Nutrition Kitchen: Fresh, diverse meal plans to satisfy both fitness fanatics and hardcore foodies

For anyone trying to fit in healthy eating around exercise, careers and families – not to mention the revival of their social lives – the prospect of meal prepping for the week may be some utopian ideal that was imagined in a minute of optimism and almost immediately banished to the realm of make-believe. And the idea of sacrificing snacks in the age of home working probably sounds less like self-care and more like an exercise in masochism. So when I tell you that monitoring macronutrients and counting calories can actually be not only rewarding but genuinely enjoyable, I won’t blame you for laughing in my face. However, believe it or not, a few days of Nutrition Kitchen has taught this dedicated foodie that self-discipline can be a doss when you delegate your diet to the professionals.

If the concept of letting someone be in control of what you eat is hard to stomach, there was never a better time to be converted. Nutrition Kitchen is a delivery service providing pre-prepped meal plans which have been meticulously measured according to your lifestyle. Charlotte and Peter Fisher and Joshua Li conceived of the idea to help the fitness community supplement their training with easy and nutritional plates without compromising on taste: “The first menu cycles that we created were really a back and forth between the fitness side of the business and the foodie side, and this collaborative process set the foundations for Nutrition Kitchen.” Indeed, their uniqueness stems from this balance, and an experienced culinary director ensures that each dish is designed with flavour in mind, using herbs and spices from around the globe. These include a wide array of constantly changing breakfast, lunch and dinner options such as Caprese frittata with Italian sausage, burly Sikh meatballs with fragrant lentils and cool mint yoghurt, and flaky Balinese barramundi.

The company’s worldwide reach goes beyond its culinary influences. Having started in Hong Kong and Singapore, the team’s work became hugely successful through word of mouth: “What took us a little by surprise was how our client base grew outwards within offices and we started to get multiple orders from the same office as people got lunch envy.” But while the initial appeal of the product was practical, it was their approach in the kitchen that set them apart from market competitors: “We have a restaurant mindset to food production rather than a food factory outlook. We produce all of our meals to order and don’t batch cook weeks ahead and reheat.” This ensures everything is fresh on arrival – the only requirement is a few minutes in the microwave. The menu provides welcome proof that guilt-free food doesn’t have to be boring: “We try to reverse engineer familiar comfort foods, regional favourites and offer a genuinely diverse menu.”

Indeed, the team are adamant that great-tasting, varied food is key to healthy eating: “A detox diet might result in short term weight loss but is totally unsustainable in the long term and doesn’t actually teach you how to eat healthily. A sensible approach to diet will always win out in the long term.” The good news is that this means that when it comes to watching your weight or gaining muscle (there are plans available for both), there are ways to hit targets without cutting out your favourite foods, which reaps not only physical but psychological rewards. The team are also aware of the toll that meal prepping can take; their service gives customers one less thing to worry about, alleviating anxiety and eliminating decision fatigue. This is not to say that the diner’s agency is lost: “All of us feel happier when we are in control of our lives and for a lot of people making healthy food choices and being active helps to give us that sense of control.”

The company are also looking to the future, and this includes an investment in the planet, from responsibly sourced ingredients to biodegradable packaging and bicycle couriers. They are hopeful about the growing environmental awareness of the consumer, and their business, which by nature has a lower carbon footprint, holds an obvious appeal: “We have a tremendous advantage over brick and mortar restaurants in that we only place our orders with suppliers based on demand and only cook to order. This means we are able to operate at close to zero food waste.” While their commitment to eco-friendly objectives are clear, they admit that personal goals can be less so. Good health is not just about eating habits, and the team offer up a bonus tip for anyone avoiding the treadmill: “Motivation is fleeting. The gym doesn’t hold any appeal for a lot of people, so instead look at learning a new skill or pick up a new activity that gets you moving.”

Rosamund Kelby
Photos: Rosamund Kelby

Create your own custom meal plan by visiting the website here. Nutrition Kitchen is available for weekday delivery across London. Save £15 off your first order by using the code GETSTARTED.