PlateJoy Review - Meal Planning Made Easy

Disclaimer: This review was written in exchange for a free 1 month trial of PlateJoy, a service that provides customized recipes and grocery lists to help you meal planner smarter. The links in this post are "affiliate links", which means if you subscribe to PlateJoy via one of my links, or use one of my coupons, I will receive a small amount of compensation. If you have any questions, please let me know! Affiliate links are starred (*)

OK, guys, so hopefully you caught my last review on Diet-to-Go. My next review is on PlateJoy. In this Internet and health-conscious age, we have SO MANY options for making healthy eating better. 

It's easy to spend Sunday on Pinterest, pinning healthy recipes and meal planning ideas, until you realize you have to go to the store and figure out the ingredients, and make everything. That means clicking each link, going through the recipes, figuring out what you have in your pantry, and what you still need. 

Some services, like Blue Apron, deliver all the ingredients to you, and are great for people who love to cook. Diet-to-Go sends you pre-packaged meals (customized to your preferences and meal plan) that make healthy eating easy peasy. 

Another option - PlateJoy*- cuts out the time it takes to find recipes, pair them together to make sure you don't end up with extra ingredients or food that goes bad (and wastes money!) AND make sure they go with an eating plan that matches your goals, leaving out ingredients you don't like. 
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PlateJoy* makes that whole process take 5 minutes not 5 hours every week. They create personalized meal plans & grocery lists to help make healthy eating easier (and take all your preferences into account too). 

The recipes are delicious and they remember what you have in your fridge to help you reduce food waste, so you're also getting the most bang for your buck. They also show nutritional information for all meals (so you can easily track your progress). You even get a virtual nutrition coach to help make sure you're on the right path.

Each week you get a new menu, and it's easy to swap out recipes, mark ones you don't like, and reference your favorites. You can view the shopping list on your phone (super easy at the store!) and you can even send all your items to InstaCart if you get your groceries delivered.

What type of personalization do you get? 

• How many people are you cooking for?
• Weight gain/loss goals - they'll adjust your portion sizes
• Carbohydrate restrictions (low carb, paleo, diabetic, low FODMAP)
• Meat restrictions (red meat, pescatarian, flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan)
• Other options (clean eating, dairy free, pregnant/nursing, gluten free, kosher)
• Specific ingredients you don't like (eggplant, cilantro, tree nuts, etc.)
• Preference for seasonal produce or no
• Do you prefer batch cooking? Do you prefer a variety of meals even if it means spending a bit more?
• Takes into account where you shop (specialty versus traditional grocery store) and what you have in your kitchen (oven, slow cooker, microwave...)
• and so many more! 

What meal planning service fits you best? Delivered ingredients, delivered meals, or shopping lists and recipes curated for your preferences and put together to minimize waste? 

If you'd like to give PlateJoy* a try, you can get $10 off your first subscription using coupon code BAILEY10 at checkout. 

All the best,
​BD