The process of selecting a meal delivery service can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With meal services like Factor, it’s easier than ever to pick meals that cater to specialized diets, including popular meal delivery services that fit different budgets.
If it’s not Factor that you want, you have many other options to choose from as well. Factor comes in as a top competitor for healthy and fresh meals. It specializes in meals for ketogenic, vegan, and calorie-smart diets. Their meals, unlike other premade meal services, are delivered fresh, not frozen.
As you can see, it can be quite difficult to match up to Factor’s features as a reliable and practical meal delivery service. This article lists four top-ranking meal delivery services that match Factor in quality, consistency, and taste.
What Is Factor?
Factor has many names, including Factor 75 and Factor_. It’s a popular meal delivery service that puts health and wellness first. Their meals consist of premium-quality single-serve portions of healthy calories, proteins, complex carbs, fiber, and other essential nutrients.
The reason why many people choose Factor is because it caters to people with active lifestyles, dietary requirements, and busy schedules. So, it appeals to a broad spectrum of individuals who prefer to use their extra time doing something else rather than cooking.
For a taste of everything, their Chef’s Choice meal preference selection is ideal. But if you wish to narrow down your meal choices, they also feature Keto, Calorie Smart, Vegan & Veggie, and Protein Plus diet categories.
Plus, the menu includes not only ready-made meals but add-ons as well. A wide variety of breakfast items, juices, smoothies, desserts, chips, and a la carte proteins are included. Just do a quick search, and you’ll find that most of their add-ons are either keto, vegan, or both.
A few more things about Factor that you should know are that they have a weekly rotating menu, most of their ingredients are organic, and they deliver fresh meals, not frozen.
A word on their packaging – most of the packaging items used are recyclable, and those that aren’t, like the insulation and ice packs, come in handy and are reusable. In general, meal delivery services make use of a lot less packaging than meal kit services.
Is the Subscription Expensive?
Factor offers relatively pricier meal plan packages, particularly for small orders. Including shipping, the minimum order of 6 meals each week works out to $13.5 per serving or roughly $80 each week. However, the cost per serving drops to $11 per serving with the biggest order size of 18 meals.
Couples or families who wish to eat meals every day of the week will find Factor’s meals more convenient because of their flexible meal sizes from 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, to 18 meals.
Here’s a clear breakdown of the prices:
- 6 meals per week – $13.49 per meal
- 8 meals per week – $12.99 per meal
- 10 meals per week – $12.49 per meal
- 12 meals per week – $11.99 per meal
- 14 meals per week – $11.49 per meal
- 18 meals per week – $10.99 per meal
Factor Pros
- Absolutely no prep necessary.
- The heating time is between 2 and 5 minutes per meal.
- Access to nutrition coaching and diet tips.
- Organic ingredients with antibiotic-free chicken and grass-fed beef.
- Meals stay fresh in the fridge for a week.
- Caters to a variety of diets like keto, low-calorie, high-protein, vegan, etc.
- Fewer BPA-free packaging materials are used than meal kits.
Factor Cons
- It’s a tad more expensive than grocery shopping.
- The cost of shipping at $9.99 is too steep.
- The selection of plant-based meals is limited.
What Type of Meals Does Factor Offer?
Factor has perks that not a lot of premade meal delivery services offer. One example would be that they offer diet consultation where you can book a 20-minute Nutrition Coaching Session.
Factor’s in-house nutrition team will provide you with expert and personalized recommendations based on your food preferences and diet goals.
Moving forward, Factor’s meal preferences are varied and delicious. They have chef-prepared recipes on their weekly menu that cater to a variety of dietary preferences like ketogenic, paleo, high protein, low calorie, vegan, vegetarian, low carb, dairy-free, spicy, and plant-based.
The main categories like keto, high protein, low carb, low calorie, vegan, and vegetarian have the maximum number of meals for you to try. For the rest of the dietary preferences, there are fewer choices depending on availability.
It’s worth pointing out that Factor is an organic premade meal delivery service. They may not be able to serve all organic ingredients due to certain limitations. But even animal-based proteins like poultry, meat, and seafood are antibiotic-free, preservative-free, and grass-fed (for meat).
Here are some Factor meals that are healthy and delicious:
- Shredded Vesuvio Chicken & Tortellini– Calorie Smart
- Char-Grilled Burger & Mushroom Cream Sauce – Keto, Protein Plus
- Garlic Butter Shrimp & Creamed Kale – Keto, Calorie Smart
- Smoked Tofu Almond Stir-Fry – Vegan, Calorie Smart
Preparation-wise, Factor’s meals are simple to prepare. Look at the cooking instructions on the single-serve container, and reheat the meal for 2 minutes in the microwave or up to 7 minutes in the oven.
Pick the oven over the microwave if you want a more home-cooking flavor and texture. This will only take 3–5 minutes longer, even for meals with chicken, seafood, or meat. Be cautious before you put the single-serve container into the oven by removing the plastic seal on the container before heating it.
Factor Alternative #1 – CookUnity
While meal delivery services that cater to special diets are convenient, there are ones like CookUnity that are best at what they do – catering to a larger audience by serving chef-prepared delicious meals.
CookUnity is a prepared meal delivery service that delivers straight to your door. The meals are varied in flavor and ingredients, and all you need to do is heat them up using your microwave, oven, or stove.
What separates CookUnity from the rest is the fact that they offer separate menus for different locations in the United States. You have a different menu for the East Coast, West Coast, Texas, and the Midwest.
Meal selection is smooth and straightforward, with some customization options. You can filter the menus by main ingredients, restrictions, and diets. CookUnity’s ready-to-eat meals do not fail to meet your daily nutritional needs. However, they are also tailored to satisfy your taste preferences.
As it is with Factor, CookUnity’s packaging is minimal and eco-friendly. Rather than a large bulky cardboard box, their meals are delivered in a crafty tote bag. The meals are packed fresh, not frozen, with water-based ice packs that maintain optimal temperature. Each meal is single-serve, so it’s easy to heat and eat.
CookUnity’s Prices
The starting price of a CookUnity meal is $10.49 per meal for the largest order which is 16 meals per order/week. The minimum order value is 4 meals per week which will cost you $13.49 per meal.
Here’s a quick snapshot of their meal prices:
- For 4 meals – $13.49 per meal
- For 6 meals – $11.99 per meal
- For 8 meals – $11.49 per meal
- For 12 meals – $10.99 per meal
- For 16 meals – $10.40 per meal
Factor does not charge shipping which means it’s already included in their per-meal costing.
CookUnity’s Pros
- Makes it easy to find new recipes and filter dietary needs.
- The menu is diverse, featuring meals from all over the world.
- The meal quality is consistent and nutritious.
- Satisfying portion size with plenty of proteins and fewer carbs.
- The shipping cost is free.
- Lots of vegan, paleo, keto, gluten-free, dairy-free options.
- Eco-friendly meal containers with heating instructions and nutrition information.
CookUnity’s Cons
- Limited delivery areas.
- Their meal prices are on the higher end.
- Not the ideal choice for families.
CookUnity’s Menu Variety
The meals offered by CookUnity are tailored to suit different dietary needs and preferences. Complementing their dietary restrictions, they also feature a filter that lets you select specific ingredients that you’d like to include in your menu.
CookUnity customizes its menu based on the filters you select. For example, you get to pick meals by their main ingredient, protein, dietary restrictions, and specialized diets.
Here are all the options/filters available to you:
- By main ingredient: Seafood, vegetarian, meat, poultry, and vegan
- By restrictions: Less than 600 calories, low carbs, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low sodium
- By diets: Keto and paleo
You needn’t worry about meal variety because CookUnity’s menu features over 80 different types of cuisines. Every meal is chef-curated with different icons indicating their calories, customer ratings, and dietary profile.
For those seeking a healthy and tasty diet, here are some must-try meals from CookUnity’s sample menu:
- Turkey Tacos Cauliflower Rice – High Protein, Low Carb, Paleo, Gluten Free
- Chicken Breast with Green Romesco Sauce– Low Carb, Mediterranean, Paleo, Gluten Free
- Beef Suya and Kale Salad– High Protein, Low Calorie, Low Sodium, Gluten Free
- Cajun Shrimp with Andouille Sausage– High Protein, Low Calorie, Low Carb, Gluten Free
Extras are part of their menu, including sweet treats, breakfast, and healthy drinks. They are nutritionally fortified and calorie-limited with some vegan and vegetarian-friendly options.
Factor Alternative #2 – Home Chef
Home Chef is a great meal kit delivery service for those who struggle with cooking and grocery shopping, regardless of how many people they’re cooking for, their dietary restrictions, or their cooking abilities.
Home Chef stands out because it enables you to personalize your meal kit recipe by selecting the proteins you prefer for select meals. The “Customize It” option on their menu includes different types of proteins including poultry, beef, seafood, and plant-based alternatives.
Home Chef simplifies complicated recipes by focusing on an easy cooking process that won’t take you a long time to master. So, it’s very beginner-friendly, especially as a meal kit service. Even recipes with 35–45 minutes of cooking time feel approachable and fun.
As a meal kit service, you should expect more packaging, particularly plastic packaging, for the individual, preportioned ingredients. Whole produce like fruits and vegetables are also sometimes packed in plastic bags to avoid squishing. But the good news is that most of their packaging is either recyclable or reusable.
Home Chef is good for families and large groups of people who demand more servings per week. Plus, their meals are so user-friendly and straightforward to cook that they don’t feel tiresome to prepare.
Home Chef’s Pricing
The cost of Home Chef’s meals falls somewhere in the middle range of meal kit services. Culinary meals that contain premium ingredients cost higher than their conventional meal kit recipes.
Considering the high-quality ingredients and ease of preparation, the prices are fair and practical for people who want to save time cooking healthy meals at home.
The meal kits start from $9 per serving and can go up to $18 per serving. Smaller items like salads, entrees, and breakfast cost less at around $7 per serving.
Home Chef charges you no shipping fee if your order is above $45 which, considering the number of meals you can order at one time, is almost always the case.
Home Chef’s Pros
- Healthy meal kits that are easy to personalize.
- A la carte protein options and protein bundles.
- Low-carb and low-calorie meal kits included.
- User-friendly and quick meal selection process.
- Ideal for beginners and large families.
- The food tastes as delicious as it looks.
- Fast and effective oven-ready and pre-prepped meals.
Home Chef’s Cons
- Lots of plastic packaging is used.
- Not a lot of options for dietary restrictions.
- Not allergy-friendly.
- No organic produce or vegan ingredients.
Home Chef’s Meal Variety
Home Chef boasts six different categories of meal recipes to pick from:
- Meal Kits
- Express Meal Kits
- Oven-Ready Meals
- Family Meals
- Fast & Fresh
- Culinary
Plus, they offer extras like ready-to-eat breakfast, salads, snacks, bread, and a la carte proteins and protein bundles.
Their diet categories, on the other hand, are few but convincing enough for a beginner to try out. These include calorie-conscious, under 30 minutes, carb-conscious, and vegetarian meals. Plus, every meal comes with allergen information, nutrition facts, and an ingredient list.
Meal Kits: All preportioned ingredients are packed separately, recipe-wise, with a cooking time of anywhere between 25 and 45 minutes. Most of these recipes require some prep work and cooking. They are delivered in quantities of 2 servings per meal:
Express Meal Kits: Slightly more convenient, these meal kits come with preportioned and pre-prepped ingredients. You can prepare them in less than 30 minutes:
Oven-Ready Meals: These are premade meals that require anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes of heating in an oven or microwave or stovetop. The ingredients are pre-prepped and pre-chopped. All you need to do is combine the ingredients and cook them:
Family Meals: These are meal kits that are also one-pot recipes with 4 servings per meal instead of 2 servings as per the typical meal kits. This is ideal for large families and group gatherings. They’re faster and easier to prepare if you’re short of time:
Fast & Fresh: Similar to oven-ready meals, these are microwave- and oven-friendly meals that take less than 15 minutes to cook:
Culinary Collection: For premium proteins like salmon and beef steak, the Culinary Collection features more advanced recipes that require a longer cooking time. They are relatively more expensive too:
Factor Alternative #3 – Trifecta Nutrition
Trifecta Nutrition is a nutrition-based organic meal delivery service for fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious eaters. Their meals are cooked and vacuum-sealed to preserve freshness and flavor during transit.
On top of delivering premade meals that cater to different diet categories like paleo, keto, Whole30,high-protein vegan, and high-protein vegetarian, Trifecta Nutrition also serves meal planning bundles with which you can select your choice of proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables.
It’s worth mentioning that you have to order at least 7 meals at a time. But a minor setback to Trifecta Nutrition is that with their high-protein, keto, Whole30, and vegetarian meal categories, you don’t get to choose the meal recipes yourself.
But if you want more control over what you eat, the Classic meal plan lets you pick meals effectively when you have taste preferences.
All of Trifecta’s packaging is reusable and recyclable. The meals are packed in single-serve containers and are vacuum-sealed for maximum freshness during transit. Each meal has an expiry date printed on its label.
Trifecta Nutrition’s Price
Because Trifecta Nutrition offers so many different types of diet plans, comparing their prices can get confusing. They offer several different order sizes for each diet category, starting from 5, 7, 10, to 14 meals per order.
For vegan and vegetarian meals, the price begins from $104.93 weekly which includes a meal for every day of the week. You can add more meals if you like, but the cost per week will automatically increase, going up to $200 weekly.
For other diet plans, like the classic plan, keto plan, paleo plan, and whole30 plan, the price per week is slightly costly, starting from $110.99 per week for 7 meals. The highest order, which includes 14 meals and 7 breakfasts, costs $310.99 weekly.
Trifecta Nutrition’s Pros
- Covers all meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Caters to different diets – paleo, keto, diabetic, high protein, and gluten-free.
- Detailed macros and organic ingredients in every diet plan.
- Shipping is free across the United States.
- Weight loss-friendly meals curated by chefs.
- Custom meal plan option is included for proteins, carbs, and vegetables.
- You can edit, modify, and pause orders at any time.
Trifecta Nutrition’s Cons
- Some meals may be too low in calories.
- Meal selection is not possible in diet plans.
- Could get pricey over time.
Trifecta Nutrition’s Meal Variety
Like Factor and many other meal delivery services, Trifecta Nutrition has a weekly rotating menu. Aside from the fact that they support specialized diets like keto, paleo, vegan, and high-protein, they offer organic ingredients as well.
With each diet plan, you can pick between 5, 7, 10, and 14 meals with or without breakfast. Plus, Trifecta lets you include/exclude any two ingredients from the menu:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Duck
- Mushrooms
- Pork
- Salmon
- Shellfish
- Tree nuts
- Turkey
- Whitefish
Trifecta is one of the very few premade meal delivery services that does not allow you to choose meals yourself. While for some people this can be a huge letdown, for others, it’s a huge relief.
All meal plans are geared toward a more nutritious and healthier lifestyle for people on a busy schedule.
The Classic Meal Plan is a balanced blend of healthy proteins, complex carbohydrates, and calories. Their nutrition includes 450 calories, 29g protein, 45g carbs, and 17g fats per meal.
The Paleo Meal Plan focuses more on whole foods that trace back to our ancestors. Their nutrition includes 440 calories, 30g protein, 35g carbs, and 20g fats per meal.
The Keto Meal Plan is a low-calorie and low-carb meal plan for weight loss, metabolic regulation, and other health benefits. Their nutrition includes 400 calories, 32g protein, 10g carbs, and 28g fats per meal.
The Whole30 Approved Meal Plan is good for detoxing if you want a quick, 30-day reset. The diet includes no processed foods. Their nutrition includes 440 calories, 30g protein, 35g carbs, and 20g fats.
The High Protein Vegan Meal Plan and High Protein Vegetarian Meal Plan are the perfect diet plans for plant-based lovers. Or if you want to include more whole foods into your diet, the macro-balanced meals in these categories are worth a shot. The nutrition includes 430 calories, 21g protein, 55g carbs, and 15g fats.
Factor Alternative #4 – Sunbasket
Sunbasket, similar to Home Chef, is a meal kit delivery service that prioritizes organic food. Their menu offers meal kits plus add-ons like breakfast, snacks, pasta, proteins, and sauces. Their menu offers both meal kits and single-serve ready-made meals.
But for wholesome meals that you can eat for dinner which will satisfy your appetite and curb hunger, Sunbasket’s meal kits are preferable. Their ready-made meals are on the lighter side with salads, soups, bowls, and mac and cheese – nothing substantial that could be counted as a real meal.
Sunbasket is similar to Factor in that they both offer dietary customizations. With Sunbasket, you can filter low-calorie, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free meals and pick vegan meals if you love plant-based foods.
All their meal kits serve two people and are not very time-intensive, which makes it perfect for people on a busy schedule. All their meals take an average of 20–30 minutes to cook, even for a beginner.
For a meal kit delivery service, Sunbasket makes minimal use of packaging to avoid wastage. All their packaging materials like wrappers, containers, insulation, and liners are recyclable. Some materials are reconstructed from used paper which makes it even more valuable.
Sunbasket’s Prices
Sunbasket’s meal kits that come with preportioned ingredients and a 2-serving minimum start from $10.99 per serving. Meanwhile, their Fresh & Ready meals that are pre-made and can be prepared in less than 5 minutes starting from $9.99 per serving.
Sunbasket offers you the option to select from 2-serving or 4-serving meal kits and 2, 3, 4, and 5 dinners per week.
Their largest order of 16 servings in total costs about $175.8 per order. This makes it a relatively affordable choice for families and large groups.
Meanwhile, their Fresh & Ready meals are fit for singles and couples. You can pick anywhere from 4, 5, 6, 7, to 8 meals per order.
Sunbasket also offers a diverse range of add-ons that cost extra depending on the total number of items you select. Each item is individually priced, and you can add as many items as you want per order.
There’s also a flat shipping fee between $7.99 and $9.99 per order. The price varies depending on the delivery location and the size of the order.
Sunbasket’s Pros
- High-quality produce with sustainably sourced poultry, meat, and seafood.
- Gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and low-carb dietary options included.
- Healthy breakfast options for vegans like nut butter, protein bars, etc.
- The meal kits are quick and easy to make.
- Large protein selection with multiple add-ons.
- Minimal and durable packaging with recyclable items.
- USDA-certified organic ingredients.
Sunbasket’s Cons
- A la carte pricing is steep.
- Limited variety of dishes for vegetarians.
Sunbasket’s Meal Variety
Sunbasket has a menu that is full of interesting meal options. You won’t run out of options every week, even if you’re on a restrictive diet like keto or paleo. There are plenty of vegetarian meal options as well.
Sunbasket makes use of fresh and USDA-certified organic ingredients, including poultry, meat, and seafood that are sustainably sourced. Whole foods replace highly processed and preservative-laden ingredients (this includes added sugars). Plus, you can select from a wide variety of seasonings, herbs, and spices to maximize the flavor of every meal.
Sunbasket’s meals can be divided into two categories: meal kits and premade meals. Comparing the two, you’ll find that there are more versatile options for the former. They are better thought of as dinners that you can eat without feeling hungry again:
- Pineapple BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches(Dairy Free, Protein Plus)
- Fresh Pappardelle with Chorizo, Chickpeas, and Ricotta Salata(Soy Free, Protein Plus)
Their single-serve premade meals, on the other hand, are light and could work as lunch. They are portioned small but packed with nutritious and lean proteins and lots of veggies:
- Grilled Chicken and Green Beans with Creamy Spinach (Keto, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Protein Plus)
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (Soy Free, Vegetarian, Low Calorie, Protein Plus)
Reasons to Choose These Alternatives Over Factor
For location-based meal deliveries: Pick CookUnity if you want chefs in and around your delivery area to deliver fresh and delicious meals. They have separate menus for the West Coast, East Coast, Texas, and the Midwest.
For swappable proteins: If your plan is to focus on more high-protein meals in a variety of different recipes, the “Customize It” feature of Home Chef would suit you better. You can swap proteins for meal kits, plus add protein bundles to your weekly orders to save money.
For fitness enthusiasts: Trifecta Nutrition offers keto, paleo, high-protein, vegan, vegetarian, and whole30 diet plans that are macro-controlled meals for weight loss, metabolic reset, and other health benefits. It’s a meal delivery service and fitness tracker in one!
For meal kits: Sunbasket’s meal kits and premade meals cater to busy individuals, with all options taking less than 30 minutes to prepare. Their menu also includes many plant-forward add-ons like breakfast, snacks, and premium proteins.
What Makes Services Like Factor Worth Considering?
For Individuals Who Prefer Single-Serve Meals
Factor makes it convenient to order single servings of a meal if that’s what you’re looking for. It’s typical for a meal kit delivery service to serve 2 servings per meal as the minimum order value. For singles and couples, this might lead to leftovers.
Each meal is carefully crafted, preportioned, cooked, and then packed. You can read the label to find out how many ingredients go into each meal. Factor prioritizes healthy eating which means you won’t find any preservatives, fillers, or additives in the meals.
The single-serve meals have a satisfying portion size with lean proteins, complex carbs, and fiber. They are portioned so that you receive a sufficient amount of calories in every meal. All the nutritional information is available for each meal.
Another benefit to selecting a meal delivery service that serves single meals is that they take very little time to heat. Being microwavable, meals that would take longer than 45 minutes to take heat up in less than 5. You can eat out of the container or transfer the meal to a plate.
For People Seeking to Improve Their Diet
Food control and diet are perhaps the most important factors to take into consideration when changing to a healthier lifestyle. If you want to incorporate more healthy foods into your diet (and eliminate takeout), Factor can help.
Their every meal comprises balanced calories, lean proteins, complex carbs, and lots of vegetables. Plus, in add-ons, you have plenty of vegan and keto items to pick from.
Factor’s meal plans include keto, low-calorie, vegan, vegetarian, and high-protein meals. More importantly, Factor is very strict about what they put in each meal, serving only ingredients that are GMO-free, preservative-free, antibiotic-free, and hormone-free.
Diet-wise, all of Factor’s meals are gluten-free including for recipes that typically use gluten ingredients like soy sauce, barley, and plant-based meat alternatives.
The nutritional value of most meals falls between 500 and 800 calories per serving. Plant-based substitutes are used wherever possible. And you can opt for add-ons for a boost of protein weekly.
For Those In Need of a Fast and Efficient Service
Sometimes, the simplest thing is the hardest to accomplish, right? Factor’s sign-up process, meal selection process, and customization features are straightforward to navigate.
The meals are divided into weekly sections which means you can view the menu two weeks in advance. There will be no repetitions in meal recipes, maybe except for some add-ons.
To better search for healthy meals, each diet category is color-coded. So, for example, all Keto meals have a yellow tag and so on. Factor also mentions which meal recipe is the most Top-Rated for your convenience.
Once you select your meal preferences, you have to register your email and add your delivery details. The meal preferences you chose are not set in stone. You can always go back to edit them later on, after which you can select the meals and make the payment.
Factor also makes things easier to manage the orders for adding or removing meals, cancelations, etc. If there’s something you need that you can’t find, their customer support via phone is responsive. Plus, they feature a 24/7 chat with positive results.
Final Verdict
Even though Factor is not a bad premade meal delivery service at all, it’s good to have options. These Factor alternatives make the cut, offering food that is very high in quality and delicious.
Whether you’re looking for something cheaper or want meals that are prepared fresh and packed closer to where you live, consider these alternatives before ordering. It’s the right time to eat healthy, diet-focused meals that complement an active lifestyle, thanks to these meal delivery services.
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