Nutrisystem vs. Optavia 2024: The Weight Loss Battle

Optavia and Nutrisystem both offer weight-loss meal plans that rely on small, healthy snacks to quell mid-day cravings. Their goals are similar on the surface, so I put them to the test in a head-to-head comparison.

After extensive research across 6 categories, I found Nutrisystem to be the easy winner. It offers a much broader variety of meals and snacks, and it’s more cost-effective, too. Nutrisystem offers a full line-up of shelf-stable and frozen meals, while Optavia offers very little beyond basic snacks like granola bars and brownies.

Optavia gives you access to healthy recipes, but you’ll have to shop for the groceries yourself, which makes it less convenient. Optavia does have some unique resources including a network of weight-loss coaches. However, its multi-level marketing approach to business means new customers should be wary.

At a Glance: Who Won Each Category?

Menu Variety: Nutrisystem Offers a Wider Variety of Meals

Both services have a huge selection of nutritionally-balanced, single-serving snacks like cookies and nut bars, but only Nutrisystem has a large menu of prepared meals.

Optavia’s leading plan is its “5 & 1” program, which refers to the 5 snacks or meal replacements you’ll eat every day (Optavia calls these “Fuelings”). The “& 1” refers to a “Lean & Green” meal to round out your daily nutritional needs. Optavia’s other plans, like the “4 & 2 & 1” or the “3 & 3” plans, all center around the same Fuelings of snacks and smoothies. The only difference is the ratio of fuelings to Lean & Green meals.

With Optavia, you’ll still be doing some grocery shopping and cooking every day. It has a very limited selection of shelf-stable meals you can add to your order, but in general, you’re expected to cook for yourself. The company provides recipes and guidelines to help you make healthy, balanced meals, but that’s about it. You can find plan-approved recipes on the Optavia app.

Nutrisystem is much better designed for convenient meals, and it offers lunches, dinners, and snacks. Most of the dishes are American cuisine, with some international dishes like Chicken Teriyaki to round out the menu.

In short, Nutrisystem makes it easier to stick to a weight-loss diet with minimal effort. Its long-term plan lets you transition to making your own meals or even eating out while keeping to your diet.

Sample Meals

You can find Optavia’s offerings in its shop on the website. You can order items from here whether or not you’ve chosen to order one of the plans or not. I like that you can filter products by flavor profile, product benefits, and special diets.

Here are some top choices on the Optavia menu:

• Best comforting dish: Turkey Meatball Marinara
• Best lunch dish: Essential Homestyle Chick’n Noodle Soup Mix
• Best snack: Essential Drizzled Chocolate Fudge Crisp Bar
• Best dessert: Essential Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Nutrisystem has a great filtering system on its menu. This makes it really easy to choose the right meals for you. As a more comprehensive menu than Optavia it’s divided into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Here are some top choices on the Nutrisystem menu:

• Best comforting dish: Asian Style Salmon with Pasta
• Best lunch dish: Chicken Mozzarella Melt
• Best snack: Peanut Butter Oat Bar
• Best dessert: Chocolate Brownie Sundae
  

Meal Customization: Nutrisystem Has Better Menu Filters

Prepared meal delivery services don’t usually offer ingredient swaps or omissions because the food items are prepared and packaged in bulk.

The best you can do with either service is swap out individual items in your shipment, such as 1 flavor of shake for another. Because of this, it can be difficult to use these services if you have any dietary restrictions.

While Optavia’s plans are organized by intensity, Nutrisystem has specialized menus for different dietary needs. For example, you can find plenty of diabetes-friendly options on the menu of low-glycemic foods. It also has a great plan for dieting couples.

Nutrisystem also has specialized programs for men and women of different ages due to their differing calorie needs. Each plan has further options depending on how many meals you want each week and additional add-ons that extend your menu options.

Ordering la carte allows you to freely explore Nutrisystem's menu with no subscription required. Alternatively, the Nutrisystem Advantage subscription offers benefits like discounted meals, free shipping on non-frozen foods, personal coaching, and tailored meal plans, making it ideal for individuals focused on comprehensive wellness goals.

Nutrisystem’s menu filters allow you to narrow down the menu further by excluding certain items. It’s easy to view which meals are nut-free, wheat-free, and more. However, applying too many filters can limit your options, and anyone with allergies should use caution as many meals are produced in the same facility.

Optavia’s diet and allergen filters are almost non-existent. The company leaves it to you to figure out if dishes are suitable for your diet.

Ingredient Quality and Nutrition: Nutrisystem Is Tastier and Healthier

Nutrisystem takes the lead in this round for its extensive selection of meals and ingredients. You'll find that most of these meals are free from preservatives thanks to its unique preparation method. By prioritizing natural ingredients, Nutrisystem offers a menu that is both tasty and healthier.

Unlike Nutrisystem, Optavia's menu is more limited. Every item or "Fueling" from Optavia contains preservatives, which some health-conscious individuals might find less appealing. However, it's essential to note that while preservatives are present, Optavia strictly avoids artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners in its offerings.

For those who want to understand the nutritional content of their meals, I'd recommend Nutrisystem. It provides straightforward access to this crucial information. Simply scroll down on your chosen item and click on the Nutrition Facts tab. With this user-friendly feature, you can stay informed and make decisions that align with your dietary goals.

Despite the presence of preservatives, Optavia doesn't skimp on health benefits. You'll find that its Fuelings contain probiotic cultures. These probiotics are known to support digestive health, helping to ensure that your gut remains balanced and functional.

Both brands make it relatively easy to find the nutritional information. For Optavia, you can find this information by selecting the Nutrition Facts tab after clicking on a product. Additionally, if gluten-free options are on your radar, make sure to check Optavia's full product list to find out which items are certified gluten-free.

Ordering, Delivery, Unboxing: Both Services Are Great Choices

Both Nutrisystem and Optavia send portioned, prepared meals and food items in boxes or cooler containers. All items are clearly labeled.

Nutrisystem’s minimum order is 1 month’s worth of meals on its structured plans. Your order consists of frozen and pantry-ready meals. Most people opt to prepay for additional months which can reduce your overall costs.

Optavia also uses biodegradable packaging for individual products. You’ll receive 17 boxes of Essential Fuelings in the 5 & 1 Plan. You can expect your products to be shipped within 5 to 7 days if there are no issues with availability.

Optavia doesn’t have a minimum order – you can order a single box if you wish. However, the shipping fee will be high as only larger orders benefit from free shipping.

Neither Nutrisystem nor Optavia offers a guaranteed delivery date thanks to the shelf-stable nature of the products. You’ll have to follow the provided tracking information when your order is shipped.

Both Nutrisystem and Optavia ship beyond the contiguous United States. Both services ship to Alaska, Hawaii, and US territories. Nutrisystem even ships to Canada!

Meal Prep: Nutrisystem Has Premade Meals

Neither of these services requires much prep because most of their offerings are grab-and-go items like bars and other snacks.

Nutrisystem’s food items are premade and ready to eat in a matter of minutes. Depending on the dish, the recommended preparation method may be tossing it in a skillet, popping it in the microwave, or heating it up in the oven.

Optavia offers a range of processed products, from popcorn and crackers to granola bars to puddings and cookies. The most intensive prep you’re likely to find is adding water to a powdered shake mix. For most items, it’s just removing a wrapper.

However, you’ll spend more time prepping overall with Optavia, as you’ll be shopping for and cooking your own meals using its recipes. Many of these recipes are advertised as “ready in under an hour,” which is far more effort than heating up 1 of Nutrisystem’s prepared dishes.

Customer Support and Diet Coaching: Nutrisystem Has a Free App

Both companies have fairly standard customer support offerings. Optavia’s customer service can be reached by email or by phone from 8 am to 11 pm ET on weekdays and 9 am to 6 pm ET on weekends.

Nutrisystem’s hours are slightly shorter, but it offers a live chat option in addition to phone and email lines. The customer support team is available from 8 am to 8 pm ET on weekdays and from 9 am to 5:30 pm ET on weekends.

There were some difficulties when we tested Nutrisystem’s chat feature. It wouldn’t work on the Chrome browser, and there were still some issues getting a response when using Safari. We used "Nutribot" to successfully obtain the answers, but despite being marketed as such, a real person was never available.

Nutrisystem is more flexible if you ever want to cancel an order or your service completely. You can make changes up until 6 pm ET the day before a shipment is scheduled to be processed. With Optavia, you have a maximum of 24 hours from when you place an order to cancel it. This difference is because Nutrisystem functions more like a subscription, while Optavia is generally for on-demand orders.

As weight loss programs, both Optavia and Nutrisystem incorporate a coaching element into their business model. Nutrisystem has the free NuMi app, while Optavia has a network of live coaches, giving you the opportunity to connect with a real person. However, there’s a pretty big downside to Optavia’s coach program.

Optavia’s coaches can be more focused on profits than helping people lose weight. This is because Optavia’s corporate structure requires would-be coaches to pay hundreds of dollars in startup costs. In turn, coaches are obligated to upsell customers in order to make back their own expenses.

Nutrisystem offers a phone line where you can reach out to dietitians to help with questions about your diet or if you just need some extra support. It’s perhaps not as comprehensive as Optavia’s coaching program, but I think you’ll get better advice without an agenda.

Nutrisystem’s main day-to-day resource is the NuMi app. There are no ulterior motives here, and it’s free. The NuMi app lets you track your progress, participate in challenges, browse recipes, and much more.

Pricing: Nutrisystem Is More Affordable

Nutrisystem’s starting prices are listed as “per day,” whereas Optavia’s pricing is based on which Fueling package you order. For example, Optavia’s Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan Kit costs $511.50 for 154 servings. You can customize the shipment at no extra cost by swapping out boxes of your favorite snacks.

This kit provides enough Fuelings for 30 days. Keep in mind that you will still have to purchase ingredients and do the cooking for your 1 meal each day.

This makes Optavia a really expensive service. You still have to pay for grocery shopping and make your own dinner from scratch every day.

On the other hand, Nutrisystem lists its prices per day for each program, which includes either a 5-day or 7-day option. In all programs, the shipping is free if you pre-pay for 2 or more months. You’ll pay from $9.99 shipping if you opt for monthly auto-shipping.

As well as offering lower prices than Optavia, Nutrisystem also has more frequent discounts. For example, you can try Nutrisystem starting as low as $9.64 per day with this current deal (50% Off Your First Week of Weight Loss).

But there’s a caveat to Nutrisystem’s pricing, too. If you order a 1-off month of meals, the price per day is almost double what it is with a subscription. That said, you can also prepay up to 3 months for a further discount.

Nutrisystem vs. Optavia — Quick Overview

And the Winner Is: Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem outperforms Optavia in nearly every aspect, particularly in terms of cost. Nutrisystem's approach to weight loss is comprehensive, offering an all-inclusive plan tailored for those aiming to lose weight. Moreover, there are often coupons available for new customers, enhancing its affordability (here’s the latest I found).

Optavia does have a few commendable features. However, it also raises certain concerns. One of its standout features is the opportunity for users to foster close relationships with their coaches. This personalized touch can be a motivator for many.

However, the way Optavia operates worries me a little. The program's noticeable absence of real meals arguably makes it less convenient than its competitors. Such a factor could be a deterrent for those seeking both nutrition and ease in their weight loss journey.

Check out our latest list of top weight loss meal delivery services. This might provide additional insights into what might work best for different preferences and needs.

FAQ

Which is better for weight loss, Nutrisystem or Optavia?

Optavia is more focused on counseling and provides a more personal approach to losing weight. But you’ll be eating more bars and shakes – and you’ll still have to cook your main meals yourself.

Which is cheaper, Nutrisystem or Optavia?

Nutrisystem is more affordable than Optavia for monthly meals. When I compared the pricing between the 2 services, I found that although you can pay less for smaller orders from Optavia, Nutrisystem’s subscription model makes it much cheaper in the long run.

What's the difference between Nutrisystem and Optavia?

Nutrisystem has a larger menu than Optavia and offers prepared meals compared to just bars and shakes. Plus, with Nutrisystem, you don’t have to cook anything. Optavia asks you to cook at least 1 meal per day for yourself, or else you’ll be stuck with the same few options on the menu.

What are the cons of Optavia?

Optavia’s unclear pricing model can lead to you spending more than you expect. It’s also a multi-level marketing company, so coaches you interact with may try to upsell to you.