If You’re A Picky Eater, BistroMD Is for You

I don’t consider myself difficult when it comes to food. However, my friends and family might disagree. Yes, I’m allergic to certain nuts, avoid gluten, dairy, meat, and excess sugar… but does that make me a pain to cook for? Maybe, which is why I wasn’t fully convinced that BistroMD’s vegan program would work for me.

If you’re not already familiar with BistroMD, it’s a doctor-designed meal delivery service that makes meeting your health goals easier. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to lose weight, have a more nutritionally balanced diet or can’t deal with food prep. They have you covered.

Having said all this, you may be wondering why I wouldn’t be convinced they could whip up something special for me. Well, like I said, I’m difficult to cook for, which is why it’s been hard to find a meal delivery service that’s perfect for me. However, I’ve been made a true believer.

Jump below to see my favorite meals or keep reading to learn more about BistroMD and what they offer.

Where is BistroMD food made?

BistroMD meals are made in the United States. They’re based off a program designed by Caroline Cederquist, MD, a co-founder of the company. All of the 150 plus entrees are certified by the USDA, balanced for weight loss, and have no MSG, aspartame, or trans fat. More importantly, they’re really good!

Although BistroMD was initially designed for those seeking assistance with weight management, it’s a great option if you’re not keen on cooking or need helping adopting a healthier diet. They deliver pre-made meals directly to your door, and have a variety of options or “programs” to fit your lifestyle.

BistroMD’s programs are:

• Vegan Program
• Menopause Program
• Women’s Program
• Men’s Program
• Heart Healthy Program
• Gluten Free Program
• Keto-Flex Program
• Diabetic Program

BistroMD also has a dietician team to provide support through your weight loss journey. If you’re interested on one-on-one support, they’re just an email away. Do you need that if you just want to enjoy yummy, delicious, pre-made food? No. However, social support has been shown helpful if you’re interested in losing weight, .

How Do BistroMD programs work?

Some meal delivery services can feel very daunting to navigate. Fortunately, BistroMD’s site is super simple to use. Simply select the ‘Get Started’ button, and then choose the program you want, along with how often you’d like to receive meals.

Once that’s done, you’re able to select your entrees. Easy, right?

If you have allergies or food sensitivities, you can contact the support team so you don’t receive any meals with the offending ingredients. However, meals also come with all of the nutritional info you need, so you know exactly what you’re getting before you add it to your weekly menu.

Are all BistroMD meals fully cooked?

If you avoid your stove at all cost, you’re in luck because all of the BistroMD meals are fully cooked. Simply pop your entree into your microwave for five minutes and voila, dinner is served. Meals come frozen to stay fresh and can be placed in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy. And, yes, the packaging is BPA-free.

Now that you know the 411 on BistroMD, here are my thoughts on their newly launched Vegan Program.

My Review of BistroMD’s Vegan Program:

First things first, I’m not vegan. This always surprises people because I avoid meat, dairy, and eggs. However, a vegan is someone who doesn’t consume any animal product, and I’m absolutely gaga about honey. I also use powdered creamer in my coffee, plus will occasionally indulge in ice cream, chocolate — you know, the essentials.

There are foods I do avoid no matter what, like certain nuts and soy, so I wasn’t sure if the meal delivery service would have options for me. Fortunately, I was wrong.

Meals: I was sent five different entrees (10 total) that worked for lunch, as well as dinner. I received:

• Jamaican-Inspired Stew
• Butter Bean Ragu with Roasted Garlic Brussel Sprouts
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
• Moroccan Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew
• Harissa Chickpea Power Bowl
• Tara Dal Cury

Many people think that plant-based folks only eat salad, so I was impressed to have a wide variety of dishes not based around lettuce. I have an adventurous palette, love spicy things, and unique flavors. These dishes were right up my alley!

One of my favorites was the Moroccan Lentil Stew. It was a little spicy, a little sweet, and very filling. Another favorite was the Butter Bean Ragu. It not only had delectable butter beans but mushrooms, bell peppers, artichokes, and kale. I really liked the ragu. It wasn’t too acidic and made the overall dish feel really comforting.

If I could only eat one entree from the whole bunch, it would be the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. I know I just complained about people offering me salad, but this one was soooo good. I love a warm salad, and the olives gave it a slightly salty zip that made the entire dish sing.

I do wish that everything looked as colorful as on the site’s menu list. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of vegetables, which is a huge bonus. However, the drawback of having pre-made microwaveable dishes is that they rarely look as aesthetically pleasing as they do when you make and plate them yourself. Still, it’s not a big deal to me, especially if I still get a healthy, no-fuss meal.

Portion: BistroMD portions each dish out so you’re getting a nutritionally balanced serving. Size-wise, the entrees are decent, but if you like piling a lot of food on your plate, you may feel they’re too small.

I’m not trying to lose weight and the meals are low-calorie (under 500 calories), so I always had a side of vegetables or a small salad with the main dish. This not only helped me get more nutrients, but kept me fuller longer. In fact, some days I had to push myself to eat again because I was so satiated. (Plant-based meals tend to be higher in fiber).

Price: When I’m not enjoying meal delivery services like BistroMD, I’m shopping for myself, and spending around $300 per month on groceries.

No, that’s not a lot, but I’m mainly buying very basic things like lentils, protein powder, and almond butter. I know — real exciting. What can I say, I’m frugal, but just know that when I used to make more inspired meals like the ones from BistroMD, my grocery bill was much higher.

Eating well as a vegan can be pricey, especially if you like incorporating different spices and ingredients. Because of this, I think BistroMD’s Vegan Program, at $189.95 per week for 14 entrees, is a good deal. And if you grab it now, you can enjoy it for $113.97. I would definitely reorder on weeks I know I’m too busy to run to the store or meal prep.

Check out more BistroMD programs here>