Meal delivery kits have taken off in popularity, each offering something unique and potentially tasty. Detox Kitchen is no exception, focusing on sustainably-sourced ingredients, eco-conscious packaging and the end-goal of a full-body detox.

I tried its new Summer Set “Green with Protein” programme, which costs £420 for the 10-day wheat, dairy and refined sugar-free programme. Included in the set is £50 credit at Sweaty Betty and five classes at Psycle (yoga, strength, barre, spin and a free credit).

THE FOOD

For two weeks, I woke up to find a day’s worth of pre-packaged meals and snacks outside my front door. Coming in a recyclable cardboard box with a handle, all the meals were aesthetically pleasing, even the small container of nuts or seeds.

As someone who doesn’t normally eat breakfast (or lunch, for that matter), I was surprised to find the morning meals were my favourite. The buckwheat muesli with almond milk and berries, chia puddings and banana-blended smoothies (with almond and avocado, respectively), were all great.

Each day had a different, veg-focused lunch that didn’t require heating. These were generally salads, cauliflower-rice bowls or similar plant-powered meals and I grew to like my raw-veg meals after the first week.

The dinners were diverse, flavourful and hearty. Coming home after a long day and popping a Thai red chicken curry into the microwave felt amazing; no hassle, no fuss, just a tasty meal. As I mostly cook for myself every evening, it was fantastic to get a few nights off “dinner duty.” Even the nut pots were a welcome midday or late-night snack, and the pudding truffles were always delicious. I’m a routine eater, so trying something new nearly every day was incredibly rewarding and I appreciated the variance in the meals.

The biggest downside for me was not knowing the calorie counts, but a spokesperson for Detox Kitchen has informed me that customers will have that information online by late October. Additionally, she said Detox Kitchen will begin to label each meal with its ingredients by September, although they do ask for a list of your allergies and dietary requirements at sign-up.

THE JUICES

Each day came with two bottles of freshly-juiced vegetables, as well as a sachet of Pukka mint tea. The Green Machine juice was a consistent challenge. It’s incredibly healthy and chock-full of antioxidants, but far too celery-heavy for my (admittedly unrefined) palette.

Instagram loved the Super Spirulina, and so did I. With apple juice balancing out the cucumber, it’s sweeter than the Green Machine, making it a lovely mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

THE COMPANY

At first, it might seem like a meal delivery service is wasteful. With each meal individually boxed (or bottled), the day ends with a lot of material making its way to the recycle bin.

However, 70 per cent of DK’s packaging is made from sustainable sugarcane pulp, with the remainder being recyclable PET plastic. In a city like London, both of these are easily recycled, so don’t fret about the ‘mountain of waste’.

Plus, with 80 per cent of its ingredients coming from the UK and all meat being sourced from free-range animals in Chiswick, it’s easy to trace where your food came from, a rarity in this day and age.

Across the board, I saw the passion that DK has for food, its products and the environment. From the couriers to customer service, everyone affiliated with it was incredibly polite and helpful.

Since the company is currently on the smaller side, there is better quality assurance and more personal touches. One day, the company sent out an email to customers saying the broccoli included in that day’s lunch wasn’t up to the normal standard, and gave everyone an extra day of food for free.

That’s the type of company Detox Kitchen is: one which has good, healthy goals in mind and is trying its best to fulfil them.

THE TAKEAWAY

As I share a small refrigerator with three others and commute a decent distance to work, this plan didn’t benefit me as much as it would a busy parent, hard-working gym buff or someone focused solely on the quality of their food.

Despite sticking to the 1,200 calorie plan, I only lost 1kg over two weeks. That was rather surprising, especially considering 1,200 calories for a 5ft 11in woman is on the low side. However, I  felt better, which is more important than a number on the scale.

I can’t blame all of my shortcomings on this programme; I was still stressed out, tired and overly busy, and no food plan can change that. On the plus side, I did feel nutritionally-educated, fresh and my skin looks the best it has in weeks, all of which I can attribute to DK.

If you’re fitness-focused, give this plan a go. If nothing else, it made me eat better, drink more water and get out of my comfort zone, all of which were helpful.