I Was Skeptical Of Prepared Meal Delivery Services — Here's My Full Review Of BistroMD

BistroMD is a meal delivery service focused primarily around healthy weight loss. The program was designed and founded by Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D., with the intention to provide meals that will help address metabolic dysfunction and maintain a healthy weight and metabolism. According to the brand, members who follow the plan lose an average of 1 to 2 pounds per week.

Each recipe is designed to support a healthy metabolism and heart, stabilize your blood sugar, and keep you full longer. You'll find about 20 grams of lean protein, 25 net carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of fat in every meal, resulting in a plate with about 40% lean protein, 30% healthy fats, and 30% complex carbohydrates. While every dish varies in nutritional content, each meal contains less than 450 calories, which may not be sufficient fuel for the average adult, depending on a number of factors.

This is a subscription meal delivery service, with six programs to choose from (outlined below). Once you select your program, you'll be able to choose a full (three meals a day) or partial (lunch and dinner only) plan. There's an option for a five- or seven-day plan. One thing to be aware of is that the programs typically cap out at 1,200 to 1,400 calories, which may not be sufficient for the average adult.

Each of the six programs has the same cost, which ranges depending on the number of days you choose and whether you opt for the full or partial plan. 

At sign-up, you'll be prompted to select whether your goal is weight loss or you're simply trying to support your overall health. From there, you'll provide a bit more information about yourself, your lifestyle, and your dietary preferences. Once sign-up is complete, a registered dietitian will create a custom program based on your goals, preferences, and desired flavors. The best part? You'll have total control over the recipes in your order and will not be tied to those that are recommended. 

BistroMD ships all of its food frozen, in one large box. Each frozen meal is individually packaged and sealed in a plastic film. While I don't typically love packaging with excessive plastic, I did like that I could easily bring these meals on the go. A few days, I even tossed a meal in my work bag to have for lunch, with no worry of spillage.

Another advantage of the individual packaging is that you can thaw each meal at different times. The week I tried BistroMD, I would put a meal in the fridge before I left for work and then heat it up at the end of the day. In my opinion, the meals tasted fresher this way than if I left them fully frozen and had to microwave them for longer. 

All in all, I found the main dishes to be quite tasty, but the veggies were very minimally seasoned. Because of this, I added my own seasonings, which I'd recommend to anyone trying these meals. Of the meals I tried, my favorites were the orange tofu, japchae noodles, stuffed shells, and cheese tortellini. 

If you don't have time to cook dinner or want to have quick, healthy options to take on the go for breakfast or lunch, BistroMD could be worth it for you. 

BistroMD is also a great option for people who live alone, don't like to grocery shop, or prefer not to have leftovers. 

While BistroMD is one of the best gluten-free meal delivery services and does offer meals for a variety of dietary preferences, vegetarians might not find enough variety on the menu. During the week I tried BistroMD, most of the meat-free options were pasta dishes.

BistroMD is not a cheap meal delivery service, so if you are hoping to save money, this one likely isn't for you.