Factor offers high-protein meal delivery options (2026)

Maybe I should add a disclaimer that I love to cook, have been a professional chef for many years, and my family of five rarely eats anything other than home-cooked meals. But I get it. Many people are looking for a way to eat healthy in the midst of their busy schedules, may have never learned how to cook, or want to follow a specific diet like keto that requires a lot of research, planning, and effort.

In those situations I can see the appeal of a worker like solution. Order what you want, it shows up, microwave it, eat, and you’re on your way without caving in and ordering pizza for the third time this week.

While Factor’s meals are generally enjoyable and reasonably tasty — for whatever reason, the dishes that lean toward Mexican food seem better than the rest — there’s no denying that eating from a segmented plastic tray is uninspiring. At the very least, put your hot results on a real plate. It will taste better this way. Trust me, there’s a reason why your plate is carefully arranged when it arrives at your table at a fancy restaurant. Aesthetics are important.

Photo: Scott Gilbertson

Worker proteins, especially meat, were the highlight of most meals. Options I tried included a meatball and pasta dish with green beans, a bunless burger, shrimp pasta with some zucchini, a faux grits (cauliflower) meal, and a chicken taco bowl. In each case, the protein was very flavorful, the sauces were a mixed bag, while the vegetables fared less well overall, as they were cooked, packaged, shipped and reheated. The green beans in particular were what I would call “dark,” rather than “vibrant and fresh” which I suspect Factor intended.

But you have to step back from the aesthetic experience and remember the context in which these meals exist. This is not a luxury food or even a home-cooked meal, but a healthy alternative to microwavable frozen meals that are high in artificial ingredients and often contain unnecessary added sugars. When you remember this, the worker begins to look not only better, but just as attractive.