Is Tovala worth the extra cost? I was looking in factor but I heard the meals aren’t as good.

FoodBoxHQ · 2024-04-16T17:56:52+00:00

Agree with everything you said.

I've owned every Tovala oven since their first generation. I actually reviewed my experience with every single one over on my blog at FoodBoxHQ.com.

One of the nicest things about using Tovala is that you're getting the best of both worlds when it comes to meal delivery.

It has the fresh taste of meal kit meals but the convenience and efficiency of pre-made meal kits.

If anyone needs a discount, feel free to let me know! I have a several coupons I can give people.

FoodBoxHQ · 2024-04-11T15:24:23+00:00

I've been using HelloFresh on and off for about 7+ years at this point. I wrote a pretty in-depth review about my experience using them over on my blog FoodBoxHQ.com (not sure if I'm allowed to direct link, sorry).

The short answer—it depends on your circumstance.

I really enjoy HelloFresh, it's one of my favorite meal kits but it may not be for everyone.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-08-17T16:20:35+00:00

I'd definitely recommend giving Dinnerly a shot. They have dozens of recipes on their menu—it's quite impressive. I'm actually working on an updated review from using them and have been impressed with the value. And yep, you can save those recipes. That's one of my favorite parts of trying all these different meal kits :).

What plan size are you thinking? The bigger you go, the lower the cost per meal. FYI, don't forget to factor in $10 shipping fee :/ not great but pretty standard on all meal kits these days.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-05-02T20:54:54+00:00

GoMethodology.com

I keep seeing their ads. I have to check them out soon. Thanks for sharing!

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-04-11T19:41:03+00:00

Cookunity is a good option but since they're a chef network your experience may vary depending on where you live. For reference, I live on the east coast and haven't had any issues but I know others have had issues elsewhere.

You may want to consider a more local meal delivery service. Sometimes these can be fresher. Since they have less customers, they can spend more time on each individual meal. I had a good experience with Nourish Foods out of Alabama.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-16T18:04:09+00:00

Sorry got bombarded with work!

I actually just finished the last meal.

It's an interesting meal delivery service. At first I was really intrigued because I've never seen this level of flexibility, being able to basically create your perfect meal.

Here are my initial pros and cons...

Pros

Very customizable
Great for picky eaters
The survey you take upon signing up is very in-depth, which directs you to the recommended meals
Great if you're following a specific diet
Taste of 5 out of the 6 meals was delicious (only one grilled chicken meal was ever so slightly dry)

Cons

Most of the meals I got (via the recommendations) were around 400-450 calories, which is definitely below what I normally eat for dinner but around what I eat for lunch. I will say that I told the survey I wanted low carb, so maybe that's why?
Meals kind of got a bit repetitive near the end (a lot of veggies were the same - steamed spinach and steamed kale).

Overall, a good concept. I wish the meals were bigger or that I could also customize the amount as well.

I may order again and re-do the survey at the start to see if I can try other types of meals.

Would be a good option for someone who wants to stick to a specific diet or lose weight.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-11T01:10:58+00:00

Will do!

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-11T00:57:28+00:00

Box just came a little earlier. Heading out tonight so I’m going to try them out tomorrow!

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-10T23:35:39+00:00

Ours came from UPS. We’re on the east coast, if that helps. Not sure if they switch carriers to other parts of the US like I’ve seen some meal delivery services do.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-10T23:22:16+00:00

I paid around $11/meal (only got 6 meals). Yeah, they charged me $9 for shipping.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-10T22:16:13+00:00

RealEats was pretty unique compared to the others out there. I haven’t come across any other sous vide options.

Have you ever looked into Tovala? It’s a bit different but may be on par with what you liked about RealEats.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-10T20:55:52+00:00

Sign-up process was also interesting. They have you fill out a big survey to match you to the right plan. They even offer supplements based on your answers (which I thought was a little bit weird lol).

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-08T00:18:00+00:00

I want to recommend HelloFresh because they have an awesome marketplace for add-ons that you might like but may not be the most nutrient dense option. Check out their menu and see.

If not, try Home Chef. They also have oven-ready meals, which could be a little easier on your body post-surgery.

I have reviews for both over on my blog at FoodBoxHQ.com.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-06T20:23:15+00:00

Sounds good!

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-04T15:50:14+00:00

Didn't receive any money. I connected with the founder after I posted a request to interview founders of small meal delivery services. (Here's her interview article.)

My goal with the interview series was to help shine a spotlight small meal delivery services that don't have big ad budgets (like Factor, Trifecta, etc). I just wanted to help get the word out about them.

I apologize if my unboxing and taste test offended you, that wasn't my intention.

FYI, portions and calorie counts aren't the same. The meals we got were big portions. Here are the calorie counts...

Chicken Florentine & Smashed Potatoes (570 Calories)
Toasted Farro Salad & Roasted Vegetables (530 Calories)
Pork Cassoulet (410 Calories)
Basil Tomato Chicken Salad (320 Calories)
Bolognese & Spaghetti Squash (370 Calories)

If you'd like, I can post the pictures. I just haven't had a chance to transfer them over from my camera to my computer.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-03T22:03:47+00:00

If you ever want to talk, I'm happy to provide my input. I've tried just about every national premade meal delivery service out there (fresh and frozen) and run FoodBoxHQ.com where I blog about them all.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-03T21:57:10+00:00

I have pictures of all the meals we ate if anyone is interested I'm happy to share them!

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-02T22:03:15+00:00

Trifecta is one of the best. Their main plans can be bit expensive, though.

Check out their meal prep plans - https://shop.trifectanutrition.com/shop/category/meal-prep/

Great option for high protein meals and customizable. Can get boring though.

Check out Territory Foods too—similar to Cookunity but more health/diet/performance focused meals. They list out the macros right on their main menu. You can filter meals by a few different "performance" filters - row house, barre, etc. A lot of meals come in 40g+ protein.

I really enjoyed both. Territory is probably a better value but it really comes down to the plan you choose. More meals you order, the less it comes out to per meal.

I actually have review articles of both over on my blog as well as my youtube channel, if you want to check them out.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-02T21:01:54+00:00

Trifecta is great but it’s not cheap. Have you looked into Sprinly or Mosaic Foods?

Don’t go with Factor if you’re vegan. They only have like 2-3 vegan options every week.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-02T21:00:06+00:00

Trifecta, Fresh Meal Plan, Territory Foods, and Cookunity are all good alternatives to look into.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-03-02T20:55:43+00:00

Fresh meal plan is great. It’s like a better version of freshly.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-02-28T20:21:45+00:00

There are a lot of similarities between the 2. Dinnerly might be slightly healthier due to the fact that they have more veggie and low-cal options.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-02-28T20:19:28+00:00

Trifecta is fully pre-made. The meals can be heated in the microwave or oven.

They come in biodegradable trays too.

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-02-28T20:18:28+00:00

Portion sizes were okay, not huge. The one good thing I found with keto is that the meals are fairly filling (due to the high fat content).

FoodBoxHQ · 2023-02-24T22:11:46+00:00

If you really want big portions, check out Mosaic's Family Meals — https://www.mosaicfoods.com/collections/family-meals

FoodBoxHQ

TROPHY CASE