Weight Loss Made Easy with BistroMD Meals

BistroMD at a Glance

Dr. Caroline Cederquist is a board-certified bariatric physician and opened the company with her husband Ed, affectionately called "the foodie." The duo created the company to address the challenges of maintaining a healthy diet while balancing a busy lifestyle. Dr. Cederquist recognized a gap in the market for scientifically-backed, chef-prepared meals that cater to individuals seeking weight loss and overall wellness. BistroMD meals focus on Metabolic Dysfunction, something the doctor specializes in as a bariatric medical provider. This background has allowed the company to deliver nutritious, portion-controlled, balanced meals directly to clients’ doors, helping them achieve and maintain their health goals. The company serves a broad customer base across the United States, providing a convenient solution for those who want to eat healthily without the hassle of meal preparation.

BistroMD’s services stand out because they blend the science of healthy weight loss with gourmet meals. Each meal plan is designed to meet specific dietary needs, including their signature plan and other plans tailored for a gluten-free diet, diabetic-friendly, heart-healthy, and menopause-related options. The company emphasizes the importance of balanced nutrition, portion control, and convenience. It is an attractive choice for individuals with busy schedules, weight loss goals, or anyone needing a structured meal plan to support specific health goals. 

Over the years, BistroMD has received various awards and recognition for their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. The company has been featured in numerous health and wellness publications and has earned a reputation as a trusted provider of nutritious, convenient meals. Although, it's important to note that BistroMD is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

BistroMD Features

BistroMD offers a diverse range of meal options that cater to various dietary preferences and special requirements. Here’s a breakdown of the key features:

Menu options

Diet-specific meal plans: BistroMD offers specialized meal plans tailored to various dietary needs, including their signature program, gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, heart health, menopause-friendly, keto flex which offers various low carb options, and a vegan plan. Each is designed to meet specific nutritional requirements, making it easier for clients to achieve their health goals.

Doctor-designed: The meals are designed by Dr. Caroline Cederquist, a board-certified bariatric physician, ensuring they meet specific nutritional standards. Her expertise in weight management and nutrition guarantees that each meal is balanced and supports clients’ health and wellness goals, whether for weight loss, maintaining a healthy weight, or overall well-being.

Customizable meal selections: Clients can personalize their weekly meal selections by choosing specific meals from the menu or allowing BistroMD to make selections based on dietary and culinary preferences. This flexibility ensures that clients receive meals suited to their tastes and nutritional needs.

Wide variety of meal options: BistroMD provides 150 meal options per week, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The rotating menu ensures that clients have access to fresh, diverse, and delicious options each week. In addition, their meals are doctor-designed and cater to a variety of diets, preferences, and cuisines, all made with high-quality fresh ingredients.

Balanced nutrition: Each meal is crafted with balanced nutrition in mind, combining the right amounts of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. In addition to this, the company recommends you buy snacks to keep your metabolism up all day and help in your weight loss journey. This allows clients to manage their calorie intake while enjoying satisfying, nutritionally complete meals.

No preparation required: BistroMD meals arrive fully prepared and frozen, requiring only heating before eating. Of course, the meals need to be put in the fridge the day before to thaw and take three to five minutes in a microwave to be ready for eating; they can also be heated in an oven. This convenience is ideal for busy individuals who want to maintain a healthy diet without spending time cooking or grocery shopping.

Special requirements accommodation: BistroMD accommodates dietary restrictions and food allergies, allowing clients to exclude certain ingredients from their meal plans. This customization ensures that clients with special dietary needs can enjoy their meals with confidence.

Add-ons, sides, and snacks: The company provides a variety of delicious and healthy snack options to help you fulfill all your food needs and potentially ditch the grocery store.

All meals are free of artificial ingredients and flavors. The company provides a comprehensive list of all prohibited items in their meal ingredients.

Delivery features

Nationwide delivery: BistroMD delivers meals directly to your door throughout the contiguous United States. This ensures that clients can enjoy healthy, chef-prepared meals no matter where they are.

Freshness and packaging: Meals are shipped in insulated boxes with dry ice to ensure they remain fresh during transit. The packaging is designed to keep the meals at the right temperature so they arrive fully frozen, ensuring your meals don't go bad on the way.

Flexible delivery schedule: Clients can choose their preferred delivery day, making fitting meal deliveries into their schedule easy. This flexibility allows for seamless integration of BistroMD meals into daily routines.

Other features

Skip weeks, change, pause and cancel plans easily: BistroMD offers the option to skip weeks, pause or cancel your meal plan if needed. This feature provides additional flexibility for clients who may not need meals every week or need to take a break from the service. The company asks that any change to plans be made by Wednesday at 5PM ET in order to have enough time to accommodate to your needs.

Nutritional information easily available: All the ingredients and nutritional information for their meals is available on their website and on the packaging of the actual meal itself, making it easy to keep track of.

Access to a Facebook community support forum: Customers will gain access to a Facebook support forum to help them in their weight loss and healthy living journey.

Microwave-safe meal trays: The company's meal trays are microwave-safe and BPA-free, ensuring that even the packaging supports a healthy lifestyle.

Pricing & Plans

Prices can vary based on the number of meals chosen and the level of customization. Additionally, their meal prices start at $11 per meal. They offer the following plans:

5-Day Plan: You can customize this plan by getting two meals daily, lunch and dinner, or three, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This plan is ideal for those who want structured, healthy meals during the workweek while leaving weekends open for personal choices.

7-Day Plan: Provides a week’s worth of meals, including two or three meals daily. This plan is perfect for those seeking comprehensive support in maintaining a healthy diet throughout the week. It's important to note that this plan is technically a 6-day meal plan, as the company has something called "my night" built into it. This means that customers are given a free day for social occasions, dining out, or cooking their own meals at home on the seventh day. This is specifically designed to empower customers to design and eat based on the BistroMD method.

BistroMD typically charges a flat-rate shipping fee of $19.95 per order for meal delivery within the United States. This fee may vary depending on your location and any ongoing promotions. It’s always a good idea to check directly with BistroMD or during checkout for the most accurate and up-to-date delivery fee information.

Pros & Cons of BistroMD

Advantages

Scientifically backed nutrition: BistroMD’s meals are designed by a board-certified bariatric physician, ensuring that each meal is nutritionally balanced. This focus on science-backed nutrition makes BistroMD a unique option for those looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Each dish contains around 40% protein, 30% complex carbohydrates, and 30% healthy fat. Customers can feel confident knowing that the meals they receive are delicious and tailored to support their health goals.

Diet plans tailored to metabolic correction: BistroMD offers diet plans tailored to metabolic correction to address the underlying causes of weight gain and metabolic imbalances. These personalized plans focus on optimizing metabolism through balanced nutrition, helping customers achieve sustainable weight loss and improved overall health. By targeting specific metabolic needs, BistroMD ensures that each meal supports the body’s natural processes, leading to better energy levels, effective fat loss, and long-term success in maintaining a healthy weight. These include a menopause diet, a diabetic program, and specific plans for men and women.

Dietitian support: You can receive specialized support while on the BistroMD subscription.

Customizable meal plans: BistroMD offers a variety of meal plans that can be customized to meet specific dietary needs, such as gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, and heart-healthy options, including the popular keto flex plan. This flexibility ensures that customers with unique dietary preferences or restrictions can still enjoy the benefits of a structured meal plan. The ability to tailor meal selections adds a personal touch to the service, making it more appealing to a wider range of customers.

Wide variety of meal options: With a rotating menu that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, BistroMD offers various meals to prevent menu fatigue. This variety helps keep customers engaged and satisfied with their meal plans, reducing the likelihood of boredom with repetitive options. Having access to diverse meal choices can enhance the overall dining experience and make sticking to a healthy diet easier with the customized menu feature of the BistroMD program.

Discounts for new customers: For first-time customers, you can get 40% off and free shipping on your first order, making meals as low as $6.59 per meal. This gives people an opportunity to try the service without having to make a big financial commitment.

Their gluten-free option is appropriate for celiacs: Their gluten-free diet plan is appropriate for both people with celiac and non-celiac gluten sensitivities, making it a great option for anyone who needs it.

Potential drawbacks

Frozen meals: While their chefs prepare their recipes fresh, they arrive to their customers frozen, which may give the impression of something less than fresh and may not be the option that everyone wants. It also means making more space in your freezer, depending on how many meals you need per week.

High shipping fees: BistroMD charges a flat-rate shipping fee of $19.95 per order, which can add to the overall cost of the service. The shipping cost could make the service less attractive, especially for those already paying a premium for the meal plans.

Smaller portion sizes: Although this is by design as it is recommended for losing weight, it may not be satisfying for everyone who tries it.

Not ideal for large families: BistroMD’s pricing structure and individual meal portions may not be the most cost-effective solution for large families. The costs could quickly escalate if multiple family members are interested in using the service. Additionally, the service is primarily designed for individual use, which may not suit households looking for family-style meal solutions.

Real User Experiences with BistroMD

BistroMD has garnered a range of ratings across various review platforms, reflecting diverse customer experiences with their service. On Trustpilot, BistroMD holds a rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars based on several hundred reviews. Google Reviews reflects a similar sentiment, with an average rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars. Sitejabber has a lower rating of 2 out of 5 stars, while Yelp presents a more varied opinion with a 3.5 out of 5 stars rating. 

Ease of preparation and taste

Customers frequently praise the ease of preparation with BistroMD meals, noting that the fully prepared dishes require minimal effort beyond heating. This convenience is particularly appreciated by those with busy schedules or limited cooking skills. In terms of taste, many customers report that the meals have bold flavors and are satisfying, especially for a diet-focused service. However, a few reviews mention that some dishes may lack the complexity or variety in flavors expected from gourmet meals, but overall, the taste is well-received by the majority. Some reviewers complained that the portion sizes were not satisfying. In contrast, others complained that specific ingredients, like the green beans and tofu, would often turn out soggy and chewy after reheating.

Packaging and environmental friendliness

BistroMD’s packaging generally receives positive feedback for keeping the meals fresh and secure during delivery. The insulated boxes and dry ice used in shipping ensure that meals arrive in good condition. However, some customers have expressed concerns about the amount of packaging used, citing environmental considerations. While the company uses recyclable materials, the volume of packaging can be seen as excessive by those who are environmentally conscious.

Delivery services

The delivery service provided by BistroMD is largely praised for its reliability and timeliness. Customers often note that their meals arrive on the scheduled day without delays, which is crucial for maintaining freshness. However, there are occasional reports of late deliveries or meals arriving at the wrong temperature, which can affect the overall experience. Despite these isolated incidents, the majority of users find the delivery process to be smooth and convenient.

Customer service and overall satisfaction

BistroMD’s customer service receives mixed reviews. Many customers commend the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team, particularly when resolving issues related to meal selection or delivery. However, some users report difficulties in reaching customer service or dissatisfaction with the resolution of their concerns. Overall, customer satisfaction tends to be high among those who have had positive interactions with the service team, though there is room for improvement in handling customer inquiries.

While these reviews provide a snapshot of customer experiences, it’s important to conduct your own research and consider multiple sources before making a decision. Potential customers should contact BistroMD directly to inquire about any specific concerns or ask for further information from past or present customers to get a comprehensive understanding of the service.

Customer Support

BistroMD offers several support options during business hours, including phone support at 866-401-3438 and email at [email protected]. Their team is known for being responsive and helpful, assisting with meal plans, delivery, and account issues. BistroMD also provides online resources, including FAQs and guides, to help customers understand and maximize their meal plans. They have an extensive blog where you can go deeper into information on healthy eating, weight loss, recipes, and more. 

Conclusion

BistroMD offers a unique combination of doctor-designed, chef-prepared meals that cater to a wide range of dietary needs. Whether you’re managing a specific health condition, aiming for weight loss, or simply seeking balanced nutrition, BistroMD’s tailored approach ensures that there’s a plan to meet your needs.

The service stands out from competitors by focusing on scientifically-backed nutrition and the convenience of fully prepared meals. BistroMD’s ability to accommodate various dietary restrictions and preferences adds a level of personalization that many customers appreciate. BistroMD offers nutritional and calorie-portioned meals specific to particular diets and needs that can also be tailored to men and women. While they provide nutritionist support for subscribers, ultimately, their meals are not tailored to individual nuances and the specificities that a tailored meal with a one-on-one dietician might create for you. Some other drawbacks include the high shipping fees and customer reviews on taste, although many people said that was remedied with a sprinkle of salt.

Ultimately, individual preferences and goals play a crucial role in determining whether BistroMD is the right fit for you. If you value convenience, quality, and a structured approach to healthy eating and weight loss, BistroMD could be an excellent choice.

There are various options available to you, and you can find out more about them on our reviews page of the best meal delivery services. Subsequently, you can use our comparison tool to compare different companies and make an informed decision. If you need more information about these services or help understanding how they work, you can visit our blog page with many helpful articles.