Are Meal Delivery Services Worth It? My BistroMD Review
Doctor-designed and created specifically to promote weight loss, BistroMD offers a range of microwavable meals delivered straight to your door. The meals are cooked fresh, then frozen, and shipped out to customers, making it one of the most convenient diet plans in the industry.
BistroMD specializes in healthy eating, and plans are based around heart health, weight loss, diabetes management, and gluten-free options. BistroMD meals have the combined experience of a team of doctors and nutritionists behind them. Average daily calories from meals come in at around 1,200 per day, but each one is carefully designed to ensure you still get all of the essential vitamins and minerals you need.
What is BistroMD?
BistroMD meal-delivery service works a little differently from its rivals. Instead of receiving a box of ingredients, all of your meals have been precooked and just need to be popped into the microwave. Plus, all dishes are designed for just one person, and you won’t find meals for the whole family offered here due to the specialized nature of the plans. Meals will be delivered to you weekly and you can choose to cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all seven days per week or for just five days, if you prefer.
BistroMD Pros & Cons
- Great for weight-loss
- Meals are pretty tasty
- Extensive range of dishes to choose from
- Meals are designed by registered dieticians
- You have access to a team of dietitians as part of your plan
- Meals are well-balanced and filling despite low calorie-counts
- Diabetic and heart-healthy plans available
- Gluten-free
- Flexible plans to aid weight-loss goals
- Very expensive shipping costs
- There aren’t many vegetarian options
- Allergens aren’t well catered for
- Few organic or locally sourced ingredients
Who is BistroMD Good For?
People trying to lose weight – BistroMD was initially founded as a weight-loss program, and it still has a high degree of success in this regard today. There are numerous positive stories of customers losing between 10-100 lbs by signing up, and the weekly plans are completely flexible to help you work towards your goal. What’s more, a team of dieticians is just a phone call away if you need support
Busy people – Since all of the meals have been precooked, it only takes a couple of minutes to heat them through in the microwave. Add the fact that you can cover every single meal in a week and you’ll save hours of time you would’ve spent in the kitchen, freeing you up for other tasks
Specialist diets – If you struggle to manage your diabetes, or are looking for a diet designed around promoting a healthy heart, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll even find a plan designed to provide the best diet for women going through menopause
Lovers of variety – There are more than 150 tasty meals to choose from in total and you shouldn’t get bored along your diet journey
Who Isn’t BistroMD Good For?
Budget shoppers – For microwave meals, the price point is a little high. Averaging out at around $7.99 per portion, it’s more expensive than the supermarket. However, a lot of work has gone into the dishes behind the scenes to make them nutritionally balanced so this explains the extra cost
Home chefs – The big appeal of meal kits is that customers get to become culinary geniuses over time. Since all meals are pre-cooked here it can take the fun out of it for some people
Vegetarians – There’s a surprisingly limited selection of vegetarian meals on the menu, and you’ll have to do a little digging to find them. Even then, there probably won’t be enough to keep you interested for the long term
How BistroMD Works?
Once you’ve chosen your specialist diet plan, you’ll then decide how many meals you’d like each week. You can opt to cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner all seven days a week, or for just five, with the aim to look after yourself at the weekend. Alternatively, you can go for a lunch and dinner plan only. You have total control over the weekly menu, or you can leave everything in the hands of the BistroMD staff to choose for you.
We Build a Menu
We Cook & Deliver
Eat and Enjoy
BistroMD Website and App
The website is functional and provides detailed information on each plan and the nutritional value of the meal, but it could do with a little updating. Plus, selecting your meals and customizing your order can sometimes be a little clunky, whereas competitor sites have greatly streamlined this process. For your first few weeks, you might want to let the team choose for you.
You won’t find any apps here, so you’ll need to manage your meals and account completely via the website.
Creating an Account / Sign Up
On sign up, you’ll be asked to fill in a short questionnaire covering your age, height, and target weight. This will help BistroMD decide which plan you might be best suited for, or you can simply choose the diet plan you want and get started. Either way, sign up shouldn’t take more than a few minutes of your time.
BistroMD Meal Plans and Meal Selection Options
There are five diet plans to choose from in total. Your choice will determine which meals from the menu you’ll be able to pick:
PeoStandard plan – ple BistroMD’s flagship weight-loss diet program. Choose from the full range of 150 + meals or let the experts recommend for you
Gluten-free – Pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. These meals contain no gluten and fewer carbs than other dishes
Heart-healthy – Each of these meals contains less than 600mg of sodium and under 3.5g of saturated fat
Diabetic plan – Diabetics are advised to consume a consistent amount of carbohydrates at each meal, and that’s exactly what this plan does. Each portion is carefully measured to keep your blood sugar in check
Menopause program – You might be surprised to learn just how much the right diet can offset the hormonal changes brought on by menopause. These meals contain plenty of lean proteins and complex carbohydrates to help manage this time of transition
BistroMD Meal Types
Not only are the dishes perfectly nutritionally balanced, but they also come in all kinds of styles and flavors too. Not every meal is a hit, but you’re certain to find plenty to enjoy. Our top picks include:
Standard plan
Lasagna with garden marinara
Hickory smoked BBQ pork with broccoli
Spinach and feta stuffed salmon
Gluten-Free
Chicken piccata
Homestyle waffles with scrambled eggs and maple syrup
Artichoke spinach and red pepper frittata
Heart-healthy
Jamaican style black pepper shrimp
Fisherman’s seafood stew
Apple cinnamon oatmeal with scrambled eggs
Diabetic plan
Blackened chicken with creamy smoked paprika sauce
Beef and vegetable stew with Burgundy wine
Grilled salmon with creamy pesto
Menopause program
Caramelized mushroom and onion frittata
Lamb rogan josh
Hatch green chile and pork stew
Choosing BistroMD Recipes
Those on the standard plan have access to the full menu, while those on specialist diets will be restricted to those that best suit them, although there is the occasional cross-over of menus.
How Much Does BistroMD Cost?
All five packages are charged at the same price, the only variance comes from how many days you’d like covered and whether you want to include breakfast in your plan. Shipping is quite expensive and is charged at a flat $19.95 per delivery.
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Servings and Recipes/Week
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Total Cost
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|---|---|
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- 7 days program: 7 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 6 Dinners.
1 people, 20 recipes per week |
$9.49/serving ($189.8 total + $19.95 shipping = $209.75/week)
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- 5 days program: 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners.
1 people, 20 recipes per week |
$7.99/serving ($159.8 total + $19.95 shipping = $179.75/week)
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- Lunches & Dinners: 7 Lunches, 7 Dinners
1 people, 20 recipes per week |
$7.61/serving ($152.2 total + $19.95 shipping = $172.15/week)
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- Lunches & Dinners: 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners
1 people, 20 recipes per week |
$8.66/serving ($173.2 total + $19.95 shipping = $193.15/week)
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Diet Friendliness
BistroMD is designed to be diet-friendly and its whole ethos centers around weight loss and healthy eating. However, that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. There’s a very niche health focus here, and other types of specialist diets, like vegan, keto, and paleo, aren’t covered. Plus, it’s not recommended for those that suffer from allergies as the platform makes no guarantees its meals are allergen-free.
Add-Ons
Alongside the meal plans, BistroMD offers a range of 45 different snacks to help supplement your diet. Healthy snacking is essential in your weight-loss journey as it kick-starts your metabolism and helps manage blood sugar throughout the day. All of the snacks here can be found under the BistroMD ‘Eats’ program and the snacks are packed with high-quality fiber and protein. Options include:
Granola bars
Nut mixes
Protein chips
Cheesecakes
Protein shakes
BistroMD Customer Service
Alongside a helpline for general customer service queries, you’ll have access to a team of qualified dieticians throughout your subscription that’s on hand to help you reach your goals.
Service agents are available between 8 am – 9 pm ET, Monday through Friday, and 9 am – 6 pm ET Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to call the dieticians directly, but will need to send a message or email via your account.
In addition, there’s an extensive FAQ page where the bulk of most people’s queries will be answered.
BistroMD Cancellation Policy
Unlike other diet plans, you’re not committed to any long-term deliveries. You can dip in and out as you wish, or cancel altogether if you find it’s not working for you. Just make sure to cancel your subscription before 5 pm ET on a Wednesday one week before your next delivery is due to avoid being charged.
BistroMD Alternatives
If you’re looking for a cheaper diet plan, something a little different, or a more hands-on cooking experience with your meal delivery service, here are some great alternatives.
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Meal Kit
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Price / Serving
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Minimum order
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Meal options
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Nutrisystem
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$9.29
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5 Servings
|
4-4
|
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Purple Carrot
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$9.99
|
4 Servings
|
2-4
|
|
Butcher Box
|
$129
|
1 Servings
|
1-6
|
|
Dinnerly
|
$4.69
|
6 Servings
|
3-6
|
Summary
BistroMD has an excellent track record of customers successfully losing weight. It provides a wide range of delicious meals and might just be one of the most flexible and convenient specialist diet platforms we’ve come across. There are some that might be a little put off at the weekly cost, but you’re paying for dietician-backed meals and excellent nutrition.
For those not on a diet, or are simply looking for a meal kit service that offers a little more excitement, there are plenty of great alternatives to pick from.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I Really Lose Weight With BistroMD?
Yes. As long as you stick to your diet plan, and follow the advice of the in-house dietician team, there’s an excellent chance of you meeting your weight goals.
What’s the Science Behind BistroMD?
Meals are based on studies that conclude that 1,100 -1,400 calories per day is optimum for healthy weight loss. This includes getting 50% of your calories from lean protein, 25% from healthy fats, and 25% from complex carbohydrates.
Can I Buy BistroMD Meals Separately?
No, all meals must be ordered as part of the plan and aren’t available in retail stores.
Can I Order BistroMD for the Whole Family?
No, the plans are designed for one person only and no family plans are available. If someone else in your household wants to sign up, they’ll need a separate account.
Is the Packaging Environmentally Friendly?
Yes, all of BistroMD’s packaging is 100% recyclable and made from post-consumer used materials.
