Freshly Review 2024: Healthy Microwave Meals

Freshly in a Nutshell

If you’re looking for super-easy yet nutritious options when it comes to mealtimes, Freshly could be the meal delivery service for you. Its prepared dishes promise less sugar and fewer processed ingredients while being ready to eat in 3 minutes or less.

What I liked

• Meals were well-seasoned

• Each dish is one serving

• Super-fast customer support

What I didn’t like

• The health focus seems vague

• Menu categories are unclear

• Shipping isn’t free, even on a large order

Freshly Overview

I try to be healthy – but usually with the minimal amount of effort required. There are some nights when I like to cook, but after a typical day of working and running around, I’m usually just looking for whatever’s easiest. So the idea of having healthy meals delivered to my door every week sounded pretty good.

This is essentially what Freshly promises. However, prepared microwavable meals don't really scream “nutrition,” so I was skeptical when asked to try some of the dishes. The verdict? While I wasn’t crazy about everything I tasted, I could see myself placing another order in the future.

How Freshly Works

When it comes to meal delivery services, Freshly is about as straightforward as it gets. You choose whether you’d like 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 meals delivered to your door per week, and the more you choose the lower the cost per serving.

The meals arrive already prepared, all you need to do is heat them up in the microwave or oven, and your lunch/dinner/snack can be eaten right out of the container.

You can check out the menu without having to create an account. I’m not sure how often Freshly switches up its menu, but when I was checking out the site, there were more than 50 different choices that would all be suitable for lunch or dinner. There are no breakfast options, however.

There’s the option to filter the menu by category, although some of the categories didn’t seem that clear to me. What’s the difference between Crafted Classics and Signature Collection? FreshlyFit, on the other hand, makes sense.

Overall, I’d say there’s a pretty good range of meals that are nicely organized. As they say, “you eat with your eyes first” and the photography is what stands out as you scroll down.

When you sign up, you just need to:

1. Enter your email and delivery zip code

2. Decide on whether you want 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 meals delivered per week

3. Select the day of the week you’d like your meals to arrive

4. Browse the menu and choose your dishes

5. Fill out your delivery and billing information, and you’re done!

Freshly Menu

Freshly states that all of its meals are gluten- and peanut-free. I don’t have a gluten allergy so this wasn’t really a big deal to me either way. I will say that I didn’t feel like I was missing out on gluten in my meals – so that’s a plus.

There are a fair number of carb-conscious menu items, and in general, I think the company has done a pretty good job of sneaking in vegetable substitutions for classic carbs, for example, its cauli-rice and cauliflower pasta shells.

There aren’t that many veggie options available, but this is an area that Freshly is starting to expand. It recently introduced its Purely Plant plan, which consists of around 5 weekly plant-based meals such as the Middle Eastern Falafel Bowl with Garlicky Tahini Sauce and Whole Grains.

I wouldn’t exactly call Freshly a champion in vegan menus, but this addition is a significant step forward in the right direction. If you’re looking specifically for a vegan meal delivery service then Purple Carrot would be a great choice with a choice of 15+ meal kits and prepared meals every week – all 100% vegan.

Here’s a quick summary of Freshly’s pricing and the dietary needs it can accommodate:

Freshly Delivery

In full transparency, I was sent meals to test out the service – so I didn’t go through the process of placing an order and wasn’t in control of when they would be delivered. On the day the meals arrived, I just received a text alert to say I’d had a FedEx delivery.

Freshly delivers 7 days a week, though the exact days it can reach you depends on your location and the company’s delivery partners.

My box arrived around 1:30 pm on a Tuesday. It was delivered to my door, which was great because I live in an apartment complex and would hate to lug it up the stairs. I could feel right away that the box was still cold – definitely a good sign.

Freshly Unboxing

The company prides itself on reducing its environmental impact where possible, so I had high hopes for the packaging. Inside were 2 giant ice packs (along with instructions on how to recycle the plastic around them) – one on the top and another at the bottom of the box, with 6 meals packed neatly in between.

That was it. There was no welcome guide, overview of the meals, or instructions. And while I guess everything is pretty self-explanatory, I did have a couple of questions. For example, I wasn’t sure if I should freeze the meals or keep them in the fridge.

I was also curious about alternative cooking methods since I don’t have a microwave. Thankfully all this information is available on the website, you might just have to search through the FAQ to find it.

Favorite Freshly Meals

The company promises to deliver quick, delicious, and nutritious meals. Because I don’t have a microwave, the meals weren’t necessarily quick, but they were definitely convenient. And compared to other grab-and-go options, I’d say they’re pretty tasty. As for nutritious? I’m not entirely sure.

On its website, Freshly says its meals are “less processed” and use “less of the ingredients you can’t pronounce.” Looking at the back of the boxes, I’d agree the ingredient list is shorter than many of the other microwavable meals you see in supermarkets. That said, a fresh salad would be an unfair comparison.

As mentioned previously, I was sent a sample of Freshly meals to try in exchange for writing a fair and honest review. These are the dishes I was sent:

• Plant-Based Sesame Bowl with Noodle-Cut Hearts of Palm (FreshlyFit)

• Zingy Buffalo Chicken with Loaded Cauliflower (FreshlyFit)

• Sausage and Peppers with Carb Swap Cauli Rice (FreshlyFit)

• Freestyle Beef Lasagna with Cauli Pasta Ribbons and Three Cheeses (Crafted Classics)

• Dijon Pork Chop with Sea Salt Potatoes and Roasted Carrots (Freshly) x 2

Though there are some dishes on this list I might not necessarily have picked for myself, I do think all the meals had good flavor, which is often one of the biggest complaints when it comes to prepared meals. Often you’ll find they’re too salty or completely bland – Freshly strikes a good balance.

Freshly Customer Service

My first interaction with Freshly’s customer service was quick and painless. Since I don’t have a microwave, I was looking for oven cooking instructions. And as this question is apparently one of the most commonly asked, it took me all of 2 seconds to find the answer on the website.

I also wanted to know if Freshly had any satisfaction guarantee. I asked the chatbot if the company would replace or refund any meals I didn't like. It was clear that the chatbot didn't understand my question.

I also tested the customer service email by asking the same question, and the reply came in less than 1 hour. The first paragraph was tailored to my query, and the rest of the email was essentially a sales pitch to get me to sign up. That said, I appreciated the quick, clear, and courteous help.

I also found out how easy it is to pause or cancel your Freshly subscription, and wrote about it in this short blog post.

Freshly Prices

The cost per Freshly meal depends on how many you order per week. You could pay anywhere from $6.90 per meal (based on the maximum of 12 meals per week) to $11.79 per meal (if you order the minimum of 4).

That’s a pretty good deal, especially if you compare it against something like takeout, where you could be paying that much on taxes and fees alone.

You do have to pay for shipping, too, which I find a little annoying. The cost of this also varies depending on the size of your order. It might also depend on your location. Just expect to add somewhere between $6.99-11.99 to whatever price your meals come to.

Alternatives to Freshly

Let’s have a look at how some other great meal delivery services do when you compare them to Freshly:

If you’re looking for something quick, easy, and ready to eat in minutes, Eat Fit Go is another good option for meal delivery. Both companies are a good match in terms of value but Eat Fit Go offers tastier meals.

At the other end of the spectrum, if you’re looking for something really healthy, you might want to try a meal delivery service that allows you to prep and cook the meals yourself using fresh ingredients. HelloFresh has a strong focus on farm-fresh produce and plenty of vegetarian options.

The Bottom Line

The overall experience I had with Freshly was positive. I’d definitely like to see even more vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu, but what I tried was tasty and I could see the benefits of a meal delivery service like this. I know that if I have a busy week coming up, I could see myself relying on Freshly to strike a good balance between health and convenience. 

FAQ

How much is Freshly?

Meals from Freshly start at $6.90 when you order 12 dishes per week, climbing to $11.79 per serving when you order just four meals per week. Essentially, the more meals you choose, the better the deal.

The weekly shipping fee varies, too, based on your order size and location, starting at $6.99.

Is Freshly worth it?

Yes!

With Freshly, you get prepared meals that are healthy, nutritious, and ready to eat in 3 minutes or less. If you want nutritionist-designed dishes that will help you stay well while also being exciting enough to keep your taste buds happy, Freshly is a great option. Plus, all of the meals are gluten- and nut-free.

You can also check out our list of the best prepared meal delivery services for other easy and nutritious meal plans.

How to cancel Freshly

It's super simple to cancel Freshly. If you have the iOS app, tap on Account, Manage Subscription, and lastly, Cancel Subscription. You’ll have to answer a couple of questions about your reason for canceling and that’s it.

If you have an Android phone, you’ll need to log into your account with the mobile or web browser to cancel in a similar way. You can read this short blog post for a quick walk-through.