Medifast Substitutes: What To Do When You Run Out of Medifast Replacement Meals?

No need to panic if your
Medifast shipment arrives late

For some reason, Medifast shipping makes snails seem swift. We're talking Pony Express in the dawn of same-day delivery by drones.

Being a mild hoarder, I have never run out of Medifast replacement meals. My spare room looks like a survivalist's pantry with various foodstuffs comfortingly lined up ready to be stirred, blended and/or microwaved.

Still, my anxious alter ego needed to know what I would do if I ever did run out of Medifast meals, even for a few days. Here are a few of suggestions I found on the web:

Modify the diet for a few days with more lean & green meals

A poster on the 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet forum shared that when her shipment was delayed, Medifast nutrition support advised switching to three lean & green meals and eating two between-meal snacks containing one or two ounces of protein or a glass of skim milk. What I like about this suggestion is that it is not only very doable, but also gives you a taste of what your eating pattern might look like post Medifast, albeit with more carbs.

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Search for foods with similar nutrition profiles in the supermarket

Few foods match the nutritional profiles of Medifast replacement meals, which is why people willingly pay the extra money to purchase the real McCoy. In a pinch, you can come reasonably close while waiting for your Medifast food to arrive in the mail. Here is a breakdown of what you're looking for:

via 3fatchicks.com

This table is from 2009, so some nutritional values may have changed. But overall these are the calorie/protein/fiber/carbohydrate ratios of Medifast replacement meals to match when looking for temporary Medifast meal substitutes.

Follow the DIY Medifast rules

The DIY Medifast blog lays out principles for following Medifast without buying official Medifast replacement meals. Rules include eating only whole grain carbs and low glycemic veggies and consuming about 1200 calories a day.

So far I have not had to try any of these options because in between shipments I have procured Medifast replacement meals through a Facebook swap group. But looking down the road, these tips could come in handy when I transition to life after weight loss and try to maintain my new healthier body.