Freshly vs Factor_: Which Prepared Meal Delivery Service is Right for You?
Hey there, busy health-conscious friend! If you‘re anything like me, you want to eat nutritious, delicious meals but don‘t always have the time or energy to plan, shop for, and cook them yourself. That‘s where prepared meal delivery services like Freshly and Factor_ come to the rescue!
Both of these popular subscriptions deliver pre-cooked, ready-to-heat meals straight to your door. But how do they compare and which one is the best fit for your lifestyle and dietary needs? I‘m diving deep into everything you need to know in this ultimate Freshly vs Factor_ showdown. Let‘s dig in!
Meet Freshly: Healthy Eating Made Easy
Freshly was founded in 2012 by Michael Wystrach and Carter Comstock, two friends on a mission to make healthy eating more accessible. The New York City-based company prepares chef-cooked meals that are delivered fresh (never frozen) and ready to heat and eat in just 3 minutes.
Freshly‘s meals are designed by nutritionists to be high in protein and low in carbs, with plenty of veggies. They focus on "real" whole foods and steer clear of artificial flavors, chemical preservatives, processed sugars, and other sketchy stuff. Bonus: 60+ of their weekly options are certified gluten-free!
Beyond the health factor, Freshly is committed to sustainability. Their pre-portioned meals and recyclable packaging help cut down on food waste. Over the years, they‘ve also donated over 1 million meals through partnerships with Meals on Wheels and local food banks. Love to see it!
Meet Factor_: Fuel for an Active Lifestyle
Chicago-based Factor_ (formerly Factor 75) launched in 2013 with the goal of fueling busy, fitness-minded folks with nutritious, ready-to-eat meals. Founder Nick Wernimont, a former personal trainer, named the company after the idea that 75% of how you look and feel is determined by what you eat.
Like Freshly, Factor_‘s meals are chef-prepared and delivered fresh. They use high-quality ingredients like pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed meats, and organic produce whenever possible. All meals are free of refined sugars, GMOs, and hormones.
Factor offers a variety of plans to fit different diets and lifestyles, including keto, paleo, plant-based, and low-carb options. In 2020, meal kit giant HelloFresh acquired Factor, allowing the company to rapidly expand its production capacity and reach.
How Freshly and Factor_ Work: The Basics
Both Freshly and Factor_ operate on a subscription model where you sign up to receive a box of prepared meals on a weekly basis. Here‘s a quick rundown of how they work:
Freshly:
– Choose from 4, 6, 10, or 12 meals per week
– Select from 50+ meal options, updated weekly
– Filter meals by dietary preferences like gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, carb-conscious, and calorie-conscious
– Meals arrive fresh (not frozen) in a refrigerated box
– Heat and eat in 3 minutes or less (microwave or oven)
– Pause, change, or cancel your subscription at any time
Factor_:
– Choose from 4, 6, 8, 12, or 18 meals per week
– Select from 35+ meal options, updated weekly
– Filter meals by dietary preferences like keto, paleo, plant-based, low-carb, and low-calorie
– Meals arrive fresh (not frozen) in an insulated box
– Heat and eat in minutes (microwave or oven)
– Pause, change, or cancel your subscription at any time
One key difference is that Factor offers a slightly wider range of plans, with the option to get up to 18 meals per week (compared to Freshly‘s max of 12). Factor also provides a complimentary 20-minute consultation with a registered dietitian to discuss your goals and meal plan.
Menu Highlights: My Favorite Freshly and Factor_ Meals
Both Freshly and Factor_ bring some serious deliciousness to the table. While their full menus change weekly, here are a few of my personal favorite meals from each service:
Freshly Faves:
Steak Peppercorn: Seared steak with a peppercorn cream sauce, sautéed carrots and French green beans, and creamy mashed potatoes. OMG comfort food!
Sicilian-Style Chicken Parm: Lightly breaded chicken breast topped with marinara and melty mozzarella, with a side of garlicky broccoli. Tastes like it‘s from my favorite Italian spot.
Unwrapped Salsa Verde Burrito: Seasoned pulled pork over brown rice with black beans, cheddar cheese, and house-made salsa verde. Burrito bowl bliss.
Middle Eastern Falafel: Falafel-spiced chickpea fritters with garlicky tahini sauce, warm quinoa, and a tomato & cucumber salad. Plant-based perfection.
Factor_ Faves:
Green Chile Chicken: Smoky pulled chicken and rice with Hatch green chile sauce, kale, pepitas, and roasted corn. Like a cozy hug from New Mexico.
Paleo Spaghetti Pie: Hearty baked pie with spicy Italian sausage "crust," spaghetti squash, roasted garlic marinara, spinach, and Parmesan. Paleo? More like paleo-licious!
Pancetta Mushroom Lasagna: Layers of creamy ricotta, mushrooms, and pancetta in tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella and Parmesan. So rich and indulgent.
Vegan Fajita Bowl: Seasoned red and yellow peppers, kale, black beans, tomatoes, onion, brown rice, and cashew "sour cream." Vegan Tex-Mex heaven.
Of course, these highlights barely scratch the surface of all the tasty options. Both services offer a wide variety of cuisines and flavors to keep things interesting.
Ingredient Quality and Sourcing: Who Comes Out on Top?
Freshly and Factor_ both emphasize using high-quality, whole-food ingredients in their meals. However, there are some noteworthy differences in their ingredient standards and sourcing practices:
Freshly‘s Ingredient Standards:
– Banned 85+ preservatives and artificial ingredients
– Avoid refined sugars (meals average 9g added sugar)
– 60+ certified gluten-free options each week
– Emphasize nutrient-dense whole foods
– Incorporate more veggies (some "hidden" for picky eaters)
– Ingredients are non-GMO
– Use some organic ingredients
Factor_‘s Ingredient Standards:
– Avoid refined sugars and artificial ingredients
– Grass-fed and pasture-raised meats and eggs
– Antibiotic- and hormone-free poultry and pork
– No GMOs or preservatives
– Organic produce whenever possible
– Partner with farmers and ranchers who prioritize animal welfare
– Ingredients are gluten-free, soy-free, and hormone-free
Both companies use healthier ingredient swaps when possible, like yogurt or nut-based sauces instead of heavy cream, and cauliflower rice in place of refined grains.
Factor_ appears to go a bit further in terms of ingredient sourcing, with stricter standards around animal proteins and organic produce. However, Freshly offers more certified gluten-free options. Ultimately, both provide fresher, less processed meals than your average takeout.
Price Comparison: Which Service Offers Better Value?
Now let‘s talk money. How much will these healthy prepared meals set you back? Here‘s the scoop on Freshly vs Factor_ pricing:
Freshly Pricing:
– 4 meals/week: $11.79/meal ($47.16 total)
– 6 meals/week: $9.99/meal ($59.94 total)
– 10 meals/week: $9.29/meal ($92.90 total)
– 12 meals/week: $8.99/meal ($107.88 total)
Factor_ Pricing:
– 4 meals/week: $15.00/meal ($60.00 total)
– 6 meals/week: $12.83/meal ($76.98 total)
– 8 meals/week: $12.38/meal ($99.04 total)
– 12 meals/week: $11.50/meal ($138.00 total)
– 18 meals/week: $11.00/meal ($198.00 total)
In terms of price per serving, Freshly comes out as the more affordable option across all plan sizes. With Freshly, you‘ll pay between $8.99 to $11.79 per meal, while Factor_ ranges from $11 to $15 per meal.
However, Factor offers a broader range of plan sizes (up to 18 meals per week), which could provide better value for larger households. Factor also includes that free dietitian consultation with all plans.
Both services offer discounts for new customers and occasional promo codes. Shipping is free with both Freshly and Factor_, except on Freshly‘s 4-meal plan which has a $7 shipping fee.
Delivery, Packaging, and Recycling
With any meal delivery service, it‘s important to consider the logistics of how your food arrives. Let‘s unbox the details on Freshly and Factor_‘s delivery, packaging, and recycling practices:
Freshly delivers to most zip codes in the contiguous U.S. (sorry, Alaska and Hawaii). Factor_ ships to all 48 contiguous states. Both companies deliver Monday through Friday.
Your meals arrive in an insulated cardboard box with gel ice packs to keep them nice and chilled. Freshly‘s packaging is curb-side recyclable, and they provide detailed instructions on how to recycle/dispose of each component. Factor_‘s boxes, plastic meal containers, and gel packs are all recyclable too. Hooray for eco-friendly shipping!
What Customers Are Saying
You know I love these services, but what‘s the word on the street? I scoured reviews to get a pulse on what real-life customers think of Freshly and Factor_:
Freshly Reviews:
Happy customers rave about the convenience, portion sizes, and consistently delicious flavors. Many appreciate the variety of gluten-free and plant-based options. The most common complaints involved canceled or late deliveries due to carrier issues.
A few review highlights:
"I have a gluten sensitivity and love that I can trust every Freshly meal to be 100% gluten free. Total game-changer." – Monica L.
"Freshly has been a lifesaver for this busy grad student. The meals are super convenient and way tastier than my old frozen dinners. Never going back!" – Jared R.
Factor_ Reviews:
Factor_ subscribers love how flavorful and filling the meals are. Keto and paleo dieters especially appreciate the variety of options to fit their needs. Some reviewers felt the portions were a bit small for the price.
A few review highlights:
"Factor 75 has hands-down the best prepared food for keto. Everything I‘ve tried is so satisfying, even this carb lover doesn‘t feel deprived." – Liz D.
"As a vegan, I was surprised by how many plant-based meals Factor offers. And they actually taste amazing! Only complaint is I wish they had a bigger discount for larger orders." – Kai T.
The Final Verdict: Should You Try Freshly or Factor_?
So, which prepared meal service takes the cake: Freshly or Factor_? Drum roll please…
Both Freshly and Factor_ are excellent options for anyone looking to eat healthier, save time on cooking, and expand their palate. You really can‘t go wrong with either. That said, here‘s my take on who each service is best for:
Choose Freshly If:
- Budget is a top concern
- You‘re gluten-free
- You prefer a larger weekly menu
- You have a picky eater to please
- You want more eco-friendly packaging
Choose Factor_ If:
- You follow a keto or paleo diet
- You want stricter ingredient standards, like organic and pasture-raised
- You need a larger plan size (12+ meals/week)
- You want dietitian support included
- You don‘t mind paying a bit more per meal
And hey, no one says you have to choose just one! Since both subscriptions let you pause or cancel anytime, you could always alternate between the two and enjoy the best of both worlds.
The bottom line? Whether you‘re a Freshly fanatic or a Factor_ aficionado, these prepared meal delivery services make it easy to nourish your body with delicious, wholesome food.
I hope this head-to-head comparison helped you decide which service will best fuel YOUR unique lifestyle. Whichever you choose, your taste buds (and busy schedule) will thank you.
Now if you‘ll excuse me, I have a date with a Freshly steak peppercorn. Bon appétit!
