Q: How will I receive my order?

A: Your order will be shipped via Fed Ex overnight and will be delivered to your door every Saturday morning. If you live in the Los Angeles area, your box will be hand delivered to your door early Monday morning. Each box will contain breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day of service. The containers should be transported to your refrigerator as soon as possible.

Q: How do I pay for my order?

A: After you sign-up, you will be asked to fill out a form with your personal information, including your credit card info. Your card will be charged every Wednesday morning prior to your delivery.

Q: I travel a lot for work. Can I suspend my order and/or get it delivered to my hotel?

A: Yes. We are more than happy to accommodate your delivery to meet your needs. However, we do need to be notified by the Tuesday (by 10 pm) prior to the week you would like to either suspend or receive your box at a different location. Please note there is an additional fee for shipping. When you do suspend for a period, just let us know when you will return/would like us to resume your deliveries. Also because the containers are vacuum sealed, many dishes are ideal to travel with. However, soups are sometimes not allowed through security. But the solid dishes are and soups do freeze well, should you want to reheat them when you return.

Q: How do I cancel delivery?

A: Should you not specifically request cancellation, we will keep delivering you meals. Cancellation is required any Tuesday, no later than 10:00pm (pst), before any upcoming delivery.

Q: What kind of ingredients do you use?

A: All our ingredients are completely natural, organic, and of the highest quality available. Most are locally grown in Southern California, not far from our prep kitchen in Marina Del Rey.

Q: Do I need to take any supplements?

A: No. The meals, along with a daily serving of Vega One offered in THRIVE PLUS and THRIVE PRO categories, are all that's needed for optimal nutritional support.

Q: Do you use any processed food / artificial ingredients, etc?

A: No. We believe that processed foods are part of what has made America such an unhealthy country and have made it our mission to use fresh, wholesome ingredients.

Q: How are the meals prepared? Is anything fried?

A: No. Every meal is made from scratch, just like you would prepare in your own home, only in much larger portions.

Q: What about the caloric information?

A: We do not count calories. Our food is pure, clean, & organic. All meals are naturally low in fat and sodium (feel free to add Vega EFA oil blend or seal salt, as desired). We do not add sugar to anything. It is not about the quantity, but the quality. The meals follow the high net-gain principals that are put fourth in the Thrive book series.

Q: Do I have to add anything to what I receive?

A: Everything is all-inclusive except the breakfast granola, which we suggest adding an apple/banana, and either organic almond milk or coconut yogurt. Vega Sport Performance Protein (vanilla flavor) is also ideal on granola and will keep you going strong throughout the whole morning.

Q: Are snacks included in any of the programs?

A: All of our programs are designed to keep you full in between meals. Our unprocessed ingredients are nutrient-rich, and full of fiber/protein. These nutrients will help you feel fuller, longer. However, grazing on fruit, nuts / seeds is a good option if you do find you need snacks. For those who are more active, we offer THRIVE PRO, which includes larger portions as well as a full daily serving of Vega ONE.

Q: What should I do when I receive my box?

A: Please make sure to put in refrigerator as soon as possible. The food is made fresh, and while it is in a chilled box, it must be placed in the refrigerator as close to pick up/delivery time as possible.

Q: How long can I keep my food for?

A: Food should keep, as long as it is refrigerated, for at least the days you are provided for.

Q: Can I choose what I want to eat for the week?

A: Our menu is delivered through a random selection. However, we are constantly rotating, changing, and adding dishes to our repertoire, and this method also allows us to keep our prices reasonable.

Q: Can I order only for the days I want? What if I only want lunch?

A: Our program runs M-F and there is no commitment beyond the week you sign up for. Some people do 7 days, but it is always 3 meals a day and typically M-F.

Q: Can I order outside the US?

A: At this time, we can only ship to the continental US. Canada coming soon (we're aiming for Spring, 2012)

Q: Do you have a childrens menu?

A: We do not have a separate menu for kids, but we have had a very positive response from most. Remember, you are in charge of what your children eat!

Q: What if I am still hungry?

A: This is rarely an issue. The first week you may have to adjust, and will undergo a type of natural cleanse as your digestive system acclimates to the meals but after that you will feel more energized and notice you are completely full after every meal (but not bloated or heavy feeling). Many find they cannot even finish the portions we give them. However, for those who are extreme athletes, we offer THRIVE PRO, which is a customized plan that is tailored to your needs in an effort to help you reach your athletic goals.

Q: Since the meals will be delivered to my door, will this be less environmentally friendly than if I were to buy the ingredients at a store?

A: No. The traditional model is: a company buys an ingredient from a farmer, packages it and then sells it to a retail store such as Whole Foods where the end consumer buys it. Our model is: we buy ingredients direct from the farmer (most local since our kitchen is in Southern California) and then pass them on to the end consumer. So we cut out a step of transportation. Additionally, one could presume that if someone is getting meals delivered to his / her door, that person would not need to go (probably drive) to a retail store as often. So, this model does actually cut the amount of travel the food must undergo. As for packaging, it's comparable to what you would get when ingredients are bought at a retail store. Plus it is 100% recyclable in a standard roadside pick up system. The plan is to allow more people to be able to experience the power of consistently eating well, while treading as lightly on the environment as possible.

Q: What was your motivated you to develop Thrive Foods Direct?

A: After making an amazing plant-based meal for friends or family, how often have they said: "that was delicious! I'd eat this way all the time if I had a chef make this for me."

It got me to thinking; why not be that chef?

It will expose a whole new group of people to the power that organic, plant-based, whole food nutrition can offer them, and the remarkable holistic benefits it can provide.

Another significant motivation for me was elite athletes. I consistently have conversations with NFL, NHL, Tour De France cyclists, pro soccer players, and Olympic athletes who tell me they feel amazing eating in accordance with the Thrive principals. But when they go on the road, they're at the mercy of the catering company. And, as a result, they are never able to eat completely plant-based. I wanted to change that. A few of the first Thrive Foods Direct customers have been NFL players who are almost completely vegan now, and will be soon as a result of meals delivered to their hotel.

Admittedly, Thrive Foods Direct is not for everyone. But I do feel it will significantly help many who simply dont have the time, knowledge, or inclination to consistently make nutritionally complete, plant-based, whole food meals.