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Home 
Diets
Bistro MD
QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
BACKGROUND
BISTRO MD VIDEOS
PRO
CON
USER REVIEWS
DIET and NUTRITION
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
BISTRO MD SLIDESHOWS
BISTRO MD RESOURCES
Bistro MD Contact Information
Common Misspellings
Author
Get Bistro MD Now!
Diets
Bistro MD
NEW Bistro MD Diet Review 2024 [MUST READ]: Does it Really Work?
Doctor-designed gourmet meals delivered to your door.
Get Bistro MD Now!What is it?
Bistro MD is a weight loss diet offering readymade meals prepared by chefs and formulated under strict macronutrient ratios. Different programs for offered that can deliver a full day of meals direct to your home.
There’s also support from dieticians where one can learn about meal planning and any other solutions related to nutrition and weight loss. This can be done in person, over the phone, or on Skype. There’s also both a men’s and women’s program available, with each one catered to specific gender demands for calories. Bistro MD was highly rated for its ease of use and quality of meals. Many users have said it was a practical solution for weight loss that simplified what can be difficult meal be planning. For a discounted price on Bistro MD, visit the link provided here.
Bistro MD Diet Ingredients and Side Effects
The official website confirms that the following are not used:
• Aspartame in any entrees.
• Freeze dried foods.
• MSG.
• Trans fats.
• Shelf stable ingredients, which usually means preservatives.
This is especially important when one is looking to lose weight, as these kinds of ingredients can cause unwanted side effects. They’re also cheap in price and only used to help give an artificial boost which is not often needed.
There are 7 and 5 day programs which offer breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s optional whether or not one wants to add snacks. Over 200 entrees are offered for men and 150 for women, and one can make their preferred selections online. The kinds of dishes offered include:
• Chicken with mushroom crepe.
• Strawberry cheesecake
• Beef steak and ale stew
• Spinach and Feta stuffed chicken.
• Broccoli cheddar stuffed chicken breast.
For women meals typically average 1200 calories, though this can be customized depending on a person’s demands. There’s also gluten-free, diabetic, standard, and menopause meal plans offered with 150 different entrées at no extra cost.
The macronutrient structure the diet follows is to have meals with 40-50 % protein, 30-35% carbohydrates, and 20-25% fat. This is meant to provide long lasting weight loss results, reduce any cravings for starches and sweets, regulate blood sugar, and improve blood pressure and cholesterol. It also adds:
“BistroMD is the only diet delivery program proven to treat Metabolic Dysfunction”
Therefore it’s intended to help people who may suffer from metabolism related issues which can make weight loss extremely difficult. This simplifies the need to have to seek additional counseling and support.
The offered program material for what is available is as follows:
• Weight loss tips: There are webinars hosted by the experts of the diet. This includes support from the founding physician of this diet. Newsletters are also offered and weekly emails.
• Health information: The newest tips and trends on health are offered. Studies and reports are also provided for support weight loss. There are also tips for motivation and lifestyle suggestions.
• Fitness tips: Online help is offered to help track and plan workouts. Newest insights into fitness trends for weight loss are offered. Information on how to avoid injuries and how to maintain active is also listed.
The intended benefit of all this is well-rounded support to help ensure real weight loss results. So it’s not only just meals which can sometimes be too simple and inefficient, but you get lifestyle support to help boost weight loss.
The link provided has an opportunity to get Bistro MD at a reduced price.
Also included are specific kinds of meals such as:
• Diabetic meals: To help those struggling with high blood sugar.
• Gluten-free meals: For people who have celiac disease or who want to avoid gluten.
• Meals for those with menopause.
• Standard meals.
Bistro MDDiet Quality of Ingredients
The foods offered do emphasize not using shelf stable ingredients, MSG, freeze drying, aspartame on entrees, and trans fats.
The diet also provides high protein, small amounts of fat and moderate carbohydrates. This is a standard diet for weight loss, since higher protein can lead to appetite suppression and carbohydrates provide quick energy. This balance of macronutrients is important as the body needs a balanced mixture of these ingredients to help ensure you’re not deficient.
The diet also mentions:
“Unlike fat diets and other gimmicks that promise you extreme results with little effort, our healthy meal plans for weight loss are based on the science and research of our founding weight loss physician”
So this makes it easier for potential users to know they are using not just a low calorie plan, but a diet solution which is supported by real evidence. Fad diets can sometimes cause one to balloon back up in weight once it’s over; Bistro MD is strictly intended for lasting weight loss results. Get Bistro MD for a reduced price when you click this link.
The Price and Quality of Bistro MD Diet
The price depends on the plan selected, either a 5 or 7 day for men and women. The prices are as follows:
• 7 days (7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 6 dinners): $134.96
• 5 days (5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 5 dinners): $112.46
• 7 days (7 lunches and 7 dinners): $112.46
• 5 days (5 lunches and 5 dinners): $89.96
The daily cost for the first listed plan is $6.42 per meal, which is relatively inexpensive when you consider the amount of time it saves you. The benefit of having prepped meals you don’t have to watch over the cooking process, having to have all the necessary ingredients beforehand, and having to go shopping.
You can also customize your meals as you’d like. Once you select your wanted plan, you can then select what you would like online or when you call in.
Bistro MD is offered at a reduced cost when you visit the link here.
Business of Bistro MD Diet
The listed contact information is as follows:
Address: 1575 Pine Bridge Rd Ste 21
Naples, Florida 34109
Email: [email protected]
Bistro MD was created by both Caroline Cederquist a medical doctor and her husband Ed Cederquist who helps find recipes around the world.
The company delivers to the US, Hawaii and Alaska. They have been around since 2005. The physician who created it was a bariatric who worked at a weight loss clinic. She discovered that there were issues with people having to plan and cook their own meals, for many people this was too difficult and it made weight loss impossible. The creation of this plan was intended to help those who had busy schedules, and who weren’t all too certain on how to properly balance their own dietary demands.
The basis of the meals is described as:
“the right balance of macronutrients”
They also have an A rating on their Better Business Bureau page which can help determine overall customer satisfaction. The company has responded to inquiries and concerns on this webpage as well, ensuring they are willing to respond to users.
The link cited here offers a reduced price on the Bistro MD diet plan.
Customer Opinions of Bistro MD Diet
Here are some reviews from users:
“greatly satisfied with the high quality of the foods and the customer service representatives”
“truly great meals that makes it easy to just focus on enjoying their meals”
“my energy levels shot up and I dropped 2 sizes, the weight loss was definite”
“offers a great variety to keep my taste buds satisfied, which made it easy to diet.
There are also positive testimonials offered on their official website. They have people who lost 32 pounds, 25 pounds, 40 pounds, and upwards of 55 pounds. You can also view their stories online to read more about these users individual exercises, and how they benefited from this diet plan.
Once you click on each person’s story you get a breakdown of what they went through as well as a video per individual user. The main highlights include:
• The ability to spend time doing other things.
• Increased energy levels.
• Improved overall health.
The stories are also from people of all ages, both men and women are included. They emphasize how they were able to keep the weight off, and how it taught them valuable lessons on how to properly meal plan and select food portions. So for many this was a lasting plan that taught better habits. Click this link to get a special discounted rate on Bistro MD.
Conclusion - Does Bistro MD Diet Work?
Bistro MD has prepared meals that they ship to people which are mostly high protein, low fat and have moderate levels of carbohydrates. The meals are lower in calories, and the basic plan is for maintaining stable weight loss. This is a common approach, though the foods provided are meant to great taste and made with wholesome ingredients. This makes it easier to enjoy one’s life instead of having to weight out and scale each individual food plate. The company also provides many testimonials from customers who were greatly satisfied to use this plan.
Bistro MD offers its users a comprehensive solution which can make the weight loss process easier. Judging from the amount of positive testimonials and reviews it’s clear that there was real progress and sustained weight loss. The main benefit provided is that each meal is specially crafted to contain a balanced blend of important macronutrients. So it’s not only a low calorie meal, but also one rich in vitamins and minerals. Get a special discount on Bistro MD when you click on the link here.
QUICK FACTS
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
- Established: 2005
- Founder: Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist
- Headquarters: Naples, Florida
- Accessibility: Online
- Diet Type: Low-calorie, Meal Delivery
- Gender: Male and Female
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
BACKGROUND
If you're looking for a personal chef, a weight loss physician and a way to add convenience to your life, then Bistro M.D.'s meal delivery diet could be what you're looking for. Created by Dr. Caroline Cederquist, Bistro M.D. offers a healthy weight loss plan that delivers nutritious prepared meals to your home. All the work is done, you just have to heat and enjoy.
Dr. Cederquist combines her experience with an expert team of chefs and dietitians to create a delicious variety of well-balanced meals. Bistro M.D. is even endorsed by Dr. Phil, calling it "The best diet delivery available."
In an effort to help you avoid those common dieting plateaus, Bistro M.D. will change your caloric consumption daily, from 1,100 to 1,400. This prevents your body from becoming used to, and expecting, the same amount of calories everyday. Bistro MD works to save your lean muscle mass by providing a combination of lean proteins and Low Glycemic carbs (which are responsible for those blood sugar spikes).
When you sign up for Bistro M.D., you'll have full access to expert dietitians, as well as receive weekly updates with valuable information highlighting exercise, losing weight and nutrition. More importantly, you'll receive a weekly shipment of fresh-frozen meals from your choice of four different plans. You can choose from seven or five day plans and whether or not you'd like snacks. Your menus will rotate each week so that you don’t get bored with the foods you’re eating. Each dish is specifically designed to give your body the proper amount of protein, healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats. You are able to cancel the program at anytime and receive complete guidance for healthy weight loss. The four different options for the plans that you can order include:
Bistro M.D. is the current provider for The 17 Day Diet Meal Plan, and the former provider of the Biggest Loser Meal Plan.
BISTRO MD VIDEOS
PRO
- Healthy meals that are delicious and satisfying
- Very little work on your part- just heat and eat
- Balanced nutrition and calories
- Low glycemic foods ideal for diabetics
- Expert staff of dietitians and chefs
- Broad variety of food
- Dr. Phil calls it "the best meal delivery program"
- Each package displays ingredients and nutrition facts
CON
- Pricing may be steep for some
- Menus pre-made, do not get to make personal selections
- Calorie intake is slightly low
- Not ideal for families
- Does not provide exercise or fitness program
- Sodium and fat both run high in these meals
USER REVIEWS
A sampling of feedback and experiences shared by our community.
Loved being on this diet. After the birth of my daughter, I had 60 pounds to lose, and after being on this for three months, I lost 30 pounds, giving me a great "Jump start". What kept me from continuing was two fold: The cost after this long, was getting too much. Later, my daughter was eating "real" food, so no longer was I just able to feed her out of a baby food jar while I had my delicous prepared meal. Now, four years later, I'm temped to start up again - it's only the idea of me eating one meal, while preparing and feeding a young child another. - Tamara 7/12/11
I’m a little surprised at all the wonderful reviews this diet receives here. The food is not bad. I actually liked it (I bought some spices to add to it to make it a little more flavorful though). But frankly, I really started to wonder if the calorie counts on the food were accurate. I was NEVER even the tiniest bit hungry between meals, which may sound like a good thing, but I know from previous experience that this usually means I am not losing any weight. And low and behold, I lost ONE POUND in six weeks. - Libby 12/8/10
I am not giving a thumbs up or thumbs down because there are pros and cons to these meals. First off, some are very flavorful- especially the beef meals such as brocolli with beef and beef stir-fry, the shrimp pasta primavera, the grilled chicken dishes as well as some of the snacks. Sadly this meal plan does not include any desserts- like nutrasystem. Some of the meals were ok and a few were just terrible- two of the turkey based meals were almost inedible- making me wonder if my 90 year old grandmother had been brought in to over roast the turkey. Much of the problem with the meals is that while they are more fresh tasting than say nutrasystem, they need to improve their packaging technology. - Karen 7/1/10
I was getting the food for a few months, it was very good and always on time, so easy to pop something in the microwave and have a delicious gourmet meal. But the variety as advertised isn't there - after a while I couldn't look at a piece of chicken. They would change the food when requested, but then it would revert to chicken. I lost a few pounds, but nothing dramatic. The biggest problem I had was the cost and I didn't have the meal plan with snacks. It is quite expensive. Did I spend money on food while I was on this plan, no, but I never spent $600 a month on food either. It's great food, counts the calories for you, but in my case just too expensive to continue. - Betty 10/21/09
DIET and NUTRITION
With Bistro MD you don't have to sacrifice variety or taste. The convenience of this meal delivery diet allows you to eat chef prepared meals while also losing weight. All of the meals are nutritionally complete and carefully designed to meet Dr. Cederquist’s guidelines. The meals that you receive will include your protein, healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats, like the Norwegian Salmon with Wild Rice and Sauteed Spinach.
Each meal is represented by a photo and a description so that you can decide exactly what you want prior to ordering. While on this program, you can also receive support from a dietitian for free to help you reach your weight loss goals.
The Bistro MD program is heavily focused on the food you eat and offers you automatic portion control with the delivery of prepackaged, frozen meals. Each day you will eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and one snack. If you choose a program that doesn’t include snacks, then you will have to provide your own. A sample day of eating on Bistro MD with snacks is reflected below:
- Breakfast – Cinnamon Sweet Potato Pancakes with Low-Fat Turkey Sausage
- Lunch – Pulled Pork Sandwich with Baked Beans and Corn
- Dinner – Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy
- Snack – Mini Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients for Bistro MD meals tend to be wholesome, without the use of artificial dyes, flavors, or other chemical additives. You'll generally recognize the ingredients named on the label, and appreciate things like whole wheat tortillas, whole wheat flour, seaweed in the vegetarian burrito, and cane syrup for sweetener.
Sodium is moderate but can run higher than the recommended 600 milligrams or less per meal. Calories for meals are in line with frozen meal recommendations not to exceed 450 calories. Fat is extremely high for these meals, exceeding the recommended 3.5 grams or less per meal.
BistroMD has also teamed up with The 17 Day Diet to bring you the 17 Day Diet Meal Plan. If you are interested in trying the 17 Day Diet, you can have the convenience of having your meals delivered while following the three-phased weight loss program.
EXERCISE
Bistro MD doesn’t have a specific exercise plan or guidelines for how much you should exercise. As an aside, Dr. Cederquist gives some education on exercise. The program does encourage exercise as a facet of living a healthy lifestyle. You are encouraged to exercise along with your Bistro MD eating plan to have success in weight loss. There are several articles available on the Bistro MD web site that offer facts about exercise, provide details on incorporating exercise with your diet and give information on how to make exercise a habit. The variety of articles available on exercise offers you a chance to incorporate whichever types of exercise you like into your routine. Some of the article topics available include:
- Motivators to Achieve the Best Morning Workout
- How to Bust Through a Fitness Plateau
- Make Exercise A Habit and Get Fit!
- Get a Celebrity Workout Without Paying Thousands of Dollars
There are also some recommendations of the types of exercises you can do to burn calories and get a workout in. Some of the suggestions include:
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Boot Camp
- Fitness with Pets
- Walking
CONCLUSION
In this fast-paced world, preparing healthful, delicious meals at home is just one chore few people have time to put on the list. Bistro M.D.'s Diet to your Door takes care of it for you. By providing a broad menu, designed by a doctor, with tasty, nutrient-rich and satisfying meals, preparing them for you and delivering to your doorstep, it's easier than ever to manage your weight loss. Bistro M.D. is most ideal for individuals or even couples; but the expense and menu do not make it a realistic plan for families. Rest assured that a dedicated team of chefs, dietitians and Dr. Cederquist are putting your health needs first, as well as your desire for variety.
BISTRO MD SLIDESHOWS
7 Weight Loss Plans Fit for Fall
BISTRO MD RESOURCES
The 17 Day Diet Meal Plan by Bistro MD
Bistro MD Contact Information
Online Program: Official Site
Phone: 1-866-401-3438
Website: BistroMD.com
Email: [email protected]
Common Misspellings
Deit to your door, Deit-to-your-door, Diet-to-your-door, BistroMD, Bestro MD, Biggest Loser Meal Plan, bistromd.com
Author
Featured Diets and Supplements
User Feedback
(Page 6 of 9, 166 total comments)GRETCHEN HAU
+Service has always been excellent. Currently, I'm just getting the breakfasts cuz I love them so much and that way I'm sure to have a good breakfast in the am.
posted Aug 2nd, 2013 8:05 pmI'd recommend Bistro to anyone.
gretchen
+After major surgery and a grueling chemo regimen I was way too exhausted and weak to cook and shop or even think about cooking. The food is good, the dietician in the cancer center says it's a great balance, particularly the high protein and low glycemic index, and only suggested I add some salads. I immediately began to feel better when I started on it.
posted Aug 2nd, 2013 7:56 pmJamesetta
So far I'm loving the varieties of different foods the portion size are realistic. The foods may be frozen but you can tell it was cooked fresh. When you eat the chicken and beef you know it's chicken and beef no mystery meat.Glad I found out this about this company (YouTube :-)) This program will aid in my healthier body and mind journee.
posted Aug 2nd, 2013 7:02 pmjamie
+So far I am loving the different varities of foods. The food may be frozen but you can tell it was cooked fresh and the portion size are great. I am happy I found out about this company (Youtube :-)) when you eat the beef and chicken you know its beef and chicken. Amazing how low in calories each meal is this program will help me get started to a much healthier me.
posted Aug 2nd, 2013 6:51 pmAmy
+I've been on the BistroMD program for about 2 months now and have been very pleased with it so far. I've lost about 7 lbs or so. Not as fast as some diets promise, but certainly more realistic. I didn't gain my extra weight overnight, and one shouldn't expect it to drop overnight either.
posted Aug 2nd, 2013 6:00 pmI like the consistency that this diet provides and you really can't beat the convenience. I spend 15 hours a week commuting, the last thing I want to do after a 12-hour day (+ 1 hour in the gym) is cook! I like to cook, but my lifestyle just makes it hard to find the time. BistroMD does all the work for you. It's soooo nice to not have to worry about meal-planning, cooking, long trips to Whole Foods, cleaning up the kitchen, etc.
So far the quality and variety of the food has been impressive. There were only a few things I didn't care for, but I chalk that up to personal preferences. If I had to complain about something, it would be the chicken sausage that is a side for many of the breakfasts. They leave the casing on and that makes it overly chewy once it goes through the microwave. I think it would do better as a "sausage crumble" rather than links. Other than that, the food has been great. It helps that I'm not a picky eater.
As for the cost, yes BistroMD is expensive. But, I found it to be the most affordable among the food delivery options, given that I have to avoid most preservatives due to a medical condition. Like another reviewer commented, my weekly sabbaticals to Whole Foods never added up to the $740/month tab for the 7-day plan, but it was a near thing sometimes. Particularly if I tried to get more protien in my diet. The better-quality meats and fish at Whole Foods can be hugely expensive. But while I shell out more for BistroMD, at least I don't have to make the hour round-trip to the nearest Whole Foods. So I guess you could say I'm saving on gas and wear on my car too!
I'm happy with the BistroMD program and plan to stay on it for as long as I can afford it. In fact, once I reach my goal weight, I will probably switch to the 5-day plan simply for the convenience.
Courtney
+I have been on the BistroMD plan for 10 months. That combined with an exercise program supervised by a trainer has allowed me to lose 115pounds and 7 sizes! I love the food and recommend it to everyone I meet that wants to get healthy. I will say that once my body started to burn more calories at rest after working out religiously for about 7 months, I did have to start supplementing the plan with additional protein bars and shakes to get to a healthy calorie intake for my activity level. I am 38 years old and feel better than I did when I was 18!
posted Aug 2nd, 2013 4:35 pmDT
I love the Chicken Paprikash
posted Aug 2nd, 2013 4:04 pmSusan
-Sooo disappointed. Nothing fresh-everything frozen and packaged.
posted Jun 12th, 2013 12:16 amCindy
I LOVE THIS DIET!!! My husband and I have been on and off this diet for over 5 years! We do take a break from time to time but Always go back on when we start getting out of control with our portions or need some time back in our busy lives!
posted Jan 29th, 2013 11:49 pmThe food is so good and if ever there is anything we don't care for we just send a quick email and we dont get it again. It is so easy and such good quality! I would never eat this healthy or have this much of a variety OR this many vegetables ever on my own!!!
Not only did this program help me lose baby weight after each of my 2 babies (50+ pounds with each baby) but my husband and I are both endurance athletes and we still feel satisfied after our meals. We of course have to add some calories on our super long workout days but that's easy to do. I don't know how anyone wouldn't love this diet. We have recommended to so many of our friends and over 10 of our close friends have joined the program and every single one has lost the weight they hoped to lose. I could keep going on but i have 2 kids to chase around! JOIN..... NOW.....GO!!!!!!
Joanne
+I am a 53 year old woman and I have lost over 30 pounds in 4 months (minus 2 weeks off the program because of Thanksgiving and Christmas when I ate whatever I wanted) Not bad, actually it is really good! I am a chef and a real food critic at heart. The food is good, very good for diet or low GI food. It is not 5-star restaurant caliber food and it doesn't try to be, but it is really good frozen premade food. The portions are the right size and I have never felt hungry. A nutritionist plans your menu for the week with the meals you have chosen from their database. This is a great plan for those who need an instant meal and have access to a microwave at meal time. I find the convince great I am also finding I actually miss eating raw fruits and vegetables. I thought I would never say that, because in the past those are two things I never reached for... Hence the reason I needed to lose weight. Now, when I can, I grab a piece of fruit or have a salad when dining out, or when I cannot get home to nuke my meal. It plan is costly, but not any more expensive if you were to cook your own meals at home using fresh ingredients. Food these days is expensive; you cannot compare this cost of this program to the cost of another diet meal plan where the food is freeze-dryed, delivered in a powdered form or eating at McDonald's or Taco Bell for every meal... Apples to apples... Recently, BMD revamped their users website and like any new tools there can sometimes be problems. When my food delivery arrived a couple weeks ago, I was a few meals short. Their customer service department acted swiftly and professionally in resolving my problem, and I feel they have gone above and beyond in making sure I am happy. I really don't want to eat anything else, this has been the easiest plan I have ever been on. I highly recomend this plan to anyone who has struggled to lose weight by eating sub par food or worse meal replacement shakes. The food is real & fresh, and the customer service ROCKS!
posted Jan 24th, 2013 9:40 pmElaine
+I have been on the program for 8 weeks now and could not be happier with the results. I easily dropped 2 sizes and feel more energized throughout the day. I no longer have to deal with the 2pm drag.
posted Jan 22nd, 2013 4:07 pmWorking full time and having a family, I have found that more than anything, bistroMD has helped me with my time management. I can have dinner prepared much quicker, allowing more time and interaction with my family.
I would highly recommend bistroMD to anyone. Their website is extremely informative and customer service has always been helpful, often going over and above the ensure that my orders have been correct, even when I have caused the errors.
dk
-Horrible customer service. I had specifically called 6 months ago and asked for nothing with Tofu in and they were great about. Then one day a box showed up with a Tofu meal. I sent them an e-mail and said it’s no problem, I’ll just discard this one you’ll make up it on the next shipment.
posted Jan 21st, 2013 6:15 amThen it got nasty. They said it was my fault that I got a Tofu meal and they tried to call to verify (not true) and I was just out of one meal that they would not replace nor refund.
Now that got me to thinking. This is a delivery meal plan that costs thousands of dollars per year and here we are with just one wrong meal that is not my fault, what is really going on behind the scenes?
Since there are plenty of meal delivery programs out there, I decided to call their bluff and said “Fine, cancel my deliveries”. After all, no company in their right mind would lose a loyal customer with several years of purchases over a single $8 mistake that was clearly their fault?
WRONG, they sent a nice “don’t let the door hit you on the rear on the way out” e-mail.
So they threw away several thousands of dollars per year for the next untold number of years on an 8$ mistake that they made. I was floored.
However, the good news, is while on the plan, it did teach me what food was right to eat and what portion sizes were appropriate. So now I just buy that from the store at about half the cost of the delivery service.
Mary Beal
I tried Bistro MD and I really can't recommend it. the food is not alll that good and it's very expensive. Save your money. and good luck with their customer service--bad phone service and worse e-mail service.
posted Jan 8th, 2013 11:28 pmLee
I used Bistro MD for about 3 months. I typically ordered a seven-day plan with snacks. I figure I spent about $2300. I lost a total of 18 pounds. I would have lost more, but cheated some. However, I did eat healthier than I have in the last 20 years, felt better, slept better, and it was better than gaining 18 pounds. Plus, to be frank, there's lots of fiber in the meals which gives you better elimination, which can be a problem in some diets.
posted Dec 5th, 2012 4:10 amThe best advice I can give you is:
- avoid the snacks (except for the cheesecake minis)
- stay on top of managing your variety
- definitely thaw your meals, microwaving from frozen just isn't as good
Their customer service is awesome. A real, live person answers the phone! Imagine! The person is always nice, responsive, empathetic. However, be very clear about what you want because the person takes notes and if they don't get it right, your instructions for meal changes won't be followed correctly. You can input some preferences on line, but the web design is not robust. I also wonder if anyone reads it (more on that later).
Now, as for quality, they weren't horrible but they have many improvements to make. Overall, the menu is interesting and the foods are darn tasty. One review I read said they were no better than TV dinners in the supermarket, but that isn't really true. Most “diet” TV dinners have more fat, salt, and sugar and taste fine, but Bistro MD does usually taste good. (Full disclosure: I come from a foodie Italian family, so I know my food, and know quality ingredients and preparation.)
Usually the side dishes are delicious and creative, using yams, eggplant, and fresh-tasting vegetables. Don't expect sauces or butter on your veggies. If you like veggies for their own flavor, and you don't like them cooked too much, you will really enjoy Bistro MD's side dishes.
Where Bistro MD regularly fails is in their quality control.
-- Recipes are wildly inconsistent. For example, their Jamaican stew (yummy) does have some raisins, which I prefer to avoid. In one case, the raisins were minimal, in another, there were more raisins than beans. Bistro MD uses multiple facilities to manufacture the meals, and it shows in wide variability in the same meal item.
-- I have often had very, very dry chicken. Beef has never been juicy, is usually tough, fibrous, and cheap cuts. Even pork, which is rather hard to dry out unless it is over-roasted. The breakfast sausage is really tasty, but the chicken sausage often has bone bits in it, or pieces of cartilage. I wonder if they ever eat their own meals.
-- Bistro MD says its meal are diabetic-friendly, but you should be careful of any entree that has fruit or sugar, as again, amounts vary even within the same entree item.
-- Quality control is a huge failure in terms of fulfilling your weekly order. There were numerous times I called and asked to NEVER get the so-called desert shakes. I had so many unused shakes, I finally got mad and made them give me a credit to my account.
-- There is supposedly an MD putting together your weekly meal plans, but that person pays little attention to variety. You may have variety within a single week, but I have gotten the same salmon entree six weeks in a row. This is where a good web site would be useful, as you could turn on/off specific entree items without relying on a customer service person to do it for you over the phone. They are super pleasant, but it takes much more time if you are tech-savvy at all.
Overall, I do recommend them, and price-wise they are comparable. However, until they fix their quality issues, I'll wait a while before returning.
Ter
-I have tried three meal delivery programs now - Bistro MD, Diet To Go and Freshology. None have been great.
posted Nov 10th, 2012 3:45 pmFreshology was the worst overall. I did not like most of the food and there is little possibility of substitutions.
Diet To Go actually was overall the best variety of food. They include salads and sandwiches and such. I liked roughly 50-60% of the food. However, it was way too heavy in dairy products and (this was the real reason I left) the substitution process was pointless. If a company is going to say they provide essentially unlimited substitutions but then never, ever get them correct, it's not a feature. It's a debacle. Over about 6 months, they not once ever got my substitution requests correct. Could be because the web form to do this is, at best, primitive, so maybe not the fault of the people trying to fulfill the orders.
Bistro MD allows you to provide preferences and the special ingredient requests are precise, which is helpful. They limit the amount of dairy in most items. But...
1. The food is boring. Really boring. 7 nights of blah blah chicken breast with (probably the best part) a vegetable. They do a good job with flash freezing the veggies so most come out well. But the repetition and the fact that nearly every meal consists of blah piece of chicken with blah veggie is exhausting.
2. And, in case you were wondering if I asked for all other ingredients to be excluded, that is not the case. I initially left everything open and got little or no variety. In about 4 weeks I got 1 beef dish and 1 lamb dish (one good, one bad) and all the rest chicken with a little turkey meatloaf thrown in. I changed a few selections, added things to my like and dislike list...and nothing changed. When I was making a schedule change, I reminded them to check my preferences because I was still getting meals I had (weeks and weeks before) put on my "dislike'" list. Still got the same thing. Don't offer a service if you're not going to fulfill it. Better to just say "once you put in your initial order, we will never read your input again".
3. Many of the breakfast crepes are delish. A nice change from the companies that try to pass off "omelets" as something that should be frozen.
4. Meals are good sized and very heavy and all must be served hot to be edible. Absolutely no salads or sandwiches or flatbreads or pizzas. I live in Florida. Facing three hot, heavy mostly chicken meals every day became something I dreaded very quickly.
Anyway, none of the three have been worth the money. I threw away enough food that it would have been worth it to spend the time to try to create a similar diet from a store where I can pick and choose, even though I was trying to avoid having to do that.
Nick
+I have been on the program for a month now and have seen results! By day three I felt better. I cannot believe the difference I felt just from eating better. I had more energy, less pain and indigestion, I have lost 10 lbs and and pant size! My coworkers have noticed and my wife is loving it! I have another 30lbs to lose and feel confident that I will reach my goal with BistroMD.
posted Jun 5th, 2012 1:47 pmbryan
+I am finishing my second week on the BistroMD program and I have to say that I am quite impressed. I am on the 7day program with meals and snacks. The majority of the meals are very good in taste, however there are a few meals and snacks that are not so tasty but they are tolerable. One aspect of this diet that I enjoy is the variety like mexican, asian and greek inspired meals. Their food is very fresh tasting and very high quality. I am not much of a cook so I really can appreciate the convience that BistroMD provides in that you can put a meal in the microwave and have healthy and delicious food in minutes. The only negative aspect of this diet is that you have to eat their meals according to the menu that is provided . So say if you have a taste for fish one day but all of the food on the menu is chicken based then you are out of luck. Overall, I am happy with BistroMD, this diet is allowing me to eat healthy without interrupting my busy lifestyle.
posted Apr 18th, 2012 1:26 am
+camargomarcio
I don't get the bad reviews... For a home delivery diet, the food is just amazing... About 50% of the plates are delicious, anothe 30% good and about 20% as some other reviewr said , not edible at all.. But you can always tell them to not send the plates you didnt like again.
posted Mar 31st, 2012 2:44 amIve been doing Bistro md for 4 months, and lost an amazing 42 pounds... No gym at all and normally i take 1 full day to eat whatever I want every 2 weeks... It's working and the best part is no cooking or trying to find something to Eat...
I remember feeling hungry for a couple days when I started the diet, but I went from at least 5000 cal a day to 1500 .. So thats normal... But after 2-3 days I never felt hungry or craving sweets anymore...
No diet will be easy, but this one for sure ifs the best and easiest one I ever did
Michael
As a 215lb man, I found the portion sizes difficult. I was constantly hungry most of the first few weeks. Now I weight 189lbs after 5 weeks, so that's 16lbs lost. Some of the food is really good and tasty. Some is not edible. I ate everything the first week, but usually trashed 20% of the food each week after that. I made requests to avoid certain dishes, but it's hit or miss. Some are just gross. Anyway the plan works. Tough to get rid of all that cardboard and styrofoam every week. Trash bins are not that large. I suppose I'd recommend the service just because it is convenient, and even if its expensive. And if you can't stomach a meal now and then, go to subway and hope the next meal is better. Good luck!
posted Mar 8th, 2012 9:12 pmKaren
+I am on my 5th week of BistroMD and I think it is the best way to go if you are having difficulty managing your eating. It is on the expensive side but the meals are good. There are only a couple of meals I have not liked. Someone might think that it is just like buying frozen diet meals in the grocery store however these meals are much fresher.
posted Jan 9th, 2012 9:54 pm