I greatly appreciate you for taking the time to make this video. I am disabled and struggling to keep myself living at my home and a service like this will help me eat healthy and still maintain independence. Please ignore negative comments from those who don't have anything better to do with their time, some people like me are unable to cook for themsleves.
wow some people are total jerks in the comment section. I appreciated your video. As a single guy ill have to try out this service. Some of us just dont have the time to cook with funky work schedules
@@nicoboesch oh really? So you can make meatloaf and mashed potatoes in 15min? How about a roast with carrots and potatoes? Or a casserole that is not prepared? You can cook that in 15min AND it is cooked all the way AND tastes good? Hmmm🤔 impressive 🙄
Nicolas Roche not everyone is even home around dinner time, some of us work til 9pm but don’t want to eat dinner late, so it’s good to have something we can warm up at work
Defeating the point of convenience, go to store to plan, prep, and make salads to work with the meals. And add that cost to meals. You are pretty much back to ordering out.
On my 3rd week of 6 meals/week. Food is really good. Though at the pricepoint (when my introductory promo offer ends) it's probably going to be too expensive to keep up and not worth the convenience.
Thanks for the review. This was exactly what I was looking for. I'm a single guy so I'll stick with my current methods, but appreciate you putting the time into this.
This video was a huge help--even more because of the discount code. I've had the first order of Freshly at my apartment and sent an order to my elderly parents. I love it! The app is easy and you can customize up until 4 days of delivery. During this time of confinement, this is the perfect solution for changing it up (especially for people with allergies) without leaving the house. I actually really like the huge cold packs, they're perfect for cooler reuse. Our favorites so far are the gumbo and turkey with grain-free stuffing. I know that I'll order a lot less after the promotional period--$7 per serving is far more reasonable than $10, but this was the perfect time to find this! Thanks!
Thanks for your comment :) This video was meant to be a discussion of pros and cons, but if you are interested in looking at the food I made another video just focusing on that: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LpHs0w2OtTM.html
Just bought a weeks worth! Very curious and excited to try something unconventional, but definitely hesitant about the waste factor - lot of plastic involved. Convenience is one thing, but environmental concerns are another for me. Thanks for the review!!
I just went through my first week on dinners. I'm actually pretty impressed with the quality and taste of the food. Also, all of the packaging is recyclable/bio degradable whith clear instructions on how to recycle the plastics.
Your such a hero with your concern about the environment. This explains why you seem to feel your 6 plastic package concern is material versus the astronomical amount of pollution coming from China and India. Losed
Lane, you are so correct about the packaging. I got a box from a neighbor who was going out of town. I was shocked about how small the six boxes (trays) were, and the mountain of packaging waste involved with shipping this stuff.
Freshly is great for people in my situation. Currently injured, unable to get groceries or stand long enough to cook. I was spending $40+ a day ubering junk food getting fat, so regardless of its expense, im saving money and eating healthy. Especially when im unable to be physically active.
I was thinking of making a separate video for that. Sometimes it’s just tricky for me to match up my filming and eating time :) but I see what you are saying!
@@josh12103 Thanks for the feedback. I will keep that in mind for future food videos. However, I actually made a separate video showing what the meals look like before and after they are cooked: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LpHs0w2OtTM.html
I've been considering Freshly and thank you for the video. I was all set to try it, but then according to their website my first order would have taken about two weeks before I would get it so I didn't bother. I don't understand why it should take two weeks for arrival. At least they had your order destroyed - they might need to go over their shipper options and turn around time. Thanks again.
As of May 2019, con #1: you can change menu weekly, there's an option on the app. con #2: as a bachelor without kids/family who eats out everyday, this is actually cheaper! sure if you're frugal cook your own, of course it's cheaper. Then again, you have to do the work of shopping/cooking/cleaning. Cost wise a wash for ME. Con #3, not a vegan, not a problem or con for me :D #4, you probably not the target audience for this service. #5 come on, that excellent customer service, shipping issue is not the fault of freshly but the fault falls on ups/fedex.
spr cmd Me too, I ordered door dash only three times week and that would’ve paid for a week of meals. I work almost 70 hours a week and it’s just hard to eat right if you depend on yourself for cooking.
Excellent video, the only thing I disagree with is I would think the last con would be more of the postal services' fault rather than Freshly themselves as they are under the impression that the postal service will have it there in a timely manner. Great of them to cancel and look out for the customer though 😁
As a single person, I am currently a customer. I have no shipping issues yet. The problem I have is now the selection, because the meals are limited. The meals also have strong spices. They love pesto. A little pesto goes a long way. I may try another service soon. Everything is recyclable btw.
just came across this, one way to possibly upgrade your videos quality is to take some short B roll that relates to what youre talking about, i.e., When you talk about the quality of the meal, cut to a short b roll clip of you forking through a prepared meal so that the viewer gets an understanding of what a cooked freshly meal looks like and kind of the quality were looking at. Nice video
This helped me make up my mind and go for this one. I'm single so the individual servings are nice, need to lose weight, and hate spending time cooking and cleaning, so this sounds perfect.
I had my 3rd meal of my 6 meal trial. The first two were chicken dishes. The chicken was really tender and tasted fresh, but I didn't love the seasoning/breading on the chicken. The one I had tonight was the Steak Peppercorn, and THAT was absolutely wonderful! Sooo good. Though I don't know if I'll keep it. It's more than a little expensive.
There are a lot of heating and reheating techniques that are used by many people without them knowing that these are actually damaging for their health. These harmful practices involve the use of products that release toxins to your food. Below are some examples of things that you should avoid using when heating and reheating your foods: Microwave - Most people have a microwave oven in their homes due to its convenience. However, many are not aware of the problems associated with using it. Microwaves don’t just zap away the original nutrients found in the food, they also emit radiation that interferes with heart rate. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Vienna has associated microwave use with nerve damage and poor kidney function. Furthermore, it is said to reduce liposome activity, thereby allowing harmful bacteria to thrive. Instead of using the microwave, you can just heat up your food on the stove. It might take longer but at least it’s safer. Saran wrap, plastic ware, styrofoam - If you end up needing the microwave for some reason, make sure not use plastic or styrofoam containers, or even plastic coverings. These products release harmful substances when heated. Some of the most harmful toxins released by these products include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and bisphenol A (BPA), which are known endocrine disruptors and have been linked with diseases like cancer. Additionally, styrofoam contains styrene, another compound deemed by scientists to be a possible cancer agent. Foods that should never be reheated It is also important to note that there are certain foods that should never be heated or reheated. This is because the process makes them toxic even if they weren’t before. Some examples of foods that you should just consider eating cold include the following: Vegetables that are rich in nitrates - When you heat nitrate-rich vegetables, the nitrates get converted into nitrites before they reach the mouth, which makes them more toxic than before. If you keep heating and reheating these vegetables, the nitrites will accumulate and make your food more and more toxic. High-protein foods - The proteins in foods like eggs, chicken, and mushroom degrade every time you heat them, which could potentially strain your digestive system. Moreover, eggs and mushrooms are easily contaminated by microorganisms so it’s best to avoid eating leftovers of these. Rice - Bacterial spores easily grow on rice, especially when its left at room temperature. This could cause an upset stomach or even poisoning. I haven't used a microwave in over 10 years. I don't own one in my house. Want to cook healthy? Use a bamboo streamer. It keeps in all the nutrients and taste way better. Microwaves kill off nutrients and make the food taste like shit. Microwaves are also linked to 8 different types of cancer including Colon Cancer.
I love the service. Great tasting food and amazing quality. Haven’t come across a menu item I didn’t like, even ones I was expecting not to like I really enjoyed. One junk food meal from Carl’s Jr. is at least 10 bucks so the price doesn’t bother me.
Great review of Freshly! My workday with commute can be a bit long, sometimes I do not have time to cook. The frozen meals in the store are not good, I typically eat Amy's brand from time to time due to taste and ingredients. I would love to try Freshly, thanks to your detailed review.
Is there an alternative to Freshly that has more calories? Contemplating sending food to an aunt who is more or less home-bound and relies strictly on store bought microwave meals like Stouffers that she receives from her sister who lives in the same city. Do you think these meals or ones from another similar company are superior to store bought TV dinners? Thanks!
Thank you so much for the video, Sarah! I thought the way your presented yourself was really great and informative. I’ve been wanting to try Freshly and this video convinced me to give it a go :)
Honestly, I just signed up for Freshly after watching this video. My husband and I have been so busy lately that we barely have time to even go to the groceries anymore. I think for the last two weeks we've been ordering take out everyday. I'm hoping this service will help us at least eat healthier, and stop us from being so dependent on takeout.
this sounds pretty good I am feeding myself so if i order 12 meal plan i would be eating 2 or 3 meals per day? 6 days will cover 12 meals if you eat 2 a day right?
Thanks very much for your review. I decided to try them because the first two weeks are discounted. Our first box hasn't come yet but I was disappointed in how few vegetarian and vegan options there are, and that the same menu is basically offered every week. We'll see how things go but it is likely we will be canceling after the first two weeks because of the limited menu options.
I couldn't make out the ingredients in the back label. Do they use anti caking agents to keep cool or something like that to keep the meal from going bad?
Great videos! freshly meals do taste pretty good, but the portion is a little too small in my opinion. it's like half to a third of the size of chipotle steak bowl at the same price.
After the introductory promo it’ll cost $59.99 that averages $10 a meal for 6 days totaling $ 240 a month. On the other hand I spend over $300 on food monthly and with Freshly I could be saving $60 a month. Is it worthy?
Is one meal filling ? I mean, is it good enough to keep you full till the next meal? I have a moderate appetite i-e I neither require too much or too less food to fill myself up. Will be grateful for your response.
brandon kush sodium makes me blow up by 2-5 pounds over night. Lmao. It goes away just as fast if I slow down on high sodium food... sooooo. My face says it matters. I hate looking like a bloated whale.
This is also great for busy moms like me and need to maintain a good balanced diet being a mom, and wife whose husband deploys this has been a huge help maintaining the healthy diet needs I require.
Unfortunately, in the most recent order from Freshly, one of the meals included a sharp shard of hard plastic. I took photos of the shard and the box, and sent the company a note as a heads-up to check their process. Almost as bad as finding something in the meal that could have caused serious physical damage, was the fact that the company ignored my note, even though I had requested to be contacted as a follow-up.
thanks for making the video. I needed this to make a decision on buying freshly. Because of your vid I no longer need a girlfriend and I can stop eating peanut butter sandwiches. Thanks!!
@@RobVandal I do, not very often though, but I usually don't have to ask for a box, but is that the same as +6 meals per week (boxes, plastic, ice packs)?
except what they dont tell you freshly used to be affordable at the 45.00 a month now they increased there price to 60.00 a month and havent changed the quality of food we got disgusting chicken rubber porkchops and fast food quality garbage dont recommend
Glad to hear it was helpful :) There is a QR code on the back of the meals that you may be able to scan into myfitnesspal (I haven't tried scanning them). However, I have had success with probably 95% of the meals just looking up the name on myfitnesspal and tracking my freshly meals that way.
This is a great review -- thanks! I have been thinking about doing this for a couple of weeks now, but the shipping issue has me rethinking. How many times would you say this shipping issue happens?
Pro: quick and easy prep Cool and different meal options Con: 1.tastes bland (I have added salt and pepper and garlic plenty of times) and these meals are already high in sodium 2.not enough food in packages 3.High in saturated fat 4.Expensive I use them as back up...If I don’t feel like cooking, but overall not worth it.
I've ordered 12 meals so far and taste has been what I liked and expected except for maybe one of them. Sodium isn't bad also on a lot of the meals you just have to know what to pick, as well as the saturated fat. Portions are okay and I agree they should be bigger for the price!
ive been getting deliveries for a few weeks now. love the quality and portions. my only gripe is theres no app, which means i have to use browser to change up meal schedule. hassle.
food quality is terrible, actually. Most meals seem to package the meat with some sort of mash/puree, or a gloopy sauce, so the overall effect is like baby food. The steak peppercorn was strangely spongy and downright inedible. The vegetables were generally fine though. Maybe a better buy if you go with the vegetarian options.
Hmm, this freshly thing sounds good. I just have ONE CONCERN. WILL EACH "meal" FILL UP A FULL GROWN VERY HUNGRY ADULT LIKE ME? the website says that meals range from 300-600 calories. THAT IS NOT A LOT! I don't eat like a midget, I have a HUGE APPETITE. Additionally, because when I come home from work, sometimes I don't eat ( i just have a small snack or a drink, then chill in bed) and only eat on my first break the next day at work. That's a whole 14-16 HOURS AWAY! I AM GOING TO BE SUPER HUNGRY BY THEN. I guess my best option would be to go for the high carb options, if there are any? :/
It comes out to almost $11 a meal that's $33 a day... That's a lot of money, don't you think?..... wow... That's $924 a month just for yourself... That's a lot of money!!!
Agreed it’s definitely not cheap! I believed they have increased their prices since I made this video as well. However, it’s roughly in line with other services out there like this, so I think the price is reasonable in that sense. Also, I don’t think these are meant to be eaten 3 times a day necessarily...more like an alternative to take out or for dinner when you are in a rush.
Actually that’s not quite right. It’s only $8 per meal if you get the 12 meal plan and it’s not meant to cover three meals a day. More likely you’d do 2 meals a day 6 days a week and supplement it with smaller meals and snacks of your own choosing. Personally I think $8 a meal is perfectly reasonable when you consider the time saved shopping, prepping, cooking, and cleaning. Time is very much a part of the equation.
The postal service delays the package, which has nothing to do with the food, this person gets a full refund and 20 dollar comp, and still considers it a negative. Well its all the shipping companies fault right. Zero the fault of freshly right?
Hi! I don’t think it’s really a matter of being Freshly’s “fault” or not...it’s a negative about using this as a meal delivery service to replace your normal grocery shopping. Either way, I think freshly also has some part to play in terms of who they choose for delivery, not packing extra ice (which many other companies do account for any shipping delays to avoid having to throw out the meals), and not re-shipping the meals so I could still count on them being delivered 😊
@@MissSarahEK How many more slabs of ice should Freshly be adding to account for delays? How long is too long of a delay, and if the delay is too long due to the shipper how would they overcome that
I'm not a packaging/ice expert, so I'm not sure on that. However, I've tried many meal delivery services, and I've never had a order completely canceled mid-shipment due to the items supposedly no longer being safe. I've had other services delayed before, but they normally pack the items in a way that they are made to stay cold for additional time past the estimate delivery to stay safe. I think any delay is "too long" but obviously if it so long that the order has to be completely canceled, that is worse than a short 30-minute delay. To overcome shipping delays, they could perhaps change shipping services, ship from more locations to avoid cross-country shipping that is more likely to be delayed, not offer shipping to locations that are more likely to be delayed, choose faster shipping options to more safely ensure shipping will be on time, re-ship boxes immediately if they are going are going to be canceled. Or...maybe they should do nothing and they just accept that sometimes customers will be unhappy or orders will be delayed or canceled. I don't have the answer, I just pointed this out as a negative because it was a big negative for me which I have never experienced before. I'm not sure if this review would have been better if I completely omitted the fact that my first order was cancelled mid-shipment. Regardless if it's Freshly fault or not (or completely the fault of UPS/USPS/Fedex), I think people should be aware that shipping issues are not uncommon and should be considered as a negative before converting 6+ meals to come from Freshly (or any meal delivery service).
@@MissSarahEK I see this as being 100% shipper error. My career is in shipping and warranty. We do our best to package things but also have to consider waste and cost. To make things affordable. For instance if Freshly was going to add more ice and more plastic and increase the weight significantly on all packages just in case the shipper has delays is just unfeasible
That could very well be true - maybe it is 100% a shipping error (seems plausible to me) for the shipping service Freshly chose to use. And of course there are always tradeoffs between cost/waste/speed/shipping quality. Either way, this was my experience which was quite negative. I still think it's worth pointing out the issue (and how Freshly handled the situation) so potential customers can make their own decisions. For some people, occasionally having delayed/canceled orders but getting the order refunded + $20 would be perfectly fine and not a concern at all. For others, they might not want to risk their dinners for the week being suddenly canceled and not replaced if/when there are shipping issues, and they might consider other options (e.g. Plated where you can buy the food box in person at the grocery store). As this is a perishable box of food, I think shipping experiences are very important. For me personally, it was a negative, but was only one consideration of many other pros/cons as I mentioned in this video, and it ultimately was not a deal-breaker for me continuing to use this service.
Great review, I'm in my third week with Freshly and am mostly happy with the service. I agree that the portions are small and sometimes too low cal. I also wish I could get a delivery quicker or more than one day a week (like I would like to have 4 delivered on Monday and 4 more meals delivered on Friday) but have not found a way to do that.
So glad you liked the review and are enjoying Freshly so far! And totally agree that deliveries multiple times per week would be awesome to keep everything nice and fresh 😊
