Sadly, Munchfit have now ceased trading.
In my quest to eat healthily, whilst spending as little time cooking as possible, I recently stumbled across MunchFit, a health-focused food company, delivering freshly prepared meals to clients across the UK.
Meals designed to support active lifestyles
MunchFit meals are specifically designed to support active lifestyles. So if you regularly work out at the gym, go running, or partake in any exercise at all really, these meals will ensure that you're getting all of the nutrition you need to support your exercise, recover properly, build lean muscle mass and ultimately reach your health and fitness goals.
Elite nutritionists & Michelin-trained chefs
To ensure great taste, as well as an exceptional nutritional profile, MunchFit recipes are created by elite sports nutritionists and Michelin-trained chefs; currently, the MunchFit resident nutritionist is Nigel Mitchell, who works with top athletes including Bradley Wiggins, the Brownlee brothers and GB Olympic cycling team, Team Sky. Nigel is also the author of several books on sports nutrition for cyclists - so he definitely knows his stuff!
Reasons why Munchfit meals are worth a try
- Save time with healthy, freshly prepared meals delivered to your door.
- Recipes designed by elite sports nutritionists and Michelin-trained chefs.
- Meals based around complex carbs with a low GI (good for slow and gradual energy release, rather than sudden highs and lows).
- High in protein.
- Entirely natural wholefood ingredients.
- 100% gluten free.
- No additives or preservatives.
- Over 180 meals to choose from, including breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
"If 70% of your fitness results is down to what you eat and 30% is the training you do then we strive to be the tastiest 70% ever." - MunchFit
MunchFit offers & Discounts
These meals sound like they could be really good. I'm going to be giving them a try this week. If you'd like to try MunchFit meals for yourself you can use the code STRONG10 at the checkout to get a 10% discount.
The MunchFit meal plans
Depending on your health and fitness goals, you can choose between 4 different menu plans - Lean, Balanced, Strong and Green. You can read more about the MunchFit meal plans on their website, but basically the Lean Plan is for weight loss, the Balanced plan is for weight maintenance, the Strong Plan is for lean muscle & strength gains, and the Green Plan is for plant based meals.
Which MunchFit plan?
After spending a while unable to decide which plan to sign up for, I eventually consult with my personal trainer, who advises me that I should go for the Strong Plan.
I am after all doing 3 personal training session per week, plus cycling 25 minutes there and 25 minutes back each time, as well as doing plenty of jogging and yoga on the other days of the week - so I'm fairly physically active and probably need those extra calories at least on some days!
I do also need to get more strong, as I am yet to achieve that illusive pull up. I'm getting closer - but still have some way to go - maybe these Strong Plan meals will give me that extra boost of muscle power that I need, in order to achieve a pull up!
'Mix and Matching' MunchFit plans
As it turns out, it doesn't matter which plan you select because once you're signed up you're able to 'mix and match' meals from across all of the plans.
This is exactly what I decide to do.
I settle on ordering a couple of the lighter Lean Plan meals for less active days, as well as some of the Strong Plan meals for more intensive exercise days, where I'm doing cycling and personal training sessions.
Packaging made from potatoes!
On Saturday morning there's a knock on the door, bright and early at 8am.
I'm greeted by a cheerful delivery man, who comments on the gloomy British weather, before handing me a neat looking, medium sized square box, and wishing me a very pleasant day.
It's my MunchFit delivery! Let's see what's inside...
As I pull back the cardboard flaps, the first thing I'm presented with is two more cardboard flaps, each with some information on MunchFit recycling and sustainability policies:
"Each meal container is 95% plastic free and made from pulp...this chilled box is made from recycled cardboard and is 100% recyclable."
I take a moment to 'pop' the pillows (it feels like having an extra big piece of bubble-wrap to play with), before delving deeper into the box to discover my selection of MunchFit meals.
The meals are well padded with a thick layer of 100% recyclable paper, and are kept cool with a number of ice blocks. Each individual MunchFit meal is packaged in a tray, made from biodegradable pulp, that is 95% plastic-free and can be put into paper recycling. It's clear that MunchFit take recycling seriously; there's not a lot more they could do in terms of packaging the meals sustainably.
A review of my MunchFit meals
Enough of the packaging, let's look at the most exciting part, the meals! Do MunchFit live up to their promise of delivering nutritionally dense, healthy fresh meals, whilst also being the 'tastiest 70% ever'?
Sunday's menu
Things kick off Sunday Lunchtime, with the Sweet Chilli & Ginger Salmon with Bok Choi. This meal is from the Lean menu, so is lower in carbs, whilst being high in protein. It is surprisingly tasty.
It's clear that the vegetables are really fresh, as they still retain a good amount of 'crunch,' The salmon is lovely, soft and flaky, and the spices are balanced perfectly. The portion size is just right for a light lunch; I'm left feeling content and energised from eating, and not at all drowsy.
Lunch: Sweet Chilli & Ginger Salmon with Bok Choi. (Ingredients: salmon fillet, cauliflower, red peppers, carrots, bok choi, edamame beans, kale, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, spring onion, fish sauce, red chilli, ginger, garlic, sea salt, white pepper).
Dinner is Harissa Chicken, Hash & Chermoula Bean Salad. This meal is from the Strong menu and it certainly looks like a substantial meal; the portion size looks bigger and feels heavier than I had expected. (I needn't have worried about going hungry with these meals!)
Again, this meal is surprisingly tasty - this is definitely 'real' food, and is in a completely different league to your average, over-processed, supermarket ready meal.
The dish is packed full of a tonne of natural whole foods (listed below), making it nutritionally dense, and considering how well balanced the flavours are, it also doesn't surprise me that these meals have been designed by Michelin trained chefs.
Dinner: Harissa Chicken, Hash & Chermoula Bean Salad. (Ingredients: chicken breast, celeriac, green beans, beetroot, puy lentil, chard baby leaves, olive oil pomace, onions, Greek yoghurt, chermoula, almonds, sesame seeds, pomegranate molasses, harissa rose, maple syrup, sea salt, pepper, coriander, chives, mint, gluten free oats, buckwheat grouts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, dried peppers, mustard, honey, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin, paprika, orange juice, rosemary).
Monday's menu
First up for Monday lunchtime is the Moroccan Apricot Beef Burgers & Minty Yoghurt and it's another super-tasty one. The apricot beef burgers are so soft, sweet and crumbly, whilst the accompanying veg is zesty, crunchy and spicy. This is another densely nutritious dish with an extensive list of ingredients - yet all of the flavours remain perfectly balanced.
Lunch: Moroccan Apricot Beef Burgers & Minty Yoghurt. (Ingredients: beef, cauliflower, chickpeas, courgette, carrots, Greek yoghurt, onions, dried apricots, kale, egg, harissa rose, olive oil pomace, garlic, coriander, mint, parsley, ras el-hanout, gluten free oats, buckwheat grouts, sea salt, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, pepper, mint, honey, mustard, orange juice, rosemary).
Dinner is Lamb Kofta, Quinoa with Sumac Salad & Olive Tapenade. Again, this is another dish brimming with flavours & freshness - these Michelin trained chef's really do seem to know what they're doing!
It's quite exciting delving into the accompanying quinoa salad, as there are so many different ingredients packed in: peppers, aubergine, courgette, raisins, anchovy fillets, pomegranate and almonds, plus an array of perfectly balanced herbs & spices.
Dinner: Lamb Kofta & Quinoa with Sumac Salad & Olive Tapenade. (Ingredients: lamb mince, yellow peppers, aubergine, courgette, quinoa, red onions, lemon juice, olive oil pomace, eggs, olives, coriander, rasins, apple cider, vinegar, anchovy fillets, pomegranate, flaked almonds, ras el-hanout, dill, sumac, garlic, mint, sea salt, cracked peppercorns, cumin, chilli flakes, xanthan gum).
Tuesday's menu
Tuesday's lunch is Sweet Chilli and Ginger Edamame Patties with Veg. The packaging states that 'this meal can be enjoyed cold or hot,' so as I'm a bit short on time today, I decide to try it as a cold dish.
This dish tastes crunchy, tangy and full of flavour. Again, it's satisfyingly filling, yet light enough to leave me feeling alert, rather than suffering an afternoon energy slump. It's delicious cold and the perfect meal to have outside in the garden with a glass of sparkling water, on this lovely, sunny summer solstice day!
With MunchFit, many of the meals can be enjoyed either hot or cold, which is useful; if you're out and about all day you could simply take a MunchFit meal with you to have as a cold, healthy & nutritious lunch.
Lunch: Sweet Chilli & Ginger Edamame Patties with Veg. (Ingredients: edamame beans, bok choi, red peppers, carrots, brown rice, kale, lime juice, tamari sauce, quinoa, olive oil pomace, spring onion, almond butter, almonds, white miso paste, raisins, ginger, flaxseed, red chilli, coriander, garlic, lemongrass, korean chilli flakes, sea salt, cracked peppercorns)
Dinner is Tahini Chicken with Pumpkin, Quinoa & Cranberries. This is the last meal in my box, and it's a perfectly pleasant meal, and clearly healthy, which is the main thing - this one just tastes a little plain and lacking in diversity of flavours when compared to the previous dishes I tried. It is still good - but this final meal is probably my least favourite.
Dinner: Tahini Chicken with Pumpkin, Quinoa & Cranberries. (Ingredients: chicken breast, butternut squash, kale, quinoa, natural yoghurt, dried cranberries, tahini, olive oil pomace, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, cumin, sea salt, garlic, cracked peppercorns, dried oregano).
MunchFit subscriptions
Overall, I've loved the meals I tried this week and I definitely want to order more in the future. The only thing is, I've used my initial one week trial now - and after the one week trial you do lose the option to order another one week only subscription. If I want to make a second order it looks like I'll have to commit to one of the longer subscriptions.
I'm slightly disappointed about this.
I would quite liked to have made another couple of one-off orders over the next month or so, perhaps trying out some of the breakfast options, without the commitment of a subscription at this point.
At least the subscription plans do offer some flexibility. You can sign up to either a 4, 8 or 12 week plan. Once you're signed up you do also have the option to pause the subscription for a week or so here and there if you need to, which gives further flexibility. The meals are freezable too - so you always have the option of sticking some meals in the freezer for a later date.
MunchFit offer a very similar service to Balance Box who I reviewed previously. Both companies offer healthy, fully prepared meals, delivered to your door.
When it comes to ordering one-off boxes though, Balanace Box comes out on top - with Balance Box you always have the option of ordering a one-off box rather than having to commit to a subscription.
However, with Balance Box the customisation options are limited - with Balance box you CAN'T choose how many meals you have per day - every box includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks by default. There is also no option to select the individual meals within the box - you have to have the fixed menu meals for that week's box.
With MunchFit you CAN choose the individual meals to go in the box. You also have a greater choice of meals per day (you can select 2, 3 or 4 meals a day), as well as a greater choice of days per week (you can choose to order enough meals for 3, 4, 5 or 6 days a week). You can even choose to 'pick and mix' meals from across the 4 different plans (Lean, Balanced, Strong and Green) with MunchFit.
So whilst Balance Box comes out on top for offering the option to order multiple one-off boxes, MunchFit wins for having the most flexible customisation options overall.
How much does MunchFit cost?
The cost of MunchFit meals varies depending on how many meals per day you select and the length of subscription you select. On average though, the meals work out at between £7.49 - £9.99 per meal.
How this compares to other meal services
The table below shows the average cost per meal for each of the recipe box and prepped meal services I've reviewed. With MunchFit being a fresh prepped meals service rather than a recipe box, the price comes in at the higher end.
| Company | Cost per 1 person portion | Service Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gousto | £3.14 - £4.37 | Recipe box | Read review |
| Mindful Chef (frozen meals) | £4.50 - £5.50 | Frozen meals | Read review |
| Abel & Cole | £4.50 - £6.00 | Recipe box | Read review |
| Mindful Chef (recipe box meals) | £5.81 - £7.75 | Recipe box | Read review |
| Riverford Organic | £6.38 - £8.98 | Recipe box | Read review |
| MunchFit | £7.49 - £9.99 | Fresh prepared meals | |
| Balance Box | £8.33 - £11.99 | Fresh prepared meals | Read review |
The verdict on MunchFit meals
Cost
At an average cost of £7.49 - £9.99 per meal, this is a relatively expensive meal service. However, for the price you're getting super-healthy, well-balanced meals, which have already been cooked and prepared for you. So you're paying for the convenience and time savings, as well as the luxury of meals created by top nutritional experts and Michelin-trained chefs.
Flexibility
Whilst there is no option to regularly order one-off deliveries after the trial week, the subscription plans do offer a lot of flexibility in many ways.
I love how you can entirely choose your own meals with MunchFit, mixing and matching between the plans. You can order as little as just 2 meals a day 3 days a week, you only have to commit to a short 4 week subscription, and you can even pause weeks within the subscription.
This flexibility makes it easy to build a little healthy convenience into life on at least some days, whilst being able to cook and eat other things for the rest of the week.
Taste and nutrition
These meals are tasty! And that's the one thing that stood out to me the most. I think it's fair to say that MunchFit really do live up to their promise of delivering nutritionally dense, healthy fresh meals, whilst also being the 'tastiest 70% ever.'
"If 70% of your fitness results is down to what you eat and 30% is the training you do then we strive to be the tastiest 70% ever." - MunchFit
MunchFit stockists
It's also possible to purchase some of the more popular MunchFit meals from a select few retailers, including Ocado and Planet Organic. The choice is a lot more limited than signing up direct for a subscription - but it does give the opportunity to sample a few meals without the commitment of a subscription.
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