Trifecta Nutrition Review

Trifecta is a meal delivery service that caters primarily to athletes and those who follow different types of structured diets. The company does not recommend or provide a specific diet, per se, but rather supports different eating plans by providing pre-cooked meals with high-quality ingredients and balanced macronutrients.

The company was founded by a trio of entrepreneurs, including a brother-sister team and a software developer, who each had some level of experience in either the fitness space, the tech space, or both.

Trifecta operates out of northern California. However, the company delivers food all over the country.

What Is Trifecta?

Trifecta's marketing materials, television ads, and social media feeds seem to imply that the only people who buy these meals are performance athletes whose lives revolve around fitness training and nutritional planning.

But there are many different people at various fitness levels that might benefit from the meals. However, if you are a person who tracks their macros (as many athletes do) you'll find that Trifecta has several features to help you reach your goals

Meals

When you sign up for a Trifecta subscription, you have a wide variety of meals to choose from. There are breakfast, lunch, and dinner options for those who follow different eating styles, including:

• Classic and clean meals made with lean proteins, grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes
• Keto meals that are very low in carbohydrates and higher in healthy fats
• Paleo meals that are grain-free and dairy-free
• Vegan meals that include plant-based protein instead of eggs, meat, seafood, or dairy
• Vegetarian meals that may include eggs and meat alternatives, but no dairy, fish, or meat

The Trifecta website provides substantial information about the food that they use. The company uses sustainably-sourced, wild-caught seafood, grass-fed beef or bison, and free-range chicken.

Trifecta uses organic ingredients and tries to use locally-sourced ingredients when they are available. The meals are all dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free because they are the most common food allergens. They also do not use GMO ingredients.

Sample meals may include:

• Barbecue chicken with broccoli
• Basa, with brown rice and mixed vegetables
• Curried chicken with lemon
• Egg whites with maple turkey sausage
• Grilled chicken with walnut pesto
• Roasted pepper chicken wings with sweet potato
• Salmon, with sweet potato and mixed vegetables
• Sauteed cauliflower with chicken
• Sesame shrimp with carrots
• Sunnyside egg with potato and cremini mushroom
• Smoky tomato beef with veggies

You can also order Trifecta protein, veggies, or carbs a la carte. For example, you might order a week's worth of lean protein, veggies, and grains, then assemble meals for each day on your own. You can also use the a la carte feature to supplement the pre-made meals, for example, if you want to add extra veggies or protein).

Nutritional Balance

Trifecta meals are calorie-controlled and follow a general macronutrient balance. The actual number of calories and the macronutrient balance for each meal plan varies slightly. Trifecta provides average nutritional numbers for each:

• Clean: 500 calories, 38g protein. 20g fat, 42g carbs 
• Keto: 500 calories, 35g protein. 35g fat, 9g net carbs
• Paleo: 400 calories, 32g protein, 20g fat, 23g carbs 
• Vegan: 425 calories, 20g protein. 16g fat, 50g carbs
• Vegetarian: 425 calories, 20g protein, 16g fat, 50g carbs 

If you participate in the F45 Challenge, Trifecta offers meals that align with the calorie and macro guidelines that F45 provides for its members. To get these meals, you can sign up through the F45 app and indicate whether you are male or female so that the correct calorie-controlled meals are sent.

Every meal is delivered with a complete nutrition facts label that includes ingredients and nutritional data for that specific meal. Nutritional information is also easy to find on the website for you to evaluate before you buy.

Subscription, Ordering, and Delivery

To get Trifecta meals, you sign up for an auto-renewing subscription based on your needs. First you choose the meal plan that you want (Clean, Paleo, Keto, etc) then you choose the number of meals per day that you prefer.

You also have the option of refining your taste preference or eliminating allergens. For example, if you want the Clean Meal Plan, but don't like salmon or red meat, you can choose to eliminate meals with those ingredients. However, you can only choose two items to eliminate.

You are supposed to receive your meals on Friday or Saturday of the week following the date when you placed your order. Meals arrive in individual vacuum-packed containers and are shipped in a box that keeps the food cold and fresh en route. The packaging is both recyclable and biodegradable.

Meals should be refrigerated upon arrival and should stay fresh for 6-10 days. You can also freeze them to eat at a later date.

If you choose to make any changes to your subscription, you'll need to log into your account. For instance, you might choose to skip a week or change the meal plan that you're on. The changes will take place with your Friday order the week after your change is made.

If you want to cancel your subscription, this modification can not take place online. You must call the company and a 7-day advance notice is required.

Support and Resources

In addition to meal delivery, Trifecta also provides some resources and support. The company maintains a blog online and allows you to join a community of like-minded healthy eaters. They also have a library of training articles, diet reviews, and recipes on their website.

Many subscribers also use the Trifecta app. The app can be used to order meals, but you'll also find workout, a library of exercise moves, a food and movement log, fitness timers, and more. You can also take part in the 90-day TrifectaMe Challenge where those who opt in upload a before picture then try to reach training and nutritional goals.

Costs

The meal plan and the number of meals that you choose per day will determine your total cost. If you want just one entree per day, seven days per week, you'll spend about $108 per week for most plans. The vegetarian and vegan plans are $91 per week.

Two meals per day on most plans will run about $210. You also have the option of ordering three meals per week (about $300 for most plans, or $226 for vegetarian and vegan) or even to add one more entree for an additional fee.

The a la carte ordering option allows you to order only the specific items that you prefer. Protein is ordered by the pound and packaged in 1/4 pound portions. Prices range from $10.99 for hard-boiled eggs to $26 or $27 for meat and seafood. Shipping costs are included in the prices of all meal subscriptions.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Like many meal delivery services, Trifecta is convenient. It is much easier and faster to prepare a pre-cooked meal than it is to shop for and cook your own meals. There are a few things that give Trifecta an edge over the competition.

• Nutritionally balanced: Many athletes, regardless of whether they are endurance athletes or strength-trained athletes, carefully manage macronutrient balance in order to achieve their specific goals. Trifecta not only balances their meals according to many of the popular diet plans used by these athletes, but they also make nutritional information easily available in the ordering process. With the a la carte menu, you can adjust macros as needed.
• Well-packaged: Meals and a la carte items are vacuum-sealed in transparent clean containers. They store well and keep food fresh in transport and when stored at home.
• High-quality ingredients: Trifecta makes food quality a priority. They opt for organic ingredients and avoid processed and refined foods. Their chefs add flavor with natural spices rather than processed additives. Sodium levels for the meals tend to be lower than many other frozen meals.
• Substantial portion sizes: You'll get a hearty meal when you order from Trifecta, especially when compared to other calorie-controlled delivery meals. The meals also provide plenty of protein and fiber so you feel full after eating.
• Different eating styles accommodated: Those with allergies and specific food needs are accommodated. It's easy to eliminate most major allergens (soy, fish, dairy, gluten, etc). You can also choose not to get foods that you don't like. The a la carte menu allows you to customize a meal plan that caters to almost any dietary need.

Cons

There are a few things to consider before investing in a Trifecta subscription. Like any food delivery service, certain elements may not work for everyone. Online reviews and customer comments indicate that some reported issues with Trifecta are related to customer service issues.

In preparation for this article, some of those issues were apparent, but some were not:

• Potential shipping problems: According to online complaints, shipping delays have been an issue both prior to and during the pandemic. Delays can occur for several reasons. In preparation for this article, both orders were substantially delayed. One delay occurred because the food was shipped late by Trifecta and the other occurred because the shipper lost the box. But delays can be a big deal if you are relying on Trifecta for many or most of your meals. In addition, it is possible that you won't get what you ordered. This complaint was mentioned online and was also experienced in preparation for this article. While F45 Challenge female challenge meals were ordered, several of the meals received were for the male meal plan (and substantially higher in calories).
• Cancellation can be difficult: In order to cancel your Trifecta order, you must call the company. This is the only change that cannot be made online. Reaching someone at Trifecta by phone can be tricky. When the food review for this article was complete, we were not able to reach a person by phone at Trifecta, but emails were able to resolve the issue.
• Meal texture and flavor: Taste is very subjective. A meal that tastes delicious to one consumer may not work for another. But you may want to try a limited order at Trifecta to make sure you like the food before you invest substantially. For example, if you prefer vegetables cooked al dente (with a bit of crunch or texture) you may struggle with these meals. Most meals received for this review were a combination of a protein (such as chicken or beef) combined with a spicy medley of very soft chopped vegetables that blended together in terms of taste and texture. The cooking method can also play a role in whether or not you enjoy these meals. For instance, microwaving is usually not the best way to prepare meat or seafood. If you don't like the texture of your meals, try the stovetop or oven method. It can make a slight difference in the texture of the protein (but not the veggies).
• Expensive: Trifecta meals are not cheap. If you order one of the meat-inclusive plans you'll pay over $15 per meal (if you get one meal per day). You'd pay substantially less if you cooked the same meals at home. But, of course, many people order these meals because of the convenience. If you're looking for a time-saving solution but don't want to cook your own food, choose the a la carte option and assemble individual meals on your own.

A Word From Verywell

Before you make an investment in this or any food delivery company take some time to determine a budget and define your goals. If you are looking for a convenient way to get high-quality ingredients with macronutrients that align with your specific eating plan, then Trifecta might be a good fit. But try a limited subscription first to be sure that you enjoy the food.

If your budget is limited, consider organizing your own meal prep at home. It takes just a few hours per week and there are plenty of online recipes that can help you organize healthy meals with the right balance of nutrients for your needs.

Lastly, keep in mind that the images used to market Trifecta show athletes who have bodies that are not likely achieved with the meals alone. Buying the meals will not guarantee a lean, muscular physique. You will need to build and stick to a comprehensive workout and nutritional plan.