Pros
Health-focused meals, and you’ll store by weight loss plan and medical circumstances
Large parts
Vacuum sealed for prolonged freshness and freezable
No subscription wanted, however you may choose in or out of recurring deliveries
Meals are customizable (you may double the protein, take away carbs, and many others.)
Cons
Pricier than different choices
Fewer vegetarian and vegan choices
Can solely buy a minimal of 18 meals per supply
When I discovered that we have been going to begin taste-testing premade meal supply companies for CNET, I believed I might be hard-pressed to search out one which not solely tasted recent and scrumptious however was additionally wholesome. MealProfessional proved me flawed.This high-end service boasts taste and loads of meals to select from, so whether or not you’re coaching for a body-building competitors, want to chop again in your ldl cholesterol or just wish to eat heart-healthy meals that don’t take hours of cooking, MealProfessional can step in and assist. Here’s all the things to know concerning the service. How MealProfessional works MealProfessional is a premade meal supply service that gives wholesome and customizable meal plans. According to its web site, the meals are cooked each day to allow them to be delivered as recent as doable. You can order one field at a time or choose in or out of recurring orders. The web site is fairly easy. If you are planning to order from the common menu, you’ll choose what dimension field you need from two decisions: 18 or 21 meals. Then, you select your meals from a collection of 24. In addition to the meals, there are 9 protein and aspect choices you could add to your cart. MealProfessional’s web site is straightforward to navigate. Corin Cesaric/CNETIf you don’t see one thing on that important menu that you just like, there are a number of further choices if you scroll to the underside of the web site. On the left-hand aspect, you will note the next choices: Fitness Meals, Medical Meals, Custom Meals, Vegan Meals and A La Carte Menu. These menu filters enable clients to get hyperspecific with vitamin targets. Under Fitness Meals, there are six plans to choose from: Bodybuilding Meal Plan400 Calorie Meal PlanKeto Meal PlanPaleo Meal Plan (Whole 30 compliant)GLP-1 Friendly Meal PlanLow-Carb Meal PlanUnder every meal plan, there are numerous meals that aren’t on the common menu. For the medical meals, there are 10 plans accessible: Diabetic Meal PlanLow-Sodium Meal PlanRenal Meals Stage 1-3Renal Meals Stage 4 (Pre-dialysis)Renal Meals Stage 5 (Dialysis)Heart-Healthy Meal PlanCrohn’s & Ulcerative Colitis Meal PlanLow Cholesterol Meal PlanCeliac Meal PlanAnti-Inflammatory Meal Plan For every specialty meal plan, you may select to purchase the complete plan or store them a la carte. Each meal additionally features a full vitamin label, so you understand precisely what you’re getting. MealProfessional pricing The MealProfessional value varies broadly relying on what meal or plan you select. For the common menu, costs fluctuate between $7.99 and $21.49 per meal or snack. The meals can be adjusted to your choice, reminiscent of including double protein or buying a bigger dimension, which incurs an upcharge.Below is a snapshot of a handful of the meals accessible and the costs. Meal PriceProtein Pancakes (10oz) $7.99Clam Chowder (16 oz) $9.99Lentil Stew (20oz) $11.99Roasted Chicken (19oz) $13.99Spinach Lasagna (16oz) $14.99Carnitas (20oz) $15.99Atlantic Salmon (20oz) $20.99Pulled Brisket (16oz) $21.49 The specialty plans additionally fluctuate in value based mostly on what meals you select. Meal Plan MealWorthPre-Dialysis Couscous Prawns (11oz)$17.49Low-Cholesterol Turkey Bolognese (14oz)$13.99Celiac Zucchini Chicken (14oz)$14.99Diabetic Southwest Tilapia (13oz)$15.99Bodybuilding Teriyaki Chicken (20 oz)$15.99Vegan Cauliflower Bean Blend$13.99Paleo White Fish & Yam Mash (16oz)$16.99 First-time clients can use the code HEALTHY10 for $10 off their first order, however the service doesn’t supply some other promotions or reductions. The field of 18 meals additionally has a further transport value. Free supply is obtainable for the field of 21 meals to sure states on the West Coast. You can customise the meals you buy as effectively. Corin Cesaric/CNETMealProfessional packaging The meals are shipped with a thermal lining and dry ice to maintain them cool in transit, and every particular person meal is vacuum sealed. The transport field is recyclable, and the corporate additionally gives the choice to enroll within the “Recapture and Reuse Return Label Program” with a purpose to ship again the thermal lining for reuse by the corporate. (If you wish to enroll in that program, all you need to do is kind “Recapture & Reuse” into the supply directions subject in your order.) The meals trays that maintain every meal are recyclable and “moisture resistant, oven- and microwave-safe,” in keeping with MealProfessional’s web site.What we ate and the way we preferred itAt the CNET workplace, we tasted 5 MealProfessional meals, they usually have been a few of our favorites when in comparison with quite a few different ready meal kits we’ve examined. Here’s all the things we had. Beef Barbacoa: I beloved this meal. It was flavorful and the portion was sufficient for 2 individuals to share for lunch. I defrosted it within the microwave for 10 minutes, then heated it up for 4 minutes and it was able to be eaten. The meat was tender and it paired completely with the refried beans and rice, which was completely cooked, too. I might have by no means guessed this meal was frozen earlier than consuming it. The beef barbacoa was completely seasoned. Corin CesaricSpinach Lasagna: This was one other favourite of mine. It was additionally a big portion and had greater than sufficient cheese. It was well-liked within the workplace, and even and not using a aspect, it felt like greater than sufficient meals for a satisfying meal. This hearty lasagna was filled with cheese and spinach and heated up completely. Corin Cesaric/CNETPulled Brisket: This was one other tasty meal served with mashed potatoes and greens. I barely most popular the flavour of the barbacoa over this brisket, however this meal was nonetheless nothing to scoff at, and everybody loved it, too.Carnitas: Our taste-testers agreed that though the rice and beans have been flavorful and cooked effectively, the pork carnitas lacked taste and will have used extra seasoning. Overall, this was the least favourite meal within the bunch. While the rice and beans have been flavorful, the pork may have used extra seasoning. Corin Cesaric/CNETAtlantic Salmon: Because this was heated up in a microwave, the salmon was barely dryer than when served recent, in keeping with our style testers. And though it appeared like a well-plated meal, it may have benefited from extra seasoning or being heated up within the oven as a substitute.Who is MealProfessional good for?MealProfessional is clearly focusing on the well being and wellness crowd, and it’s an important selection for individuals with particular diets or restrictions. Because the service additionally gives customized meals as an possibility, there’s actually a meal for everybody.It’s additionally an important selection for anybody who’s attempting to chop down on the time they spend meal planning or for many who merely don’t wish to cook dinner lunch or dinner. Corin Cesaric/CNETWho is MealProfessional not good for?Compared to different ready meal companies like CookUnity and Factor, MealProfessional is sort of a bit dearer, and it doesn’t observe a clear-cut pricing construction, so it won’t be your best option for somebody on a strict price range. However, to me, the massive portion dimension of those meals did assist make up for the associated fee, particularly should you can cut up a meal with one other individual or reserve it for a second meal the next day. Plus, after I in contrast it to your common lunch or dinner costs in NYC, it was nonetheless a steal in my eyes. How we check meal kits or meals servicesLike the entire meal kits we’ve examined, we take into account numerous elements, together with the freshness, healthiness, style, worth and recipe selection. Using these metrics, we calculate the ultimate rating of the service. We additionally check out how straightforward or tough it’s to make use of the web site and have a look at the packaging and supply. Final verdict on MealProfessional I personally loved the style and high quality of those meals. They have been a few of the best-tasting premade meals that I’ve had. Dare I say the barbacoa was restaurant high quality? I may see myself ordering these meals sooner or later to have a freezer filled with fast lunch and dinner choices available.If there’s a draw back, it’s that you need to order no less than 18 meals per field, however as a result of they’re freezeable and vacuum-packed, they’ll keep recent longer than another choices. (Up to 6 weeks within the freezer and 4 days within the fridge.) So it is best to have loads of time to shine them off, particularly should you’re sharing with a partner or household.