Epicured Review 2023: Everything You Need to Know

The idea of a diet with medical restrictions does not resonate with deliciousness. But Epicured is a meal delivery system that combines good taste with healthy choices. Epicured can satisfy people in need of gluten-free and low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) food. The meal delivery service will give you the required nutrition with many conveniences.

Epicured meals are perfect for people overburdened with their modern lifestyle and have no time for prepping or cooking. Read the detailed review about this meal delivery system to understand why it’s perfect for meeting your nutritional requirements.

Epicured is a meal delivery service that works on subscription. But it is slightly different from all the other meal delivery services that work on a subscription basis. Epicured offers an a la carte selection from a menu ranging from over fifty items. All the food items from Epicured are gluten-free and low FODMAP. Epicured can offer you recurring deliveries. But your meal plans will not vary until you manually select them.

Epicured was founded by Richard Benett and Renee Cherkezian in 2015. Richard has always been focused on improving the healthcare system. He used to work at Northwell Health, the largest health system in New York. One evening Renee came to him with an idea of “food as medicine.” The two classmates co-founded Epicured and developed it into a hub of clinical and culinary expertise.

The meal delivery system attempts to leverage the natural healing power of food to make people eat, feel, and live better. Epicured teams up with chefs, doctors, and dieticians to create functional and flavorful menus. The meal delivery system is highly beneficial for people with Colitis, IBS, Crohn’s, and other health issues.

Epicured focuses on top-notch safety and hygiene protocols. All tools, equipment, surfaces, and appliances are cleaned and sanitized before and after use. The cooking area of Epicured is firmly segregated to adhere to the highest standards of safe meals. Epicured prioritizes customers and offers them healthy and delicious food to make them feel better. The meal delivery service loves constantly innovating to offer you new items to discover.

Epicured has an array of food items on its menu. Roughly 30 heat-and-eat entrees, four soups, eight salads, and more than 20 vegetable, grain, and protein sides can be seen on their menu. Apart from lunch and dinner, you also have a selection of snacks, beverages, breakfasts, and desserts. But everything on Epicured’s menu is low FODMAP and gluten-free.

The menu remains almost the same with some seasonal additions. Sometimes specials are also offered with collaborators. The name and price of each item are available on the menu page. You can use several filters related to ingredients and nutrients.

The nutrition-specific accommodations in the filters include various major allergens and health condition restrictions beyond gluten-free and low FODMAP diets. Some items also allow customers to select which protein they want such as fish, poultry, tofu, or beef.

You have the option of adding individual items to your cart or choose from the themed bundles available at Epicured.

• You can get the Chef’s Favorites Bundle. It contains some of the favorite new items from chef Dani Chavez-Bello, a culinary expert with work experience across the US and Europe.
• You can also choose one from options such as “freezer filler” bundles which contain a variety of freezer-friendly food items.
• You can also try out seasonal selections like the “summer bundle.”
• The Multi-Day Bundles at Epicured are also a popular choice as they contain specific menus for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner.

After you have added all your favorites to the cart, proceed to checkout and select a day of delivery. If you need to make any edits to your recurring order, do it before 1 p.m. on Friday for the upcoming week.

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Epicured has over 30 heat-and-eat entrees in its extensive menu. Customers can choose from four soups and eight salad bowls. With over 20 grain, vegetable, and protein sides on its menu, Epicured offers a lot of healthy choices. Epicured offers a complete meal experience to customers with various options for breakfast, snacks, dessert, and drinks.

In some cases, customers can customize the type of protein they want in their diet. The two major types of meal plans available under Epicured are as follows:

Low FODMAP diet

Low FODMAP is one of the primary ideas behind all Epicured meal plans. FODMAPs refer to sugars and fibers that are hard to digest such as garlic, cabbage, pears, milk, pasta, and others. They pass through the small intestine without being fully digested. After passing into the colon, FODMAPs ferment and lead to gas formation.

When they reach the small intestine, they pull water into the gut. The water and gas build-up and stretch the intestine. This process leads to bloating, cramping, pain, flatulence, constipation, or diarrhea. People with a sensitive intestine need to consume a low FODMAP diet all the time.

Features of Epicured low FODMAP diet

• The low FODMAP meals from Epicured enable better digestion.
• The meals prevent bloating, cramping, stomach pain, flatulence, constipation, or diarrhea
• The meals, prepared with fresh ingredients, are the best for people with digestive disorders

How does Epicured prepare a low FODMAP diet?

• The low FODMAP diet revolves around nutritional intervention phases that include elimination, reintroduction, and personalization.
• The complexities of the low FODMAP diet make it difficult to start without the advice of a dietician.
• The Health Network of Epicured consists of some of the best dietitians and doctors focused on gut health.

Why choose a low FODMAP diet from Epicured?

• The low FODMAP meals from Epicured are 100% approved by dieticians.
• The chefs at Epicured do not compromise deliciousness while cooking healthy meals.
• Stomach cramps and gassy feelings can be avoided with the low FODMAP diet from Epicured.

Gluten-free diet

Epicured also focuses on preparing gluten-free food, which means all the items on their menu are exclusive of the protein gluten. Gluten is commonly found in different types of cereals. Unfortunately, a lot of people are allergic to gluten. To give customers more, Epicured decided to provide meals without it.

Features of Epicured gluten-free meals

• The dishes on Epicured’s menu do not contain wheat, rye, or barley.
• Even the pasta and roll from Epicured are 100% gluten-free.
• The meals prevent foodborne illnesses suffered by people with gluten allergies.

How does Epicured prepare a gluten-free meal?

• They use oats from gluten-free harvest to help people with digestive disorders.
• The gluten-free meal plans are designed by their Michelin-star chef and Chief Culinary Officer, Dani Chavez-Bello.
• A team of dedicated dieticians and doctors work at Epicured to offer the best meal plans for people with digestive disorders.

Why choose gluten-free meals from Epicured?

• All gluten-free meals from Epicured are made with the best ingredients.
• Good Housekeeping called Epicured the best gluten-free meal delivery service in 2021.

Epicured offers options for vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian meals.

1. Thai Green Curry (Chicken)

Are you craving a healthy but delightful serving of chicken? The dish from Epicured is a wholesome combination of chicken and mixed vegetables. The dish is cooked in light coconut oil and green curry sauce. Basil and cilantro are simmered in the end to enhance their flavor. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner with a serving of steamed basmati rice.

Ingredients:

• Chicken
• Coconut milk
• Water
• Basmati rice
• Eggplant
• Red bell pepper
• Lime juice
• Basil
• Yellow squash
• Ginger juice
• Zucchini
• Scallions
• Garlic-infused olive oil
• Cilantro
• Curry powder
• Jalapeno pepper
• White pepper
• Cumin
• Salt

Calories	630
Fat	31 g
Carbohydrates	46 g
Protein	37 g

2. Vegan Chili

The Vegan chili from Epicured is a combination of flavor and aroma. Loaded with yummy veggies, the dish has little spice in it. Get ready for a serving of tempeh with carrots, tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, sweet yellow and red peppers. You can also taste a hint of paprika and cumin in the dish.

Since it is cooked from garlic-infused oil, your tastebuds will experience a garlicky flavor. The green tops of fresh scallions lend the onion flavor. The dish cooked with creativity is a good source of calcium, fiber, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Ingredients:

• Tempeh
• Tomatoes
• Water
• Carrots
• Red bell pepper
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Scallions
• Tomato paste
• Jalapeno pepper
• Paprika
• Garlic-infused olive oil
• Cumin
• White pepper
• Oregano
• Salt

Calories	280
Fat	9 g
Carbohydrates	29 g
Protein	22 g

3. Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw

If you love tacos and want to enjoy them without guilt, try out the fish tacos with red cabbage slaw from Epicured. The fresh fish tacos from Epicured are served in organic and artisanal corn tortillas. It is topped with lemon paprika aioli and tangy red cabbage slaw. The dish is a high source of potassium, fiber, zinc, magnesium, vitamin K and iron.

Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas
• Atlantic Cod
• Vegenaise
• Red cabbage
• Red radish
• Red bell pepper
• Lime
• Apple cider vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Egg whites
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Gluten-free rolled oats
• Garlic-infused olive oil
• Egg yolks
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Salt

Calories	630
Fat	39 g
Carbohydrates	36 g
Protein	29 g

Epicured offers everything under the a la carte system. Therefore, you can order as much as you want. Apart from the hot and savory entree-style meals, you have a variety of food items to choose from. Fresh salads, vegetable sides, snacks, desserts, and even smoothies and juices are available at Epicured.

The least expensive entree on the Epicured menu is priced at $9,99 but a majority of the meals are priced in the range of $12.99 to $18.99. If you want to choose from the seafood entrees, you will have to pay even higher. Apart from that, you also need to bear shipping charges.

Delivery charges are calculated according to your location.

For New York and the neighboring suburbs:

Free delivery is provided for a total weekly order of over $100.

• A delivery fee of $10 is charged on weekly orders below $100.
• Deliveries from Epciured are available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
• The areas included in New York are New York City, Nassau County, eastern Suffolk County, and Westchester.
• The surrounding suburbs include Morris, Essex, Passaic, Union, Hudson Counties, and Bergen in New Jersey. Fairfield County in Connecticut also falls under the category of surrounding suburbs.

For states east of the Mississippi River:

• Free delivery is provided for a total weekly order of over $100.
• A delivery fee of $10 is charged on weekly orders below $100.
• Delivery is offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Only in New England or the mid-Atlantic, Tuesdays serve as a delivery option.

For states west of the Mississippi River:

• A delivery fee of $30-40 is charged for a total delivery over $100.
• If the order is below $100, the delivery charge is around $35-45.
• Delivery is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Meals	Cost Per Meal
Entrees	$9.99 – $18.99
Breakfast	$6.99 – $8.99
Smoothies	$4.99 – $18.99
Bowls & Salads	$11.99 – $14.99
Soup	$5.99 – 10.99
Sides	$3.99 – 17.99
Snacks & Desserts	$5.99 – $19.99

Epicured offers meal delivery across the United States, covering 48 states. Epciured currently delivers via the following:

• Private courier to the metropolitan areas in New York
• UPS 1- day ground to a majority of lower and northeast New England
• UPS 2- day ground to a huge part of the region lying east to the Mississippi River
• UPS next day air to the remaining parts of the continental United States

Epicured meals are packaged in Polypropylene (PP) plastic containers which are recyclable, freezer-safe and microwaveable. The box in which the meals are delivered are well-insulated. Epicured also throws a few non-toxic ice packs in the boxes to keep your meals at the right temperature.

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• If you want to place an order at Epicured, you will have to create an account. You can create an account in the beginning or create it at checkout. While creating your account, you will have to provide basic personal details, delivery location, and payment information. You will not come across any preferences questionnaire while creating your account. Therefore, no pre-selected or recommended meals are available.
• While ordering, you can choose from a variety of menus and add whatever you like. No subscription options are available for ordering family-sized meals. But you can add as much as you want every week. With the static menu, you don’t have too many customization options. You can choose a protein source like beef, tofu, or eggs in some meals. Otherwise, you will have to select the meals as they are.
• After adding your preferred items to the cart, you will have to click on the checkout option. If you are already logged in, you don’t have to add your login details during checkout. You will be able to see the charges at checkout. You will have to select your payment ahead and go ahead with placing your order.
• If you want different orders every week, you will have to manually change your orders. You can visit the website and change meals with a few simple clicks. You can also cancel or skip meals quite conveniently on the website. You can also modify delivery dates and subscription details on the website without any hassle.

Epicured meals are clinically recommended for people with digestive disorders. The meal delivery system can reduce symptoms related to colitis, IBS, Crohn’s disease, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Considering it offers healthy food, we didn’t have high expectations regarding its taste. Despite this, Epicured does not fail to satisfy your taste buds.

A majority of the items on its menu pass with flying colors in terms of seasoning and balance. People are highly unlikely to need adjustments to the flavors of the food items. The dressings and sauces from Epicured are exceptional. The freshness and quality of ingredients is another reason behind giving Epicured a chance.

The elaborate FAQ section of Epicured contains answers to most of your general queries. Reaching the customer service of Epicured is not difficult. You have the option of contacting them through email, call, phone, or live chat.

But one drawback of Epicured is that they don’t offer customer support on the weekend. The customer support team is also not available after regular business hours.

The customer support team is efficient at answering delivery-related questions. But they don’t have adequate knowledge to answer diet-related questions. It’s surprising no dietician is available on the customer support team to answer diet-related queries.

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