Fitness fiends will love this high-protein meal delivery service

Though we appreciate a good meal kit subscription to help whip up dinner on busy days, there are also some days we just don’t have the energy to even turn on the stove. Ordering takeout is expensive and frozen meals usually have no flavor. When trying to find an answer to our cooking woes, we turned to prepared meal services.

A bunch of us here at Reviewed are trying to be more conscious about our diet—especially since becoming Peloton owners. We stumbled upon Factor, a subscription-based meal delivery service that caters to fitness enthusiasts.

What is Factor?

Factor is a prepared meal delivery service that takes care of meal prep for you. Its health-conscious angle is what first caught our attention—nutrition facts and ingredient lists for each meal are described in detail on Factor’s website, and each meal is designed by a registered dietician.

Plus, every subscriber is entitled to a 20-minute consultation with nutrition coaches and expert dietitians who can answer any diet-related questions before placing their first order.

Factor has a rotating menu of 35 professional, chef-prepared healthy meals that update weekly, as well as add-on items such as protein-packed breakfasts, cold-pressed juices, keto-approved snacks, and additional servings of standalone protein.

How much does Factor cost?

Factor's pricing is similar to other prepared meal services we’ve tested, and primarily depends on the frequency of deliveries.

Factor starts at $13.49 per meal if you order six meals per week, but if you order 18 meals per week, each meal can cost as little as $11. Factor add-ons like keto-friendly snacks, juices, desserts, cuts of protein, and breakfasts are also available at an extra cost.

But Reviewed readers can benefit from $130 off and free shipping with code REVI130FREE.

How to manage your subscription

You can pause a subscription for up to four weeks if you decide to skip a week or travel out of town. You can also cancel your subscription at any time except after a new order has been placed.

What I like about Factor

The meals are tasty, healthy, and sufficiently filling

All the meals we tried were delicious and satisfying, perfect for a post-workout lunch or dinner.

Each meal is packed with 20-to-40 grams of protein (with the exception of some plant-based meals), and there are additional specialty menu items to help subscribers meet their health goals—like Keto, Calorie Smart, Protein Plus, and Carb Conscious. But it's not all about protein; each meal offers a balance of adequate macro and micronutrients designed by expert dietitians to maintain a balanced diet, without any effort.

And each week presents plenty of variety; whether you're craving spiced Louisiana shrimp, a hearty bacon cheddar burger, or a comforting beef bolognese, there's something to satisfy your craving.

The packaging is efficient

The meals arrive neatly packaged in easily stackable containers that make it easy to find room for in the fridge. The plastic containers are also microwave-safe—made from BPA-free food-safe plastic—which makes it easy to get a meal ready in minutes. And they can be recycled after being rinsed thoroughly.

There are plenty of add-ons to choose from

We also appreciated Factor's optional add-ons because we love snacking during busy work days. The menu offers tons of nutritious options that are healthier than our go-to munchies. We tried keto- and diet-friendly snack bars and cheesecakes.

Between plenty of add-ons for desserts, breakfasts, drinks, snacks, and even extra helpings of protein (for those intense gym days), Factor makes it easy to stay on track with healthy options.

What I don’t like about Factor

Each delivery comes with a substantial amount of waste

There’s a lot of plastic packaging that comes with every delivery. Unfortunately, this is a common problem with most premade meals and meal kit delivery services. During testing, we washed and recycled every plastic container, but it became tiring after a while.

And of course, breaking down the boxes and emptying and recycling the gel packs is time-consuming as well. (Thistle is one of the few prepared meal services that offers to pick up and re-use weekly shipment packaging.)

Options are limited for vegetarians

We're hoping to see more vegetarian and plant-based options from Factor in the future. We enjoyed eating the few veg-friendly meals currently offered, but in reality, a vegetarian or pescatarian eater probably won’t be satisfied trying to build a week’s worth of meals from five options. (And vegans are usually stuck with only one or two meals weekly.)

Is Factor worth it?

Yes, if you're looking for easy, protein-packed meals (and aren't a vegetarian)

If you’re too busy working from home or hopping on your exercise bike to fuss over dinner, Factor’s heat-and-eat meals could be right for you. It’s one of the few prepared meal delivery services we’ve tested that focuses on low-calorie and low-carb meals, with the added benefit of support from expert dietitians.

For a similar health-focused meal service with more plant-forward options, check out BistroMD. Otherwise, if you're less concerned about dieting and prioritize flavor and variety instead, check out our pick for the best prepared meal delivery service, CookUnity.