Icon Meals Review 2024: Worth the Cost?

Overview

Icon Meals is focused on people looking to shed some pounds or build muscles. As implied on its website, it also caters to those who wish to eat healthy food. The meal delivery service offers ready-made meals prepared by its chefs, allowing you to serve them quickly. 

The company allows you to create your own custom meals. So, if you have specific dietary needs or just prefer certain ingredients, you can create a meal that's perfect for you. Another feature I appreciate is that you don’t need a subscription to try out Icon Meals.

Overall, I think Icon Meals has a fair share of drawbacks as well as benefits. Depending on your lifestyle and budget, this unique service may or may not be a good fit for you. You may prefer a different prepared meal service, such as Factor. Keep on reading my expert review to learn which group you fall into and how the company's meals align with your preferences.

What’s on the Icon Meals Menu

You can choose between individual meals and ready-made bundles with Icon Meals. But if you prefer personalizing your recipes, the company lets you customize ingredients and their amounts.

Meal Options

Icon Meals has a decent selection of around 30 heat-and-eat meals. But if you prefer to personalize your meals, choose between various proteins and side dishes. Animal protein lovers can opt for 1 of approximately a dozen options, including chicken, beef, and salmon. Plant-eaters can choose between broccoli, cauliflower, and quinoa, among several other alternatives.

You can also choose between 4 types of boxes, each containing 12 or 24 dishes. Each of them caters to different customer needs and preferences. Available options are Lean, Chef, Bulk, and Keto, so you'll figure out right away which suits you best. Note that the items in your selected package may differ from the advertised meals when the service updates its menu.

In addition to heat-and-eat meals, Icon Meals has a range of extras on its menu. You'll find sauces, seasonings, snacks, and other products on offer. And some of them are barbecue sauces and protein butter, coffees, and popcorn.

The prepared meal delivery service caters to various diet types. Even if you don't find meals aligning with your diet (there are no vegan meals, for example), you may customize them to meet your needs and preferences. Check the following table for a quick breakdown of the available heat-and-eat options:

The company has various types of meals on its menu. Among other options, you'll find quesadillas, pasta dishes, bowls, and combinations of meats and veggies. The service also has seasonal items, such as Limited Summer BBQ Meals, from time to time.

Serving times are quick since the company ships prepared meals. In general, you can have the meal ready in 3 or 4 minutes. 

I haven't come across many internationally-inspired recipes on Icon Meals' menu. If you're a fan of dishes originating in some of the world's most popular cuisines, Factor has a much broader menu of healthy, ready-to-eat meals.

Customization

Icon Meals provides various customization options, especially for meal personalization. You can also tailor your boxes to some extent. And if you're looking to supplement your meals, opt for individual proteins, vegetables, and blends.

You can customize the ingredients, their quantities, and the number of customized meals. Depending on whether you choose Breakfast or Lunch/Dinner, you can select 2 proteins and 1 side or 1 protein and 2 sides, respectively. On top of that, you can add 1 of around a dozen seasonings to your lunch and dinner.

You have to select at least 1 protein to add the meal to the cart. Extra protein and sides are optional. 

Use around a dozen filters to find suitable ready-made meals on the menu. To do that, click on the Menu option, below the company logo. The same filtering system applies to Bulk items that include animal proteins, veggies, and other products. Dietary filters include Dairy-Free, High-Protein, Low Calorie, and Low Fat.

Dietary filters typically have 1 or 2 options. If you select Gluten-Free, for example, the available options will be Yes and No. The filters of Size and Meal have different options when you select them. With Size, you can choose between Regular and Large portions. Meal gives you the options of Breakfast or Lunch/Dinner. You can apply as many filters as you wish.

If you go for chef-recommended boxes, you can customize the size of the package. Choose either 12 or 24 meals per box. Here, you can subscribe to save a little on your order.

You can also choose meals based on your goals. If you click on Goals, you'll find food recommended for weight loss and muscle building. There’s also a third option, simply titled Eat Clean.

If you’re vegan you won’t find any full meals to suit you, but the Bulk section does have a Vegan filter where you can find around 5 sides and carbs that you can use to supplement your meals.

You can't exclude allergens from the company meals. So, check the dish to see if it contains any allergens or other foods you don't like. If so, you can only skip the recipe. To exclude up to 9 common allergens including mushrooms, tree nuts, and sesame from your meal plan, consider subscribing to Home Chef.

Unboxing

The recipes are neatly packed and surrounded by an insulation layer. Dry ice keeps food fresh. The packs are arranged side by side beneath cardboard, sometimes with separators to keep everything well organized. Front and side labels allow you to identify the type of meal. What's more, you'll find detailed nutritional and other info at the back of each package. 

The shelf life of Icon Meals recipes can vary depending on a few factors. If you have the meals shipped directly to your home, the expiration date will be at least 5 days from the day you receive the package. However, if you arrange for a retail pick-up at a designated location (more on that a little later), the food will typically last between 4 and 12 days. 

You can eat the meals beyond their expiration dates if you wish. To extend their shelf life up to 6 months, freeze them before the expiration date. And since the company vacuum seals its dishes, you won't have to worry about that dreaded freezer taste when you thaw them out. 

The company claims that its packages are 100% recyclable. You get each dish in a microwave-safe container, delivered in a recyclable corrugated box. Furthermore, the box you get food in also contains an environmentally safe thermal liner. On top of that, Icon Meals continuously works on reducing its carbon footprint. 

Cooking with Icon Meals

In this section of the Icon Meals review, I'll introduce a few meal examples. Two will be menu options, while the remaining recipe will be a custom meal. 

Icon Meals supports 3 different cooking methods. Microwave is the quickest and the most popular method, but you can also use an air-fryer. You can also simply heat the meals up on the stovetop, which is also useful if you like to add your own seasonings and sauces.

In general, the service’s meals tend to taste a bit bland. The focus is clearly on health and weight loss more than flavor, so keep that in mind. Check out the top-rated meal delivery services by our experts to find tasty and healthy meals from other companies. 

Shortlist of My Favorite Meals

Bacon Cheddar Sliders & Sweet Potatoes is a high-protein dish ideal for muscle building. Some of its key ingredients are pork bacon, ground beef, extra virgin oil, and garlic. It’s flavored with a blend of Italian herbs like oregano, basil, marjoram, and rosemary.

Recipes are cooked and promptly vacuum sealed for top freshness. All of Icon Meals’ food is prepared in a USDA-certified kitchen.

Spanish Chicken Bowl is a large-portion dish for people with hearty appetites. It contains chicken breasts, black beans, parboiled rice, and Monterey Jack Cheese, among other ingredients. And Italian seasoning adds a bit of flavor to this specialty as well.

The stars of this meal are tender chicken breasts, cheese, and salsa verde sauce. Spanish rice and black beans are its sides. If you put the recipe into a microwave, you can serve it in 3 minutes. 

I chose a combination of salmon, potato mash, and broccoli for my Custom meal. I opted for a total of 8 oz, which I find filling enough for an average adult. I have my own favorite seasoning blend for salmon, which includes a bit of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. So, I decided to skip the offered seasonings.

The meal is protein-rich, low-calorie, and carb-conscious. With 4 oz of salmon, 2 oz of potato mash, and 2 oz of broccoli, it contains 29.5 g of proteins, 272.5 calories, and 14 g of carbohydrates. Just right for muscle builders and people losing weight!

Prices

The cost of Icon Meals' food varies depending on several factors, like whether you buy individual dishes, pre-made boxes, or build your own meals. You can get a small discount if you subscribe for regular orders. Check the following table for the price per meal or box before optional discounts. 

Most Menu dishes typically cost between $10 to $14. During my Icon Meals review, only certain specials went over $20. The cost of pre-made boxes depends on the number of recipes included. Packages containing 12 meals range from $138 for the Lean Box to $199 for the Bulk Box. Packages with 24 recipes cost between $269 (Lean Box) and $379 (Bulk Box).

Most Snacks & More items cost up to $40. The Only Seasonings Starter Pack, which contains 9 seasonings, costs $81. The price tag of popcorn is typically $9.99, while bundles cost $24.99. You’ll pay between $20.99 and $24.99 for Protein Butters, while Protein Coffee usually costs $29. The price of Individual BBQ Sauces is $11.99, while the 4-pack bundle costs $39.99. 

Vegetable blends and pasta are the most affordable Bulk Items options. Fishes like cod and salmon fall into the upper price range.

The base cost of Custom breakfasts, lunches, and dinners starts at $6. But the final price will increase depending on added proteins and sides and their quantities.

The company has a discount policy for Menu items, Bulk items, Boxes, and snacks. You need to open an account to be eligible for discounts, which typically range from 5% to 10%. Also, note that Protein Butters and certain seasonings are excluded from discount offers. 

The service calculates the shipping costs at the checkout. And it appears to me that your exact location plays no part in it. I checked the delivery cost of the same order for New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and it was always $19.99 for Icon Shipping and $50 for Icon Expedited Shipping. Note that custom meals aren't eligible for expedited shipping. 

I learned that only the size of your order affects the delivery cost. Delivery of a few items may cost you as little as $9.99, while the meal delivery service usually charges $19.99 for larger orders. But if you opt for a store pickup (I'll elaborate on that in a bit), you don't pay anything for shipping.

Icon Meals accepts several payment methods. You can pay with American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. Additionally, you can purchase your meals via PayPal, Shop Pay, Amazon Pay, and Coinbase Commerce.

The company may reimburse you if you're unhappy with the received items. To qualify for a full or partial refund, replacement, or credit for future purchases, reach out to its customer support team. Just make sure to get in touch within 7 days from the date of delivery. 

Shipping & Delivery

The service delivers anywhere within the continental United States. But it doesn't ship products to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or any other US territory. If you live outside of the mainland, Nutrisystem ships diet meals to a larger area. Icon Meals uses UPS and USPS to deliver its orders. 

Besides having food delivered to your address, you can opt for store pickup. You can typically choose 1 of 2 delivery days when you opt for home delivery. Shipping times are generally 7 days or so. But if you go for store pickup, your goods should arrive within 2 days.

Currently available Icon Meals pickup locations are: 

• Icon Meals HQ & Retail, 4312 McEwen Road, Farmers Branch, 75244

• Icon Meals Retail, 4681 Ohio Drive, #113, Frisco, 75035

• Destination Dallas, 1300 N. Central Expy, #300, Allen, 75013

• Total Nutrition, 5706 E. Mockingbird Ln, #180, Dallas, 75206

You'll get a tracking number of your order the day your shipment leaves the facility. Contact customer support if you need any help regarding your purchase. In general, home deliveries take place from Tuesday to Friday, while store pickups are possible from Monday through Friday. 

How Icon Meals Works

You can order food from Icon Meals as a guest as many times as you wish. But to benefit from the discount, you'll have to register an account. Note that the company doesn't have a free trial or starter package, but it may offer a 1-time discount for 1st-time buyers.

How to Sign Up

The Icon Meals subscription process goes like this:

1. Click on the icon next to the shopping bag in the top-right corner of the screen. 

2. Select Create Account under the Sign In button.

3. Fill out the First Name, Last Name, Email, and Password boxes.

4. Hit Create.

5. The system prompts you to the shopping cart if you have already started purchasing.

Managing Your Subscription

You can manage your account once you sign in. First, you'll see your email and delivery (billing) addresses and other info. You can also add store credit here, if applicable.

Hit Manage Subscriptions to review various aspects of your account. These are subscriptions, delivery schedule, purchase history, shipping addresses, and payment methods. 

Customer Service

I have mixed feelings regarding the assistance I got from customer service. The customer support representative, Melody, responded to my email promptly. Still, she failed to provide specific answers to my inquiries.

One of my questions was about where Icon Meals sources food. Melody pointed out that the company sources food from local suppliers in the town's vicinity. That left me to guess which town is in question, but I suppose it's either Farmers Branch or Frisco in Texas, where the company has offices.

The other question was whether the meals feature organic ingredients. However, I didn't get a clear response. Melody advised me to check the meals' nutritional info on the website. But my search yielded no results regarding organic ingredients. So, if you're after organic food, check out Green Chef’s certified-organic meals. The FAQ section of Icon Meals isn't comprehensive, especially not compared to many other meal delivery services. It lacks some important info, such as the cancellation policy. And I found no mention of it anywhere on the service’s website. So, I suppose that contacting customer support would be the best option if you wish to unsubscribe. 

You can get in touch with customer service via mail or phone. To send an email, go to the Contact Us link in the footer and fill out the contact form when you land on the related page. Alternatively, call 1.844.879.4266 toll-free. Customer support representatives operate from 8 am to 6 pm CEST on workdays and from 8 am to 3 pm CEST on weekends. 

How Icon Meals Compares to Other Meal Delivery Services

• Icon Meals vs. BistroMD: While Icon Meals has meals that can help you shed pounds, BistroMD has multiple dedicated weight-loss plans. And, its dietitian-designed recipes allow you to eat several times a day and still lose weight. Moreover, you can opt for gender-specific programs and choose between 150+ recipes depending on the chosen dietary plan.

• Icon Meals vs. Fresh and Easy: While Icon Meals has some basic customization options, Fresh and Easy lets you customize many of its easy-prep meal kits and eliminate up to 9 common allergens from your meal plan. Some of them are shellfish, beef, tree nuts, and mushrooms. What's more, this line of healthy meals has Express meal kits, so you can prepare a quick meal if you like to experiment with ingredients. 

• Icon Meals vs. Purple Carrot: Since Icon Meals has severely limited vegan options, Purple Carrot is among the best meal delivery for plant-based dieters. It has fresh and frozen prepared vegan recipes that are ready in minutes, but it also has a full menu of plant-based meal kits. The cost per serving is also much lower than Icon Meals'.

The Bottom Line: Is Icon Meals Worth It?

Icon Meals could be a solid choice if you're looking to bulk up or slim down. It's also a suitable option for people who prefer to grab a heat-and-eat meal and get on with their lives quickly. And if you like to custom-build your meals from the ground up, you should find this meal delivery service up to the mark.

You’re probably better off with another service such as BistroMD if you’re on a strict dietary plan, such as, diabetes-friendly, or heart-healthy. Furthermore, the cost of the Menu items tends to be steeper compared to many leading prepared meal delivery services, even with discounts applied. The cost escalates for customized meals, particularly if you opt for 3 ingredients and seasoning.

FAQ

How much does Icon Meals cost a month?

Icon Meals doesn’t require a monthly subscription, so the price you pay varies greatly. Your cost depends on many parameters including whether you subscribe or not and whether you choose prepared meals, curated boxes, or custom dishes. Check out the Prices section of my Icon Meals Review to read the specifics. 

How long does it take to cook Icon Meals?

Icon Meals dishes are ready-made and can be reheated in just a couple minutes. 

How does Icon Meals work?

The service prepares food at a USDA-certified kitchen and vacuum seals its products. It ships food to every corner of the contiguous US. And its customers can choose to receive their orders at home or to pick them up at designated locations.