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RealEats Meal Delivery Review (2024)

Free Delivery on All Orders

Shannan Bergtholdt author image

In a Nutshell

RealEats is a hidden gem in the meal delivery world that champions local farms, seasonal produce, and restaurant-quality meals. Their secret to maximizing flavor is sous-vide, a simple boiling method used by high-end restaurants to heat food in less than 6 minutes. RealEats is right for parents and professionals who don’t have time to plan meals but are looking for nutritious, top-quality dinner solutions.

pros

  • Fully prepared meals ready in 6 minutes
  • Seasonal, locally sourced protein and produce
  • Large variety of menu add ons

cons

  • Does not deliver to all US states
  • Limited choices for many dietary restrictions

RealEats RealEats Visit Site

Best For

  • Busy people who want to eat healthy and clean

  • People looking for local and seasonal menus

  • Anyone trying to lose weight 

RealEats Meal Plans

Based in Geneva, NY, RealEats sources ingredients from local farms and their chefs create a seasonal menu. Each week, you'll get to browse through roughly 15 to 20 different meal options. 

RealEats has one primary menu from which there are four meal plans based on how many meals you want to be delivered per week. 

The Main Meal Plan allows you to choose whether you’d like 4, 6, 8, or 12 meals per week. The 12 meals per week plan offers the best value for as little as $9.83 per meal. The Main Meal Plan works for couples, busy parents, and professionals wanting nutritious individual meals. 

Finding meals for a dietary restriction may require a little extra work on your part. Some meals are clearly labeled for meeting a specific dietary restriction such as Keto. If you have a particular dietary preference or food allergy, you will need to read through the meal description and ingredients to find what will work for you.   

All of the RealEats entrees have fewer than 600 calories, making them good options for people looking for portion-controlled meals to support weight loss. Dishes come as single-serving meals, so if you're cooking for more than one person, calculate accordingly.

The menu features a diverse selection of meals influenced by flavors of Southwest cuisine, classic American favorites, Asian fusion, and Indian-inspired vegetarian meals. Curious about what a week’s worth of meals looks like? 

Here’s a sample weekly menu for the 4 meals plan:

  • Citrus Miso Salmon with Honey Glazed Carrots and Quinoa with Lemon

  • Dijon Mustard Steak, Spring Veg Medley, Loaded Cauliflower Mash

  • Shredded Chicken Fajitas, Cuban Black Beans and Spanish Rice

  • Saag Paneer with Chana Masala and Saffron Basmati Rice

How much does RealEats cost?

With no membership or hidden contract fees, you only pay for the meals you need with RealEats. The cost depends on how many meals you want to order per week.

Shipping costs depend on the size of the delivery and range from $5.16 for a 4-meal plan to $11.88 for a 12-meal plan. 

Plan
Price Per Serving
Price Per Week
Shipping

Main Meal, 4 meals/week

$14.99

$59.96

$5.16

Main Meal, 6 meals/week

$13.49

$80.94

$7.14

Main Meal, 8 meals/week

$12.99

$103.92

$8.72

Main Meal, 12 meals/week

$11.49

$137.88

$11.88

How Does RealEats Work?

RealEats is a subscription meal delivery system. Placing your first order is as easy as picking your plan then choosing your meals. Once you place your order, you are automatically enrolled in their weekly subscription that can be canceled at any time. Here’s everything you need to know to get started. 

RealEats Plans

Ordering 

Ordering from RealEats is simple. First, decide how many meals you'd like to order per week: 4, 6, 8, or 12 meals. Also, select whether you’d like to have breakfast included with your meal plan. 

Make your meal choices from the scrumptious menu items. The website has a convenient meal countdown, so you know how many meals you have left to choose. 

After you pick the main meals, you can select from a large variety of add-ons like extra protein servings, side dishes, extra vegetable servings, protein shakes, juices, and more. You will also find breakfast options such as sous vide egg bakes bites. 

Once you have all the items you want in your cart, enter your shipping and billing information, place the order and your food will arrive the following week.

Choosing Meals

There is a rotating weekly menu from which you can choose your meals. Each week features 15 to 20 menu options. Choose the meals that you want from the main menu. Add the meals to your cart to complete your order. 

Cooking instructions & Recipe Cards 

When your meals arrive, you can heat and eat immediately. RealEats meals can stay in your fridge for up to a week before the freshness and quality deteriorate. 

Meals are designed to use the sous-vide technique of boiling the packets in water for 6 minutes. Follow the sous-vide directions on the packaging to optimize the flavor of each dish.

You can also choose to microwave these meals instead of sous-vide, but be sure to remove the plastic and follow the microwave instructions on the package. 

Add-Ons

RealEats stands out as a premier farm-to-table meal delivery service. Their unique sous vide bags optimize the flavor and freshness of chef-prepared meals. RealEats menu highlights produce from locally-sourced farms and ranchers. 

RealEats offers a large variety of menu add-ons allowing you to customize your order in many ways. You cannot order add-ons individually, but once you place your main meal order, you can add on any of the following menu items:

  • Breakfasts

  • Soups and Chilis

  • Proteins

  • Sides

  • Drinks and Smoothies

  • Snacks

Proteins come in single-serving packs and are a seamless way to increase protein if you need extra calories for the day or want to build muscle. Sides are a delicious way to add an extra serving of vegetables or grains to your meal

Drinks and smoothies are nutritional powerhouses. Look for probiotic water, cold-pressed juices, and plant-based protein shakes to boost your nutrition. 

The snacks menu is like a mini health food store featuring local meats and cheese, low-carb snack mixes, and protein bars, great for keeping you full between meals and supporting local farmers.

menu add-ons

RealEats Dietary Options

There is one primary menu with a few dietary options available. First, all meals are under 600 calories, which can be part of a weight loss plan

There are also keto and vegetarian meals clearly labeled on the menu. Keto dishes have less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per serving that are a good fit for a low carb and ketogenic diet. Vegetarian meals contain fish or cheese as part of the main entree which can work for many types of vegetarian diets. 

It is important to note that the menu is designed for an overall healthy eating experience, but not for specific dietary restrictions. However, if you have a dietary restriction or food allergy, you can search the recipe descriptions and ingredients to find meals that will work for you. 

RealEats Dietary Options

RealEats Packaging, Shipping, and Delivery

Meals arrive in vacuum-sealed bags that are specially designed for sous-vide cooking. The packs are 100% food-safe, BPA-free, and will not leach chemicals into your food.

Shipping boxes are made from recyclable cardboard and reusable gel packs help keep your food fresh and ready to heat. 

The biggest downside to RealEats is that they do not currently ship to all US states. They deliver to 19 states and to areas within 8 additional states. You can easily check their website for delivery to your zip code. 

RealEats App

RealEats does not have an app, place your orders and manage your subscription through the website. 

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RealEats Customer Service

Phone/Email

RealEats has customer support available through email at support@realeats.com, or phone at 1-855-695-6387. The live chat option on their website connects you with a customer service representative who can answer many common questions. 

Contact customer service by phone or live chat Monday through Friday from 9 to 5 pm EST. 

FAQ

There's also a helpful FAQ section on the website addressing many topics from delivery to ingredients and subscriptions. 

RealEats FAQ section features questions about:

  • Ingredients

  • Preparation & Packaging

  • Subscription & Signup

  • Delivery

  • Manage My Account

  • Contact Us

Refunds

RealEats will refund your order under certain circumstances. Refunds will be credited within 3 to 5 days. A credit may also be applied to your account in lieu of a refund payment. Contact the company at support@realeats.com with refund inquiries. 

How to Cancel or Pause RealEats

RealEats is a subscription plan, but you can pause or cancel your subscription at any time before 11:59 PM on Thursdays. 

To cancel or pause your subscription, log into your account and find the week that you wish to change. Under edits, you can choose either to pause the subscription for the week or cancel your subscription completely. 

It is important to note that orders already placed will not be canceled, but you can email customer service at support@realeats.com to work with them on this issue. 

How RealEats Compares to Other Meal Delivery Services

RealEats delivers the farm-to-table feel with every fresh meal and is unique in its sous-vide cooking process to provide maximum flavor. 


RealEats

Freshly

Home Chef

Hello Fresh

Pricing

$8.99-$14.99/meal

$8.99-$11.79/meal


$8.99/serving

$7.49-$9.99/meal

Dietary Restrictions Catered To

Vegetarian, keto, paleo

Gluten-free, low carb, low calorie, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, allergies

Milk-free, carb-conscious, soy-free, wheat-free, nut-free, vegetarian, avoid: mushrooms, shellfish, pork, beef, fish, poultry, tree nuts, peanuts

Vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free

Number of meal plans

4

3

3

2

Amount of prep work required

Minimal

Low

Low to Moderate

Low to Moderate

Packaging

Insulated cardboard and ice gel packs

Go-Green plastic containers in partially recycled insulation and packaging

Partially recycled cardboard and plastic

Partially recycled cardboard

Delivers on promises (e.g., 15 minutes to cook)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

RealEats vs Freshly

RealEats and Freshly offer fresh, single-serving packaged meals for health-minded people. Their meals have similar pricing but Freshly can easily accommodate more dietary restrictions than RealEats. RealEats has a greater emphasis on a menu highlighting local and seasonal foods. 

RealEats vs Home Chef

Home Chef’s line of Fast and Fresh meals are similar to RealEats in that they are both subscription services that offer fast, prepared meals. Home Chef can cater to a larger variety of nutrition needs, but RealEats has a larger selection of add ons like soups and sides. 

RealEats vs HelloFresh

HelloFresh meals have a lower cost per serving than RealEats, but what you save in food cost, you make up for with time because you have to prepare the meals yourself. HelloFresh has prepared ingredients and recipes, but most recipes take between 20 and 30 minutes, compared to RealEats 6 minute cooking time. 

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Bottom Line

RealEats gives you the farm-to-table experience at home by highlighting seasonal and local produce in their rotating menu. Feel like you’re eating at your favorite local restaurant with these chef-prepared meals perfect for the health-minded adult looking for quick and delicious dinners.

Frequently Asked Questions
What does RealEats cost?+-

RealEats costs $8.99-$14.99/meal depending on the type of meal plan you choose. Main meals include protein with two sides and cost between $11 and $14. Meal plans that include a breakfast meal have a slightly lower cost per meal at $8.99 to $11.49 because the breakfast meals cost less than the main meal.

Can RealEats be microwaved?+-

Yes, RealEats meals can be heated in the microwave. The Freshpack in which they arrive is designed specifically to be boiled, but if you remove meals from the Freshpack and plate your meal, they can be heated in the microwave.

Can I freeze RealEats?+-

Yes, you can freeze RealEats meals. The meals arrive fresh and are meant to be eaten by the use-by date. But, if you need a longer shelf life, you can store the meals in the freezer.

Shannan Bergtholdt, MS Ed, RDN writes for top10.com and is a Registered Dietitian with over 20 years of experience. Her original research studies were published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association as well as Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. As a consultant, she has diverse sales copywriting and freelance experience delivering practical and actionable nutrition information.

*The information on this site is based on research, but should not be treated as medical advice. Before beginning any new diet plan, we recommend consulting with a physician or other professional healthcare provider. Results may vary based on various health factors, individual weight loss plans and adherence to the meal plan.

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