. You have low sodium, dairy-free, low carbs, and gluten-free. A paleo diet comes closest to the dietary needs of a Mediterranean diet plan.
Serving premade meals every week, the dishes are cooked fresh and packed in the same week. You can pick from 4, 6, 8, 12, or 16 meals per week. To maintain high-quality freshness, the meals are stored with ice packs to avoid freezing the freshly cooked meal, which may cause spoilage.
CookUnity offers plenty of vegetarian options to meet the needs of a Mediterranean diet. The recipes have an undisguised ingredients list, and also nutrition values are printed. You get proper heating instructions as well for the microwave, oven, and stovetop.
Though CookUnity does not give you specific Mediterranean meal plans, they have plenty of food options for you to pick from. If you’re curious about trying new meals that align with a Mediterranean palate, CookUnity is your pick.
The fascinating thing about CookUnity is that they serve meals sourced and cooked from different areas such as East Coast, West Coast, Texas, and Midwest. The meals are prepared by chefs who follow specific dietary instructions. What you see is what you get, which is not the case for every meal subscription service.
Every meal arrives freshly prepared with proper heating instructions and other recycling information. Every week you are presented with new recipes that you can select based on different dietary filters. I found the following recipes that are close to a Mediterranean diet.
Note that the displayed recipes are from the sample menu and do not feature a nutrient label. Once your account, you can set your dietary preferences to custom-tailor your menu. You can change your dietary preferences at any time. For newcomers, the ingredients of each recipe and what dietary category they fall into are up for grabs!
Mediterranean Chicken Thighs with Sauteed Artichokes, Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes, and Crispy Kale
With less than 600 calories, this Mediterranean recipe has superfoods and high-protein chicken. It’s also a low-carb meal with sautéed veggies instead of heavy carbs to complement the chicken thighs that is tender and wholesome to eat.
Aleppo Lemon Cod
A low-fat, dairy-free, and low-carb dish with seafood has less than 600 calories per serving. Cod is seasoned with lemon, Aleppo pepper, garlic, and fresh thyme. It’s a delicious international cuisine that you can eat right in your home.
The wide range of meal options on CookUnity is the best feature of this service. It caters to many different dietary needs, allowing you to easily switch between different diets without complications.
Whether you’re looking for a vegan or low-carb diet, you will find a few recipes that fit both categories. For a Mediterranean diet, I did find a few recipes that are also low in calories and carbs and are super delicious to eat.
Premade Services like CookUnity can be thought of as gourmet meal services. Designed for people with good food taste, so if you’re a picky eater, this premade meal subscription service is for you. All of the recipes are chef-focused, which means chefs freshly prepare them. The variety is endless, and the menu changes from week to week.
A service like CookUnity makes meal prepping practically effortless and timeless. You must select your meals each week, which arrive on the scheduled day at your doorstep.
Once your kitchen is stocked, you must heat them for less than 5 to 7 minutes in the microwave/oven. You save plenty of time by skipping grocery shopping, meal planning, prepping, and cooking. Plus, each meal is single-serve, so there’ll be zero food wastage!
CookUnity is on the pricier side of things. The meal cost starts from $10.5 and upwards, depending on your selected meal. Premium meat options with steam or seafood cost more, while vegan and vegetarian meal prices are less expensive.
Considering how chef-centricCookUnity is, the relatively higher cost is worth exploring. Based on their meal plan, you pick from 4, 6, 8, 12, or 16 meals per week. For premium meat options, you will be charged between $2 and $8 more on the final bill order.
The meals are comfortably portioned though a larger portion size would be well appreciated. Each meal is cooked fresh and packed, so it serves exactly as it’s made and takes less than 5 to 7 minutes to heat.
The great news is that CookUnity does not charge a shipping fee on any order!
CookUnity caters to most of the United States. To check if your area of delivery is eligible, you can enter your zip code on their delivery map web page. The entire map of the United States is laid out for you, so you know which states they deliver in and which are not included.
Once the delivery has been sorted, you can proceed with subscribing to their meal plans. Select the meal plan you want, add any number of meals to the cart, and enter your delivery and payment details.
After placing an order, you can track all upcoming orders in the account settings. You can, of course, make changes to your order, such as skipping a delivery, adding or removing meals, rescheduling, or even pausing your subscription. Additionally, you can also change the delivery address for orders that are still pending or unconfirmed.
The cutoff time varies depending on your location and scheduled delivery time. Every order has its own cutoff time before which you can make edits to the order. You’ll be notified about the number of days left before the cutoff to reschedule or skip an order.
Regarding packaging, CookUnity packs and ships all meal boxes with ice packs to keep the food fresh. Their containers are recyclable and oven and microwave safe, so you don’t need to take out a plate or a bowl to heat the food in.
If you live in the correct area, you can leave out some recyclable packaging the day before your scheduled delivery for pickup. Items such as the cooler, ice pack, and some plastic boxes or containers can be kept outside. The delivery person will pick them up on your next delivery day.
It’s convenient and practical, making it well worth the relatively higher price per meal. Relying on CookUnity is the safest option if you want more flexibility in your meal plans and customizations.
Chicago-based Factor has grown by leaps and bounds in the last two years, which means their meals have reached more customers. With that in place, does Factor deserve all this widespread attention? To be honest, I don’t see why not!
Also called Factor 75 or Factor75, this meal delivery service is about wellness and health. The Factor menu consists of fresh, delicious single-serve meals crafted by professional nutritionists, dieticians, and culinary experts.
These meals, just so you know, are specially designed for those with an active, busy lifestyle. They’re such a perfect fit even for people following specific diet plans. Their premade options, in particular, are perfectly portioned, aside from being readily available.
With ready-to-eat meals, no cooking skills are required – thus, great news for you if you don’t have the time to cook or are just not interested in cooking. In that case, why not store Factor’s tasty, nutritious prepared meals in your refrigerator? These you only have to heat for two minutes, and then you can savor every bit of it.
Moving on to the specialized meal plans, Factor allows you to pick your preferences from the following:
After that, choose how many meals you want per week – 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 18 are your options. 8 meals per week are the most selected meal plan.
As for the Factor menu, the recipes are tagged accordingly, although there’s no way you can filter the dishes by type.
You’ll soon realize that the menu mainly consists of high protein and low carb recipes. Unfortunately, Factor doesn’t have that many plant-based, vegetarian, paleo, and dairy-free meals, and you can’t modify them any further.
Nonetheless, Factor’s ready-to-eat meals are ideal for folks who don’t like the idea of cooking. Even the budget-conscious population will take a liking to Factor and people on a plant-based diet.
Apart from the premade meal options on their flexible, diverse weekly menu, Factor offers desserts, smoothies, snacks, and protein packs.
Chicken Piccata with Cauliflower Mash & Roasted Broccoli
This one’s a top-rated recipe on Factor, primarily because it’s baked and seasoned with olive oil, lemon, parsley, and garlic. Then there’s the creamy cauliflower and parmesan cheese mash and, on the side, roasted broccoli.
Please note that this is not a dairy-free dish as the chicken has been cooked in traditional butter-caper sauce. The protein content, precisely because of that, is a whopping 38 grams, while carbs are only 13 grams with 590 total calories per serving.
Pesto Salmon with Creamed Spinach & Tomato Butter Haricot Verts
The nutrition per serving here includes 710 calories with 39 grams of protein and only 12 grams of carbohydrates. Now you believe me when I say that Factor meals have a high protein and low carb combination.
You know it’s Mediterranean right away once you see all those greens on your plate. The recipe has velvety, creamy spinach. Please note that this is cream cheese and parmesan cheese, which means the meal is not dairy-free. Over the velvety, creamy spinach, there’s roasted salmon and then another green layer of Mediterranean or Keto goodness.
Finally, crisp green beans, basil butter, and one sun-dried tomato are like the cherry on the cake.
Factor, just like the rest of the meal delivery services reviewed, was vetted thoroughly to find out whether or not the quality, freshness, and taste of their ingredients/meals are satisfactory. During the process, three elements stood out in favor of this startup, which was acquired by HelloFresh in 2020.
As for sourcing cuts of meat, pork is pasture-raised, and poultry is antibiotic-free. So no preservatives or chemicals are included!
To make the experience even better, Factor’s every meal has no gluten either.
However, that’s not the case with Factor. This brand utilizes only high standards for the quality of its meals and ingredients.Top favorites include:
If that wasn’t enough, Factor offers protein-packed meals, too, so you’re looking at dishes with over 30-35 grams of protein in each serving. Once again, the weight loss process accelerates when you increase the amount of protein you eat.
Best value – the two words that accurately describe the pricing approach of Factor!
You can also include add-ons to your weekly order, such as snacks, smoothies, soups, etc. Additional fee is applied, of course.
Also, suppose this is your first time ordering from Factor. In that case, you get a straight, automatic $90 discount on the first 3 orders during checkout.
The packaging is eco-friendly, so that must be a relief to know. More specifically, recyclable, BPA-free plastic is used, along with recyclable cardboard. Meal boxes consist of gel packs and insulation to keep everything fresh inside. Gel packs can be reused, but only some of that insulation (the laminated type) is recyclable.
As for the delivery days, that’s from Monday to Wednesday, based on your location.
Moreover, Factor has been praised for its exceptionally professional customer service. If you see their FAQs page, you’ll know how much they genuinely care about customer service.
What about making order changes? Unfortunately, once the order status shows “processed,” you can’t cancel or modify that order, so make your adjustments before the cutoff time – every Wednesday before 10 pm PT.
Lastly, there’s always the “Account Settings” page for enabling/deactivating features, details, and even your subscription.
Specifically catering to a weight loss diet plan, BistroMD delivers frozen, premade meals weekly. That means if your diet plan includes Mediterranean-inspired cuisine to accomplish the goal of shedding weight, BistroMD menu is the one for you!
How it works is you get to select from the following premade meal plans:
Once this is done, you get on with selecting the number of days or meals:
The menu variety is also pretty wide-ranging, with more than 150 recipes and a Snacks menu.
No other Mediterranean diet meal plan service comes close to BistroMD as far as catering to a weight loss regimen is concerned. Their prepackaged meals consist of quality ingredients and food items that impart not just high nutrition but also delicious flavors to please your taste buds. Plus, bonus points for no additives!
Salmon with Dill Mustard Sauce
The tags used for this one are gluten-free, keto flex, diabetic, signature, menopause, and heart healthy. It’s grilled salmon!
Seafood is one of the main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. Salmon, cod, shrimp, and seafood protein pair up well with other Mediterranean-specific whole grains and veggies. For example, whole green beans and eggplant in this case.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
The Signature salad is heart-healthy and gluten-free. The dish is very colorful because of the addition of spinach, carrots, white beans, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, quinoa, and Kalamata olives.
All of this Mediterranean goodness is drizzled with red wine vinegar and olive oil!
BistroMD is undoubtedly a very fitting choice for Mediterranean diet-prepared meals, but it has its own special, unique features.
The meal planning approach in the case of BistroMD is more centered on weight loss. So the meals fit perfectly into a low-calorie, high-protein diet. They promote fat burning while also maintaining lean muscle.
The fully cooked, frozen meals have higher protein content than carbs, with only one-third of the macronutrient profile comprising fat.
So you see how the nutritional value of these meals specifically accommodates a weight loss diet plan. For the same, no dish contains more than 400 calories per serving. They have protein-rich snacks as well!
The freshness/flavor of the ingredients is another very commendable feature here. Most meals taste incredibly good, meat-based more than their vegan/vegetarian counterparts. The taste and quality are unforgettable!
The four different BistroMD pricing plans on offer:
| MEAL PLAN | HOW MANY MEALS | COST |
| Full Program of 7 days | 7 breakfast meals 7 lunch meals 6 dinner meals | $219.8 per week |
| Full Program of 5 days | 5 breakfast meals 5 lunch meals 5 dinner meals | $187.3 per week |
| Lunch and Dinner Program of 7 days | 7 breakfast meals 7 lunch meals | $188.8 per week |
| Lunch and Dinner Program of 5 days | 5 breakfast meals 5 lunch meals | $149.9 per week |
Free shipping is applied to your first weekly order, as well as a discount of 20% on the total bill amount. I think prices are competitive and reasonable when you consider that you get to eat fresh and healthy meals daily.
The standard shipping fee across the continental US is $19.95.
Firstly, delivery across all states in the US is available, except for Alaska. However, a few parts of Alaska include Eagle River, Fairbanks, and Anchorage.
Secondly, the packaging is the usual kind that’s typically used for frozen, pre-cooked meals. Compared to meal kit packaging, BistroMD prepared meals to consume less packaging materials.
Recyclable cardboard and reusable, compostable natural fiber insulation are a part of the deal. The Packaging & Recycling FAQs section of BistroMD has all the information needed in case you’d like some useful tips to go about it.
The meals are frozen, of course, and packed in plastic-material trays with a plastic seal. Dry ice keeps everything inside those plastic bags cool and fresh.
You can skip deliveries, cancel meal plans, and change your orders if you do all this on the Wednesday before the upcoming week’s delivery. The deadline is Wednesday, 5 pm ET.
Needless to say, you can check out BistroMD’s FAQs page for any other assistance.
The fully prepared meals of Snap Kitchen are the freshest of the lot, and many plans accommodate dietary preferences too. They also let you choose whatever recipe or dish you like from the standard, full menu, and then you can modify its ingredients based on your diet.
How Snap Kitchen works is quite straightforward. It’s a meal subscription service for prepared, ready-to-eat meals. Hence, no need to prep any ingredients or even cook them, Snap Kitchen does that for you!
During the sign-up process, you select how many meals you want per week, 6 or 12? Snap Kitchen’s weekly menu comprises over 35 recipes, mostly lunch/dinner dishes. Although there are breakfast meals as well, these are only limited options.
Meal selection means picking your favorite food depending on your diet plan, which would be Mediterranean in this case. These are the dietary preferences you get to choose from:
In addition, there are filters on the side of the menu that help you narrow down your options even further:
– Gluten
– Egg
– Milk
– Soy
– Tree Nuts
– Peanuts
– Pork
– Shellfish
– Fish
– Sesame
You see how common allergens can be excluded from your daily diet, Mediterranean or otherwise.
Disappointingly, there aren’t that many meat-free meals, which is not something that vegetarians or vegans would like to hear, right? However, Snap Kitchen is the best for you if your diet is halal, kosher, or gluten-free.
Speaking of which, Snap Kitchen works for all those who care a great deal about calorie and portion control. Most of the best Snap Kitchen meals have fewer than 500 calories per serving, with many included in the “250-399 kcal” filter. Much the same way, you can pick low-carb recipes too.
Herb Chicken with Mediterranean Sauce & Green Beans
The Mediterranean sauce, homemade, has the most delicious creamy texture since it’s made of coconut milk, mozzarella cheese, and more. It combines with herby, marinated chicken and yummy garlic-flavored green beans.
Herb Crusted Salmon with Roasted Broccoli & Feta
Another herb-infused Mediterranean-style pre-cooked dish where seafood is the primary source of protein. The salmon is marinated in olive oil and lemon sauce and then sprinkled with oregano, parsley, and almonds.
Surrounding this herby salmon and gluten-free breading are marinated olives and roasted broccoli.
Everything great about Snap Kitchen has a lot to do with its menu. Let’s find out more below!
Snap Kitchen reviews for weight loss are positive, all thanks to all the menu filter options. These allow you to select how many calories you want every meal serving to have. The range is between 200 and 600 calories.
Don’t we all already know how important it is to check your daily calorie intake for achieving weight loss goals!
Additionally, there are meal plans specially tailored to serve diet plans centered around weight loss, this includes Mediterranean, of course, but also Keto, Paleo, and Low Carb!
Next, we have Snap Kitchen’s High Protein menu category – just the best for protein junkies! Each high-protein meal is “sanctified” with large amounts of protein; you also get to choose the protein level. You can also pick a premade meal with over 35 grams of protein, like this one – Shawarma Chicken Bowl with Lemon-Tahini Sauce (40 grams of protein!).
Increasing your daily protein consumption, too, is another method for weight loss since protein keeps you feeling full for longer. With that in mind, it’s amazing to know that most of the meals on the menu of Snap Kitchen have tons of protein, mostly animal-based.
They also convey that no hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, etc., are added to the meat or meals. That means you’re eating clean and healthy.
Finally, there’s the ingredients’ basic yet solid quality and flavor. The menu variety is quite well-distributed in terms of cuisine, dietary preferences, and the like. Snap Kitchen has all popular types of meals, from Indian and Asian to Mexican, Mediterranean, and traditional American.
No matter which meal or meals you add to your weekly order, all ingredients arrive fresh and adequately seasoned. The quality, no doubt, is way above average. For example, salmon-based meals consist of well-cooked, succulent, moist salmon. On top of that, the dishes are paired with collard greens – perfect for a Mediterranean diet!
Expect steak also to be perfectly medium and tender. At the same time, don’t expect the vegetables to become soggy or limp even after you reheat them in your microwave.
With Snap Kitchen, the cost bit is very direct. You either add 12 or 6 meals to your weekly order.
Shipping is free!
Delivery areas include most states of the US except for a few regions. You can find out if your area will receive orders or not by entering your zip code on the Snap Kitchen website.
If delivery is available, then your weekly box will arrive in mostly recyclable packaging. Recyclable cardboard and curbside-recyclable, plant-based insulation. Along with gel ice packs and plastic trays with a lid. The plastic here can be recycled if you can manage to take off the labels seamlessly, while the plastic covering those ice packs may or may not be recyclable, depending on your local municipality.
Additionally, Snap Kitchen lets you make changes/adjustments to your orders. You can even opt out of the subscription if you like. All this is more streamlined when done on the Snap Kitchen app because the website has its limitations.
For instance, skipping a few future deliveries is not an option on the website, but it’s possible to do that through the app. The app allows you to manage deliveries as early as 3 weeks in advance!
One superb meal delivery service after another! Frankly speaking, this is no surprise considering how much we want to stay productive and, at the same time, take care of our health too. The latter revolves around eating healthy meals more regularly and making it a point to exercise.
The other half of the taking-care-of-health bit consists of streamlining meal prep, which means spending less time in your kitchen while infusing different sorts of recipes and flavors into your daily diet.
Moreover, how does all of this work with the Mediterranean diet plan? Let’s understand the basics first, so we’ll know how to filter or narrow down your meal options based on the Mediterranean-style eating regimen.
Since this article is about premade meal kits, you ought to look for a meal delivery service that includes fully prepared meals on the menu. With these kinds of meals, you have toreheat them and then eat them! They’re such a practical, quick, and affordable option in case most days of your week keep you busy.
Many companies now give you a much-needed choice between meal kits and ready-to-eat meals. Both can be customized depending on your diet plan – for example, Mediterranean.
When opting for a prepared meal delivery service, always look for one that has a diverse range of recipes on its menu. You should also find one that leaves ample or at least some room for accommodating specific dietary preferences and restrictions. For instance, Mediterranean diet recipes!
The topic of menu variety is something you cannot neglect or underestimate because variety is indeed the spice of daily life. Many, or rather most of us, look forward to mealtime in the day, so wouldn’t you be more excited if your lunch/dinner dishes were not the same as the ones you had last week? A new, large selection on every weekly menu does sound exciting!
Speaking of the weekly menu, it’s an even sweeter deal if the meal delivery service features a weekly menu. In that case, you get greater variety, no doubt. Another impressionable advantage of a weekly menu, more often than not, is the inclusion of seasonal or special ingredients/items. These add even more diversity to the menu and your diet plan.
Simultaneously, don’t forget to factor in your natural inclinations as well. This means that you might benefit more from different levels of complexity and style of dishes only if you’re an adventurous or experimental eater. Only then will you gravitate more toward plant-based recipes for a Mediterranean diet, for instance, plated with new, unique flavors in the form of veggies, herbs, and spices.
Others would rather go for more traditional, family-friendly options!
Then come the add-ons, which should be a part of the menu “variety.” Add-ons like breakfast and snack recipes, protein packs, sauces, and maybe drinks.
When selecting a top-rated weekly subscription-based meal delivery service, you don’t have to consider portion size. The top contenders, unfailingly, provide you with options for serving size.
For a family meal plan, you get to add more than 1-2 servings for each meal to your order. Typically, the options are 2, 4, and 6 serving sizes per meal box. Indeed, this is perfect for large families!
On the other hand, if you’re living alone or with a partner, then 2 servings or single-serve meals are more suitable for you. Luckily yet not coincidentally, many companies like Factor deliver individually portioned meals.
Nutrition quality is crucial since your goal is to follow a diet plan, which is Mediterranean in this case. Following a healthy diet helps to manage blood sugar and weight. Also, it encourages you to have healthier eating habits.
In that context, it’s a relief to know that premade meals can also be highly nutritious and suitable for most dietary preferences. That means every dish is prepped with vegetables, lean proteins, heart-healthy fats, whole grains, etc.
When discussing nutritional value, you also have to consider the levels of carbs, protein, sodium, sugar, and the like included in each recipe, along with the number of calories per serving. The nutritional information provided makes us more well-informed to pick meals based on our dietary preferences and restrictions like low carb, low calorie, high protein, etc.
Keeping all this in mind, does the company offer nutrition details to begin with? If not, how is one supposed to know which recipes cater to specific diet plans?
Moving on to ingredient quality, services that emphasize the quality of their ingredients more transparently do better. Whether or not their natural produce is seasonal, organic, etc., matters. Whether or not the seafood is sustainably sourced and meat sources are grass-fed is another thing that matters quite a lot.
The whole premade meal delivery service experience is even more enhanced when the ingredients are fresh and sustainably sourced. The use of fresh ingredients, in particular, is crucial because it ensures maximum flavor and quality retention of your food.
Choose a company that tells you how its meals and ingredients are packaged. Hence, you know if the meal delivery service can be trusted for quality.
Are dietary options available for prepared meals? For a well-balanced diet following specialized plans like the Mediterranean, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, etc., it’s much more preferable to personalize your lunch/dinner recipes.
In much the same way, you should also be able to combine ready-to-eat meals and meal kits to create a more customized weekly meal plan. For the same, meal delivery services add menu filters and recipe tags. This way, you can check out dishes more in tune with your dietary demands. For example, meals include plant-based, gluten-free, low-calorie, carb-conscious, low-sodium, Mediterranean, etc.
Customizing meals also means swapping one ingredient with another. The one you wish to swap can be something you’re allergic to, or that particular food item may not be a part of your current diet. It could also mean changing the protein source – meat to plant-based or vice versa!
Sure prepped meal kits drastically reduce the time you spend in the kitchen, but does this awesome convenience come at a cost?
Truthfully speaking, there are plenty of inexpensive options that cost as little as $5 for a single serving of meal (mostly standard or traditional recipes), whereas the “premium” menu categories and recipes are priced as high as $15-$18 per serving.
Nonetheless, meal delivery services, even the best of the lot, can be affordable and have dishes with highly nutritious, organic ingredients. Although for organic produce, you do pay extra bucks!
Overall, the rise of subscription-based meal delivery services in the demand/supply market is definitely leading to even more new options. That means more plant-based, high-protein, nutritious meals loaded with vegetables, lean meats, and seafood.
I’m trying to say that the price range is getting wider, thus more accommodating to every budget.
Although it goes without saying that if you want to make room for greater customization, you have to pay a little extra. However, there are still many meal services, mostly top-rated ones, that have become quite popular and managed to attract a lot of well-deserved attention despite their “cheaper” or “budget-friendly” price tag.
Typically, this is how it works – the more servings/meals you add to your weekly order, the more affordable the service becomes. Needless to say, there are other costs, too, for shipping, add-ons, protein packs, more expensive meat cuts, etc.
Do you have to spend more if you have specific diet preferences, such as a Mediterranean diet plan? Fortunately, that’s not the case. It depends on the cost per serving, servings per meal, and weekly meals. Plus, you can always choose a meal delivery service that suits your budget and delivers to your location.
Nevertheless, your order bill amount for premade meals or meal kits could be anything. Because, even then, when you compare that to the money you waste each time you decide to eat out or take out, you’ll see how much cheaper meal delivery services are in the long run. Even more so when trying to stick to a certain diet plan!
It’s the most popular one, isn’t it? After all, you save a lot of time by having your Mediterranean diet recipes delivered to you instead of cooking them from scratch. Whether living alone, with a partner, or with an entire family, cooking requires time and effort. Unless you’re willing to put in that time and effort, meal delivery services are a blessing in disguise.
Why not let professional chefs do the dirty, messy, time-consuming kitchen work for you, right? Especially when your meals contain specific ingredients that are supposed to fit into your diet plan, such as Mediterranean. The work is already cut out for you, so why bother with kitchen duty!
Forget about cooking and the kitchen, you don’t even need to make time for grocery shopping. The meals are already cooked for you, or you can opt for meal kits where all the ingredients required for the recipe come prepped and packaged. Either way, time saved!
Fresh N Lean’s menu, for example, Fresh N Lean’s Mediterranean diet menu in particular, indeed caters to dietary preferences and restrictions. They have you covered in terms including Mediterranean-cuisine-friendly ingredients and excluding those not on the Mediterranean diet food list.
Meal delivery services like these have dishes that don’t contain allergy-causing ingredients like nuts, gluten, dairy, and the like. Furthermore, you can also customize the meals, which means accommodating almost every dietary requirement you may have.
We’re comparing premade meals to quick, takeout meals here. The latter is not going to meet nutritional needs or demands. No doubt, junk/fast food is loaded with high calories, fat, grease, and whatnot that will and does stir up sluggishness.
On the contrary, healthier meals you order from meal delivery services like the ones discussed in this article are packed with better nutrition. You infuse a host of essential nutrients and vitamins into your body, so your Mediterranean or any other diet plan you’re on actually pays off.
Most of these services use high-quality, sustainably sourced, hand-picked, and even organic ingredients, which matters a great deal. They also inform you about the nutritional content of every recipe, be it a part of a ready-to-eat meal or meal kit.
When you prioritize proper nutrition on a more consistent basis, your healthy eating habit can help you achieve your fitness goals. You can lose weight, reduce blood sugar levels, sleep better, etc., more easily. For instance, Snap Kitchen’s High Protein menu is perfect for building muscle mass.
Of course, you can tailor these meal plans to suit your diet, be it Mediterranean, Paleo, Keto, or Vegan.
With the best meal delivery for Mediterranean diet, you actually get to try new kinds of foods, which means not having to eat the same dish all the time. Even options for Mediterranean diet-prepared meals are enough to infuse more flavors and diversity into your daily meals.
Particularly when following a certain diet plan, it’s important and sometimes necessary to make mealtime more exciting. Choosing a meal kit delivery service for that is a great idea because it expands your palate. In the case of Mediterranean, you’re looking forward to classic recipes from Turkey, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, and Greece.
When the serving size of your lunch/dinner meals is appropriately portioned, you don’t risk overeating or not eating enough. f you are on a weight loss or calorie control diet plan, this is great news! No doubt that even prepared meal delivery services prioritize portion control.
The ingredients used for the recipes are pre-measured, which means no guesswork on your part.
All in all, the nutritional balance of these meals is praiseworthy. Even more so when you want to develop healthier eating habits while also not depriving your body of tasty Mediterranean dishes.
Quite a few meal delivery services for Mediterranean diet-prepared meals, right? Therefore, it’s crucial to consider some factors when deciding the most suitable for you.
Does the meal plan cater to your specific dietary needs, preferences, and restrictions? What about the recipes containing allergy-causing ingredients? Along the same line, are the meals customizable? You have to think about factors like these if you want to spend your money more wisely.
Speaking of which, how much is the cost per serving? Does the meal delivery service offer meal plans that fit your weekly budget for food? The great news is that many options equal a more welcoming price range that works for every budget.
On top of that, the menu variety consists of more affordable traditional recipes and premium dishes so that you can mix and match.
Remember that the Mediterranean diet is a more plant-based plan with leafy greens and healthy fats proven to promote proper heart functioning. Along with fruits, seafood, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and, let’s not forget olive oil!
