Tempo Review

Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for optimal physical and mental performance, yet the process of preparing nutritious meals can be challenging, especially for those who aren’t keen on cooking. This is where services like Tempo step in. Tempo provides convenient, protein-rich, and nutrient-packed meals that can be prepared in just four minutes.

Tempo is the latest addition to the Home Chef family of brands. However, in contrast to Home Chef, Tempo focuses on delivering ready-made meals that require only approximately 4 to 5 minutes in the microwave. These meals arrive at your doorstep fresh, ensuring that you can enjoy them without delay.

Menu Offerings

Tempo offers a weekly assortment of 12 single-serving, heat-and-eat meals. Each of these meals is packed with essential nutrients, providing ample protein content (with most meals containing 30 grams of protein per serving) and a generous portion of vegetables to keep you satisfied with wholesome food. Furthermore, you can indulge in these delicious meals without worrying about excess calories, as the majority of them contain less than 600 calories per serving.

Tempo’s cuisine primarily features American dishes with occasional Mediterranean inspirations. When it comes to animal proteins, the menu primarily offers options from chicken, pork, or beef. Vegetarian recipes derive their protein from sources like beans, chickpeas, or quinoa. For meals containing meat, you can expect a substantial protein content, with most dishes delivering over 30 grams of protein per serving. In contrast, vegetarian meals provide a minimum of 15 grams of protein per serving.

Tempo’s menu operates on a weekly rotation, allowing customers to view the meal plan up to 5 weeks in advance. It’s worth noting that some recipes may appear more than once in consecutive weeks, meaning you might encounter the same meals two weeks in a row. It’s essential to be aware that Tempo doesn’t provide customization options. Because the meals are pre-cooked and delivered, accommodating individual tastes and preferences would be a logistical challenge.

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Taste Profile

To simplify your quest for the perfect menu, Tempo offers meal recommendations. To take advantage of this feature, you’ll need to provide some information about your taste preferences when you sign up for Tempo. Once you’ve completed this step, Tempo will offer weekly meal suggestions based on your selections. You can easily adjust these recommendations by accessing the “Taste Profile” tab in your account settings.

During the setup of your taste profile, you’ll have the chance to indicate your dislikes. This enables you to specify the foods you’d prefer not to have included in your menu recommendations. It’s important to note that, given the current menu options, there may be instances where you receive recommendations that don’t perfectly align with your profile.

Packaging and Storage

When your Tempo meals are delivered, they come in microwave-safe sealed plastic trays enclosed in a paper sleeve. The sleeve contains essential information, including heating instructions, ingredient lists, “use by” dates, and other pertinent details to ensure a hassle-free dining experience.

Inside the delivery box, the containers are neatly stacked on top of each other and carefully arranged with the assistance of ice packs. Tempo refrains from freezing their meals to preserve taste and freshness. Therefore, it’s crucial to promptly store the meals in your refrigerator upon their arrival to maintain their quality and flavor.

Proper storage of your Tempo meals is essential for maintaining freshness. These meals can typically remain fresh for a period ranging from 2 to 5 days when stored correctly in your refrigerator. It’s advisable to check the “use by” date on the sleeve of each food container and prioritize consuming those with shorter shelf lives first. While it is possible to freeze your meals, Tempo doesn’t recommend it due to potential changes in texture that can occur during freezing.

To ensure the safety and quality of your meals, Tempo also suggests the following:

• Examine each food tray and inspect the box’s insulation upon delivery.
• Use a food thermometer to confirm that the temperature of all dishes is at or below 40°F (4.4°C) before placing them in the fridge.

In case you discover any damage to the box or food, or if the food arrives warm, promptly contact the customer support team and discard the affected items. Safety is a top priority, and they can guide you on any issues you encounter.

Prep and Cooking

Enjoying Tempo meals is a hassle-free process as they arrive at your doorstep fully cooked and cooled. The only preparation required is to follow these simple steps:

1. Review the heating instructions on the paper sleeve.
2. Remove the paper sleeve and the plastic seal from the tray.
3. Place the tray in the microwave and follow the heating instructions provided on the sleeve.

However, if you prefer not to use a microwave or don’t have one available, Tempo also offers heating instructions for conventional ovens.

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Pricing

Tempo provides a range of meal plan options to suit various needs, offering 6 different sizes, with servings ranging from 6 to 16+ meals. The cost per meal serving varies based on the plan you choose. It starts at $10.99 per serving for the 16+ meals plan and goes up to $13.49 per serving for the 6 meals plan.

Meal Delivery

The shipping fee for Tempo is a fixed rate of $10.99 per order. So, if you decide to give Tempo a try and place an order for the smallest plan size, your total cost will amount to $91.49. It’s worth noting that this cost is slightly higher than what the parent brand, Home Chef, offers for their meal delivery service.

Tempo’s delivery coverage is quite extensive, as they claim to serve 98% of the United States. They offer weekly deliveries and allow you to choose the most convenient day of the week for your delivery. However, available delivery days and times can vary depending on your location as Tempo relies on different delivery partners in different regions.

Managing your Tempo account is user-friendly and flexible. You have the convenience of rescheduling, editing, or skipping an order as needed. If you wish to cancel your subscription, you can do so, provided that you adhere to the cutoff date, which is set at noon Central Time on the Friday preceding the scheduled delivery day.

Customer Support

Tempo offers multiple avenues for contacting their customer service team to address your inquiries or concerns. You can reach out to them through phone, a contact form, or a chatbot. Their phone lines are accessible during these hours:

• Monday to Friday: 9 AM to 6 PM, Central
• Saturday: 10 AM to 2 PM, Central

Additionally, Tempo maintains a presence on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, which can be used for general inquiries or updates.

For resolving more complex issues or obtaining comprehensive assistance, it’s recommended to contact their customer service team via phone.

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Final Thoughts

Tempo seems to be an appealing option for busy professionals seeking a convenient way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. While it may not offer specialized diets, its diverse menu can keep you engaged. The emphasis on high-quality proteins and vegetables in most meals is a plus for health-conscious individuals.

The fact that Tempo is a subsidiary of Home Chef provides reassurance regarding ingredient selection and cooking practices, given Home Chef’s reputation in the meal delivery industry. However, it’s important to acknowledge that Tempo’s pricing may be considered a bit on the higher side, particularly considering the size of the menu and the available meal plans.