OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program - FAQ's
Scroll down to view the answers to the questions listed below.
- How can the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program support my goal of eating a whole-food, plant-based diet?
- What types of recipes are included?
- Will my meal plans include hard-to-find ingredients?
- Can my whole family enjoy the meal planner?
- Will the meal planner work for me if my family has food allergies and/or certain foods we dislike?
- How do I update my preferences?
- Can I add my own items to my grocery list?
- Do you deliver groceries?
- What do you mean by "smart" grocery lists?
- How do I change the number of people I am cooking for?
- What if I just want to adjust servings of a single recipe?
- I have a comment/question. What should I do?
- I’m not a skilled cook. Can the meal planner work for me?
- Can I get personalized coaching to help me?
- What is the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition way of eating?
- How much does it cost?
- Do you have an app?
1. How can the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program support my goal of eating a whole-food, plant-based diet?
We designed the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program (aka: Meal Planner) to help make the healthy choice the easy choice. Many of us have the capacity to make it well into our early 90’s, and largely without chronic disease, with the right lifestyle, especially including a diet rich in plant-based foods. It's so much more than a cookbook! As a subscriber to our meal planner, you’ll receive:
2. What types of recipes are included?
Our searchable recipe database is filled with thousands of hearty, delicious recipes that are flavorful, easy, and great for everyone in the family. Each recipe is taste-tested and approved by a team of nutritionists and food experts, and brimming with staple foods from around the world. Every day, you’ll receive a fresh selection of personalized meal recommendations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each incredible recipe will be expertly matched to your cooking style, food preferences, available preparation time, and other details you tell us in the Personalization Quiz when you sign up.
3. Will my meal plans include hard-to-find ingredients?
Although many of the recipes are from around the globe, recipes in the meal planner include readily available staples that form the foundation of OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Programd -- beans, brown rice, sweet potatoes, berries, and nuts. You’ll find most ingredients at any supermarket. We also offer multiple meal plan styles so you can discover recipes perfect for your lifestyle.
4. Can my whole family enjoy the meal planner?
Yes! When you sign up, you can add other members of your household and specify their appetite size (we offer a small appetite selection that’s perfect for kids). That way, you will have the right amount of food to feed and please everybody! Not only are the meals nourishing for the whole family, many of them were developed with a child’s developing palate in mind! Looking for kid-friendly recipes? We have them! Gluten-free or nut-free? Yes! We have thousands of recipes that can be personalized to accommodate the whole family.
5. Will the meal planner work for me if my family has food allergies and/or certain foods we dislike?
Yes, you can exclude any ingredients you don’t like from our 700+ ingredient database! When you sign up just select the ingredients you want to avoid, so you’ll get recipes that match the needs and preferences of your entire family. No more making separate meals for everyone in the house!
6. How do I update my preferences?
You can change your preferences at any time! Here’s how:
7. Can I add my own items to my grocery list?
Yes, you can add as many extra items as you want, so your meal planner list is the only one you’ll need!
8. Do you deliver groceries?
We work with some incredible partners to get your groceries delivered! If Amazon Fresh, Instacart, or Peapod are available in your area, you can get your food delivered right to your door. Many other local grocers also partner with us. Simply click Delivery to send your ingredients to your preferred grocery delivery service.
9. What do you mean by "smart" grocery lists?
If you prefer to shop in-store, your automated "smart" grocery list makes it really easy and convenient. Just pull up the list on your phone! The items are already listed by category, so you want be running from one end of the store to the other. When you find an item in the store, tap the item on your screen to check it off. (It moves to the bottom and is marked as "in basket.") If you prefer a paper list, you can also print your list before heading to the store!
10. How do I change the number of people I am cooking for?
Sharing a meal with your loved ones or eating on your own for a night? It’s easy to change the serving sizes of a recipe within the meal planner. To change the serving size:
11. What if I just want to adjust servings of a single recipe?
One of the best parts about the meal planner is that you can customize the servings in every recipe based on the number of mouths at that meal. First, make sure the recipe is added to a ‘Menu.’ Then, open the recipe from the ‘Menus’ page. On the ‘Recipe’ tab, you can increase or decrease the number of servings of that recipe. (This is great for guests!) To make extra, in order to have leftovers, just click the ‘Leftovers’ button to double the ingredients. This will automatically update your smart grocery list, too!
12. I have a comment/question. What should I do?
We love to hear from you. You have on-demand assistance for technical issues 7 days a week. For nutrition related questions, you simply contact your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Coach.
13. I’m not a skilled cook. Can the meal planner work for me?
Yes! We have a YouTube Channel that features cooking technique videos. You'll learn to dice, saute, roast, and more! Additionally, we have recipes to match any cooking skill level, from complete novice to a confident cooking pro. The control is always in your hands with the ability to change your cooking skill preference at any time. You won’t believe how truly simple cooking tasty, healthy meals can be.
14. Can I get personalized coaching to help me?
Your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Coach will orient you to the program in a free 1-on-1 session and will always be available to make sure you get the support YOU need to meet your goals. That means your program can be tailored to your questions and unique needs. Whether you’re new to plant-based food, a novice home cook, have specific nutrition/diet goals, have picky eaters at home, or you’re just looking for some friendly support, we’re here for you! If you do want extra support, you can purchase separately as desired:
15. What is the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition way of eating?
The following simple guidelines are used by our team of nutritionists and meal planning software in order to develop healthy, tasteful meals and generate recipes customized to your personal preferences.
16. How much does it cost?
Receive personalized recipes every day, unlimited printable menus and smart grocery lists, full nutritional analysis for every meal, on-demand technical assistance 7 days a week, basic nutrition support and advice from your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Coach, and so much more, for only $29/month or $199/year (saving you 43% and breaks down to just $3.83/week or $0.18/meal!
17. Do you have an app?
You can use our meal planner like an app! The OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program is available on any mobile device via a web-based app. That means you have all of the convenience of an app without having to download it from the app store. Also, you will NOT need to regularly update it to get the latest and greatest, and, even better, it won’t take any extra memory on your mobile device. This means you can access your account from your usual web browser on your phone or tablet any time, anywhere. For quick access, you can add an icon to your home screen, making your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program just as convenient to access as a normal app.
iPhones: To add the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition icon to your iPhone home screen, follow the steps below:
Androids: To add the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition icon to your Android home screen, follow the steps below:
We designed the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program (aka: Meal Planner) to help make the healthy choice the easy choice. Many of us have the capacity to make it well into our early 90’s, and largely without chronic disease, with the right lifestyle, especially including a diet rich in plant-based foods. It's so much more than a cookbook! As a subscriber to our meal planner, you’ll receive:
- Thousands of delicious, easy to make whole-food, plant-based recipes -- Our expert culinary and nutrition team developed thousands of recipes so you can feed every craving.
- Automated Grocery Lists -- Each menu you create has a grocery list that automatically updates and adjusts to your unique household needs, saving you time and effort.
- Grocery Delivery (optional) -- Most areas in the U.S. are served by one of our grocery delivery partners, making shopping and cooking meals more convenient than ever.
- Weekly Meal Planning & Tracking System -- Select which meals you want to be a whole-foods, plant-based healthy meals, and our planning software does the rest. Of course, you can always swap meals from the extensive library and save your favorites.
- Flexible, Customizable Cooking Instructions -- Having guests? Planning a party? Someone doesn't like onions? Our software adjusts for the number and preferences of everyone at your table.
2. What types of recipes are included?
Our searchable recipe database is filled with thousands of hearty, delicious recipes that are flavorful, easy, and great for everyone in the family. Each recipe is taste-tested and approved by a team of nutritionists and food experts, and brimming with staple foods from around the world. Every day, you’ll receive a fresh selection of personalized meal recommendations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each incredible recipe will be expertly matched to your cooking style, food preferences, available preparation time, and other details you tell us in the Personalization Quiz when you sign up.
3. Will my meal plans include hard-to-find ingredients?
Although many of the recipes are from around the globe, recipes in the meal planner include readily available staples that form the foundation of OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Programd -- beans, brown rice, sweet potatoes, berries, and nuts. You’ll find most ingredients at any supermarket. We also offer multiple meal plan styles so you can discover recipes perfect for your lifestyle.
4. Can my whole family enjoy the meal planner?
Yes! When you sign up, you can add other members of your household and specify their appetite size (we offer a small appetite selection that’s perfect for kids). That way, you will have the right amount of food to feed and please everybody! Not only are the meals nourishing for the whole family, many of them were developed with a child’s developing palate in mind! Looking for kid-friendly recipes? We have them! Gluten-free or nut-free? Yes! We have thousands of recipes that can be personalized to accommodate the whole family.
5. Will the meal planner work for me if my family has food allergies and/or certain foods we dislike?
Yes, you can exclude any ingredients you don’t like from our 700+ ingredient database! When you sign up just select the ingredients you want to avoid, so you’ll get recipes that match the needs and preferences of your entire family. No more making separate meals for everyone in the house!
6. How do I update my preferences?
You can change your preferences at any time! Here’s how:
- Click on the site menu in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
- Click on My Preferences.
- Select the setting you’d like to adjust, and make changes.
7. Can I add my own items to my grocery list?
Yes, you can add as many extra items as you want, so your meal planner list is the only one you’ll need!
8. Do you deliver groceries?
We work with some incredible partners to get your groceries delivered! If Amazon Fresh, Instacart, or Peapod are available in your area, you can get your food delivered right to your door. Many other local grocers also partner with us. Simply click Delivery to send your ingredients to your preferred grocery delivery service.
9. What do you mean by "smart" grocery lists?
If you prefer to shop in-store, your automated "smart" grocery list makes it really easy and convenient. Just pull up the list on your phone! The items are already listed by category, so you want be running from one end of the store to the other. When you find an item in the store, tap the item on your screen to check it off. (It moves to the bottom and is marked as "in basket.") If you prefer a paper list, you can also print your list before heading to the store!
10. How do I change the number of people I am cooking for?
Sharing a meal with your loved ones or eating on your own for a night? It’s easy to change the serving sizes of a recipe within the meal planner. To change the serving size:
- Click on the site menu in the upper right-hand corner.
- Click on My Preferences.
- Select Household to change the number of people, in addition to yourself, that you’re cooking for.
11. What if I just want to adjust servings of a single recipe?
One of the best parts about the meal planner is that you can customize the servings in every recipe based on the number of mouths at that meal. First, make sure the recipe is added to a ‘Menu.’ Then, open the recipe from the ‘Menus’ page. On the ‘Recipe’ tab, you can increase or decrease the number of servings of that recipe. (This is great for guests!) To make extra, in order to have leftovers, just click the ‘Leftovers’ button to double the ingredients. This will automatically update your smart grocery list, too!
12. I have a comment/question. What should I do?
We love to hear from you. You have on-demand assistance for technical issues 7 days a week. For nutrition related questions, you simply contact your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Coach.
13. I’m not a skilled cook. Can the meal planner work for me?
Yes! We have a YouTube Channel that features cooking technique videos. You'll learn to dice, saute, roast, and more! Additionally, we have recipes to match any cooking skill level, from complete novice to a confident cooking pro. The control is always in your hands with the ability to change your cooking skill preference at any time. You won’t believe how truly simple cooking tasty, healthy meals can be.
14. Can I get personalized coaching to help me?
Your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Coach will orient you to the program in a free 1-on-1 session and will always be available to make sure you get the support YOU need to meet your goals. That means your program can be tailored to your questions and unique needs. Whether you’re new to plant-based food, a novice home cook, have specific nutrition/diet goals, have picky eaters at home, or you’re just looking for some friendly support, we’re here for you! If you do want extra support, you can purchase separately as desired:
- OptiHealth TLC Coaching Sessions
- An OptiHealth TLC Coaching Retainer, or
- Join an OptiHealth TLC Action Team.
15. What is the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition way of eating?
The following simple guidelines are used by our team of nutritionists and meal planning software in order to develop healthy, tasteful meals and generate recipes customized to your personal preferences.
- EAT PLANTS: >80% of your food should be fruits, vegetables, whole grains, greens, and beans using a small amount of olive or avocado oil to sauté and spices to flavor vegetables.
- DAILY DOSE OF BEANS: Eat a cup of beans daily spread out across breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All beans count, including tofu. They contain high-quality protein and fiber. If you buy canned beans, avoid added salt, sugar, and chemicals.
- DIMINISH DAIRY: Cow’s milk does not figure prominently into a healthy diet, so we recommend you avoid it.
- SLASH SUGAR: Consume only 28 grams (7 teaspoons) of added sugar daily. Reserve cookies, cakes, and candies for special occasions. Read labels and avoid foods with more than 8 grams of sugar. Make honey your go-to sweetener.
- SNACK ON NUTS: Eat only 1 handful of nuts daily: almonds, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, and peanuts. Try different nuts so you don’t tire of them. Avoid sugar-coated nuts.
- CAREFUL WITH GRAINS: Eat only 100% whole grain breads or authentic sourdough bread made from live cultures. Limit bread to two slices daily. Choose whole grain corn tortillas over flour tortillas. Avoid white breads and wraps.
- GO WHOLLY WHOLE: Try to eat only whole foods or processed foods that have fewer than five ingredients. If it’s manufactured in a plant, avoid it. If it comes from a plant, eat it.
- FISH: Some healthy, whole-food, plant-based populations eat fish up to three times per week. But, most commercial fish has become so contaminated with pesticides and other chemicals that we don’t recommend it as a significant part of a whole-food, plant-based diet. Pork, beef, lamb, and foul (chicken, turkey, duck, etc) should be eliminated from your diet.
- DRINK MOSTLY WATER: Drink 6 or more 12-ounce glasses of water daily. Avoid caffeinated beverages, concentrated fruit juices, and all sugar-sweetened and diet sodas.
16. How much does it cost?
Receive personalized recipes every day, unlimited printable menus and smart grocery lists, full nutritional analysis for every meal, on-demand technical assistance 7 days a week, basic nutrition support and advice from your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Coach, and so much more, for only $29/month or $199/year (saving you 43% and breaks down to just $3.83/week or $0.18/meal!
17. Do you have an app?
You can use our meal planner like an app! The OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program is available on any mobile device via a web-based app. That means you have all of the convenience of an app without having to download it from the app store. Also, you will NOT need to regularly update it to get the latest and greatest, and, even better, it won’t take any extra memory on your mobile device. This means you can access your account from your usual web browser on your phone or tablet any time, anywhere. For quick access, you can add an icon to your home screen, making your OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program just as convenient to access as a normal app.
iPhones: To add the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition icon to your iPhone home screen, follow the steps below:
- Open the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program in the Safari browser on your mobile device.
- On the bottom tray, click the ‘export’ button.
- Then select ‘Add to home screen’.
Androids: To add the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition icon to your Android home screen, follow the steps below:
- Open the OptiHealth Lighter Nutrition Program on Chrome on your phone.
- Then touch the overflow button (three vertical dots) and select Add to Home Screen.
- Next, all you have to do is touch Add and the site will join your other apps and widgets.
- You can customize the text below the icon by touching the text inside of the Add to Home Screen box and changing it.