Packaged Meals and Clinics - Nutrisystem, Medifast, Jenny Craig, Etc For support and questions about diet meal delivery programs, or weight loss clinics that offer prepackaged meals and products.

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Old 02-28-2007, 11:17 AM   #1  
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Question Is There A Diet Meal Delivery Program That Isn't EXTRIEMLY EXPENSIVE??????

I'm new to this group and last yr. I tried Jenny Craig and the foods were REALLY REALLY good, but I had to stop ordering the food because I really couldn't afford it every month. I signed up with money from my tax returns. I really want to join another home delivery meal service, but I don't want a strain on my pockets either......Any suggestions?????
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Old 02-28-2007, 01:33 PM   #2  
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Most of them are pretty pricey. Nutrisystem is cheap, but a lot of people dislike their food. The 3 Hour Diet at Home looks pretty good and starts at $20 per day plus shipping. I've not tried it, though. eDiets Express also has a plan that starts at $20 per day plus shipping. I've heard really good things about it. I'm not aware of any diet plans that are cheaper.

Diet to Your Door is available through Sams Club now and the prices look good. It's $142 per week for the full plan which is 3 meals and 2 snacks daily. Shipping can vary, but I just checked for my zip code and it was just $15. The food is pretty good.
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Old 03-02-2007, 07:48 PM   #3  
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I"ve researched them, and I can say that Nutrisystem had the worst tasting, least "real" looking food.

Diet to Your Door and Diet to Go, both offer real food (ie cooked from fresh and healthy ingredients, frozen, shipped, no freaky additives). Customer service is pleasant and helpful (I had some errors with Diet to Go, but always graciously and perkily attended to.) Both offer 1200 calorie plans, but Diet to Go offers there menus (low carb, low-fat, vegetarian). It's cheaper than Diet to Your Door.

What's good about both those, though, is that you can do five day a week, lunch dinner, and pay less than 100 bucks a week, then add your own more economical snacks and breakfasts. I think it's quite workable that way.

The others I've seen were more expensive (the Jorge Cruise One and..er...Ediets and..one more I forgot).

Remember what you're paying for: Calories counted, portions weighed, someone cooks, someone else cleans pots, someone delivers, and ALL YOU DO is heat and eat. You're paying for more than food, you're paying for all those services and the time saved.

I find that I spend AS MUCH if not more than I do no Diet To Go/Diet To Your Door, because just eating out in Miami can be $40 bucks for my hubby and I for one dinner out in a not that expensive place. And a trip to the grocery store is easily 100 bucks, and that doesn't include the time for shopping, storing, cooking, and cleaning. For me, it ends up coming out about even, or actually saving me a bit if I count the weeks we went 3 or 4 times out to eat.

I think you need to figure out what you'd spend on your own food a week eating diet portions, and then try to find a nice mix with a delivery plan--lunch and dinner only? lunch and dinner 5x a week versus all week? Having a high fiber cereal or instant oatmeal and milk or eggs is cheaper if you buy it yourself. And fruit and nuts for snacks or protein shakes may be more economical if you do it, rather than let the diet delivery folks do it.

Good luck finding something that works. I'm still in the trying and testing phase, but I did put a mini review in the thread on Diet to Your Door, which I just started.

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Old 07-17-2007, 01:19 PM   #4  
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I would definitely be interested in knowing something a little less expensive too. $20 or $280 for two weeks of food just for myself is not inexpensive in my opinion. Medifast is $140 for two weeks and I am seriously looking into that.
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Old 07-18-2007, 03:41 PM   #5  
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From Mirtika's post:
"Remember what you're paying for: Calories counted, portions weighed, someone cooks, someone else cleans pots, someone delivers, and ALL YOU DO is heat and eat. You're paying for more than food, you're paying for all those services and the time saved."

Mirtika, You made a lot of good points in your post. When you join one of these programs, you are actually paying for the various services you mentioned, not just for the actual food. I have heard quite a few people save by not ordering the breakfasts, just the lunch and dinners. Thanks for your post.

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Old 07-27-2007, 07:07 PM   #6  
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I just started diet-to-go and for the complete 7-days (3 meals a day) w/ no required ad-ons I pay $138.00 a week. (and that includes shipping) Eventually, once I 'learn the ropes' I'll start making my own breakfasts and will save a little money. I was very impressed with the quality of food. (and the quantity in fact.) So far, I have prepared everything in the oven.
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Old 07-28-2007, 12:11 AM   #7  
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I think that heating DTG in the oven is the secret. People on this forum who use the microwave at work or eat meals cold can't stand the food. I only use the microwave for the chili or soup. Making it in the oven or toaster oven brings it the closest to being fresh - like you just made it in your kitchen. One thing I really like about DTG is that it is regular food that you would prepare in your kitchen. I am also doing the all 3 meals 1200 cal. plan. I can't seem to stop cheating! I have been on it for five weeks and still have only lost the initial five lbs. from the first two weeks. I feel like I am flushing my money, but I keep convincing myself that I will stop cheating. Any suggestions?

One thing I will say about any of these diet plans that do all of the work for you is that they make life much less stressful. I have lost weight by doing my own healthy eating and the lists, grocery shopping, weighing, measuring, and everything else to make sure that I was getting the right portions was stressful. I love doing it this way!

If anyone can't afford to do it this way, I would suggest trying the book Portion Savvy. It was written by a nutritionist in L.A. who has helped alot of famous people get healthy. She has a delivery service like the ones on this forum. By by using her book - you will be making the same foods a healthy delivery service would bring you. She uses everyday food that most everyone eats and teaches you how to eat the right portions to lose weight for your body.

Breakfasts: low-fat breakfast cereal (including oatmeal) w/ skim milk and fruit, bagel w/cream cheese and juice, egg whites w/ toast and fruit, muffin w/fruit and cottage cheese, yogurt w/fruit and cereal, or a smoothie.
Lunches: pasta w/marinara grated parm. cheese and salad, a salad w/chicken turkey shrimp or fish on top, soup w/grated parm cheese and a roll and fruit, a sandwich w/low fat meat or cheese and veggies and fruit, a burrito, a burger, pasta salad.
Dinners: Chicken recipe w/rice or grains and steamed or grilled veggies, polenta lasagna w/salad and fruit, roast pork tenderloin w/baked potato or yam and steamed or grilled veggies, pasta w/marinara or veggies and chicken or seafood and grated parm cheese and a salad, fish recipe w/rice or grains and steamed or grilled veggies, pizza w/salad, burgundy beef stew.
This isn't all of the food. There are alot of healthy recipes in the back of the book and even dessert.

I used it years ago when I was only a little overweight and I lost 10 lbs. in a month.

Last edited by workit120; 07-28-2007 at 12:19 AM.
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Old 08-19-2007, 04:09 AM   #8  
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Default Delivered food isn't magic....

really, it's about convenience and portion control.....I've had some success making batches of my own "diet food" for the freezer.

One thing I like to do is cook big batches of brown rice or oatmeal and freeze them in cupcake pans -- you then can put them in a zip lock bag and VOILA! 1/2 cup portions! If you steam the frozen rice with fresh veggies for 7 minutes, you're done...

Using smaller bowls and plates (like a salad plate for dinner) also helps. Also, an occasional pre-fab dinner like The Zone is I would assume somewhat similar to Jenny Craig et al? I love the Zone veggie enchiladas!
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Old 08-19-2007, 01:07 PM   #9  
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Wow that is interesting, it's all organic? I'm SOOOOO don't eat farmed fish!! If you ever see a video of one of those fish farms it'll make a vegetarian out of you. FILTHY!

Actually $40 a day doesn't sound like a lot to me for that quality food; of course I have the dilemma that I cook for my whole family so it would be like two food budgets. But if not for that I would really consider it, the quality of the food sounds worth it.

I had an office mate once who was on nutrisystems and that food seemed really strange. It was like, powdered hamburger you mix with water and then microwave it....UGH! This was in the 90's so hopefully it's better now. Also it had this "fake food" scent to it that would permeate the whole office.
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Old 09-15-2007, 12:21 PM   #10  
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I have done Jenny Craig and spent over $200 a week. I then got smart and made my own "Jenny Craig" program buying WW, Lean Cuisen, etc frozen meals at the grocery store when they were on sale and added my own low cal snacks, dressing, etc. That is great for a calorie counting diet. Easy and not as expensive as JC. I lost, but I was always so hungry.

I have done Nutrisystem before JC and the food was cheaper, but gross!

Now I am doing Medifast. I spend under $300 a month on their food, there are
many ways to fix the foods,, the forums they have have a ton of recipes. The main advantage of the diet is no more major hunger. It is low cal and low carb, but not too low carb. It is just low carb enough to put you in the very mild ketosis and I am no longer starved everyday like other calorie only counting diets. I cant do low carb like atkins either,,,, but this is so mild i am fine. It took me 5 days for the hunger to pass, no its gone and I have more energy. I am sold on Medifast for good!!! I also have tried South Beach/Sugar Busters, WW, The Zone, etc ( had three babies, so after each tried different diets) and I think Medifast is the easiest to stay on after you reach the mild ketosis. I hope this helps someone!
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Old 09-15-2007, 12:53 PM   #11  
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I was on Nutrisystem in the 90's and working in a juvenile detention center, when two of my coworkers (one in the reserves, and one in the national guard) brought in MRE rations in for the kids to see. It was hilarious, because they looked just like many of my Nutrisystem meals.
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Old 10-24-2007, 08:02 PM   #12  
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thanks!
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Old 11-26-2007, 01:06 PM   #13  
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Thumbs up Organic Option

I am not sure what diet you are actually on, but I went on selecte diet a year ago, and I was getting tired of the selection that was at my corner supermarket. I was looking for more organic foods and, even though there was a small section at my market down the street, I didnt think the quality was all there...you know what I mean? To make a long blog short, I was told about celebrityfoods.com and I found a number of options for my dietary need. I especially liked their organic London Broil. (it was my favorite)

I know you were looking for great prices as well, and this is why I think you would enjoy Celebrity Foods
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