Freshly in 2021
A look back at this past year and our hopes for 2022.
Meal kits are an incredibly popular subscription box service - we love getting new recipes and an in-depth guide to help us make our meals at an affordable price and without an overwhelming excess of leftovers. Freshly takes meal kits another step with its heat-and-serve prepared meals. This brand has proven to be a top prepared meal service: it takes out the stress of cooking and lets you get to the good stuff within just a few minutes. Freshly made our 25 Best Prepared Meal Delivery Services in 2021, and was voted as the best all-around prepared meal service, and it's easy to see why. Let's take a look at Freshly's 2021 year in review and see how it made it to the top of our list.
Gallery: What to Expect From Freshly
1 of 10 | Image via our review.
About Freshly
THE SUBSCRIPTION BOX: Freshly is a prep-free food subscription box that sends ready-to-eat meals right to your door. You simply heat them up, so you’ll skip the dirty dishes — and each plate is gourmet-quality food. Options are available for people with different dietary preferences, and unlike many of the other meal boxes on this list, Freshly offers options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can also filter meals to find gluten-free and smart nutrition options. The one downside: Freshly has a limited number of plant-based options.
Freshly meals only take minutes to prepare and contain minimal sugar and few processed ingredients.
ACTIVE DEAL: Use code LAUNCH15 to get $60 off your first four meals
CODE: LAUNCH15
AVAILABILITY: Most of the U.S.
THE COST: Plans start at $11.79 per serving. Pricing varies depending on the number of meals and serving sizes. Choose the plan that works for you and sign up here.
Freshly 2021 Highlights
Freshly made a lot of strides in 2021 to cater to its customers. We saw the creation of FreshlyFit, the start of their limited edition Chef's Specialty series, and they also started offering plant-based meals that are perfect for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone who simply enjoys plant-based alternatives. These major activations leave us excited for 2022 - we can't help but wonder what other series and new meal plans they have in store.
Freshly Launched the "Chef's Special by Freshly" Series
Image via Freshly.
2021 brought special edition meals crafted by four renowned chefs for a series called "Chef's Special by Freshly." Each chef created their own ready-to-heat meal that was sprinkled into the menu offerings from April 2021 to January 2022. Food Network star, Jet Tila, opened with a Kung Pao Steak with Basmati Rice and Toasted Cashews; followed by James Beard award-winning Chef Kwame Onwuachi's Escovitch Steak with Jerk Broccoli, Peppers & Coconut Rice; an Oven-Roasted Pork Chop meal from James Beard Award-winning chef and cookbook author Sean Brock; and finally a Sliced Beef Brisket from Top Chef winner and Fast Foodies co-host Kristen Kish.
We love the sophistication and fine dining that was brought to the Freshly menu - these deliciously curated meals added a fun change of pace to the menu of 35+ meals and still only took a few minutes to heat and serve.
FreshlyFit
Image via Freshly.
Freshly consumers requested healthier meals with macros in mind and Freshly responded with the launch of its clean eats offshoot, FreshlyFit. This new brand is designed on the same foundation of gluten-free and healthy recipes that are ready to heat and serve, but they go a step further with meals that feature a lower-carb, protein-powered nutritional profile intended to help fuel workouts, optimize recovery, maintain muscle mass, and support weight management. FreshlyFit meals include an average of 14 grams of net carbs and over 30 grams of protein—all with only 550 calories or less. Plus, more than a third of the brand’s meal portfolio contains zero added sugars.
The meals have been created with paleo, keto, and plant-based principles with healthier ingredients including carb-smart cauli rice, super greens, seasonal veggies, and proteins like chicken and pork.
What Freshly Got Right in 2021
Variation
Along with FreshlyFit offering a whole new range of healthier, low-carb, and high protein offerings, we also saw plenty of delicious offerings on their main menu, with 35+ unique recipes circulating on their menu. Some favorites from this year include:
- Homestyle Chicken with Masterful Mac & Cheese
- Protein-Packed Chicken Parm with Mozzarella & Garlicky Broccoli
- Pork Carnitas with Basmati Rice, Black Beans & Corn
- Street Eats Thai Basil Beef with Stir-Fry Veggies & Basmati Rice
- Slow-Cooked Red Wine Beef Brisket with Creamy Mash & Garlic-Oregano Bean Salad
Great for Singles
These meals have been perfect for singletons who are working from home or find themselves too busy to make sure they get a well-rounded meal for lunch or dinner, weekly. Each meal only takes a few minutes to heat and then it's ready to serve, making it great for those with busy lifestyles. The meals also start at $11.79 a meal, with discounts when purchasing more meals per week, so it's similar or cheaper than a fast-casual meal you'd get on your lunch break or on your way from home.
What We Would Like to See in 2022
While we love how perfect these portioned heat-and-serve meals are for singles, we think these meals would also be perfect for busy families. It would be great to see Freshly provide meals that can cater to larger families - especially for nights when you're too busy to make a home-cooked meal, these are great options for filling and nutrient-dense meals. Adding plans for families could be a great expansion for this brand.
Are you going to try Freshly in 2022? Let us know in the comments!
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