What Sets Balance Apart From Meal Kits? | On The Table (2024)

What Sets Balance Apart From Meal Kits? | On The Table (1)

Food delivery services continue to thrive and gain in popularity and for good reason. The benefits of a meal delivery service undoubted, especially when selecting the best program for you and your lifestyle.

But these services are not all created the same. Meal kits require assembly while others, such as Balance by bistroMD, come fully prepared. Some services also assist to meet weight loss goals and accommodate dietary needs.

What Sets Balance Apart From Meal Kits?

Find out what makes Balance by bistroMD different from meal kit delivery and how you can benefit from such a service!

Healthy Meals Prepared

Healthy meal delivery offers balanced meals straight to doorsteps. This takes out the need for meal planning and trips to the grocery store.

Both meal kit companies and Balance by bistroMD are meal delivery programs, that serve in their own unique ways.

What Are Meal Kits?

Meal kit services send a box of recipes and corresponding ingredients. Recipe cards instruct how to use the pre-measured ingredients into a meal, which is often dinner. Serving sizes commonly range from 2 servings to feeding a family.

Many meal kit delivery services exist, including Blue Apron, Freshly, Gobble, Green Chef, Home Chef, and Sun Basket. These services often run as a subscription, delivering about three meals’ worth of ingredients on a recurring basis.

Each service company is unique, offering various time commitments, plans, and price points.

• Time commitment: With Gobble, gourmet 3-step dinner recipes are ready in just 15 minutes using a single pan. Other services require an average of 30 minutes for meal prep time.

• Plans: Some companies offer more standard plans with simple ingredients. Others pride themselves on the ingredients they use, including grass-fed beef and all organic produce. Some plans consider dietary needs and preferences, including plant-based and low-carb options.

• Price points: Purple Carrot’s 2-serving plan with 3 meals averages $11.99 per serving. Hello Fresh, with a similar plan, costs about $8.99 per serving. However, these prices can vary based on the amount of food ordered and promotional codes offered.

What Is Balance by bistroMD?

Balance by bistroMD truly is diet food delivery offering the ultimate convenience. It is an extension of bistroMD, the leading diet meal delivery service, and the first to offer non-subscription, á la carte meals.

The á la carte meals give customers the autonomy and flexibility to order whatever and whenever they would like and need. The meals are conveniently delivered right to doorsteps and are a hassle-free way to enjoy great-tasting, healthy meals.

“Eating well does take more time than many of us have to shop for, prepare, and cook meals when tired and strapped for time,” said Dr. Caroline Cederquist, founder of bistroMD. “Balance by bistroMD is a better way to eat for people who do not have time, want, or know how to cook.”

Compared to meal delivery kits, Balance by bistroMD may have the upper hand in regards to flexibility, convenience, and storage.

• Flexibility: With meal delivery kits, Order as many meals as desired when they are needed from the comfort of home. Meals start at $5.99 each with the convenience of front door delivery!

• Time: Meal kits vary in time needed to prepare each meal. All Balance meals are ready in less than six minutes, which reduces extra time in the kitchen. Ed Cederquist, co-founder, CEO and resident foodie states, “Unlike recurring ingredient delivery services, Balance’s fresh-frozen meals can be used anytime to fill the gaps on nights that you do not have time to prepare a healthy meal but want to avoid unhealthy options such as fast food or highly processed meals sold in grocery stores.”

• Resourcefulness: A common critic of meal kits is their excess packaging, as each ingredient is packed and labeled individually. While most of the packaging is recyclable, there is still a large amount and bulk to deal with. Balance meals come in a single recyclable sleeve that is slender to store.

• Storage time: The ingredients in meal delivery kits require use within the week. Flash-frozen meals from Balance, on the other hand, retain their freshness in the freezer for months at a time.

• Ready-prepared: While cooking is certainly invaluable and encouraged, spending that much time each day can be quite the time commitment. With Balance by bistroMD, all meals are ready-prepared and assembled. This means no need to create a shopping list nor visit the grocery store. They also are ready in less than 6 minutes, which reduces extra time in the kitchen.

Meals Catered to Your Diet

Nutritionally balanced meals are created by bistroMD’s chefs, utilizing the freshest ingredients possible. All meals are prepared in bistroMD’s kitchen without cheap fillers, unnecessary ingredients, nor food waste.

BistroMD works with a team of doctors and dietitians to create and deliver balanced meal plans to meet individual needs. Users can likewise choose from specialty diets to cater to their needs. Offered options include:

• Heart-healthy: Meals fall at or below the American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommendations for calories, sodium, and total and saturated fat.

• Gluten-free: All meals are tested to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gluten-free standard of 20 ppm or less. They are free of wheat, rye, and barley.

• Diabetic: Meals contain 25 grams or less of net carb to maintain blood glucose levels.

• Low-sodium: Each meal contains 600 milligrams or less of sodium per meal. This falls below the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation of 2,300 milligrams per day.

• Low-carb: All meals follow a low carbohydrate diet, containing 2 grams or less of NET carb per meal.

• Menopause: Meals provide balanced nutrition during menopause, focusing on lean proteins and reduced carbohydrates to support hormone regulation.

• Dairy-free: All meals with this claim are free of dairy products.

• Mediterranean: Mediterranean diet meals are inspired by the vibrant ingredients and ancient eating habits of the Mediterranean.

• Vegetarian: All vegetarian meals are inspired by popular plant-based and seafood recipes.

Balance by bistroMD stands for much more than so-called “diet food.” It focuses on people who want to eat healthy in a convenient way, making balanced eating and lifestyle easy. And with over 100 seasonal meal options to choose from, healthy eating will never feel confined to the same meals.

Have the itch to cook? No problem! Balance provides healthy, balanced recipes for when the urge to cook strikes. However you choose to use Balance, it is a simpler way to eat healthy while gifting more time for yourself.

What Sets Balance Apart From Meal Kits? | On The Table (2024)

FAQs

What makes a meal balanced? ›

It is generally agreed that a balanced plate consists of one quarter proteins, one quarter carbohydrates and one half vegetables. ©Shutterstock/ifong. A very common piece of nutrition advice around the world is to 'eat a balanced diet.

What are the disadvantages of meal kits? ›

Cost. Meal kits can be more expensive than buying ingredients and cooking meals from scratch. This is especially true for families or individuals who need to cook larger meals. The reheated pre-made foods may not offer the same nutritional benefits as eating freshly prepared meals.

What are the benefits of meal kits? ›

Meal kits might also build your cooking confidence to cook more “from scratch” and to learn about new ingredients, flavour combinations and time-saving techniques. Cooking with meal kits may even cut household food waste by providing the exact amount of ingredients needed to prepare a meal.

What problems do meal kits solve? ›

4 Problems Solved by Meal Prep Delivery
  • Mealtime Monotony. One of the biggest complaints about a healthy diet is that mealtime can become monotonous. ...
  • Impulsive Junk Food Eating. One of the biggest reasons we give in to our cravings is because they are convenient. ...
  • Irregular Meal Times. ...
  • Over Spending.

What is a balanced meal example? ›

Balanced Meal Plate Examples

Toast + Avocado + Tofu Scramble with Spinach and Tomatoes. Pasta + Vegan Meatballs + Salad with Olive Oil. Baked Potato + Vegan Butter + BBQ Beans + Roasted Broccoli. Smoothie with Mixed Fruit + Protein Powder + Peanut Butter + Plant-Based Milk + Granola on Top.

What is one example of balanced meal? ›

For lunch, chicken salads could be a great balanced meal. This includes carbohydrates in the form of spinach and other vegetables like cucumber, lettuce, and tomatoes, protein in the form of chicken, and fats in the form of oil or avocado (for the dressing).

What are some pros and cons of meal kits? ›

The Pros and Cons of Meal Kit Delivery
  • You'll Eat at Home More. ...
  • You'll Learn New Recipes and Techniques. ...
  • You'll Minimize Food Waste. ...
  • The Expense. ...
  • Excess Packaging. ...
  • You Might Not Like Every Meal.

Do meal kits really save you money? ›

While grocery shopping turned out to be a hair cheaper than even the cheapest meal kits, it's nearly even. If you consider the time and energy you save by forgoing long trips to the supermarket, meal kits might present the better value.

Who uses meal kits the most? ›

Around 71% of meal kit users in the United States are between the ages of 26 and 45. Approximately 79% of US meal kit subscribers live in urban areas. In 2020, HelloFresh had a global revenue of approximately 3.75 billion euros. Blue Apron, an American meal kit company, had a revenue of $486 million in 2020.

Is a meal kit worth it for one person? ›

Meal kits are a step up from home cooking -- even if you live alone. Many budget-friendly meal delivery services offer prices that are too good to pass up, even if you live alone. EveryPlate is one of the most affordable meal kit services out there today, with first time subscribers paying as low as $1.49 per serving.

Are meal kits successful? ›

The meal kit market is experiencing significant growth, driven by cost-effective solutions and the availability of diverse choices. These kits provide enhanced convenience by eliminating the need for consumers to plan groceries, saving valuable time during meal preparation.

What percentage of people use meal kits? ›

Around 17% of American consumers have subscribed to meal kit delivery services at any point. Of all the subscribers, around 90% recommended meal kit delivery to other individuals. Approximately, 25% of individuals dwelling in cities have opted for meal kit services. The percentage stands at 14% for rural individuals.

What is the trend in the meal kit industry? ›

Several factors are influencing the trends in the meal kits market: Customization and Personalization: Meal kit companies are offering customizable options, allowing consumers to tailor their meal selections based on dietary preferences, portion sizes, and flavor profiles, catering to individual tastes and preferences.

What is the future of meal kit delivery? ›

The global meal kit delivery services market size had a value of approximately USD 20.60 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach around USD 65.10 billion by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 15.47% from 2023 to 2030.

What are the 4 characteristics of a balanced diet? ›

Adequacy, calorie control, variety and moderation are all needed in a healthful diet.

What are the four parts of a balanced meal? ›

A balanced meal requires 4 main components: protein, carbohydrates (fibre), and healthy fats, as well as a variety of colours. Following this simple guide will help you build a balanced meal that will keep you full and give your body the energy it needs to work efficiently.

What should a balanced dinner look like? ›

Make most of your meal vegetables and fruits – ½ of your plate. Aim for color and variety, and remember that potatoes don't count as vegetables on the Healthy Eating Plate because of their negative impact on blood sugar. Go for whole grains – ¼ of your plate.

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