Meal Prep vs. Meal Services: You Don’t Have to Pick a Side
When it comes to eating for better health and performance, a lot of people believe they need to cook every single meal from scratch using only the freshest, whole-food ingredients. The logic behind it usually sounds like this:
“It’s the only way to control what I’m eating.”
“Fresh is always better.”
“I won’t reach my goals if I rely on pre-made food.”
And hey—cooking for yourself can be a powerful tool. You learn how to portion, experiment with what works for your body, and get in tune with what you enjoy eating. But let’s clear something up: doing it all on your own isn't the only path to peak health or performance.
There’s no special prize for taking the hardest route—especially if that route leaves you skipping meals, eating whatever’s fastest, or feeling overwhelmed by food prep.
Why Some People Go “All or Nothing”
A lot of folks get stuck in this all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to cooking:
Feeling like using a meal service is “cheating”
Guilt for not eating “clean” enough
Comparing themselves to others who seem to have it all together in the kitchen
Worry about what’s really in prepared meals
And yes, there are plenty of heavily processed convenience foods that don’t support long-term health. But not all processing is bad—freezing, chopping, or lightly cooking can actually make certain nutrients more available (like cooked tomatoes, which have more absorbable lycopene than raw ones).
The key is looking at the quality of ingredients and how a meal supports your goals—not whether you cooked it from scratch.
Three Types of Meal Services That Can Support Your Goals
Here’s the good news: there are more options than ever that make eating well easier, not harder. And they can absolutely support your performance, recovery, and overall health.
1. Ready-Made Meals (Heat and Eat)
Examples: Trifecta, Factor, or locally sourced delivery services like Sonoma Fit Meals
Fully cooked and portioned—just heat and eat
Great for busy weeks or athletes on-the-go
Put it on repeat weekly or use it for specific meals
Often macro-balanced and performance-oriented even with nutrient information printed on packaging
2. Meal Kits (You Cook the Ingredients)
Examples: HelloFresh, Green Chef, Blue Apron
You still cook the meals, but the planning and measuring is done for you
Good for learning new recipes without starting from scratch
You can reuse the exact same recipe once you learn it even easier
Great balance of convenience + control
3. CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture)
Examples: Local farm subscriptions, delivery boxes
Weekly or biweekly boxes of seasonal, locally grown produce
Encourages variety and supports local agriculture
Super fresh!
Pair with simple proteins or grains to build balanced meals quickly
Often available for delivery
You can also combine these—maybe you use pre-made meals during the workweek for breakfasts and lunches, a CSA box for your weekend cooking, and a meal kit when you’re feeling adventurous. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
The Bottom Line: Your Best Nutrition Plan is the One You’ll Actually Follow
At the end of the day, nutrition is very personal. What fuels one person’s best health and performance might not work for someone else—and that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s consistency. If cooking works for you, awesome. If a meal service helps you stay nourished and energized, even better.
Don’t let guilt, pressure from fit-fluencers, or outdated ideas about “real” cooking keep you from using tools that make your life easier.
Let’s Hear From You:
Are you team homemade, team meal service, or somewhere in between? If you've tried any of these approaches, what helped you stick with your nutrition goals? Would you like us to partner with a local service?
Drop us an email or reply with a question—We’d love to hear your take!
Announcements:
We’re just under 1 month away from the Santa Rosa Half Marathon on August 25, 2025, so hopefully you are fueling your training right. Some more notes to come soon as the weekly training mileage creeps up one more time before a short taper.
Make sure you sign up for the Half Marathon, 10K, or 5K if you haven’t yet- https://santarosamarathon.com/