Diet To Go Review

A prepared diet meals service, Diet to Go offers low-fat, low-carb, and vegetarian options to busy professionals who are interested in shedding pounds quickly.

Unlike most prepared meal delivery services Diet to Go uses fresh foods. Meals feature (at an additional cost) such extras as juices, fruits, snacks, condiments, and other side items. Customers can choose twice- or three-times-daily meal plans.

How It Works

All of Diet to Go's meals comply with standards set by the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Diabetic Association. These standards require that meals be low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol.

New Diet to Go customers choose meal plans and calorie allotments that accord with the information in their diet profiles.

Sample prices and menus guide new Diet to Go customers in their meal-plan selection. Prices vary according to the meal plan option, the desired number of meals per day, and the desired number of meals per week.

Diet to Go customers may choose twice-daily or three-times-daily meal plans in quantities meant to supply meals either five or seven days a week. Diet to Go also provides (at an additional cost) such side items as juices, snacks, fruits, and condiments. This means customers need not trouble themselves with any supplementary grocery shopping.

Diet to Go customers may make menu substitutions for a small additional fee. Menus change monthly for variety's sake, and freshly prepared meals are shipped in coolers every week. Residents of San Francisco, Washington D.C., and other select cities may also pick up their meal packages from their local Diet to Go center.

Diet to Go customers who stick to their plan can expect to lose one to two pounds a week -- or more if they're significantly overweight. New customers are placed on one of two daily calorie allowances (1,200 or 1,600). This removes the necessity of their having to monitor their caloric intake themselves.

What's Included with Diet to Go Meal Delivery Service?

Unlike other diet plans, Diet to Go does not heap additional menu items on customers. Customers are instead encouraged to seek diet advice via the "Ask the Dietitian" feature on the Diet to Go website. This feature allows them to address questions directly to Diet to Go dietitians.

The Diet to Go website also features a Body Mass Index calculator and a diet analysis tool. A free online community board allows customers to discuss relevant weight loss topics to post links to articles that discuss diet, eating habits, health, and nutrition.

Diet to Go's Advantages

Diet to Go offers customers:

• Nutritionally balanced, healthy meals tailored to their busy lifestyles;
• Preservative-free ingredients;
• A tradition of service excellence (Diet to Go has been in business over 15 years):
• Competitive pricing;
• Considerable meal variety;
• American Heart Association, American Diabetic Association, and American Cancer Society approval;
• Superior quality and taste;
• Flexibility in terms of menu item substitutions;
• Strict portion control.

Disadvantages Of Diet to Go

Though Diet to Go occupies a unique niche in the diet market, its ancillary services leave something to be desired. Customers have expressed dissatisfaction with the Diet to Go website's lack of online tools and support. Customers also balk at the confusing number of menu items, the limited calorie allotments (1,200 or 1,600 only), the high sodium content of many of the snacks, the extra charge attached to snacks, and the lack of any accompanying exercise regimen.

Comparison

When compared to its closest competitor, eDiets' Fresh Prepared meals, Diet to Go offers greater value and flexibility. Diet to Go offers customers low-carb, low-fat, and vegetarian options, which makes it the superior choice for customers who suffer from food allergies.

Diet to Go also offers more substantial meals than does eDiets' Prepared Fresh. Whereas the latter offers three meals and one dessert, Diet to Go offers three meals and three snacks. Midday munchies are thus far less of an issue with Diet to Go than with eDiets' Prepared Fresh.

Pricing

Prices depend on which meal plan a customer chooses -- two or three meals per day; meals for five or for seven days a week -- but they generally range anywhere between $300 and $500 a month.

Snacks and other items carry an additional charge. Shipping costs around $30 per week per person, though customers in select cities can save this by picking up their food at a local Diet to Go center.

Final Thoughts

Freshly prepared low-fat, low-carb, and vegetarian meals make Diet to Go a standout in the diet meal delivery service industry. The abundant drink, snack, and condiment selections offered by Diet to Go relieve customers of having to do any additional shopping. Largely absent online support, meager online options, and a nonexistent exercise component may bother some customers. However, customers for whom natural, freshly prepared meals are the overriding consideration need look no further than Diet to Go for their diet-plan needs.