Pete’s Real Food is a meal delivery company designed to make it easier to follow whole food diets like paleo, vegan, keto, and Autoimmune Protocol (AIP).
It features a range of chef-prepared, seasonal entrées that require no cooking or cleanup.
With many meals to choose from, Pete’s Real Food offers several options that can work for you and your family.
This article takes an in-depth look at Pete’s Real Food, including what it is, how it works, and whether it can promote weight loss.
Pros
- provides fresh and flavorful paleo-friendly and vegan meals
- entrées for ketogenic and AIP diets available
- uses high quality, sustainably sourced ingredients whenever possible, including organic produce and hormone-free meat
- meals are produced in a gluten-free facility
- could be beneficial for weight loss
Cons
- Paleo meal plan doesn’t allow you to choose your meals
- more expensive than similar services or cooking at home
Pete’s Real Food is a meal delivery service that provides a variety of fully prepared vegan and paleo-friendly meals.
They feature a rotating seasonal menu and use high quality, sustainably sourced ingredients, including organic produce and grass-fed or pasture-raised meat.
Entrées are delivered fresh and frozen and can be reheated for a quick and convenient alternative to meal prep.
Plus, they provide a variety of dishes suitable for other eating patterns, including ketogenic and AIP diets.
Pete’s Real Food offers three meal plans:
- Paleo: up to 30 meals per week (10 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners) chosen by Pete’s Real Food
- Vegan: 5–17 meals per week that you can choose from a weekly rotating menu
- Mix and Match: 5–17 meals per week that you can choose from a weekly rotating menu (including keto and AIP options)
Here are some examples of meals from their menu:
- Paleo: Beef Hash with Spinach and Eggs, Roasted Garlic Grilled Chicken with Crispy Garlic Broccoli
- Vegan: Green Goddess Wild Rice Bowl, Sauteed Kale and Chickpeas with Roasted Yams
- Keto: Za’atar Chicken with Tzatziki Cauliflower Rice Bowl, Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Sauteed Garlic Spinach and Grilled Avocado
- AIP: Pork Sausage with Broccoli and Spaghetti Squash Bake, Lemon and Herb Turkey Breast with Brussels and Yams
All meals are free of gluten, dairy, and soy. You can also choose whether you’d like to receive meals that contain pork when placing your order.
In addition to paleo-friendly dishes, many items on this plan are low in FODMAPs or suitable for ketogenic or AIP diets.
Pete’s Real Food also sells bacon, chicken bone broth, and beef bone broth. You can purchase these items without a meal plan.
Pete’s Real Food offers several plans at varying price points.
With the Paleo plan, you can choose whether you want 0, 5, 7, or 10 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners each week. Depending on the number and type of meals, you can expect to pay about $15 to $20 per meal.
The Vegan and Mix and Match meal plans feature individually priced menu items. These range from about $14–$21 each. For the most part, vegan options are less expensive than meals containing meat.
Pete’s Real Food bacon costs around $13 per pound (0.45 kg), depending on how much you purchase.
The bone broth costs about $6 to $7 per serving depending on the type (beef or chicken). It comes in packages of 12 servings.
While most orders include free delivery, applicable shipping fees are determined at checkout.
Pete’s Real Food is available nationwide, including in Hawaii and Alaska.
Pete’s Real Food meals are free of soy, dairy, corn, eggs, legumes, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
They’re also manufactured in a gluten-free facility, which may be ideal for those with celiac disease or gluten-related disorders.
Pete’s Real Food also uses organic produce and grass-fed, pasture-raised, and hormone-free meat whenever possible.
Additionally, they partner with suppliers who prioritize sustainability and provide in-depth information about ingredient sourcing on their website.
Pete’s Real Food provides paleo-friendly meals that are nutritionally balanced, with 3.4 to 4.5 ounces (96 to 128 grams) of protein and 5–7 ounces (142–198 grams) of veggies in each serving.
Several studies show that the paleo diet could be effective for weight loss.
For example, one analysis of 11 studies ranging from 2 months to 2 years found that following the paleo diet resulted in an average weight loss of 8 pounds (3.5 kg) and led to significant reductions in belly fat (
Another study with 70 postmenopausal women found that those who followed the paleo diet lost significantly more total fat mass and belly fat after 6 months compared to those who followed government dietary guidelines. However, while those following the paleo diet maintained greater total fat loss, the difference between them was insignificant after 2 years (
Ketogenic diets have also been successfully used for weight loss (
Pete’s Real Food dishes are also high in protein, which can help you manage your appetite and keep you feeling full between meals (
Each entrée contains at least 5 ounces (142 grams) of vegetables. Studies show that increased vegetable consumption may be linked to weight loss and decreased belly fat (
Finally, researchers have found an association between highly processed food and obesity. Pete’s Real Food meals are made using whole, minimally processed ingredients — so they may be a better choice for weight management than more processed options (
However, you may be able to lose weight with any eating pattern as long as you consume fewer calories than you burn. Likewise, you can gain weight on any diet if you take in more calories than your body requires.
So, while Pete’s Real Food meals can help you with your weight loss goals in the short term, you’ll also need to make sustainable lifestyle changes to find long-term success.
Here’s how Pete’s Real Food compares to some other similar meal delivery services.
| Price (approximate per serving) | Shipping | Meal type | Diets offered | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pete’s Real Food | $14–$21 | free | prepared meal | paleo vegan keto AIP gluten-free |
| Trifecta Nutrition | $11–$16 | $9.99 | prepared meal | Whole30 paleo keto vegan vegetarian gluten-free |
| Green Chef | $12–$13 | $9.99 | meal kit | keto paleo vegetarian vegan Mediterranean gluten-free |
| Freshly | $10–$13 per serving | $9.99 | prepared meal | gluten-free vegetarian low carb low calorie dairy-free |
| Sunbasket | $10+ for prepared meals $11+ per serving for meal kits | $9.99 | prepared meal meal kit | paleo gluten-free dairy-free soy-free diabetes-friendly vegan |
| Paleo on the Go | $18–$28 | $29.95 | prepared meal | paleo AIP |
Pete’s Real Food can be a convenient option for those following a paleo or whole food vegan diet and hoping to save time on cooking.
With additional options available on the Mix and Match plan, it can also be a good choice for people following ketogenic and AIP diets.
Because the meals are prepared in a gluten-free facility, the service suits those with celiac disease or gluten-related disorders.
However, Pete’s Real Food is slightly more expensive than many similar services and costs more than preparing your meals at home, which may not be ideal for those on a tight budget.
Additionally, because you cannot select your meals on their standard Paleo meal plan, it might not be the best choice for picky eaters or those with specific food preferences.
Is Pete’s Real Food worth it?
This depends on your needs. Pete’s Real Food is more expensive than buying and cooking your own groceries, and it’s pricier than many other meal kit or prepared meal delivery services. However, they use organic and high quality ingredients and are one of only a handful of services that offer AIP-compliant meals.
If these dietary considerations are important and you need a convenient meal option, then Pete’s Real Food may be worth the price.
How much does Pete’s Real Food cost?
Pete’s Real Food meals start at $14 per serving for vegan meals. Meals containing meat may cost up to $21 per serving. Shipping is free on most orders.
Can I freeze Pete’s Real Food meals?
Yes, according to the Pete’s Real Food website, their meals can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Is Paleo On the Go worth it?
Paleo on the Go is a similar meal delivery service to Pete’s Real Food. They offer paleo and AIP-compliant meals. Although the service is more expensive than many comparable options, it may be worth paying for if you follow these diets, appreciate ingredient quality, and need a convenient meal option.
Pete’s Real Food is a meal delivery service that provides fully prepared paleo, vegan, keto, and AIP-friendly dishes. They also offer bacon and bone broth.
All meals are made using nutritious, sustainably sourced ingredients, which can help support weight loss and improve your diet quality.
However, Pete’s Real Food is also relatively expensive and offers limited options for picky eaters or those with certain dietary restrictions, which may not be a good fit for everyone.
