BistroMD vs. Nutrisystem 2025: A Clear Winner

Both BistroMD and Nutrisystem offer convenient, single-serving meals to help you lose weight. Having researched and tested both services, I know it’s not as simple as picking one over the other. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and those differences can have a big impact depending on what you’re looking for.

I’ve personally tested both services. I can tell you that there are times when 1 might suit your needs better than the other. Whether you prioritize affordability, nutritional support, or food quality, each service has something unique to offer. My goal is to help you figure out which one fits your lifestyle best.

For me, BistroMD stood out as the winner. Its meals are crafted with whole, high-quality ingredients and backed by expert input from dietitians. There’s also more variety in its meal plans, which makes it easier to stick to a program that works for you. That said, Nutrisystem has its perks, too, so let’s dive in and take a closer look at both.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Menu Variety: BistroMD Has More Options

Both BistroMD and Nutrisystem work with a more or less rotating menu, with occasional new additions. So it isn't surprising that both services promise lots of options, to help you avoid having to eat the same things every week.

Meal Types: Both Offer Single-Serving, Prepared Meals

Both services offer prepared, single-serve meals specific to weight loss. This means they’re not very suitable for kids. And neither service is designed to feed an entire family.

However, BistroMD actually has more options if you also consider its EATS (Essential And Tasty Snacks). As well as its prepared meals, you can pick up snack bars, protein shakes, and even calorie-controlled desserts like the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake.

BistroMD currently has more than 195 items on the menu if you count its breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items, although some of these might only be available seasonally.

Meanwhile, Nutrisystem’s 130+ items include breakfast, lunch, and dinner – but how much variety you get depends on the options you choose. All plans offer frozen and shelf-stable meals, but you can choose to add Hearty Inspirations meals as an extra, giving you even more meal variety. You can also choose to follow high-protein or low-carb meal plans if you pick the more flexible Advantage plan.

With the most affordable plans, you can only access shelf-stable pantry meals – some of which need to be cooked, others of which are ready to eat – and Top-Rated frozen options. Out of all of Nutrisystem’s dinner entrees, there are around 10 Hearty Inspirations options, so choosing Nutrisystem’s more basic plans will definitely cramp your menu choices.

BistroMD offers a fixed menu of over 150 dishes on its Signature plan, which provides a wide variety of options catering to diverse tastes. Specialized plans, such as Heart Healthy or Gluten-Free, include a subset of these dishes tailored to specific dietary needs.

Nutrisystem’s menu features mostly calorie-controlled comfort foods, many of which are heavily processed. You’ll find hundreds of items, from full meals to snacks and meal replacements. The menu is well-organized, with categories like breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and frozen items, making it easy to navigate.

Cuisines: Both Focus on American Comfort Food Dishes

BistroMD’s menu leans heavily on American comfort food, with options like hearty casseroles and classic entrees. However, it also incorporates a modest range of internationally-inspired flavors, including around 15 Italian meals, 15 Mexican dishes, and a selection of Asian-inspired options. While you can’t mix plans, the Signature menu allows flexibility to select from the full range of meals.

Nutrisystem’s cuisine also leans heavily toward American fare, with some generic takes on Italian and Chinese dishes. The menu includes prepared meals such as frozen pizzas, burritos, and pasta, alongside shelf-stable items like mac and cheese and meal replacement bars. Nutrisystem also stands out for its wide variety of snacks, including popcorn, cookies, and even ice cream. While the menu doesn’t change weekly, new items are occasionally added to keep things fresh.

Sample Meals: Convenient Options, but Both Fall Short on Flavor

BistroMD Meals

Navigating BistroMD’s menu was a bit of a hassle. The meals are organized into a strict daily schedule, which felt overly rigid and time-consuming to adjust. With small photos and no easy way to pick meals freely, the process lacked the flexibility and ease I was hoping for.

These dishes (pictured left to right above) were some of my top choices:

• African Peanut Stew: A bold and exciting dish with aromatic spices and sweetness from coconut milk. While it needed more salt, the unique flavors made it my favorite of the week.

• Beef Burrito Bowl: I enjoyed this dish. The tender beef and cool, high-protein guacamole work surprisingly well together. The comforting flavors were good, though I added salt and hot sauce for extra punch.

• Vegetable Red Curry With Tofu: The tangy flavors of kaffir lime and lemongrass were nice. It definitely needed more sauce to tie together the veggies and tofu. It was hearty and nutritious but needed salt to enhance the flavor.

Nutrisystem Meals

Exploring Nutrisystem’s menu is straightforward and user-friendly. The clear categories, search bar, and even a dedicated “Sale” section made it feel more like shopping online. I loved the freedom to mix and match items, which made customizing my plan quick and simple.

Here are my thoughts on these dishes (pictured left to right above):

• Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, and Turkey Sausage Pizza: This "Hearty Inspirations" pizza was a standout. It baked perfectly and tasted just as good as any frozen pizza, requiring no adjustments. It felt indulgent and satisfying.

• Red Pepper Chicken and Pasta Sauté: This dish was disappointing. The overcooked pasta, dry chicken, and bland sauce made it unenjoyable. The woody asparagus stalks added to the letdown.

• Salisbury Steak With Mac and Cheese: This was a complete miss. The steak had a spongy texture, the gravy was bland, and the watery mac and cheese offered no improvement. I couldn’t salvage it and wouldn’t recommend it.

Meal Customization: BistroMD Offers a Greater Variety of Plans

Diet meal delivery services are designed to control your caloric intake so that you lose weight. This generally means you have less flexibility than with other meal delivery services – particularly in terms of taking out and adding ingredients. But this also means not counting calories or weighing each gram of food you eat for the rest of your life.

However, neither service allows you to customize individual dishes. And, neither menu nor meals can be mixed and matched.

BistroMD Plans

BistroMD’s plans include the Signature Program for either men or women and several more. Here’s a list of the plans:

• Heart Healthy: Here, you’ll get breakfasts, lunches, and dinners containing fewer calories, and sodium, total fat, and saturated fat levels at or below American Heart Association recommendations.

• Gluten Free: This is, of course, a meal plan with meals that contain zero gluten. The meals meet the FDA gluten-free standard to not contain wheat, rye, or barley.

• Keto Flex: Keto diets are generally aggressively low-carb and high-fat. That’s where Keto Flex comes in – enjoy a more balanced approach with slightly more carbs and slightly less fat.

• Diabetic Friendly: Here, you’re getting meals that have actually been designed by a doctor – Dr. Caroline Cederquist, MD. She’s designed the program to help you effectively control diabetes, lose weight, and for general good health.

• Menopause: This one’s for women who want to lose weight during menopause. Insulin resistance is the enemy of managing weight gain and type II diabetes. It’s been designed to maintain stable blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity.

• Vegan: Carb-conscious 100% plant-based meals designed with a healthy balance of macronutrients, more protein, and fewer carbs than highly processed store-bought vegan meals. 

Each plan has a slightly different offering. If you’d like to find out exactly how they differ, you can use the handy Compare Program feature under Programs.

Customize Your BistroMD Menu by Removing Dishes

BistroMD claims that these programs can be customized, but the individual ingredients in its prepared meals cannot. It’s simply about custom-building the menu to suit your taste (so you can remove any suggestions from the BistroMD dietitians, for example).

BistroMD will work with you to choose a plan that excludes allergens if you have any allergies or food sensitivities. These include tomatoes and dairy, for instance. However, the help it can give you may be limited, and the company can’t promise that cross-contamination won’t occur. Also, excluding ingredients will exclude the entire meal.

Nutrisystem Plans

Nutrisystem, on the other hand, offers standard plans for men and women, as well as a few more – just not as many as BistroMD. Nutrisystem also has a tendency to change its plan options and offerings regularly, so it can get quite confusing.

Keep in mind that all plans come with 1-on-1 weight loss coaching and the NuMi SmartAdapt app. Those are the only things that stay consistent throughout each plan. 

Nutrisystem has specialized plans for men and women of different ages. These plans are designed to meet the unique caloric needs of each sex and age group. 

If you are diabetic, the majority of Nutrisystem’s meals are diabetes-friendly and help you manage your blood sugar and insulin levels, but there’s no specific diabetes plan. It’s recommended to consult your physician before starting a Nutrisystem plan if you have diabetes. You’ll also find partner plans that can help you achieve your weight-loss goals with the additional motivation of another person. 

Get the Most Customization With Club Advantage 

If you don’t want to commit to a structured plan, you can sign up for Club Advantage. This gives you access to all items on the menu. You can order whatever items you want on your own schedule. As the specific plans change so often, it’s best to check out our full Nutrisystem review. This provides the most up-to-date information on the current plans and pricing options.

Ingredient Quality & Nutrition: BistroMD Is Fresh + Wholesome

BistroMD is the clear winner here. Nutrisystem’s reduced-calorie meals rely largely on heavily processed food, while BistroMD uses fresh, wholesome ingredients prepared by chefs and flash-frozen to retain nutrients and flavor. 

Whenever possible, BistroMD uses ingredients from local, family-owned farms. All seafood is sustainably sourced, all beef is rBGH-free, and all chicken is hormone-free. There are no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, trans fats, MSG, or nitrates. You can check ingredient lists and nutritional information on the BistroMD website. 

The recipe for BistroMD’s Meatloaf With Honey Bourbon Glaze shows that the meatloaf is made with protein-rich quinoa instead of bread crumbs, while the cheesy quinoa side dish is a healthy, lower-carb alternative to macaroni and cheese that combines low-fat cheddar and smoked gouda cheeses.

Nutrisystem also provides nutritional information and a complete ingredient listing on its website. While the calorie count for the Rotini and Meatballs is good for weight loss, the ingredients list shows a lot of questionable items like textured soy protein, beef flavoring, and modified corn starch. And while BistroMD uses organic produce when available, Nutrisystem uses some genetically modified produce. 

Nutrisystem offers no information about the quality of its meats or seafood. While most Nutrisystem meals contain no preservatives due to the processing methods used in creating them, some meals and snacks contain preservatives like BHT, potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate. But Nutrisystem includes customer ratings that help you see the way fellow Nutrisystem users felt about each entree.

Ordering, Delivery, Unboxing: BistroMD Is Way Simpler

If you’re looking for simplicity and transparency, BistroMD takes the win. It offers a more streamlined experience with clear pricing and minimal distractions. Nutrisystem’s approach might appeal if you want a heavily structured plan, but its website could use a major decluttering.

It’s a Smooth Process With BistroMD

Ordering from BistroMD was a relatively smooth process. The homepage immediately guided me to the subscription setup, which was straightforward enough, but choosing the right plan was tricky. With 6 different diets and various combinations of meals, I found myself double-checking options to make sure I got the best fit. If you’re already familiar with your dietary needs, this will be much less of an issue.

You need to input your email right after selecting a plan, but it was helpful to see full menus and pricing before signing up. You do need to provide payment information and create an account before choosing your meals. Delivery is automatic once you place an order, with no option to pick specific days, though deliveries arrive reliably every week.

Be Ready for a Challenge With Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem, on the other hand, is more of a challenge to navigate. The site bombards you with promotional material, pop-ups, and upsell attempts at every turn. Unlike BistroMD’s cleaner interface, Nutrisystem’s cluttered website felt like a digital maze.

Like BistroMD, you can see menus and pricing upfront without an account. However, there was no zip code check until checkout, which could leave you uncertain about delivery eligibility. Nutrisystem’s plans are pretty logical (women, men, partners) but all the additional choices make it feel overwhelming (meal types, days, menu, shakes, and payment options). Check out the pricing section for more on the complexities of pricing with Nutrisystem.

Nutrisystem Has a Wider Delivery Area

When it comes to delivery, BistroMD only ships to the continental US due to the nature of its flash-frozen meals. Nutrisystem, on the other hand, will ship all non-frozen food items as far as Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Puerto Rico, and even to PO and APO boxes – making its pantry-ready meals and snacks super accessible to all.

It’s easy to change or reschedule your BistroMD delivery. You’ll just need to do so by the weekly cutoff date, which is Wednesday at 5 pm EST the week before your scheduled delivery.

Nutrisystem’s delivery works slightly differently and delivers your food every 28 days, ensuring you’re fully stocked up for the month. You can’t nominate a delivery day – your first package will arrive between 1 and 10 business days from the date of your order.

Both BistroMD and Nutrisystem use FedEx, making tracking simple and reliable. BistroMD processes deliveries weekly without letting you choose specific days, but my package arrived on time with a standard FedEx slot. Nutrisystem also provides tracking via email but no time window.

Unboxing: BistroMD Is the Greener Choice

BistroMD stands out for its thoughtful, eco-conscious packaging. Nutrisystem’s unboxing felt more like opening a generic frozen food shipment. Both services ensured meals arrived frozen and ready for storage, but BistroMD’s compostable insulation and recyclable materials made it the greener choice. Nutrisystem’s use of styrofoam and lack of recycling instructions showed room for improvement.

BistroMD’s box arrived in excellent condition, neatly packed, and surprisingly personalized. A plastic envelope included documents such as a personalized diet plan and a weight-loss pamphlet, which was a nice touch. Inside, 10 frozen meals were neatly arranged with dry ice ensuring everything stayed ice-cold. The dry ice was an exciting novelty and kept the meals frozen solid.

Packaging was impressively eco-friendly: cardboard and plastic bags were recyclable, the foam insulation was compostable, and the dry ice evaporated, leaving no waste. 

Both Have Clear Packaging Information

Labels on BistroMD’s meals were thorough, including the dish name, cooking instructions, ingredients, and nutritional information. While all meals are freezer-ready, they feature clear best-before dates, giving you over a year to enjoy them.

Nutrisystem’s box took a more practical approach, arriving as a plain styrofoam cooler wrapped in plastic. The presentation was clean but lacked branding or personalization. As I’d only ordered frozen items, everything came in a single cooler with plenty of dry ice to maintain proper temperature. 

The organization was functional, with meals individually wrapped and color-coded for easy identification (e.g., blue for lunch and red for dinner). However, the styrofoam packaging was disappointing from an environmental perspective. Unlike BistroMD, there was no clear effort to prioritize recyclability or sustainability.

Meal Prep: Both Offer Easy Prep Meals

Both BistroMD and Nutrisystem provide meals that are simple and convenient to prepare. Meals from both services are pre-cooked and only require reheating, making them ideal for busy schedules. All of BistroMD’s meals are freshly prepared and flash-frozen, whereas Nutrisystem offers some frozen meals and a lot more shelf-stable, processed snacks.

Cooking Times: Slight Adjustments Required

For BistroMD meals, I found that the actual cooking time was slightly longer than stated, likely due to my weaker microwave and cooking meals directly from frozen. Each dish took an additional 2–3 minutes, but the instructions were otherwise accurate and easy to follow.

With Nutrisystem, cooking times were more consistent with the instructions, though results varied slightly depending on the meal type. Nutrisystem offers more variety in prep methods, including toaster, pan, and oven options for specific items. While some dishes, like soups, come in microwaveable containers, others, like quesadillas or melts, require a plate or paper towel.

Portion Sizes: A Trade-off for Dietary Goals

BistroMD meals are portion-controlled to fit a calorie-conscious diet, with most meals averaging around 300 calories. While this makes sense for its target audience, the portions felt quite small for me, as I am not on a calorie-controlled diet. Similarly, Nutrisystem’s meals were also relatively small. They averaged around 200 calories per meal, which left me feeling hungry even with the snacks included. But some items, like the “Meals for Two,” offered slightly more generous portions.

While both services prioritize ease of preparation, they come with minor downsides. BistroMD’s meals occasionally require longer cooking times and may lack seasoning. As I’m not accustomed to low-sodium diets, I did have to add extra seasoning and hot sauce for flavor.  

Nutrisystem’s meals are easier to prepare within the stated times but sometimes benefit from extra effort to improve texture or flavor. It’s also worth noting that Nutrisystem’s meal images include extras and sides that aren’t included in the dish you receive. Keep this in mind, as purchasing these extras can add to the final cost of your program.

Most of Nutrisystem’s frozen meals can go straight from the freezer to the microwave. Others require you to add boiling water to cook. BistroMD meals can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 year, while the shelf-life of Nutrisystem’s frozen and pantry-ready meals ranges from 6 to 18 months.

Customer Support: Nutrisystem Offers Live Chat Support

Nutrisystem takes the lead in customer support, primarily due to its live chat feature. Although the chat wasn’t functioning perfectly when I tested it, the feature itself offers an advantage over BistroMD, which lacks live chat altogether. 

Nutrisystem can be contacted between 8 am and 7:30 pm ET on weekdays and 9 am to 4:30 pm on weekends. When I called, I appreciated the quick connection to a representative – I waited less than a minute. The agent I spoke with was polite, friendly, and efficiently handled my request without any unnecessary upselling.

BistroMD can be contacted via email or by phone Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm (ET), and 9 am to 6 pm (ET) on weekends. Its FAQ section covers an impressive range of topics, including specific information on allergies and dietary concerns. While there’s an email support option, it doesn’t provide estimated response times, which leaves you in the dark about when to expect a reply.

Canceling Your Subscription Is Easier With BistroMD

Canceling your account with Nutrisystem requires a phone call, which I found inconvenient. Although the process was quick and smooth once I got through, I prefer having the option to cancel online. You can pause your subscription online, though.

BistroMD offers online cancelation, making the process easier. While the website includes several “Are you sure?” messages and exit surveys, you can complete it without speaking to anyone. BistroMD doesn’t let you pause indefinitely, but you can skip weeks as needed. 

Both Services Provide Dietary Advice and Support

Both BistroMD and Nutrisystem offer on-demand counseling to help you stay on track with your diet. BistroMD provides unlimited access to in-house dietitians who can tailor your plan and address your concerns. Nutrisystem connects you with Weight Loss Coaches via chat, email, or phone to support you through every step of your journey and help you maintain your progress. You can also access support via Nutrisystem’s NuMi app.

Pricing: Nutrisystem Is More Affordable Overall

In a straight-up comparison, Nutrisystem offers overall more affordable pricing. The pricing is slightly confusing, though, as every plan has different pricing based on how you decide to get it shipped. There are also way too many add-ons, extras, and upsell attempts that you really have to be vigilant about.

Nutrisystem’s Pricing: Check All Options as You Go

You can save a lot of money (up to $409) if you order multiple shipments upfront. You’ll also get a cheaper price if you opt for auto-deliveries rather than making a one-off purchase. Pricing for the women’s plan with 6 shipments upfront is $8.64 per day. You only get free shipping on larger, pre-paid autoshipped orders.

The most bang-for-your-buck plans are the ones without Hearty Inspirations meals. Each plan has enough meals for 5 or 7 days per week for an entire month, along with 1-on-1 coaching for weight loss. 

You can also opt for the non-structured option with Nutrisystem Club Advantage. This is a 6-month subscription that gives you access to the full menu. You can place one-time orders or set up an auto-delivery order. Shipping for Club Advantage orders is free for non-frozen items or frozen orders over $99. 

Bear in mind that Nutrisystem offers pretty small portion sizes, and some of its lunches are just cereal bars or similar. Also, some of Nutrisystem’s meals require you to add your own side dish of veggies to be complete. You’ll still have to do some grocery shopping with Nutrisystem for things such as vegetables, fruit, and dairy products for its recommended “flex meals” – so keep this in mind when adding up costs.

BistroMD’s Pricing: More Straightforward, but Consider Plan Size

BistroMD’s plans are a bit easier to understand. You can either opt for the Full Program, which includes 3 meals a day, 5 or 7 days per week, or the Lunch/Dinner option, which is 2 meals per day. 

BistroMD's 7-day Full Program costs $219.80 and includes 20 meals – that’s 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 6 dinners (allowing for 1 well-deserved night off). While that works out at $10.99 per serving, you’ll also need to factor in the hefty shipping cost of $19.95, taking this plan up to $11.99 per serving.

New customers should take advantage of our discount code (Get 50% Off + Free Shipping) which can bring the price of your first order down even further to $5.50 per serving.

When ordering, you can also add on a box of snacks. The number of snacks varies depending on your plan size. A box of 10 snacks costs $22.40 per week, giving you 2 snacks per day.

BistroMD vs. Nutrisystem – Pros & Cons

BistroMD

Pros

• Dietitian-designed meal plans

• Meals cater to specific health needs

• Flexible subscription without commitments

Cons

• Can’t customize individual meals

• No live chat support

• High shipping costs

Nutrisystem

Pros

• Comprehensive weight-loss coaching

• Option to pause deliveries

• Access to the NuMi app

Cons

• Confusing ordering system

• Not very eco-friendly

• Cancelation requires a phone call

BistroMD vs. Nutrisystem – Quick Overview

And the Winner Is: BistroMD

For me, BistroMD comes out on top. Its plans feel more thoughtfully designed, focusing on health and nutrition without sacrificing flavor. While Nutrisystem is the more affordable option, I found BistroMD’s meals to be a step above in quality – they feel a bit more like proper meals than diet food.

BistroMD’s meals are prepared by chefs using fresh, high-quality ingredients and flash-frozen to keep everything tasting great. In comparison, Nutrisystem relies more on bars and pre-packaged snacks, which might work for some people but didn’t appeal to me as much.

I also liked that BistroMD offers more flexibility for specific dietary needs. If you have health goals or restrictions, its dietitians are there to help you tweak your plan. It’s a level of personalization that I didn’t feel was as strong with Nutrisystem.

That said, Nutrisystem has its benefits, too. It’s definitely more budget-friendly, and the grab-and-go snacks can be really convenient if you’re often on the move. Plus, its Weight Loss Coaches are available to guide you, which might be a big plus if you feel you’d benefit from extra support.

In the end, I’d go with BistroMD if you’re looking for a well-rounded, nutritious weight loss plan with clearly designed plans. But if affordability and convenience are your top priorities, Nutrisystem could be the better fit for you.

FAQ

What is the downside to Nutrisystem?

To me, Nutrisystem has one major flaw – its meals are mostly processed. If you’re looking to lose weight, you’re probably also wanting to live a healthier life, overall. Processed foods don’t really facilitate that very well, if you ask me.

BistroMD, on the other hand, offers a similar weight loss program to Nutrisystem, but its meals are mostly whole foods-based and chef-designed. To me, this leads not only to weight loss but a healthier body overall.

Does BistroMD work for weight loss?

Just like any food out there, BistroMD works no better (or worse) for weight loss. However, it has several tricks up its sleeve that could help you out. For one, you get to work closely with dietitians to aid your weight loss journey. Also, each meal contains the exact number of calories that will allow you to hit your weight loss goal without counting calories.

What is the highest-rated weight loss program?

One of the highest-rated weight loss programs is Nutrisystem. It helps you lose weight by carefully curating a menu for you that contains the exact number of calories you need to lose weight. You won’t be required to weigh your food, or carefully track your calories. Pricing starts at around $8.64 per day.