This detailed article will be checking out the main features which are present in eMeals and then comparing them with those of Real Plans. Both of these platforms are meal planning services which allow the user to properly prepare meals for the week and cook delicious and healthy meals for their entire household with very little effort.
In the end, we will give you our opinions on which of these two may be the better choice based on first-hand experiences.
eMeals vs Real Plans
In the table below, we have mentioned the main characteristics and features which you can expect to find in eMeals and Real Plans. We have also listed the price ranges of the meal plans from eMeals and Real Plans. By checking out the table below, you can easily choose between eMeals and Real Plans.
| Feature | eMeals | Real Plans |
| Delivery areas | All over the world | All over the world |
| Price range | $9.99 per month for 3 months | $10 per month |
| Difficulty levels | Easy | Easy |
| Avg. cooking time | 30 mins per meal | Depends on the recipe |
| Avg. calorie count | Varies based on diet plan | Depends on the diet plan chosen |
| Supporting material | Recipes,Grocery shopping | Recipes,Grocery shopping |
| Recipes supported | Clean eating,Keto,Paleo,Heart healthy,Gluten-free,Plant-based,Diabetic,Mediterranean,Low-carb | Whole 30,Paleo,Autoimmune protocol,Gluten-free,Dairy-free,Vegetarian,Low-carb,Mediterranean,Low FODMAP,Plant-based,Gaps |
| No. of choices | 15 per week | >1600 choices |
| Introductory deal | 14-day free trial | 10 day money-back guarantee |
| Avg. shelf life | None required | None required |
Types of Plans: eMeals vs Real Plans
| eMeals | Real Plans |
| Clean Eating plan Balanced meals,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Classic Healthy All types of foods |
| Keto 75% macros, 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% carbs,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Whole 30 30-day reset |
| Quick & Healthy 30 minute meals,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Paleo Breakfast, lunches and dinners |
| Budget friendly Freezer friendly and kid friendly,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Auto-immune protocol No eggs, nightshades, nuts, etc. |
| Paleo Protein focused, dairy-free and gluten-free,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Gluten-free No wheat or gluten |
| Heart healthy Carb-controlled and sodium-controlled,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Dairy-free No dairy or dairy-containing ingredients |
| Diabetic Carb-controlled and ADA recommended,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Vegetarian Contains eggs and milk |
| Plant-based Protein-rich,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Low-carb Meals low in carbohydrates |
| Mediterranean Lean meat and healthy fats,1-2 servings or 3-6 servings | Mediterranean Seasonal and fresh ingredients |
| Low FODMAP Best for gut-health | |
| Plant-based Whole 30 30-day reset with plant-based ingredients | |
| GAPS Free of allergens and hard-to-digest carbohydrates |
In eMeals, the variety is definitely enormous and the user can choose from a number of meal plans depending on what their health goals and dietary requirements are. Apart from balanced and clean eating, the user can also find specific meal plans for keto diets, paleo diets and even Mediterranean diets.
In Real Plans, there are a number of meal plans as well. Most of the meal plans in Real Plans focus on accommodating a particular goal or health need that the user may have. There are meal plans for weight loss like the low carb meal plan, and there are also specific meal plans for gut health, gluten-allergies and even dairy-allergies.
Winner: Real Plans wins the Types of Plans segment.
Types of Ingredients: eMeals vs Real Plans
| Ingredient type | eMeals | Real Plans |
| Produce | None provided | None provided |
| Meat, eggs, fish | None provided | None provided |
| Other ingredients | None provided | None provided |
Along with the meal plans and the recipes, there are no ingredients offered to the user from eMeals and Real Plans since these are completely meal-planning services and not meal prep services. However, both of these platforms help the user procure the ingredients they need for cooking through on-demand grocery delivery apps like Instacart.
Winner: Neither eMeals and Real Plans win the Types of Ingredients segment.
Add-Ons: eMeals vs Real Plans
| eMeals | Real Plans |
| Breakfast plans,Lunch plans | Recipes from food-bloggers |
In eMeals, the user can find extra options apart from meal plans for the main entrées for the day. Other than meal plans for the main meals, the user can find options for breakfasts and lunches which come with very simple recipes which are highly easy to cook.
In Real Plans, the user can find add-ons in the form of extra recipes from popular food-bloggers. However, in order to obtain these add-ons, the user will need to pay more and this can be a letdown for users, especially since there are already thousands of recipes to use in this platform.
Winner: eMeals wins the Add-ons segment.
Customer Support: eMeals vs Real Plans
| Feature | eMeals | Real Plans |
| Chat support | + | + |
| Email support | – | – |
| Phone support | + | – |
| Availability | All days of the week | All days of the week |
In eMeals, customer support can be reached through only messaging through the platform. This does not guarantee real-time responses for the user. However, eMeals’ customer support can also be reached through phone support. The customer support of eMeals can be reached through on all days of the week, including weekends.
Customer support in Real Plans can be reached through only messaging. However, this does not allow real-time communication with any support executive. Both eMeals and Real Plans are also pretty active on several social media platforms and regularly interact with their users through their handles.
Winner: eMeals wins the Customer Support segment.
Sample Meals: eMeals vs Real Plans
| Sample | eMeals | Real Plans |
| Sample 1 | Name: Grilled Chicken with Fresh Corn Relish and Green BeansMeal plan: Clean Eating | Name: Salmon en PapillotePreparation time: 30 minsMeal plan: Whole 30 |
| Sample 2 | Name: Spicy New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp with Seasoned BroccoliMeal plan: Paleo | Name: Turkey SaladPreparation time: 15 minsMeal plan: Paleo |
| Sample 3 | Name: Apple Sage Chickpea PattiesMeal plan: Plant-based | Name: Zucchini and Sun-dried Tomato GnocchiPreparation time: 35 minsMeal plan: Mediterranean |
The menu in eMeals come with a lot of variety and thus, anyone following any type of diet can easily find appropriate recipes from this meal planning service. Most of the recipes in eMeals are certainly easy to cook with and the entire process can be cooked from start to finish in a period of thirty minutes to fifty minutes.
In Real Plans, the menu is pretty large and offers plenty of variety. In the menu of Real Plans, all types of diets and dietary preferences can be easily found. The average preparation time of the meals from Real Plans is about thirty minutes from start to finish. The user can also find a variety of ingredients to cook with in Real Plans.
Winner: eMeals wins the Sample Meals segment.
App rating: eMeals vs Real Plans
| Platform | eMeals | Real Plans |
| Google Play Store | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Apple App Store | 4.6 | 4.5 |
| TWP Rating | 3.5/5 | 3/5 |
Final Verdict: eMeals wins this battle with its easy accessibility and large menu of options.
eMeals is not the only meal planning service in the market today but has easily become a household name due to the large menu that is offered on the platform. The great thing about using eMeals is that there are recipes and meal plans offered for all types of diets and even special health goals.
In Real Plans, the layout of the platform is pretty similar. The user has to simply go through the enormous library of recipes and choose the ones that they want to cook. In the menu of Real Plans, the user can find plenty of options including those fitting their personal diets and health requirements.
Between eMeals and Real Plans, the former takes the crown. The reason for the popularity of eMeals is that this meal planning service not only helps the user cook a variety of meals throughout the week, but also allows them to easily procure grocery essentials. eMeals is the definite winner in this case.
Methodology
To bring you the best reviews of each and every meal delivery service, we spoke to testers and real life users, reviewed the information provided by each service on their respective websites, carried out primary research on social media platforms and checked out the user reviews of these platforms on various social media sites. We have also used the reviews presented by current users of these services on their respective Google and Apple apps.
We are currently conducting our own internal review and we will update this page with videos and pictures of our experiences. If they differ extensively from what our external reviewers said then we will update this post so you get both points of views and can decide which service provider is more suited to your needs based on the information above.
The main types of criteria which we have used in order to assess and evaluate these meal delivery services is the simplicity of the recipes, the variety of meals in the service, the inclusiveness of diets and cuisines and even the supporting material.
In addition to these, we have also highly taken into regard the sustainability and recyclability of the packaging of these services. Lastly, we have also considered the delivery services and customer services of these platforms.
Frequently asked questions: “eMeals vs Real Plans”
How many meals a week do you get with eMeals?
You can get about seven recipes a week with eMeals. The menu of eMeals is definitely very large and brings plenty of variety to the user’s table. The recipes in eMeals cover almost every type of diet and nutritional requirement which the user may require. The recipes in eMeals can be prepared in about thirty minutes to fifty minutes easily.
Does eMeals do breakfast and lunch?
Yes, eMeals does breakfast and lunch. The recipes in these meal plans are not only easy to prepare, but can be cooked with very basic cooking skills and thus are perfect for busy weekdays. Apart from these, the user can also choose from various dessert recipes and even special meal plans for occasions like Thanksgiving.
Is Real Plans Whole 30?
Yes, Real Plans Whole 30. However, in addition to Whole 30 recipes, Real Plans also offers meal plans and recipes for special diets like Mediterranean diets, low-sodium diets, paleo diets and even autoimmune diets. This is one of the best advantages of using Real Plans to cook everyday meals.
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