Fact checkedExpert's opinion

The article is a subjective view on this topic written by writers specializing in medical writing.
It may reflect on a personal journey surrounding struggles with an illness or medical condition, involve product comparisons, diet considerations, or other health-related opinions.

Although the view is entirely that of the writer, it is based on academic experiences and scientific research they have conducted; it is fact-checked by a team of degreed medical experts, and validated by sources attached to the article.

The numbers in parenthesis (1,2,3) will take you to clickable links to related scientific papers.

BistroMD Reviews 2024: Is It Worth Buying?

Mitchelle Morgan

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Gopal Ramakrishnan, Ph.D.

All articles are produced independently. When you click our links for purchasing products, we earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about how we earn revenue by reading our advertise disclaimer.

bistro md reviews

9.0

Quality

9.0

Reputation

8.0

Price

Features

  • The brand offers specialised meal plans for diabetics, menopausic, and people with heart issues.
  • The meals are jam-packed with macronutrients.
  • The brand provides one-on-one dietitian support.
  • BistroMD offers tools and education for its clients.

Brand Information

  • The company was founded in 2005.
  • Its headquarters are in Naples. Florida, USA.
  • The founders are Dr Caroline Cederquist and Ed Cederquist.

Medical Benefits

  • They offer healthy meals for numerous groups of special diet people, diabetes patients.
  • It helps you healthily lose weight.
  • The ingredients are all-natural and fresh.

Sign Up Now

25% Off Coupon + Free Shipping: healthcanal25

About The Brand

BistroMD is one of the leading brands in the weight loss industry. They offer numerous weight loss programs specifically designed to make healthy eating and weight loss a breeze for their clients.

The brand became known in 2005, and its founders are Dr. Caroline Cederquist and Ed Cederquist. They are based in Naples, Florida, in the United States. In this review of BistroMD, you will find everything you need to know about the brand and its legendary meal plans that took the world by storm.

What Is BistroMD?

BistroMD is a weight loss program and meal delivery service that distributes full meals to its clients. They deliver lunches and dinners in packages to the client’s doorstep.

Dr. Caroline Cederquist, one of the founders, is a board-certified bariatric specialist who wanted people to enjoy pleasant and nutritious meals without breaking a sweat. The company offers its clientele numerous programs to cater to their dietary needs. They also provide them with a plethora of subscriptions, opinions, and an exclusive members-only online community.

But that is not all!

The icing on the cake is support from its broad team of registered dietitians who can answer any questions you have on diet and nutrition. BistroMD is really big on customer satisfaction, and that is why they are a beloved brand that grows day-in-day-out.

Feature Product & Coupon

bistro md reviews

BistroMD

  • The brand offers specialized meal plans for diabetics, menopause, and people with heart issues.
  • The meals are jam-packed with macronutrients.
  • The brand provides one-on-one dietitian support.
  • Frozen BistroMD frozen meals are costly.
  • The shipping fees are high.
  • They do not do meal delivery service to Hawaii and Alaska.

Sign Up Now

25% Off Coupon + Free Shipping: healthcanal25

Who Should Try BistroMD?

BistroMD has done its due diligence to help people looking to have a structured weight loss using healthy meals. BistroMD delivers frozen and fully prepared meals such that you just warm the food and enjoy it. For that reason, they help people who lack time to cook or even go shopping for their condiments to prepare meals.

The company offers their clients an extensive weight loss program in that there is something for everyone. And so, the people in the following groups are the target group for BistroMD:

  • Diabetics
  • People with cardiovascular issues.
  • Women in menopause.
  • Gluten-free people.
  • Men and women who want to lose weight through diet or who have dietary restrictions.

On the flip side, people with adverse food allergies, those living on a tight budget, and those under strict dietary watch are not the ideal clients for these frozen lunches and dinners

How Does It Work?

The unique thing about BistroMD is that they allow their clients to select their meals one after the other. Their system is sophisticated and straightforward to use in that you understand everything pretty quickly. Even though it might take some getting used to, it still works once you get the basics.

Here is how you start an order:

  • You first enter the site and begin selecting the meals you want.
  • Whenever you like something; a tasty snack, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you add it to the cart.
  • Next, you sign up or log into your account so that you can check out.
  • You make your payments, and the delivery dispatch is prepared.
  • In a day or two, you get your meals well-packaged and ready to eat.

Once you get the meal kits in this meal delivery service, your part is to continue freezing the food until you are ready to consume it. They will come to you on dry ice, but you still have to place them inside a freezer.

You have to remember that food poisoning is still likely, especially if you let food like grilled salmon and other white meats thaw and do not consume it. That said, it is better safe than sorry.  

Health Benefits Of BistroMD

The brand’s 150+ meal plans offer their clients the following health benefits:

  • Gluten-free, vegetarian meal kits help consumers take in balanced diets that do not cause any stomach upsets due to allergies.
  • It offers the body a healthy calorie, protein, and fat intake.
  • The high-protein diet is instrumental in weight loss[1] and helps one control their appetite.

Meal Plans & Menu 

The meal kits under the BistroMD brand are free of monosodium glutamate[2], MSG, trans fats, and aspartame[3] that may cause cancers. Instead, they are entirely made with fresh ingredients. One downside that people question is the source of these ingredients; are they grown or sourced from the local farmer’s markets? No one knows.

All in all, here is the list of all their meal packages:

Heart-Healthy Program

This program consists of seven breakfast and seven lunch meals that have a set number of calories, total fat, sodium, and saturated fats in the right amounts for a healthy heart. That is if you decide to do the 7-day program. The idea behind this meal program is to proffer you a healthy heart.

The brand ensures that the recipes comply with the American Heart Association guidelines for a healthy heart’s fat, sodium, and calorie levels. Each serving contains less than 3.5 grams of saturated fats 600 mg of sodium.

You keep your cholesterol and blood sodium levels down, thus a healthy heart with a diet plan. Sodium in large quantities may lead to raised blood pressure[4], and cholesterol may block the heart arteries[5] causing heart attacks.

Gluten-Free Program

This plan is mainly for people who are sensitive to foods that contain gluten. Each meal package in this program includes a minimum of 20 grams of protein. They also do not have additives, and they are never freeze-dried.

The FDA approves that this meal is undoubtedly gluten-free[6], and this program has a total of 80 plus meal options. Your dietary preferences may revolve around getting a few meals delivered to your doorstep. You could even try the spicy tomato leek sauce that is gluten-free.

Diabetic-Friendly Program

The diabetic meal program from BistroMD is yet another loved meal package that contains low sugar levels to help with controlling blood sugar levels. The meals have under 25 g of net carbs that allows a diabetic weight loss on track without compromising their health.

Menopause Program

Women undergoing menopause can also feel included in this plan that helps them control their meals and weight all at once. The wholesome and nutritious meals are rich in antioxidants and other helpful nutrients that help curb menopausal symptoms. The portions are perfectly curated to ensure that a lady under this program gets their daily dose of foods that help with hormone balancing[7], which is thrown off with menopause.

This meal plan focuses on lean proteins and complex carbs[8] that help burn fat and regulate insulin levels.

BistroMD Men’s Program

This meal package includes meals that are specific for men who are on a weight loss journey. It is jam-packed with macronutrients with over 200 suggestions to select. From this selection, men can get seven breakfast meals, seven lunch meals, seven dinner meals for a few weeks without having the same meal.

This program is perfect for a gentleman who has no time for cooking or simply wants to lose weight with minimal effort.

BistroMD Women’s Program

Women also have a weight loss program that offers immeasurable benefits like lowering stress women face every day. It reduces time spent heading to the local farmers market or cooking every day, juggling work and home duties. With this meal plan, a lady can have a delicious meal delivered to her doorstep, lose weight and still get to enjoy a quiet evening.

The program comes with meal packages that amount to 1100-4400 calories per day.

Menu Options

There are two complete programs that you can select. Then there is one more that contains two lunches and dinner programs.

Here is the breakdown of the weekly menu and BistroMD cost.

1. The Full Program For Seven Days Per Week

This menu option includes seven breakfasts, seven lunches, and seven dinner meal packages. Under this menu option, there is also the ‘My Night’ option, and it costs $190.

2. The Full Program For Five Days Per Week

This includes five breakfasts, lunches, and dinner meal plans—the price tag is $160.

3. The Lunch And Dinner Programs For Seven Per Week

This menu option includes seven lunches and dinners that cost $160.

4. The Lunch And Dinner Program For Five Days Per Week

This menu has five dinner meal packages for only $130.

Here are some of the meals that people absolutely love:

  • Green chile pork with southwest salsa.
  • Meatloaf with honey bourbon glaze.
  • Hickory smoked BBQ pork with broccoli.
  • Sweet onion frittata.
  • Chicken marsala.

How To Register For BistroMD Program?

Signing up is pretty straightforward. Follow the following steps, and you are in!

Step 1: Head on to the BistroMD.com website.

Step 2: Click on the “Get Started” button.

Step 3: Pick one of the five available meal programs: men, women, menopause, gluten-free, and heart-healthy.

Step 4: Select one of the four meal plan options.

Step 5: Fill in your credentials, names, gender, email, and a secure password.

Step 6: Start placing your meal orders into the cart.

BistroMD Reviews: What Do Real Users Say?

Here are some of the reviews past clients of BistroMD had to say about their experience with the brand:

5 stars

Last summer, I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Meal planning, shopping, and preparation were daunting to me. As a widow and 67 years old, I just no longer wanted to deal with all that, so I just didn’t know what I was going to do. I tried Nutrisystem (so awful there are no words for it). Then I found BistroMD, and what a relief! The meals arrive promptly after ordering via FedEx with dry ice, and I enjoy two meals daily simply by using my microwave. I cannot say enough about how much I enjoy this diabetic program (Silver Cuisine), not only for the ease and convenience but for the absolutely delicious food and the selections I have to choose from. This company is so responsive and friendly when you reach out to them for any problem.

Cathy of Lafayette, IN

The packaging is earth-friendly. The food is healthy and good. The portions are satisfying. I eat less garbage and extra food in general when I stick to their plan every day. I can avoid shopping for food at all with this subscription.

Dave of Reno, NV

3 stars

BistroMD I wanted to take the time to tell you how much I enjoyed my first box of BistroMD meals. There are, however, a couple of issues that deserve your attention. I waited until Monday to start enjoying my meals but was delayed for almost a week. Here’s why. I pulled out the breakfast from the freezer with difficulty because the printing of the meal’s name is hard to read because it has little contrast and the lighting in the kitchen from overhead casts of shadow from the top of the refrigerator preventing any light on the package name. I went looking for a flashlight to help me read the food titles, and, naturally, it was out of batteries. I called my daughter, and she didn’t have any either, so I got on Instacart and ordered some double-A batteries from Albertsons. They didn’t come until the evening, so I had to wait until Tuesday morning to start my meals.

John of Las Vegas, NV

How To Choose The Best Meal Programs?

Selecting the perfect meal service is straightforward, but you must conduct an extensive study. The company you choose must be compatible with your preferences and any unique dietary requirements you may have. 

For example, if you are menopausal or have celiac disease that necessitates only gluten-free meals, BistroMD is an excellent choice. And they also have BistroMD coupons frequently.

Regardless, it would be best to research BistroMD reviews and any other meal services that interest you to make an informed conclusion. The ultimate goal is to create an effective food plan and program that provides results while keeping you healthy. So, if one is not working for you, do not be scared to switch. All in all, BistroMD is worth buying!

Alternatives To BistroMD

Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig

  • They create meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • They offer their clients personal medical advice on specific meal programs
  • They have a wide selection of meals.
  • The meals are budget-friendly
  • The meal plans do not work for all special diets
  • The Jenny Craig consultants are not certified healthcare professionals

Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem

  • Nutrisystem prepares nutritious frozen meals
  • The brand has an extensive meal menu to choose
  • The brand offers personalized support from weight loss coaches
  • The portioning is small and users say they get hungry after a while
  • It gets expensive when you have to add extras like snacks and fruits
Diet-to-Go

Diet-to-Go

  • They are an effective meal plan delivery service
  • They offer ready-made meals that aid in weight loss
  • They have overwhelmingly positive reviews about their meal plans
  • The Diet-to-Go may not provide enough calories
  • This is not suitable for long-term weight loss maintenance

Final Thought: Is It Worth Buying?

People who sign up for BistroMD’s meal service get thoroughly cooked healthy and delicious meals. They provide meals as well as nutritionist help and an online community for anyone to join.

BistroMD offers meal plans and programs tailored to specific dietary requirements, such as heart-healthy or gluten-free diets. The service does not require a subscription; however, it does necessitate a plan selection. À la carte meals are not available.

However, it may be pricey for some. On the other hand, prepared meals may aid in achieving and sustaining weight loss objectives for interested individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is BistroMD certified organic?

Many, but not all, of the dishes at BistroMD are organic. Nonetheless, the brand is conscientious about using healthy and fresh ingredients. When the opportunity arises, they collaborate with local farms.

From where does BistroMD ship?

BistroMD is based in the United States and ships continentally. Food is delivered frozen in sealed packaging and must be thawed before consumption.

What is the return policy at BistroMD?

BistroMD, understandably, does not offer food returns. The company is unable to accept refunds due to FDA rules. You have the option to put your subscription on pause or cancel it at any time.

What is the duration of BistroMD meals?

Balance meals can be frozen and kept fresh for up to a year from the date of manufacture. Of course, after you have tried them, they would not be around for quite as long!

When it comes to BistroMD meals, how long do they last in the freezer?

The advantages of freezing the meals go beyond keeping BistroMD’s signature restaurant-quality flavor. When frozen indefinitely, the freezing process automatically extends the shelf life of each meal to up to a year.


+ 8 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. ‌Leidy, H.J., Clifton, P.M., Astrup, A., Wycherley, T.P., Westerterp-Plantenga, M.S., Luscombe-Marsh, N.D., Woods, S.C. and Mattes, R.D. (2015). The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, [online] 101(6), pp.1320S1329S. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25926512/
  2. ‌Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (2020). Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG). [online] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/questions-and-answers-monosodium-glutamate-msg#:~:text=Monosodium%20glutamate%20(MSG)%20is%20the,such%20as%20tomatoes%20and%20cheeses.
  3. ‌Landrigan, P.J. and Straif, K. (2021). Aspartame and cancer – new evidence for causation. Environmental Health, [online] 20(1). Available at: https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-021-00725-y
  4. ‌CDC (2020). Sodium. [online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/sodium.htm
  5. ‌Jeong, S., Choi, S., Kim, K., Kim, S.M., Lee, G., Park, S.Y., Kim, Y., Son, J.S., Yun, J. and Park, S.M. (2018). Effect of Change in Total Cholesterol Levels on Cardiovascular Disease Among Young Adults. Journal of the American Heart Association, [online] 7(12). Available at: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.118.008819
  6. ‌The Nutrition Source. (2018). Diet Review: Gluten-Free for Weight Loss. [online] Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/gluten-free-diet-weight-loss/
  7. ‌Mdpi.com. (2021). Nutrients. [online] Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients/special_issues/diet_hormones
  8. ‌Saris, W., Astrup, A., Prentice, A., Zunft, H., Formiguera, X., Verboeket-van de Venne, W., Raben, A., Poppitt, S., Seppelt, B., Johnston, S., Vasilaras, T. and Keogh, G. (2000). Randomized controlled trial of changes in dietary carbohydrate/fat ratio and simple vs complex carbohydrates on body weight and blood lipids: the CARMEN study. International Journal of Obesity, [online] 24(10), pp.1310–1318. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11093293/
Mitchelle Morgan

Medically reviewed by:

Mitchelle Morgan is a health and wellness writer with over 10 years of experience. She holds a Master's in Communication. Her mission is to provide readers with information that helps them live a better lifestyle. All her work is backed by scientific evidence to ensure readers get valuable and actionable content.

Medically reviewed by:

Journal of Physical Education and Sport

Trusted Source

Go to source

SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

Trusted Source

Go to source

African Journals Online

Non-profit Platform for African Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of The American Board of Family Medicine

American Board of Family Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

Informit

RMIT University Library

Trusted Source
Go to source

European Food Safety Authority

Science, Safe food, Sustainability

Trusted Source
Go to source

OrthoInfo

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Trusted Source
Go to source

American Academy of Family Physicians

Strengthen family physicians and the communities they care for

Trusted Source
Go to source

Agricultural Research Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Trusted Source
Go to source

The American Journal of Medicine

Official Journal of The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Lippincott Journals

Subsidiaries of Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute on Aging

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Translational Research

The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cell

An All-science Publisher

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of Translational Medicine

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

Federal Trade Commission

Protecting America's Consumers

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Human Genome Research Institute

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Food Production, Processing and Nutrition

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

BMC Gastroenterology

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

ACS Publications

A Division of The American Chemical Society

Trusted Source
Go to source

Annual Reviews

Independent, Non-profit Academic Publishing Company

Trusted Source
Go to source

PubChem

National Center for Biotechnology Information

National Library of Medicine
Go to source

PLOS Journals

Nonprofit Publisher of Open-access Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Thieme E-books & E-Journals

Peer-reviewed & Open Access Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences

Peer-reviewed International Journal Publishes

Trusted Source
Go to source

Royal Society of Chemistry Publishing Home

Chemical Science Journals, Books and Database

Trusted Source
Go to source

Frontiers

Publisher of Peer-reviewed Articles in Open Acess Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

De Gruyter

German Scholarly Publishing House

Trusted Source
Go to source

Hindawi

Open Access Research Journals & Papers

Trusted Source
Go to source

Oilseeds and Fats, Crops and Lipids

EDP Sciences

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cambridge Core

Cambridge University Press

Trusted Source
Go to source

FoodData Central

U.S. Department Of Agriculture

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of the American Heart Association

Peer-reviewed Open Access Scientific Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The Americans with Disabilities Act

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Organization of Food and Nutrition Professionals

tr
Go to source

Sage Journals

Database From Sage Publications

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute of Drug Abuse

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The ClinMed International Library

A Repository and an Open Access Publisher for Medical Research

Trusted Source
Go to source

The Royal Society Publishing

United Kingdom's National Academy of Sciences

Trusted Source
Go to source

APA PsycNet

Database From American Psychological Association

Trusted Source
Go to source

The Pharma Innovation Journal

Peer-reviewed And Refereed Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development

Peer-reviewed Bimonthly Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

British Pharmacological Society

Journals - Wiley Online Library

Trusted Source
Go to source

American Psychological Association

Scientific and Professional Organization of Psychologists

Trusted Source
Go to source

AAP Publications

Database From American Academy of Pediatrics

Trusted Source
Go to source

Karger Publishers

Academic Publisher of Scientific and Medical Journals and Books

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Database From Cambridge University

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute of Mental Health

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

MDPI

Publisher of Open Access Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Bulletin of the National Research Centre

Part of Springer Nature

Trusted Source
Go to source

The New England Journal of Medicine

Massachusetts Medical Society

Trusted Source
Go to source

Economic Research Service

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Trusted Source
Go to source

MedlinePlus

Database From National Library of Medicine

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

National Institute of Health

An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Trusted Source
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The BMJ

Weekly Peer-reviewed Medical Trade Journal

The British Medical Association
Go to source

The British Psychological Society

The British Psychological Society is a charity registered in England

Database From Wiley Online Library
Go to source

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

PubMed

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source

DailyMed

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source

Google Scholar

Go to source

Science.gov: USA.gov for Science

Government Science Portal

Go to source

ResearchGate

Social Network Service For Scientists

Find and share research
Go to source

American Heart Association

To be a rentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives

Go to source

BioMed Central

Research in progress

Go to source

JAMA Network

Home of JAMA and the Specialty Journals of the American Medical Association

Go to source

Springer Link

Database From Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Springer - International Publisher Science, Technology, Medicine
Go to source

ODS

Database from Office of Dietary Supplements

National Institutes of Health
Go to source

Federal Trade Commission

Bureaus of Consumer Protection, Competition and Economics
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database From U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Governmental Authority
Go to source

Oxford Academic Journals

Oxford University Press

Trusted Source
Go to source

Taylor & Francis Online

Peer-reviewed Journals

Academic Publishing Division of Informa PLC
Go to source

WHO

Database from World Health Organization

Go to source

Journal of Neurology

Peer-reviewed Medical Journal

American Academy of Neurology Journal
Go to source

ScienceDirect

Bibliographic Database of Scientific and Medical Publications

Dutch publisher Elsevier
Go to source

Wiley Online Library

American Multinational Publishing Company

Trusted Source
Go to source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. National Public Health Agency

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database from U.S. National Library of Medicine

U.S. Federal Government
Go to source

U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Federal Agency

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

PubMed Central

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source
Feedback

Help us rate this article

Thank you for your feedback

Keep in touch to see our improvement