Meal subscription services are now becoming the go-to option for many people living in America. These meals contain highly nutritious ingredients that taste utterly delicious!
Because of weekly meal deliveries, you eat healthy food without having to spend any more time in the kitchen than needed. Also, you don’t have to be an expert or professional chef either!
The trick, however, lies in finding the best meal delivery service -one that’s affordable as well as one that uses wholesome, fresh ingredients. Most importantly, these meals should be tasty no matter your choice of diet plan. Be it paleo, keto, gluten-free, low-carb, etc., the meal plans ought to be exciting in order to make your mealtime a thing you look forward to in the day.
Now, let’s talk about the most controversial comparison of Freshly and BistroMD. Freshly offers quite a diverse and extensive range of chef-made, well-balanced, healthy meals. On the other hand, BistroMD has its weight loss-focused meals that are equally variety-driven and well-rounded.
However, it’s pretty clear that the former is the best healthy meal subscription service. As for the latter, it’s the perfect choice for some of the most common dietary needs/demands, for example, promoting weight loss, weight management, heart health, diabetes control, and even dealing with menopause.
Meal Delivery Service – The Ultimate Symbol of Convenience!
If you live in the United States, you know how unbelievably expensive it has become to dine out. Cooking in, at such times, can be a huge relief. Additionally, it’s way healthier too because you know what goes into your meals and, eventually, your tummy!
With that in mind, the convenience of meal delivery services can never be overestimated or overhyped because for these nutritious, wholesome, and mostly diet-specific meals, you don’t need to purchase any fancy or expensive equipment -just basic pots, pans, and simple ingredients. Hence, all the more reason to choose subscription-based online food delivery!
If you’re spending more money on takeout and restaurants than in supermarkets, grocery stores, etc., you should opt for fast-growing meal kit services. Say goodbye to quick-serve chains (e.g., McDonald’s) and fast and casual food establishments like Sweetgreen, Chipotle, and the like.
Also important to note is that the meal delivery business is slowly, yet effectively, transforming eating habits. So, we’re switching from fast-food and pizza deliveries to healthy meal kits and prepared meals offered by companies like Freshly and BistroMD.
More and more working professionals are choosing weekly meal deliveries because they don’t have extra time to spend or waste in the kitchen. This is where the real convenience and value of e-commerce come into the picture.
The comfort of prepared meals is the modern way of following a healthy diet, at least during your working weekdays! How about the cost of heaps of plastic and cardboard waste?
Well, in that case, you may want to select a meal delivery service that considers crucial factors like eco-friendly, recyclable packaging, that is, Freshly and BistroMD!
Freshly vs BistroMD – Signing Up for New Customers
The Freshly Experience
The website experience is amazingly user-friendly, extending to the signup process. During signup, entering your email ID and zip code is mandatory. Using these details, Freshly will tell you whether or not they deliver to your location.
After that comes the selection of how many meals per week you’d like to eat – your options are 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12. You also have to pick your delivery date. In that case, it’s important to note that Freshly delivers as soon as 2 days or as late as 3 weeks from the day you place the order.
Then, you can choose your meals from Freshly’s long, assorted menu which contains a sufficient amount of low-carb, high-protein meals. Freshly entrees are crafted to work for a range of dietary preferences and restrictions. Every meal is labeled clearly, such as soy, dairy, gluten, low carb, low calorie, high protein, and more.
After meal selection, add your delivery address and payment details. The delivery date and order are reviewed once again, and your Freshly weekly meal box is finalized.
The BistroMD Experience
Signing up for BistroMD weekly meal deliveries is a simple process. First of all, you select which program you want. The following are the meal plans offered by BistroMD:
- Signature
- Gluten-Free
- Heart Healthy
- Diabetic
- Menopause
The next step is to choose the number of meals you want to receive per week, along with picking lunch/dinner options and/or breakfast meals -all 7 days of the week or only 5 days (with breakfast and/or snacks or without). It’s all on you!
The minimum size of a weekly order on BistroMD is lunch/dinner meals for 5 days, minus snacks.
Unfortunately, unlike Freshly, BistroMD doesn’t let you select the delivery day. Nonetheless, BistroMD meals are delivered fully prepared, of course, and frozen (packed in plastic trays stored inside one large box).
Customizing your meals, however, is not an option on BistroMD, but you can substitute one meal with another. Likewise, if you don’t want a particular meal, you can remove it from the weekly rotation by going to My Menu > Preferences.
Freshly vs BistroMD – Choosing Meals and Menu Variety
In terms of menu variety, neither BistroMD nor Freshly has proven to be disappointing. Both prepared meal delivery services provide single-serve, well-portioned meals. More importantly, you get a host of different meals to pick from. Freshly has over 50 meal options, whereas BistroMD’s menu is a lot more extensive with over 150 dishes.
BistroMD enjoys the upper hand here because they have a menu that’s not only broader but also equipped with more around-the-world-inspired cuisine. In addition, they also offer quite a few high-fiber, high-protein snacks, and you do need to pay extra for these.
On the other hand, Freshly’s menu consists of over 50 meals. These mostly orbit around a combination of pork, chicken, turkey, etc. with rice and vegetables. Freshly is big on nutrition and traditional comfort food. So, in comparison to Freshly, BistroMD is a lot more variety-driven, for example, more meals with turkey, beef, seafood, and plant-based ingredients.
On Freshly, you get to create a whole customized weekly menu for yourself. You can add to your weekly order anywhere between 4 and 12 meals. The Freshly menu typically includes over 40-50 single-serve, microwaveable premade meals.
On the Freshly menu, you can find the following categories:
- Signature Collection
- Purely Plant
- FreshlyFit
- Proteins & Sides
The menu changes every week, which is exciting because that means you don’t have to eat the same food if you don’t want to. New meals are added each week to make mealtime more diverse and enjoyable.
You’ll also find bulk protein portions, side dishes, and snack items on the menu. Meal prepping, no doubt, becomes more streamlined because of this. Gluten-free, high-protein, low-carb, and even plant-based ingredients are also part of the entire Freshly experience,and everything is correctly and accurately labeled of course.
Freshly meals come pre-portioned, some containing less than 500 calories as well. Thus, they’re good for weightloss-related diet plans.
Even the list of ingredients and nutritional information is given on every meal page, which opens the door to nutrient tracking, checking for allergy-causing foods, and finding out if the dish adheres to your specific dietary preferences (sadly, you can’t filter the menu based on any dietary or ingredient preferences).
That said, Freshly may not seem like the best choice for vegetarians and vegans or for any specific diet such as paleo, keto, etc. Meal options for a particular diet plan are quite limited. That, however, is not the case with BistroMD!
The BistroMD menu has over 150 items. This includes the lunch/dinner menu along with breakfast and snacks. It won’t take you too long to conclude that BistroMD offers some of the most wholesome, healthiest, and sometimes calorie-controlled meals. The macronutrient breakdown is provided. You can even filter the menu based on the following:
- Signature Program
- Gluten-Free Program
- Heart Healthy Program
- Keto Flex Program
- Diabetic Program
- Menopause Program
- Men’s and Women’s Program
Every meal is nutritionally balanced and cooked by experts or professional chefs.
Freshly vs BistroMD – Starting Prices
How Much Does Freshly Cost?
In a nutshell, the cost of a single-serve Freshly meal is $8.99 when you choose 12 weekly meals. Naturally, the price per serving increases as you add fewer meals to your weekly order,with the cost reaching $11.79 per serving for only 4 meals per week.
Here’s the pricing breakdown of Freshly:
- 12-meal weekly order: $8.99 per serving
- 10-meal weekly order: $9.29 per serving
- 8-meal weekly order: $9.49 per serving
- 6-meal weekly order: $9.99 per serving
- 4-meal weekly order: $11.79 per serving
As for the cost of the bulk protein portions and side dishes, the cost range starts from $0.99 and goes up to $4.99,meaning you have to pay an additional price for additional items.
Add to that the shipping fee that Freshly charges, which can be anywhere between $5.99 and $11.99.It all depends on your delivery location and the number of meals you order per week.
How Much Does BistroMD Cost?
The pricing approach of BistroMD is slightly different than Freshly in that how much your weekly meal box costs is based on which program you select. BistroMD has a 5- and 7-day program (lunch and dinner only or lunch, dinner, and breakfast meals).
Once more, the more meals per week, the more affordable the cost of your weekly order. With that in mind, the 7-day Full Program is less expensive ($9.50 per serving) than the 5-day program of only lunches and dinners ($12.95 per serving). Freshly, in comparison, charges just $9.29 for the 10-week meal plan.
Here’s the breakdown of BistroMD pricing:
- Full Program (5 days or 7 days): $10.99-$12.49 per serving (lunch, dinner, and breakfast)
- Only lunch and dinner meals (5 days or 7 days): $13.49-$14.99 per serving
The snacks you add are extra items, so you’ll be charged separately for those.
BistroMD’s delivery price is also higher – flat $19.95 for every weekly meal box!
Freshly vs BistroMD – Dietary Preferences
Both Freshly and BistroMD allow you to view every meal’s nutrition profile (calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, etc.) and the list of ingredients (potential food allergens included).
On Freshly, sorting through the large menu based on your diet requirements is possible, for example, only low-calorie or dairy-free dishes. Clicking on the meal gives you all of its nutritional facts and relevant, detailed information about the ingredients used.
Freshly’s menu consists of calorie-conscious, carb-conscious, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free meals. You can explore their weekly dishes based on the following:
- Signature Collection
- Purely Plant
- FreshlyFit
- Proteins & Sides
On the other hand, on BistroMD, you must choose what diet program you want before browsing the menu. Depending on the program you select (lunch, dinner, breakfast, and snacks or just lunch and dinner), a customized weekly diet is prepared for you. You can then edit this order, meaning you get to approve, add, and remove entries.
Taste preferences and dietary specifications are also entered when signing up on BistroMD. However, the BistroMD menu is not as easy and quick to browse/filter as Freshly. The former also has a comparatively less striking or appealing design than the latter.
Freshly’s Menu Is More Well-Balanced and Gluten-Free!
Personalizing Freshly meals based on your diet and taste preferences is one of the reasons why so many people choose Freshly. Additionally, knowing that Freshly is a gluten-free-certified company goes a long way with regard to high-level nutrition. Speaking of which, no amount of excessive sugar, chemical preservatives, and artificial flavors are added.
Freshly is a suitable choice even for those who can’t digest or are sensitive to soy, dairy, and the like. You can also find low-calorie, low-carb, paleo-friendly, and plant-based recipes on Freshly. So, it’s not just for gluten-free meals!
About plant-based meals, Freshly offers quite a few hearty veggie-loaded lunch and dinner dishes, which consist of plant-based protein, of course, and wholesome ingredients, all of which ensure that you feel and remain full for an adequately long time. Currently, the Freshly team is working toward incorporating more such plant-based and vegetarian options for expanding their menu variety, even for non-meat eaters.
Freshly’s overall healthy meal plans, as you can see, work for multiple diets all at once. Even the Whitefish Cake (wild-caught seafood) is labeled soy-, dairy-, and gluten-free.
You can also add multi-serve proteins and side dishes to your every Freshly weekly order, For example, flat iron steaks, grilled chicken strips, meatballs, mashed potatoes, etc. Just heat them and savor every bit of it along with your leftovers.
So, this is as good and wide-ranging as it gets with Freshly concerning the meal delivery service accommodating special or specific dietary requirements.
BistroMD’s Menu Is Big on Diet-Friendliness!
First of all, having over 150 meals on the menu is a huge deal in itself – the upper hand that BistroMD has over its close competitor for prepared or premade meals, Freshly. As for your weekly menu, it can be customized very easily depending on your diet preferences and restrictions.
Secondly, at the top of the BistroMD menu, you get to pick one of the following drop-down options:
- Signature Program
- Gluten-Free Program
- Heart Healthy Program
- Keto Flex Program
- Diabetic Program
- Menopause Program
Meals with dairy, soy, dairy, etc. can also be removed if that’s what you like.
As for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet, the standard program is the most fitting. However, please note that you will have to contact BistroMD’s customer service team to request that they exclude certain specific ingredients, such as meat, from the dishes you select.
With that said, if your diet plan consists of no meat, or even if it’s more restrictive like paleo or keto, BistroMD may not be the best meal delivery service for you. Although they do have a Keto Flex diet program, this particular plan contains meals with 15-20 grams of carbs per serving. The carb content here is indeed higher than the traditional keto diet.
Therefore, it all differs from person to person as far as deciding whether or not BistroMD is accommodating of diet plans and/or dietary preferences and restrictions goes.
Freshly vs BistroMD – Packaging and Delivery
Who uses recyclable packaging materials like recyclable CPET plastic trays, containers, etc. along with recyclable cardboard (cardboard boxes, separators, etc.)? Both Freshly and BistroMD include recyclable packaging materials, which is a huge relief.
The only difference I noticed was that Freshly uses nontoxic, nonhazardous gel-filled ice packs and BistroMD keeps its prepared meals fresh and cool using dry ice. The ice packs used by Freshly, once emptied, can be recycled.
Freshly’s Packaging Is Sustainable and Efficient
Your Freshly meal box will be delivered to you on your chosen day. You can schedule your weekly deliveries as soon as 2 days after placing the order and also 3 weeks in advance. The Freshly app allows orders to be edited, rescheduled, and skipped very conveniently, provided these changes are made before the cutoff time.
Freshly meal boxes contain enough ice packs to create the much-needed cooling effect for keeping your delicious meals fresh, even for 12 hours in the summer heat. Once opened, all the ingredients/meals should be stored in the fridge.
Every meal is labeled very clearly and accurately, with nutritional facts and the name of the dish printed properly, along with the ingredients list, expiration date, and cooking instructions (to be found on the back of the cardboard sleeve).
The materials that go into the recycling bin after you wash them are the plastic containers/trays, cardboard boxes, and sleeves. As for the insulation, made with recycled denim, it’s nearly completely biodegradable. Ice packs can also be recycled after removing all the contents stored inside.
The delivery areas covered by Freshly include all the 48 contiguous states of America, which means Hawaii and Alaska are not on that list – it’s only the continental United States!
BistroMD’s Packaging Is Quite Typical But Very Minimal
The fully prepped meals of BistroMD are packed in recyclable cardboard boxes with insulation, of course (made of compostable, reusable natural fiber).
With dry ice keeping all the ingredients fresh and cool, you don’t have to worry about your BistroMD box sitting outside your doorstep if it happens to get delivered when you’re at work.
The frozen meals are neatly arranged in plastic trays, with a plastic film seal at the top. An additional cardboard sleeve is provided, which contains nutritional information, ingredients list, and heating instructions.
Even BistroMD delivers within the continental United States, all days of the week.
Freshly vs BistroMD – Cooking and Meal Prep
Once they’re delivered, freshly meals must be immediately stored in your refrigerator. Their shelf life is anywhere between 3 and 5 days. Freshly goes one step ahead and lets you know which meals to eat first to preserve the maximum freshness of their ingredients.
These meals are freezer-friendly too, which is very helpful if you know you’re not going to get to the meals before their UseBy or BestBy date. So, when you’re ready, all that is required is for you is to take the meal out of your freezer, pop it in the microwave, heat it for 3 minutes or so, and then just eat.
BistroMD meals are delivered flash-frozen. This way, all the original, flavorful tastes and textures are preserved. You can place the meals in the fridge or freezer until you decide to eat them and then just heat them in your microwave for 5-6 minutes.
Cooking/Preparing Freshly Meals
With Freshly meals, the prepping part of the process doesn’t exceed 5 minutes, which is such a big relief. The easier and quicker such meals are to prepare, the more convenient and likable the experience of choosing and using meal deliveries!
Every Freshly entrée can be heated and thus gets ready to eat in under 3-5 minutes. Peel off the plastic, and pop the container/tray into the microwave – that’s about it!
The side dishes and proteins may take slightly longer than the entrees, but it depends on the number of servings you’ve ordered and are heating up per meal. Nonetheless, the instructions for heating are provided to you by Freshly.
Alternate heating methods can also be employed, such as stovetop, oven, etc. For example, mashed potatoes tend to taste better with stovetop heating instead of the microwave method.
Whatever the case, proteins and side dishes are accompanied by clear, simple heating instructions. They’re on the backside of the cardboard sleeves, which also mention the prep time. Speaking of which, no matter the recipe, prep time doesn’t exceed 5-10 minutes.
Cooking/Preparing BistroMD Meals
Heat and eat – that’s the BistroMD experience for you!
Since the meals, once again, are completely cooked, you only have to reheat them, although BistroMD recommends you thaw the meals first (in the fridge) and then do the microwave heating. This process, it goes without saying, may differ or vary based on the type of meal, ingredient, etc. For instance, when heating calzone, it’s done in a toaster, but then the broccoli, which is also a part of the dish, is microwaved.
However, if you don’t have the time or interest to thaw your BistroMD meals overnight in the refrigerator, you can simply heat them the conventional oven way. However, there will be some differences in the taste and texture of the food since regular oven and microwave heating don’t work the same way.
Freshly vs BistroMD – Ingredients Flavor, Quality, and Freshness
The Why Freshly page clearly points in the direction of Freshly meals having no excessive sugar, processed or artificial ingredients, and the like. You get only high-quality food!
The meat used by Freshly is also free of additives, preservatives, and fillers, and it goes through thorough inspections carried out by the renowned US Department of Agriculture. Most of the produce is sourced from US-based vendors – it all depends on availability and seasonability.
One drawback, only if you’re into organic food, is that Freshly doesn’t practice organic, sustainable methods as a food subscription company.
If you ignore that particular fact, I must admit that Freshly exceeds all expectations concerning ingredients’ quality, freshness, and flavor. This holds true even though Freshly meals are the “microwaveable” type!
Every ready-to-heat dish on the Freshly menu is extremely flavorful and delicious, with its delightful range of vegetables, fruits, and meat. All ingredients, no matter the kind, are fresh-tasting.
Moreover, the perfect balance of high protein and complex carbohydrates ensures you remain full for longer, hence fewer chances of binge or unnecessary eating between meals.
Bright, appetizing flavors (not a hint of an overpowering taste) combine very well with the soy, gluten, and dairy-free properties of some of the meals on Freshly. For instance, the Wild-Caught Whitefish Cake (gluten-free and soy-free) – its fluffy texture and tangy flavor keep you coming back for more!
Moving on to BistroMD, expect fresh ingredients with no amount of trans fats, MSG, or aspartame. The frozen meals come with nutritional information, a list of ingredients, and more. But whether or not the ingredients are organic or even how these ingredients are sourced, not much information is provided for that.
Therefore, once again, even BistroMD meals are not the best for you if you prefer mostly organic and/or sustainably sourced ingredients.
As for the quality and freshness of the ingredients used, it all seems satisfactory, if not the most praiseworthy. Nevertheless, the meals, be it lunch, breakfast, or snacks, taste really good and unforgettable. Furthermore, the balance between veggies and proteins is also very healthy, with no quality or freshness concerns whatsoever.
Freshly vs BistroMD – Calorie Count
How Many Calories Are in Freshly Meals?
Whether a Hearty Veggie Bolognese, Flame-Seared Top Blade Steak, or traditional Homestyle Chicken, every Freshly meal provides the most important nutritional information. And this, of course, includes the calorie count per serving,along with the description and a complete list of ingredients added.
The average calorie count of the Freshly meal menu is around 450-600 calories per serving. Every recipe is pre-portioned for a single person, so no additional ingredients are included. This means if the calorie count of, for instance, the Homestyle Chicken dish is 560, then it’s 560 calories only without any extra ingredients.
Each and every meal comes with the most accurate nutritional values, based on which you can decide which meals are right for your diet, for instance, the Harvest Time Chicken Risotto (620 calories), Veggies-Loaded Burrito Bake (650 calories), and Coconut Purple Rice Porridge (350 calories only).
How Many Calories Are in BistroMD Meals?
BistroMD weight loss results are so popular precisely because they have a comparatively lower calorie count. BistroMD meals consist of not more than 400-450 calories per serving. The actual range is between 200 and 400 calories for each meal, despite infusing healthy fats, whole carbs, and lean proteins (well-balanced nutrition indeed) into the dishes:
- Meatloaf with Honey Bourbon Glaze (340 calories per serving)
- Tilapia with Orange Parsley Sauce (320 calories per serving)
- Chicken with Lemon Peppercorn Sauce (360 calories per serving)
- Lasagna with Garden Marinara (350 calories per serving)
Freshly vs BistroMD – Nutrition and Recipes
Freshly Meals
The truth is that the Freshly menu stays pretty much the same, more often than not. There are a little over 50-60 dishes you get to select your weekly meals from. The same recipes may be repeated weekly, but new ones also get added, and Freshly makes it a point to rotate their meals quite frequently.
As for what to expect from Freshly meals, these are mostly readied with vegetables, meat, seafood, etc. and then paired with rice, potatoes, or pasta. You’ll find all kinds of chicken on the Freshly menu (grilled chicken, fried chicken, and more), along with more varied options such as Baked Turkey Meatballs, BBQ Bison Burger, Cuban Mojo Shrimp, and Oven-Baked BBQ Pork Chop.
You may want to have a look at the nutrition breakdown of some of Freshly’s meals.
| Golden Oven-Fried Chicken & Mash | Baked Turkey Meatballs | BBQ Bison Burger | Cuban Mojo Shrimp | Oven-Baked BBQ Pork Chop |
| High protein, gluten-free, soy-free | Gluten-free, soy-free | Gluten-free, soy-free | Gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, low carb, low cal | Gluten-free, soy-free |
| 510 cal | 110 cal | 610 cal | 410 cal | 580 cal |
| 26 g of protein | 13 g of protein | 30 g of protein | 31 g of protein | 27 g of protein |
| 45 g of carbs | 3 g of carbs | 42 g of carbs | 20 g of carbs | 41 g of carbs |
| 26 g of total fat | 7 g of total fat | 35 g of total fat | 23 g of total fat | 33 g of total fat |
| 650 mg of sodium | 140 mg of sodium | 1000 mg of sodium | 500 mg of sodium | 1050 mg of sodium |
The nutritional labels on Freshly do indicate that their dishes are prepared using a little excessive salt. Per serving might contain over 50% of your daily sodium intake. Saturated fat as well is slightly higher. Therefore, make sure to check the nutritional values at the time of deciding which meals to add to your weekly order.
Freshly offers a good number of comfort food choices. To be honest, Freshly is a healthier option than fast food, junk food, takeout, etc. The proof of this is their menu, which features cauliflower-made pasta shells instead of high-gluten semolina pasta.
In addition to that, the Freshly menu also features the Purely Plant category, so it’s not an all-meat menu. Purely Plant meals are well below 500 calories per serving, but then these plant-based dishes are limited at only 7-8 recipes every week. Hence, it’s not the best for non-meat eaters or someone on a strict plant-based or vegan diet.
Freshly also has a decent amount of low-calorie, low-carb, dairy-free, and gluten-free meals in case your diet plan requires you to consume fewer carbs and/or calories or no dairy, gluten, etc.
BistroMD Meals
These meals are specifically dialed in to promote weight loss. Why else would the protein percentage per serving be higher with lower carb and calorie content?
Here are a few examples.
| Blackened Chicken with Creamy Smoked Paprika Sauce | Meatloaf with Honey Bourbon Glaze | Salmon with Dill Mustard Sauce | Green Chile Pork with Southwest Salsa |
| Gluten-free, keto flex, heart healthy, diabetic, etc. | Gluten-free, keto flex, diabetic, menopause, etc. | Gluten-free, keto flex, heart healthy, diabetic, etc. | Gluten-free, keto flex, heart healthy, diabetic, etc. |
| 340 cal | 340 cal | 340 cal | 280 cal |
| 35 g of protein | 28 g of protein | 30 g of protein | 24 g of protein |
| 29 g of carbs | 29 g of carbs | 13 g of carbs | 28 g of carbs |
| 9 g of total fat | 12 g of total fat | 19 g of total fat | 8 g of total fat |
The nutritional value of almost every BistroMD meal is geared toward weight loss. The macronutrient breakdown of nearly all dishes includes approximately 45% lean protein, 25% healthy fats, and 30% complex carbohydrates. About the calorie count, it usually doesn’t exceed 400.
BistroMD is committed to weight loss because even their snacks are protein-based:
- Glazed Cinnamon Bun: 15 g of protein, 22 g of carbs, and a total of 210 calories.
- Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake: 9 g of protein, 80 g of carbs, and a total of 190 calories.
- Salted Caramel Pecan: 15 g of protein, 9 g of carbs, and a total of 230 calories
Some of the most irresistibly delicious breakfast meals on Freshly are the following:
- Italian Style Omelet: 21 g of protein, 21 g of carbs, and a total of 230 calories.
- Caramelized Mushroom and Onion Frittata: 23 g of protein, 27 g of carbs, and a total of 310 calories.
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal with Scrambled Eggs: 14 g of protein, 29 g of carbs, and a total of 230 calories.
Who Should Choose Freshly Meal Delivery Service?
Freshly is made for those who don’t have the time, energy, interest, or patience to cook homemade meals from scratch!
Freshly eliminates the steps of grocery shopping, meal planning, ingredient prepping, etc. from the drawn-out and tiresome process of cooking by providing the convenient option of healthy meal deliveries. Their vast and varied menu consists of single-serve dishes ready to eat in less than 5 minutes.
All meals are nutrient-dense, no doubt about that, And also gluten-free!
Fitness-focused singles, couples, and families pick Freshly since the meals here are more in tune with their health goals. The Freshly menu includes Freshly Fit, Purely Plant, and other such categories that cater to specific dietary preferences. For example, Freshly Fit is perfect for a diet plan that just allows carb-controlled meals, while Purely Plant is more suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Who Should Choose BistroMD Meal Delivery Service?
If you’re planning on switching your takeout or fast food with healthy meals throughout the week, then BistroMD is a prepared meal delivery service you will not regret subscribing to.
They also have a pretty extensive menu that features meals that cater to specific diet programs – keto, gluten-free, heart-healthy, menopause, and diabetic. The Gluten Free Program is perfect for when you wish to minimize your consumption of whole grains, then there’s the low-cholesterol Heart Healthy and Diabetic Programs to improve blood sugar levels and more.
The most impressive thing about BistroMD is that even its Signature Program (basic meal plan) helps with weight loss. BistroMD meals, on the whole, do not contain trans fats. Thus, they’re so effective for weight loss and management. Also, these weight loss-friendly meals are both highly nutritious and delicious!
Making Changes and Canceling Orders on Freshly
What is the deadline for editing/canceling Freshly’s weekly meal boxes? The cutoff time actually depends on your location and scheduled delivery day.
Any changes that need to be made should be done 5-6 days prior to the date of delivery. Just check the email notification Freshly sends to confirm your order.It provides you with the specific deadline for that particular meal delivery.
Changes can also be made 3 weeks in advance for upcoming orders.
As for skipping your Freshly order, there is a “Skip Week” option in your account’s “Deliveries” section. For altogether canceling the subscription or account, go to My Subscription > Cancel Subscription.
What about canceling an order after you’ve been charged for it? “Skip Week” works only if you cancel your order before its deadline.
Freshly customer service is very helpful. 24/7 support is available via email, chat, text, and call. Freshly has a whole FAQs page dedicated to resolving any possible queries. Through the website itself, a lot can be done like modifying weekly meal plans, skipping a week, canceling the subscription, and more.
Making Changes and Canceling Orders on BistroMD
You can skip deliveries, make changes to orders, and even cancel the plan on BistroMD very easily. But edits, such as changing the delivery address, require you to get in touch with their customer support team. The same applies when you want to pause or cancel your BistroMD subscription.
Cutoff time with BistroMD is 5 p.m. (Eastern Time) every Wednesday before the scheduled delivery week.
BistroMD offers friendly and prompt customer service. Even they have an incredibly informative FAQs section. On this page, you’ll find everything from managing your subscription and deliveries to getting to know about their meal plans, recyclable packaging, dietary/nutritional information, and more.
Freshly and BistroMD: Do They Work for Weight Loss?
If you choose BistroMD, you should look forward to low-calorie, high-protein meals. If all your daily meals are from BistroMD, then the daily calorie count won’t exceed the range of 1,200-1,400 calories, And almost half of these calories come from lean proteins (fish, meat, and eggs).
A high-protein diet, undoubtedly, works as an effective method for weight shedding. As a matter of fact, it even keeps your appetite in check by keeping you feeling full for a longer span of time.
Likewise, low-calorie meals have also proven to work in favor of weight loss goals. Many science-backed studies have proved that obesity and body fat can be tackled with a high-protein, low-calorie diet. However, you don’t need to go overboard with this since not consuming enough calories in the day can also be detrimental to your health.
At such times, meal services like BistroMD make a huge difference because they offer optimal, well-rounded nutrition. Their meals contain a wide range of vegetables, fruits, and healthy snacks, encouraging sustainable healthy eating.
Even Freshly has pre-portioned meals on its menu that contain below 500 calories per serving. Thus, promoting weight loss provided you’re cutting off unhealthy foods from your diet and are keeping up an active lifestyle.
However, for specifically losing weight, BistroMD is better,while Freshly is a more suitable option for convenient meal planning. It’s bigger on convenience than on weight loss.
Freshly Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Meals delivered are fully prepared.
- Multiple meal plans and options to pick from per week.
- Very affordable price per serving of meals.
- Delicious, nourishing blend of veggies and proteins.
- Certified gluten-free and sometimes organic ingredients are used.
- Perfect for athletes and fitness-oriented individuals.
- Meal/order customization and recyclable packaging.
Cons:
- There are no breakfast/snack items on the menu.
- Not the best for vegetarians and vegans.
BistroMD Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Frozen, microwaveable meal delivery service.
- Meals are the best for a weight loss diet.
- Adds no preservatives, artificial ingredients, sweeteners, etc.
- Lunch, dinner, breakfast, and snack meals are on the menu.
- Suitable for specific diet plans like keto, diabetes, heart health, and more.
- Very large menu with over 150 entrees every week.
- Registered, professional dieticians are a part of the BistroMD team.
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive in comparison to Freshly.
- Meals might contain common food allergens.
- Ingredients don’t fit the “organic” label.
- They are frozen meals, hence not the freshest.
Summing It Up!
Accommodating certain dietary preferences and affordability is a very strong point of Freshly, whereas BistroMD is the best for calorie-controlled, high-protein weight-loss meal plans. With the latter, every meal of the day (be it breakfast, lunch, or snack) is covered without you going off-track as far as your weight-shedding diet is concerned.
If you want to know which of the two is cheaper, it’s got to be Freshly!
As for which one’s healthier, it says a lot about nutrition when you take BistroMD’s weight-loss-friendly, calorie-conscious, carb-controlled, and high-protein meals into consideration.
