Created over 20 years ago as a way to make dieting more convenient, food delivery diets make planning meals simple by delivering breakfast, lunch and dinner to your door. Home food delivery diets offer personalized menus and meals, customer service and online resources for a monthly fee. Select a food delivery diet that provides meals that suit your dietary preferences, fits your budget and offers weight loss tools to help you reach your goals.
History
Home delivery diets began in the 1990s as a way to lose weight for people too busy to count calories or prepare balanced meals. Diet programs, such as Jenny Craig, had meetings for their members at a local delivery center or offered support over the phone. While Jenny Craig still offers the option of picking up meals at a delivery center, most companies provide the convenience of home delivery and online ordering. Many home delivery diet plans provide members with weight-loss tools, customizable meals and expert support from certified dietitians. According to Marketdata research conducted in February 2009, home delivery diets have become a $1 billion dollar industry and provide diet meals for millions of dieters across the United States.
Types
With more than 25 companies offering home food delivery plans, including Freshology, Nutrisystem, Biggest Loser Meal Plan and eDiets, you have a wide range of options when choosing a program. While some companies offer weight loss tools and expert support, others provide healthy, fresh food for busy dieters. Members customize, select and purchase meals online, over the phone or at a local delivery center. Most programs provide a weekly supply of food, however, companies based in certain cities offer daily meal delivery.
Pricing
A monthly subscription to a diet delivery program provides members with meals, weight loss tools and customer support. The level of service and meal plan you choose determines the cost of your subscription. While some companies offer meals for as low as $10 a day, others provide freshly prepared food for $30 to $40 a day. Plans that provide only two meals a day cost less than those that include three full meals each day. The average monthly subscription costs $726, based on a Marketdata study performed in 2009. Companies often offer promotions or discounts. For instance, Nutrisystem provides members with free shipping and a 10 percent discount for enrolling in an automatic delivery program.
Benefits
Home delivery diets can help you lose weight when combined with other low-calorie food and exercise. Having food delivered to your door makes meal planning simple and convenient for on-the-go dieters. Meal time is quick since heating your meal in the microwave or oven is the only preparation necessary. Most home delivery diet programs allow you to choose from a wide range of meals, which makes it simple to select meals that fit your dietary preferences or needs. Several companies offer meal plans for families, individuals, senior citizens, vegetarians and diabetics.
Considerations
When selecting a home delivery diet program, look for those who offer meals that contain while grains, different types of vegetables and lean protein. Frozen, prepackaged meals often contain more than the recommended daily requirement of sodium. High amounts of sodium can lead to water retention and increased risk of health concerns, according to the Mayo Clinic website. Look for meals or talk to customer support about meals with a low sodium content to maintain a moderate intake of sodium. A monthly subscription to a delivery diet program often costs more than purchasing groceries, while eating the same meals throughout the month may lead to boredom and consumption of other foods.
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