The Complete Nutrisystem Review: Is This Program Right for You?

We tested this convenient weight-loss meal delivery program to help you decide if it’s a good fit.

Author:
Amber Sayer, NSCA-certified personal trainer
Updated:
Jan 4, 2024

An assortment of Nutrisystem meals and snacks against a yellow background — SI Showcase

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Following a diet to lose weight can be challenging. Nutrisystem is a popular weight loss meal-delivery service that offers pre-packaged, lower-calorie meals and snacks for a variety of different dietary needs. Nutrisystem customers often report success losing weight on the program, but how do you know if it’s a good fit for you?

Our SI Showcase tester, a NASM-certified nutrition coach, tried several meals so we could provide a complete review of the Nutrisystem program. In this article, we’ll walk you through how Nutrisystem works, the available meal plans and how they taste, the types of foods you can eat on Nutrisystem, the benefits and drawbacks, the pricing structure, customer reviews and how Nutrisystem stacks up compared to other weight loss programs available in 2024.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

Nutrisystem Key Info

Allergen-friendly meals offered? No
Specialty diet meals offered? Yes: Vegetarian, diabetes-friendly and lower-calorie for women over age 55; created by dietitians; all plans contain the daily recommended balance of sodium, cholesterol and fat.
Number of meal plans offered: Six meal plans with three different pricing tiers and package sizes per plan
Price: Starting at $9.99 per day
Shipping: Free shipping to continental U.S.

Nutrisystem Pros

Convenient lower-calorie prepared frozen meals, ready to heat and eat
Protein shakes and grab-and-go snacks available
Numerous meal plans and diet packages to choose from to suit different dietary needs, budgets and taste preferences
Can eat six times per day and enjoy several flex meals on your own, per week
Money-back guarantee for new customers
Free NuMi app to help support health and weight loss goals
Meals and diet plans created by dietitians to include lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains and fiber

Nutrisystem Cons

Box comes with four weeks of meals so you need to have ample freezer space
Portions are on the smaller side
No vegan, kosher or gluten-free plans available
Costly

What Is Nutrisystem?

Photo of five Nutrisystem meals in their packging — SI Showcase

Nutrisystem is a weight loss program that delivers prepared meals to your door. These balanced, low-calorie meals are portion-controlled to help people lose weight. The premise of the Nutrisystem is that eating frequently throughout the day will help balance blood sugar and hunger levels to prevent over-eating, while still maintaining a caloric deficit necessary to lose weight. Dieters eat six times per day, with each meal providing a few hundred calories.

The Nutrisystem meals come frozen and require reheating rather than cooking. One thing we like about Nutrisystem is that, unlike some other weight loss programs, the plan offers shakes, sweets and snacks so you don’t feel deprived of your favorite foods during your weight loss journey.

Related Post: Best Weight Loss Programs for Women

How Does Nutrisystem Work?

Nutrisystem is designed as a 28-day weight loss program. However, you can repeat your plan as many times as you want.

Each Nutrisystem meal plan suggests that you eat six times per day, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Depending on your plan, you’ll receive numerous heat-and-eat frozen entrees, along with diet shakes and snacks. The meals are designed by nutritionists to be balanced, providing healthy fats, proteins, fiber and complex carbohydrates.

The Nutrisystem app, NuMi, provides users with a number of other supportive features, such as meal tracking and weight tracking, along with daily reminders to drink water and exercise. Although exercise is not required as part of the weight loss program, Nutrisystem encourages all dieters to do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio exercise per week.

It's important to consult with your doctor before making any dietary changes. If you have underlying concerns like body dysmorphia, disordered eating or an eating disorder, please consult your doctor before beginning a weight loss program. Therapy or a more psychological approach to weight management may be needed.

Specialized Nutrisystem Programs

Nutrisystem provides separate diet programs for men and women at different price points. After you choose your program, you will select your meal plan. Nutrisystem offers meal plans that cater to different dietary restrictions, nutritional needs and budgets.

Nutrisystem Uniquely Yours

Uniquely Yours is Nutrisystem’s budget-friendly weight loss program that starts at roughly $10 a day. This plan includes five days of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and the option to include protein shakes for an additional cost.

Our tester, NASM-certified nutrition coach Cory Kessler, tried several of the most popular entrees, snacks and desserts from the Basic Plan to give you a first-hand perspective of what to expect, which will be discussed below.

Nutrisystem Uniquely Yours Max+

Uniquely Yours Max+ is a more expensive weight loss program and provides five to seven days of meals (depending on what you select). This option includes shakes as well as protein-packed “Hearty Inspiration Meals.” Nutrisystem Max+ starts at about $12 per day.

Related Post: Best Weight Loss Programs for Men

Nutrisystem Vegetarian

Nutrisystem’s vegetarian meal plan provides plant-based breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks designed to help you reach your weight loss goals. Once you choose either the Uniquely Yours or Uniquely Yours Max+ plan, use the Vegetarian filter to select your meals. Some menu options that caught our eye were the Spinach and Cheese Pretzel Melt, Spicy Kung Pao Noodles and the Mediterranean Flatbread.

Nutrisystem Diabetes Plan

The Nutrisystem Diabetes Plan is designed for those who are insulin-resistant, pre-diabetic or have type 2 diabetes. The diabetes-friendly meals are all designed by a registered dietitian and nutritionist to help regulate blood sugar; they are high in protein and fiber and contain carbohydrates that are lower on the glycemic index to prevent blood sugar spikes. Some of the options that sounded appetizing to us include Artichoke and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast, Roasted Turkey Medallions and Sesame Beef & Broccoli With Brown Rice. The Nutrisystem Basic Diabetes Plan starts at about $10 per day.

Nutrisystem Partner Plan

With Nutrisystem’s Partner Plan couples, partners, friends or family members can order any of the meals from the Uniquely Yours or Uniquely Yours Max + menu for two people. This allows you to work on your weight loss goals together.

Nutrisystem Complete 55

Nutrisystem’s Complete 55 is a weight loss program designed specifically for men and women ages 55 and up. The meals in this program are curated by dietitians with the metabolic needs of adults over 55. With the Complete 55 plan, you’ll get seven days of meals, including the Hearty Inspirations options. Men on the program will also get additional protein shakes. This Nutrisystem plan starts at around $12 per day.

Nutrisystem Meals

Nutrisystem offers quite a range of meals and snacks from different cuisines such as American, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai and fusion. Kessler says the Nutrisystem menu is fairly easy to navigate. You can expect to see meals filtered by your chosen plan; for example, only diabetic-friendly meals on the Nutrisystem Diabetes plan and only vegetarian-friendly meals on the Nutrisystem Vegetarian plan. However, Kessler says that no matter what plan you choose, you can see real customer reviews of each meal before selecting it.

Kessler received one week's worth of Nutrisystem meals and tried it to give you a better understanding of what to expect.

Some of the highest-rated Nutrisystem meals include the Cinnamon Roll and Buttermilk Waffles for breakfasts, the Mushroom Parmesan Soup with Chicken and Classic Hamburger for lunch, and the Italian Sausage and Turkey Pepperoni Pizza and Artichoke and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast for dinner.

Nutrisystem does try to add new menu options for the different meal plans periodically to keep things fresh. These new meal options are usually offered with higher-priced plans like the Uniquely Yours Max+.

Kessler also points out that Nutrisystem plans require you to supplement with grocery shopping and meals you make on your own.

“One of the foundations of Nutrisystem is education,” Kessler says, "The plan is designed to teach you how to shop for yourself and limit calories rather than restrict foods. Ideally, you’ll be able to maintain your weight on your own after you’ve achieved your weight loss goal.”

These additional groceries can include lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, low-fat dairy products, legumes and whole grains, in addition to Nutrisystem meals and snacks. However, Nutrisystem does offer guidance on what ingredients to buy, serving sizes and potential nutritional information of these additional meals.

Foods that you choose to eat that do not fall within these recommendations can count towards your “Flex Meals,” though these should be kept to a minimum to best support your overall weight loss goals. Nutrisystem suggests avoiding battered or fried proteins, fried vegetables, desserts like pies and ice cream, butter, lard, full-fat dairy, cookies, French fries, refined bread and pasta.

How does Nutrisystem food taste?

Kessler says that customers should expect that Nutrisystem meals and snacks will resemble the taste of what the meal intends to replicate, but as the recipes are tweaked to be healthier, the flavors may be somewhat muted, and there is usually less sauce, so some food may taste a little dry.

"The Nutrisystem meals and snacks I tried taste exactly like you would expect them to taste, but they are plain to keep the calorie count low—meaning little to no toppings or sauces," said Kessler.

One of Kessler's favorite breakfasts was the fan-favorite Cinnamon Roll.

"I thought it was delicious, but it had very little icing. Similarly, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Classic Hamburgers both had no toppings, which made them taste rather bland," he said.

The customer reviews on Reddit and other sites echo what Kessler said, describing the meals as somewhat bland, largely due to the lower sodium and lower fat nature of the recipes compared to restaurant meals or conventional frozen foods.

"In my experience, one of the biggest drivers of excess calories in most diets is not the food itself, but the additives that are strictly for taste," said Kessler. "Think about the amount of sauces on a hamburger at a restaurant or the amount of icing left on your plate after a breakfast pastry from a bakery. These can add hundreds of extra calories throughout the day."

Kessler suggests finding low-calorie toppings you enjoy to add to entrees, particularly the sandwich entrees. He says those looking to lose weight without sacrificing too much taste may enjoy Nutrisystem's meals after an "adjustment period."

"From what I have personally tested, Nutrisystem meals are close to mimicking a standard diet. You may have to push through the bland taste for a week or two until you get used to it, but that may be worthwhile for those trying to lose weight" Kessler said.

Customer reviews for some meals also note that the texture of certain foods may change when reheated, particularly if using a microwave instead of a toaster oven or a conventional oven. For example, meals that include cheese that are reheated in the microwave can sometimes end up feeling soft and soggy if they include bread. For this reason, with meals like the Nutrisystem Cheesesteak Pizza and Tuna melt, it is advisable to reheat the frozen dish in the toaster oven or conventional oven rather than the microwave if you have the time to do so.

How Much Does Nutrisystem Cost?

The cost of your Nutrisystem meal delivery will depend on which plan you choose and if you select any add-ons. Nutrisystem’s basic plan, Uniquely Yours, starts at less than $10 per day, bringing 28 days of meals to $269. All of the meal plans offer free shipping.

Lose weight for 2024 with 50% off plans, 50% off a month of shakes and free shaker bottle

Nutrisystem vs. Competitor Programs

Nutrisystem is similar to other weight loss meal delivery services that offer portion-controlled, prepared meals. Here’s how it stacks up against other popular diet meal-delivery programs.

Nutrisystem vs. Diet-to-Go

Nutrisystem is similar to Diet-to-Go in that both companies provide low-calorie, frozen meals designed by nutritionists with the goal of helping people lose weight. Both programs offer meal plans that cater to different dietary needs and preferences.

The biggest difference between the two weight loss programs is the format. Nutrisystem is designed as a 28-day program, and meals are delivered every four weeks. With Nutrisystem, you’ll eat six times each day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. In general, Nutrisystem meals cost less per meal than Diet-to-Go. Diet-to-Go meals are delivered once a week or twice a week and include two or three meals a day. The program does not include snacks.

Read our Diet-to-Go Review for more information on this weight loss program.

Nutrisystem vs. Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig is similar to Nutrisystem in that it provides calorie-controlled prepared meals delivered to your home. However, the cost per meal is higher, and there are fewer options for specific dietary goals. Both plans involve small portions and eating six times per day.

Like Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig uses registered dietitians to help create nutritious, balanced recipes that are low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-sodium and low-calorie. Jenny Craig meals meet certain other nutritional requirements such as being low in carbohydrates for diabetic-friendly meals. Jenny Craig is an annual subscription plan, and canceling is more difficult. However, there is a 12-week trial plan available.

Read our Nutrisystem vs. Jenny Craig Review for a more in-depth comparison of these popular weight loss programs.

Who Nutrisystem Is Best For

We think Nutrisystem is best for people who want to lose weight but don’t want to spend time cooking, grocery shopping or trying to create balanced, low-calorie meals. This weight loss program is ideal for people who want the convenience of reheating frozen meals but still want to have snacks and sweets without feeling like they are sabotaging their weight loss goals.

We also recommend Nutrisystem to those who need extra guidance on their weight loss journey and cannot afford the services of a private personal trainer or health coach. Nutrisystem’s nutrition app, NuMi, provides supportive services like food logging, reminders to drink water and exercise, information about healthy eating, diet tips and personalized nutrition recommendations.

Finally, we think Nutrisystem is a good choice if you have specific dietary needs such as diabetes-friendly diet. All menus can be customized to meet nutritional preferences, like low carb, omitting wheat, milk, shellfish or tree nuts and can even accommodate people who suffer from Diverticulosis.

Who Nutrisystem Is Not Best For

The cost of Nutrisystem per meal can be fairly expensive, depending on your meal plan and budget, so if you need a budget-friendly weight loss plan, Nutrisystem may not be the best choice for you. Nutrisystem does not cater to certain dietary needs, such as those who need gluten-free food, kosher food, vegan food or food free from common allergens such as peanuts and soy. If you follow those specific diets or have a soy or peanut allergy, Nutrisystem is not for you.

How to Get Started on Nutrisystem

Photo of six Nutrisystem meals and snacks in their wrappers — SI Showcase

Getting started with Nutrisystem is a simple and straightforward process. After going to the Nutrisystem website, you select which Nutrisystem program you would like to purchase and then customize your plan to meet your age or specific dietary needs.

If you want the added support from NuMi, you can input your sex, height and current weight so that the app can provide personalized recommendations and plans for you.

Nutrisystem Customer Reviews

Customer reviews for Nutrisystem are mostly positive. Many customers love the convenience and variety of meals offered on the different menus and the ability to cater meal plans to specific wellness goals. Most dieters like the sweet treats and snacks, the ability to have flex meals, the supportive NuMi app, getting to eat six times per day and the convenience of shakes and snacks that don’t need heating.

Some reviews note that the meals lack in texture and flavor, and that you definitely know you’re eating diet food based on taste. Some meal ratings note a lack of seasoning and that some foods become soggy after heating.

Nutrisystem FAQs

How much weight can I lose in a month on Nutrisystem?

The amount of weight you will lose in a month on any diet depends on several different factors, including how well you follow a diet plan and how active you are. The Nutrisystem website claims that you can expect to lose one to two pounds per week if you follow the program, and that women can lose up to 13 pounds, and men can lose up to 18 pounds in the first month.

Is it difficult to cancel Nutrisystem?

No. Customers may call customer service or use the chat function on the Nutrisystem website to cancel your auto-delivery program any time before 6:00 p.m. ET the day before your order is scheduled to be processed.

Is Nutrisystem food healthy?

Nutrisystem meals are low-calorie and portion-controlled to support weight loss. The entrees are designed by nutritionists and dietitians to be in line with nutritional guidelines set forth in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Compared to many pre-packaged meals and frozen foods, Nutrisystem meals are lower in sodium, cholesterol and sugar and higher in fiber and protein. However, the food is still processed, so it may not be as healthy as whole foods.

Can I do Nutrisystem for just one month?

Yes, most Nutrisystem weight loss plans are four-week plans. You can cancel after one month as long as you do so before your next shipment is processed.

Is Nutrisystem worth it?

Kessler says that if portion control is sabotaging your weight loss, Nutrisystem is definitely worth it. “The portions were smaller than I expected, so be prepared for an adjustment period where you may feel hungry,” Kessler says.

Final Thoughts

After our team reviewed Nutrisystem and tested some of the meals, we think this weight loss meal delivery service is a good option if you struggle with portion control and are trying shed pounds. We like that Nutrisystem’s provides convenient, pre-portioned meals that are dietitian-created to help you on your weight loss journey. While our tester didn’t think these meals were the most flavorful entrees he's tried, he did like the variety of choices offered. We also liked that Nutrisystem includes snacks and sweets, so you won’t feel deprived. Some things to keep in mind are that Nutrisystem can be a pricey option when it comes to weight loss programs, and the meals are processed so they may not be as healthy as eating whole foods.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.