Factor (formerly known as Factor 75) is a food delivery service that offers prepared keto and paleo meals made with premium ingredients. I was intrigued when I learned that they’re one of the few meal delivery companies that offers fresh rather than frozen meals, so I decided to write this review and find out for myself just how good their prepared meals taste.
Note that throughout this review, I’ll use the new and the old name interchangeably to help this article being found by those who might not have heard about the name change yet.
Factor Meal Delivery Service
Summary
Occasionally we all need a break. In those situations, ready-to-eat meals delivered to our doorstep are ideal. Factor can help you stick to your diet even when your life is crazy.
Pros
- Paleo-friendly meals
- Keto-friendly meals
- Grass-fed and wild-caught meats and seafood
- 100% non-GMO ingredients
Cons
- Not all produce is organic
Benefits of Meal Delivery Services
There are many reasons why someone would benefit from a meal delivery service. Maybe you’re single, and cooking for yourself doesn’t sound appealing. Or maybe you recently had a baby, and cooking a nutritious meal with fresh ingredients is the last thing you want to deal with. Or perhaps you and your partner both have demanding professional lives that leave little time for meal prep.
Whatever your circumstances, you certainly deserve something better than Lean Cuisine or the other frozen meals that are advertised as being healthy but are, in fact, quite the opposite.
When our daughter and son were born, we were fortunate enough to have my mother-in-law stay with us for a couple of weeks. She turned out to be an excellent paleo cook, thanks to my wife’s guidance.
Of course, I realize that not everyone is that fortunate. Without her help, our options for eating healthy would have been severely limited. It’s in situations like that where prepared meal delivery can be a real lifesaver.
After all, when you’ve been up all night with a crying baby and you realize there’s nothing in the fridge for dinner, it can be awfully easy to just hop on Uber Eats and cheat on your diet with some tasty takeout food.
Delivery services like Factory 75 and Diet-to-Go (a service that delivers delicious and reasonably-healthy frozen meals) can help you stick to your diet even when your life is crazy.
Types of Meal Delivery Services
Grocery Delivery Services
Our first experience with a food delivery service was with (the no longer operating) Nature’s Garden Express. While not a meal delivery service, they do offer locally-grown organic produce, meat, seafood, dairy and more. This type of delivery service gives you flexibility (you can choose the exact foods you want) and saves you a trip to the grocery store, but you still have to decide what to make, find good recipes, and take the time to actually prep and cook your meals.
Meal Delivery Services — Kits
Brands like Blue Apron and Green Chef offer a more convenient approach by delivering a ready-to-cook meal kit that comes with pre-portioned ingredients and instructions for making the dish. The advantage to a meal kit service is that you get an opportunity to explore new ingredients, recipes and cooking techniques. So, it can be a great way to diversify your palate. The disadvantage, of course, is that you still have to spend time prepping and cooking your meal.
Meal Delivery Services — Ready-to-Eat
The most convenient option by far is a ready-to-eat meal service that brings fully-cooked meals right to your door. With these delivery companies, all you have to do is heat and eat. Factor 75 falls into that category, so let’s take a closer look at what they have to offer.
Factor: Better Meals. Better You.
Factor 75 was founded in 2012 by Nick Wernimont. He started the company based on the credo that 75% of fitness results come from what we eat.
The brand bills itself as a premium meal delivery service, so it doesn’t take any shortcuts when it comes to its choice of ingredients. That means that all of their meal choices meet the following quality standards:
- Hormone and antibiotic-free
- Soy-free
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- Grass-fed (including the beef)
- Pastured eggs
- Partially organic
- No added sugars
Hormone and Antibiotic-Free
Fortunately, over the past few years, consumers have become more conscious when it comes to the use of hormones and antibiotics. As a result, many food manufacturers now only offer products that bear the “hormone and antibiotic-free” label.
Factor 75 only uses ingredients from animals that have not been treated with hormones or antibiotics. I don’t know for sure, but I believe this is true for most of the meal delivery services I have tried.
Factor75 is based on the idea that nutrition and eating healthy shouldn’t be a hassle. Rather, our meals are crafted to give performance-driven individuals an option for optimizing their lives by delivering more energy, time and a clearer perspective. Working with doctors, trainers, chefs, and nutritionists, we created meals that give people the nutrients needed to live a fit, healthy life.
Factor 75
Soy-Free
Factor 75 puts a strong focus on diets that promote healthy eating (like the Paleolithic diet). Soybeans are legumes, and as such they contain numerous antinutrients that prevent the body from absorbing the nutrients in food.
That’s why the paleo diet and other healthy living frameworks encourage consumers not to eat soy. Unlike some other meal delivery services that are otherwise paleo-compatible, Factor 75 guarantees that its meals do not contain soy.
Gluten-Free
It’s imperative to understand that while Factor 75 makes every effort to prepare only gluten-free meals, they do cook their meals in a shared kitchen. As a result, some cross-contamination is possible. If you have celiac disease, I’d recommend getting in touch with the company before placing an order (or that you find a meal delivery service that offers certified gluten-free meals).
Grass-Fed and Pasture-Raised
If you’re responsible for grocery shopping in your household, you probably know how expensive grass-fed beef and pasture raised eggs are. I have tears in my eyes every time I leave Whole Foods with a cart full of meat.
On the bright side, grass-fed meat and pasture-raised products are of the highest quality and nutrition value. But because of their procurement cost, few meal delivery services offer them. Factor 75 is one meal service that does, and I appreciate that!
Organic and Non-GMO
Factor 75 prides itself on using only Non-GMO ingredients. The company also used to rely on 100% organic produce but, unfortunately, that’s not the case anymore. I think that’s a shame because it was one of the differentiating factors (no pun intended) between Factor and its competitors.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Options
Besides using only the best ingredients, Factor 75 offers a wide variety of meal types, based on your dietary restrictions. As a result, you can pick and choose from a variety of meals that fall into the following categories:
- Ketogenic (keto)
- Paleolithic (paleo)
- Dairy-free
- Low-carb
- Vegetarian
- Spicy
An icon below each meal on the menu makes it easy to find the right one for your dietary restrictions or lifestyle.
Factor 75 Menu Options
When you place an order, you’ll have the opportunity to select the meals that sound good and best fit your needs. That’s a great perk when compared to other meal delivery plans that offer more limited customization options. The menu changes weekly, but there are usually good options for paleo meals, high-protein meals, and dishes with limited net carbs.
This week, the menu includes everything from pork tenderloin with cabbage casserole to pumpkin pancakes. Past menus have included everything from lasagna to cauliflower mash. Factor 75 adds new dishes to its menu rotation on a regular basis, so don’t get too attached to your favorite ones, as they tend to come and go.
Also, you should note that the number of vegetarian and plant-based choices tends to be rather limited. Right now, you would have only one option: vegetarian chili. So, if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you might have trouble putting together a full week’s meal plan.
Another thing that I noticed — and it’s more of an observation than a critique — is that there’s no distinction between lunch options and dinner options. That’s not a big deal for me; I eat based on the evolutionary framework, and I don’t think our ancestors chose their meal sizes because of the time of day. But I know that some people do prefer having a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner, or vice versa.
Factor 75 Pricing and Cost
Factor 75 charges between $11 and $15 per meal (or $60 to $198 per week), depending on how many meals you order. The more meals you get per week, the lower the per-meal price is.
While Factor 75 offers an a la carte menu of great tasting meals that meet various dietary restrictions, the company doesn’t offer individual meals. Instead, you’re required to choose from a pre-set selection of meal packages, as described in the bullet list below.
Also, note that this is a delivery subscription service. The meals will keep coming each week until you cancel (which you can do at any time). If you forget to log on and customize your order, you’ll be sent an automated selection of meals.
- 4 meals per week: $60 ($15 per meal)
- 6 meals per week: $77 ($12.83 per meal)
- 8 meals per week: $99 ($12.37 per meal)
- 12 meals per week: $138 ($11.50 per meal)
- 18 meals per week: $198 ($11 per meal)
The delivery fee is based on your location. When I entered my Alpharetta (Georgia) zip code, the delivery fee showed as free for both the four-meal and 18-meal plan.
Of course, you can pause or change your meal plan at any time, which is convenient if you’re out of town (or while your mother-in-law is visiting).
Considering the fact that Factor 75 uses only the best and thus most expensive ingredients, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the company isn’t among the cheapest prepared meal services out there.
To help mitigate that, readers who want to try the service can use my coupon code MKUMMER40 to get a $40 discount. The code is worth $20 off of your first two orders.
If you start with the four-meal plan just to give the service a try, it works out to a pretty great deal, as it amounts to about 33% off your entire order.
Designed to Deliver
Factor 75 delivers Monday through Wednesday. We got our first shipment delivered by FedEx on a Wednesday. Meals from Factor 75 are always fresh and never frozen. So, to keep the meals fresh during shipping, the shipping box includes frozen ice packs (frozen gel pads, to be precise) and a lot of padding, which our toddler had fun taking apart.
How Do the Meals Taste?
The six tasty meals we got in our first shipment included:
- Chicken marsala
- Mongolian beef & broccoli
- Paleo BBQ salmon
- Chorizo and sweet potato frittata
- Steak and sweet potato fries
- Taco bowl
I got to try three of the six nutritious meals, while my wife and the kids enjoyed the remaining three meals. Unlike my wife, I prefer my meals relatively plain and usually don’t add salt. I thought the food tasted great, but she noted that some of the meals could have used some extra condiments and seasoning. That’s fine as far as I’m concerned, as it’s easier to add spices to a meal than to take them off.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the questions my friends, family and readers have asked me since learning that I had tried the service and was writing a Factor 75 review. I’ll update this section as more questions come in, so please don’t hesitate to reach out via comment or email.
Yes, with the exception of greens and salads. Factor 75 meals can be frozen after you receive them.
They have a shelf-life of seven days in your fridge. If you can’t eat them within that timeframe, you should freeze them.
When you’re placing your order, that will be a coupon code box on the final page before you submit your payment. Just enter MKUMMER40 in that box to get a $40 total discount off your first two orders.
Most of their meals have between 400 and 600 calories. One thing that I love about Factor 75 is how easy it is to see the basic nutritional details of each meal. All you have to do is go to the menu page and click on the picture of a dash. A window will pop up showing you the standard nutrition label and ingredients list, as in the example pictured below.
No, unlike Diet-to-Go (which promises to refund your money if you’re unhappy for almost any reason), Factor 75 doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee. Unhappy customers are prompted to email customer service to work out a solution.
There are many factors that go into weight loss. But in short, the answer is yes — with a caveat. Factor 75 offers many meals that are keto compatible, and the ketogenic diet is a safe and sustainable way to achieve weight loss. And even if you’re not on a ketogenic diet, eating better, cutting down on junk food, and making smarter overall dietary choices will almost certainly have a positive impact on your weight.
However, there’s no magic bullet. Simply switching all of your meals from what you’re eating right now to Factor 75 may help you in the short-term, but it’s not sustainable for the long haul. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to build good dietary habits and stick with them — and that’s about a lot more than just choosing the right brand of prepared meals.
Odd question, but I’ll bite: Meat frozen at exactly zero degrees will stay safe to eat indefinitely. However, that doesn’t mean it will be good to eat. Long-term freezer storage can change the moisture and texture of meat when it’s cooked. So no — I would not store my Factor 75 meals in my freezer for three years.
Is Factor 75 Right For You?
If you’re in the market for a prepared meal delivery service and genuinely care about eating healthy, then Factor 75 is for you. It’s one of the few meal delivery plans that I came across that offers paleo-compatible meals that include only the highest-quality ingredients.
Factor 75 delivers their meals fresh, so they only need to be reheated in a microwave or standard oven before they’re ready to eat. It’s hard to beat that level of convenience.
As far as pricing is concerned, Factor 75 may not be the least expensive service around. But for what you get, the price is unbeatable. Where else do you get a ready-to-eat, paleo-compatible meal that includes grass-fed and pasture-raised ingredients?
I would even argue that it’s hard to find a restaurant that meets those requirements. And depending on where you live and where you shop, the price can be competitive with buying ingredients at your local grocery store.
Plus, you don’t have to cook or wash dishes, effectively lowering the total cost of the meal when compared to Blue Apron, Green Chef and other meal kit services.
Factor Review — Conclusion
So where does that leave my family and me? My wife is a stay-at-home mom and usually prepares fresh meals every day. Occasionally she needs a break — especially when I’m traveling and unable to help. In those situations, ready-to-eat meals delivered to our doorstep are ideal.
So, I’m considering continuing with the service but pausing delivery until we actually need the meals. That requires some planning, but it’s worth it. If you decide to give it a try for yourself, don’t forget to use my Factor 75 promo code at checkout to save $40 off your purchase ($20 off your first two shipments).
What kinds of experiences have you had with meal delivery services? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
Michael Kummer is a healthy living enthusiast and CrossFit athlete whose goal is to help people achieve optimal health by bridging the gap between ancestral living and the demands of modern society.
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FOOD IS GREAT,CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A JOKE BUT THE FOOD COULD ARRIVE DANGEROUSLY WARM AND YOU COULD GET SERIOUSLY ILL! Take the temperature of every meal when it arrives!!
I thought Factor75 was awful because of the ongoing problems with FedEx late delivery and their laughable customer service that lies and makes promises they can’t and won’t keep. But it’s more serious than that.
If you insist on buying their food, you MUST take a thermometer to every package of food. After receiving 3 shipments a day late (so food was spoiled), I had two that weren’t late, felt cold to the touch but were dangerous to consumer.
they felt cold but if you stuck a thermometer in the packages, the temperature ranged from 44 degrees to 59 degrees – they themselves say throw them away if the food is warmer than 40 degrees. I best most people just pick it up, see that it feels cold to the touch and assume it’s safe.
Leaving food out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter) to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness.
So don’t think their food is safe just because it arrived on time and “feels” cold.
Are you sure Factor uses 100% organic ingredients? When looking at their food labels, it appears that some ingredients are specifically identified as organic while others are not. Factor does not advertise using 100% organic ingredients on their website.
Hi Franklin,
the said all organic when I wrote the review but they changed their wording now to:
Regardless of the country of origin, all of our ingredients must comply with Factor’s high-quality standards and requirements. Our poultry and eggs are all antibiotic-free and cage-free; meats are all grass-fed/pasture-raised; salmon is BAP certified and our produce is always non-GM and organic when available.
Factor 75 recommends heating it back up “from frozen” so you aren’t starting > stopping > then starting the clock again to dethaw. They say to add a couple more minutes in the microwave