Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem are both diet systems and popular ones at that. We can hear both of their names mentioned on TV and radio almost even amount of times every single day. They both also withstood the test of time longer than some others diets that tend to come and go.

So what’s the difference between the two?

Nutrisystem started as diet support and meal service with multiple physical locations, but has largely moved online. It’s an all-American company and now focuses on balanced meal delivery and consultations via phone and online.

The company provides meals that customers buy directly from them or through approved retailers, such as Target, Walmart, and Kroger.

Dieters are encouraged to supplement the diet with their own fresh produce, but the meal plan is pretty strict. The newest addition to the diet is an optional DNA testing to understand how your unique body responds to dieting and what causes weight gain for individual cases. There is no membership, but Nutrisystem has a few different plans, from totally non-customizable option of mostly ready-to-eat meals to custom selected frozen meals with diabetic and vegetarian options.

Jenny Craig was started by a husband and wife team in Australia and since moved to United States. The company also started with physical locations for diet consultation and advice, and kept all those locations open, as opposed to Nutrisystem, which focused on the website options.

All brick and mortar stores of Jenny Craig are popular and very busy – you will see people visiting them all the time.

See Jenny Craig Coupons:

• 20% Off  entire order with code SONIASK20
• $20 Off Complete Weight Loss Plan with coupon GIFT20OFF

Jenny Craig members have to pay membership fees, but that includes their regularly scheduled dietician consultations that last up to 45 minutes and are on demand.

Most people love this personalized touch and see it as one of the reasons for success. Jenny Craig is also offering DNA testing to develop more personal dieting plan.

How are the diets similar?

The main thing both of those diets have in common is ready to eat foods. The plans are based on easy and think-free frozen and shelf stable foods that can be delivered weekly or monthly. Both diets promise super-fast weight loss the first week and the first month and then steady slow advance towards your weight loss goal. Both diets work for some and don’t for others. Both have quite a following and both are regarded as a good way to start the diet, but hard to stick with long-term. Finally, both focus on diet more than on fitness.

Price Differences

Jenny Craig is quite a bit more expensive than Nutrisystem, and that’s mostly because of its membership price. It costs $99 to enroll for 12-months and then $19 each month to stay with it. Adding these fees to food price makes meals cost about $25 per day. This is still pretty cheap if you compare breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks that would be delivered from regular restaurants or cooked at home.

Nutrisystem costs about $11per day for women for the most expensive Uniquely Yours plan that can be customized with meals picked from 160 options every week.

Both companies offer meal plans for vegetarians and diabetes patients. Both companies offer promo codes and various sales, especially for new customers and return dieters. For example, new customers at Jenny Craig can now get all kinds of discounts towards their first food order while you can get $100 in savings for referrals.

Nutrisystem offers a coupon code for 1 month of free food with a purchase of one month supply.

See more Nutrisystem Coupon Codes:

• Free snack sampler 10-pack with code 10SNACKS
• 45% OFF Your Order + Free FedEx Shipping when use code RITCHIE

Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem is based on low-glycemic index foods that limit calorie intake, especially from carbs and fats. Limiting calories to about 1,200 per day ensures that customers lose weight rapidly, especially at first, when mainly water in being eliminated from the body.

The main focus of the diet is strictly food. There is little focus on physical movement, at least as a part of weight loss plan. Clients are sort of left to their own devices besides delivered frozen and ready-to-eat microwavable foods.

The main complaint is that food is plain and tasteless, but that should be expected from frozen foods. Customers are encouraged to supplement with their own fresh fruit and veggies, but that is not emphasized enough.

Jenny Craig

This diet plan is most loved for their personalized approach and tailoring, which is achieved with in-person consultations in centers that are available all over the country. The company focuses on food and mind aspects of weight loss and overall lifestyle change.

Dieters are advised about the benefits of fresh produce and are given material about what fruit and vegetables they should supplement their delivered meals with.

The company suggests recipes for days when you will be cooking yourself and even have a visual guide to understand the size of food.

There is also a grocery list with nutritional value of many produce staples.

Another focus is sleep patterns, self-care, and ways to manage stress, which all can negatively impact one’s health and weight.

In conclusion, both diets are good ways for starting weight loss journey and learning some new ways to regulate portions, choose healthier options, and start changing your lifestyle.

However, the end result rests solely on you and your ability to stick with it and transfer what you learned to the real world and real food.

Staying on frozen and dry food for very long is neither realistic, nor healthy, especially if you have family members that need to be fed too.

The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to start on a diet like Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig and then learn ways to manage your diet on your own.

Both companies are definitely great tools to put you on the right track and hold your hand while you start navigating the world of calories and measurements. Everything else you can do on your own if you put trust in you!