No1 Food Prep meal kit: The dust has settled after we’ve kicked our feet into our new year goals, a scene which for many is now as deserted as the Sahara. Tumbleweed blows as it collects those well-intentioned goals which were lost in the latter half of the first week of January. It’s not that these goals are gone forever, more that they will reappear again towards the end of the next festive period, only for the same turn of events to occur when we fail to prepare ahead of 1st January – the time we find ourselves making dishonest promises that we will only drink tea and green juices for the first month of the year. You know the saying, fail to prepare, prepare to fail? Let’s go into that a little bit.

I’m being quite brutal, but truthfully? I’m speaking from experience. There’s been many times where I’ve set myself a goal and more often than not, these have lacked a genuine desire to achieve it. Many of us set new year goals under the influence of what everyone else is doing around us; goals tangled with superficial motives and the desire for external validation. All this time we tell ourselves “I just need to get more motivated”, which as we know is easier said than done when the other variables of life come into play. Without fail we’re faced with a turn of events and we give in, leading to guilt and feeling demoralised. We shift to feeling that “It’s not the right time” or ”I’m not ready now” and the likelihood of us achieving our goal diminishes. 

This is more than a manual on how to get motivated, but rather a solution to help you on your way to establishing healthy habits. I was thrilled to discover No1 Food Prep – the meal prep service brought to you by the UK’s established residential fitness retreat and celebrity-favourite, No1 Bootcamp.

How It Works

The foresight and preparation that goes into healthy eating is mentally taxing at times, particularly when we have that work deadline in the back of our mind, or we’re darting between different locations and forced to eat on the go. The last thing we want is to hit the supermarket after work and piece together ingredients for a meal that meets our health goals. Sure, bodybuilders manage to prepare a week’s worth of chicken with rice and veggies, but the appeal for us mere mortals wears thin.

No1 Food removes all the questions of time, taste and nutritional value, so you really can feel prepared when tackling your health goals. Order before 10pm Wednesday and on Sunday morning you can expect a treasure trove of ready-cooked meals delivered straight to your doorstep. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks (snacks so sumptuous that you won’t feel like you’re missing out!). 

It’s as easy as putting each meal in the microwave for a couple of minutes, onto a plate and digging in. It would be a complete disservice for me to compare these to those supermarket microwave meals which are pumped full of preservatives and low in nutritional value – even if they’re displayed as ‘low-calorie’. No1 meals are fresh, suitable for up to 4 days and a second box will be delivered with your meals for the second half of the week (or 10pm Sunday for Wednesday delivery). There are no refined sugars or sneaky preservatives which could otherwise hinder your progress or worse, add further health implications.

The Cost

Boxes start from £54 a week and there are a variety of options, meaning that subscriptions aren’t a necessity.

Subscriptions: For those who like routine. 

Weekly boxes: Perfect for new starters or as a one-off if you know you have a busy week ahead!

Mini-bundles: Offer flexibility. Wednesday – Friday, or Saturday – Tuesday.

What about dietaries and different health goals?

The team at No1 Food Prep are really accommodating, so you’re in safe hands whatever your unique dietary requirements. The following options are a standard offering when you order online, but you can also contact the team directly with any specific allergies. Vegetarian, Vegan and Pescetarian meals are all on offer. 

Portion options are as follows:

1.‘Lite’: ideal for those looking to be in a calorie deficit 

2.‘Balanced’: meals that will support a healthy lifestyle and are ideal for maintaining your weight.

3.‘Max’: ideal for if you lead a very active lifestyle which needs to be supported with larger amounts of protein and carbohydrates.

What I loved

1.Variety: Meals were nutrient-dense and packed with vegetables, offering tastes from lots of different cuisines. This was impressive compared with other companies I’ve tried, where a lot of the meals are repeated and the meals themselves are bulked out with beigey grains.

2.The snacks: I didn’t even miss having sweet things for the week. Enough said.

3.The packaging: There was far less packaging than their competitors and it was all really easy to recycle.

4.Small-batch cooking: This was proven by the variety of the meals I received, and the fact my name was at the top of every box with my individual macros provided.

5.Delivery: This is one of the few small-batch prep companies that deliver across the UK, not just London!

Would I order again?

By the end of the week I did miss cooking a little bit, but for those times where I have a busy week ahead or I’m lacking inspiration in the kitchen? Absolutely I’d order again. I also learnt that you can freeze meals if you aren’t to use them within four days, offering the ultimate convenience for another day. We’re all guilty of going off-piste with our health sometimes, and that’s ok. Life happens, but with offerings like No1 Food Prep, my excuse to do so is significantly reduced. In fact, I can’t wait to re-order.