The Honestly Good Smoothie Company was founded by mother and son duo Vikesh and Neeta Kotecha after Vikesh experienced digestive trouble in 2015 and was advised to consume more fruit and vegetables. Falling in love with the energy smoothies brought him, Vikesh soon tired of chopping and preparing ingredients each morning. Mother Neeta stepped in with daily creations for her son and Vikesh realised how accustomed to the luxury he became, and left his job to start The Honestly Good Smoothie Company so others could experience this too.

Upon placing an order online, customers are treated to a wool-lined temperature controlled box to keep smoothie pouches fresh. The packaging is recyclable or compostable which is in line with Sundried's sustainable and responsible ethos. The company work with award-winning nutritionist Caroline Farrell and head chef Blake Bowden. Founder, Vikesh Kotecha, says “I wanted to do something simple that wasn’t being offered. Honestly good smoothies delivered to your door, no cheap fillers, and no nasty surprises.” Vikesh continues, “We have really exciting plans for the future with a new protein smoothie range launching for the New Year, tasting events across London and charitable donations from each customer purchase.”

The Honestly Good Smoothie subscription is £27.50 per week for 5 pouches making 10 smoothies. 

Berry Nice

• 100g banana
• 70g strawberry
• 50g raspberry
• 40g rhubarb
• 1tbsp hemp seeds
• 1tbsp chia seeds

I really liked this flavour, I had mine with almond milk rather than just dry. It was nutty and full of berries which tasted fresh and tangy. It was very substantial and could definitely replace a meal, although I wouldn't always recommend that. It's not too sweet which I liked and the main positive is the convenience of it.

The hassle and ensuing mess of making a smoothie can be a nightmare, especially if you're short on time or have kids, plus I've made quite a few horrible ones when just experimenting with ingredients from my cupboard! The fact that this recipe is not only well thought out but created and verified by both a professional chef and nutritionist means I can trust the ingredients and health benefits. Overall, I loved it and would definitely have it again. 

The Waldorf Cool

• 100g Granny Smith Apple
• 100g Cucumber
• 60g Curly Kale
• 20g Light Walnut Halves
• 2tbsp. flax seeds
• 1tbsp hemp seeds
• ½ tsp Kelp
• a pinch of pink Himalayan salt

The ingredients in this smoothie are pretty interesting (the kelp and Himalayan pink salt are pretty exotic to me) but they all looked super fresh on arrival which was impressive. I also made this one with almond milk but found that the consistency was a little too thick for my preference, I wonder if apple juice might have been better but then it would have potentially been too sweet. Again, the nuts gave a great flavour and texture and the apple and cucumber meant it was super fresh and zingy. 

Verdict

I think the concept of this brand is great, and people who have a lot of disposable income and not much time on their hands would benefit greatly. However, those with kids or just those who don't work 60-hour weeks and don't have the money to spend over £100 a month on smoothies might not need ready-prepared ingredients delivered to them, especially as you still have to blend it yourself and therefore wash up afterwards too.

For some people, the process of making a smoothie is the best part, however others would argue that having the ingredients already weighed out and ready to blitz is a life-saver. With this service, I think it really depends on your lifestyle and personal preferences but I can see why it would be great in the right circumstances. I also think it would be important for customers to receive the nutritional information of the smoothies along with their packages (calories, sugar, protein etc) as this is not currently provided.

The Protein Ball Co was founded in 2015 by husband and wife team Matt and Hayley Hunt after they struggled to find clean, healthy, protein-related grab-and-go snacks. They set out with the goal of making protein snacks more widely accessible to the population, rather than just bodybuilders and gym buffs! I was super excited to try their products as the packaging is so cute and attractive and I love tasty protein snacks!

Coconut & Macadamia

The coconut and macadamia flavour balls are made with whey protein making them a great protein source for a quick snack. The coconut flavour is really powerful and fresh, with the macadamia nuts hiding in the middle adding a lovely crunch to the texture. These are really tasty!

Cherry & Almond

This flavour tastes exactly like Cherry Bakewell - delicious! I absolutely loved these ones, and I think I would've been even more excited about them if the flavour was actually named Cherry Bakewell. These are dairy-free as the protein source is egg-white and they provide a hearty 9g of protein per pack! I was really impressed by this flavour as I usually go for chocolate-flavoured snacks but these were superb.

Cacao & Orange

The cacao and orange protein balls are also made with whey protein meaning they have a 22% protein content! The cacao provides a lovely deep flavour; it's nice and chocolatey meaning it'll kerb any chocolate cravings, but it's not so moreish that you end up just wanting more!

Goji & Coconut

I love that The Protein Ball Co offer such a diverse range of protein sources and that they have 2 flavours which are vegan-friendly, one of which being the goji and coconut flavour. 

Peanut Butter

The peanut butter protein balls are to die for! They taste so authentic, almost as if I had just whipped them up in my own kitchen. They were extremely fresh with a lovely moist texture, and the peanut butter is definitely the star flavour. They are moreish without being addictive and perfect for a post-workout snack!

Lemon & Pistachio

The lemon and pistachio balls also contain vegan protein meaning there's plenty of choice for vegans. This flavour is lovely and fresh thanks to the lemon.

Verdict

These handy protein snacks are absolutely perfect for all number of occasions, from lunchboxes to gym bags. They make the perfect pre- or post-workout snack or just something to cure that sweet tooth craving. All the flavours are absolutely delicious and they really taste authentic; you don't feel like you're eating some mass produced chemical-laden franken-snack. I love the packaging, especially as I feel that kids would be attracted to it which would encourage them to eat healthier snacks. Finally, I love that the different flavours are made from different protein sources so there's something for everyone. It's a 10 from me! Buy yours now from their website! http://theproteinballco.com/

The Protein Ball Co on Social

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Staying healthy while travelling can be very tough and can undo a lot of hard work. If you travel a lot for work or if you're just going for a weekend away, trying to plan your meals and food prep can be very stressful. That's where the Isobag comes in with a solution to your problems. 

What is meal prep?

When you’re at home, you can stock your cupboards with all the right foods to keep you on track. Fresh vegetables and lean meat are easily accessed and the scales are on the side to weigh out your exact macronutrient requirements. You know exactly what you're going to eat and when so there is no risk of going off-track or having a slip-up. However, when you need to go away for a few days, it can be far too easy to opt for an easier option like fast food or an unhealthy snack from the local shop. That's why meal prep is so important; so that you know you've got your healthy food with you ready to go and in the correct portions.

How does meal prep stay fresh?

The Isobag I bought fits 6/8 containers and comes with 12. I’ve left 6 perfectly untouched so that once the 6 I use daily show signs of wear and tear, I have brand new ones ready. This means on Sunday night I meal prep 6 meals, 2 in the bag, 2 in the fridge and 2 in the freezer. I wouldn’t recommend keeping meals for longer than 3 days and be particularly careful of meat, even refrigerated, food can still go off.

Of course, it depends on which foods you decide to prep. Fruit and vegetables stay fresher if you keep them cool, which is one of the features that the Isobag offers. Fresh meat should be eaten within 1 day of being prepared, but this will also stay fresh in the cool compartments of the Isobag. If you are prepping food 2 or 3 days in advance, you should keep them in your fridge at home until you need them. Alternatively, you can freeze foods which will last a lot longer.

Isobag Review

Taking your meal prep to work or for a weekend away can be a hassle. Endless Tupperware containers with lost lids and bottles of sticky liquids spilling all over your bag. That's why the Isobag is such a saviour. No spills, no leaks, and all your food in one easily-accessible place. This review is of the 6-meal Isobag from Isolator Fitness. 

What you get:

• The Isobag: 18"x9"x8" (LxWxH)
• Weight: 4.5lbs.

Containers:

• 6 - 16oz Containers
• 2 - 12oz Container
• 2 - 28oz Container
• 2 - 38oz Container
• 3 - Ice Packs
• 1 - Shoulder Strap

The bag comes with 12 containers, a detachable shoulder strap and 3 large ice blocks.

The containers are all BPA-free, microwavable, and are dishwasher- and freezer-friendly. There are ice block holders to either side of the main cool bag, as well as a further attachable ice pack holder which can divide the main section in two for extra cooling. I find you can either opt for less cooling and larger meals or more cooling but smaller meal containers, however even the ‘small’ containers still have plenty of room. The bag fits a maximum of 8 fresh meals at any time, 6 in the main compartment and two in the zip up top, plenty for a weekend away.

The bag itself may be large, but it looks the part and is comfortable to carry. I opted for black as I didn’t want to bring too much attention to myself and I’d say the bag looks like a gym bag, albeit a rather large one. The material is durable, standing the rigour of daily use and it even survives in our wet English weather, making sure my meals aren't soggy.The top storage compartment is perfect for supplements and cutlery, as well as being isolated should it need to be used for further meals.The side pockets hold a 2-litre water bottle, flask or protein shaker.

The bag is very well designed, prepared for all your nutritional needs. It’s simple to setup and easy to carry. The ice blocks themselves need freezing for a few hours, but the gel keeps food cold for up to 16 hours. I’ve taken the bag away overnight and everything’s remained fresh after 24 hours, but it depends on what your food is and the temperature of your external environment also.

Isobag Verdict

I think meal prep bags such as this one get a lot of fame as being just for bodybuilders or those preparing to compete, but actually, this is a great addition for anyone who is trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. My meals are prepped, cooled and best of all, don’t leak!