September 16, 2020
Gobble Reviews
Category:
Meal Kit Reviews
This Nutrition For Longevity review contains affiliate links and we were given a sample to try. We may be compensated if you make a purchase. All opinions are our own.
By Alison Chew
Nutrition For Longevity (N4L) delivers nutrient-rich meals that are high in fruits, vegetables, & fiber, to help restore balance within your body and to help you thrive. All meals are based on the Longevity Diet, and the science of Dr. Valter Longo a leading researcher in healthy aging, and each day includes at least 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, 25 grams of fiber, and less than 30% of your daily calories from fat.
Get 20% OFF N4L through this link with code NUTRITION20 >>
I opted for the 3-day Starter Box, 1600 calorie/day Pescatarian for 1 person, and used this box as a “reset” of sorts to get me back on track. I, like many of you, have been baking up a storm in self-isolation and not eating as well as I should be and looked forward to three days of clean nutritious eating. Each day features a ready-to-eat or easy to make breakfast and lunch, a morning or afternoon snack, and an easy-to-cook dinner meal kit.
When my N4L meals arrived I was blown away by the quantity and quality of ingredients in my box. Any thoughts of starving for 3 days went right out of my mind!
Nutrition For Longevity delivers healthy meal plans to help you get back on track, stay on track, and meet your weight goals. We loved the quality of ingredients and how fresh and light, yet filling, the meals were. The meal kit dinners were simple to make and required very little prep and the lunch salads were absolutely delicious and something I looked forward to eating every day. If you are looking to start eating better N4L offers the guidance you need to get started and to stay on track. If you are already eating healthy, you can’t beat the convenience of 3 days worth of high-quality nutrient-dense meals delivered directly to your door.
Read on for a full day by day meal review, an interview with Carley Horan RD, a registered dietician at N4L, and details around plans and pricing.
Get 20% OFF N4L through this link with code NUTRITION20 >>
I have to admit that I was a bit nervous going into this 3-day “reset”, because I love sweets, wine, chips, etc. Day 1 started out great with a Lean Green Brain Boost smoothie. The Brain Boost powder is included in your box and instead of mixing it in water or another dairy-free beverage as recommended, I opted to add it to my morning berry-pineapple smoothie. It was delicious and added a bit of a “grassy” taste to the smoothie that I didn’t mind.
For my mid-morning snack, I tried the Soothing Oats which are filled with oats, hemp seeds, cinnamon, and maple sugar. They were super easy to make, just add hot water, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. This snack tasted like lightly sweetened maple oatmeal and was enough to power me through to around 1 pm for lunch.
An Okinawa Ramen Noodle Salad with Japanese Pickled Vegetables was for lunch and everything that I needed to mix up this salad was included in the container. The noodles in the salad were a miss for me as they had a mushy texture and were not noodle-like at all. The rest of the salad, the greens, veggies, and dressing, tasted very light and fresh, but the noodles really put a damper on the lunch.
On to dinner, with an Okinawa Redfish with pineapple relish and white rice. This dish was super easy to make with some chopping of the onion, ginger, peppers, and cilantro; cooking the rice on the stovetop and then baking the fish in the oven. Overall, the dish took about 30 min to make. It tasted light and fresh, like the salad, and was very filling (to my surprise!). I love the microgreens as a garnish as they added a nice green crunch to the dish.
Get 20% OFF N4L through this link with code NUTRITION20 >>
On Day 2 I decided to try the Brain Boost powder in water to see what it tasted like. With the main ingredients are from pea protein, alfalfa leaf powder, and spinach powder, and not surprisingly, it tasted grassy (a little too grassy for me). I decided to make another smoothie using this green drink as my liquid. I also tried the Morning Glory Muffin which was reminiscent of a carrot muffin with a subtle sweetness and a warm fall spice blend. Yum! It easily kept me full until lunchtime.
For lunch, I had the Sardinian Green Bean Almondine Salad. This salad was sweetened by raisins and had a little crunch from the almonds and green beans. The hit for me was the cranberry beans which tasted a bit like chickpeas. The white balsamic vinaigrette added acidity to the dish and brightened it up. I loved this salad and could eat it every day for lunch.
I tried the pita chips and hummus for an afternoon snack. This snack was a miss for me as the hummus tasted almost sour while the chips were very hard and bland.
For dinner, I made the Sardinian Cod with Summer Vegetable Risotto and it was wonderful. I noticed that the quality of fish has been spectacular thanks to Sea to Table. This dish was easy to make, baking the cod in the oven like the first night, with the veggies and risotto on the stovetop. The risotto took a little longer than the allocated time to soften up, about 15 min more but came together nicely. It’s been hard for me to finish both dinners. They are filling and delicious.
Get 20% OFF N4L through this link with code NUTRITION20 >>
Day 3 and I’m feeling really good. My digestion is more regular and I just feel better. I started the day with a bowl of the Soothing Oats followed by the Ikarian Fresh Herb and Lentil Salad for lunch. This salad was another winner and I loved the addition of anti-inflammatory lentils along with the chickpeas and Greek herb dressing.
Dinner, like the first 2 nights, was easy to make. Just put the salmon in the oven, and cook the succotash on the stovetop. The sweet corn was the star of this dish, next to the salmon of course, and added a subtle sweetness to balance out the other vegetables.
Get 20% OFF N4L through this link with code NUTRITION20 >>
Nutrition For Longevity offers 6 meal plans including the 3-Day Start Box, Vegan, Pescatarian, Intermittent Fasting, Lunch and Dinner, and Diabetes-Friendly as well as a Produce Box. The price of each meal plan depends on the number of calories per day, vegan or pescatarian, and the number of servings selected. See below for a price breakdown.
Lunch and Dinner: 3 days (3 lunches, 3 dinners)
3-Day Starter Box: 3 days (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, and snacks per person)
Vegan: 3 days (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, and snacks per person)
Pescatarian: 3 days (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, and snacks per person)
Intermittent Fasting: 3 days (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, and snacks per person)
Get 20% OFF N4L through this link with code NUTRITION20 >>
MealFinds: Tell us about Nutrition for Longevity.
Carley at N4L:
N4L is inspired by the centenarian regions around the world where people live past 100 without chronic disease and our mission is to “Revolutionize the way people think about fast food. Help people live healthier, longer lives.”
Our regenerative farm is based in northern New Jersey. A regenerative farm is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to farming. Not only do we prohibit the use of synthetic chemicals, but we also do everything possible to increase the organic matter in our soil. The higher the organic soil matter, the healthier the soil, and the more nutrient-dense our crops are to eat.
MealFinds: What is your background, and your role at N4L?
Carley at N4L:
I am one of a few Dietitians on the N4L’s nutrition team. I played lacrosse at the University of Southern California where I studied Health Science and Business before pursuing my master’s in Nutrition at USC. I was a master’s student of Dr. Valter Longo, author of The Longevity Diet. During my course with Dr. Longo I learned about every research study that supports the diet and lifestyle guidelines Dr. Longo outlines in the book. These guidelines in the book are the standard our N4L nutrition team uses to design our full-day meal kits.
I didn’t find N4L until I returned home to New Jersey after graduation. I was amazed when I saw the job description. It’s not every day that people get to apply their degree to a “T,” work for a brilliant female CEO and work alongside dietitians who specialize in other areas of dietetics. We all wear many hats at N4L. Most of my job is dedicated to nutrition communication projects with our marketing/sales team, but I also take nutrition consultations with our customers and design fitness programs for our lifestyle change initiatives.
MealFinds: Why does N4L need a registered dietitian on staff?
Carley at N4L:
Many! Our team of dietitians come with a diverse skill set. We offer nutrition consults and follow-ups to our customers. We design delicious menus that meet the standards of the USDA guidelines as well as The Longevity Diet. We connect with healthcare professionals and organizations who want to prescribe our food as medicine and speak at events/conferences to share our story and mission.
MealFinds: How does Nutrition for Longevity work?
Carley at N4L:
· Subscriptions = 3 days of food in one box that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and 1 snack, each day guarantees 2000, 1600, or 1200 calories, 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, > 25g of fiber, <30% from healthy fats. All kits are gluten-free and vegan unless you order a pescatarian kit with fish.
· Stand-Alone Items = Produce Box filled with our farm fresh vegetables, Organic Whole Bean Coffee, Italian Imported Olive Oil
MealFinds: Tell us about the ingredients that are used in your prepared meals and meal kits?
Carley at N4L:
Most of the food in the kit comes from our Farm. If we cannot grow an ingredient we source from organic vendors. For example, our olive oil is imported from 300-year-old olive groves in Italy.
MealFinds: As a registered dietician, how is N4L different from other diets or meal kit plans?
Carley at N4L:
It offers a tiered approach to plant-rich nutrition. Our full-day meal kits are best for anyone in need of guidance, structure, and convenience. The produce box is great for families and the creative home chef. No matter what kit you choose, as a customer, you have access to our nutrition team who are available Monday – Friday 9-5 pm ET to help you make the meal kit fit your lifestyle.
MealFinds: Who is N4L for?
Carley at N4L:
Everyone! But we only ship to the continental US. Only 1 in 10 Americans get the recommended 4-6 servings of fruits and vegetables/day. Nutrition for Longevity prioritizes a variety of farm-fresh colorful fruits and veggies in our meal kits to fill that need. We are getting close to the launch of our “ready-made” meals line that will make eating delicious whole foods even more convenient.
Get 20% OFF N4L through this link with code NUTRITION20 >>
