I’m the kind of person who can bench‑press a small sedan yet somehow forgets that pizza isn’t an essential food group. Enter MealPro, a company that promises to rescue me from both my kitchen ineptitude and my highly trained talent for sabotaging meal prep with “just one more” protein bar. Skepticism packed, I ordered a week’s worth of their flex‑friendly fuel to see whether my microwave—and my muscles—could finally get along.
Pick‑and‑mix nirvana. The first pleasant surprise was the bodybuilding à‑la‑carte menu, where I could slot Beef Barbacoa next to Turkey Ragu like a culinary Tetris champion. MealPro even lets you dial carbs up or down depending on whether you’re cutting for beach season or bulking for a Mr. Olympia cameo, all without a single Excel macro on my end.
The “here, grow these” box. For maximum laziness, I also grabbed the Bodybuilder Chef’s Box. Each tray lands at up to two pounds of cooked weight and can hit the 800-to-1,000-calorie bullseye with over 70g of protein, because apparently “moderation” is for people who skip leg day.
Yet, I can diet… allegedly. Out of morbid curiosity (and a fondness for buttoning my jeans), I tacked on the 400 Calorie Meal Plan. Twenty‑two neatly portioned entrées show up—think Zucchini Chicken or a Sweet Potato Bowl that tastes way more decadent than 400 miserable calories should allow.
Taste test, gym‑rat edition. The Yam Chicken from the bulking box is Thanksgiving dinner after a CrossFit workshop: absurdly giant, pleasantly smoky, and—shockingly—moist. The Tilapia from the diet lineup held its flaky dignity even after my patented “nuke it until the film bubbles” technique. My one gripe: the turkey dishes could use a splash more seasoning; otherwise, they risk cosplaying as hotel‑banquet protein.
Packaging & practicality. Everything arrives still cryogenically chilled, accompanied by enough dry ice to power the next Batman reboot. Peel, heat, eat, repeat—that’s the workflow. Trays are vacuum-sealed, fridge-friendly, freezer-tolerant, and probably apocalypse-ready, which means my meal prep time now rivals the length of a TikTok video.
The fine print I wish I’d known. Customizing macros is addictive, but watch your wallet—piling extra protein on every dish can turn “affordable” into “I should have bought more creatine instead.” And while portions are heroic, veggies sometimes exit the microwave a tad al dente (that’s Italian for “vaguely crunchy”). Minor quibbles for food that shows up on a refrigerated truck, but worth noting before you schedule leg day around the delivery truck.
Bottom line. MealPro won’t replace the thrill of grilling six chicken breasts at 11 p.m.—if that’s your thing—but it will free up your evenings so you can use the foam roller gathering dust next to your couch. Massive, macro‑smart meals for bulking, genuinely satisfying low‑calorie dishes for cutting, and zero dishes to scrub afterward—this is the kind of math I can swallow.