For many people, healthy eating can feel intimidating, especially if you have a busy schedule or are on a budget. A study on adults age 20–31 shows that the most common barriers to eating healthy foods were lack of time and long work hours. After a long day at work, finding the energy to shop for groceries and prepare a home-cooked meal can be difficult.
Choosing a prepared meal service might be a great option for those with limited time in their schedule but who still want to make healthier eating choices. Many services, including Fresh N Lean, offer balanced and healthy meals made with organic ingredients. But with so many options, finding the best meal delivery service for your preferences can be overwhelming. We researched, tested, and reviewed Fresh N Lean to help you decide whether it’s a good option for you.
Fresh N Lean overview
Our expert opinion on Fresh N Lean
Fresh N Lean is a weekly, subscription-based, prepared meal delivery service that offers a wide variety of food items that are chef-curated each week in their kitchen in Moosic, Pennsylvania. All meals are made from fresh ingredients and vacuum-sealed to preserve your food until it’s time to open and eat. Many of the ingredients are sustainably sourced, organic, and USDA-certified.
Each meal is vacuum-packed in tight and flexible plastic, which keeps your food sealed to maintain freshness. All the meals in our delivery were fully intact, cold to the touch, and visibly fresh. We especially appreciated that each label lists ingredients, nutritional and allergen information, and clear expiration dates. Considering all that, our testers give Fresh N Lean a freshness score of 5 out of 5.
To prepare your meal, cut small holes in the top of the plastic wrap for venting and microwave it for about three minutes. Then, score around the edge of the tray to release the plastic, and it’s ready to eat.
From our tester
“I found each meal really easy to prepare. Reheating each meal is simple because the instructions were the same across meals.”
Even though prepared meals are made to order each week for subscribers, they’re still designed to be neutral enough to satisfy the palette preferences of a diverse group of customers. In many cases, this results in the prepared meals tasting slightly bland and under-salted. However, this wasn’t true for all the meals. One of our testers really liked the Peppercorn Steak with Crunchy Gremolata Cauliflower Au Gratin, giving it a taste score of 5 out of 5. Our testers gave other meals scores that ranged from 2 to 4. Overall, we gave Fresh N Lean a 3.5 out of 5 for its taste.
Similarly, we found the texture of each meal to be about average. Many menu items are bowls with rice, a protein, and a vegetable, which have a good variety of textures. But some of the meals with heavy sauces, like the Three-Cheese Turkey Rotini Bake, were mushy and lacked the consistency of solid food.
From our tester
“Each meal’s texture felt fresh and satisfying, with nothing feeling super artificial. But a few of the meals were quite mushy and not very appetizing to look at or to feel in my mouth.”
Fresh N Lean only offers single-serving meals, so each tray is portioned for one person. The entrees come with a good amount of food and a balanced portion of protein, vegetables, and starch. “I was satisfied after each meal without being too full,” one of our testers says. So far, we’ve given Fresh N Lean a 4 out of 5 for its portion sizes.
This service is ideal for busy, single people who want premade meals throughout the week. Fresh N Lean offers subscriptions of up to 21 meals each week, so a person could order three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) for every day of the week. Conceivably, it also could be a good choice for couples or families who want to split the meal plan. For example, a couple could easily split a week’s worth of meals amongst themselves, and a family of four could subscribe to a plan that sends 20 dinners per week, and each person would have five nights’ worth of dinner (one for each person). But since you can only order 21 meals each week, the options for how many people you can feed are limited. For that reason, it might not be practical to try to feed a family of more than two to three people per week, which is why we gave Fresh N Lean a family-friendly score of 3 out of 5.
Who may like Fresh N Lean
- Those with a busy lifestyle who want a quick and healthy meal option.
- People with gluten allergies or preferences will appreciate that 90 percent of Fresh N Lean meals are prepared in a gluten-free kitchen.
- People looking for organic and USDA-certified meal options.
- Those with allergies will like that you can exclude certain ingredients and allergens from your menu and that each item is well labeled.
Who may not like Fresh N Lean
- People who prefer bold and seasoned food may find Fresh N Lean meals bland.
- Those responsible for providing meals for more than one person may prefer a prepared meal service that offers options for larger meals or more meals per week.
- People with food texture aversions may be repelled by the mushy texture of some of the meals.
How does Fresh N Lean work?
When you first sign up for the service, you can choose your diet plan and the proteins you want, which can be meat- or vegetable-based or a combination of different diets. Fresh N Lean offers seven different diet plans with a variety of meals in each category. Next, choose the type of meals you want (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and how many days you want (five or seven) each week. You can customize and choose any number of meals between five and 21, but you must order at least five per week.
If you use the default setting, your chosen number of meals and snacks will be automatically delivered each week, any time between Friday and Saturday. You can also choose to have your meals delivered on Wednesdays or Thursdays, but you’ll need to pay an extra delivery cost. One of our testers paid the extra $28 for a Wednesday delivery. This cost may vary depending on your location.
One thing we don’t like about Fresh N Lean is that you can’t choose a specific time frame for your delivery. You’re given a delivery range between Friday and Saturday but no estimated delivery time, making it hard to make weekend plans if you don’t want your food sitting outside all day.
Each week between Tuesday at 12 p.m. and Friday at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can log in to your account and select the meals you want from a rotating weekly menu or pause your subscription for weeks when you want to skip a delivery. You have until Friday at 11:59 p.m. PT to change your delivery for the following week, including skipping it. To skip a week, just go to the bottom left corner of your Fresh N Lean dashboard and click “SKIP.” If you’ve already skipped that week, it will say “UNSKIP.” If you don’t skip and you don’t select any meals for that week, your delivery will be chef-curated based on your original diet plan and any noted dietary preferences.
To keep the food cold, all the items you order arrive in a recyclable cardboard box with biodegradable insulation and ice gel packs inside. Your meals should be safe in the box for six to eight hours after delivery in moderate climates and about one to three hours in extremely hot places.
From our tester
“I brought my box inside about three hours after being delivered, and each meal feels as cold coming out of the box as it would coming out of the fridge. All the meals are completely sealed and preserved.”
Fresh N Lean suggests consuming your meals within seven to 10 days for optimal freshness. The expiration date is 11–14 days from when your food is delivered. For example, one of our tester’s deliveries arrived on a Wednesday, and each meal’s expiration date was two weeks after that date. Someone who received the same weekly delivery on Saturday would have an expiration date 11 days after their delivery date. If you store them in the freezer, meals can last six to eight weeks. Simply take a meal out and let it thaw in the fridge for 36–48 hours before preparing it.
Each meal comes individually packed and vacuum-sealed in BPA-free, recyclable trays. While the plastic wrap covers do a good job of helping to seal in the freshness, our testers think these seals are difficult to open. There aren’t any tabs or removable seals around the tray’s rim that can be pulled off. Instead, you have to either cut holes in the top of the plastic or score around the inside of the tray with a sharp knife to remove the seal. Opening the meal may be difficult for anyone who has reduced dexterity in their hands.
Each tray lists clear reheating instructions, nutritional information, an ingredient list, and the expiration date. All items can be reheated in a microwave in about three minutes, but you’ll also find instructions for using a stovetop or oven to reheat your meals. Some, but not all, dishes can be reheated using methods other than a stovetop or microwave. For example, all of the meals list “air fryer” as a reheating option, but most meals have sauces or other liquids, which cannot be placed in an air fryer, so those instructions won’t apply.
Meal plan options
You can choose from: Fresh N Lean Unlimited, Mediterranean, Paleo, Protein +, Whole 30, Keto, Vegan, and Vegetarian meal plans. You can also select your protein preferences from all proteins, including plant-based, seafood, beef, and poultry protein options. We love that you can also list any allergies and exclude ingredients (up to three) from your meal plan.
While Fresh N Lean is a healthy-style prepared meal service that can supplement dieting goals, it isn’t a weight loss program. If you’re looking for the best weight loss apps that offer food and diet education and helps with weight loss, consider reading our Noom Review.
If you add extras, bulk protein, or sides to your meal plan, they will come with your delivery every week until you remove them or switch them out for different foods. Bulk proteins include already cooked and ready to heat turkey, chicken, salmon, and cod filets. You can also get bulk sides like brown rice. These options can be a good choice for meal prepping (preparing entire meals or dishes ahead of time, usually in bulk) during the week.
Meal prepping is one of the best ways to help you eat better and improve your health while freeing up time for other responsibilities or hobbies. I like that the proteins are already cooked, which streamlines the process.
Lindsey DeSoto, a licensed and registered dietitian based in Biloxi, Mississippi
How much do Fresh N Lean meal plans cost?
The cost of Fresh N Lean meal plans varies depending on how many meals per week you want and what types of meals you order. The more meals you order per week, the less expensive each serving will be. Lunch and dinner items are both called “entrees” and are the same price per meal, while breakfast items cost about $5 less. If you select a combination of breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, the average cost per meal will be lower than if you select only dinner and lunch items.
Fresh N Lean also offers a variety of a la carte snacks, small breakfast items, sides, bulk protein, and desserts you can add to your order. The snacks and add-ons range from $2.99–$8.99 (examples include flavored almonds and granola). The cost of these items goes toward your total price for shipping purchases. If you order $100 or more of meals and add-ons, you’ll get free shipping on your order. Free shipping is only available for the contiguous U.S., and does not include Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. Otherwise, the shipping cost is $9.99.
Fresh N Lean accepts Visa, American Express, Master Card, and Discover.
| Days per week | Breakfast | Lunch or dinner | Breakfast and lunch or dinner | Lunch and Dinner | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $10.99 | $15.99 | $11.74 | $13.49 | $11.16 |
| 7 | $10.49 | $15.49 | $10.74 | $11.49 | $10.16 |
HelpGuide Handbook’s testing methodology for prepared meals
Our Handbook Team tests the top meal delivery programs by signing up as mystery shoppers to try the service and meals for one week each. So far, we have tested 26 of the top meal delivery platforms. During that time, we do the following:
Sign up for the service as a new member.
Select one week’s worth of meals.
Evaluate the program for dietary and food allergy options.
Place an order for the meals and set a delivery date.
Track and evaluate the delivery.
Unbox package when it arrives and document the condition and quality of all items.
Prepare meals throughout the week following instructions and recipes.
Evaluate each meal for taste, convenience, portion size, and freshness.
Contact customer support with questions.
Cancel subscription.
We become familiar with each meal delivery program to learn how they work, the types of meals they offer, and how much effort it takes to prepare each meal. We specifically ask each tester to evaluate each prepared meal for ingredient freshness, convenience, taste, portion sizing, and whether they offer enough food to feed a family of four.
Testers also note the types of meals the brands offer, whether they deliver the ingredients and recipes for you to prepare your own meal, or pre-made meals that can be reheated on the stove or in a microwave oven. If the platform gives you the ingredients to prepare, we look to see if they offer meals for different cooking skill levels.
We also surveyed 600 meal delivery users to learn more about their experiences. We use these survey results, our testing data, and insights from nutrition experts to develop a thorough perspective on each meal delivery service we review.
How we test Fresh N Lean meals
Ingredient freshness: 5/5
The premade meals are freshly packed and vacuum-sealed to preserve the integrity of the ingredients. The vegetables in each meal are organic, and proteins are sustainably sourced and USDA-certified.
Convenience: 5/5
Each meal can be microwaved in three minutes or less, making Fresh N Lean a convenient and quick option for those who are on the go but still want to make healthy eating choices.
Taste: 3.5/5
Overall, the taste is good. Flavors are present in each dish, but most entrees taste average. The texture is mostly good, but we notice that some meals are mushy if they have a lot of wet ingredients, like sauces, while other ingredients, like potatoes, dry out when you microwave them.
Accurate portion size: 4/5
Meals are properly portioned for one person. Depending on the ingredients and nutritional content, some meals may make you feel more full than others.
Family Friendly: 3/5
Fresh N Lean meals are sold in single servings, and you can only order up to 21 meals per week. Couples and families could divide the meals between them and share the plan, but with the limitations on how many meals per week you can order, it might be difficult for large families.
Other factors we consider
For prepared meal services, we specifically consider factors like whether there is flexibility in delivery schedules, whether the delivery box is difficult to move, how easy it is to customize your menu, and whether there are a lot of options to choose from when placing an order.
For more information on how we test, see our healthy living review methodology.
Our final verdict on Fresh N Lean meals
We researched and tested this service to create this Fresh N Lean review and help you make the most informed choice about which meal delivery service is right for you. Overall we think that Fresh N Lean is a good prepared meal delivery service for busy people who want a healthy and quick option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner throughout the week.
While this might not be the best meal service for families, it can be really helpful for single people or even couples who want to split the meal plan. Overall, we feel the food tasted decent, with some meals tasting better than others, and the vacuum-sealed packaging helped keep the food fresh until it was ready to eat.
Our favorite things
We love that Fresh N Lean uses organic and fresh ingredients that are prepared fresh and vacuum sealed for freshness. Offering bulk proteins as an add-on to your delivery each week can make meal prepping easy for those with a busy schedule who want a healthy addition to other midweek meals. Since every entree can be microwaved, we love how easy and convenient it is to prepare your meal, making it a healthy, quick, and easy food option.
Our complaints
We don’t like that customers aren’t given a delivery window for their package, making it difficult to plan. We also think the packaging is difficult to open and messy if you have to cut open the top and then peel off the plastic wrap after the sauce has cooked and is stuck to the top. Lastly, Fresh N Lean only offers single-serving prepared meals, so even though it could be split between two adults, it’s not a family-friendly delivery service option.
Compare Fresh N Lean meals with other top meal delivery services
| Price per serving | $10.49–$15.99 | $11.49–$13.99 | $14.99–$15.86 | $11.49–$13.29 | $4.99–$6.49 |
| Meal kit or prepared? | Prepared | Prepared | Prepared | Meal kit | Meal kit |
| Meals per week | 5-21 | 6-18 | 7-14 | 2-6 | 3-5 |
| Delivery Area | All 50 states | Most zip codes in the continental U.S. | All 50 states | Continental U.S. and select zip codes in AK and HI | Most of the continental U.S. |
Frequently asked questions
Fresh N Lean is a prepared meal service that offers healthy, fresh options. Whether Fresh N Lean can help with weight loss is based on your chosen meals and whether you’re implementing other lifestyle changes. When picking your meals, you can use a filter to display foods compatible with popular diets, like paleo, keto, and whole 30. For more weight loss program reviews, see our reviews of Weight Watchers, Mayo Clinic, and Nutrisystem.
Fresh N Lean is relatively easy to cancel. Unlike other prepared meal services that require you to call and cancel, you can cancel Fresh N Lean online through your online user account. But you will be asked to answer a series of questions about why you’re canceling, and there are several points in the process where you may accidentally press a button that looks like it’s the cancellation button, but it is actually a “never mind, I want to keep my account” button. In the last step you’ll be asked to type in “CONFIRM” to finalize your cancellation. While this is still tedious, it’s easier than other platforms to cancel since you don’t have to call and talk with a representative first.
Fresh N Lean gives an expiration date of 11–14 days from the day you receive your delivery. The expiration dates are clearly marked on each meal and food item, so even if you get weekly deliveries, it’s easy to tell when each item expires. Fresh N Lean suggests eating your meals within seven to 10 days for optimal freshness.
- Escoto, K. H., Laska, M. N., Larson, N., Neumark-Sztainer, D., & Hannan, P. J. (2012). Work hours and perceived time barriers to healthful eating among young adults. American Journal of Health Behavior, 36(6), 786–796. Link