If you’re putting on weight without even realizing it, maybe it’s because you’re eating a lot of highly processed foods. Likewise, you may be consuming excessive sugar and calories that your body doesn’t really need. Along the same vein, it’s also likely that your diet doesn’t consist of a sufficient amount of whole foods.
Of course, there can be other reasons for weight gain as well, but if you think your reason is food-related, you’ve landed on the right page. It’s relatable when someone living a busy life, which most adults do, complains about gaining weight.
It’s always a constant struggle, which makes weight loss or even maintaining a healthy, comfortable weight more and more challenging. Luckily, weight loss-specific meal delivery services like BistroMD and Nutrisystem get that. To be honest, they can never be overrated in terms of their effectiveness and affordability.
With these types of calorie-controlled meals, achieving weight loss becomes a more realistic goal – one that’s enjoyable too!
But then, BistroMD vs Nutrisystem – which is better? BistroMD makes it so much easier for you to stay true to your weight loss diet plan (with prepared meals). As for Nutrisystem, they have special meals (also already cooked) that cater to a host of popular diets.
Weight Loss Meal Plans – Are They Really Effective?
There’s indeed no single solution when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. Eating habits and preferences vary, right? So, what works for person A may not necessarily be the best choice for person B and vice versa. Diet plans and patterns have to be customized based on the individual’s needs and demands.
At the same time, I would also like to add that creating a meal plan for yourself, according to your likes and dislikes, works as a long-term solution. Then, how about meal plans that are already designed for you? In this case, I’m particularly talking about weight loss-oriented meal planning – a readymade, well-balanced program.
With meal planning like this, you stay on track, meet your nutritional requirements, and eliminate food cravings between meals. But if those cravings still come up, you can satiate them with healthy, high-protein, and weight-loss-friendly snacks offered by meal delivery services like BistroMD and Nutrisystem.
Because of prepared meal deliveries, ingredient prepping and meal planning are not time-intensive or complicated. Furthermore, you save money and minimize food waste as well.
Nutrition Is Crucial for Weight Loss
If you look at any effective weight loss diet, you’ll see how the approach gives the most importance to nutrients, even when calorie restriction is the method used to bring about weight loss. Calorie deficit works like magic when it comes to shedding extra pounds.
But you might be wondering if restricting calories means keeping yourself hungry. As a result, you’re most likely to develop unhealthy cravings and eating habits. That, however, shouldn’t be and isn’t the case when meal planning and calorie deficit are done the right way.
You seriously don’t have to worry about matters like these if you pick premade meal delivery services such as BistroMD and Nutrisystem. Both offer meals that feature a well-rounded, satisfying macronutrient breakdown that supports, encourages and sustains weight loss.
BistroMD – What Is It, How It Works, and Meal Selection
A weight loss diet program – that’s what BistroMD really is. They deliver fully prepared or premade meals that are super flavorful and utterly delicious. Eating healthy and losing weight just became so much more convenient, affordable, and simple!
The BistroMD menu features multiple programs that cater to different dietary needs and preferences. So, they have plenty of subscription-based meal plans for you that are crafted by professional dieticians.
Speaking of which, these are the following options. You can pick any based on your nutritional demands and maybe even your health concerns:
- Signature meals -This plan is all about weight loss. It’s the perfect and most straightforward way to shed some of those extra pounds while also enjoying the process.
- Gluten-Free meals–It goes without saying that many people these days are allergic to gluten. This means you should have access to gluten-free meals that don’t contain any barley, wheat, and rye – and that’s precisely what you’ll get if you pick this particular plan on BistroMD.
- Heart Healthy meals -Heart-healthy implies low levels of saturated fat and sodium content, which greatly contribute to healthy heart functioning.
- Diabetic meals -These meals keep your blood sugar levels stable.
- Menopause meals -This women-centric menopause program also targets healthy blood sugar and insulin levels to promote effective energy utilization and shedding of fat in the body.
- Keto Flex meals -A high-protein, low-carb diet plan that resets your metabolism without compelling you to struggle with dietary restrictions.
That was just a gist of the different types of meal programs BistroMD offers. Down below, you’ll find the full-blown, more descriptive version of all the meal plans.
1. BistroMD’s Signature Program
For consistent, long-term weight loss, BistroMD’s Signature Program is the best, and it’s their bestseller as well. There’s a separate plan for women and a separate one for men, but both meal plans give you over 150 options to select from. These meals include lunches, dinners, breakfasts, and also snacks – all healthy and weight loss-oriented!
So, if you’re overweight and wish to lose some of it or even maintain your current weight, then you should go for this Signature Program. It saves cooking time too!
It’s just a basic weight loss diet plan if there are no specific or prior health issues, dietary restrictions, etc. you’re dealing with.
2. BistroMD’s Gluten-Free Program
Not such a big fan of gluten that comes from grains? After all, gluten does cause indigestion, constipation, skin reactions, bloating, headaches, fatigue, and more. So, if your body doesn’t agree with rye, wheat, and barley, gluten-free foods are the most suitable for you.
Lucky for you, BistroMD has a gluten-free menu that includes over 100 meals that also help with weight loss.
The company isn’t gluten-free-certified, unfortunately, but the kitchens of BistroMD are approved and certified by the USDA.
3. BistroMD’s Heart Healthy Program
Once again, over 100 nutritious and yummy meals are a part of the Heart Healthy Program. Needless to say, these kinds of meals promote proper heart functioning, and they do that through less saturated fat and sodium.
So, if you’ve ever had to or are currently struggling with a heart condition, it’s doctor-recommended to add more heart-healthy meals into your weekly diet.
4. BistroMD’s Diabetic Program
The causes of diabetes are all over the place. Thus, choosing a diabetes-friendly diet plan is even more important to ensure that your blood sugar levels are in the normal, healthy range.
It contains more than 100 meals, and every meal is equipped with lean proteins (chicken, fish, etc.) and fewer carbs (less than 25 grams per serving). The meals don’t have any trans fats, MSG (monosodium glutamate), and other such additives.
5. BistroMD’s Keto Flex Program
For a metabolic reset, this low-carb diet program is very effective. The detox effect it has on the body and its ability to curb cravings for promoting weight loss are all benefits of BistroMD’s Keto Flex Program.
Think of it as a more sustainable and easier-to-follow keto diet, as opposed to a traditional one that is much more difficult to stick to.
6. BistroMD’s Menopause Program
More often than not, weight gain and menopause go hand in hand. That’s exactly why, at such times, you need to develop a diet that supports and promotes weight loss, hence the weight loss-focused Menopause Program.
It features meals with well-balanced macronutrients, and that’s not even the most exciting part. What’s more appealing to know is that the menu, in this case, includes a wide range of customized meals that keep away both weight gain and food boredom. They are all chef-, doctor-, and dietician-designed lunches, dinners, and breakfasts.
No amount of added MSG and trans-fat is added. Moreover, less than 25 grams of carbs per serving helps with hormone regulation. At the same time, your body receives enough lean protein to sustain long-term weight loss.
Meal Selection at BistroMD
As is quite evident, the BistroMD menu is massive with over 150 dishes. So, you’re never left feeling a lack of food variety. Rather, you get to add all kinds of meals to your weekly order (there’ll be no shortage of your favorites!).
What’s also possible is removing or swapping meals depending on your dietary requirements and restrictions. You can finally allow your preferences to decide what to choose from the variety of meals instead of the other way around.
BistroMD’s most popular dish is their Lasagna with Garden Marinara – it’s got chicken sausage (homemade and ground) and marina sauce (made of yellow squash, carrots, and zucchini). The texture is deliciously creamy. As for the nutritional value, it contains only 23 grams of carbs with 29 grams of protein and only 360 calories per serving.
This uniquely flavored meal fits perfectly into the Signature, Keto Flex, Diabetic, and Menopause categories!
There are also quite a few breakfast items that are best described as being gratifying, filling, and creamy, with plenty of protein, for example, the Artichoke, Spinach, and Roasted Red Pepper Frittata.
Nutrisystem – What Is It, How It Works, and Meal Selection
The Nutrisystem diet is a very effective 4-week weight loss-driven program. It consists of consuming 6 meals a day in small portions – 6 meals because you want to keep hunger at bay, thus making it so much easier to shed weight. Calorie restriction is the method used for weight loss here.
Nutrisystem’s weight loss program can help you lose as much as 6 kg or 13 lbs (for women) and 8.2 kg or 18 lbs (for men). This is what you should be expecting during the first month itself (claims Nutrisystem).
Nutrisystem meals are delivered either shelf-stable or frozen. Both ways, the dishes are already fully cooked, which means only reheating is required. What’s even more awesome is that the Nutrisystem menu includes snacks too.
Speaking of which, here’s what a typical 6-meals-per-day program looks like:
- Breakfast meal: multigrain cereal, skim milk, and banana
- Snack meal #1: protein shake prepared using skim milk
- Lunch meal: turkey cheese sandwich (whole wheat bread)
- Snack meal #2: crackers made of whole grain with cheese
- Dinner meal: brown rice, baked salmon, and salad topped with vinaigrette dressing
- Snack meal #3: dark chocolate (2-4 pieces or squares)
So, the 6 small meals include dinner, lunch, and breakfast with 3 different kinds of snacks. Everything is nutritionally balanced. Hence, your body receives a healthy blend of protein, fat, and fiber.
The first week of this 4-week-long weight loss program is not the same as the remaining 3 weeks. In the first week, the goal is to prep the body for the weight loss regimen, so you get 3 meals with 1 shake and 1 snack per day, and then the rest of the week consists of eating 6 small-portioned meals a day.
You should be choosing low-calorie, low-sodium, and lean-protein dishes, which are abundantly found on the Nutrisystem menu. You also get the option to select 8 “Flex Meals” – 2 dinner meals, 2 lunch meals, 2 breakfast meals, and 2 snacks. This program, however, is not the best for weight loss per se. Rather, it’s perfect for special occasions or holidays.
You can download the NuMi app (available for free on Apple App Store and Google Play) for some truly useful guidance for meal planning. The NuMi app has a lot to offer, such as the following:
- Meal tracking (regular foods and Nutrisystem meals)
- Daily reminders to log meals, exercise, and drink water
- Weight logs, so your progress can be monitored
- Recipes, helpful tips, and other informational articles
- Special Nutrisystem offers, contests, and challenges
Finally, now is the time to get to know all about the meal plans and menu of Nutrisystem!
Nutrisystem’s Specialized Meal Plans:
1. Women’s and Men’s Meal Plans
Under both separate categories, you get 3 different options – Basic, Uniquely Yours, and Uniquely Yours MAX+. Needless to say, the cost of each is not the same (we will do pricing later).
- The Basic meal plan features a classic menu variety of convenient, eat-on-the-go dishes.
- The Uniquely Yours plan includes Nutrisystem’s most popular meals (best-selling frozen foods are a part of this).
- As for the Uniquely Yours MAX+ option, this one’s all about premium meals which contain a whopping 30-gram protein content. It contains over 130 menu choices and the most diverse-ranging variety of meals!
2. Partner Meal Plans
You and your partner can shed extra pounds together with Nutrisystem’s Partner Plan, which also has the Basic (classic), Uniquely Yours (most popular), and Uniquely Yours MAX+ (new and premium) options – all made for two!
Nutrisystem, through their Partner Plan, provides the following:
- Better nutrition through low glycemic and high-protein levels
- Better craving and hunger satisfaction through eating 6 times per day
- Better menu variety through the inclusion of fresh groceries
- Better, actual weight loss results of 1-2 lbs per week
3. Diabetes Meal Plans
It’s all about controlling diabetes by losing weight the most naturally. When you lose weight, it can really help in managing type 2 diabetes and lowering A1C:
- Uniquely Yours Ultimate Diabetes Plan: Menu variety for all 7 days of the week
- Uniquely Yours Diabetes Plan: Frozen best-sellers (meals as well as snacks) and delicious, diverse meals
- Basic Diabetes Plan: Features yummy, on-the-go (i.e., ready to go) meals + snacks
Through any of these meal plans, you can lose body weight and minimize your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, along with reducing insulin and improving blood sugar levels.
4. Vegetarian Meal Plans
Now, here’s a vegetarian-only program crafted for non-meat eaters, and it features over 75 dishes. Men and women will have separate plans, and the menu is further divided into the following:
- Chef’s Choice (most popular Nutrisystem meals)
- I’ll Pick My Meals (your choice of Nutrisystem meals)
Then there’s also the option of adding 28 fat-burning shakes to your monthly order.
No doubt, it’s a well-balanced meal plan with simple yet delicious meals made using top-quality ingredients – and without any artificial flavors or sweeteners!
5. Complete Plan
The Complete Plan is a meal program for women above the age of 55 years. What it does is support metabolism, which means the nutrition that is a part of the meals reduces weight gain often accompanied by aging. It also provides the body with enough protein and burns belly fat.
The best menu variety is included with coaching, how-to videos, and also a smartphone app that ensures you stay focused and motivated.
In the first month, you get protein-packed nutrition – daily dinner, lunch, breakfast, and snack meals. Every meal is perfectly portioned to encourage weight loss.
In the next 2 months, you can transition into a healthy diet routine that consists of Nutrisystem meals for just 5 days a week.
The Nutrisystem menu here is not limited in any way. It contains over 130 delicious meals, and the options include both classic and premium dishes.
Complete 55 by Nutrisystem is also further divided into two separate categories:
- Chef’s Choice (most popular Nutrisystem meals)
- I’ll Pick My Meals (your choice of Nutrisystem meals)
You can also opt to receive 28 protein-loaded shakes per month if you like (this is optional of course).
BistroMD and Nutrisystem Pricing
BistroMD
BistroMD’s subscription options are quite varied, which works in your favor because having more than just 1-2 choices is always convenient.
So, here’s the pricing range of BistroMD:
Meal Plan | Cost | Per Serving Cost |
Fully 7-Day Program: 7 breakfast, 7 lunch, and 6 dinner meals | Total bill amount: $219.80 | Between $10.99 and $12.49 per serving |
Full 5-Day Program: 5 breakfast, 5 lunch, and 5 dinner meals | Total bill amount: $187.35 | Between $10.99 and $12.49 per serving |
Alternate 7-Day Program: 7 lunch and 7 dinner meals | Total bill amount: $188.86 | Between $13.49 and $14.99 per serving |
Alternate 5-Day Program: 5 lunch and 5 dinner meals | Total bill amount: $149.90 | Between $13.49 and $14.99 per serving |
Snacks can be added and so will their additional fee. As for shipping, the cost is a flat $19.95 for every delivery.
New customers get not just free shipping but also a discount of 25% on the first order. Shipping to all of the continental United States is available, and you receive your orders within 6 working or business days.
Nutrisystem
Even Nutrisystem’s pricing approach is varied since even this best prepared meal delivery service offers multiple meal plans.
Here’s the cost breakdown of all of their weight loss-oriented programs:
Meal Plan Type | For Women | For Men |
Basic Meal Plan Diabetes Basic Meal Plan | $9.99 per day | $11.63 per day |
Vegetarian Plan Uniquely Yours Meal Plan Uniquely Yours Diabetes Meal Plan | $11.57 per day | $12.87 per day |
Uniquely Yours MAX+ Meal Plan | $12.98 per day for 5 days $15.20 per day for 7 days | $14.28 per day for 5 days $16.48 per day for 7 days |
Uniquely Yours Ultimate Diabetes Meal Plan | $13.74 per day | $14.99 per day |
Complete Meal Plan | $5.82 per day for 6 months | $6.14 per day for 6 months |
Nutrisystem offers free shipping, unlike BistroMD which charges an extra fee.
Nutrisystem’s optional protein shakes cost approximately $2.85 per serving. Add-ons can also be included, and you have to pay an additional price for these types of side dishes and snack options.
What’s more is that Nutrisystem provides customers with a foolproof money-return guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with their weight loss regimen or meal plans, simply get in touch with them at their toll-free number (1-800-435-4074) and receive the full refund (over here, the shipping cost will be deducted indeed).
It’s important to note that this money-back guarantee applies to first-time customers only and only when they choose the 4-week meal plan.
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Choosing Meals
Over 150 meals translate into a wide-ranging menu – that’s BistroMD for you! These meals include dinners and lunches with around 60 options for each. The snack and breakfast items are fewer, with around 40 choices each.
You can choose from BistroMD’s original or classic set of meals or from the longer, second list that consists of anywhere between 40 and 60 options. The latter is equally nutritious, but they have a different macronutrient profile and calorie count than the former.
As for Nutrisystem’s meal plans, you can choose one that seems the most suitable for your budget, dietary preferences, and palate. Even in this case, there’s no shortage of options – separate men’s and women’s meal plans, diabetes meal plans, partner meal plans, vegetarian meal plans, and more are included.
Sadly, you can only pick one category at a time, meaning there’s no way to mix and match or customize your order. For instance, if you’re vegetarian, then your only choice is to go for the Vegetarian Meal Plan. If it’s your partner and you, then there’s just the Partner Meal Plan.
The good news, however, is that every category offers 3 options – Basic, Uniquely Yours, and Uniquely Yours MAX+.
- The Basic meal plan features over 100 traditional dishes to choose from, including snacks.
- Uniquely Yours consists of more than 150 options on the menu – standard meals, frozen meals, and the most popular meals.
- Uniquely Yours MAX+ has got over 160 meals, including the premium variety.
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Diet-Friendliness
On BistroMD, customizing the weekly menu so that it fits your dietary preferences or restrictions is possible because they have over 150 meals on their menu. They even have diabetes-friendly, heart-healthy, and gluten-free options too! You also get to remove meals with dairy, lactose, or soy.
Vegetarians can choose the standard men’s or women’s plan, but you will have to get the customer service team to eliminate the “meat” ingredients from the plan. Despite that, BistroMD has earned great praise for its accommodation of a variety of restrictive diet patterns such as paleo, keto, vegan, etc.
Speaking of which, the BistroMD Keto Flex meal plan is a huge success given its low-carb content per serving.
The only thing that doesn’t work in favor of this meal delivery service for weight loss premade meals is that the same facility is used for handling all ingredients, including the ones that trigger common food allergies and intolerances.
Where BistroMD provides diet-specific meal plans, Nutrisystem allows you to filter your meals with more freedom and flexibility.
Let me list a few of them for you below.
Storing Condition:
- Frozen
- Non-frozen
Special Dietary Needs:
- Vegetarian
- Diabetes-Friendly
Preparation:
- Microwave
- Toaster oven
- Conventional oven
- Stovetop
- No prep needed
Exclude:
- Wheat
- Milk
- Fish
- Onions
- Eggs
- Tree nuts and more
Nutrition:
- Lower sodium
- Good source of protein
- No cholesterol
- Good source of fiber
Also, Narrow By:
- Chicken dishes
- Pork dishes
- Beef dishes
- Seafood dishes
- Pastas &rice
- Bestsellers
- Soups, stews &bowls
- Burgers, melts &sandwiches
- Chocolate
- Bars &bites and more
The diet-friendliness and nutrition values of both weight loss and weight management food delivery services are satisfactory. The menus are designed by professionals and experts (doctors, nutritionists, dieticians, and chefs) that make use of science-backed research, even when it comes to snacks.
The combination of fiber, whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats is well-balanced on BistroMD and Nutrisystem, which explains why both prepared meal delivery services are so popular today.
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Do They Really Work for Weight Loss?
It has been said enough that a low-calorie, high-protein diet makes way for weight loss. Such a program ensures that you consume no more than 1,200-1,400 calories a day, with most of them being derived from more lean proteins (eggs, fish, meat, or plant-based protein sources).
So, it’s not surprising that BistroMD’s menu features these kinds of low-calorie, high-protein meals. Scientific studies have proven indeed that consuming more protein per day more consistently is beneficial for not just weight loss but also appetite regulation.
Pair that up with a low-calorie intake, and you’ve hit upon one of the most effective weight loss strategies!
But be aware of the negative impact calorie reduction or restriction can have on your body if you do it excessively or the wrong way. One that comes to mind right now is the higher chance of weight gain once you go back to a normal diet.
At the same time, your metabolism might also decrease, which is bound to make the process of weight loss even more difficult in the long term.
For these very reasons, both BistroMD and Nutrisystem have come up with safe, effective weight loss programs to maximize the benefits and minimize the side effects of a weight loss diet plan. This is why a wide range of vegetables, fruits, and healthy snacks as well are a part of the mix to promote sustainable, healthy eating habits.
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Quality and Freshness of Ingredients
Both encourage a well-balanced diet, that’s for sure! But does that automatically imply that the ingredients are fresh and their quality is top-notch? In the case of BistroMD and Nutrisystem, that would be a big YES.
With BistroMD, your daily consumption of anywhere between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day (suitable for weight loss goals) is derived from ingredients that are not compromised in any way. The quality, freshness, and flavor are never hit or miss – everything is surprisingly good!
If that wasn’t enough already, the ingredients have a low glycemic index, which just means that their impact on your blood sugar levels is minimal.
Breakfast items are delicious, chicken-based dishes which are adequately portioned, and other food options are also very much desirable in terms of their texture and taste. On top of that, the balance of vegetables and proteins is also quite satisfying.
Nutrisystem also offers a host of both meal and snack choices that are delivered to you in ready-to-eat form. Even the traditional options are unforgettably delicious with high-quality ingredients and a well-balanced macronutrient breakdown. This includes probiotic shakes and protein bars.
For a healthy weight loss diet, Nutrisystem meets all food standards put forth by the United States Department of Agriculture. Some meals, however, may contain a bit of excess sodium, so beware of those. Otherwise, the nutritional values, ingredients, and everything else hit the nail right on the head.
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Cooking Process
Fully cooked BistroMD meals need to be thawed overnight (in the refrigerator) before you heat them. It goes without saying that some of the meals require a different reheating process, such as heating on the stovetop or in a toaster oven.
How well you reheat the dish and what method you pick for reheating matter as far as the taste and texture of the food are concerned. The same, more or less, holds for Nutrisystem’s meals.
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Packaging
BistroMD – Typical of Frozen Meals
BistroMD meals are already cooked. With that in mind, you can rest assured knowing that minimal packaging is used in comparison to meal kits.
The main meal box is made using recyclable cardboard, which contains all your wrapped, well-insulated meals (insulation can be reused as it’s actually made of natural fiber).
Dry ice is used to preserve freshness, which too is compostable. As for the plastic meal trays, they can be recycled as well, along with the cardboard material outer sleeve of every meal tray that tells you all you need to know about the heating instructions, list of ingredients, nutritional information, and meal name.
Nutrisystem – Basic Packaging
You can view all of Nutrisystem meals’ ingredients, preparation and storage instructions, and nutrition facts on the packaging itself.
The meals here are also shipped in a cardboard box. You don’t have to worry about flavor, freshness, or nutrition since each one of their non-frozen meals is sealed thoroughly using the soft canning method. The process locks in the original condition of the ingredients and fully prepared meals.
The frozen items are to be stored in the freezer as soon as your order is delivered. The frozen and non-frozen foods are packed separately, in separate cardboard boxes altogether. They may even arrive at different times. Frozen meals are kept cool with the help of dry ice, just like in the case of BistroMD.
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Nutrition and Recipes
You just know that BistroMD meals are carefully dialed in for weight loss because their macronutrient breakdown consists of 40-45% of lean protein, with 30-25% of carbohydrates and 20-25% of healthy fats. All of the meals are below 400 calories. Even the snacks are protein-based!
Thus, BistroMD is perfect for people, mostly those who consume both meat and vegetables, who want to maintain a weight loss diet plan in the most convenient way. On the flip side, it may not be the most suitable choice for you if you have specific dietary restrictions like keto, vegan, etc.
Let’s look at Nutrisystem now for its nutritional value of meals. One thing is for certain here – Nutrisystem is also all about convenience, weight loss, and blood sugar regulation (particularly if you have type 2 diabetes).
The meals on the Nutrisystem menu have copious amounts of protein and fiber, with a low glycemic index to improve blood sugar levels in the body. It’s an incredibly convenient weight loss program for prepared meals!
Nutrisystem meals are nutritionally balanced with excellent sources of fiber, lean proteins, and healthy fats. What’s great is that processed foods are not a part of the Nutrisystem experience. Hence, risks of obesity and other chronic diseases are reduced.
So, is Nutrisystem made for you? If you’re looking for an effective weight loss program, the answer is an astounding yes. However, if you want that weight loss program to have fresh meals and uncooked food, there’s no need to bother.
Time for Recipes!
Here’s a list of some of BistroMD’s most delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner, and snack meals.
Signature Program:
- Chicken, Rice, and Cheddar Casserole: 290 calories, 31 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, and 8 grams total fat
Gluten-Free Program:
- Green Chile Pork with Southwest Salsa: 280 calories, 24 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, and 8 grams total fat
Heart Healthy Program:
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad: 350 calories, 14 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrates, and 12 grams total fat
Keto Flex Program:
- Salmon with Dill Mustard Sauce: 340 calories, 30 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, and 19 grams total fat
Diabetic Program:
- Pork Tenderloin with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce: 310 calories, 27 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, and 9 grams total fat
Menopause Program:
- Southwest Bison Meatloaf with Smoky Tomato Glaze: 350 calories, 27 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrates, and 12 grams total fat
Breakfast Options:
- Bagel Sandwich with Egg, Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, and Swiss: 270 calories, 28 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, and 8 grams total fat
- Canadian Bacon and Swiss Omelet: 240 calories, 22 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, and 8 grams total fat
Snack Options:
- Salted Caramel Pecan: 230 calories, 15 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, and 9 grams total fat
- Parmesan Italiano Chips: 120 calories, 12 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, and 2 grams total fat
Here are a few of Nutrisystem’s meals worth trying. You can also view the macronutrient breakdown of each.
Breakfast
(Frozen) Buttermilk Waffles | (Frozen) Breakfast Burrito |
Diabetes-friendly, vegetarian | Diabetes-friendly, vegetarian |
160 calories per serving | 200 calories per serving |
5 grams protein per serving | 8 grams protein per serving |
4.5 grams total fat | 5 grams total fat |
3 grams dietary fiber | 3 grams dietary fiber |
Lunch/Dinner
Spicy Kung Pao Noodles | (Frozen) Bourbon-Style Chicken |
Diabetes-friendly, vegetarian | Diabetes-friendly |
190 calories per serving | 360 calories per serving |
10 grams protein per serving | 25 grams protein per serving |
2.5 grams total fat | 15 grams total fat |
3 grams dietary fiber | 4 grams dietary fiber |
Snacks
(Frozen) Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake | Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Nut Square |
Diabetes-friendly | Diabetes-friendly, vegetarian |
130 calories per serving | 190 calories per serving |
5 grams protein per serving | 6 grams protein per serving |
3.5 grams total fat | 14 grams total fat |
3 grams dietary fiber | 8 grams dietary fiber |
BistroMD and Nutrisystem – Commonly Asked Questions
1. Can You Cancel, Edit, or Skip Orders?
Skipping deliveries and making changes to or even canceling your orders – all of this and more is very simple to carry out on BistroMD. Just a few clicks after logging into your BistroMD account, you can edit your meal plan and scheduled deliveries. You can also change the shipping address temporarily.
As for when it’s possible to make changes to your order, the deadline is the Wednesday before the scheduled delivery week at 5 p.m. ET.
Even Nutrisystem lets you modify your meal plans and orders. Once you log in, you can go to My Account > Edit Next Order and do the needful. But this should be done at 6 p.m. ET before the order is processed. Once processed, you can no longer change or cancel your orders.
Nutrisystem, on their FAQs page, has an entire “Ordering Nutrisystem Diet Foods” section where you have access to the most common order-related queries/solutions – switching meal programs, unsubscribing from receiving emails, shipment problems, changing delivery address, and so much more.
Much the same way, BistroMD also has a very helpful FAQs page, which features Shipping & Delivery (one of the many subcategories) for editing the orders.
2. How Is Their Customer Service?
Is the customer service friendly and prompt? BistroMD’s support team is very supportive indeed. You can reach them at this number – 866-401-3438. The business hours from Monday to Friday are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET) and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET).
In case they don’t happen to be available, which rarely occurs, you can leave a voicemail or request a callback, and someone from customer service will return your call in less than only 10 minutes. Getting in touch with them through email is also another option.
Even Nutrisystem does a great job when it comes to providing useful, responsive customer service. Email or phone them (1-888-282-4027 – Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET, Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET) – the choice is all yours.
Both services offer on-demand guidance as well for choosing meals, snacks, etc. that will be more in tune with your health, dietary preferences, and the like. These are all weight loss experts in one way or another, such as professional dieticians.
3. How Is the Process of Ordering, Delivery, and Unboxing?
No matter which prepared meal delivery service you pick here, placing orders is super easy and quick. Create your account and then choose the meals and snacks you like. Pay at checkout, and that’s it!
As for delivery, both Nutrisystem and BistroMD deliver all across the continental United States, so that makes Alaska and Hawaii non-deliverable locations.
BistroMD orders are delivered once a week, while Nutrisystem delivers once a month. Again, both make use of mostly environment-friendly, recyclable packaging materials.
4. Is the Menu Variety Good Enough?
As far as menu variety goes, BistroMD is the better option simply because they have on their menu over 150-170 options (this includes snacks and other essential items). Seasonal ingredients are also a part of this. Therefore, there’s no chance of meal repetition or boredom.
On the other hand, Nutrisystem’s wide-ranging menu is only accessible to those who opt for the Uniquely Yours MAX+ meal program. Otherwise, the standard plan consists of not more than 100 dishes (lunch, dinner, breakfast, and snacks).
Also worth mentioning here is that BistroMD’s larger menu features gourmet meals, which contain turkey, pork, fish, beef, and chicken. Additionally, world cuisines can be found on this menu, such as Asian, Mexican, Italian, and Mediterranean.
Nutrisystem, on the other hand, has mostly traditional or comfort food options – pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, soups, etc. Snack-like dishes are more common than proper entrée meals, although the actual dinner menu does include real, global-inspired dishes.
BistroMD Pros and Cons
What I Liked: | What I Didn’t Like: |
Prepared meal delivery service with over 150 meals to choose from | More expensive than other premade delivery services |
Weight loss program created by professional dieticians | Not for those with specific dietary restrictions |
A menu that caters to various dietary needs and preferences | Ingredients are not locally sourced and/or organic |
Best for diabetes, heart health, and menopause | Many don’t find frozen food all that appealing |
Nutrisystem Pros and Cons
What I Liked: | What I Didn’t Like: |
Convenient, portion-controlled prepared meals. | Frozen meals are not sustainable as a long-term diet plan. |
Meals and grocery items are available. | Not for specialized diets – gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan. |
Weight-maintenance, low-calorie plans for meals and snacks. | Processed ingredients and high levels of sugar and sodium. |
Well-balanced macronutrient breakdown and low glycemic index. | Not the most affordable weight loss program. |
Wrapping It Up
BistroMD is a better option for a weight loss program that’s healthy and sustainable long-term. While that is true, Nutrisystem is the best choice for menu and meal variety.
You want lunches, dinners, breakfasts, and snacks very thoughtfully crafted by experts and professionals in the food industry. With that in mind, both BistroMD and Nutrisystem don’t disappoint. Rather, they exceed expectations – BistroMD through its various menu categories and Nutrisystem through its long list of menu filters.