There are typically three areas of wellness where I like to maintain a healthy routine: drinking lots of water, eating balanced meals and moving my body.
The issue? There never seems to be enough time in my day to check off all three of my main to-dos. Yes, I can usually meet my water intake goal and most days I'll move my body at least a little bit. Cooking, on the other hand, tends to be an area I skip over too often. With work, life and everything in between, I've finally come to terms with the fact that nightly home-cooked meals just aren't in the cards for me right now.
That realization led me to my new favorite dinner (and oftentimes lunch!) solution for making sure I'm still eating wholesome, balanced meals: Factor fresh, ready-to-eat, dietitian-approved meals that come straight to my door so I don't have to stress over shopping, planning, cooking or clean-up — and they happen to be downright delicious and filling.
"[Factor] provides fresh, ready-prepared meals that support even the busiest of lifestyles so you can experience the benefits of clean eating without the hassle," says registered dietitian at Factor Carlie Williams, RDN, LD.
And that's exactly what I wanted for myself going into my week of trying out Factor meals. Not to spoil anything of course, but after eating such high-quality, nutritious and easy meals, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to return to my old ways.
The first meal I "whipped up" (really all I had to do was heat it and eat it) is probably what hooked me from the start: a Mexican-inspired chicken dish served with rice, peppers and other veggies with a slightly spicy sauce.
"Our registered dietitians work hand-in-hand with our kitchen to ensure every meal is packed with premium, science-backed nutritional quality," Williams says. Let me tell you, I could taste the quality in every single bite.
Despite coming together after only two minutes in the microwave, it was so tasty and fragrant, my fiancé was sniffing around the kitchen wondering what I had just cooked. And rest assured, I had a very clean bowl afterward.
Over the course of the week, I racked up a few more favorites that I'll definitely be re-ordering in the future, like cavatappi and pork ragu with broccoli (which packed 23 grams of protein and 520 calories) and blackened salmon with gouda "grits" aka cauliflower (which had a whopping 39 grams of protein). These are only my top three, though every meal I ate this past week was a slam dunk for my taste buds.
Before I dug into these meals, I was a little worried about not feeling full after eating, because I've come across this issue with other meal services in the past, but thankfully that was not the case with Factor. Each of my meals fit into a normal-sized bowl or plate (I usually go the bowl route, but you can also just leave them in the bento container they come in if you prefer), and when I was done, I felt totally satisfied. And that's really my goal: to eat nutritious, well-rounded meals that leave me feeling nourished and content (instead of stuffed or still hungry).
And luckily, Factor switches out its menu weekly, so I'll always have fresh options to choose from to avoid food boredom while I'm perusing my upcoming week of meals. Plus, I'm able to update my preferences as I search, so I can opt for more Protein Plus meals or even vegan or vegetarian if I'm looking to mix things up.
As if protein-packed meals weren't enough, I also tried some wellness shots that I added to my weekly order. Now, I'm not usually a juice person, but I took a Cayenne Cleanse — packed with apple, ginger, cayenne and lemon — a few mornings this past week, and I loved the invigorating feeling of starting my day by supporting my immune system. Does this mean I'm a juice and meal delivery service convert now?
Want to try Factor for yourself? Sign up now and get your first box for 50% off and get free wellness shots for life! Additional restrictions may apply. See https://www.factor75.com/terms for more details.