by To sign up for Nutrisystem, I first had to select a plan from the Plans & Prices menu on the home page. The plans are divided into three groups: Signature Programs, New Plans, and Club Advantage. Here’s a quick summary of each.
The Signature Programs based on the classic Nutrisystem program, with five to six convenient meals and small snacks available at Nutrisystem per day. With all of these plans, customers are encouraged to add healthy sides like fruits, vegetables, and lean protein sources like low-fat yogurt. But it’s not just a signature program; you choose the one designed to meet your needs based on your gender assigned at birth, age, family size, and protein needs. Options include:
- Women Three meals and one snack per day.
- Women 50 and over This plan includes more calories and carbs earlier in the day and lighter meals at night. According to some research, this may help reduce inflammation and stress and improve sleep patterns. I know a lot of assigned females this age who say that eating lighter meals at night helps them feel better, so this is a strategy I would recommend.
- Men Three meals and two snacks a day. Male-assigned people tend to birth more and have more muscle mass, so their calorie needs are higher even when trying to lose weight.
- Men 50 and over This plan includes protein shakes as well as meals and snacks for extra protein. Muscle loss accelerates with aging, and extra protein may help prevent these losses.
- Partners Plan for two at a small discount compared to ordering two programs separately. Partner plans can be used by couples, roommates, family members, or anyone living in the same household.
- Partners 50 and over Food for two, following the 50 and over nutritional guidelines.
- High Protein The High Protein option can be added to any Signature Program. It replaces your standard Nutrisystem dinners with Hearty Inspirations meals, which are larger and provide more protein than standard Nutrisystem meals, up to 30 grams (g) per serving.
Nutrisystem also has New Plans, which allow you to choose meals from curated menus based on two different evidence-based eating patterns for weight loss, including:
- High Protein This plan is designed to optimize protein intake and keep calories low. With this plan, foods come from a menu consisting only of Nutrisystem’s higher protein meals and snacks. High protein diets for weight loss offer several benefits, such as reducing hunger, improving blood sugar control, and preserving muscle mass.
- Low Carb This plan is a “carb-conscious” menu that limits carbohydrates and places more emphasis on proteins and healthy fats. Low-carb diets can aid weight loss by helping people feel fuller, reducing intake of high-calorie processed foods, and increasing protein intake.
The New Plans provide access to Nutrisystem Club Advantage Programis a flexible Nutrisystem program that allows you to order as much or as little Nutrisystem food as you want while still having access to the Nutrisystem app, personalized meal plans that provide inspiration for home-cooked or Nutrisystem meals, and dietetic coaching. With this option, you can get expert guidance for a diet of your choice for weight loss, weight gain, weight maintenance, or general health.
After choosing my plan, I could get a Chef’s Pick (Nutrisystem selected meals) or pick my own meals. I could also choose between five or seven days of food, upgrade to the Signature High Protein plan for an additional fee, or add protein shakes to my shipment for an additional fee. I signed up for the Signature Women’s High Protein plan.
Next, I was asked to provide my contact details and address. Then I could choose my own meals or choose the Chef’s Pick to choose my meals for me. Either way, my card would be charged straight away and my food boxes would continue to be sent automatically every 28 days until I canceled or failed.
Selection of Meals
I choose to get the Chef’s Pick so Nutrisystem chose my meals for me, but if I wanted to choose, I was free to choose from the full breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack menu. It’s worth noting that the meals you choose remain the same for all future orders unless you log into your account and change them before each 28 day shipment.
Because the meals are frozen or shelf-stable, you can’t customize by swapping out proteins or ingredients like you can with meal delivery kits. The menu is also static, so it stays the same from week to week and month to month.
The meals include some basic protein options, such as beef, chicken, beans, cheese, eggs, turkey, and fish. They consist of “American” takes on Chinese, Italian and Mexican food, and some classic American dishes.
All of Nutrisystem’s foods are highly processed. They are specifically designed to be low in calories and require the use of preservatives and additives to maintain their quality when frozen or stored in the pantry.
My address contained the following:
- Breakfast: Breakfast Burrito, Turkey Sausage and Egg Muffin, Flower Waffles, Double Chocolate Muffin, Blueberry Muffin
- Lunch: Cafe Style Cream of Tomato Soup, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Classic Hamburger, Southwest Fiesta Melt, Three Cheese Chicken
- Dinner: Sunny Polygon with Vegetables, Merlot Beef with Root Vegetables, Chicken Bianca Pizza, Bourbon-Style Chicken, Artichoke and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Snack: Lemon Zest Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich, Orange Cream Bar, Carrot Cake Cupcake, Chocolate Cupcake
