I Tried Factor For 1 Week — Here's My Honest Review On Every Meal That I Ate

I'm a good cook, and more importantly, I actually enjoy making nutrient-dense meals—even when they require at least three hard-to-source ingredients. The only issue? I simply don't have the time.

My busy schedule makes it difficult to spend as much time as I would like in the kitchen. Lunch is often an afterthought between the shuffle of meetings, and dinner isn't much better. I'm typically rushing out the door not long after closing my laptop to attend a workout class or meet with friends.

While I've become relatively skilled at finding high-protein meals on the go, these options add up. My wallet can only take so many $19 Sweetgreen Protein Bowls. That's why I jumped at the chance to try out Factor.

The healthy meal delivery ships ready-to-eat meals to your door. Not only are these tasty entrées crafted by chefs, but every meal is dietitian-approved. After testing out Factor meals for one week, I'm happy to report these delicious meals live up to the hype—but are these recipes as healthy as they seem?

Factor is a healthy meal delivery service that ships pre-cooked, refrigerated meals. Unlike other brands—which tend to focus on either taste or nutrition—this popular service combines both.

Factor offers flexible plans that let you choose how many meals you want per week, making it easy to fit your schedule and appetite. You can select from 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18 meals per week, with each meal designed as a single-serving entrée.

The weekly menu typically features 35 to 60 rotating meal options, plus a wide variety of add-ons including snacks, breakfast items, smoothies, side dishes, and extra proteins. This means you can build a box that covers every meal of the day—or just stick to lunches and dinners if that’s what you need.

Details: 420 calories, 21g of protein, 6g of dietary fiber, 970mg of sodium

This entrée was my first order from the box—but it still remains my favorite. It combined juicy shrimp with a hearty cauliflower pasta in a creamy garlic sauce. A small side of broccoli gave the meal a fresh component (and played double duty as a vestibule for the aforementioned sauce). This dish was perfectly seasoned, and I honestly wished for seconds.

My only note? I try to get at least 30g of protein per meal, so I added an egg to get an extra 6g. I would love if they meal came with more shrimp to boost the overall protein.

Pros: Shrimp tastes fresh & you'd never know the pasta was gluten-free

Details: 560 calories, 34g of protein, 4g of dietary fiber, 900mg of sodium

I've always struggled with salmon; I only started adding it to my rotation about eight months ago. Every bite needs to be perfectly cooked, or I simply won't enjoy it. All that to say, it's a testament to how good this roasted salmon is that it ranks number two in my line-up. The celery root purée adds another dimension of flavor, and you simply can't go wrong with the addition of broccoli. I loved this dish so much, I forgot to take a photo of the finished product.

Pros: The salmon is juicy and tender; it didn't taste overcooked even after reheating on the stove

Details: 520 calories, 33g of protein, 8g of dietary fiber, 820mg of sodium

While I've never personally made barramundi, the Asian sea bass is now one of my favorite fish. It's light like mahi mahi and easily absorbs flavor. It was perfect for the chive butter sauce. I chose to sauté the fish alongside the green beans and roasted potatoes so the tomato-based sauce could elevate all of the components of the dish. It was just barely edged out by the salmon—and I'd happily order again.

Pros: This has slightly less sodium than other dishes but still packs tons of flavor

Details: 600 calories, 38g of protein, 7g of dietary fiber, 860mg of sodium

Even though I'm ranking this dish number four on the list, I'd still consider it a must-order. It's one of the most filling options of the bunch, with a Mexican-spiced quinoa base. I chose to keep the crema and bean salad cold to make this dish extra refreshing on a hot day. Although I added some hot sauce, it didn't necessarily need the extra addition. I was just in the mood for a little added heat.

Pros: More protein than any other dish

Details: 440 calories, 14g of protein, 8g of dietary fiber, 930mg of sodium

The good news? I still loved this simple pasta; the feta made it creamy and you could not tell this was cauliflower pasta (similar to the my top-ranking dish). However, this entrée lacked protein. I chose to eat some tuna on the side to ensure I was still meeting my macros. Adding shrimp would have been an easy way to boost the protein without taking away from the flavor.

Pros: Simply yet flavorful and delicious

Details: 660 calories, 16g of protein, 12g of dietary fiber, 640mg of sodium

If I had to choose a meal to skip, this would be it. Although the peanut sauce was delicious, the meal was too carbohydrate-heavy. It either needed a fresh green to brighten things up (in addition to the green beans) or some sort of protein. The sweet potatoes were also firm on the border of undercooked, likely because I chose to sauté the dish instead of steaming it in the microwave. Ultimately, I felt this dish was lacking something.

Pros: Less sodium than other dishes and a ton of dietary fiber

1. It actually tastes delicious.

A lot of healthy meal deliveries leave something to be desired (specifically flavor). Factor doesn’t. Every meal had bright flavors, quality ingredients, and thoughtful seasoning. It’s the difference between "eh, it's fine" and "I’d order this again at a restaurant." I even sent texts to friends a few times letting them know how much I was enjoying my Factor meals.

2. You can tell it's never stored in the freezer.

Factor meals are refrigerated, not frozen—and it makes all the difference. The veggies stayed crisp, the proteins stayed tender, and nothing had that weird freezer-burned texture. I reheated everything on the stove (no microwave in my kitchen), and the meals turned out beautifully.

3. Meals are balanced.

I appreciate that Factor lists all the nutritional details and balances protein, carbs, and fats in most meals—but still pays attention to fiber. While I do have some complaints about the amount of protein found in the veggie items (more on that below) I appreciated that the meals didn't skip fiber in favor of a maxing out on protein.

1. The plastic packaging

Factor meals come in black plastic trays designed for microwave reheating. I get it: convenience is king. But I don’t own a microwave, and I’m definitely not about to heat food in plastic. I ended up popping the meals into a stainless steel pan to reheat on the stove. It worked, but an oven-safe container option would be a welcome upgrade.

2. Where are the high-protein veggie meals?

Animal protein has a higher bioavailability, so it makes sense that the highest-protein meals lean toward chicken, turkey, or fish. But as a pescatarian who sometimes eats vegetarian, I found the plant-based options light on protein.

Most hovered around 15 to 20 grams per meal. Considering you need to eat more protein when you rely on plants, I found myself sneaking in additional protein on the side or opting for a high-protein dessert like yogurt afterwards.

If your schedule is hectic, your diet is important to you, and you’re tired of overpaying for takeout, Factor is absolutely worth trying. It solved a real problem for me: how to eat nutrient-dense, protein-packed meals without spending my entire Sunday meal-prepping or throwing together uninspired salads.

Do I wish they had more high-protein options for those who eat a mostly vegetarian diet? Yes. Do I wish the packaging wasn't made with black plastic? Definitely. But those are relatively minor trade-offs for the convenience and flavor Factor delivers.