How many calories are in a typical meal?

We believe strongly that the quality of the inputs is far more important than the number of calories in a meal. All calories are not created equally (that’s old science) and different foods affect our biological systems (hormonal, metabolic, etc.) in different ways. In our experience, fixating on the number of calories tends to do more harm than good for the average person trying to reach their health and fitness goals. We believe that the simplest and most effective way to reach your goals is to focus on eating real (not processed) food that is prepared from clean and wholesome ingredients. Instead of focusing on the numbers, we want you to focus on how our food makes you look, feel and perform.

Are all of your meals gluten free?

Absolutely. Though not everyone has a gluten intolerance, research has shown that more and more people have gluten sensitivities (without even knowing it.). We also focus on using clean and wholesome ingredients rather than processed foods, which makes avoiding gluten far easier. In addition to a completely gluten-free menu, our menu is also dairy- and egg-free.

I live an active life. How do I know I’m getting enough protein?

Don’t worry, we also live active lives. But to be safe, we have partnered with a registered dietitian to ensure that not just each recipe is well-balanced and carefully composed, but also that each daily menu is thoughtfully structured to maximize nutrient density and diversity.

Will I lose weight on one of your meal programs?

Our programs are designed to provide you with all of the nutrients you need to live an active and healthy lifestyle. We carefully craft each recipe and structure each day’s worth of meals to ensure that you’re looking, feeling and performing your best – both mentally and physically. For some, this may mean shedding a few excess pounds. For others, this may mean providing an adequate balance of nutrient density and diversity to fuel your days. In any case, you can rest assured that by living the V+B life, you’ll be eating delicious, nutritious, well-balanced meals. But hey, if that’s not enough, you can always walk/run to our production facility to pick up your meals yourself (no charge).

Are all of your ingredients certified organic?

Depends. Do you work for the USDA? (Joke). We believe more in working with farmers and growers who utilize sustainable and organic farming practices than in working strictly with those who are certified organic. For many small, local farmers and growers, the official organic certification process is simply cost prohibitive and too time consuming a process to undertake. We partner only with those who share our high standards; those willing to work longer hours to protect the land and the plants and animals on which we all depend. Ultimately, our philosophy on this topic is simple – we strive to establish lasting relationships with good people who are doing great things.

5 Simple Steps for Making a Successful Dietary Change

Making a successful dietary change can be a little intimidating. From giving up some of your favorite foods to creating an entirely new eating plan, there’s a lot of change happening at once. It’s not easy to adapt to, especially if it’s something you’ve never done before. However, that doesn’t mean it has to be this scary, nearly impossible to achieve, quest.

You can make a change in your diet and actually stick to it for the long-term if you know how to do it the right way by building the right habits. To help you along the way, I’m sharing five simple steps for making a successful dietary change. These tips will help you shift your mindset about dieting and help you make smarter choices with your eating habits.

1. Figure Out Your Purpose

The first step in making a successful dietary change is to figure out why. Everyone has a different reason for wanting to make a lifestyle change. You may want to look better or feel better. Or perhaps you need to change your diet because your health is at risk. Whatever it may be, it’s good to have a true purpose behind your motives.

Knowing your purpose is going to serve as motivation to stick to it when times get tough. When you’re getting frustrated with your diet or feeling tempted by unhealthy foods, you can recall your purpose. Write it down and keep it in a place where it’s visible to you every single day. This little visual aid will help you regain your focus and stay dedicated to this new change. Plus, when you have this set purpose in mind, it’s going to help you make a change that actually lasts for the long haul.

2. Don’t Think of it as a Diet

Ask anyone and most will say they hate the word, “diet.” It tends to give people bad vibes because they think of it as giving up their favorite foods and going hungry. Not only that, but they tend to view a diet as this short-term thing. Many decide they’ll go on a diet for a couple of weeks so they’ll look and feel better for a big event or something of that nature.

However, that’s not the best way to go about it. If you view your diet as this temporary thing that you’re going to do for a few weeks, you might not take it as seriously as you should. Afterward, you’ll likely undo all of your hard work by going back to your old ways, thus ruining any results you experienced. Instead, you should view your diet as a lifestyle change. It means you’re committed to it for a longer period of time. Making a lifestyle change means you’ll beat those bad habits for good.

3. Try a Meal Delivery Service

Another tip to help you make a successful dietary change is to sign up for a meal delivery service. There are so many options out there that make it easy to eat healthy. And when your meals are all planned out, you’ll be less likely to give into the temptation of takeout or hitting the drive-thru.

A “good-for-you” meal delivery service that actually tastes delicious is hard to come by. However, one great option to consider is a service like Vegetable and Butcher. They deliver freshly prepared meals straight to your door. They’re packed with the nutrition your body craves so you can eat healthy with no stress at all. All of the ingredients are locally sourced from farmers they know and trust. The meals are then prepared by their fine dining chef. Plus, they offer all kinds of dishes, like Tofu Scramble, Coconut-Curry Dal with Roasted Cauliflower, and Kale + Roasted Sweet Potato Hash.

4. It’s Okay to Cheat Occasionally

The hardest thing about changing your eating habits is giving up your favorite foods. No one wants to give up the foods they love the most, but sometimes those things aren’t the best for us to eat on a regular basis. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them from time to time - have a cheat meal on occasion so that you don’t feel like you’re depriving yourself. It’ll satisfy any cravings you have, and it gives you something to look forward to when you’re able to indulge a little. Plus, you’ll be less likely to slip-up on your regular healthy eating days.

5. Aim for Healthy Over Weight Loss

And finally, my last piece of advice when it comes to making a successful dietary change is to aim for healthy over weight loss. Instead of obsessing over the number on the scale, focus on how you feel as you eat and after you eat. This change doesn’t need to only be about shedding a certain number of pounds. You should focus on getting results in terms of how you feel and a newfound level of food confidence. Weight loss is just a natural byproduct of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Dan Scalco is a columnist at Inc, Entrepreneur, and Huffington Post. When he's not writing about marketing and entrepreneurship, you can find him blogging about food and meal delivery at FoodBoxHQ.com.