Product Review: Eatology’s Paleo Meal Plan

 
Almost everyone wants to better their  lifestyle, but making changes to diet and exercise is easier said than done. Many adults struggle to keep up with nutritious meals while balancing work, family, and other responsibilities. With this problem in mind, it makes sense for a third party to step in to do the cooking and feeding. This is where meal plan delivery comes in. 
 
Eatology is a service that delivers diet-specific meals that are carefully calorie-counted. The past few years have seen meal plan startups sprout across Hong Kong, each one with its own ‘special sauce’–metaphorically speaking. Eatology sets itself apart from the competition by providing diet-specific meal plans. Followers of the Keto, Paleo, low-carb, gluten-free diets can enjoy meals delivered to their home or office. 
 
I was able to try out Eatology’s Paleo meal plan as a part of a three-day trial. The premise of the diet is that the Paleolithic humans ate meals consisting mostly of meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats like coconut oil and avocado. Proponents of the diet believe that we haven’t evolved to properly metabolize grains, dairy, and processed food, which is why the guidelines strictly advise against eating any of these things. It’s a carb-light and protein-heavy diet that promises better skin and more energy, among a host of other benefits.
 
Never having taken on any diet before, I chose the plan with the highest calorie count to avoid nighttime hunger pangs, so I received three meals and two snacks every morning to spread out over the day. The delivery came along with a printed menu detailing the quantities of carbs, protein, and fat in each meal. 
 
Eatology’s chefs were great at the vegetables: the sweet potato puree and the Vichy carrots that went along with two of the mains were delicious. This was a surprise given that vegetarian sides are often afterthoughts on the plate, and not treated with as much care as meats. 
 
However, as someone accustomed to heavily spiced and flavorful meals (think ginger, garlic, chili, cumin and so on), it was challenging to restrict me to the more neutral flavors of the Paleo meals. The proteins were extremely mild in flavor, with the meal as a whole relying heavily on the vegetables and sauces for a more punchy taste. 
 
It was undeniably convenient not to have to think about what to eat for lunch or dinner and have the meals arrive all at once. The caveat, however, is that it can be challenging to store all that food if you’re working in a space with a shared fridge. 
 
For Hong Kong’s frenetic worker bee population, the availability of healthy meal plans and the convenience of delivery are certainly life-saving, taking the effort out of getting groceries, cooking, and planning. Eatology’s basic Paleo plan (5 days, 1200 calories, two mains, and one snack) starts at HK$323 per day. 
 
eatologyasia.com