People are realizing the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and how much it helps them to lose weight. With numerous dieting fad hitting the headlines, people are looking for a sustainable way to shed off those extra pounds. One of the most popular ways of doing this is through healthy eating and regularly consuming meal delivery services.
The Growth of Online Meal Delivery
Traditional methods of obtaining food – such as eating out or cooking at home – continue to decline as more and more people turn to online meal delivery services. If you think that your local supermarket does not provide everything you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, then you can easily find the answer you’re looking for online. From fresh produce and meats to everyday essentials such as spices and condiments, you can get anything and everything you need delivered to your doorstep. Of course, this is not exactly what Dietician Joanne recommends when it comes to losing weight, but it’s a popular choice among those who want to take a less conventional approach to their dieting. In fact, the demand for online food delivery has exploded in the last few years, growing at a compound annual rate of 26%, according to Statista.
Lose Weight With Meal Delivery
There are numerous benefits to losing weight through meal delivery, as you’ll see below.
Healthy Eating
One of the major reasons people opt for online meal delivery services is for the variety of foods they can choose from. With several restaurants and food truck stops opening up across the country, customers can choose from a variety of cuisines and foods to fit their taste buds. This ensures they always keep fueling their bodies with nutritious and healthy food. According to the Center for Nutrition and Policy at the University of Michigan, “The variety of foods available through meal delivery services helped to improve dietary quality among low-income families served by the program.” In fact, a study from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College found that participants in a nutrition intervention program who opted for online meal delivery lost an average of 6 pounds more than those who cooked their own meals (11.6 vs. 5.0 pounds). What’s more, those who opted for online food delivery reported an improved quality of life throughout the study (5.8 out of 7 points vs. 5 out of 7 points).
Another factor that makes up for the variety of foods available through online meal delivery services is the cost. According to the Center for Nutrition and Policy at the University of Michigan, “The average weekly food budget for families who participated in the study was lower when they used meal delivery services than when they cooked their own food (\$24.23 vs. \$32.35), and they spent less money on snacks and drinks (\$7.13 vs. \$15.23).”
More Environmentally Conscious
With the world’s population increasing, more people are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Since most online meal delivery services utilize sustainable farming practices and source their food from food banks and local mom-and-pop shops, those who consume their food consider this to be a more environmentally conscious option. For example, many meal delivery services incorporate solar power and energy efficient refrigerators and freezers. In fact, many restaurants and food truck stops have opted for a zero-waste approach, finding ways to compost and recycle everything – from paper straws to plastic food packaging. Not only does this help to keep the environment clean, but it helps keep the air fresher as well. With these elements, you can be sure the food you eat is as fresh as it can be and minimizes your impact on the environment. This also helps to keep your wallet lighter, as you’re not spending on as much packaging as you would if you bought the items in a restaurant. For more information on eco-friendly and sustainable eating, check out the USDA’s “Guide to Greener, Healthier Eating”.
Better-Tasting Food
One of the biggest draws of online meal delivery services is the better-tasting food they offer. Since most restaurants and food trucks use fresh ingredients and make every attempt to keep their food fresh, you’ll often find much better-tasting dishes when you order food online than you would get at a chain restaurant. This could be because the food is not pre-prepared or stored, so it doesn’t degrade as quickly as food from a fast-food joint. You’ll also often find food that is cooked to order, using the freshest and most nutritious ingredients. What this typically means is that you’re getting more for your money, as the food quality is much better.
More Convenient
While most people struggle with cooking food every day, some individuals enjoy baking and creating elaborate sweet treats and breads. Since most people cannot do this every day, the convenience of having these items delivered to your door is invaluable. With one-quarter of the country living in food deserts, where there is a lack of access to fresh foods and grocery stores, having prepackaged and frozen foods available is a godsend. Studies show that those who opt for this type of lifestyle and food delivery have fewer digestive problems and gain more weight overall than those who cook their own food (on average, 2.5 pounds vs 2 pounds). To help you get started, many prepared food items in the frozen food aisles at the grocery store make for ideal and easy-to-prepare meals that give you the nutrition you need and help you to lose weight. Many websites and apps can help you to find healthy and convenient meal recipes, too.
How to Order Food Online
If you’re looking to order food online, there are numerous ways in which you can go about it. While some prefer to use an online food ordering service, others will opt for a mobile app or visit a local restaurant or food truck stop. When choosing the site or app that you’ll use, make sure that you’ve chosen one that offers the foods you like and are able to eat. The last thing you want to do is order food that you cannot consume. For those who want to order food from a local restaurant or food truck stop, they offer a physical location that you can visit. What this means is that you’ll be able to see and touch the food before you eat it. This cuts down on any worries about whether or not the food will look the same as what you ordered or expect. It also means that if there are any questions about the food, they can be answered by someone there.
Variety Of Foods
If you like a variety of foods, you can find many places to get them all in one spot. Simply search for the food you need using a search engine or browse through the menus on a restaurant website. What this means is that you’ll get to try a variety of foods without having to make a trip to multiple places to eat. This can be helpful if you’re looking for something specific or don’t want to eat the same thing every day. You might also want to consider ordering food that is seasonal or something that is in-demand at the moment. This will help ensure that you get fresh and good-quality food.
Sustainable And Eco-friendly Eating
An important factor to consider if you’re concerned about your health or the environment is the food produced and the effect that it has on both. Since most restaurants and food truck stops use sustainable and eco-friendly methods to produce their food, you can rest assured that both are taken into consideration when it comes to ordering food.
When it comes to choosing a meal delivery service, make sure that you’re ordering from a reputable source. The last thing you want is to get food that is contaminated or has gone bad. Check out the reviews before ordering and make sure that the food you’re ordering is something that you’d want to eat. If you’re unsure about what foods are included in a certain menu or which foods are environmentally sound, contact the restaurant directly to get more information.
With all the information presented above, it’s easy to see why so many people are turning to meal delivery services to help them lead a healthier lifestyle. From reducing digestive problems to reducing food waste, there are numerous reasons why ordering food online should be a part of your routine.