Dietlicious – Harmony in Health and Flavour!

2014 is an important one for me as it is the year I am getting married. In typical bride-to-be fashion I have begun the mental shift from carefree living to the notorious “shredding for the wedding” state of mind. With five months to go until the big day, I started thinking about a weight management eating plan that would help me lose a few kilos and stay on track until the wedding. A friend of mine introduced me to a gourmet meal delivery service called Dietlicious, which she had trialled for a few weeks and raved about. Having always shied away from the idea of microwavable or pre-packaged foods I was a little hesitant, however my friend assured me this program was different…and she was not wrong.

I chose the 5 day 1500 calorie kick starter program (menu 2) and from the outset I had a good feeling about the service. The website is very user friendly, with the available meals plans clearly defined and priced.

The delivery – packaged into individual days

Delivery dates are frequent during the week, with scheduled days depending on your area, for a delivery fee of $8.50. They also provide a weekend courier service for a fee of $19.50.  You pay a refundable fee of $5 for the Styrofoam container which the food is delivered in – which is a great initiative on their part to do their bit for the environment and ensure they are reused.

I had chosen the option of a weekend delivery and so when Sunday morning rolled around I eagerly awaited the arrival of the courier.  The friendly courier delivered the box to my door and I was delighted to see how well organised the service is.  Each day’s meals are packaged together which makes it super easy to know exactly what you should be eating and when.  They have also colour coded the containers to easily distinguish breakfast, lunch and dinner meals.

It literally was a case of placing days 1-3 in the fridge and days 4-5 in the freezer ready to be taken out before eating later in the week.   The 5 day (1500 cal) meal plan consists of 3 meals plus 2 snacks (per day) so Dietlicious have pretty much done all the thinking and planning for you for the week.   It is also very reasonably priced in comparison to other meal delivery services, this particular plan cost $186 + GST.

I will delve into detail below but from the outset let me acknowledge how delicious, fresh and nutritious the meals are and that I can’t speak highly enough about the service. Aside from the ease and convenience of it all, I can honestly say I was rarely hungry due to the frequency of the meals and never felt like I was eating “diet” food.

Overall, I’m a huge fan and will continue with the meal plans leading up to the wedding.  The variety of the main meals is terrific and the portion size is enough to keep you satisfied.  The only repetition I noted was that I pretty quickly got over the “Nuts + Seeds” as a snack – but perhaps that’s just me.   They have a variety of eating plans available ranging from 1000-1800 calories, covering detox cleansers and weight management plans.   I would recommend anyone wanting to embark on a weight management or calorie controlled diet to give Dietlicious a try – You won’t be disappointed!

Overview of the 5 day 1500 calorie (Menu 2) meal plan:

Please note I tried to capture as many meals as possible during the week without;

a)      Looking too Gen Y and

b)      Forgetting and eating the meal first!

Monday Day 1:

Honey & 5 Seed Porridge

Nuts + Seeds and The Protein Ball

Chicken Tagine w Quinoa

Salmon w Pesto Crust, Sweet Potato Puree & Broccoli w Garlic oil

Breakfast – Honey and 5 Seed Porridge

This was very filling for the portion size with a slightly crunchy texture. I was really impressed by this and left me feeling full.

Snack 1 – Protein Ball

Crumbly nut & coconut filled protein ball – I was feeling content from breakfast but ate this to keep on track. Great taste and, as it’s home-made, it doesn’t have that artificial taste that other protein products have.

Lunch – Chicken Tagine w Quinoa

I loved this dish, which was enhanced by the texture added by the slivered almonds and the sweetness of the dates. The chicken was moist and the quinoa, although slightly soft, had a bit of a crunch to it.  This dish kept me satiated for the rest of the afternoon.

Snack 2 – Nuts and Seeds

A small portion of Brazil nuts, almonds and a variety of seeds.  It was a good little snack to keep me going until dinner.

Dinner – Salmon w pesto crust, Sweet potato mash and Broccoli w garlic oil

This was a great introductory dinner, the salmon had great flavour from the pesto, the sweet potato was as it should be …smooth and sweet and the broccoli was crisp with a hint of garlic – delicious.

Tuesday Day 2:

Breakfast Frittata

Roast Chicken with Pea Risotto

Cinnamon Scented Lamb, Lemon + Herb Quinoa and Honey Carrots

Breakfast – Breakfast Frittata

3 small portions of individual frittatas – really enjoyed the pumpkin in this

Snack 1 – Protein Ball

Lunch – Chicken Risotto with peas

YUM! The chicken was moist and I could taste a hint of wine in the risotto (what a treat!!).  I loved this meal and felt pretty full afterwards

Snack 2 – Banana Smoothie

I had my smoothie around 4.30 although was not really hungry – The cinnamon flavour is quite strong…but lucky I’m a huge fan of it

Dinner – Cinnamon scented lamb w roast eggplant + almonds, Lemon + herb quinoa, Carrots w honey

This has gourmet meal written all over it! Loved every bit of it especially the carrots with honey, which made for a nice accompaniment

Wednesday Day 3:

Salmon Filo w Green Vegetables

Corriander Chicken w Quinoa

Breakfast – Rye Bread w hummus and tomato

Really enjoyed the rye bread but personally I found the hummus to be a little strong for a morning meal

Snack 1 – Protein Ball

Lunch – Salmon Filo

This was a very pleasant surprise as it was the one time I was worried about being hungry and by the end I was full. The filo is filled with rice, flaked salmon pieces and my favourite herb ever – dill!

Snack 2 – Nuts + seeds

Dinner – Coriander Chicken w Quinoa

I’m not a huge fan of coriander so this dish wasn’t one of my favourites, but if you do you will like it. It has the consistency of a curry and goes well with the quinoa

Thursday Day 4:

Breakfast Beans w Organic Toast

San Choy Bau 

Breakfast – Beans and Toast

I loved this and was a great start to the day. The beans are in a lovely rich tomato based sauce, similar to a Spanish style bean dish rather than tinned bakes beans. The serve of organic toast was a nice accompaniment.

Snack 1– Nuts + Seeds

Lunch – San Choy Bau with Brown Rice

Amazing! I loved it – absolutely one of my favourite dishes.  So tasty, the crunchiness of the bamboo mixed with the texture of the mean and rice was delicious. This definitely doesn’t taste like diet food! Despite the name, this isn’t meant to be served in a lettuce leaf… though it wouldn’t hurt to include a piece of iceberg to finish it off

Snack 2 – Banana Smoothie

Dinner – Salmon Teriyaki, white rice and vegetables

The teriyaki flavour really coated the salmon well so it was a very tasty dish and went well with the sides

Friday Day 5:

Muesli w Cranberry + Almonds

Mexican Bean Pot w Ratatouille

Moroccan Chicken w Quinoa

Breakfast – Muesli w cranberry + almonds

This was a very nice and light start to the day. I had this with a small amount of Almond + coconut milk as I’m trying to avoid dairy

Snack 1 – Nuts + seeds

Lunch – Mexican bean pot w eggplant, chilli + tomato

Very flavoursome but thought that this meal would be better paired with brown rice or quinoa

Snack 2 – Nuts and Seeds

Dinner – Moroccan Chicken with Quinoa

Dietlicious has definitely saved the best for last with this one.  Strong in flavour, rich texture and a plentiful serve. Was the perfect way to end the program!

For more information go to http://www.dietlicious.com.au

Vanessa Iacomino

V.B.A