I recently discovered Metabolic Meals — a company that delivers chef-prepared meals nationwide AND takes ingredient sourcing seriously. They ship it fresh and there is no cooking involved — you just reheat and eat!

Their meals feature:

• 100% gluten-free menu

• grass-fed, grass-finished meats

• wild-caught seafood

• ONLY olive, avocado, coconut, and walnut oils, and butter

• NO artificial flavors or dyes

• NO MSG

• NO soy, wheat, rye, barley, malt, triticale

• NO brewers yeast

• NO low-grade proteins

• NO processed/hydrogenated vegetable oils (canola, cottonseed, soybean, safflower)

• you can filter weekly menus to: low-carb/diabetic-friendly/gluten-free/high protein/carb-cycling/dairy-free/soy-free/paleo/keto/allergen friendly

• globally inspired meals

• chef-prepared

• 100% biodegradable and fully recyclable packaging

• nationwide delivery

For those of us who cook most of our meals from scratch, this is a wonderful resource when we want a break from the kitchen without sacrificing our high nutritional standards. In addition to complete meals, they offer stand-alone proteins like burgers and meatballs, some breakfasts, sides and desserts. Though not advertised as organic, I wrote to the company and was told the produce was “mostly organic.”

Meals are delivered fresh and can be refrigerated and eaten within a few days, or frozen in their containers for up to 90 days. Meals are prepared in the Metabolic Meals kitchen, centrally located in St. Louis, Missouri. They send meals via refrigerated trucks and then on to local delivery partners to get meals to you as quickly and efficiently as possible. They use biodegradable thermal packaging to keep meals cold and fresh during delivery. The packaging is designed to stay cold for 12+ hours after delivery.

The one concern I’ve had, is that the meals are typically prepared the week before on a Thursday or Friday, and shipped on Monday. By the time it arrives to you, it’s already 5-6 days old, and it’s shipped fresh — not frozen. The company states that there are no artificial preservatives, but they use special MAP packaging to make sure you typically have 6-8 days to enjoy your meals after they arrive. According to Chat GPT, MAP packaging, or Modified Atmosphere Packaging, is a technology used to extend the shelf life of perishable food products. It works by altering the atmosphere inside the packaging to slow down the natural processes of decay, spoilage, or microbial growth.

I’ve ordered from them twice already, and their meals are delicious and fresh tasting! I haven’t gotten an upset stomach, which was my concern because I have digestive disease and a highly sensitive system. I feel quite impressed with their packaging system.

Here are examples of an entree and a premium protein offering, and their ingredient lists:

Rotisserie Turkey with Sour Cream and Onion Potato Wedges

Turkey Breast, Yukon Gold Potato, Turkey Broth, Organic Chicken Bone Broth, Olive Oil, Orange Juice Concentrate, Sweet White Rice Flour, Sea Salt, Granulated Garlic, Parsley, Granulated Onion, Lemon Pepper, Lemon Crystals, Orange Pepper Seasoning, Garlic, Spices, Vinegar Powder, Rosemary, Thyme, Black Pepper, Dill Weed, Dried Parsley, Dried Chives, Organic Palm Sugar, Ground Fennel, Dried Oregao

Baked Grass-Fed Bison Meatballs

Grass-Fed Beef, Grass-Fed Bison, Free-Range Egg, Onion, Almond Meal, Tomato Paste, Tapioca Flour, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Granulated Garlic, Ground Fennel, Rosemary, Dried Oregano Contains: eggs, tree nuts

The company does not lock you into a subscription plan and you can skip a week or cancel at any time. To view their current menu, go to metabolicmeals.com and input your zip code.