Location Label: Delivered Nationwide, United States (48 contiguous states)
Factor Meals: Prices, Plans, Calories and Full Guide (2026)
Factor meals promise the simplest deal in healthy eating: real food, cooked by chefs, delivered fresh to your door, ready in about two minutes. There is no shopping, no chopping, no cooking and no cleanup. You pick your meals from a rotating weekly menu, the box arrives chilled, and dinner is a microwave away. That is the whole idea behind factor meals, and it is why the service has grown from a small Chicago startup called Factor75 in 2013 into the prepared meal arm of the HelloFresh Group.
But factor meals are also one of the most confusing services to price, because three different review sites can show three different per meal prices on the same day. Factor itself shows different prices on its FAQ page and its plans page, and prices can change by ZIP code. We rechecked the facts fresh on 7 November 2026 and laid out every disagreement, so you can see what is certain and what is not before you order.
In this guide you will find the plan sizes and the full price range, how delivery and heating actually work, the calories and macros for each diet plan, five sample meals with their published nutrition, what customers praise and complain about, and an honest verdict on who factor meals suit and who should skip them. If you want healthy food with zero cooking, this is the guide to read first.
Factor Meals at a Glance
| What it is | Prepared meal delivery subscription, chef cooked and dietitian designed |
| Former name | Factor75, founded 2013 |
| Owner | Factor75, LLC, Aurora, Illinois, part of the HelloFresh Group since 2020 |
| Meals per week | 6 to 18 meals a week on the official FAQ, with some listings showing a 4 meal plan |
| Price per meal | About $10.99 to $17.49, depending on plan size, source and ZIP code |
| Shipping | $12.99 per box in the most recent checks, $9.99 in some listings, free with Factor Plus |
| Weekly menu | 100+ rotating meals, plus breakfasts, smoothies and snacks |
| Heating time | About 2 minutes in the microwave, or in the oven |
| Fridge life | Up to 7 days after delivery, do not freeze |
| Delivery area | 48 contiguous US states, no Alaska or Hawaii |
| Diet plans | Keto, Calorie Smart, Protein Plus, Low Carb, GLP-1 Balance, Vegan and Veggie, Chef’s Choice, Mediterranean |
| Calories per meal | Most meals about 350 to 750 calories, about 600 on average |
| Protein per meal | Typically 25 to 45 grams, Protein Plus meals at least 30 grams |
| Customer ratings | Trustpilot 3.5 out of 5, App Store 4.8 out of 5 |
Why We Researched Factor Meals
We researched factor meals because our readers keep asking the same question in different words: is this the healthy meal delivery service that finally makes weeknight eating easy, or is it an expensive box of small portions? The plan’s own question map asked for prices, calories, a recipe and an all day answer, but factor meals fit none of those boxes neatly. There is no single menu with fixed prices, no single recipe, and no opening hours, because it is a subscription, not a restaurant. So we rebuilt the guide around the questions that actually matter for a delivery subscription: what does it cost, what do you get, how does it arrive, how do you heat it, and is it worth it.
The second reason is the price confusion. When reputable review sites disagree by as much as $4.50 per meal on the same service in the same month, readers deserve to see the disagreement, not a single confident number. That is what this guide does.
What We Ordered and Prices
There is no fixed menu with fixed prices here. You choose a plan size, 6 to 18 single serve meals a week, and the per meal price falls as the plan grows. The table below uses the prices Factor’s own FAQ listed in October 2026, as reported by BestGuide, which is the most recent official figure we could verify. The second column shows the wider range other reputable listings report for the same plan sizes, because the disagreement is real and you should see it before you order.
| Meals per week | Per meal, Factor FAQ (Oct 2026) | Per meal, other 2026 listings | Weekly meals cost (FAQ prices) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 meals | Not listed on the FAQ | About $14.99 to $17.49 | Not listed |
| 6 meals | $13.49 | About $13.99 to $14.99 | $80.94 |
| 8 meals | $12.99 | About $12.99 to $14.49 | $103.92 |
| 10 meals | $12.49 | About $12.49 to $13.99 | $124.90 |
| 12 meals | $11.99 | About $11.99 to $12.49 | $143.88 |
| 14 meals | $11.49 | About $11.49 to $12.99 | $160.86 |
| 18 meals | $10.99 | About $10.49 to $12.99 | $197.82 |
Add shipping on top of those figures. The most recent checks put standard shipping at $12.99 per box, which makes a 6 meal week about $93.93 all in and an 18 meal week about $210.81 before tax and extras. Some listings still show $9.99 shipping, so the true shipping fee for your address is only confirmed at checkout. Factor Plus, an optional paid membership, waives standard shipping and adds $30 a week toward premium upgrades. Its fee is shown only inside your account, so we cannot quote it here.
Premium meals cost extra, typically $3 to $11.99 more per meal, for dishes like filet mignon or lobster ravioli. Breakfasts, smoothies, snacks and extra proteins are add ons with their own prices. First time customers usually see a large introductory discount, often 50 percent off the first box and 20 percent off the next few boxes, plus a free breakfast item per box for up to a year while the subscription stays active. Those intro prices end, and the plan renews at the regular price, so judge factor meals on the full price, not the first box.
Our honest price verdict: a meal costs roughly $10.99 to $17.49 before shipping, depending on plan size and where you check. That is about two and a half to four times the cost of cooking the same meal at home, and about $1.50 to $2.50 more per meal than a HelloFresh meal kit. You are paying for zero cooking and zero cleanup, not for cheap food.
Our Factor Meals Review
Factor meals are fully cooked, single serve meals that arrive fresh, never frozen, in an insulated box with gel packs. Each meal sits in its own microwave safe tray with the nutrition label on the sleeve. Heating is simple: poke holes in the film, microwave for about two minutes, and eat. Independent testers report that two minutes is usually exactly right, and that the meals arrive still properly chilled even after a day on the doorstep. The oven works too, if you prefer it.
The menu is the strongest part of the service. The official site lists more than 100 rotating weekly meals, plus breakfasts, smoothies and snacks, and you can filter by diet plan or let Factor choose for you. Reviewers who actually ate the food praise the flavor, especially the sauces and the protein quality, and say the meals taste better than expected for prepared food. The common complaints are the other side of the same coin: vegetables that come out soft or rubbery, uneven quality from dish to dish, and portions that feel small for very hungry eaters.
Convenience is the whole point, and this service delivers it. There is no shopping, no prep and no washing up. For a busy single person or a couple who both work long days, that is worth real money. For a family of four, the math changes, because every meal is a single serving and ordering for a family means paying the per meal price four times over. The service is built for individuals first, and the review scores reflect that: the App Store rating is 4.8 out of 5 from about 237,000 ratings, while Trustpilot sits at 3.5 out of 5 from about 99,000 reviews, with 12 percent one star reviews mostly about deliveries, damaged boxes and billing.
The diet plans are where this service stands out from other prepared meal services. Every meal carries full nutrition facts and ingredients, the meals are designed by chefs and reviewed by registered dietitians, and the filters actually work: keto, low carb, high protein, calorie smart, GLP-1 balance, vegan and vegetarian. One useful extra is a free 20 minute nutrition consultation with a registered dietitian, which reviewers say helps with planning. On the down side, sodium runs higher than home cooking, averaging about 800 mg per meal, with some listings putting the range at 800 to 1,100 mg, so anyone watching salt should check each label.
Five Factor Meals Worth Trying First
Factor’s menu rotates weekly, so no five dishes are always available. The five below are real Factor meals with published nutrition from current reviews, chosen to show what each diet plan does best. Use them as a guide to the style and macros of the service, not as a fixed menu.
Chicken Pesto with Sun Dried Tomatoes (Protein Plus)
This is the Protein Plus showpiece in reviews: chicken pesto with sun dried tomatoes, carrying 38 grams of protein in a single serving. It is the meal reviewers point to when they say the high protein plan is genuinely high protein, not just labelled that way. The pesto is rich and the chicken stays tender after two minutes in the microwave, which is where many prepared meals fail. If your goal is muscle building or a high protein lunch that keeps you full, this is the dish to try first.
Baja Style Shrimp Bowl (Calorie Smart)
The Baja Style Shrimp Bowl is a Calorie Smart favorite at 480 calories, and it shows what the calorie smart plan does well: a full flavored meal that stays under the 550 calorie line without feeling like diet food. Shrimp, rice and vegetables with a Baja style seasoning make it one of the lighter factor meals that still eats like a real dinner. It is a good test of whether the portion size works for you, because Calorie Smart meals are deliberately portion controlled.
Keto Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Cauliflower Rice
Keto meals swap the rice for cauliflower rice and keep the carbs low while the fat and flavor stay high. This beef and broccoli stir fry is the classic example, and keto entrees across the menu average about 490 calories with 38 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbs and 33 grams of fat. That macro split fits most keto targets, with at least 60 percent of calories from fat and roughly 10 percent or less from carbs. If you eat keto, this is the dish that shows whether Factor’s keto cooking holds up.
Chicken Tikka Masala with Basmati Rice (Protein Plus)
Chicken tikka masala with basmati rice is one of the most ordered Protein Plus meals, and it shows the international range of the menu. The sauce is spiced rather than hot, the chicken is generous, and the basmati rice holds its texture after reheating better than many grains do. Protein Plus meals contain at least 30 grams of protein by Factor’s own definition, and this one sits comfortably in that range. It is also a good pick for anyone who worries prepared meals all taste the same.
Truffle Butter Filet Mignon (Premium)
The truffle butter filet mignon is a premium meal, with a surcharge of about $11.99 on top of the plan price, and it is the dish that tests whether the premium upgrade is worth it. Reviewers say the steak itself is good, tender and properly cooked, but the premium price pushes a single meal well above $20 once shipping is added. Our take: try it once if you want a treat night without cooking, but do not build a weekly plan around premium meals, because the cost climbs fast.
Picky Eats: What to Order If You Are Fussy
This service suits picky eaters better than most meal services, because you choose every dish yourself and there is no mystery box. The menu filter is your friend: filter for the protein you like, skip the vegetables you do not, and read the full ingredient list on every meal before you add it. Chicken dishes are the safest starting point, especially the chicken pesto and the chicken tikka masala, because the chicken is consistent and the sauces are familiar. Shrimp and salmon dishes are good if you like seafood, but check the ingredients for shellfish allergens first.
What picky eaters should watch for is texture. Reviewers consistently say the proteins reheat well but some vegetables, especially broccoli and zucchini, can go soft in the microwave. If texture matters to you, pick meals built around rice, grains and sturdy vegetables, and avoid dishes where a delicate vegetable is the star. Sauces also vary: creamy sauces reheat smoothly, while tomato based sauces can separate slightly. None of this is a deal breaker, but it is worth knowing before your first box.
Parents’ Review and Family Tips
Parents should know the most important fact first: every meal is a single serving. There is no family size tray and no kids menu. A family of four needs four meals per sitting, which means a 12 meal weekly plan covers only three family dinners. The cost adds up fast, so most families use factor meals for the adults’ lunches or for busy weeknights, not as the whole family’s dinner every night.
That said, the service can still work well for parents. The two minute heating time is a lifesaver on nights when the children eat early and the adults eat later. You can keep a few Calorie Smart or Protein Plus meals in the fridge for yourself while the kids eat their own dinner, and nobody has to cook twice. The meals are portion controlled, which helps parents who are tracking their own calories while feeding a family, and the dietitian designed labels make it easy to check exactly what you are eating.
Family tips that actually help: order the 12 or 14 meal plan if two adults are eating factor meals most nights, and use the skip week button freely in school holiday weeks when routines change. Keep the use by dates in mind, because the meals last about 7 days in the fridge and are not meant to be frozen, so do not order more than you can eat in a week. Finally, check allergen labels carefully, because Factor’s kitchen handles common allergens and the meals are not made for severe allergies.
Nutrition and Carbohydrate Information
Every Factor meal carries a full nutrition label and ingredient list on its sleeve, and the figures below come from Factor’s official FAQ and from current independent reviews that checked the labels. Factor meals are designed by chefs and reviewed by registered dietitians, and every meal contains at least two vegetables or fruits. The official site also states that the meals contain no refined sugars, no artificial colors or sweeteners and no high fructose corn syrup, and that Factor follows dietitian designed sodium standards.
| Diet plan | Calories per meal | Protein | Carbs | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calorie Smart | Roughly 550 or less | At least 20g | Balanced | Portion controlled, built for weight management |
| Protein Plus | About 500 to 700 | At least 30g | Balanced | High protein, built for muscle and satiety |
| Keto | About 400 to 600 | 25 to 35g | 5 to 15g net | Low carb, high fat, at least 60 percent of calories from fat |
| Low Carb | About 400 to 650 | 25 to 35g | Roughly 35g or less | Reduced carbs, balanced protein and fat |
| GLP-1 Balance | Smaller portions, calorie conscious | Protein forward | Controlled | Built for people on GLP-1 medication, smaller appetites |
| Typical meal overall | About 350 to 750, about 600 average | 25 to 45g | Varies | Most meals fall in this range across all plans |
Method and sources: the diet plan definitions come from Factor’s official FAQ, checked 7 November 2026. The calorie ranges come from BestGuide (most meals 350 to 750 calories, about 600 on average) and The Workout Mag (400 to 700 calories, 25 to 45 grams of protein). The keto averages come from TopConsumerReviews, and the breakfast range from DishAlchemy. These are ranges across many meals, not the numbers for one dish: always read the label on the exact meal you order.
Two nutrition warnings matter. First, sodium averages about 800 mg per meal, and some listings put the range at 800 to 1,100 mg, which is high compared with home cooking. If you watch your salt, check each label and favor the meals with the lowest sodium. Second, these meals are not medical food. If you have a medical condition, a severe allergy or a prescribed diet, talk with your doctor before relying on any meal delivery service, including factor meals.
What to Know Before Visiting Factor Meals
There is no Factor restaurant to visit, so “before visiting” really means before ordering. Here is what to know. First, you need an account to order, and you will enter your ZIP code before you see final prices and delivery days. Factor delivers to the 48 contiguous states only, not Alaska or Hawaii, and delivery days run Saturday to Wednesday depending on your ZIP code.
Second, mind the cutoff. The weekly deadline to change, skip or cancel an upcoming delivery is Wednesday at 11:59 PM Central Time, or Tuesday at 11:59 PM Central Time a week ahead for weekend deliveries. Miss the cutoff and you are charged for that week. This is the single biggest source of complaints about the service, so set a reminder for your first few weeks until the rhythm sticks.
- Refrigerate meals the moment the box arrives. They stay fresh for up to 7 days, and Factor does not recommend freezing them.
- Seafood meals have a shorter fridge life, about 4 to 8 days, so eat those first.
- Heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes after venting the film, or warm in the oven if you prefer.
- Check every label for allergens. Factor’s kitchen handles common allergens.
- Skip or pause any week from your account. There is no long term contract, and cancelling does not stop an order that is already placed.
- Confirm your total at checkout. Prices vary by plan page and ZIP code, and intro discounts end after the first boxes.
Is Factor Meals Worth Visiting
The service is worth it if you are a busy single person or a working couple who wants healthy, portion controlled food with zero cooking, and you are willing to pay about $11 to $17.49 per meal plus shipping for that convenience. The menu is wide, the diet filters are real, the heating takes two minutes, and the food tastes better than most prepared meals. For keto, low carb, high protein and GLP-1 eating, factor meals are one of the strongest prepared options available in 2026.
It is not worth it if you are on a tight budget, need fewer than 6 meals a week, cook for a family of four every night, or need strict allergen control. Home cooking costs a third to a quarter as much per meal, meal kits are cheaper, and the single serve format makes family feeding expensive. The Trustpilot score of 3.5 also tells a real story: many customers love the food, while a vocal minority report late boxes, damaged deliveries and billing trouble after a missed cutoff.
Our verdict: the service earns its place as a convenience buy, not a budget buy. Start with the smallest plan that fits your week, use the intro discount, eat the seafood first, set a cutoff reminder, and judge the food on the full price. If the convenience saves you five or more takeout orders a week, the math works. If it does not, a meal kit or a Sunday cook session will serve you better.
Factor Meals FAQ
How much do factor meals cost per meal?
Meals cost roughly $10.99 to $17.49 each before shipping, depending on plan size and where you check. Factor’s own FAQ listed $13.49 per meal on a 6 meal plan down to $10.99 on an 18 meal plan in October 2026, while other listings show up to $17.49 on a 4 meal plan. Shipping adds $12.99 per box in the most recent checks. Confirm your total at checkout, because prices vary by page and ZIP code.
Are factor meals fresh or frozen?
Factor meals are delivered fresh, never frozen. They arrive in an insulated box with gel packs, and you refrigerate them right away. They stay fresh in the fridge for up to 7 days after delivery, and Factor does not recommend freezing them.
How many calories are in factor meals?
Most meals have about 350 to 750 calories, with about 600 on average. Calorie Smart meals are designed to stay around or under 550 calories, keto meals average about 490 calories, and Protein Plus meals usually run about 500 to 700 calories. Always read the label on the exact meal, because calories vary by dish.
What diet plans does Factor offer?
The plans cover Keto, Calorie Smart, Protein Plus, Low Carb, GLP-1 Balance, Vegan and Veggie, Chef’s Choice and Mediterranean plans. Keto meals are lower in carbs and higher in fat, Calorie Smart meals sit around 550 calories, Protein Plus meals contain at least 30 grams of protein, and Low Carb meals contain roughly 35 grams of carbs or less.
How do factor meals work?
You choose a plan of 6 to 18 meals a week, pick your dishes from a rotating menu of more than 100 meals, and the box arrives fresh at your door. Heat each meal in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or in the oven, and eat. You can skip weeks, pause or cancel anytime from your account, as long as you act before the weekly cutoff.
Can you freeze factor meals?
Factor does not recommend freezing its meals, because freezing can change the texture of vegetables and sauces. The meals are made to be kept in the fridge and eaten within about 7 days of delivery. Seafood meals have a shorter life, about 4 to 8 days, so eat those first.
Is Factor owned by HelloFresh?
Yes. Factor, originally Factor75, was founded in 2013 and acquired by the HelloFresh Group in 2020. It is run by Factor75, LLC, based in Aurora, Illinois, and it is the HelloFresh Group’s prepared meal service, while HelloFresh itself sells meal kits you cook at home.
Can I cancel factor meals anytime?
Yes, there is no long term contract. You can skip weeks, pause or cancel from your account. The cutoff is Wednesday at 11:59 PM Central Time for the next week’s delivery, or Tuesday at 11:59 PM Central Time a week ahead for weekend deliveries. Cancelling does not stop an order that is already placed.
Related Food Guides
Keep exploring Food Menu Journal with these guides from the same publishing batch and our healthy eating collection.
- Pancake Recipe (publishing in the same batch, link pending)
- 7 Brew Menu (publishing in the same batch, link pending)
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings (publishing in the same batch, link pending)
- Healthy Recipes
- 9 Impressive Health Benefits of Beets
- Best Recipes Guide
Sources and Review Notes
This guide was researched on 7 November 2026 from Factor’s official website (factormeals.com) and official FAQ (factor75.com/about/faq), plus current independent reviews: BestGuide, MealFan, The Workout Mag, TopConsumerReviews, Medical News Today, DishAlchemy and EatHealthy365. We did not visit a Factor restaurant and we did not order a Factor box for this guide, so no visit is claimed and no dish is described from personal tasting. Sample meals and their nutrition figures are quoted from the published reviews named in the research note.
Price disagreements found during research: BestGuide, citing Factor’s FAQ from October 2026, lists $10.99 to $13.49 per meal with a 6 meal minimum and $12.99 shipping. MealFan, from an October 20, 2026 check, lists $12.99 to $17.49 per meal with a 4 meal plan at $17.49. The Workout Mag lists $10.99 to $14.99 per meal with $9.99 shipping. This guide reports the full range and states that prices vary by page and ZIP code. The plan’s original source link, a Real Simple page about refrigerator temperatures, says nothing about Factor and was not used for any fact in this guide.
All prices, calories and nutrition figures in this guide are ranges taken from the sources above, rechecked on 7 November 2026. Factor changes prices and menus often, so confirm your plan total, shipping fee and the nutrition label on each meal at checkout before you order.
