After months of indulgent eating thanks to the abundance of new restaurants and festive menus, we at Foodie have definitely been feeling the strain... on our waistbands. Hence, January marks our month of redemption, when we turn the menu pages in the direction of healthful eating.
When Nutrition Kitchen approached us to do a review of one of their meal plans, we were tempted by the array of diverse flavours on offer. The meal-plan delivery platform launched in 2015 and is currently operating in Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom, with plans to expand to Australia and the USA this year. The company also owns and operates ONE PT gyms, with branches in Hong Kong and Singapore.
While they offer a range of menus to fit any dietary requirements, the most popular plans are divided into three groups: regular, vegetarian and flexitarian. More precise meal options within each category range from low-carb options to plans for building muscle.
We opted for the small low-carb option within the regular menu, which includes a mix of meat, seafood and vegetarian options. Each day’s meals total between 1,000–1,200 calories – below our daily requirement and therefore conducive to weight loss. Each day’s three meals were delivered bright and early to our door around 6:15am, with a handy text message to alert us of their arrival.
The experience
To be honest, we weren’t quite sure what to expect with a 1,000-calorie meal plan. Visions of green juices and alfalfa sprouts came to mind, but we were pleasantly surprised to find a hearty breakfast every morning, followed by a flavourful lunch and dinner.
The meals were heavy on the protein and light on the carbohydrates – the ideal combination when it comes to weight loss. We’ve tried similar portions with a nutritionist in previous years, coming away with great results.
Since we don’t have a microwave, we opted to heat up our meals either in the oven or steam them over the hob. The meal boxes, made from sugar cane that is 100 per cent biodegradable, are handy for oven use, not needing to dirty another dish.
We’re big fans of savoury breakfasts, so the omelette filled with bacon and Brie, the chorizo and bell pepper frittata, the poached eggs and the scrambled eggs with fresh tomato and smoked salmon made us look forward to each morning. The breakfast portions were so big, in fact, that we sometimes found it hard to finish them.
The lunches and dinners varied between meat and fish, with various global flavours the likes of shepherd’s pie with pumpkin, chicken satay, roasted salmon and beef bourguignon. The meals were big on flavour, but sometimes a tad heavy on the garlic (so make sure to have some mints on standby).
Verdict
Our small-sized, high-protein, low-carb meal plan averaged around $83 per meal, although other meal plans that require more food are priced upwards of $100 per meal. The dishes were interesting and definitely hassle free, considering how much time it takes to buy all the ingredients from Hong Kong supermarkets. Customers can also choose which meals of the day they order, ranging from a two-meal to a three-meal plan.
Nutrition Kitchen is an ideal option for busy singles who want to eat diverse, flavourful and healthful foods without the mess, opting for a regular, predictable schedule so that they don’t waste any meals in the plan. We also like the minimal packaging, made with biodegradable materials.
And did we lose any weight during the week? Well, it’s hard to reflect on a mere week’s diet changes, but we certainly felt lighter and less bloated by the week’s end. Besides, with the current dining restrictions, there’s actually zero FOMO about us missing a meal out.
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