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NutriSystem Day 26: Hold the Eggs

The end is in sight, and a welcome sight it is

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.com

October 23, 2007

Nutrisystem • NutriSystem Leaves a Bad Taste in Many Mouths • Consumer Complaints --- 28 Days of Nutrisystem • Day 28: Mission Accomplished • Day 26: Hold the Eggs • Day 21: Tired, Hungry, Not Much Lighter • Day 14: More Energy, Fewer Pounds • Day 11: Logistics Prove Difficult • Day 5: Cardboard Soup • Day 1: A Brave Beginning --- • Weight Loss News

With two days left in my NutriSystem trial, I have eaten, or at least tried to eat, almost every dish NutriSystem has to offer and I'm glad I'll -- hopefully -- never be eating them again after Thursday.

Most of the foods were fair at best, a few were tasty, while some were so disgusting I'd have to be truly starving before I'd eat them again.

Of the 118 NutriSystem complaints ConsumerAffairs.com has received, almost all describe horrific foods that “not even a dog would eat.” While I understand that I'm not a picky eater, I would have to say that most of those complaints are gross exaggerations.

I wouldn't describe any NutriSystem dishes as delicious. Most were not bad, especially with the help of some spices and/or hot sauce, which are both allowed. Only a few were so gross I'd never eat them again.

To be honest, considering that this is supposed to be a diet and diet foods are generally healthy foods, I was shocked at how edible most foods were. For our readers who really couldn't handle NutriSystem foods, all I can say is, “good luck dieting.”

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However, it seemed many of the foods were cheaply made. While the meat wasn't bad, it didn't taste like it was anywhere close to grade A and every item that supposedly had fruits and nuts built into it, had almost none. I was also frequently disappointed when I opened lunches and dinners to find mostly sauce rather than meat and vegetables.

While many bloggers on NutriSystem's forums claim to save money using NutriSystem, I found that claim to be less than credible. I live alone in downtown Washington, D.C. and before this NutriSystem diet, I ate most meals out since preparing meals for one person is rarely feasible and since many of the restaurants in the area offer healthier dishes and cater to young singles like myself.

My spending for food, conservatively, came out to $420 per month while the cheapest possible option for NutriSystem customers is $460. While meals themselves are only $320 per month, they actually only include a portion of one's daily calorie intake.

As I noted in my Day 11 entry, a dieter must also provide 11 extra helpings from various food groups for each day.

After loading up at Trader Joe's, the cheapest grocery store in town that offers fresh fruits and vegetables, and using what was already in my pantry, I burned through at least an additional $140.

Knowing that I live in a very expensive region, I don't understand how anyone outside of Washington, D.C. or Manhattan could possibly claim that they save money using NutriSystem.

Outside of food, the diet also includes counseling, which some say makes the difference. For me, the counseling was helpful. My friendly counselor, Jamie, called me every week to check on me and candidly answered my questions.

However, after a month on the diet, after all my questions have been answered, I'm not sure I'd ever use the counseling again.

During this trial, I have learned what foods I like and what foods I don't and I completely commiserate with complaining consumers whose meals have been “swapped.” While it doesn't cost more money to choose what foods you want, it makes the diet much more edible considering that most people are likely going to hate at least some of the dishes.

When I chose my plan, I tried to pick one of everything so that I could get a good feel for the palatability of the diet. However, only about a third of what I picked actually arrived.

Instead, they swapped many of the desserts, breakfasts, lunches and dinners with things that I suspect were cheaper to make. Most notable were the five packages of “scrambled eggs.” I only picked one of those, yet five arrived. The powdered eggs were not only disgusting, as I discuss in today's video, but likely much less expensive to manufacture than some of the other breakfast dishes.

My counselor recently informed me that I could have called NutriSystem when my box arrived and have them send me the items I actually picked, at no charge, and kept the other items I didn't pick.

Maybe, but consumers have complained for years about food being swapped out.

NutriSystem representatives have given me three excuses saying that it's because of a new and improved menu that may not appear on the website, a temporary backlog at the shipping facility and one even blamed it on the company's spokesman, Dan Marino, saying his popular effect on the brand has hurt the supply chains.

NutriSystem needs to stop giving excuses and start sending people what they paid for. Until then, I encourage readers to follow my counselor's advice and make NutriSystem send them all the food they actually requested.

Check out my last NutriSystem blog on Thursday where I'll have my final weigh-in and give my final verdict on the NutriSystem diet.

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