Factor Meals Review: A Dietitian’s Honest Opinion

Factor (formerly Factor 75) is a meal delivery service that claims to provide dishes that are fresh, healthy, and delicious.

With a rotating weekly menu of nutritious, high quality ingredients, Factor may be a great option for those looking for a way to save time on cooking and improve their health.

This article offers a comprehensive review of Factor, including our thoughts after trying 2 weeks of meals.

What is Factor?

Factor is a meal delivery service that provides a variety of fully prepared entrées, snacks, and drinks.

Meal options cater to a range of dietary needs and restrictions. You select meals from the company’s menu to create your own custom plan. All dishes are delivered fresh and individually portioned, meaning that no preparation is required — you simply reheat and enjoy.

Moreover, Factor uses high quality ingredients, including:

• sustainably sourced seafood
• grass-fed meat
• antibiotic-free poultry
• mostly organic produce

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Brand reputation

Like all other meal delivery services reviewed by Healthline, Factor was thoroughly vetted to ensure that it meets Healthline’s medical and business standards.

The company has an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, though it isn’t BBB accredited. It also prepares and packages meals in facilities that are fully licensed and inspected by the State of Illinois Health Department.

Overall, customers are satisfied with the taste, freshness, and quality of Factor’s meals and ingredients.

The main complaints about the service describe issues with deliveries not arriving on time or customers not receiving the correct meals.

Several reviewers also complain about the number of marketing emails they receive from the company, though you can solve this by unsubscribing from the company’s mailing list.

Meal selection

Factor boasts an extensive menu with at least 35 dishes to choose from each week. You can filter the menu to find options for several specific dietary restrictions and food preferences, including meals that are:

• ketogenic
• paleo
• vegetarian
• plant-based
• high protein
• low carb
• low calorie
• spicy
• dairy-free

Additionally, all meals are produced in a gluten-free facility, which may make it a good fit for those following a gluten-free diet.

Each item on the menu includes a full list of ingredients and detailed nutritional information. Potential allergens are noted on the menu, but keep in mind that meals aren’t produced in an allergen-free facility.

Here are a few examples of menu items:

• Lentil and Sweet Potato Harvest Bowl
• Pork Tenderloin with Green Peppercorn Sauce
• Jalapeño Popper Burger
• Artichoke and Spinach Chicken Breast

You can also purchase add-on items, including:

• premade shakes
• soups, snacks
• juices
• wellness shots

Ingredients

Factor works closely with select suppliers and claims to use high quality ingredients in all of its meals.

All produce is free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and organic whenever possible. Additionally, all poultry and eggs are cage-free and antibiotic-free, and meats are either pasture-raised or grass-fed.

Factor also buys salmon that’s certified by Best Aquaculture Practices, a third-party program that ensures seafood sustainability.

Cost and shipping

Factor offers several plans, varying in price and number of meals. The available plans are:

• 6 meals/week: $13 per meal
• 8 meals/week: $12.50 per meal
• 10 meals/week: $13 per meal
• 12 meals/week: $11.50 per meal
• 14 meals/week: $11 per meal
• 18 meals/week: $11 per meal

You can purchase add-ons for an additional fee, such as:

• soups
• snacks
• shakes

Shipping is available within the contiguous United States.

Effectiveness for weight loss

Factor provides a variety of nutrient-rich meals that may aid weight loss.

For example, the company offers several low calorie options, which generally contain under 500 calories per serving. Decreasing your daily calorie intake may be an effective strategy for weight loss (1).

Factor also offers a selection of high protein meals, each of which provides around 30–50 grams of protein per serving. Studies show that eating more protein may support weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness and reducing appetite (2).

Furthermore, the company creates meals for several eating patterns that may support weight loss, including low carb, keto, paleo, and plant-based diets (3, 4, 5, 6).

We tried it

Editor here! I tried Factor for 2 weeks to help you decide whether it could be the right fit for your mealtime needs.

Meal selection and delivery

Getting started with Factor is similar to other meal delivery services in that you’ll first select a plan, number of meals per week, and desired delivery day.

Once you’ve filled out your preferences and provided a credit card, you’ll be prompted to select your meals.

While I tried Factor for only 2 weeks, I was impressed by how many entrees sounded enticing.

While I’m not strictly vegetarian, I was happily surprised by the variety of non-meat options available. With that said, I still threw in a few meat-containing entrees to try.

Here are the meals I ended up ordering over the course of 2 weeks:

• Herbed Quinoa Pesto Bowl
• Tomato & Roasted Vegetable Risotto with Toasted Pine Nuts
• Pesto Salmon with Creamed Spinach & Tomato Butter Haricot Verts
• Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken with Zucchini Noodles
• Smoky BBQ Chicken Breast with Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Corn, and Green Bean Casserole
• Creamy Parmesan Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes
• Chickpea Curry
• Roasted Garlic Braised Beef
• Roasted Tomato & Feta Cavatappi
• Caribbean-Style Chicken Breast

Delivery went smoothly, with my meals arriving on time and at a proper temperature. While they’re stackable and not particularly bulky, the meals still took up more room in my fridge than other prepared meals I’ve tried.

Flavor and freshness

Considering that Factor meals aren’t cheap, I had high hopes for the taste and quality — and I wasn’t disappointed.

As promised on the packaging, each meal was quick and easy to reheat in the microwave, with most meals taking less than 3 minutes to heat.

Overall, I found the ingredient quality continued to be excellent and didn’t experience any mushy vegetables or dry proteins — a major win for microwavable meals.

I also found the meals to be flavorful without being overseasoned, and I loved that each meal had a generous serving of vegetables.

However, what I liked best about Factor meals was the texture. Unlike many other prepared meal delivery services, Factor’s ingredients tasted fresh and didn’t get mushy or rubbery after microwaving.

For example, in the Herbed Quinoa Pesto Bowl — my favorite meal — the quinoa was perfectly chewy, the sweet potatoes were soft but not mushy, and the pesto was zesty and flavorful without being overpowering.

The Roasted Tomato & Feta Cavatappi — another one of my favorites — featured a sauce with a slight heat that was nice, along with juicy tomatoes, hearty noodles, and broccoli, which was soft without being mushy.

Perhaps most impressive were the chicken and fish, neither of which tasted overcooked or bland.

Would I try Factor again?

As a registered dietitian and avid cook, I had my doubts about whether Factor would be worth the cost. However, I have to admit that I was impressed by the flavor, texture, and nutrient quality of Factor’s meals.

Plus, because the menu changes weekly, there’s always a new and exciting entree to try.

However, as I’m generally pretty good about meal planning and prepping lunches for the week, it’s hard for my household to justify the cost. Plus, I’d still need to grocery shop and prepare meals for the rest of my family.

Overall, unless Factor starts offering on-demand boxes, I don’t see myself signing up for the service.

With that said, I still think it’s one of the best prepared meal delivery services on the market and would highly recommend it for people who prioritize fresh and nutritious single-serve entrees but don’t want to spend time preparing meals from scratch.

Comparison with competitors

Among the many prepared meal delivery services on the market, Trifecta Nutrition and Snap Kitchen are Factor’s closest competitors. Here’s a closer look at how these subscription services compare:

Who is Factor for?

Factor is a great option for those who are short on time but looking to enjoy more healthy meals at home.

With options available for many palates and preferences, it’s also a good choice for those with dietary restrictions who may have trouble finding suitable options from similar services.

However, it can be relatively expensive, especially if you’re planning to use the service for an extended period.

Unlike other services that provide meal kits with recipe cards and preportioned ingredients, Factor meals arrive fully prepared. While this may be convenient, it isn’t the best choice if you’re looking to prepare nutritious meals on your own or brush up on your cooking skills.

Frequently asked questions

How long do Factor meals last?

According to the company’s website, Factor meals can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. For longer-term storage, you can also store your meals in the freezer.

If I’m an avid cook, is Factor right for me?

Factor is primarily targeted at people who lack the time or desire to prepare meals from scratch. However, even the best home cooks have busy days, so it can be helpful to have a few prepared meals in your fridge or freezer.

With that said, if you enjoy cooking, then it’s cheaper to simply prepare your own meals ahead of time and store a few servings in the freezer for quick lunches or dinners.

When did Factor change its name and why?

According to a press release, the company changed its name from Factor 75 to Factor in October 2019.

The company’s co-founder and CEO, Mike Apostal, stated that the name change was a reflection of the company’s renewed focus on simplicity when it comes to health and wellness (7).