People often ask me how to get the best deal on the nutrisystem diet. No one wants to overpay, but there are several different programs available and some of them have different prices or coupons available. I get a lot of questions about what really is the best deal. So, in the following article, I’ll go through the prices of some of the most popular packages to help you determine which one might work best for you.

Prices in the Nutrisystem Flex Plan: If you’re only looking at this in terms of the amount of money you’re paying, the flexible program costs less. The base price of the women’s flex is around $234. The men’s program costs a little more, $259. Many people don’t realize that they’ll let you handpick the food you want in any of the packages (and there’s usually no additional cost) and this is true of the flex plan as well. But, whether you choose the “favorites” package or something to customize your own, you’ll get 20 days of food instead of 28 days.

So if you’re figuring this out in terms of cost per meal (which I think is probably the best way to determine the best deal), you’re looking at about $2.34 per meal and about $11.70 per day for the women’s program and about $12.95 per day and $2.50 per meal for the men. I think most people would agree that diet meals under $2.50 each are cheap by anyone’s standards. It would be pretty hard (if not impossible, at least in my experience) to find comparable foods at the health food store or grocery store for less than this price.

The cost of the basic monthly package of Nutrisystem: I often tell people that if you are looking at the cost per meal on nutrisystem, the basic monthly package with auto delivery is really the best deal. But let’s look at the numbers. This self-delivery package is $299. (This price is for women. All men’s packages cost a little more.) 28 days of five meals per day are included. Looking at the cost per unit, the price is $2.13 each. Per day, you’re looking at about $10.67 cents. So yes, the price per meal goes down, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. This is the package that is most generous with coupon codes. Depending on what’s going on at the time, you’ll often be offered free food or a percentage off your order.

People sometimes ask me if they should go with the free food or the monetary savings. Free food often turns out to be the best deal for me, but you can easily see for yourself. Let’s use the example of two weeks of free food. Saving $10.67 per day over the course of 14 days is over $150 worth. That’s pretty hard to beat. Many people worry that automatic delivery means they are making a commitment or signing a contract. it doesn’t. It just means they will send you another pack when the other one runs out until you tell them not to. This option offers you free shipping and a 10% discount on each order.

I also feel I should mention that in addition to the basic program, there are also diets for diabetics, seniors, and vegetarians that are the same price as the basic plan.

The premium cost on the Nutrisystem Select package: The most expensive package of this diet is the select package. What makes this one cost a bit more are the gourmet, frozen, restaurant-quality meals. Some examples are French toast, shrimp scampi, Philly steak wraps, ice cream bars, and sundaes. The base price of this package is around $388 for women. This also covers 28 days. So you’re looking at around $13.85 per day or around $2.77 per meal. This price premium is worth it for many people because these people think that premium foods help them to follow the diet in an easier way. So for them, they would rather pay a little more and make sure they really enjoy what they eat.

So which Nutrisystem package is the best deal for you?: The answer to this question really depends on your goals and preferences. If you don’t mind trying a part-time package and are most concerned about the total amount of money you’ll spend, then the flexible program might be your best option. If you’re looking for the most affordable option in terms of price per meal and liberal use of coupons, then that distinction belongs in the basic package. But, if it’s worth paying a little more to get the more premium line of meals, you might be satisfied with the “select” line.