If weight loss is on your to do list this year, and you’re looking for an easy, effective way to make it happen, you’ll want to check out Jenny Craig. Featuring portion-controlled, prepackaged foods delivered right to your door, plus one-on-one virtual coaching and unlimited community support, Jenny Craig is a comprehensive weight loss solution designed to help you get to your goal as painlessly as possible. In this detailed review, we’ll take a close look at how the Jenny Craig program works, examining the food, the price, the pros and cons, and more, to help you decide if it’s the answer to all your weight loss woes.
| Highlights |
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| Now delivers to your door |
| Access to personal coaching |
| Made from the original Jenny Craig recipes |
| Lose up to 24 pounds in your first 8 weeks |
| Get food delivered two weeks at a time |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Calorie-controlled, chef-crafted meals & snacks delivered to you | Supplemental grocery items must be purchased each week |
| Designed to help you lose up to 24 pounds in your first eight weeks. (Disclaimer: Expect to lose average 1-2 pounds per week. In study, average weight loss was 22 pounds in 8 weeks.) | Limited options for special diets (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.) |
| Variety of plans, including dietitian-designed guided plans & a DIY option | Foods are highly processed |
| Customizable menu from a large selection of foods | Not much focus on lifestyle changes to sustain results long-term |
| No high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, MSG or artificial colors/sweeteners | |
| Personalized, one-on-one virtual coaching to help you stay on track | |
| Large online support community to keep you motivated & inspired | |
| Helpful tracking app makes it easy to log meals, water intake & more |
Highlights
- Meal Plans: Choose between two guided plans or a more customizable DIY option
- Food: Chef-crafted breakfasts, lunch/dinner entrees, snacks and desserts, bars & kits
- Nutrition: Dietitian-designed meal plans featuring perfectly portioned meals & snacks
- Support: On-demand virtual weight loss coaching, online community, easy tracking app
- Shipping: FREE for two-week auto-ship plans delivered within the Contiguous U.S.
Who It’s Best For
We recommend Jenny Craig for:
Singles: Those who don’t have the time, knowledge or energy to plan, shop for and prepare healthy meals
Structure Seekers: Jenny Craig’s Guided plans are designed by dietitians and provide an easy-to-follow daily framework
DIY Dieters: Club Jenny is perfect for those who prefer a flexible approach—customers order the foods they want when they want them
Classic Food Lovers: The menu features healthier takes on classic favorites like pizza, pasta, chicken and burgers
Low Carb Eaters: Jenny Craig offers weight loss plans for those looking to lessen their carbohydrate consumption
Plans & Pricing
Jenny Craig offers two different plan types, each with their own unique approach to weight loss.
Plans
With Jenny Craig, you can opt for a guided plan or a more customizable solution, Club Jenny. Both are subscription services that will continue to renew until you cancel, but there are some key differences:
| Guided Plans | Club Jenny | |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | 14-day plans with an easy-to-follow framework developed by dietitians to help you lose weight while meeting your daily nutrition needs. Choose from the 14-Day Classic Plan, which includes everything you need to lose weight, or the Meal Plan, which includes two daily meals plus six-month access to Club Jenny. | A customizable solution that enables access to the full Jenny Craig menu—order what you want, when you want it, plus get personalized coaching, resources, tools & more for the duration of your subscription period. |
| Who is best for? |
Anyone who:
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Anyone who:
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| What does it cost? | 14-Day Classic Plan: Starts at around $150/week Meal Plan: As low as $66/week | Starts at $69.99 for six month subscription, plus the cost of foods |
How it Works
Getting started with Jenny Craig is a seamless process that begins with visiting the company’s official website to pick your plan. Here’s a look at what you can expect:
Ordering Information
Ordering a Jenny Craig program is as easy as visiting the official website, selecting your plan, indicating whether you’d like to customize your menu or select a favorites bundle (only applicable for guided plans), and entering your payment information.
How the Plans Work
Jenny Craig’s guided plans are designed to help you lose weight by reducing your calorie intake through portion-controlled meals and snacks.
With the 14-Day Classic Plan, you’ll receive bi-weekly shipments of daily meals, including:
- 14 bars
- 14 breakfasts
- 14 lunches
- 14 dinners
- 14 snacks
You’ll also need to supplement with your own grocery additions like vegetables, fruits and lean proteins as directed. Your shipments come with clear instructions on how much of these foods you can add in and still stay on track. The 14-Day Classic Guided Plan is designed to help you lose up to 24 pounds in your first week, but results will vary depending on your starting weight and how well you adhere to the diet.
With the company’s other guided plan, the Meal Plan, two daily meals are provided, so you’ll be supplementing more meals and snacks as well as your own grocery additions. If you chose to subscribe to Club Jenny, you’ll decide what meals to eat and when.
With all plans, you’ll enjoy access to dedicated virtual health coaches, the Jenny Craig community, and the helpful tracking app. While exercise is not required, some light aerobic activity (think walking) is encouraged and will likely expedite your results.
| Breakfast | Lunch/Dinner | Snacks & Desserts | Kits | Bars |
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Nutrition
The Jenny Craig meals are all designed by nutritionists to help support weight loss and balanced living. Most meals are less than 300 calories, and most snacks and desserts have between 150 and 300 calories. All the foods are free of high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, MSG and artificial colors and sweeteners.
The nutrition information for every meal is available online, and you can filter their menu by “Low Carb,” “High Protein,” “GLP-1 Friendly,” “Fiber Support,” “Vegetarian” and “Diabetes-Friendly” to find the meals that suit your dietary needs. You can also filter by allergens.
Jenny Craig vs. The Competition
Here’s a look at how Jenny Craig compares to other top weight loss programs on the market today:
| Jenny Craig | WW (Formerly Weight Watchers) | SlimFast | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calorie-controlled meals & snacks delivered to your door | Yes | No | Yes |
| Guided plans & DIY options | Yes | No | No |
| Free home delivery | On auto-ship orders | NA | On orders 99+ |
| 1:1 access to weight loss coaches | Yes | Yes | No |
| Free app to help guide your program | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Bottom Line
Jenny Craig is a simple option for anyone who wants to lose weight without the work. The company’s guided plans are effective and easy-to-follow, and the Club Jenny service is an appealing option for DIY dieters and anyone looking to maintain their weight loss. The convenience of home delivery is hard to beat, and we love that they offer healthier options of classic comfort foods so you never feel like you’re missing out. We also appreciate the one-on-one, personalized health coaching and range of support tools offered. While Jenny isn’t necessarily designed to be a long-term weight loss solution, taking advantage of these resources can certainly equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to sustain your success long after you stop ordering the food.
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