Freshly vs FlexPro meals (+9 Interesting features)
This detailed article will be checking out in depth two highly acclaimed meal delivery services in the United States today, Freshly and FlexPro meals. Meal delivery services like Freshly and FlexPro meals have become pretty popular in recent times because of the high levels of convenience they bring to folks who are too busy to cook, but still want to eat healthy food.
In the end, we will give you our opinions on which of these two may be the better choice based on first-hand experiences.
Freshly vs FlexPro meals
In the table below, we have depicted the main features and advantages which you can expect to find in Freshly and FlexPro meals. We have also mentioned their delivery areas, along with the types of meals which you can expect to find in Freshly and FlexPro meals. You can choose between Freshly and FlexPro meals by checking out the table below.
| Feature | Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| Delivery areas | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii | Throughout the United States, including Alaska & Hawaii |
| Price per plate | $8.49 per plate minimum | $8.50 per meal minimum |
| Difficulty levels | Easy | Easy |
| Avg. cooking time | 3 minutes of heating | Only 3-5 minutes of heating |
| Avg. calorie count | 400-500 calories per serving | 380-690 calories per serving |
| Supporting material | Nutritional information | Nutritional facts,Heating instructions |
| Recipes supported | Gluten-free,Dairy-free,Plant-based,Carb-smart,Calorie-conscious | Low-carb,Keto,Gluten-free,Dairy-free,Pork-free |
| No. of choices | 12 per week | Varies per week |
| Introductory deal | $100 off on first four orders | None |
| Avg. shelf life | 5-7 days,Longer while frozen | 6 weeks in freezer |
Types of Plans: Freshly vs FlexPro meals
| Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| 4-5 meals per week $11.79 per portion + shipping | The 1 A Day Box 7 meals per week,$76.93 per meal box |
| 6-7 meals per week $9.99 per portion + shipping | The Get Busy Box 10 meals per week,$99 per meal box |
| 8-9 meals per week $9.49 per portion + shipping | The Lifestyle Box 15 meals per week,$142.99 per meal box |
| 10-11 meals per week $9.29 per portion + shipping | The All-In Box 18 meals per week,$162.99 per meal box |
| 12 meals per week $9.99 per portion + shipping | The Champion Box 21 meals per week,$178.49 per meal box |
In Freshly, the user can choose from a number of meal plans based on how many meals they require in the week. The user can also add more meals to their weekly cart if they wish to do so. The meals in Freshly are mostly wholesome and great for balanced diets. At the same time, unique preferences like gluten-free and low-carb options can be found here.
FlexPro meals also offers a ton of options when it comes to meal plans. The meal plans in FlexPro meals contain various numbers of food items, while the user can also choose from two main categories like the ‘fat trimmer’ meals or the ‘lean-muscle’ meals. The former option comes with smaller portions while the latter contains larger portions.
Winner: FlexPro meals wins the Types of Plans segment.
Types of Ingredients: Freshly vs FlexPro meals
| Ingredient type | Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| Produce | US-based vendors | No info |
| Meat, eggs, fish | Free from fillers, chemical additives and even preservatives | No info |
| Other ingredients | Seasonings,Spices | Low sodium |
Freshly’s meals are crafted with only the best in ingredients to assure the user of taste and health in every bite. The produce and the greens in Freshly meals come from local farms and vendors who are guaranteed to use only safe farming practices. The meat and the poultry come from antibiotic-free sources, while the seafood is sustainably sourced.
In FlexPro meals, there is no information about where the produce and fruits are sourced from. This can be a letdown since most customers are curious about the sources of the food they are putting in their bodies. FlexPro meals states that all its meals contain very less sodium and are therefore very safe and healthy to consume on a long-term basis.
Winner: Freshly wins the Types of Ingredients segment.
Add-Ons: Freshly vs FlexPro meals
| Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| Proteins,Sides | Meal prep items,Baked goods |
Along with the fully-prepared meals in Freshly, the user can find a selection of add-on items as well. In the add-on menu of Freshly, the user can find healthy proteins like chicken breasts and even lean beef which can be superb for bulking up the meals. There are also many healthy sides to accommodate the main meals in this menu.
FlexPro meals offers a large collection of meal-prep items in its add-on menu. These meal-prep items include proteins and carbs which can be used in cooking or simply consumed as a side. These items are sold by the pound. FlexPro meals also offers many baked goods like cake slices which can be splendid for those who have a sweet tooth.
Winner: FlexPro meals wins the Add-ons segment.
Packaging of Meal box: Freshly vs FlexPro meals
| Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| Meal box,Denim insulation,Non-toxic ice packs | Insulated bags,Gel packs,Microwaveable trays |
| Fully recyclable | Fully recyclable |
In Freshly, the meals are packed in boxes which are easily recyclable and also reusable to a certain extent. These meal boxes can be simply flattened and placed in a curbside recycling bin. The meal boxes in Freshly are insulated with denim cotton, and the meals are packed with ice packs containing a non-toxic gel.
In FlexPro meals, the packaging is also pretty recyclable. This meal delivery service uses a system called “Fridge in a box” through which the meals are shipped in insulated bags along with gel packs. The cooling packs can be emptied directly into the trash or even mixed with the soil to help plants grow.
Winner: Freshly and FlexPro meals win the Packaging of Meal box segment.
Customer Support: Freshly vs FlexPro meals
| Feature | Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| Chat support | + | + |
| Email support | + | – |
| Phone support | + | + |
| Availability | All days of the week | All days of the week |
In Freshly, the user can contact the customer support, in case of any issues with their meals or their orders, through a number of ways. The easiest way to reach out to the customer support in Freshly is through the live chat feature. In addition to live chat, Freshly’s customer support can be reached through emails and phone support as well.
FlexPro meals also offers chat support for its customers. However, this chat support is not live and therefore real-time responses cannot be expected from this feature. The only way to get real-time responses from FlexPro meals is through the phone support which operates on all days of the week.
Winner: Freshly wins the Customer Support segment.
Sample Meals: Freshly vs FlexPro meals
| Sample | Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| Sample 1 | Name: Steak Peppercorn with Sauteed Carrots & French Green BeansCalorie count: 500Heating time: 3 minsSpice level: Mild | Name: Sesame ChickenHeating time: 2-3 minutes in the microwaveNo. of calories: 330 calories |
| Sample 2 | Name: Sausage Baked Penne with Sauteed Zucchini & SpinachCalorie count: 470Heating time: 3 minsSpice level: Mild | Name: Cali Buddha BowlHeating time: 2-3 minutes in the microwaveNo. of calories: 540 calories |
| Sample 3 | Name: Protein-Packed Chicken Parm with Mozzarella & Garlicky BroccoliCalorie count: 410Heating time: 3 minsSpice level: Mild | Name: Beef and DumplingsHeating time: 2-3 minutes in the microwaveNo. of calories: 610 calories |
The menu in Freshly is very accommodating to all types of diets and even specific preferences which users may have. The meals in Freshly contain all types of ingredients, including meat, poultry, seafood and even plant-based protein. Freshly meals only need a couple of minutes of heating the microwave and come in a chilled, and not frozen, manner.
In FlexPro meals, the menu leans a lot towards meat based dishes, and therefore dishes made with beef, chicken and pork are a whole lot common in this meal delivery service. At the same time, vegetarian and vegan dishes and even seafood dishes may be hard to find in FlexPro meals’ menu.
Winner: Freshly wins the Sample Meals segment.
App rating: Freshly vs FlexPro meals
| Platform | Freshly | FlexPro meals |
| Google Play Store | 4.4 | Unavailable |
| Apple App Store | 4.8 | Unavailable |
| TWP Rating | 4/5 | 3.5/5 |
Final Verdict: Freshly wins this battle hands-down, because of the large variety of options and great ease-of-access.
Freshly has now become a household name in the United States. This meal delivery service has been found to be healthy and full of taste since it uses only the best of ingredients. The meals in Freshly are all curated by nutritionists and other food-experts to ensure that the customer gets helpful servings of the right nutrients along with a mélange of flavors with every meal.
FlexPro meals is also slowly gaining a lot of traction in the US as a meal delivery service. However, this meal delivery service may be only suitable for those who are eating with a certain weight goal in mind, whether it is to lose weight or put on weight. It also might not be attractive to vegetarians and pescatarians, since these options are rare to find here.
Between Freshly and FlexPro meals, the former option easily takes the crown. The customer satisfaction levels of Freshly is definitely high, with thousands of raving positive reviews online. On the other hand, FlexPro meals is truly a deserving champion, but needs to extend its menu to include more ingredients as well.
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 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: “Freshly vs FlexPro meals”
Are Freshly meals refrigerated or frozen?
Freshly meals are refrigerated and not frozen. However, Freshly meals can be easily frozen if the user wants to extend their shelf-life. Since the meals in Freshly come in a chilled state, they need to be heated for a bit in the microwave or even a conventional oven as per their preference of the user.
Can I cook Freshly in the oven?
Yes, you can heat Freshly in the oven. To do so, you need to transfer the contents from the tray to an oven-safe dish and then heat the food for about thirty minutes in the oven.
How do you heat up FlexPro meals?
You can heat up FlexPro meals by using a microwave oven. Just place the food tray inside the microwave after pulling back the film slightly for venting purposes. As an alternative, you can also heat up FlexPro meals by using a conventional oven or even a stovetop.
If you like this article, please post your comments and questions below.
Citations
