Written by Cathy Habas, Fortune Recommends Writer
Preparing a home-cooked meal is often healthier than eating out, but it’s also time-consuming and requires a fair amount of mobility and energy. If you want the health benefits of freshly cooked meals without the prep work, you may want to consider a meal delivery service like Factor (formerly known as Factor 75). Single-serving, microwave-ready meals are delivered to you on a weekly basis, and the food is made fresh to preserve quality and taste.
Our testers signed up for Factor meals to evaluate freshness, accessibility, delivery quality, and more. You can read our full review of the service below.
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.
Key product features
What you should know
Factor offers single-serving prepared meals that re-heat in the microwave in two minutes or the oven in seven.
- Our testers enjoyed the variety of Factor meals they sampled, including add-ons like breakfast foods and beverages.
- A Factor meal starts at $10.99, which we found to be fairly average compared to competitors on the market.
- Factor is great for people who want well-balanced, nutritious prepared meals delivered directly to their front door.
How does Factor work?
Factor is a good, healthy meal delivery service to consider if you want to eat fresh meals without spending much time in the kitchen. Each single-serving meal is already cooked, so all you have to do is re-heat it. Our testers praised the quality and taste of the food, and re-heating the meals was as easy as popping them in the microwave for two minutes or the oven for seven. You can select a preferred delivery day and time to make sure you’re home when the food arrives. That said, deliveries do come in a well-insulated box to ensure food safety even if you’re not able to bring it inside right away.
We asked Chrissy Arsenault, RDN, to evaluate the nutritional content of Factor meals, and she gave positive feedback.
“Factor meals have a balanced macronutrient profile and seem to [be prepared using] fresh veggies, which are great sources of micronutrients and dietary fiber to help you stay full. All the options look really solid with premium ingredients and no fillers or preservatives.”
Chrissy Arsenault, MBA, RDN, Fortune Recommends Nutrition Advisor
After signing up for Factor, you don’t have to do anything to continue to receive meals each week. A more hands-on approach is possible, too, where you can approve or change meals before each shipment.
When signing up for Factor, you’ll be asked to select any dietary preferences and the number of meals you wish to receive each week (six, eight, 10, 12, 14, or 18). You can change this later if needed.
Next, input your address, telephone number, and any delivery instructions. Pay close attention to the shipping section on the right side of the same screen. Click Edit to choose the date and time of each week’s delivery.
Finally, you’ll be asked for payment information. Click Place Order & Select Meals to finish the sign-up process and choose your first meals.
Choosing meals
On the Factor website, you can see full menus for the next three weeks. These menus include:
- 35 lunch or dinner meals
- Eight or nine breakfast add-ons
- Six types of proteins
- An assortment of juices, smoothies, and protein shakes
- Energy bites and fat bombs
- Desserts
Make sure you continue to click Load More under each section to see everything that’s available.
Click on any meal or add-on to view a full list of ingredients, nutritional information, and reheating instructions. Factor will also tell you if the meal falls into one of these categories:
- Calorie smart (approximately 550 calories or less)
- Protein plus (at least 30 grams of protein)
- Keto-friendly (high fat, no more than 15 grams of net carbs)
- Fiber support
- Flexitarian
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Spicy
- Dairy-free
Most Factor meals contain at least 500 milligrams of sodium and may not be suitable for people with hypertension. Allergen content can be viewed on individual meal pages, but all Factor meals are produced in a facility that processes sesame and the top eight food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy. Meals may not be safe for people with food allergies due to the potential for cross-contamination.
Changing orders
In your Factor account preferences, you can choose whether you want keto, low-calorie, vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, or high-protein meals. Factor will automatically add appropriate meals to your cart each week, but you can swap them out for anything off the full menu by logging into your online account.
Your account will be assigned a cut-off time for meal changes based on your delivery day. Make sure you submit any edits or additions before this time. It’s a consistent cut-off time each week, so you can develop a routine around reviewing your order.
Specs
| Starting price | $10.99-$13.49 |
| Shipping cost | $10.99 |
| Shipping area | Continental U.S. |
| Meal type | Prepared meals |
| Number of meals per week | Six, eight, 10, 12, 14, or 18 |
| Meal options | Keto-friendly, vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, high-protein, low-calorie |
| Cancellation method | Online |
Our Factor experience
After testing Factor for ourselves, we gathered a few key takeaways:
Packaging
Factor sends each week’s order in a single cardboard box. Our tester said it weighed about 10 pounds with 10 items inside—much lighter than meal kit boxes from other brands, which can weigh over 30 pounds.
Inside the cardboard box is a thick insulating liner and ice packs that keep the meals cool in transit. Our tester said this setup worked well, as all of the meals were cold, even though the box sat on his porch for a few hours after delivery.
Preparing the meals
Factor meals are already fully cooked, so they just need to be warmed up. Each meal is wrapped in a cardboard label with re-heating instructions on the back. Here’s how it usually works:
- Microwave: Remove the cardboard label and pierce the plastic film a few times with a fork or knife. Microwave on high for two minutes. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the food has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue to warm for 30 seconds at a time to reach this temperature if needed. Let the tray cool for two minutes before removing it from the microwave and carefully peeling the plastic all the way off. Transfer the food to a plate to eat.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the cardboard label and plastic film. Place the tray on a baking sheet. Heat in the oven for seven minutes. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the food has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue to warm for two minutes at a time to reach this temperature if needed. Transfer the food to a plate to eat.
Quality of meals
Factor makes each meal with fresh ingredients, seals them in microwave- and oven-safe containers, and delivers them directly to you. The meals are never frozen, which helps preserve their taste and texture. The company recommends eating the food within seven days of delivery.
As promised, our tester received meals with fresh ingredients. “Nothing smelled rotten or expired,” they said. “The texture was surprisingly fresh, too. I expected it to feel or look way more processed than it was.” According to the tester, a few meals did become watery after sitting refrigerated in their containers for several days.
Serving sizes
Factor sells single-serving meals that contain between 400 and 750 calories. Our tester needed to eat more food from his pantry to feel full, but the portions may be satisfying if you’re used to lower-calorie meals. You can view the calorie content of each meal before adding it to your box for the week, which can help you meet your calorie goals.
Occasionally, the Factor menu will include add-ons with more than one serving per package. For example, the Smoky Bacon & Cheddar Egg Bites serve two people, as do the Harissa-Style Chicken Wings.
We’ve Featured Factor in:
- Best meal delivery services
- Best keto meal delivery services
- Best vegetarian meal delivery services
- Best meal delivery services for weight loss
- Best healthy meal delivery services
How we test meal delivery services
For people who want a healthy, balanced meal and don’t have time to cook, meal delivery can be a game changer. Services, like Factor, help meet this need. Our team of nutrition experts personally tested Factor to assess the service’s quality, making sure everything is fresh, organic, and well packaged.
Not every meal delivery service is a great fit for every person or scenario. That’s why Fortune Recommends™ aims to personally test every meal delivery service we review. Our goal is to provide unbiased, honest feedback to help you pick the right service for you.
Here’s why you can trust our organic meal delivery reviews.
Every Fortune meal delivery review features:
- In-depth analysis by testers and/or authors who are certified nutritionists and/or registered dietitians
- Testing for portion/ingredient accuracy, taste, and freshness
- Fact-checking and reviewing by qualified experts
At times, we may feature meal delivery services we haven’t yet tested. Until we can try them, we examine each service’s cost, meal variety, nutrition breakdown, and customization options. We then update our reviews once we’ve tested them to highlight our insights.
Learn how we test meal delivery services here.
Testing criteria
Meal choices—30%
A meal delivery service should provide a variety of healthy, nutritious options for every meal of the day. Here’s what we take into account when considering meal choices:
- Multiple options
- Substitutions
- Guidance
- Label transparency
Food quality—30%
We aim to match you with meal delivery services that use tasty, nutritious recipes that can help you meet your health goals. Here’s what goes into our quality rating:
- Flavor
- Healthiness
- Freshness
Value—20%
While meal delivery services vary in price, what you receive should feel reasonable for what you’re paying. Here’s what we factor into a service’s value rating:
- Fair price
- Multiple quantity options
- Customization
Customer experience—20%
- Packaging
- Ease of preparation
- Reviews
- Customer service
Compare Factor
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| Factor | HelloFresh | Purple Carrot | CookUnity | |
| Rating | ||||
| Price per meal | $10.99-$13.49 | $9.99 | $11 | $11 |
| Shipping cost | $10.99 | $10.99 | $10-$20 per week depending on location; free shipping on orders over $100 | Varies |
| Shipping area | Continental U.S. | Continental U.S. and select areas in Hawaii and Alaska | Continental U.S. | Most states |
| Diet of food allergy options | Vegetarian, low-cal, low-carb, family-friendly, wellness | Vegetarian, seafood | 100% vegan with high-protein, low-calorie, nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free, low-sodium, and fast and easy options | Vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo, gluten-free, low-calorie, low-carb, low-sodium, high-protein, dairy-free |
FAQs
Is Factor legit?
Yes, Factor is a legitimate meal delivery service. Our testers ordered food from Factor and were satisfied with the shipping, freshness, quality, and taste.
Is Factor worth it for weight loss?
According to Chrissy Arsenault, a registered dietitian, Factor meals have a suitable blend of protein and fiber that can help people—including older adults—feel full from fewer calories. The meals are also nutrient-dense, which is important for maintaining good health while eating fewer calories.
“If you can afford Factor meals, they could totally be worth it for weight loss,” Arsenault said. “Just make sure you’re still achieving a calorie deficit.”
If you need help understanding the dos and don’ts of weight loss, Factor offers free nutritional coaching.
Are Factor meals processed?
No, Factor meals aren’t processed. The meals are made from fresh ingredients without additives, preservatives, fillers, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. You can view any meal’s list of ingredients on the Factor website.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
Our experts
Lily Moe
Lily is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor with over seven years of experience in health media. As a former Fitness Coach, Lily’s editorial prowess has largely focused on fitness, nutrition, and weight management. She has also spent a fair share of time in testing labs, analyzing everything from protein powders to yoga mats. Her work has appeared in Verywell Fit, Verywell Mind, Health, and more.
Amy Beney, RD
Amy Beney is a registered dietitian based outside Buffalo, New York. After working with many people who have blood sugar issues and were diagnosed with diabetes, she pursued and received an advanced certification as a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES). She enjoys breaking down complex medical information into smaller pieces that people can apply daily.
Chrissy Arsenault, MBA, RDN
Chrissy Arsenault is a registered dietitian with over nine years of experience in the health and wellness space. She first started in the industry working as a personal trainer at Cornell Fitness Centers. Now, she owns her own private practice and nutrition communications firm, Pink Pamplemousse.
Cathy Habas
Fortune Recommends Writer
About Author
Cathy has written about older adult care and technology—including medical alert systems—since 2021. Her career highlights include writing about home security and child safety on SafeWise.com and contributing higher education guides to Forbes Advisor. Cathy has been consulted as a subject matter expert by Alzheimer’s Caregivers Network, Consumer Affairs, U.S. News & World Report, Lifewire, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and has been writing professionally since 2014.