Losing weight has many elements to work.  Exercise and movement are important, but eating balanced meals with the right portions has always been my challenge.  I’m a fan of comfort food, snacking, and sweets, but with our Maui vacation coming up in just 2 weeks, I had some incentive to cut back.  I began the 30-day Shred exercise program and felt that the more calories I burned, the hungrier I got.  Again, I needed balance and BistroMD contacted me at the right time, when I needed weight loss experts in my own kitchen.

Okay, I didn’t get live chefs in my kitchen, but I did receive a diet delivered to my door.   One week’s worth of gourmet meals, that were great-tasting, nutritionally balanced, and customized to what I liked and what I wanted to eat were shipped to me in dry ice. All these meals were designed and prepared by a physician, dietitians, and chefs working together based on the latest research in metabolism and weight management.   

BistroMD appeals to women looking to lose some extra weight after pregnancy or menopause or for a special occasion like a wedding, or vacation to the islands!   The company has been called “The Best Home Delivery Meal Available!” by Dr. Phil McGraw and “Best Diet Support Meal Plan” by Health Magazine.  After reading all about their goals, I felt positive that my goals could also be met.

Plans
Plans are offered 4 ways, 7 days of 3 meals/day with snacks, 7 days of 3 meals/day without snacks, 5 days of 3 meals/day with snacks, and 5 days of 3 meals/day without snacks.  Some families may have unique challenges, lifestyles, or needs and BistroMD will adjust, if you only need 7 days of just lunches or just dinners, that can be worked out as well.

Menus
Once your delivery plan is set, your meals can be arranged. Of course they will take into account food allergies and religious restrictions, but also if you don’t like pork or seafood, let them know.  Even if you prefer more chicken and less beef, it can all be customized to your needs. You will get a weekly menu schedule that are perfectly proportioned with essential nutrients and satisfy your hunger.  As a BistroMD customer you will also have free access to the resident dietitians via the customer service line and/or email.  Every week, you’ll receive a new assortment of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. You will enjoy the variety and excitement that comes with an ever-changing meal plan, a diet plan with so much selection! All meals are delivered to your door in microwavable trays that are vacuum sealed, so they maintain their freshness, and cook in their own natural juices when heated. Most menus are based on a 1100-1400 calorie day (400 calories and under per meal) and the estimated weight loss can range from 1-4lbs a week. Once per week you are allowed a “free meal of your own” where you can eat what you want but watching your portions!

Delivery
Delivered weekly with only one week’s worth of commitment required, you will get your frozen meals shipped in dry ice in and insulated polystyrene cooler that is reusable.  Items like bagels, muffins, and puddings are to be placed in the fridge and if you order snacks, they’ll be on top for either the pantry or fridge.

Heat and Serve
Once all your work is done, then all you do is heat and serve.  You can thaw meals in the fridge usually 24-48 hours before eating or you can cook from frozen in the microwave.  Each meal has specific directions. 

My Take:  I was eager, very eager to start this program.  To think I didn’t have to think, cook, shop, or prepare each of these gourmet meals was a huge relief.  While unpacking my meals, I made sure to label them with a B for breakfast, L for lunch, and D for dinners and for day 1-7 according to what sounded good.  I lined them up in my freezer, luckily we had plenty of room and was set!  When I ordered the meals I omitted the seafood and shellfish options, no allergies, just a preference.  I was thrilled to see my selections like stuffed chicken breast, buckwheat berry pancakes, pot roast, and roasted turkey, still my favorite comfort foods, just in the right portions.

Right away I learned a few things.  Heating from frozen left cold spots and uneven cooking on my meals.  I would suggest that you thaw for the recommended times, the foods come out perfectly heated through that way!  The second thing was that when I transferred the food onto regular plates from the microwave tray, the entire meal fit on a smaller plate than the standard dinner sized.  I knew in my heart that I always served myself more than one servings worth at most of my meals, even then I’d go for seconds.  This was a visual Ah-ha! moment for me and each day I would purposely transfer my food to those smaller plates.  This will stick with me as all my future meals will be eaten on smaller dishes.

When I sat down to eat, I first took in the visual appeal of the meals.  They were colorful and looked very appetizing that is often the first step to enjoying what you eat.  My first meal was the omelet with peaches and a veggie sausage patty for breakfast.  I loved it, it had flavor, it was sweet and salty as needed, and was enough food.  I found that I enjoyed about 85% of the meals over the course of the week and I was truly impressed. I’ve done days of frozen meals from the grocery stores, but I was eating the same flavors (tomato sauce/beef/pasta) over and over, it was definitely not balanced.  I really enjoy different veggies I don’t normally buy (squash, sweet potatoes, and broccoli), albeit pureed, so I’m going to make different choices at the grocery store.

My favorite meals included:
–Pot Roast with Mushroom Peppercorn Gravy, roasted garlic spinach whipped potatoes, and roasted root veggies
–Turkey with Cider Gravy, baby carrot souffle, and sweet potato and whole wheat bread stuffing
–Canadian style bacon, high protein bagel, and egg white patty
–Stuffed chicken breast with broccoli and cheddar, butternut squash and roasted barley salad
–Lentils and Moroccan inspired chicken
–Penne ala Vodka (whole wheat pasta has a rougher texture you may need to get used to)

I admit there were a few parts of the meals that I really didn’t like (entireTofu Curry Stew, any spinach-tastes grassy, and the Southwestern Chicken Wrap), yet I could enjoy part of every meal.  I have learned about portions and new flavors during this experience that I will keep with me.  I would be thrilled at the opportunity to use BistroMD again when I have a goal to eat well and also lose weight.

We were sent a meal plan for one week for honest review!  All opinions were my 100% tried and true experience