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Both Factor and Freshly deliver fully prepared meals. Subscribers choose their meal plans online or by phone.
Each plan includes a certain number of meals per week, which a person selects from a menu of 32–47 options.
Factor and Freshly provide very similar services, with slight variations in menus, packaging, and pricing. This article explores some potential pros and cons of each service.
Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these services. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.
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Factor, formerly Factor 75, is a weekly meal subscription service that offers 32 fresh meals every week.
The company states that it employs registered dietitians and chefs who work together to ensure that all meals are nutrient-dense.
People can choose to receive 4–18 single-serving meals each week. The meals arrive fresh, not frozen, and a person simply has to heat them before eating.
Freshly is also a weekly meal subscription service.
The company states that its team of chefs and nutritionists uses quality ingredients to create nutrient-dense, healthy meals.
People can choose 4–12 meals per week from a menu of 47 options. The company states that all fully cooked meals simply need reheating before a person eats them.
Before purchasing from Factor, a person may wish to consider the advantages and disadvantages of this service.
Similarly, Freshly has some pros and cons.
The following table summarizes what each service offers:
Factor offers 20 meal options each week, including choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The company also provides a complimentary 20-minute consultation with a registered dietitian, who can advise individuals about healthy meal combinations.
The company caters to various diets and preferences. Example menu items include:
This meal contains pork tenderloin marinated in Dijon, garlic, and black pepper, along with celery root-cauliflower mash and roasted broccoli.
Freshly offers menus that contain more than 30 meals every week. The options do not include snacks or breakfasts.
The company employs wellness experts with a background in nutrition and public health rather than dietitians.
Also, while Freshly offers more meals each week than Factor, these meals are not vegetarian or vegan. All Freshly meals are gluten-free, but they are not suitable for people following specific diets, such as the keto diet.
Examples of Freshly menu items include:
This meal contains chicken breast, Arborio rice, butternut squash, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese.
An individual chooses a plan that includes a certain number of meals per week.
Freshly offers either 4, 6, 10, or 12 meals per week, while Factor offers 4, 6, 8, 12, or 18 meals per week.
A person needs to create an account through the website to start receiving their meals.
There are five meal plans to choose from:
A person can pause, cancel, or change their subscription at any time before 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the Wednesday prior to their next delivery.
A person needs to choose how many meals they want to receive and then create an account. Next, they need to select their delivery day from a list of options. They can then pick meals from the Freshly menu.
A person can pause, cancel, or change their subscription at any time before their weekly shipping deadline.
Customers can click the “Skip” button underneath their order to skip a delivery.
To cancel a subscription, a person needs to navigate to “My subscription” in the settings.
The cost of each service depends on the number of meals a person selects. However, Factor meals are more costly than those from some similar services.
Although the per-meal costs of Factor are higher, a person may prefer the service to Freshly because it offers more dietary variety.
Factor meals start at $11 per serving. The more meals a person orders, the less expensive the servings are.
Factor offers free shipping and delivers throughout the contiguous United States.
Freshly meals start at $8.99 per serving. The more meals a person orders, the less the servings cost.
Freshly does not offer free shipping. The cost of shipping depends on which state a person resides in and which meal plan they choose. The company delivers to the lower 48 states.
Both Factor and Freshly use specialized packaging to keep their meals fresh and avoid the usual chemical preservatives that increase the shelf life of prepared meals.
Factor uses plastic packaging that it says is recyclable and safe to heat in the oven or microwave.
The packaging is free from bisphenol A, better known as BPA. Notably, there is controversy over the effects of this chemical on human health.
Each meal has a use-by date on its label. A person may wish to freeze their meals, which they can do safely before this date.
The company ships its products in insulated boxes that contain gel packs to keep the meals cold. A person can recycle these packs, reuse them, or donate them to places such as:
A person can also recycle the cardboard delivery boxes and the insulation, which is not the case with Freshly insulation.
Freshly meals come in microwave-safe Go-Green plastic containers. A person can recycle the containers, the plastic seals, and any paper products that arrive with the meals.
Freshly encourages people to reuse the gel packs that keep the meals cool during shipping. Otherwise, a person can open the gel pack, toss the contents into the trash, and recycle the plastic casing.
The insulation in delivery boxes is made of denim and is 85% biodegradable. Individuals can also reuse it — for example, in pet bedding.
Factor and Freshly both have generally positive customer reviews.
Factor does not currently hold accreditation with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB gives the company an A- grade. Customers on this website give Factor an average of 1.36 out of 5 stars, and the company has closed 33 complaints in the last 12 months.
However, customers give this service an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
Customers who have left positive reviews on Trustpilot state that the food arrives on time and is tasty and that the portions are plentiful. However, those who have left negative reviews report experiencing delivery delays and missing meals. Some customers also say the service is too expensive.
Freshly does not hold accreditation with the BBB. The BBB gives the company an F grade, and the average customer rating is 4.54 out of 5 stars. The company has closed 19 complaints in the last 12 months.
Reviewers on Trustpilot give Freshly an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Positive reviews state that the quality of the food is consistent and that the meals are satisfying and have varied flavors. However, negative reviews report that the portions are very small. Some customers also report delays in deliveries.
Meal delivery services have become
The researchers found that meal kits containing reduced amounts of salt and fat and increased amounts of dietary fiber may be more nutritious than takeout or convenience foods.
Overall, research into the health effects of meal delivery services is lacking. While these meals may be healthier than carryout, few studies have compared them with regular home cooking.
Meal delivery services may be beneficial for those who do not have the time to source and cook fresh ingredients. These services generally state that they provide the convenience of takeout meals with the nutritional value of home-cooked meals.
Many meal delivery services offer options that are suitable for several diets, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. Some services may also offer lower calorie or diabetes-friendly options.
These services may help prevent food waste. Many companies also use recyclable packaging, helping make food more sustainable.
Here we answer some common questions about these meal delivery services.
Freshly and Factor are not the same company.
Both meal delivery services ship fresh single-serving meals directly to a person’s home. Customers can select which meals and how many they want to order each week.
Factor meals start at $11 per serving, going up to $15 per serving as a person orders fewer meals.
People can expect to pay $60–$198 per week, depending on how many meals they order.
Freshly states that it makes all of its meals in kitchens in Phoenix, Arizona; Linden, New Jersey; and Savage, Maryland.
Freshly and Factor deliver prepared meals that only require reheating. The companies have many similarities.
Freshly offers more choices per week and may be less expensive, while Factor provides more variety and caters to a broader range of diets and preferences.
Get started with:
Get started with Factor
Get started with Freshly
Interested in trying Factor?
Interested in trying Freshly?
Order up to 18 meals per week, and easily create your own custom plan to mix and match entrees from their rotating menu.
Simply choose a plan and pick a convenient delivery date — then, browse 30+ rotating meals to mix-and-match your favorites for the week.
Last medically reviewed on October 27, 2021
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