Food Fight: Meal Delivery Plans Vie for Supremacy

By Jason Knapfel - DietsInReview.com

So, you say that you just don't have time to think about what it takes to eat a healthy diet? While we should all make healthy eating a top priority, sometimes it gets lost in the busy shuffle of life. That's probably why meal delivery services have become a growing trend in the diet industry.

While Nutrisystem controls more than half of the meal delivery market, according to Marketdata Enterprises, an independent market research company, the other companies are catching up. For instance, eDiets saw sales for their meal delivery service rise 85 percent in the first quarter of 2011.

The benefits to healthy meal delivery services are obvious: you get the convenience of healthy food sent right to your doorstep with all the thinking done for you. All you have to do is work on your willpower. If you prefer the convenience, here are some of the more popular meal delivery plans available:

Bistro M.D.

Created by Dr. Caroline Cederquist, there are a few things that set Bistro M.D. apart from the pack. Besides offering healthy and nutritiously prepared meals to their customers, the calorie levels are varied in order to minimize plateaus so that your body won't get used to an exact routine. It also offers the wildly popular 17 Day Diet meal plan as a choice in their meal offerings.

Biggest Loser Meal Delivery Plan

The Biggest Loser has become one of the most popular reality-based shows on TV. Taking advantage of that popularity, they have branded various health products, including a meal delivery plan. Partnering with eDiets, one of the veterans in the online dieting space, the nutrition experts and doctors of the Biggest Loser have created meals that will have you eating like the show's contestants.

Diet to Go

Diet to Go offers everything from Mexican-style burritos to curried shrimp with basmati rice, all while meeting the guidelines of the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. Meals also come with sides such as fresh fruit, yogurt smoothies, coleslaw, or Terra veggie chips, to name a few.

Trim360

With Trim360, there are three meal-delivery plans to choose from, which vary according to the number of meals you order. What sets Trim360's plan apart is their focus on the idea of eating many times a day in small caloric increments. You will eat every two to three hours, seven times per day.

NutriSystem

NutriSystem is a juggernaut in the diet industry, which goes with being around for nearly 40 years. The company offers both shelf-stable and frozen-fresh foods, the latter of which was just introduced this year. For years they've used celebrities to prove their worth, like Dan Marino and Marie Osmond, have recently turned to featuring real people with real weight loss.

Jenny Craig

Another giant in the diet industry, and lover of celebrity spokespeople, Jenny Craig offers a home delivery service to its members called Jenny Direct. While Jenny Craig made its name with their in-person centers where you check in and pick up your food, Jenny Direct has your meals and snacks conveniently delivered to you.

The choices are numerous, and you'll ultimately have to decide which best suits your dietary needs, budget, taste, and overall preference. Learn more about each and help educate your decision by clicking on any diet name above to see its complete review at DietsInReview.com.