Eating healthy, balanced meals can be a struggle for women with Endometriosis. Due to a lack of energy, feeling fatigued, or being stuck on the couch with your heating pad on full blast - often dinner (or any meal) can be the last thing on your mind.
If you're actually hungry, and not suffering from a low appetite or nausea that day, the meal usually ends up being not-so-healthy. You want something to just throw in the microwave and be done with it. If it even needs microwaved. Pop Tarts, anyone? Or maybe you settle for pizza because the rest of the family is starving and you want something you can order from the couch.
I've been there many nights and I knew there had to be a better solution. So I started digging around on the internet looking for options. I was on the hunt for something that was easy, macro-balanced, tasted delicious, and within my budget.
Insert prepared food delivery service. I've tried a few food delivery services over the years, so I want to share with you the different options available to try (in the United States). In this blog post, I'm covering my experience with Bite Meals (Get $10 off your first order!).
Bite Meals was created by Katy Hearn, a Personal Trainer in Kentucky, and I think she has done an amazing job with this product. An added bonus, these meals are affordable and made with real food. Depending on the subscription you choose, meals range from $8.75-$12. Shipping is free! Most places lure you in with their low pricing, just to have a ridiculous shipping cost added to your order, which makes the price per meal go up.
You just place your order, pick your delivery date, and the meals are delivered right to your doorstep. I should also note that while this is a weekly subscription service, you can skip weeks or cancel at any time. No commitments.
I personally opted for the 16 meals/week (at $8.75 per meal). I eat 10 of the meals and my husband eats the rest. With my macro range, this works out perfectly during the weekdays. I start my day with Shakeology mixed with cashew milk for breakfast, then a Bite Meal for lunch and dinner. It seriously doesn't get any easier than that! I save my love for cooking on the weekends.
This has helped me manage my energy levels during the week since I work full-time as an accountant and also doing my schooling for Personal Training and Wellness Coaching at night. It's a busy time in my life and I need help where I can find it. As an added bonus, since I've been hitting my macro goals, I've effortlessly lost weight (about 1.5 pounds each week).
On to my review of Bite Meals...
I'll admit, I don't like 100% of the foods, but I sure do like enough of them that I'm placing another order! Overall, I'd give them a 4 out of 5. Here are some of the meals I've tried so you can have a better idea of what you might want to order.
Chicken Parmesan
Cal 530 | Protein 44 | Carbs 53 | Fat 15
Diced Chicken, Campanelle Pasta, Marinara, and a bit of cheese.
I like Italian food and this hit the spot! The chicken was a little dry on this dish but the flavor was good. I ended up adding in some garlic, parsley, and Parmesan cheese (1 oz).
Homestyle Chicken Bowl
Cal 476 | Protein 46 | Carbs 46 | Fat 12
Diced Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Chicken Gravy, and a corn & pepper mix.
Visually, I was skeptical about this one but it has been one of my favorites! I LOVE good country-type meals and this filled that craving. I'm a bit of a mashed potatoes freak, and I approve of these.
Pulled BBQ Chicken
Cal 530 | Protein 50 | Carbs 51 | Fat 14
Shredded Chicken, House-made Bite BBQ Sauce, and a Side of Mac n' Cheese made with Campanelle pasta.
Two things I love.. BBQ & macaroni. This meal was delicious and had just the right amount of sauce on the pasta and on the chicken. Have I mentioned yet how HUGE and FILLING these portions are?
Fudgy Chocolate Bite Brownie (3 Pack)
Cal 149 | Protein 6.4 | Carbs 14 | Fat 8 (EA)
Bite Meal's twist on a brownie.
Keep in mind that these are a "healthier" brownie. They were decent. The first one I tried, I warmed up in the microwave. It was just too dry. The second one I ate cold and it was much better! The third one is waiting on my next chocolate craving to attack.
Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Cal 620 | Protein 56 | Carbs 69 | Fat 14
Shredded Chicken, Scratch-Made Parmesan Alfredo Sauce, and Cavatappi Pasta
This was my other pick for my Italian food cravings and I enjoyed it! There was just enough sauce to bring the flavor. This dish is a bit carb-heavy for my liking, so I made sure to pick one of the lower carb meals I ordered for dinner.
Sirloin Steak Cal 480 | Protein 43 | Carbs 44 | Fat 15
Sirloin Steak, Mixed Rice, Steamed Veggies
I was honestly shocked how good this tasted. The steak still had a pink center (I hate over-cooked steak) and was pretty good. Somewhat bland though. I do like their mixed rice and the veggies tasted better than they looked (a little over-cooked and soggy looking).
Protein Pancakes
Cal 520 | Protein 54 | Carbs 42 | Fat 15
Multi-Grain Protein Pancakes, Turkey Sausage, and Scrambled Eggs.
Breakfasts are always iffy with prepped food services. The eggs were gross and dry. The turkey sausage was delish and the pancakes were ok. I didn't care for the sugar free syrup included.
(Bite Meals did redeem themselves on the Denver Hash.. see below!)
Asian Honey Chicken
Cal 570 | Protein 55 | Carbs 65 | Fat 9
Diced Chicken with Spiced Asian-Honey Sauce, Mixed Rice, and Green Beans
SPICY but so goood! I really enjoyed this dish and they are not kidding when they say "spiced". I'm not a super-spicy food lover but I do like different flavors. So if your taste-buds can't handle the heat, you might want to pass on this one.
Lemon Dill Tilapia
Cal 480 | Protein 44 | Carbs 52 | Fat 12
Lemon Dill Tilapia, Mixed Rice, and Grilled Veggies
This dish impressed me. Fish is another hard one to get right and this was just plain YUM! Yes, it's a bit purple (but who doesn't like purple?!?) I suggest you try at least one of the tilapia dishes, you won't be disappointed.
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Cal 680 | Protein 67 | Carbs 44 | Fat 25
BBQ Chicken Pizza with Sweet Onions and Bell Peppers
Did somebody say pizza? This was so delicious! I did warm this one up in my oven since I prefer a crispy crust. I wasn't confident the microwave could really deliver the results I was looking for. This was loaded with chicken and very filling!
Turkey Meatloaf
Cal 510 | Protein 31 | Carbs 56 | Fat 19
Turkey Meatloaf, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans
Yet another dish that isn't the most visually pleasing, but I like it. I did end up adding a little bit of ketchup. Old me would've drenched my meatloaf in the ketchup, but that's a lot of unnecessary sugar. Everything in moderation.
BBQ Beef
Cal 510 | Protein 31 | Carbs 56 | Fat 19
Slow Braised Beef Sirloin, House-made Bite BBQ Sauce, and a Side of Mac n' Cheese made with Campanelle pasta.
Yum! Yum! Yum! I have to say the family hasn't been impressed with Bite Meal's version of mac n' cheese, but I love it and this BBQ beef is the perfect companion. I think this one will be on my order every time.
Denver Hash Bowl
Cal 420 | Protein 27 | Carbs 42 | Fat 17
Scrambled eggs with diced ham and cheese, and breakfast potatoes with a pepper-onion mix.
Remember how I said that Bite Meals redeemed themselves with breakfast? This is the dish! The eggs tasted like eggs and when you mix it all together.. just wow. So if you want to try an egg dish, I suggest this one.
Seasoned Tilapia
Cal 410 | Protein 44 | Carbs 55 | Fat 7
Seasoned Tilapia Filet, Mango Pico de Gallo, and Chipotle Jasmine Rice.
A little bit of sweet and a little bit of heat. Seriously, you have to try the fish! Another well done dish that I could eat every week. Hats off to the chef on the Mango Pico de Gallo, it's the bomb. (Do the kids still say that these days?)
I hope you have found my review of Bite Meals helpful. I know there are a lot of different options out there and it can be nerve-wracking. I can say that having healthy, prepared dishes in my fridge has been really helpful when my Endo flares up and it's freed up more time for me in the evenings to concentrate my schoolwork.
Have you tried Bite Meals or any other prepared meal delivery service? Share with me in the comments below!
