One thing about me? Some of my greatest joys have been centered around food, and with that comes the need to eat a variety of dishes every day. So, naturally, when it comes to weight loss and my health journey, having creative and colorful meals is of the utmost importance to me.
Two of the biggest players in the weight loss industry are Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig. They’ve both been around for decades, and they have some serious staying power for a reason! I decided to test both plans, and I discovered one clear winner.
About the Two Plans
Nutrisystem offers balanced nutritional meals, backed by science and designed to keep your blood sugar steady. You'll find:
- 130+ dishes that don’t feel restrictive
- 6 different plans with varied pricing tiers
- The NuMi smart app
- on-demand coaching
- Lower-glycemic for healthy weight loss
Jenny Craig came onto the scene in 1983 in Melbourne, Australia, and focuses on tasty dishes, one-on-one coaching, and an approach rooted in intermittent fasting. You’ll find:
- A range of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks & desserts, and bars & shakes
- 3 tiers of plans: Simple Meal Plan, Essential Meal Plan, and Max Up Weight Loss Meal Plan
- One-on-one coaching (with the Max Up plan)
If you’re looking for the tastiest & most varied diets… Nutrisystem
Nutrisystem offers tons of options so I don’t get bored–more than 130 choices, in fact! From their Buttermilk Waffles to the Café-Style Creamy Tomato Soup to the Lemon Caper Chicken, you’ll never have to fear repeating a meal. Nutrisystem’s Cajun-Style Chicken and Shrimp Saute was delicious, and the Merlot Beef with Root Vegetables tasted like I was in a fancy restaurant!
I found Jenny Craig’s meal options to be less varied. On their website, you can choose from 19 breakfast options, 46 lunch & dinner options, 22 snacks & desserts, and 13 bars, shakes & more items. You’ll definitely run the risk of seeing some similar dishes here.
Unfortunately, Jenny Craig’s food just didn’t seem as hearty to me when compared to Nutrisystem. The Orange Chicken was soggy and didn’t offer much of an orange flavor. And while I was hoping to have a win with the Loaded Baked Potato, it wasn’t seasoned enough for my liking.
If you’re looking for the best-priced option… Nutrisystem
I’ve found that Nutrisystem is much cheaper than Jenny Craig. Nutrisystem’s plans (women’s, men’s, partner, diabetes, vegetarian, and 55+) all offer 3 pricing tiers within each plan. For example, the women’s basic plan starts at $9.99/day, while the most comprehensive option starts at $13.57/day. Cheaper and with more meal options? Sign me up.
Conversely, Jenny Craig just offers three different plans, which starts at $13.99/day and goes up to around $28.52/day.
If you’re looking for 1-on-1 coaching… it’s a tie
Both diets offer one-on-one coaching, though Nutrisystem’s coaching accessibility is broader. Regardless of whether you choose Nutrisystem’s Basic, Uniquely Yours, or Uniquely Yours Max+ plan, you’ll have access to 1-on-1 on demand weight loss coaching, 7 days a week. Regardless of the price point you choose, you’ll have access to coaching.
Jenny Craig also offers personalized 1-on-1 coaching, but it’s only available with their most expensive Max Up Weight Loss Meal Plan.
If you’re looking for personalization to the max… Nutrisystem
Nutrisystem aims to make its diet as specific as it can to you and your journey, and it succeeds. From the start, it’s so cool to see that you can pick a specialty diet, depending on whether you’re a man, woman, in a couple, 55+, diabetic, or vegetarian. Jenny Craig doesn’t offer any specialty diets.
Lastly, Nutrisystem’s NuMi app’s SmartAdapt feature is constantly optimizing your calorie goals as you lose weight, so you don’t hit a dreaded weight loss plateau that can come with non-personalized plans. Jenny Craig’s app is more self-directed, offering a Self-Monitor dashboard and Progress numbers.
Nutrisystem for the WIN!
For me, Nutrisystem was life changing. To have delicious tasting food that leaves me full and satisfied is crucial to my success. The high protein not only left me fueled for the day, I was also never left hungry or wanting to eat more. If you’ve been on the fence about whether to try Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig, you need to give Nutrisystem a go!
