After spending 2020 eating most meals at home, the idea of fresh, nutritious meals that are ready in minutes without much work is more appealing than ever. Whether you’re considering prepared meals to make eating healthily more convenient or to help you meet fitness or weight loss goals, we’ve gathered all the information on local health-focused prepared-meal companies to help you decide which to try.
For our taste test, we purchased a meal from each company and prepared it in the microwave. Some meals also listed instructions for stovetop or oven preparation – and one tester suggested the meals would be better if prepared in a skillet – but we chose the easiest and likely most common method of heating the meals. Four testers ranked each dish’s flavor and texture on a scale of 1 to 5, which were averaged for a single score.
FIT PLUS
Staff photo by Emily Crisman / Fire Grilled Chile Lime Chicken & Rice from Fit Plus* How it works: At the Lee Highway storefront, choose from a variety of meals for grab-n-go or dine-in. The menu changes daily, and the day’s options are printed on a sheet of paper found on the counter next to the cooler. Or, preorder prepared “Lifestyle” meals, described as healthier version of meals you would normally eat; or custom “VIP,” “Macro” and “Shred” meals to pick up in-store or have delivered.
For VIP meals, you describe exactly what you want (no options provided), with each meal including one cup each of vegetables and carbs and 5-6 ounces of protein. With Macro meals, you choose the amount of carbs, fat and protein you want, as well as the specific carb, fat, protein and veggies you want (you can also select “surprise me”). Shred meals allow you to choose your protein and protein size (3, 4 or 6 ounces), plus a side. For a fully custom meal, use the website’s “Custom Meal Builder” to choose a size (2, 3, 4, 6 or 10 ounces), base, veggies, protein, sauce and optional extras.