BistroMD Review 2024: All You Need to Know

Last Updated : December 22, 2023

BistroMD
You either have to compromise on nutrition or taste when pursuing some health-related goals. I don’t know about other goals, but if you’re thinking about losing weight, you can and should totally rely on BistroMD. It certainly has revolutionized the way we perceive not just highly nourishing meals but also meal delivery.

BistroMD has breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks and a large selection of each. As such, premade meals are flash-frozen to preserve the original, high-quality ingredients.

Also, there are a variety of nutrition programs for specific or special dietary preferences, such as diabetes-friendly, heart-healthy, keto flex, vegan, menopause, and signature meal plans for both women and men.

Keep reading to learn more about what BistroMD includes and why it’s so popular!

What Is BistroMD and How Was It Created?

How BistroMD was created?

A combination of a meal delivery service and weight loss program, BistroMD was created in 2005 by a couple, Caroline and Ed. It’s a venture that formed as a result of them both being familiar with the problems associated with weight gain when growing up. For them, the concept has more to do with adopting a healthy, approachable lifestyle rather than being on some diet.

BistroMD’s fully prepared meals are tailored to achieving weight loss goals. All the weight loss programs offered on BistroMD are developed by Caroline Cederquist who is a Board-Certified Bariatric Specialist (MD). Her intention was to provide flavored, delicious meals that also help you deal with metabolic dysfunction and promote healthy metabolism and weight.

BistroMD is essentially a weight-loss program aiming to deliver chef-made nutritious meals at your doorstep. Every meal contains a perfectly balanced micronutrient ratio to put you on a healthy weight loss journey and strengthen your metabolism.

The specialists of BistroMD focuses on understanding the scientific properties of multiple food combinations. The overall concept doesn’t follow the principles of standard meal programs of restricting portions and counting your calories. Focus on immunity and metabolism is aimed at giving better health to its patients.

Does their service live up to the hype?

BistroMD experts set your expectations clear even before you sign up. They slowly turn your attention to a healthy and balanced diet, tasty options, menu personalization, and reasonable pricing.

It’s a weekly subscription meal delivery service that features seven different programs. These specialty programs include meals for men or women, specifically gluten-free diets, menopause, vegan lifestyle, people with diabetes, keto plan, and heart-healthy diets.

Sounds unbelievable, right? BistroMD’s single-minded goal is to be your meal delivery partner, chef, and personal dietician. Now, the main question comes – have they been successful? We have tested their meal delivery service and will unearth its pros and cons in the review article. Our in-depth analysis will help you decide whether you should go for it.

How Does BistroMD Work?

BistroMD sends you premade meals once every week. One-time orders are not an option here since the aim of the company is to encourage you to incorporate those meals into your daily diet that have a long-term impact on your body. You have to choose between 5 and 7 days and 2 and 3 meals per day.

There are snacks as well that you can add, and they seem to be a very important part of each BistroMD meal program. These snacks are recommended by a team of registered dieticians; thus, they’re highly nutritious and, at the same time, tasty.

They stress the importance of snacking in order to prevent the body from going into starvation mode, which tends to hold on to each calorie and, as a consequence, inhibits weight loss.

They have their own snack options, no more than only 150 calories and 10–15 grams of protein, for example, Greek yogurt, nut butter, unsalted nuts, and more of the same kind of binge-worthy food.

BistroMD meals arrive fully and freshly prepared; therefore, you just have to reheat them in your oven or microwave.  All of the dishes are low calorie and high protein, hence ideal for weight loss.

What Does BistroMD Offer In Their Weekly Menu?

BistroMD Weekly-Menu

Total Number and Types of Meals

The BistroMD menu is tempting for all kinds of eaters and there’s no shortage of variety at all. The meals are often inspired by Italian, Mexican, American, Asian, and Mediterranean cuisines. A mighty number of over 150 meals are to be found on the menu, all prepared by expert chefs and approved by registered dieticians.

After all, it is a weight loss meal delivery service run by a bariatric specialist, Dr. Caroline Cederquist, who started BistroMD with her husband Ed. So, the dishes are crafted with much thought and consideration.

Back to the BistroMD menu and meals, they’re all calorie-controlled where a single serving contains only under 400–450 calories. And they make it a point to not repeat dishes within any multiple-week program. New recipes are added regularly, which keeps things more interesting and enjoyable.

What to Expect from the Meals

Take a look at just about every BistroMD meal, and you’ll see how it’s laden with meat and seafood (especially fish like salmon, tilapia, etc.).

The menu is designed to support weight loss while also providing your body with balanced nutrition. Each meal will have at least 25–30 grams of protein, comparatively much fewer carbs and fats, and more fiber. It is also low in carbs so your blood sugar stays in check and is high in fiber so every serving feels satisfying.

BistroMD’s programs allow you to limit your calorie intake where you can consume anywhere between only 1,200 and 1,400 calories a day. If you pair this kind of diet with physically demanding workouts, you’re bound to see weight loss results.

The single-serve portion sizes are perfect (i.e., generous) for adults although there are plenty of kid-friendly dishes – meatballs, burgers, and more (all simple, conventional, familiar food best for picky eaters too).

Menu Add-Ons

Protein and fiber levels are high even in the breakfast options offered on BistroMD. Homemade-style waffles, scrambled eggs and omelet (with sausage), oatmeal, frittatas, and sandwiches.

In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there are snacks too. BistroMD snacks are so healthy that they include at least 2–3 of them into your daily diet. It’s the BistroMD EATS program – Essential and Tasty Snacks, hence E-A-T-S.

Snacking on healthy options brimming with essential vitamins and nutrients not only curbs cravings but also ensures that you don’t consume unhealthy, fatty stuff.

As for the healthy options, these could be any of the following:

  • Blueberry Parfait
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
  • Cinnamon Almond Cookie Crunch
  • Southwest Nacho Chili Crisps
  • Glazed Cinnamon Bun
  • Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake

Meal Customization

Swapping ingredients, unfortunately, is not possible in the case of BistroMD. As a consequence, meal customization takes a hit. But what can be done instead is you can remove certain meals from the weekly menu. For instance, if you’re sensitive or allergic to dairy, then exclude all meals with dairy. The only problem is that those dairy meals cannot be modified.

The list of ingredients for every meal is given for you to check any potential allergens. Speaking of which, there’s a separate Gluten-Free program for those who deliberately want to avoid gluten.

Meal customization on BistroMD also includes adding nonstarchy veggies, fruits, and low-fat milk.

How Many Meal Plans Does BistroMD Have?

BistroMD How many meals do you get a week

Meal delivery programs have become a major lifestyle trend in most of the United States in recent times. BistroMD has been a long-term player in this industry and has been considered a trendsetter by many experts. Every week, its subscribers can select from more than 150 meal options that are exclusively prepared by BistroMD chefs.

Once you sign up with BistroMD, it lets you customize your meal plans based on your dietary needs and lifestyle changes. Their flexible menu options give you enough time to get used to the new dietary regime.

Users with specific health goals and nutritional needs can select different meal plans, such as diabetes-friendly or gluten-free. If you are a woman looking for a menopause-friendly meal plan, BistroMD has got your back. They care for your dietary needs in the challenging or changing times to strengthen your metabolism.

The nutrition information in BistroMD meal items is clear and easy to comprehend. Before consuming any food item, you are clear about its nutritional value and the health benefits it brings along.

If you are a snacker who continually needs something to munch, BistroMD has got your back with its snack program. This program is known as Essential and tasty Snacks or EATS. It allows you to choose healthy snacks and speed up your weight-loss process.

BistroMD EATS snack program is designed to provide 14 snacks to its customers. Now, you can indulge in snacking 2 times a day. So, stop worrying and keep snacking.

Go for BistroMD and get your snack served in a flash.

Your decision will determine the price of your chosen subscription plan. Choose the one which suits your requirement and weight-loss goal.

Signature (One for Men and Another for Women)

The Signature program has over 150 options and none of them contain anything artificial. It’s a science-backed, effortless weight loss meal plan, which is also the most popular on BistroMD.

This contains premade, traditional American meals with chicken, pork, turkey, beef, seafood, and more, served with loads of veggies like broccoli, green beans, etc. and some of the most delicious flavors brought on by using sauces such as honey bourbon, hickory smoked BBQ, herbed brown gravy, sweet coconut pineapple sauce, tomato sauce, creamy pesto, plum ginger sauce, and the list goes on.

Heart Healthy Program

Reclaim the ownership of your life by choosing BistroMD’s heart-healthy diet and taking the pledge to life-changing wellness. The registered dieticians and expert chefs have developed and prepared over 100 recipes following the sodium, calorie, fat, and saturated fat recommendations of AHA (American Heart Association).

They care for your heart and health in the same way as you do. All of their heart-healthy meals have less than 3.5 gms of saturated fat and 600 mg of sodium in each portion.

Having a healthy heart is the foundation of your overall wellness. Remember, you only have one heart, which can never be replaced. Take care of it to be alive and kicking. Whether you’ve any existing heart ailment, various risk factors for developing heart diseases in the future, or you simply want to shower some love to your heart, BistroMD’s heart-healthy program is your Go-To solution.

Many studies have proven that dietary modification and weight-loss can play a significant role in reducing the risk of heart disease by keeping it healthy. If you are not pro-statistics but love your life, take charge of your health now. Get inspired by the numerous success stories of the BistroMD heart-healthy program and be one of them.

Gluten-Free Program

If you have Celiac disease or intolerances towards certain food items, it’s recommended to go for a Gluten-free diet.

BistroMD gluten-free meals conform to the FDA gluten-free standard and do not have rye, barley, or wheat.

The gluten-free diet is a medically-proven solution for controlling symptoms caused by food intolerances and allergies. Achieving a gluten-free lifestyle with your own effort is quite tricky as it involves meal planning, shopping, developing the recipes, and preparing meals every single day.

The gluten-free weight-loss program of BistroMD offers plenty of options to suit your dietary needs. This program is backed by the research and expertise of Dr. Caroline Cederquist, the founding physician. They understand that you want to manage food sensitivities and lose weight at the same time.

Your weight gain might have caused by factors like stress, age, hormonal changes, or genetics. The gluten-free recipes of BistroMD are designed with a single aim of correcting your metabolic disorder and help your body to lose excess fat and sustain that.

Diabetic-Friendly Program

Every meal of the BistroMD diabetic program has around 25 grams of net carbohydrates. Dr. Caroline and her team understand that your diabetic diet needs a less yet consistent percentage of carb.

If you have diabetes, eating right is essential for losing weight, sustaining weight loss, and maintaining good health. If you plan to do it all by yourself by following and developing a strict diabetic diet regime, things can be confusing and stressful at times.

BistroMD well understands your struggle and they are committed to helping you with doorstep delivery of diabetic-friendly meals. BistroMD diabetic program is the brainchild of Dr. Caroline and was developed based on the needs and concerns expressed by diabetic program members.

Being a board-certified and recommended bariatric specialist. Dr. Cederquist nicely mixed up delicious flavors of the best world cuisines with the dietary requirement of a diabetic patient in every diabetic-friendly meal.

Vegetarian Program

Eat vegetarian and stay healthy, that’s has been the life’s norm of many celebrities and sportspersons. Join the bandwagon with the delicious veggie meal plans of BistroMD. First, you need to understand that a vegetarian diet may have multiple forms and definitions.

BistroMD’s veggie program has an abundance of plant-based meals with certain dairy and seafood options. The program is doctor-designed and created to offer you a wide range of options.

If you are a keen follower of the vegetarian diet, BistroMD has got your back. Their veggie plans include plenty of plant-based elements along with eggs, dairy, and seafood. With so many varieties, it’s super-easy to satiate the varying taste buds of vegetarian people. It will be appropriate to call these plans flexitarian instead of vegetarian. No matter how many varieties are offered, BistroMD never compromises its core principle of weight-loss through balanced nutrition. If you want to lose weight or simply savor the delicious vegetarian meals delivered to your dinner table, the choice is yours.

See Also: Meal for the vegetarian on sun basket 

Menopause Program

BistroMD menopause program is specially designed to control insulin overproduction and your blood-sugar level. Dr. Caroline and the team achieve this goal by keeping the net amount of carb to less than 25 grams in your every meal. Excessive Carbohydrates can hurt your blood sugar level. Controlling it in your daily diet helps you to utilize your energy better and shed excess fat.

Menopause triggers hormonal imbalances in your body. Even if you are super healthy and the best of eaters, menopause can still throw you into a weight-gaining tailspin. Dr. Cederquist, the author of MD Factor Diet and founder member of BistroMD, helps you navigate the changing dietary needs at this crucial transition of your life.

The menopause program of BistroMD is carefully crafted to provide you with essential lean protein and a restricted amount of carb in your meal. Once you sign up with BistroMD, you will get unlimited free access to their expert dieticians, along with important wellness information. Empower yourself by gaining knowledge and implementing it at the core of your lifestyle.

Keto Flex

Now, how about a keto diet that includes pasta, bagels, and rice and, at one and the same time, is sustainable for the long term? That’s the Keto Flex program of BistroMD – a low-carb plan that isn’t as restrictive as a standard keto diet.

This contains high-protein, low-carb breakfasts like Artichoke, Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Frittata, and Smoked Chipotle Pork and Eggs. Lunch and dinner options include meatloaf, turkey breast, grilled salmon, tilapia, chicken, and a lot more – all high in protein with lower carbs, calories, and fats.

Is BistroMD a Good Way to Lose Weight?

BistroMD Lose Weight

BistroMD prepared meals, unlike the others, are specifically created for weight loss. They offer complete 5-day and 7-day meal plans that are geared toward supporting weight loss. So, it’s a dedicated weight loss meal delivery service, and that’s what sets it apart from the rest.

All of their programs are low calorie and high protein. You will consume no more than just 1,200–1,400 calories per day. Most of these come from eggs, fish, and meat (lean proteins indeed).  This high-protein, low-calorie consumption is very effective when it comes to shedding weight.

BistroMD ensures that you cut calories without having to deal with any negative health consequences associated with such a weight loss strategy. That is why they provide meals equipped with a wide range of vegetables and fruits, along with healthy snacks.

And let’s not forget that Dr. Caroline Cederquist has dealt with many insulin-resistant patients and helped them accomplish their weight loss goals. She’s a board-certified physician in Functional Medicine, Family Medicine, and Bariatrics. So, she knows what programs and meals work for long-term, consistent weight loss.

Is BistroMD Good for Vegans and Vegetarians?

BistroMD for Vegetarians

BistroMD has its own separate Vegan program for plant-based eaters. It’s a fairly new meal plan that features all kinds of plant proteins and whole foods. Around 25 ready-to-eat vegan meals are available on each week’s menu.

Typically, these dishes contain 13–15 grams of protein and under 300–310 calories per serving. Naturally, the vegan options are packed with healthy and tasty whole food options instead of processed plant-based ingredients.

You can expect to find delicious, nutritious meals with tofu, beans, mushrooms, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc. There’s also Vegan Mac & Cheez with BBQ Tofu and Tarka Dal Curry with Kale & Zucchini.

But I would also like to mention here that BistroMD might not be the most suitable choice for vegans and vegetarians because of the limited options. But this doesn’t eradicate the fact that the company serves its vegetables fresh, which is a huge achievement considering the meals are premade. The veggies definitely taste fresher than grocery-bought frozen meals.

What are the top reasons to consider BistroMD?

Do you hate long queues for grocery shopping and hours of meal planning?

Are you feeling bloated with continuous consumption of outside food?

Cooking, eating, and maintaining a healthy habit to achieve weight-loss goals may sound intimidating with the kind of time and patience it takes. Trust us, keep at it for a few months, and everything will feel like a part of the grand plan.

BistroMD has been on the journey of helping people in achieving their weight-loss goals and optimal health. They understand that not all of us have access to a personal dietician or chef to count on every calory consumed. Their diet program has been developed to meet your health goals, keeping all these into consideration.

BistroMD’s frozen meal service gives equal importance to your health and taste. Each of their delicacies is conceptualized to satiate your taste bud and give you the optimum nutrition at the same time.

The expert chefs and dieticians of BistroMD have built a wholistic plan to make you enjoy the food and walk on your healthy journey.

You have to plan well to eat well. You may wonder why do we say that? You have to scout for healthy ingredients in the nearby grocery store, prepare the recipes, and finally cook it even when you are time-strapped and tired. An enthusiastic start may die down soon and make you gorge on the fast-food options too often. Why take a chance when you can place all your trust in the diet program of BistroMD.

Let’s tell you a story that will help you find your purpose. Dr. Caroline Cederquist and her husband Ed launched BistroMD with a single-minded objective of making their customers lose weight and remain healthy. Dr. Caroline is a bariatric specialist used to treat patients in her Weight-Loss clinic. Her journey started well, but after a few months, she started noticing that her patients were feeling overwhelmed at the very idea of weight-loss. They were often confused and sometimes clueless about where to start when they were advised to follow a healthier and home-cooked diet.

That’s when and after a lot of contemplation she came up with the idea of BistroMD. She developed different wholistic diet programs that could provide everyone healthy and easy-to-cook recipes to follow. Caroline’s expertise to guide the customers with the right path of weight loss and Ed’s knowledge of different world cuisines were a winning combination. Their partnership helped the company achieve its core objective – “Weight Loss with Wholistic Diet Plan.

Both Ed and his wife work hard to procure natural ingredients from local marketplaces and farmer’s markets across the world. Their single aim is to create dishes that are fresh and delicious.

Top 3 Best Selling Meals of BistroMD

BistroMD Top Best Selling Meals

1. Artichoke Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Frittata

The fluffy whole egg frittata will melt in your mouth and give you heightened sensory pleasure with its high-quality ingredients. Stuffed with roasted red pepper and artichoke with the filling of white cheddar cheese will increase your craving with every bite. Complement this delicious breakfast with protein-packed, tender, and juicy turkey sausage served on the side. Brighten your day with a mouthful of heavenly delicacies.

2. Hickory Smoked BBQ Pork with Broccoli

The juicy pork loin is smoked first, and then carefully hand-pulled. The savory pulled pork is smothered in homemade BBQ sauce with a touch of brown sugar and honey. The saucy and sugary BBQ pork gets accompanied by apple slaw and a tangy purple cabbage with emerald-colored broccoli served on the side.

3. Beef with Red Wine Sauce and Barley

BistroMD’s finely braised beef cuts are covered in a savory port wine sauce that makes them melt in your mouth within seconds. This sensational dish comes with a roasted medley of red onions, butternut squash, red bell papers, and carrots, served on top of a bed of super-healthy barley.

BistroMD Add-Ons

BistroMD Add-Ons

The E-A-T-S package on the BistroMD menu puts emphasis on healthy snacks, sidestepping the use of artificially manufactured sweeteners. The chefs go the extra mile to use healthy proteins and convert them into snacks that not only taste good but provide the energy to keep you going between meals.

EATS snacks comprise premium proteins like whey from grass-fed cows and soy that’s non-genetically modified, along with nuts, seeds, and nitrate-free meat.

Snacks that you didn’t think were possible to make healthy are offered on BistroMD’s menu. The snacks are also categorized according to meal plans: Signature, Gluten-Free, Heart Healthy, Keto Flex, Diabetic, Menopause, and Vegan.

There are snacks to drink like different flavors of Protein Punch (lemonade, mixed berry, orange, etc.), as well as a wide variety of binge-worthy snacks like protein bars, cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon pretzels, chips, etc.

I dug deeper to find that the snacks are high in proteins and low in calories, contributing to weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and better metabolism.

I see how effective and powerful BistroMD’s approach to healthy eating is, especially for people who find it hard to control the impulse to reach for a bag of unhealthy potato chips or a sugar-laden brownie for binge eating!

BistroMD Pricing

*Last updated: Jan 2023
Healthy Plan
$7.99*
/service
5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners
Gluten-Free
$7.99*
/service
5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners
BistroMD Meals Pricing

Choose meals for 5 or 7 days – the full 7-day meal plan costs more than its 5-day counterpart.

On top of that, you can select a customized plan – only lunch and dinner meals. Pick breakfast only if you’re a breakfast person, so you won’t mind paying more for this third or rather first meal of the day.

Here’s the complete BistroMD cost breakdown:

  • Full Program for 7 days – 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 6 dinners – will cost you around $220 or around $165 with the first-week discount.
  • Full Program for 5 days – 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 5 dinners – will cost you around $190 or around $145 with the first-week discount.
  • Only lunches and dinners for 7 days will cost you around $190 or around $145 with the first-week discount.
  • Only lunches and dinners for 5 days will cost you around $150 or around $115 with the first-week discount.

Be it for 5 or 7 days, the price per serving when breakfast is included is between $11 and $13 and between $13 and $15 per serving when you opt out of breakfast.

Snacks are added, which cost extra,and the shipping fee is a flat $20 per order.

As for the first-week discount, you get 25% on your very first BistroMD order.

BistroMD Cost Per Week

BistroMD Cost per Week

A week in BistroMD’s calendar comprises two types of meal plans, 5 days and 7 days. On top of that, you can also customize your order by including or excluding snacks and breakfasts.

Despite its varied menu and customizable meal programs, BistroMD is wallet-friendly and cost-efficient. The meal prices vary from $9.50 to $13 per serving, but the more meals you add to the order, the less cost per serving you end up paying.

The weekly costs, depending on the meal program you select, which includes full breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks, fall within the ranges of $115–$220 with the first-week discount (40% off for new customers with free shipping).

BistroMD Cost Per Month

BistroMD Cost per Month

Like the idea of planning meals ahead of time? No problem. BistroMD lets you opt for meals for a complete month at special rates, starting from $9.99 per serving. You get more value out of each meal you order, and it gives you a chance to handpick meals as per your personal taste and convenience.

Excluding the shipping fee, expect to pay roughly $650–$1,000 monthly for 5 or 7 meals per week, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Recurring customers often opt for monthly orders once they’ve established a liking for their meals and diet lifestyle. Having said that, there is more to gain in cutting per-serving costs when you order for a month versus a one-time weekly order.

BistroMD Delivery Locations

BistroMD Delivery Location

BistroMD delivers to the continental USA only, so no Alaska and Hawaii deliveries are made. FedEx is the transport company they use for shipping orders. The tracking details are emailed to you once your package is shipped.

Disappointingly, on BistroMD, you cannot choose the delivery day or time. This depends on where you live. But you will be notified (by call or text through FedEx) about the delivery day and time beforehand.

BistroMD Packaging

According to the Packaging & Recycling section on the FAQs page of BistroMD, recycled and recyclable materials are used for packaging.

They use small-sized meal trays with a plastic seal covered with a cardboard sleeve. Every meal is frozen with the help of thermal coolers and dry ice. A lot of cardboard is employed for dividers and boxes – all of it recyclable!

Are BistroMD Meals Good?

BistroMD Is it Good

Flavor and freshness are up to the mark in the case of BistroMD. The fully prepared meals arrive fresh and safe and sound, although there have been complaints about the ingredients being bland, which means you might have to add more seasonings of your own. BistroMD actually recommends this on the packaging of some of their meals.

This issue, however, has more to do with flavor than freshness because in terms of freshness, since BistroMD meals are flash-frozen right away after being prepared, the shelf life is long. Plus, you receive them frozen. So, you have to store the food immediately and can keep it in your freezer for the whole year provided it always remains in that frozen state.

As for the thawed meals, you should consume them within 2–3 days.

BistroMD’s seafood is responsibly sourced, the meat is hormone-free, and they partner with small, local farms – no aspartame, trans fat, and MSG either!

A big setback, especially if you prioritize this particular factor, is that the ingredients are not organic. The company is not clear about its ingredients being organic, nor is it vague or anything of the sort; they just don’t mention it. However, in the separate Gluten Free program of BistroMD, the meals are FDA-standard gluten-free.

You will find full labels, which include the allergens included, such as dairy, soy, gluten, tomatoes, garlic, onion, etc. So, nothing is hidden from you, and everything is as clear as a bright day –BistroMD makes sure of that.

Are BistroMD Meals Easy to Prepare?

BistroMD easy to prepare

None of BistroMD’s meals require prep work the way meal kits do. Their meals are all heat-and-eat which means they are cooked fresh and delivered in single-serve containers that are microwave-friendly.

What is unique is that the meals are frozen which not many prepared meals offer. To make things easier, each meal is accompanied by proper heating instructions for microwaving or conventional oven heating.

The general rule of thumb is to thaw the meal in the refrigerator one day prior to when you eat it.

If you want the food’s texture to be richer, less soggy, and mushy, using a conventional oven is ideal. Microwaved meals tend to become mushy because of the moisture, regardless of whether you choose to thaw the meal first before microwaving or go ahead and heat a frozen meal as it is.

The majority of BistroMD meals come with microwaving heating instructions, usually taking around 3–5 minutes each. Heating the food in a conventional oven takes longer, up to 20 minutes. On a stovetop, the average time is between 7 and 20 minutes.

I’ve found that using a conventional-use stove or a skillet to heat meals instead of microwaving produces more appetizing and satisfying results.

BistroMD Coupons, Promotions, Discounts

BistroMD Coupon

Currently, first-time customers are eligible to receive a 40% discount plus free shipping on their first order. This promotion is available for all meal plans including the following:

  • Signature
  • Gluten Free
  • Heart Healthy
  • Keto Flex
  • Diabetic
  • Menopause
  • Vegan

The discount code is automatically added during checkout, so you don’t have to copy-paste the code before making the payment.

BistroMD Recipes to Try

All BistroMD meals’ containers are oven- and microwave-friendly, which reiterates the fact that the meals are premade and ready to eat. Pop them into your oven or microwave for a few minutes, and your food shall be ready without having to do any meal prep or cleanup!

The heating instructions are easy and quick to follow and are to be found on the cardboard sleeve of each meal. This heat-and-eat process is very convenient where you don’t need to make time or effort, unlike meal kits.

Below are some of the most indulgent BistroMD meals.

I always find the idea of having pork tenderloin very comforting. On the BistroMD menu, the name of the dish is Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Marsala. About the meal, BistroMD writes, “…delicious and tender pork tenderloin…This dish is completed by savory garlic and prosciutto-mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and rosemary green beans.”

Another appealing and comforting meal is Meatloaf with Honey Bourbon Glaze. There are 3 other versions of this – Southwest Bison Meatloaf, Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf, and Chicken Spinach Meatloaf.

Yuca fries are served with the bacon cheeseburger meatloaf dish in place of unhealthy traditional fries. The others come with quinoa, green bell peppers, carrots, green beans, kidney beans, and many other delightful vegetables and sauces.

How to Order from BistroMD Using the App/Website?

BistroMD How to Order

BistroMD sends you premade meals once every week. One-time orders are not an option here since the aim of the company is to encourage you to incorporate those meals into your daily diet that have a long-term impact on your body. You have to choose between 5 and 7 days and 2 and 3 meals per day.

There are snacks as well that you can add, and they seem to be a very important part of each BistroMD meal program. These snacks are recommended by a team of registered dieticians; thus, they’re highly nutritious and, at the same time, tasty.

They stress the importance of snacking in order to prevent the body from going into starvation mode, which tends to hold on to each calorie and, as a consequence, inhibits weight loss.

They have their own snack options, no more than only 150 calories and 10–15 grams of protein, for example, Greek yogurt, nut butter, unsalted nuts, and more of the same kind of binge-worthy food.

BistroMD meals arrive fully and freshly prepared; therefore, you just have to reheat them in your oven or microwave.  All of the dishes are low calorie and high protein, hence ideal for weight loss.

Here’s how to order BistroMD meals for the first time:

Step 1 – Choose Your Meal Program

You always start by picking a meal plan that perfectly accommodates your dietary needs, preferences, and restrictions. In this case, those are most likely to be related to weight loss. So, it’s good to know that BistroMD offers multiple customized weight loss programs, including heart-healthy, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, keto flex, menopause, and vegan.

There is a Signature meal plan too, one specifically for men and another for women.

Step 2 – Select the Number of Days

Full programs provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner (snacks optional) for all 7 days of the week.

Then there’s also a 5-day plan, which consists of lunches and dinners only.

Step 3 – Select Your Meals

Depending on the BistroMD meal program you choose, the registered dieticians form a healthy, custom diet for you. You can control or adjust the menu and also input any taste or diet preferences.

Make edits, even to your customized plan, by logging into your BistroMD account. It’s the most convenient and useful feature!

Every weekly menu has more than 150 chef-prepared meals to choose from that don’t take more than just 5 minutes to spruce up.

How to Cancel BistroMD Orders?

You can skip deliveries, cancel the plan, and make many changes the most easily. Even editing your delivery address is possible in situations when traveling. You can only initiate these changes for your upcoming order before the deadline – Wednesday, 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

Now, here’s how to cancel your BistroMD subscription:

  • Go to “My Account” after logging in on BistroMD.
  • Look for “Update Plan” and click it.
  • You will find the “Cancel Subscription” button somewhere at the bottom of the page.
  • Leave your feedback (this is optional), and finally click “Cancel Program” to end the process.

You can, however, reactivate the same account whenever you like.

BistroMD Pros & Cons

BistroMD Pros Cons
Pros
  • It offers a wide range of nutrition-rich meal programs.
  • We tested almost all of their meals and found those to be super-delicious
  • You have the flexibility to customize your meal plan according to weight-loss goals and dietary needs.
  • Get a free consultation with BistroMD registered dieticians to customize your meal plan
  • If you love plant-based meals or have any food intolerance, it's recommended to go for BistroMD's Vegetarian and gluten-free programs.
  • Calorie restrictive, heart healthy, diabetes-friendly, and more
  • A vast menu with over 150 entrees
  • Low-calorie, high-protein, portion-controlled meals
  • Separate BistroMD EATS – Essential and Tasty Snacks
Cons
  • Ingredient swapping, meal customization, etc. are not possible.
  • You have to incur extra shipping charge for Hawaii and Alaska
  • BistroMD only delivers to Fairbanks, Eagle River, and Anchorage within Alaska region
  • You get fewer vegetarian options with BistroMD compared to other meal services
  • You won't get any vegan options with BistroMD.
  • No organic ingredients.
  • Shipping fees and price per serving are expensive.

Is BistroMD Worth It for A Family?

BistroMD for Family

BistroMD prioritizes weight loss and blood sugar control and management more effectively than anything else. To match up to the varied needs of a family, it may not come across as the most family-friendly and comforting.

One key feature of ordering BistroMD’s meals is that their portion sizes are relatively smaller. They might not keep up with people with large appetites. Having said that, the added snacks provide the extra nourishment you need to get through each day without indulging.

The wide range of food options, which makes up for over 100 different items on the menu, is another great reason to invest in BistroMD for families. If achieving your health goals without running out of options is on your mind, BistroMD is a fantastic option to try out.

What Do Customers Have to Say About BistroMD?

On the Reviews page of BistroMD, there’s no scarcity of positive feedback. They say that positive customer reviews are social proofs that enhance the reliability of the company. If someone has left favorable feedback, it means their experience has been satisfying, which is exactly the case with BistroMD.

Here’s what some verified customers have to say about BistroMD.

“…pleasantly surprised with the quality of the meals.”

“The food is delicious and it does help you lose weight.”

“…deliveries are always on time.”

“Best meal plan system ever.”

“I love the meals and snacks and feel FULL and SATISFIED after eating.”

Is BistroMD Better Than Others?

BistroMD offers premade meals specifically designed for weight loss. Their entire menu consists of meals that cater to weight loss goals. That’s how BistroMD is different from other prepared meal delivery services. BistroMD is fully committed to helping and supporting you when it comes to shedding weight and also long-term weight management.

It also differs from some of the other services in that BistroMD doesn’t rely on heavily processed ingredients and foods.

Also, the ready-to-eat meals are thoughtfully portioned, low fat, low calorie, and high protein – ideal for weight loss. Even the snacks, which are an important part of the meal plans, are nutrient-dense as well as delicious. You should be looking forward to GMO-free soy, seeds, nuts, grass-fed whey, hormone-free meats, and a lot more goodness.

BistroMD Alternatives

BistroMD-Alternatives

1. Thistle

If you’re vegetarian, you’ll get more out of Thistle than BistroMD. The former is a completely plant-based meal delivery service, offering unique daily meal plans including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks – just like BistroMD.

Though it has fewer meal items on its menu than BistroMD, Thistle is a fine choice for vegans and vegetarians who want to lose weight on a calorie-controlled diet. Thistle’s meals are preportioned and nutritionally dense.

Thistle is slightly more expensive than BistroMD starting from $11 per serving up to $14.50 per serving. Snacks cost extra, up to $3 per item.

2. Sunbasket

Sunbasket is the meal kit equivalent of BistroMD with different dietary categories and meal types. It features meal kits, premade meals, breakfast, lunch, groceries, sauces, pasta, a la carte proteins, and snacks.

In diets, it supports low calorie, paleo, diabetic, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Each meal kit serves two people. There are plenty of other dietary options like high protein, keto, etc.

The cost per serving starts from $11.49, but there is an exciting offer running on their website, which gives you a $90 cost reduction on the first four boxes, plus shipping is free.

3. Sakara Life

Sakara Life is a serious wellness-focused meal delivery service for plant-based eaters. It offers organic ingredients that are chef-curated and nutrient-rich. Snacks and supplements are also available at an additional cost that help you meet your health goals.

Ideal for individuals seeking a convenient, health-conscious diet palate, Sakara Life’s meals prioritize controlled eating for weight loss. It also caters to people on a gluten-free diet.

It may not be the ideal setup for families; rather, its meal programs are carefully designed to boost metabolism, improve gut health, detox, and nourish the body with organic and GMO-free plant-based foods.

BistroMD Customer Service

BistroMD Customer Support

There is a Contact & Technical Support section on BistroMD’s FAQs page.

Getting in touch with their customer service team is very simple – call (866 401 3438) or email them (customerservice@bistroMD.com). You can get through via call between Monday and Friday, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time,or on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

Callbacks and response times are very prompt, and the interactions are really helpful and friendly. But what makes BistroMD customer service even more appealing is the availability of a dietitian for some help and assistance regarding any of the meal programs.

Why You Should Order from BistroMD

BistroMD Why You Should Order

We like the concept of BistroMD that’s based on a doctor’s guide and nutrition recipes. Unlike most meal delivery companies, BistroMD’s primary focus is to help people lose weight and stay fit. Their menu contains ready-to-cook food items with perfect nutritional balance. After subscribing to their services, you can opt for a custom diet program suggested by BistroMD registered dietitians. You will get real-time support and guidance from her on your weight-loss journey.

BistroMD is one of the most straightforward and renowned diet-focused meal delivery providers in the industry. Their experts take care of everything from grocery shopping to cooking to shipping at finally fulfilling your nutritional requirements. You just have to pick a suitable plan and wait for the delicious food to arrive at your doorstep.

You can either place your BistroMD order over the phone or online. After you have ordered, you can start personalizing your diet together with BistroMD registered dieticians. Set your taste and preferences and select a plan that satisfies your nutritional needs. BistroMD offers menopause and diabetes-friendly, gluten-free meal options, and many more. You can tweak your meal plan any time you want based on your changed dietary requirements.

Our research has found out that BistroMD has a greater focus on changing your bad lifestyle habits rather than providing traditional diet service. All their meals are delivered with the exact number of servings and high-quality ingredients. Whenever you need any guidance or support in your weight-loss journey, you can get in touch with the best of their dieticians.

We think BistroMD plans are perfect for:                                                            

  • People wishing to lead a healthy life and achieve weight-loss
  • People wanting to try specific nutrition and diet plans in their daily meals
  • People with food intolerance and a preference for a gluten-free diet
  • Diabetic patients with a need to follow a particular diet plan
  • Menopausal females wanting to stay healthy and eat right

Read More: Home Chef Review

FAQ's

Petes-Real-Food-FAQ

Choose a plan that goes with your schedule and dietary preferences. Every week, select from more than 150 delicious chef-made and high-quality meals that you can eat in less than 5 minutes. Are you considering gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, or menopause-friendly weight-loss diet or simply want to enjoy healthy entrees? Whatever may be the scenario, BistroMD has got your covered. If you love snacking, then the EATS (Essential and Tasty Snacks) program should be added to your preference list to speed up your weight loss.

Yes, when placing an order, you can choose between meal plans spanning 5 or 7 days, with options for 2 or 3 meals per day, including breakfast, lunch/dinner, and snacks. Under each meal category, you have a whole menu to pick from across different meal programs like Signature, Gluten Free, Heart Healthy, Diabetic, Menopause, and Vegan.

Once you receive the meal kit box of BistroMD, carefully follow the instructions and store it properly.

Meal, seafood, or fresh produce come with a fixed expiry date. BistroMD recommends you refrigerate your meal kit if you want to skip cooking on the delivery day.

BistroMD has a PAN US delivery network except for some pockets of Alaska. Once FedEx picks up your order, it can take approximately 6 working days for you to get the delivery. BistroMD only delivers in Eagle River, Anchorage, and Fairbanks in Alaska.

Once your order is shipped, the unique tracking link is sent by BistroMD. You can easily use it to track your delivery update.

You don’t need any meal preparation with BistroMD.

They do all the important groundwork for you, such as grocery shopping, prepping, and cooking the meal for you. All of their meals are fully cooked and packed in insulated boxes. You only need to heat it in the microwave and eat right away. The entire process should take between 3 to 5 minutes.

Of course, BistroMD has plenty of gift cards option. They offer gift certificates and cards of different denominations. To get more details on their gift cards, you can email or call their customer service.

BistroMD is a recurring meal program which works as per your convenience. You have to insert your order and billing information once the subscription process is complete. The company follows an auto-renewal and deliver every meal at your doorstep.

Payments get processed every Wednesday after 5 pm, ET, and Thursday for the next week’s meal. You can set an auto-debit option in your credit card for recurring weekly payments. If you cancel the subscription after a deadline, you will get the last shipment from BistroMD and will be charged for that week.

BistroMD recommends that you wash all fresh produce, which includes fruits, herbs, and vegetables before cooking and eating them.

BistroMD’s frozen, fully prepared meals can be stored in the freezer for a year. With frozen meals that are also delivered frozen and stored uninterrupted in the freezer, the shelf life can be that long.

Thawed BistroMD meals, on the other hand, must be consumed within 2–3 days.

Eliminating specific ingredients from your diet is not possible with BistroMD. Swapping ingredients is not available either. They do have a gluten-free menu, however, that you can choose to avoid gluten in your diet.

Each meal is equipped with a full ingredient list and nutritional information that you can comb through to avoid dishes with any particular ingredient you don’t want or don’t like.

You may cancel your meal plan subscription at any time within the posted deadlines of BistroMD. For week 1, you have to place the order before midnight on Sunday, and the delivery should arrive on Wednesday at 5 pm ET in the coming week. If you do not follow the deadline while canceling the order, you will end up receiving the delivery for next week. The cancelation will come into effect from next week’s shipment.

You can also personalize or pause your program at any time by logging into mybistromd.com or by getting in touch with Member Services. You should reach out to Member Services before the weekly deadline to get assistance on cancelling or putting a temporary hold on the program.

You should plan well in advance at least one week before to give BistroMD the required time for implementing the suggested changes. Week 1 members should follow the cancellation deadline of 12 Am ET on Sundays. Other members can request cancelation anytime on or after 5 Pm ET on Wednesdays. You need to follow these deadlines to cancel your weekly delivery.