Low Carb Meals

If you want to cut back on carbs but aren’t a fan of meal prep, there are a number of meal delivery subscription services in Australia that will sort out your low carb meals for you. We compare the options available so that you can determine which one best suits your lifestyle.

Alex Hamlin
- Updated January 11, 2021
Fact checked Fully qualified and expert nutritionists have reviewed and checked this content to ensure it is as accurate as possible at the time of writing.

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What is a Low Carb Meal?

A low carb meal is generally one revolving around protein (such as meat, poultry, fish, or eggs) and non-starchy vegetables, in addition to a moderate amount of fat. You typically won’t find grains (such as rice, wheat, and corn), starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and sweet potato), or fruit in a low carb meal – although some low carb diets do include berries.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a low carb diet involves eating no more than 20 to 57 grams of carbohydrates each day. This means a low carb meal will generally contain around 10 grams of carbohydrates or less.

Will Low Carb Meal Delivery Services Help Me Lose Weight?

Zoodles low carb

If your goal is to lose weight, a low carb meal delivery service can be a useful tool for fast-tracking weight loss, and most importantly, maintaining it. There are a number of reasons a low carb diet supports weight loss, one being that it largely focuses on increasing your protein and non-starchy vegetable intake to increase feelings of fullness.

Sticking to your low carb diet successfully is where a meal delivery service can be handy; you will be more likely to adhere to the diet if your low carb meals for the week are ready and waiting for you in the fridge. There will be no need to meal plan, grocery shop, cook, or clean-up, and no need to make excuses, because all the work has been done for you.

You’ll also get a better idea as to what a low carb meal looks like; having signed up to a low carb meal delivery service will give you a point of reference down the track, making it easier for you to make low carb choices when you’re cooking or eating out.

Who Makes the Best Low Carb Ready-Made Meals?

The answer to this question will often differ from one person to the next. The ‘best’ low carb meal delivery service for you will be the one that meets all or most of your requirements and preferences, from your budget through to your sustainability values and dietary requirements.

One that has rave reviews is another bonus, giving you peace of mind that you’ll be signing up to a reputable service that’s reliable and consistent every step of the way (from production through to packaging and delivery).

Feeling overwhelmed? Take our Meal Kit Quiz to easily figure out which low carb, ready-made meal service is best for you.

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What Are the Pros & Cons of Low Carb Meals?

low carb meals pros and cons

Low Carb Pros

  • Promotes a wholefood diet - Often a low carb diet is one that revolves around real, unprocessed food. Think lean animal protein like fish and poultry, heart-healthy fats like olive oil and avocado, and loads of non-starchy, micronutrient-rich vegetables.
  • Enhances weight loss - A low carb diet focuses on increasing your intake of satiating protein and healthy fats, as well as non-starchy vegetables, which add volume to your meals without clocking up the calories.
  • Supports healthy blood sugar levels - Cutting back on carbs can help lower the amount of the hormone insulin that’s circulating in the body. Insulin transports glucose from the blood to the cells to keep blood sugar in a normal range. Higher insulin levels can also promote fat storage.
  • Appetite control - While refined carbohydrates can induce a blood sugar spike and crash, protein has the opposite effect, helping to keep your blood sugar (and therefore your energy levels) steady. Heart-healthy fats can help you feel fuller for longer because 1) They provide a well-rounded, lingering mouthfeel, and 2) They delay stomach emptying. So by eating more fat, you’ll probably eat less.
  • Easier to stick to than a keto diet - A keto diet is even lower in carbs than a low carb diet, while also being much higher in fat than it is in protein; this can result in undesirable side-effects (including headaches, nausea and vomiting, AKA the ‘keto flu’), which you’re less likely to experience on a low carb diet.

Low Carb Cons

  • Digestive issues - By eliminating wholegrains, legumes, and starchy fruit and vegetables (all high in carbohydrates), you’ll be significantly reducing your daily fibre intake and may experience constipation. You’ll also be reducing the variety of plant-based foods that promote a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.
  • A low carb state of mind - You might experience moodiness, irritability and brain fog, especially at the initial stages. This is because the brain’s preferred fuel source is glucose, a sugar which you’ll suddenly be giving your body less of when you reduce your carb intake.
  • Might not be conducive to a plant-based diet - Unlike animal protein and excluding tofu, most plant-based sources of protein (like lentils, beans and chickpeas) are high in carbs.
  • Minimal fruit - Low carb diet devotees tend to either avoid fruit altogether, or include a small amount of lower carb fruit, like berries. Decreasing the diversity of fruit (and other higher carb plant-based foods like wholegrains) in your diet however can mean you’re potentially missing out on the vitamins, minerals, unique antioxidants and other nutrients they have to offer.

How to Choose the Best Low Carb Meal Delivery Service

Here are some important factors to consider when looking at your options.

The Amount of Carbs Per Meal

It’s worth looking at the carbohydrate content in each of the low carb meals on offer to ensure they meet your requirements (some will be higher than others)

Customisation Options

Does the meal delivery service you’re looking at cater to your dietary requirements or preferences (e.g., gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based)? If you’re vegan or vegetarian, it might prove harder to find a meal delivery service that offers options that are simultaneously plant-based and low carb.

Quality & Taste

Are the low carb meals delivered fresh or frozen (not to say that one is better than the other, but you may have a preference), and what’s the shelf life? Most services will claim that their meals are delicious (even nutritionist or chef-designed), but don’t take their word for it; suss out the customer reviews instead.

Pricing and T&Cs

The cost per low carb meal will vary significantly between different services, so it’s worth weighing up your options to find the best one for your budget. Generally the more meals you order, the more affordable they will be. To avoid getting locked into something you hadn’t intended to, make sure to read the fine print and FAQs before signing up.

Low Carb Meal Delivery FAQs

It may be easier to find a meal plan that’s low carb AND vegetarian than a meal plan that’s low carb AND vegan – as unlike animal protein, the majority of vegan (plant-based) protein sources are higher in carbohydrates. However the plant-based meal delivery service Soulara for example offers ‘Low Cal’ meals that are lower in carbs than the other meals in their range.

There are a number of highly rated low carb meal services in Sydney. When looking at your options, be sure to compare factors such as the carbohydrate content per meal, the price per meal, delivery days and times, and whether or not there is any preparation involved. You can do this with some help from our Meal Kit Quiz.

Like Sydney, Melbourne offers a good range of quality low carb meal delivery services. To figure out which one is the best for you, it’s worth comparing factors like the carb content of each meal, pricing, delivery options, and whether or not the meals arrive fully-prepared (our Meal Kit Quiz will compare all of these factors for you!).

A low carb diet can support a number of health goals. Not only can it promote weight loss, it can help support healthy blood sugar levels and improve cardiovascular health, including for individuals with type 2 diabetes. In saying that, a low carb diet isn’t suitable for everyone, and so before you give it a go, it can be worth speaking to your health practitioner to discuss whether a low carb diet is right for you – and the best way for you to approach it.

There are some significant differences between a low carb versus a keto diet. Put simply, a low carb diet is higher in carbs and protein, and much lower in fat than a keto diet. 

Some of the best Australian meal delivery services offering keto are:

  • A Life Plus
  • My Muscle Chef
  • Be Fit Food 

Alongside factors like pricing, it’s worth comparing the macronutrient content (i.e., the carb, fat, and protein content) per meal to determine which service best suits your ketogenic requirements. Take our Meal Kit Quiz to get started! 

Search and compare subscription based wellness products in Australia including meal kits, ready to eat meal delivery, vitamin subscriptions and much more at Wellhub. All content and information on this site is provided by qualified Australian nutritionists to ensure accurate representation of all products reviewed.