I paid £38.94 for 6 meals & 3 sides – was it worth it?
What is Frive?
Frive, is a meal delivery service focussing on high protein and healthy meals. No prep needed, just pop the meal in the microwave for 4-5 minutes and enjoy. Frive is rated excellent on Trustpilot with over 9k reviews.
Frive say the benefits of their meals include:
- Made with 100% Whole Foods
- Chef-Crafted, Nutritionist-Approved
- No Artificial Ingredients or Ultra Processed Foods
- Macro-Balanced, High in Protein
- Portion-controlled 400-650Kcals
- Saving up to 7 hours a week
Can I buy frive at a discount?
Yes, if you would like 50% your first box, 20% off your next 2 boxes and 25% off your 4th box, use my code: ‘FVA313266’. I will get a £7.50 discount on my next box from Frive as a thank you from them for your referral.
What meals did I buy?
I did a trial with 40% off my first delivery and 20% off my 2nd and 3rd deliveries.
Week 1:
I got 6 meals for the first delivery with 40% off as follows:
1) Massaman Beef Curry – Originally £7.99 I paid £4.79, I rated 4.7/5
2) Grilled Ribeye Steak – Originally £17.99 I paid £10.94 (Frive refunded*), I rated 2.7/5
3) Chicken Tikka Masala – Originally £7.99 I paid £4.79, I rated 4.5/5
4) Chicken Thigh Shawarma – Originally £7.99 I paid £4.79, I rated 3/5
5) Chicken Pho Rice Noodles – Originally £7.99 I paid £4.79, I rated 3.5/5
6) Creamy Garlic Tuscan Salmon – Originally £8.99 I paid £5.39, I rated 4.3/5
with 3 Sweet Potato Sides – Originally £1.99 I paid £1.19 each with 40% off, I rated 5/5*
*4/5 as 3 were 5/5 and 2 on a 2nd delivery were burnt and inedible so 1/5
week 1 of frive meals:
With Frive’s photo of the meal from their website, followed by what it looked like in reality.
1) Massaman Beef Curry – Original cost £7.99 I paid £4.79 with 40% off
with an additional Sweet Potato Side – Original cost £1.99 I paid £1.19 with 40% off
Total cost of meal: £5.98
Overall rating: 4.7/5
Update: I have been thinking about this meal days after I ate it, showing how tasty it was. I am tempted to increase the score; alas I have kept it the same as there is still some room for improvement.
Pros:
The meal was very aromatic and appetising. The beef was tender and melted my mouth, simply delicious. If it had been eaten at a restaurant I would’ve given compliments to the chef – it was very flavoursome. It was visually appealing and it tasted similar to goat curry or rogan josh that I’ve had in the past. Overall it was premium restaurant quality food at an excellent price of £4.79 with the chunky 40% discount.
The sweet potato side that I added was soft, tender, delicious and complimented the dish well with its soft sweetness. It was excellent value for money at just £1.19. I could’ve eaten the meal with less of the meat and still been happy as the portions of meat was for two people. It was very good quality beef with no fat, which I appreciated as someone who cuts the fat off of meat.
After eating it, my body felt nurished and full. It was like my body was thanking me for eating it. A great feeling. Essentially I got a delicious 1 hour meal ready in under 5 minutes – absolute winner.
Cons:
It was quite spicy for me (I am a light weight when it comes to spice) but tolerable with a glass and a half of water. If I had it again I would have with a glass of oat milk, with additional rice and naan bread, as it got spicier the more I ate. There was enough meat for 2 people, but not enough rice to balance it out in my opinion. The additional sweet potato side helped to balance it out.
I didn’t like the large size of the pepper and onion. If they had been cut into smaller pieces they would have been less intimidating in size for those who avoid veggies.
2) Grilled Ribeye Steak – Original cost £17.99 I paid £10.94 with 40% off*
Overall rating: 2.7/5
Pros:
It smelt very automatic barbecue like. The meat was succulent and very flavourful. The meat was the best part of the meal and the only thing that gives this meal any points from me. The meat was a 2 person portion in my opinion. If you added extra potatoes or rice you had at home, it would serve 2 easily, which might be a hack with this Frive meal as its one of their most expensive on their menu.
Cons:
The peppercorn sauce unfortunately leaked and I didn’t like it due to the high spice and coconut content (not a fan of spice or coconut). Of the small amount of potatoes, although soft, they were not as tasty as the sweet potato side Frive does and I think Frive should swap the plain potatoes out for the sweet variety as its a more well rounded flavour. The asparagus was dissapointing although well cooked (I am not a fan of asparagus). Carrots, sweetcorn on the cob or mixed veg would have been a better alternative, and likely result in less waste as not a lot of people like asparagus.
There were some tiny skewer-like elements in the food, which was both off-putting and concerning – Frive have fully refunded* me the cost of this meal due to this oversight. There was some soft fat on the meat which was easy to remove, and a small piece that was hard to chew (likely overcooked) which is not something you want when paying a premium price for a meal (£17.99 full price). Overall I think it was quite expensive for what it was.
3) Chicken Tikka Masala – Original cost £7.99 I paid £4.79 with 40% off
with an additional Sweet Potato Side – Original cost £1.99 I paid £1.19 with 40% off
Total cost of meal: £5.98
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Pros:
It was very automatic. The tikka masala sauce had a coconut-y aroma, but thankfully wasn’t overpowering in coconut taste (as I don’t like coconut). It’s not what you find in a typical tikka masala sauce in a jar from the supermarket. The meal tasted very fresh and you could taste all the herbs that were used, which was a refreshing and pleasant surprise. The chicken had a lovely char-grilled or barbecue flavour. I couldn’t fault the chicken. It was tender, beautifully cooked and I would have given compliments to the chef if it was in a restaurant. I would say it was a 2 person meat portion.
The sweet potato side was a delight as always, soft and sweet. The meal was well proportioned with the addition of the sweet potato side and helped to take away some of the tikka masala’s heat. It had the right amount of tikka masala sauce in a pot, which also meant you could add as much as little as you like. The rice was lovely and well cooked. It could have done with a bit more rice, again to take away the tikka’s heat.
I’d definitely eat it again and add more rice and some naan bread from home. I completely cleared the plate. Overall I would recommend this meal as it was delicious and great value for money for the taste experience.
Cons:
The veg was very big and could have been cut up smaller to be more appetising. The tomatoes could’ve done with ommitting altogether as they didn’t go with the meal as were too contrasting in flavour. More mixed peppers and onion would’ve been a better option. It would’ve been unbalanced without the additional sweet potato side that I added for an extra cost.
It was slightly spicy and got spicier the more I ate. I needed about one and a half cups of water to get through it, but I am a lightweight when it comes to spice. I would say it was a medium rather than low spice level. The 4.5/5 is mainly due to the spice level, and if they could make the spice optional and make the veg smaller this would have increased the score.
4) Chicken Thigh Shawarma – Original cost £7.99 I paid £4.79 with 40% off
with an additional Sweet Potato Side – Original cost £1.99 I paid £1.19 with 40% off
Total cost of meal: £5.98
Overall rating: 3/5
Pros:
There was a lot of meat as always and the chicken thigh was well cooked. I enjoyed the rice which was well cooked and tasty. The sweet potato side was soft and tasty as always and worked well to balance out the strong spices of this meal.
Cons:
I only had about 10% of the chilli dip as just a small amount was very spicy. I wasn’t keen on the flavour of the dip or the sauce on the chicken. One part of the chicken thigh had a bit of fat and veins visible, which was offputting. I would have preferred the chicken breast rather than thigh. The carrot was undercooked and crunchy which provided some texture variety, but I would have preferred them fully cooked. The meal was supposed to include red cabbage, but none seemed to be visible in the meal I received, unlike the Frive’s marketing photos.
5) Chicken Pho with Rice Noodles – Original cost £7.99 I paid £4.79 with 40% off
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Pros:
It had a healthy, fresh aroma and refreshing taste. It had a very high meat content as always with Frive. The chicken was well cooked and had nice flavours in seasoning. The broth had a unique flavour which was a nice experience as I haven’t tried this type of food before. It wasn’t spicy, which was a bonus for me. It would be suitable on a cold winters day to warm the body. Initially I thought there was not enough noodles, but in the end there was just the right amount.
Cons:
There were large veg again which I didn’t personally like. They could have been cut up into smaller less intimidating pieces. Some of the onion pieces were a bit crunchy so they could’ve done with cooking for longer. A lot of the noodles were unfortunately quite broken, which was disappointing as I prefer long noodles. It was a pleasant and enjoyable meal, but not a show stopper like the massaman or the tikka masala all. When I had finished eating it, I found it to be underwhelming overall and I personally wouldn’t buy it again.
6) Creamy Garlic Tuscan Salmon – Original cost £8.99 I paid £5.39 with 40% off
Overall rating: 4.3/5
Pros:
It had a nice aroma. The salmon was a very large meat portion in my opinion. The salmon was beautifully cooked and I would’ve given compliments to the chef if it was in a restaurant. The crushed potatoes with herbs were tasty and an interesting concept. The sauce was nice and creamy and not spicy at all which I liked. The green beans were lovely and soft and went well meal.
I would eat it again, but not every week as a personal preference. This meal surprised me as I left it until last, thinking I wouldn’t like it, but it was my third favourite. Overall I would say the dish got nicer the more I ate of it and it definitely grew on me. There were no bones in the salmon, which was a bonus. It was a well thought out meal and a nice blend of flavours all round. I cleared the plate and that says it all.
Cons:
A minor criticism was that the green beans were quite dull in colour and were not bright green as the marketing photos suggested. This didn’t matter as the green beans tasted lovely and were cooked through, but aesthetically it was slightly off-putting. The sauce had a very slight coconut-y taste which was hardly noticeable; but it wouldn’t have been my go to for a creamy flavour. I would have rated it higher if the coconut element was removed, but that is a personal preference as I do not like coconut. I’ve noticed that Frive seem to like adding coconut to their dishes.
my 2nd week of thrive (quick summary for insight into other meals)
I selected a few less meals as it was less economical to do so as it only had 20% off.
1) Turkey Roast Dinner – Original cost £8.99 I paid £7.19 with 20% off
Overall rating: 4/5
Pros:
The turkey meat portion was very large. The broccoli was well cooked. I will admit that the meal got nicer the more I got used to it and I would eat it again with a nice discount.
Cons:
I initially had to cut some of the turkey off as part of it was sealed to the packet. Some of the turkey had fat on it which I didn’t like. Some of it was quite dry and needed moisturising with the gravy. Surprisingly, there was a slight kick (spice) to the gravy which is very odd because traditionally gravy does not have any spice in it (which I prefer) and I don’t believe it described the meal as having spice in it. Overall it felt more like a lightly spiced curry rather than a roast. The carrots were not cooked enough and were crunchy. They were also smaller than pictured on the website. The potato cubes were okay, but sweet potato cubes would’ve been better for a more varied flavour profile.
I selected a few less meals as it was less economical to do so as it only had 20% off.
2) Mushroom Pasta – Original cost £7.99 I paid £6.39 with 20% off
Overall rating: 2/5
Pros:
The mushrooms, although not cut as shown on the website, were flavoursome, well cooked and would have been a highlight had I been able to eat the meal (see below).
Cons:
Some of the vegetables were soft and others cruncy and undercooked, so it was inconsistent there. The pasta was quite chewy, not fresh tasting like in a restaurant and didn’t melt in the mouth. The sauce was very spicy and this wasn’t advertised as such. I only added about a third of the sauce and it completely ruined the meal for me as it was too spicy to eat, goodness knows how spicy it would have been using all of the sauce. It was very disappointing as I had to make a meal for myself on the spot, which is not something you anticipate doing when you have paid for prepared meals. It would’ve been much better if the chef had just left the sauce without spice as I’m sure the tomato-based sauce would’ve been nice as is without it. It was quite expensive for a vegetable pasta meal in my opinion. As I couldn’t eat it I asked for a refund and Frive has processed a refund for me. This is a good thing about their customer service; they have refunded me for any meals I haven’t been able to eat as a ‘goodwill gesture’.
Pros:
It smelt very automatic barbecue like. The meat was succulent and very flavourful. The meat was the best part of the meal and the only thing that gives this meal any points from me. The meat was a 2 person portion in my opinion. If you added extra potatoes or rice you had at home, it would serve 2 easily, which might be a hack with this Frive meal as its one of their most expensive on their menu.
Cons:
The peppercorn sauce unfortunately leaked and I didn’t like it due to the high spice and coconut content (not a fan of spice or coconut). Of the small amount of potatoes, although soft, they were not as tasty as the sweet potato side Frive does and I think Frive should swap the plain potatoes out for the sweet variety as its a more well rounded flavour. The asparagus was dissapointing although well cooked (I am not a fan of asparagus). Carrots, sweetcorn on the cob or mixed veg would have been a better alternative, and likely result in less waste as not a lot of people like asparagus.
There were some tiny skewer-like elements in the food, which was both off-putting and concerning – Frive have fully refunded* me the cost of this meal due to this oversight. There was some soft fat on the meat which was easy to remove, and a small piece that was hard to chew (likely overcooked) which is not something you want when paying a premium price for a meal (£17.99 full price). Overall I think it was quite expensive for what it was.
3 and 4) 2 x Chicken Tikka Masala – Original cost £7.99 I paid £6.39 with 20% off
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Pros & Cons:
My comments are the same as my review above in my first week, except this time there was no spice at all and it was more sweet, which I personally appreciated. This does however highlight how the preparation of these meals is inconsistent from one week to the next as you can order the exact same meal, but potentially get a very spicy meal or no spice at all. As this meal is very tasty, I don’t mind the pot luck and will just add some additional naan bread or rice to tone it down ifs a tad too spicy for me.
What Did I think overall?
Taste
The meals are mostly well rounded, flavourful and fresh tasting. I was still thinking about and salivating over some of the meals days after I had ate them which says it all (chicken tikka and beef massaman).
Frive should pay attention to the spice level in their meals and ensuring that they are appropriately described to the spice level. The fact that you can order the same meal each week and it have a different spice level suggests that quality control needs more work to ensure a consistent experience for their customer.
Convenience
I’d say they are ideal if you don’t fancy thinking about cooking for a few days to get your cooking inspiration back. I think they would also make a thoughtful gift for someone struggling to prepare meals for themselves, such as those going through mental health battles or bereavement to ensure they eat a nutritious meal every day.
Health
These meals have a very high protein content. I haven’t been able to find any other meal prep which matches this.
There are no nasties and no preservatives, which is a huge win for me. I find the long list of preservatives and rubbish in microwave meals from the supermarket very disturbing. Also the not knowing what ingredients are in takeaway foods is off-putting, which isn’t the case with Frive.
After eating Frive, you do feel healthier and like you are treating your body as a temple. For a few more £ more than what you’d get at the supermarket, you can get decent meals with no rubbish that are both appetising and healthy.
It’s cool that they have added in the % of the meal that is organic, but I am not confident it is accurate as I have seen them show 8% organic when only 1 seasoning added is organic, and no way was 8% of the meal the seasoning they mentioned. It would be interesting to see how they work it out, but either way it’s still a good aim to include as much organic as they can. The principle is great, but it could do with better execution.
Price
The meals were very reasonably priced for what they were with the 40% discount for the first week. However the full price of the meals would be too high for me to justify doing long term. I estimate most people will yoyo from using them only when they can take advantage of the discount (see below to get 50% off your first week).
Sustainability
The packaging waste was disappointing. The box was card, but it was taped with sellotape rather than recyclable paper parcel tape.
The containers for the meal were made of card like material, then a plastic covering. I found it quite tricky to separate the card from the film and often had to chuck it away as it was, which I felt very guilty over. It would be great if all of the packaging could be composted.
Also the food name and cooking instructions for each meal was on paper, but the plastic cover and food containers were not recyclable and needed to go in the bin, which made me feel very guilty.
Flexibility
You can mix and match your meals and add additional sides which is nice as you only need to order enough food to meet the minimum order quantity (which isnt easy to work out).
If you are a fussy eater like me, there are limited options and after a while you would get bored of the menu. I think it would be much better if they had their full menu available every week rather than varying it each week. For example, I’ve been wanting to eat the massaman beef meal that I enjoyed in week one, but I have to wait a further 3 weeks to be able to order it again. To me this is a missed opportunity from Frive to get additional income and to help their customers enjoy their favourite meals on a regular basis.
Website user experience
It looks like they go out of stock quickly, and even though they offer freebies, often they are all sold out, so you cannot take advantage of them which is a shame. It was very strange as if you are not logged into your account everything on the website is available to buy, yet if you are logged in, it shows some of the some items as sold out. Therefore it seems to be unwittingly penalising lotal customers as new customers get preferential treatment.
When you have made an order, you cannot easily see how much the meals are, only the total together, which I think isn’t very good for transparency or budgeting. Frive agreed with this feedback and have passed this onto their leadership team.
At times the website showed the incorrect discount of 40% for 2 consecutive weeks yet it only gave 20% discount as per the original offer. When I flagged this to Frive they said it was a bug – would have been nice for them to honour the displayed discount until the issue was resolved as it was very confusing.
Customer service
Overall the customer service is really good as when I’ve had issues with some of the meals they have had no issue with refunding me for the meal and at times giving me order credit, which I greatly appreciate appreciated. Sometimes their responses were slow, but most of the time they responded within 24 hours, which is good. Their rep I spoke to, Roa, was very helpful. Like with all services, things can sometimes go wrong and it’s nice to know that if they do, they will be there to support you and offer a fair resolution.
I would have preferred to speak to them over the phone to address issues much quicker but unfortunately they do not have a contact phone number. I think given they have delivered over 20 million meals they should really have an alternate way for customers to get in touch with them, particularly for the older generation who may not prefer to email or use live chat; but also people like myself who want to get the issue resolved on the spot without having to wait for a response.
Overall
On balance, I would buy again when I have moments of low motivation to cook, but only with a nice discount. I can recommend certain meals with confidence (such as tikka masala chicken and massaman beef), but others I would give a miss based on my experience. I will continue to try other dishes and add them to this review. If you love spice, its likely you will love Frive, as they have a lot of spice options available, that sadly I was not able to try, due to my small tolerance to spice.
I think they are a great idea for people who:
- are athletes or those seeking high protein content in their meals or a man 🙂
- are pregnant
- lack time to cook, but want to eat decent meals
- want to cut down on expensive, unhealthy and nutritionally low takeaways
- have poor appetite or motivation to cook, such as people going through hard times with mental health or bereavement – they would make a really thoughtful gift for people in this situation (Frive also have giftcards from £5)
- want some inspiration to start cooking again
I would recommend you try Frive with the huge discount to see if it is your cup of tea. If you would like 50% your first box, 20% off your next 2 boxes and 25% off your 4th box, use my code: ‘FVA313266’. Transparency: I will get a discount of £7.50 on my next box from Frive as a thank you from them for your referral.
Have you tried Frive? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.
