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Learning which foods are low vs high FODMAP—aka fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols or carbohydrates that the body has difficulty absorbing, like sugars—finding recipes, grocery shopping, and preparing those meals can be overwhelming, especially if you’re already short on time. The same goes for eating gluten-free. A meal delivery service that caters to your dietary needs can be a convenient solution.
Epicured is a low-FODMAP and gluten-free meal delivery service that brings pre-made meals to your doorstep. Elimination protocols and medically-necessitated diets don’t get the best reputation for flavor and variety, so we were curious to try these meals.
Our Epicured review is our honest take on the ordering process, menu selection, and taste-testing experience.
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.
We’ve Tested 40+ Meal Delivery Services
At Garage Gym Reviews, we’re passionate about finding the best products to support your nutrition and fitness goals. Meal delivery services and meal kits have boomed in popularity in recent years and include options to suit every dietary need. To date, we’ve tried over 40 of them to find which has the best menu selection and tastiest meals.
Our meal testers include certified nutrition coaches, personal trainers, and other fitness pros. For this Epicured review, we turned to Lindsay Scheele, a certified personal trainer and the lead reviewer for Garage Gym Reviews Everything. Lindsay shared her experience ordering from Epicured and used our methodology to rate several aspects of the meal delivery on a scale of 1 to 5. Some of the category ratings include:
- Ease of preparation
- Taste
- Portion size
- Variety
- Access to nutrition information
- Packaging and shipping
Epicured
Epicured
Product Highlights
- Low-FODMAP and gluten-free meals
- A la carte and curated menus available
- Meals arrive pre-cooked and fresh
- Menus are updated monthly
- Low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie, and high-protein meals
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Lots of meals to choose from
- Meals are never frozen
- Suitable for restrictive diets
- All meals are gluten-free
- A la carte or curated meal plans available
Cons
- Menus are updated, but don’t change completely
- On the expensive side
- Meals only last four days
Bottom Line
Epicured focuses on gluten-free and low FODMAP options that are also allergy-friendly (you can filter by major allergens like dairy, eggs, fish, and nuts). Everything arrives fresh and ready to heat. Meals are on the more expensive side, but that’s typical of more specialized dietary options.
A Quick Look at Epicured Meal Delivery
Epicured describes itself as a healthcare company but doesn’t provide consultations. Based in New York, they work with healthcare providers, including dietitians, to design Epicured low-FODMAP and gluten-free meals by the low-FODMAP standards set by Monash University, the pioneers of the low-FODMAP diet. Michelin-rated chefs also help create these meals.
The meal delivery service includes options to order a la carte meals or meals for a complete multi-week FODMAP elimination diet. All of their menu options are gluten-free and made without high-FODMAP ingredients to support the health of individuals with celiac disease and other digestive issues, including IBS, Crohn’s, colitis, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Before You Buy
- Prepared meals arrive chilled and can be stored in the fridge for several days or frozen.
- Ordering options include a la carte one-time orders, recurring subscriptions, meal bundles, and the elimination program.
- There are a variety of meals to fit different diets, including vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and nut-free options.
RELATED: Prepared Meal Delivery
Is Epicured Meal Delivery Worth It?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of planning and preparing a low-FODMAP elimination diet, Epicured offers a pre-set elimination menu. It includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the entire week, removing all the guesswork.
Epicured doesn’t provide healthcare support, so you’ll need to consult with a medical provider before and during your elimination diet to track symptoms and results and receive individualized recommendations. Also, keep in mind that elimination diets, like low-FODMAP, are meant to be temporary and aren’t sustainable in the long term.
If you’re not doing an elimination diet, Epicured may still be a good choice if you eat gluten-free and want the convenience of keeping some prepared meals on hand for days you’re too busy to cook. We don’t think it’s a great long-term choice since the meals are expensive and you don’t learn how to shop for and cook for your particular dietary needs.
Great for:
- Those starting a low-FODMAP elimination diet.
- Anyone who eats gluten-free and wants to keep a few ready-made meals on hand.
- Busy individuals with digestive issues.
Not recommended for:
- People who want to learn how to shop for and cook meals appropriate for their health needs.
- Individuals looking for clinician/dietitian support.
- Anyone looking for keto-friendly meals.
Epicured Meal Delivery Specs
| Price per meal | Varies, $8.99 to $29.25 |
| Meals per week | A la carte, unless you select a bundle |
| Meal kit or prepared | Prepared |
| Diet options | Low-FODMAP, gluten-free |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Delivery area | Continental United States |
Experience Using Epicured
Our tester, Lindsay Scheele, sampled a handful of meals and snacks from the Epicured menu. Although she doesn’t have a medical need to eat low-FODMAP or gluten-free, she was impressed with the menu variety, ingredient quality, and portion sizes. Unfortunately, the meals didn’t knock her socks off. Most seemed to be lacking flavor, and she only enjoyed two of the items she tried.
Price Per Meal
Lindsay ordered 10 meals and two snacks, which totaled $158.99. Her average price per meal was $13.25, but it’s hard to say what you’ll pay per meal because Epicured’s pricing varies so much. Ultimately, the price per meal will depend on your order.
Here’s an idea of the price per meal ranges:
- Breakfast: $8.99 to $12.99
- Lunch and dinner entrees: $12.99 to $29.25
Note: Meals are discounted 20% off the above prices if you sign up for a subscription.
The two-week elimination program is a pre-set menu with 32 meals per week that costs $925.00, or $14.45 per meal. Epicured discounts the price per meal if you choose to receive the elimination program for four, six, or eight weeks.
With so much variation and a pretty high average cost per serving, we rate Epicured 2 out of 5 for pricing.
Epicured Meal Preparation
Since Epicured meals arrive prepared, all you have to do is heat them. Epicured supplies instructions for reheating in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven.
Lindsay opted to microwave her meals in their microwave-safe plastic trays. She followed the directions, which said to nuke for two to three minutes, but found most of her meals needed more time. Her meals also heated inconsistently, with parts of the divided tray coming to temperature faster than others.
No cooking means no dishes to wash, and the meal packaging is recyclable, but Lindsay thought the amount of plastic used to pack the meals was excessive. Overall, she gave Epicured 3 stars for meal preparation.
Taste, Ingredient Quality, and Portion Size
Based on the 10 meals Lindsay tried, she gave Epicured 2.5 out of 5 stars for taste. She thought most of her meals tasted bland and lacked flavor. The mac and cheese, lasagna, and brownies were her favorite items.
Lindsay thought each meal seemed balanced in terms of protein, veggies, and starches. Because she felt full after eating, she rates portion size 4 out of 5 stars.
All menu items are crafted to adhere to low FODMAP guidelines and are gluten-free. The ingredients used are whole foods, but there’s no information about the sourcing, as in whether they’re organic/non-GMO, so we gave them a 4 out of 5 for ingredient quality.
Meal Plans and Customization
We rate Epicured a 3.5 out of 5 for both meal variety and meal plans. Epicured has a decent amount of variety on its menu, with about ten breakfast options and forty dinner entrees. The menu also includes add-ons, like side dishes, snacks, desserts, smoothies, and soups.
All items are low FODMAP and gluten-free, but you can filter the menu for common allergens and additional dietary needs, such as dairy-free, nut-free, low-fat, low-sodium, pescetarian, vegetarian, and vegan. That said, there aren’t filters for some popular eating styles, including low-calorie, low-carb, high-protein, and paleo.
RELATED: Best Paleo Meal Delivery
We like that you can order whatever you want or choose a pre-set meal bundle. There’s no way to customize meals or the options included in the bundles. The elimination program is also a pre-set menu that you can’t alter, but they do have omnivore, pescetarian, vegetarian, and vegan elimination programs.
Nutrition information is easy to access, earning a 5-star rating. You can find ingredients and nutrition for each menu item on the website and printed on the individual meal packaging.
Ordering, Packaging, and Shipping
Epicured’s website and ordering process isn’t the most straightforward, so we gave it a 3 out of 5 stars for ease of ordering. The menu is pretty lengthy, and it takes some time to filter through individual meals, meal bundles, and the elimination program.
Orders ship relatively quickly via UPS or FedEx to the continental United States. Our meal tester received tracking once her order shipped and received her delivery in a matter of days. The food arrived still cold from the included ice packs, so our experience deserves a 5 out of 5 rating for shipping.
According to Epicured, all of their shipping materials and plastic food packaging are recyclable. We didn’t find any statements regarding sustainability on their website. Since this is a plastic-heavy delivery, we rate them a 3 out of 5 for sustainability efforts.
Epicured vs ModifyHealth
ModifyHealth
Product Highlights
- Fresh, ready-to-eat meal delivery service
- Nutrient dense, high-fiber, whole-food ingredients
- Caters to variety of health concerns including low-FODMAP diets
- Vacuum-sealed meals stay fresh 7-10 days after delivery
- Processing facility is 100% gluten-free
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Non-GMO ingredients
- BPA-free meal trays
- Macronutrient and nutrition label included with each meal
- Gluten-free
Cons
- Wide range of caloric intake per meal (250-700 calories)
- Many breakfast options are low in protein
Bottom Line
If you adhere to a low-FODMAP diet, have diabetes, or a gluten allergy ModifyHealth could be the meal delivery service you’ve been waiting for. ModifyHealth processes all meals in a gluten-free facility and commits to using non-GMO ingredients. Your subscription gains you access to a weekly delivery of fresh, vacuum-sealed meals that are ready to reheat and enjoy. Plans start as little as 6 meals per week with the option to skip a week or pause your subscription.
ModifyHealth is a meal delivery system designed to support various medical conditions. They offer low-FODMAP, Mediterranean/heart health, and diabetes-friendly meals. Our expert testers tried some of their meals in our search for the best heart-healthy meal delivery services and were impressed by the taste, freshness of ingredients, and menu variety.
ModifyHealth’s low-FODMAP meals are chef-created, reviewed by dietitians, gluten-free, and certified low-FODMAP by Monash University. Epicured’s meals are also gluten-free but not certified. Both menus offer a similar number of low-FODMAP breakfast choices, but Epicured has more lunch and dinner options.
ModifyHealth uses flat rate pricing, so all breakfast options cost $9.95, and all entrees cost $13.45. Epicured’s pricing is more varied, with entrees ranging from $15 to over $20.
What sets ModifyHealth apart is a six-week program that includes three consultations with a registered dietitian and other educational resources to support you in adopting a low FODMAP diet. This support program is priced separately from meal delivery but could benefit those new to the diet.
| Epicured | ModifyHealth | |
| Price per meal | Varies, $10-$30 | About $13 |
| Meals per week | A la carte | A la carte |
| Meal kit or prepared | Prepared | Prepared |
| Diet options | Low-FODMAP | Low-FODMAP, Mediterranean (heart healthy) |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh | Frozen |
Customer Experience
Epicured has a firm no-return and no-refund policy. They may offer store credit if there’s an issue with your order.
You can reach customer service by live chat, phone, or email, which is easy to find on their website. Our tester didn’t need to contact customer service. Other customers have reviewed their experience with Epicured’s customer service, and many note they’re slow to respond and generally unhelpful.
Customer Reviews
The Epicured site doesn’t feature reviews, and there aren’t many reviews elsewhere. The Epicured Facebook lists a 4.4 out of 5 star rating based on 130 reviews, but several appear to be spam or generic comments that make us question their legitimacy.
The Facebook reviews that appear legit aren’t recent, and many are overwhelmingly negative, describing poor customer service, unapproved charges, and their unhappiness with the no-refund policy.
On Yelp, Epicured has a 2.9 out of 5 star rating from 60 reviews. The theme is the same here—many customers say the food is decent, but the customer service stinks and delivery is often late. “They do not refund for problem orders that either have warm, unsafe food or spilled food. They only offer store credit, which is only good for 30 days,” writes an unhappy customer.
Final Verdict of Our Epicured Review
Epicured is a decent option if you need to follow a low-FODMAP or gluten-free diet. The prepared meals are convenient to heat and eat and can be stored in the fridge to eat within the week or frozen for later use. There’s a decent amount of variety, plus options for meat eaters and plant-based folks.
- Entrees are pricey, ranging from around $13 to over $20 for more expensive proteins.
- Epicured meals are not low-FODMAP-certified.
- The menu features family-sized and seasonal items for added variety.
Full Rating
Epicured
Epicured focuses on gluten-free and low FODMAP options that are also allergy-friendly (you can filter by major allergens like dairy, eggs, fish, and nuts). Everything arrives fresh and ready to heat. Meals are on the more expensive side, but that’s typical of more specialized dietary options.
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 8.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.4
Epicured Review FAQs
How does Epicured work?
The Epicured menu features 100% low-FODMAP and gluten-free prepared meals that only need reheating. You can order a la carte or on a subscription basis. You can also choose their elimination program, designed to help you start a low FODMAP diet and has a pre-set menu that includes 32 meals each week.
Can I freeze Epicured meals?
Epicured meals arrived chilled, but can be frozen if you don’t plan on eating them within a few days. All Epicured meals are packaged in freezer-safe materials, so they can be frozen as is.
RELATED: Best Frozen Meal Delivery
Is Epicured certified low FODMAP?
Epicured is not certified low-FODMAP, but all meals are designed with the help of medical professionals. Low-FODMAP certification is provided by Monash University, home of the original researchers who created the low-FODMAP diet. Epicured follows the standards for low-FODMAP foods provided by Monash University.
How do I cancel Epicured?
If you have a subscription meal plan with Epicured, you can cancel it by logging into your account on their website under the “Manage Plan” section. You can also pause or skip each week’s delivery as needed.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
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