Bella Grist is a clinical holistic nutritionist, weekend Explorer, and the founder of nutrition consulting company Heaps Healthy. We asked her to try out Radix Nutrition’s instant meals and tell us, in plain English, how healthy they really are.

Meals in an Instant

Nutrition to me is about balance, variety and flexibility. Life is full of fun, occasionally difficult, and time consuming opportunities that can throw routine out of whack. 

Contemplating what, how, and when to cook can add to these stressful moments, so I was absolutely stoked when We Are Explorers hit me up to test out Radix Nutrition ready-to-eat meals.

It takes time and a panel of problem solvers, food technologists, and mechanical engineers to perfect freeze-drying natural ingredients to create a nutritionally sound meal. Radix Nutrition has done exactly that – years of trial, error, and success have resulted in a five minute miracle meal! 

Radix aims to optimise health, performance, and recovery, offering a range of convenient meals that provide high quality instant nutrition that can be consumed anywhere between home and the wilderness.

@henry_brydon

Food And Me

As a clinical holistic nutritionist and founder of Heaps Healthy, it’s safe to say I’m pretty bloody healthy – 2 serves of fruit per day, 5-8 serves of veg, a variety of nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains with some dark chocolate and wine scattered throughout.

To be deadly honest I was a bit on the fence about eating freeze-dried food. I find it strange that we’ve become so far removed from food and it seems society is spending as little time and money as possible on something that’s essential!

I believe in eating whole foods, fresh as can be, and making time for food no matter how busy my life is. Eating out of a bag also goes against what I love, as food to me is all about the process of preparation, cooking, and plating up something that I’m proud of. I absolutely love cooking when I have time and can’t stand when I have to buy a meal when I’m short on time. 

So over the course of a week, I incorporated Radix Nutrition’s meals into my daily routine to avoid buying limp over-priced salads and processed foods that quite often hide preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients. 

My partner Nick joined in to test out the meaty meals as I’m predominantly plant-based.

Will our wellbeing, performance, and energy levels be sacrificed in the name of convenience?

 

So What Actually is Radix?

Radix has taken on the method of freeze-drying whole foods to create a meal that can be easily rehydrated for an instantly nutritious meal. These meals are designed to be a convenient nutritionally balanced option when you’re strapped for time or simply don’t feel like cooking.

They can be consumed at home, at work, camping or on a hike, after the gym, on a mountain, in front of the telly – literally ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME, providing you have some water on hand and a flame or a kettle perhaps.

Not a recommended cooking method | @henry_brydon

 

Radix Nutrition’s meals intend to promote cognitive and physical functioning through enhancing metabolic processes in the body (converting food into energy) and optimising the bioavailability of micronutrients (how well nutrients are absorbed into the body). 

Radix’s products are centred around providing the optimal macronutrient (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) and micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) amounts. 

Radix uses only natural ingredients and the proof is in the packet. Unlike other pre-made/packaged meals, Radix’s nutritious meals do not contain any hidden additives or preservatives. Speaking to the crew at Radix, they told me they’ve been working extremely hard to formulate methods to preserve the nutritional benefits of the ingredients used in their meals – without the use of preservatives.

So What Kind of Food Does Radix Make?

Radix offers a number of meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) that vary in the amount of energy provided and cater to a number of dietary requirements including plant-based, vegetarian, pescetarian, gluten free, low calorie, and keto. 

Their Performance range is perfect for someone like me – active, on the go, and health conscious. Their Expedition range however is designed for the ultimate athlete or extreme Explorer, there to assist with catering to extreme energy requirements.

Both ranges contain desirable macronutrient ratios for different activity levels and adequate fruit/vegetable servings providing you with crucial vitamins and minerals important for overall health, energy, and recovery.

Me, My Busy Life, And Radix Nutrition’s Meals

I received my Radix meals in the mail on possibly the most perfect week! I’d taken on more work than usual, had organised lots of appointments, got a flat tyre and was still trying to maintain my routine of morning walks, F45 classes or hikes in the bush. Ohh, did I mention it was also my birthday week! 

As someone who has an enormous appreciation for design, the saying ‘you eat with your eyes first’ became very real as I pulled my Radix meals from the box. The sleek silver bag with minimalist text made me curious as to what ingredients and flavours laid within.

 

@henry_brydon

To be honest, opening up my Radix meal was strange! I usually have a kitchen bench overflowing with fresh ingredients and now I just had a meal consisting of freeze-dried ingredients.

One of my favourite parts about cooking is the plating up process as it allows me to be creative. So the idea of eating out of a bag was a very new concept to me…but I did it, I sat at my dinner table and ate from a bag and there was no clean up required!

Plus, the Radix packaging can be added to your soft plastics recycling and recycled through RedCycle.

 The Radix Nutrition Meals I received:

  • Plant-Based Mixed Berry
  • Mixed Berry
  • Apple, Cinnamon and Turmeric
  • Plant-Based Turkish Style Falafel
  • Plant-Based Indian Style Chickpea Curry
  • Plant-Based Mexican Chilli with Avocado
  • Mexican Chilli with Organic Beef
  • Turkish Style Grass-Fed Lamb
  • Grass-Fed Lamb, Mint and Rosemary
  • Barbecue Organic Beef

Here’s the breakdown of my Radix week followed by my thoughts on how it the meals stack up nutritionally.

Day 1

Breakfast – Banana smoothie made with oat milk, oats, flaxseeds, chia seeds and a plant-based protein powder (this is my usual go to breakfast)
Lunch – Spiced tofu with broccoli, lentils and fresh herbs
Snack – Carrot with nut butter and some prunes
Dinner – Radix’s Plant-Based Turkish Style Falafel

This morning I got up early and went for a walk before I started work. Along with being a nutritionist, I also work for a local business that provides vegetable boxes to Sydney and the Illawarra (which is where I live).

So today I was lifting and packing boxes which is an extremely enjoyable yet laborious job! After work I did a cardio class at the gym, arrived home, had a shower, boiled the kettle and JUST LIKE THAT – dinner was ready!

Day 2

Breakfast – Radix’s Plant-Based Mixed Berry
Lunch/Snack – A whole punnet of raspberries, brown rice crackers, and some mixed nuts
Dinner – Pulse pasta (pasta made from chickpea or lentil flour) with a tomato based sauce and a rocket, mint, and balsamic salad

Amongst the other jobs I do, I ALSO work at a cafe in Thirroul, so having a Radix meal on hand this morning was really convenient as I started work at 6!

At 10am, I added 130mL of water to my Plant-Based Mixed Berry meal, sealed it up, gave it a little shake and was enjoying it five minutes later! This meal filled me up and continued to keep me going until I finished up at 3pm.

 

 

After work, I went to the gym, had some dinner and a glass of wine before going to bed.

Day 3

Breakfast – Radix’s Mixed Berry
Lunch – Radix’s Plant-Based Indian Style Chickpea Curry
Snack – Carrot with nut butter
Dinner – Thai stir-fry and curry with steamed rice and a few glasses of red (eaten out cause Nick took me out on a little date)

Today I thought I may as well double up!

I had the morning off so after a cardio class at the gym I decided to bowl up my Radix and top it with some frozen raspberries that needed using.

I started work at 10am so took my meal with me! This is great because I quite often eat whatever is on offer at the cafe I work at which can usually be boring bread with something on it. Today was exciting though, I just added a cup of boiling water from the coffee machine and went and ate my Radix in a little sun pocket in the alleyway.

This meant that my break went for longer (because I didn’t take ages preparing something) and I had extra time to reply to emails and make some phone calls. I also felt extremely energised in the afternoon so closing the cafe was a breeze and my occasional intolerance to annoying customers was non-existent.

 

Day 4

Breakfast – My usual banana smoothie
Snack – An apple and a carrot
Lunch – Tofu with broccoli, quinoa, spinach, and zucchini topped with tahini
Snack – Raw nuts
Dinner – Radix’s Plant-Based Indian Style Chickpea Curry (I added some fresh coriander to it that I had in the fridge) and Nick had the Grass-Fed Lamb, Mint and Rosemary.

We had to drive to Sydney tonight (which takes 1.5 hours) to watch my sister’s band play! Radix was the perfect quick meal to prepare in between getting home from work, going for a walk, and jumping in the car. Curries and dhals are my favourite so this was a winner!

Day 5

Breakfast – Radix’s Apple, Cinnamon and Turmeric
Snack – Banana
Lunch – Bread with homemade pesto, avocado, roasted parsnip and hummus.
Dinner – Homemade vegan lasagne made with spelt pasta sheets served up with lots of salad.

Today was a huge day! Even though it was a Saturday, there was lots planned.

In the morning, I packed a backpack with a thermos of coffee, some water and Radix’s Apple, Cinnamon and Turmeric.

I went on my absolute favourite bushwalking trail, the Wodi Wodi Track in the Illawarra, and at the top, enjoyed a cuppa with my Radix instant meal while overlooking the bush and ocean. 

This meal was delicious! Cinnamon and turmeric are the best spices ever and were the perfect flavours for a cooler morning.

I ventured back down to the car, went home and worked on some client treatment plans and finished off some freelance work whilst organising what to cook for dinner as I had invited a bunch of people over for a little birthday celebration! 

I usually get really stressed and tired when I have lots on my plate but the day progressed seamlessly and I managed to get all my work and grocery shopping done before 1pm! Here my weekend began and so did birthday celebrations!

My Thoughts on Radix as a Nutritionist

For someone who’s fascinated by diet’s impact on the human body and how food affects physical and cognitive functioning, the more I looked into and consumed Radix Nutrition’s meal range, the more I appreciated their product and its ingredients. 

Radix’s attention to detail is bananas! For example, Radix incorporates black pepper in meals containing turmeric – the active ingredient in black pepper enhances the absorption of turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. So clever!

Finding The Perfect Balance of Good Stuff

Radix Nutrition’s macronutrient distribution ranges are well thought out, providing you with the energy and nutrition required for physical and mental functioning and recovery. 

The Radix meals I incorporated into my diet all contained fabulous amounts of fibre! Fibre is extremely crucial for gut and digestive health (feeding the good bacteria of the gut and keeping you regular) and is important for sustained energy levels.

I was also extremely impressed by the fruit and vegetable content of Radix’s meals. 

By including a variety of colourful fruit and vegetables, you’re provided with an abundance of vitamins and minerals required for energy production, cognitive functioning, bone health, growth and repair, immune function, and many other biochemical reactions in the body.

 

Balance, Variety, and Flexibility

Nutrition to me is about balance, variety, and flexibility and Radix Nutrition allows you to incorporate their meals into your life and ensures that these three factors are met!

Balance – their meals are nutritionally sound and real tasty. The convenience of their meals takes the buying, preparing, cooking, and plating up part out of the culinary equation and provides you with a balanced meal that can be eaten anywhere!

Variety – Radix not only offers a wide range of meals catering to different dietary requirements and goals, but their meals are filled with an abundance of natural ingredients, providing you with a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Flexibility – Radix’s meals give you the freedom and confidence to enjoy a nutritionally balanced meal wherever you are, especially if time is against you.

What we eat should excite us and incorporating Radix Nutrition’s ready-to-eat meals is an exciting, new way of preparing and consuming an instant nutritious meal!

Pros of Radix’s Meals

  • Convenient and compact
  • Variety within the range lets you change it up
  • Great for people who travel for work and want to avoid hotel breakfasts and takeaways
  • Great for Explorers who love hiking and camping and want a lightweight backpack
  • Most importantly, no need to worry about missing out on vital nutrients 
  • If you’re camping/hiking, you won’t need to waste water on cooking pasta/rice or cleaning

Cons of Radix’s Meals

  • May not be suitable for people with severe allergies or dietary requirements
  • Some of Radix’s meals require boiling water which may not be accessible everywhere