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eMeals are a meal planning service who let people choose from numerous recipes that cater to different dietary requirements.

The company do not deliver meal ingredients to their customers’ doors. Instead, they provide customized recipes. Customers buy the ingredients themselves.

This article looks at how eMeals work, the menu options they offer, and some alternatives to using a meal plan service.

Please note that the writer of this article has not tried any of these products. All information presented here is purely research-based.

eMeals claim that they employ professional meal planners to develop recipes for most people’s dietary requirements. The company state that they cater to:

  • people with specific nutritional needs due to certain health conditions
  • those on a budget
  • individuals who do not have a lot of time to plan and prepare meals

The reviews on the eMeals website are mostly positive, averaging 4.1 out of 5 stars. Customers who rate this company highly state that the menus and meal plans save time and give them more options when eating meals cooked at home.

Customers also state that the company’s option to automatically add ingredients to an online grocery retailer helps them save money and time.

Customers who do not rate the company highly state that it is difficult to cancel subscriptions. Reviewers also say that it is difficult to contact the customer service team. Additionally, some customers state that they noticed credit card charges they were not aware that they had to pay.

Some reviewers also state that, although eMeals cater to different dietary requirements, the meal plans are not always nutritionally balanced. For example, one reviewer notes that the gluten-free plan is high in sugar and fats.

eMeals state that there are three steps to using their service:

  1. Choose weekly meal plans.
  2. Buy groceries at a store or online.
  3. Cook the meals.

If a person does not want to shop at a grocery store, eMeals offer an integrated pickup and delivery of meal ingredients through several online retailers. These include Walmart, Kroger, Amazon, Instacart, and Shipt.

A person can use the free eMeals app, available on iOS and Android, with their subscription. People can choose their meals for the week and have an automatically up-to-date shopping list that they can access through the app.

The company offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes. These recipes change weekly. However, after subscribing, people can still access previous menus and favorites through the free eMeals app.

eMeals currently offer a 3- or 12-month paid subscription service with a 14-day free trial.

The company have 16 different meal plan options, including popular plans, family friendly plans, weight management plans, and specialty plans.

Popular plans

The company’s popular meal plans include “clean” eating, keto, and quick and healthy options.

  • Clean eating: This includes nutrition information and uses whole food and bisphenol A-free products. Menu options in this plan include:
  • Keto: eMeals claim that this plan is dietitian-approved and includes nutrition information. The meals in this plan contain 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. Menu options include:
    • blue cheese sauce burgers
    • hunter-style chicken drumsticks
    • smoky sausage-vegetable egg bake
  • Quick and healthy: This uses simple recipes that take up to 30 minutes to cook. It also contains nutrition information. Menu options include:
    • cheesy baked pasta with kale and mushrooms
    • beef-chorizo street tacos with radish salsa
    • lemongrass-shrimp rice bowls

Family friendly meal plans

The company’s family friendly meal plans include 30-minute, budget friendly, kid friendly, and slow cooker recipes.

  • 30-minute: This uses convenient ingredients. Menu options include:
    • grilled buffalo chicken cobb salad
    • shrimp tacos with tomato and avocado salsa
    • chicken Verde enchilada nacho bowls
  • Budget friendly: This includes meatless meals and meals that can go into the freezer. Menu options include:
    • lemon and garlic chicken quarters with roasted potatoes and broccoli florets
    • fire roasted tomato soup with grilled pimiento cheese sandwiches
    • mini Italian turkey meatloaves with roasted parmesan green beans
  • Kid friendly: This is freezer friendly and includes meatless meals. Menu options include:
    • taco in a pan with carrots and broccoli
    • cheeseburger tarts with tater tots
    • apple-cider pork chops with mashed potatoes and green beans
  • Slow cooker: This includes clean eating and paleo meals. The company state that these meals are quick to prepare. Menu options include:
    • slow cooker chicken-tamale chili
    • French onion soup with Gruyère croutons
    • pork roast with grapefruit salsa and arugula and carrot salad

Weight management meal plans

The company’s weight management meal plans include recipes suitable for paleo, heart-healthy, diabetes friendly, low calorie, and low carb diets.

  • Paleo: This focuses on protein and is both dairy-free and gluten-free. Options are minimally processed. Menu options include:
    • grilled chicken breasts with spinach and tomato saute
    • grilled chicken kabobs with asparagus and tomato toss
    • spicy New Orleans barbecue shrimp with seasoned broccoli
  • Heart-healthy: This contains limited amounts of sodium. It focuses on healthy fats, whole grains, and lean meats. Each meal comes with nutrition information. Menu options include:
    • chicken scaloppine with spinach and linguine
    • grilled chicken, corn, and potato salad
    • pork tenderloin with warm plum salsa and roasted broccolini
  • Diabetes friendly: eMeals claim that this meal plan meets American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommendations, has limited carbs, and includes nutrition information. Menu options include:
    • Greek quinoa salad with French bread toasts
    • crispy chicken and apple romaine salad
    • seared ahi tuna with chimichurri with cauli-rice
  • Low calorie: This also includes nutrition information. The recipes in this plan limit saturated fats. Menu options include:
    • teriyaki chicken and broccoli with hot cooked rice
    • sheet pan roasted fish with broccoli and tomatoes
    • chicken with creamy basil corn sauce and steamed rice and green beans
  • Low carb: The low carb meal plans include extra low carb recipes, net carb information, and other nutrition information. Menu options include:
    • grilled chicken and summer veggies with lime pesto
    • tuna cakes with lemony artichoke hearts and asparagus
    • Sichuan chicken and broccoli with steamed rice

Specialty meal plans

The company’s specialty meal plans include gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and Mediterranean recipes.

  • Gluten-free: eMeals claim that this plan is family friendly and dietitian-approved and includes healthy ingredients. Menu options include:
    • grilled steak with tomato and watermelon salad
    • Tuscan pork chips with parmesan pepper pasta
    • curried butternut squash soup with tomato and cheddar cheese toasts
  • Vegan: All recipes are egg-, meat-, and dairy-free. They are all plant-based. Menu options include:
  • Vegetarian: The recipes in this plan include protein-rich foods. They are also meat-free and plant-based. Menu options include:
    • roasted butternut squash and whole grain salad
    • tortellini with corn and tomatoes
    • black bean burgers with chipotle mayo and garlic french fries
  • Mediterranean: These recipes use lean meats and healthy fats while limiting red meat. Menu options include:
    • sheet pan salmon with roasted vegetables and potatoes
    • shrimp pasta toss with lemon-dill vinaigrette
    • chicken parmigiana with roasted tomato sauce and broccoli

One 2017 study suggests that the average adult in the United States spends under an hour each day cooking meals. More people consume food that is prepared outside the home than meals prepared at home.

However, the researchers note that people who cook at home are likely to consume more fruits, vegetables, fiber, folate, and vitamin A than people who eat out. Regular home cooking may also have links to lower rates of obesity.

Using meal planning services such as eMeals may encourage home cooking and eating a varied diet.

However, eMeals may not always include nutritional information with their recipes. This may make it difficult for people to track their calorie or micro and macronutrient intake.

There are many alternative brands and options to try. Some offer meal kits and recipe delivery, which means that people do not have to shop for the ingredients themselves.

Some other options include:

People with specific nutritional requirements or health considerations may want to speak with a doctor or dietitian for help with meal planning. They can recommend whether or not using a meal planning service is a safe option.

eMeals are a recipe planning service who provide weekly meal plans for a fee. People who use this service can buy the ingredients in grocery stores or request that the company automatically add the necessary ingredients to the customer’s online grocery list.

eMeals cater to a wide variety of dietary requirements. People with health concerns that relate to their diet should speak with a doctor or dietitian for individual advice.