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Magic Kitchen is a meal kit delivery company that provides frozen, chef-prepared meals suitable for nearly every diet. It may help you save time on cooking and make it easier to adhere to certain dietary restrictions.

In fact, Magic Kitchen offers multiple plans specifically designed for older adults, vegetarians, and people with conditions like kidney disease or type 2 diabetes.

This article provides a comprehensive review of Magic Kitchen to help you determine whether it’s worth a try.

Pros

• provides a variety of meal options for many health conditions and dietary restrictions
• offers complete meals with sides, as well as a la carte items and bundles with preselected meals
• may aid weight loss with low calorie meals that are high in protein and fiber

Cons

• discloses little information on sourcing or quality of ingredients used
• meals aren’t manufactured in a gluten-free or allergen-free facility
• shipping can be expensive, with prices starting around $18.95

What is Magic Kitchen?

Magic Kitchen is a meal delivery service designed for a wide range of dietary needs. All dishes are frozen but can be reheated and enjoyed with no cooking required.

The company’s meals are reviewed by a dietitian to ensure that they’re balanced and nutritionally complete.

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How does Magic Kitchen work?

To get started with Magic Kitchen, you can browse their menu online and add items to your cart. You can also filter the menu to find side dishes, desserts, and entrees for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as well as complete meals suitable for specific dietary needs.

You can select how many of each item you’d like to add to your cart or increase the number of servings in each meal, depending on your needs. Most items include either two or four servings each, though this may vary for certain dishes.

Alternatively, you can view meal bundles, which include an assortment of preselected items with various serving sizes and customization options.

The company also offers several meal programs, including:

• 15-Meal Trial Packs: These include 15 individual meals — including one main course and one or two sides – which are tailored to several different diet patterns.
• Flex Subscription: You can build your own subscription plan with a 3-, 6-, or 9-month commitment, which includes free shipping and a discounted rate on each item.
• Bulk orders: Magic Kitchen offers several ordering options for health insurance companies and government agencies, including hospital discharge meals, managed long-term care meals, and meals for local AreaAgencies onAging.

After adding items to your cart, you can select your delivery date, enter your billing and shipping address, and checkout using your preferred payment method.

Meal selection

Magic Kitchen offers several meal plans, many of which cater to specific dietary restrictions or health conditions. Menus include:

• Senior Meals
• Portion Controlled
• Diabetes-Friendly
• Dairy-Free
• Low Sodium
• Low Carbohydrate
• Low Fat
• Renal Diet
• Dialysis-Friendly
• Gluten-Free
• Vegetarian

Unlike many other services, you can order entrees individually and mix and match your favorite items to create a custom menu. Plus, Magic Kitchen provides a variety of packages catered to specific dietary restrictions and health conditions.

All menu meals are fully prepared, and complete meals include an entree with one to two sides. In addition to lunch and dinner, there’s also an assortment of breakfast entrees, snacks, side dishes, and desserts to choose from.

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Magic Kitchen does not feature a rotating menu and does not regularly add new items or entrees. They do have an extensive menu with a diverse selection of main courses and side dishes available.

Some examples of meals from the Magic Kitchen menu include:

• Breakfast
  • Crustless Spinach Quiche
  • Egg Patty with Roasted Potatoes and Grits
• Lunch
  • Baby Clams with Linguini Marinara
  • Breaded Chicken Florentine with Mashed Potatoes and Carrots
• Dinner
  • Beef and Broccoli over Noodles & Vegetable Blend
  • Eggplant Parmigiana

Magic Kitchen also allows you to order items a la carte (individually), including main courses, soups, side dishes, and desserts.

Some of their most popular offerings include:

• Corn Bread Blueberry Toaster Cakes
• Broccoli, Mushroom & Zucchini Soup
• Panna Cotta
• Macaroni and Cheese

All items on the menu include detailed information on their nutritional content, ingredients, and heating instructions.

Diet friendliness

Magic Kitchen provides options for a variety of dietary restrictions, including meals suitable for people with many health conditions such as kidney disease and diabetes.

They also offer a range of gluten-free, vegetarian, portion-controlled, and dairy-free items, along with meals that are low in sodium, fat, or carbohydrates.

Additionally, Magic Kitchen provides detailed information on the nutritional value for each item on their menu along with a comprehensive list of ingredients, which may be useful for those with allergies or sensitivities to certain foods.

However, keep in mind that meals are produced in a facility that handles allergens, including gluten, so cross-contamination is possible.

Furthermore, the service might not be suitable for those following other dietary patterns like the ketogenic, paleo, or vegan diets.

Effectiveness for weight loss

Magic Kitchen offers a variety of meals on their Portion Controlled plan that are designed to support weight loss.

These meals are low in sodium, nutritionally balanced, and available in smaller portion sizes to fit into a healthy weight loss diet.

Additionally, many of the meals are low in calories and rich in fiber and protein — all factors that may boost weight loss.

Protein, for example, may decrease hunger and appetite while enhancing feelings of fullness. Fiber, which is found in many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, may also promote feelings of fullness (1, 2, 3).

Plus, all meals on their menu are preportioned, which may prevent overeating and help in monitoring your daily calorie intake.

Detailed nutrition information is also available for each item on their menu, which can make it easier to select items based on your needs and preferences, especially if you’re trying to achieve or maintain a weight change.

Cost and shipping

Magic Kitchen meal cost ranges depend on the items you select.

Most of the company’s menu-complete meals — which include an entrée with 1–2 side dishes — cost around $10–$15 per serving.

Main courses on Magic Kitchen’s a la carte menu generally range from $5–$28 per serving and typically contain at least 2 portions. Meanwhile, most a la carte sides cost $2–$15 each.

The company also offers several meal bundles, which include a variety of preselected items for a discounted price.

Delivery is available within the continental United States. Shipping rates are calculated based on your location and order size, but rates start at around $18.95.

Orders are shipped in a reusable, recyclable Styrofoam container and packaged with dry ice to help keep foods frozen during transit.

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What ingredients does Magic Kitchen use?

Magic Kitchen claims to use high quality ingredients in all of its meals. All menu items are free of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides.

When possible, Magic Kitchen uses organic produce and grain-fed beef, although this depends on cost and availability.

All dishes are accompanied by a detailed list of ingredients, which can help you find options that work for you. However, Magic Kitchen provides only limited information on how it sources ingredients or which suppliers it partners with.

How do customers feel about Magic Kitchen?

Magic Kitchen is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds an A+ rating, which is based on factors like the company’s business practices, complaint history, and how long they’ve been in business.

On TrustPilot, Magic Kitchen currently holds an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, which is based on 3,744 customer reviews.

Reviewers note that the meals can be a convenient alternative to cooking, especially for people with chronic health conditions that can make it challenging to find foods that meet their needs.

Many are also satisfied with the price and prompt delivery offered the service offers.

On the other hand, less favorable reviews mention that items are frequently out of stock, and packaging issues sometimes occur, leading to thawed food and quality issues.

A few other customers note that certain meals are lacking flavor, giving them a bland taste.

Should you try Magic Kitchen?

Magic Kitchen is a good option for older adults or those with chronic health conditions who may have difficulties finding other meal delivery services tailored to their needs.

However, Magic Kitchen can be relatively expensive, especially when you account for shipping fees.

The company also offers limited information on the sourcing and quality of its ingredients, which may not be ideal for people who prefer eating organic, local, or sustainably sourced foods.

Although Magic Kitchen lists each dish’s ingredients and offers gluten-free and dairy-free menus, dishes aren’t manufactured in an allergen-free facility. Thus, people with severe food allergies may need to avoid this service.

How does Magic Kitchen compare with other meal delivery services?

In addition to Magic Kitchen, there are several other services available that offer nutritious, fully prepared meals.

For instance, Daily Harvest provides an assortment of smoothies, forager bowls, harvest bakes, and flatbreads made using mostly organic, gluten-free, and plant-based ingredients.

Freshly is another popular service, which offers refrigerated meals suitable for a range of different dietary restrictions, all of which are ready to reheat and enjoy.

Similarly, Mosaic Foods provides plant-based prepared entrees, including a variety of oat bowls, veggie bowls, soups, and pizzas.

Here’s a closer look at how these services compare:

Types of mealsPrice per servingShippingIngredient qualitySpecialty dietsMagic Kitchenprepared meals, frozen$10–$15$18.95+• some organic ingredients
• meat and poultry are free of hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics• diabetes-friendly
• renal diet
• dialysis-friendly
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• gluten-free
• low fat
• low sodium
• low carb
• senior diet
• portion-controlledDaily Harvestprepared meals, frozen$5.99–$11.99free• mostly organic ingredients
• free of additives, preservatives, and fillers• vegan
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• dairy-freeFreshlyprepared meals, refrigerated$8.99–$11.79$9.99–$11.99• meals are free of processed sugars and artificial ingredients• vegan
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• dairy-free
• low carb
• low calorieMosaic Foodsprepared meals, frozen$4.99–$11.99free with 12 or 18 items• some organic ingredients
• free of artificial ingredients• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• wheat-free

Frequently asked questions about Magic Kitchen

Are Magic Kitchen meals frozen?

Yes, all Magic Kitchen meals are fully prepared and delivered frozen. Though the company recommends eating meals within 30 to 45 days, they can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Is Magic Kitchen a subscription service?

Magic Kitchen does not require a subscription. You can choose from a variety of meal bundles and a la carte items. However, you can also opt for a 3-, 6-, or 9-month Flex Subscription Plan, which includes free shipping and discounts depending on how many items you order.

Where does Magic Kitchen ship from?

Magic Kitchen ships all meals from their warehouse, which is located in Kansas City, Kansas.

The bottom line

Magic Kitchen delivers frozen meals suitable for older adults, as well as several health conditions and dietary restrictions. It not only caters to a variety of nutritional needs but also boasts a large menu with many options.

Yet, this service provides limited information on ingredient sourcing, doesn’t use allergen-free facilities, and is relatively expensive, especially considering the shipping fees.