I try to prep my own breakfast and lunch before work since fresh, healthy meal options around my office are often few and far between. On the days that I do have the time and energy to make food in advance, it works out great. But the reality is that I often can only prepare a few meals a week—and ironically, my good intentions often lead to unhealthy habits, like forgetting to bring lunch, then spending way too much money to treat myself to greasy Chinese food. A few friends at work swear by Splendid Spoon, a delivery service with a weekly rotating menu of prepared smoothies, soups, and stews, but as a home cook I was skeptical. Their emphasis is on wellness, and they're dedicated to creating vegan, non-GMO, and gluten free meals to help busy people benefit from a healthy lifestyle. But I couldn't imagine the food would be as fresh and healthy as the meals I make at home. And how are they different from store bought meals, anyway?

Long story short: I tried Splendid Spoon's 1-month starter plan, and it changed everything. Here's what I learned.

"Good intentions" don't equal healthy eating

Just because you want to do something, like make all your meals at home or have more energy and lose a few pounds by eating clean, doesn't mean you're doing it well! I had to reckon with the fact that while I wanted to be healthy, I needed some help. Getting breakfast and lunch delivered allowed me to actually eat healthier, and not just talk about eating healthier.

Getting your meals delivered is a lifesaver

I've cleaned spilled salad dressing from leaky Tupperware more times than I can count. Suffice it to say that getting weekly deliveries has saved my life—and the contents of my purse. Now, I get the 9-5 plan, which means I get 5 breakfast smoothies and 5 lunch bowls (a hearty, vegan soup or stew) delivered chilled or frozen in insulated packaging right to my office every week. I grab a pre-blended smoothie for a 0 minute superfood breakfast, or pop a soup in the microwave for a 3 minute lunch that's way better than homemade.

The ingredients are fresher than at my grocery store

I absolutely love the food! The ingredients are always high-quality, vegan, and (unlike store-bought foods) low in sugar and sodium, and I can always check out ingredient lists and nutrition info online. I am obsessed with the Ab & J smoothie for breakfast, chock-full of almond butter, banana, and berries, and hearty lunches like Butternut Squash Ratatouille, Moroccan Lentil Stew, and a Red Beet Buddha Bowl offer variety and keep me satisfied until dinner. Because Splendid Spoon sources ingredients from around the world, and freezing keeps nutrients packed into every bite, I'm getting way more of the vitamins and minerals my body needs than I would from the grocery store.

Portion size is everything

Since the meals are perfectly made for one person, there's never the extra food I was always tempted to overeat when I was cooking with meal kits. Their soups are about 350 calories each, but keep me full and energized until dinner, so I've probably cut out 300 calories a day by switching from my home-made options. I slimmed down a few pounds in the first couple weeks without even trying. Not what I was aiming for, but definitely a nice bonus!

Meal planning was taking up way too much of my time, anyway

With breakfast and lunch covered, I'm never cursing myself half-way through my commute for forgetting my granola bar, or spending weekend time prepping meals for the upcoming week. That means when I get home for dinner I can actually enjoy trying out new recipes, which, when I'm not burnt out from cooking and cleaning all day Sunday, is actually one of my favorite hobbies.

Whether you're a home cook and struggle to find the time to make work-week meals, someone who needs to step up your clean-eating game, or just plain sick and tired of the same old sad lunchtime salad, meal delivery from Splendid Spoon is a small change that can have a huge impact. Eating well without the stress means having more energy and a happier outlook on life, and for me, that's been entirely worth it.

Update: The folks at Splendid Spoon are extending an exclusive offer to our readers! Follow this link and get $15 Off the Most Popular Plans!