FAQ
Q: When should I expect my order? Which shipping company?
Your order will be shipped via UPS and will be delivered to your door every Friday by end of day. All packages have a default authorized "shipper release", therefore if you are not home it will be left regardless. A signature is not needed. 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?
Go to our order page, you will be asked to fill out a form with your personal information, including your credit card info. If you place a meal plan order, you will be charged 5-7 days ahead of each delivery. If you place an 'A la Carte' order, you will be charged once at the time of checkout.
Q: I travel a lot for work. Can I suspend my order and/or get it delivered to my hotel?
We are more than happy to accommodate your delivery to meet your needs. However, we do need to be notified by the Monday (at 12:00pm PST) prior to the week you would like to either suspend or receive your box at a different location. 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 great to travel with! Soups are sometimes not allowed through airport 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?
You must specifically request cancellation or we will keep delivering you meals. Contact for cancellation by Monday of the week prior to what you want to be your last delivery, no later than 12:00pm (PST), before any upcoming delivery. Phone is the fastest method.
Q: What kind of ingredients do you use?
All our ingredients are completely natural, organic, and of the highest quality available.
Q: Do I need to take any supplements?
If you will be maintaining a completely plant-based diet, we do recommend a vitamin B12 supplement. Vega One has 50% of the RDI of B12. If you are not getting regular sunlight and your lab work reveals a low vitamin D level, you may consider supplementing with vitamin D as well.
Q: Do you use any processed food/artificial ingredients, etc?
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?
No. Every meal is made from scratch, just like you would prepare in your own home, only in much larger portions.
Q: What is the fat content in your food?
The only fats in our food are the healthy, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found naturally in the whole food ingredients themselves.
Q: How many calories are in the meals?
We do not count calories. Our food is pure, clean, and organic. Everything is naturally low in fat and sodium and we do not add sugar to anything. It is not about the quantity, but the quality. The 150 calories in a piece of cake will affect your blood sugar differently and not satisfy you or give you the nutrients in the same way a big bowl of broccoli & brown rice with the same amount of calories will.
Q: How long does your food take to work?
It varies from individual to individual. Different factors come into play such as exercise, lifestyle, etc. However, the vast majority of people see some physical results within 10-14 days. While they usually do not see any noticeable weight loss, they do start to feel an obvious change in their digestive system, energy, and overall wellness.
After one month, there is usually some weight loss, clothes fit better, and energy levels and overall wellness continues to improve. At three months, there is usually a significant amount of weight loss as well as a vast improvement in overall wellness. At six months, most people have either reached, or are very close to reaching their target weight and can comfortably say they feel their lifestyle has been monumentally impactedfor the better!
Q: Do I have to add anything to what I receive?
Everything is all-inclusive except the breakfast granola, which we suggest adding fresh fruit, and organic, unsweetened plant-based milk (almond, soy, rice, hemp, oat, etc.).
Q: Are snacks included in any of the programs?
All of our programs are designed to keep you full in between meals. Our unprocessed ingredients are nutrient-rich, and full of fiber and protein. These nutrients will help you feel fuller, longer, as opposed to frozen meals that contain preservatives and empty calories and leave your stomach rumbling an hour or two later.
Q: What should I do when I receive my box?
Please make sure to put your food in your 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?
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?
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?
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?
At this time, we can only ship to the continental US.
Q: Is this only for people on a diet?
Absolutely not. Our food is for everyone. Should you have extra pounds, they will naturally come off simply because the food is so healthy, but we encourage everyone and anyone to order. It is delicious, healthy, and convenient making it perfect for everyone!
Q: Do you have a children's menu?
We do not have a separate menu for kid's, 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?
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 program, but after that, you will feel more energized and notice you are completely full after every meal. Many find they cannot even finish the portions we give them. For those who are extreme athletes, we are happy to do a customized plan for an additional fee.
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?
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 motivated you to develop Thrive Foods Direct?
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.