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This healthy, meal prep service is full of tasty, nutritious meals. I tried their weight loss programme for five weeks – here's how I got on. 

Every new year, we list out resolutions for ourselves, including a renewed vigour for diet and exercise. And while this can be a great motivator, we must also proceed with caution. For amidst the flurry of diets that arise, it’s important to establish healthy eating habits rather than falling for harmful weight loss fads.

That’s where Dishy comes in – a breath of fresh air, this meal delivery service stands out from the rest by offering nutritious pre-prepared meals delivered right to your door. I tried it out for myself and noticed great results quickly. Here’s how I fared.

What is Dishy?

Dishy was founded by mum-of-two Gillian Hynes, who has been working in the health and fitness industry for over a decade. She originally founded Body Project in 2014, a combined programme of personal training and chef-prepared healthy meals, when her clients kept asking for a meal prep service for their family and friends. Thus, Dishy was born.

“Many of our customers are not looking to lose weight,” Gillian explained. “They want to eat healthy food, but they simply don’t have the time or the energy to cook. Having Dishy in their fridge saves them from that last-minute Deliveroo order.”

Hands up – I am one of those last-minute takeaway dependents, especially if I’ve had a busy week and don’t have the energy to cook. So, I gave Dishy a try for five whole weeks and I felt better than I have in a while, in better spirits, more energised and with fewer tummy issues. Plus, I lost a few pesky pounds in the process.

How does it work?

Dishy currently offers a few plans – weight loss (six-day meal delivery), weekday warrior (five-day meal delivery), half-week helper (three days of meals) and dinners-only (five or six days of meals). So, whether you want to ease into it or dive right in, there’s a plan to suit everyone.

I opted for the weight loss programme through Dishy, and they sent me a handy chart, where I could track my weight and, most importantly, my body measurements. I consistently lost two pounds per week at the start, but even when this plateaued I continued to lose inches, which kept me motivated.

Once you choose your subscription, you get to choose the meals you’d like from their menu, and then you receive two deliveries per week, every Sunday and Wednesday, to provide six days’ worth of meals. Unlike other delivery services that deliver ingredients once weekly, each Dishy meal is conveniently premade so you just have to pop it in the oven or microwave and you are good to go. The twice-weekly delivery guarantees freshness as well.

Their food is professionally prepared with local, flavourful ingredients and is restaurant quality. My fiancé is the pickiest eater I know and after he tried a few bites of my dinners, he was seriously impressed. I also loved the fact that Dishy continually revamps their menu (they’ve just launched a bunch of new dishes for 2023 and they had a lovely Christmas dinner option for last December) because, as someone who loves to be inventive in the kitchen, I felt like I still had autonomy over my meals while trying new things.

What makes it stand out from the rest?

Now, I have tried every diet under the sun from apple cider vinegar and juice cleanses to Weight Watchers. Unfortunately, this was before I shifted focus from tunnel-visioned weight loss to finding balanced meals. And each of these diets failed because (1) I love food too much to put up with bland and boring flavours and (2) I was always left hungry after each meal, which led to binge eating afterwards.

Thankfully, Dishy solved these two problems immediately. Each meal was tasty and actually filling! There were multiple times when I couldn’t even finish my meal because I was too full. It was great to come home after a long day at the office, grab my dinner, throw it in the oven and enjoy it.

My favourite meals were the yoghurt granola pots (to die for!), chocolate-nut butter pancakes, goat’s cheese & sweet potato salad, potato and thyme soup, Thai green curry, chicken satay skewers and vegetarian lasagne. Regarding food restrictions, Dishy are very accommodating and sustainable where other food services typically lack. They have a range of vegetarian and gluten-free options, all of which are labelled for ease when you choose your weekly meal plan, and each delivery arrives in eco-friendly Kraft packaging produced from all-natural ingredients. If I had to pick one downside, it’d be that the containers do take up a lot of room in your fridge and bin. So, I cleared my own special shelf to use and had a separate compostable bag that I emptied regularly.

The results

The first week was an adjustment for my body, switching from frozen pizzas and pasta to nutritiously balanced meals. I felt sluggish and fiercely craved cheese and sugar (my vices). But when the second week started and my body recalibrated, I thrived. I had more energy, slept better and, when I had my once-weekly cheat day (you have one day off), I found myself reaching for healthy food by choice to keep the good feelings going.

“People often have a fear that meal plans associated with weight loss will mean tasteless food and feeling miserable – we’re on a mission to turn that idea around,” Gillian said. “We work hard to make sure that our meals are delicious, filling and something you would truly be happy to receive in a restaurant.”

“Losing weight or staying at a weight that you are happy with, does not have to mean eating boring food or going hungry,” Gillian said. “Dieting never works for the long term as it’s inherently unsustainable, so any weight loss is always short-lived.”

“I want people to know that you can eat amazing food and look amazing too.”

As a self-declared foodie who is always busy and looking to eat more wholesome meals, Dishy ticked all the boxes. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to make a healthier lifestyle change this year. 

This review follows a five-week free trial of Dishy’s weight-loss meal prep delivery service.

To check out their meals and meal plans, or sign up for Dishy’s delivery service, visit getdishy.com. Dishy currently only delivers throughout Dublin, but they are hoping to expand nationwide in 2023. To stay updated, follow them on Instagram.