FAQs
Our responses to frequent questions we get are listed below in this order:
- Overview
- Ordering Meals
- Picking Up Meals
- Meal Plans and Meal Content
- Allergies and Meal Plan Modifications
Overview
Where are your meals made?
Right here in the local DMV (DC, MD, VA) community. Kitchens in Chantilly and DC to be precise, within about an hour of all our delivery locations.
How will Power Supply make my life better?
We make eating well easy and save you a ton of time in the process so that you can focus more on what matters most to you. Check out this infographic for a comparison of the time saved by ordering 5 days of lunch and dinner from us vs. Cooking vs. Eating Out.
How do your meal plans compare?
Check out this infographic for a side by side comparison of all our meal plans. Right now you can order our Mixitarian and Vegetarian Plan on this website and you can order our Pure Paleo Plan on our parent company website.
How do you source your food?
We use the highest quality suppliers that we can find. We look for suppliers that have not only the freshest and most tasty ingredients, but also those with a genuine concern for quality and transparency. Learn more here.
Where’d Mindful Chef go and what’s Power Supply?
Back in June we (Mindful Chef) joined forces with Power Supply and have since added our Paleo-inspired (now Mixatarian) and Vegetarian offerings to their classic Paleo line for a total of three great meal options for active folks. To get you these choices faster we’ve taken the approach of keeping two web sites (for now) but integrating ordering so that our (new) system will recognize you in either place and you can order and manage whatever plans strike your fancy all from one user account. Down the road we’ll move everything together on one site, integrate pricing, etc.
Our new combined organization will operate under the Power Supply brand and now serves more than 45 locations throughout the DC-MD-VA area where you can pick up meals. To learn more about Power Supply and where we’re headed together visit www.mypowersupply.com.
Is the delivery schedule the same for all the lines?
Yep, we’ve integrated delivery already so the schedules are unchanged. And if you order multiple plans, they’ll come together to whatever location you select provided it’s a location where we’ve started delivering the new lines.
What about customer service? Do I have to go to different folks by line if I have questions?
Nope. Just email chowhelp@mypowersupply.com and we’ll be there.
I noticed you have a new ordering system. How does it work?
Please see our Ordering 101 page here.
Is it possible to do a combo of Mixitarian (Paleo-inspired) lunches and vegetarian dinners?
Si. Just place two separate orders.
Can I pick up my Mixitarian or Vegetarian meals at other Power Supply delivery locations?
Maybe. We’ve begun to carry all our meal lines in some traditional Power Supply locations. We include the new locations in our weekly newsletter and on this website under locations.
Can I order Power Supply’s Pure Paleo line at my location?
Yep. Thanks to the new order system we’re now using, which Power Supply built and recently rolled out to great reviews from customers, you can get delivery of any of our three lines to the location where you’ve been receiving Mindful Chef meals. We’re still in the phase of separate websites so you’ll need to visit www.mypowersupply.com to order but the system will recognize you if you’ve created an account and will keep all your orders in one place for easy management.
How do you ensure your meal plans are wholesome and well-balanced?
We work with a team of nutritional advisers that assist us in crafting meals that are hearty and easy for the body to digest, using a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts as well as whole grains, for our Vegetarian plan, and only the highest quality animal proteins, for our Mixitarian and Paleo plans. As a result you get to enjoy meals that taste great and are great for you.
Can I choose which meals I get?
Yes and no. Variety and creativity are cornerstones of our approach. We provide a new menu lineup every week, but customers have the opportunity to customize their order using our substitution options to eliminate meals they don't want and to stock up on meals they love. The only restriction is we cannot make substitutions between the 3 and 5 day plan menus unfortunately since the meals are prepared and delivered separately in plan packages only. If you choose a 5 day plan, you can substitute meals within your 1st and 2nd delivery that week with other meals also scheduled within the same delivery.
Will I lose weight eating these meals?
While our meals do not constitute a weight loss plan, many customers do find they lose weight by eating our all-natural food and living an active lifestyle. This is entirely dependent on how many meals you receive from us, what you eat on your non-Power Supply days and how much exercise you do. We recommend losing weight at a safe pace of one to two pounds per week. Your results may vary.
How does Mindful Chef's giveback work?
In partnership with our customers we’re hardwiring philanthropy deep into everything we do with the PS Giveback, an integrated approach to philanthropy in which we donate 1% of proceeds (and eventually of our time and products) back to our local community. Launched in 2013, the PS Giveback supports local organizations that focus on improving access to quality food for underserved communities. Here’s more information [link] on our parent company site.
Ordering Meals
How will I be billed?
You will be billed weekly. If you are a recurring customer, billing will renew automatically each week on Tuesday unless you send an email to put on hold or cancel by Thursday at midnight. We are always able to refund money if needed for holds or cancellations as long as we get the notification before Thursday at midnight.
How do I make changes to my preferences or modifications to my order (put on hold, cancel, etc.)?
You can log into your account and make these changes yourself or simply email us at chowhelp@mypowersupply.com to make this change and we will respond within 1 day or most often sooner to confirm the change. Please submit any changes to preferences or modifications to order by midnight on Thursday for them to take effect the following week.
Picking Up Meals
What are the hours for pickup at delivery locations?
Pickup hours are whenever the studio you’re picking up from (membership is not a requirement) is open for business, which is typically when classes are happening. So your best bet is to check the class schedule at your studio and time your pick up then. We will deliver your meals by 7am on Mondays and Thursdays.
How do I switch my pickup to a different studio?
If you have a recurring order and want to pickup at a different studio location you can make that adjustment directly in the new order system on your recurring order.
What if I don't pick up my meals?
For health and safety of our customers, Mindful Chef will remove meals a week after they have been delivered if they are not picked up.
Meal Plans and Meal Content
What does "Mixitarian" mean?
It means Real Food, which to us means nothing processed and no “bad stuff” like hormones, artificial ingredients, GMO ingredients, or refined sugars. We include ingredients like safe starches/grains, legumes, fruit, and natural sweeteners judiciously, and sometimes use non-dairy cheese, which usually consists of rice and soy. Please contact us with any specific dietary requests and we'll let you know if we can assist.
What if I am vegan?
All of our vegetarian entrees are free of dairy though we do use eggs on occasion and would be glad to only provide you meals that do not contain eggs. Please list Vegan as a restriction when you place your order.
Do you provide details on your ingredients, nutrient content, and calories?
We are in the process of developing a system that helps us to share this information with you accurately and consistently.
Is each meal for one or more people?
Our meals are made for a single person. You can certainly share the meal with others or split two meals with a friend. If you ever want the same meal for two or more people, then you can simply substitute for additional meals of that type.
Are your meals ever frozen?
No. Our meals are never frozen. You can freeze them if you need to keep them for more than a few days, but we deliver twice a week to ensure freshness. On rare occasions, we may use a pasta, bread, or other high quality ingredients that have been frozen to preserve freshness in lieu of adding preservatives, but we strive to use the freshest ingredients possible.
How do I heat the meals?
All meals that require heating can be done quickly in the containers they arrive in by using a microwave oven or easily transferred for a conventional oven or a skillet. Stirring occasionally during whatever cooking process you use will accelerate and evenly distribute the heating process. We recommend microwaving containers for 1 – 2 minutes depending on the power of your microwave and nature of the dish. When microwaving, place a moist paper towel over your entree to retain more moisture, especially for lean proteins. Snacks do not need to be heated unless specified.
What are your portion sizes?
Our portion sizes are built around an average caloric count with a balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Our portion sizes tend to be large and filling relative to other prepared meal providers.
Do your meals contain sugar and salt?
We balance our meals with the just enough seasoning to bring out the full flavor of each dish. This means minimal sodium and no refined sugars. On occasion with our Mixitarian (Paleo-inspired) and Vegetarian plans we use low amounts of carefully sourced, whole, natural sugars such as honey, molasses, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup.
Do you use bread?
We don't use traditional bread with any of our meal plans. We use Paleo wraps made with arrowroot flour on our Pure Paleo line and gluten free bread and wraps with our vegetarian meals.
What type of Veggie Cheese do you use?
Our veggie cheese is made of soy flour and rice milk. Occasionally we use veggie cheese with our Mixitarian and Vegetarian meal plans.
How is your Seitan free of gluten - isn't it usually made with wheat?
We use gluten-free rolled oats and nutritional yeast to make our Seitan.
Allergies and Meal Plan Modifications
Can I get a mix of meals from different meal lines?
Yes! Simply place in your cart whatever meal lines you'd like for a given week. You can pause, change, or remove meal lines independently. For example, you can order a 3-day Mixitarian Lunch and a 3-day Vegetarian Dinner one week and then order a 5-Mixitarian Lunch & Dinner the next week.
What if I have a food allergy?
Please let us know all applicable food allergies for each meal plan you order. In most cases, either we or you can substitute out meals that contain an allergen and are happy to discuss your needs with you to see if we can provide you meals that work for you. While our meals contain no gluten or dairy, our goods may contain peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs, and soy products among other ingredients. Please also be advised that all of our entrees are prepared in kitchens that handle all of our ingredients, so there is always a possibility that some cross contamination may occur. Additionally, our meals may be produced in close proximity to these ingredients as well as dairy or wheat. If you have a serious food allergy that could be life threatening we cannot recommend our product for you. If you have been diagnosed with a food allergy, or believe yourself to be allergic to a certain ingredient found in our entrees, please notify us at the time of your order. You are also able to contact us at chowhelp@mypowersupply.com at any time to make adjustments to your allergy restrictions.
How do you substitute meals to accommodate my allergies and restrictions?
We’ll look to substitute across lunch and dinner lines to prevent meal repeats. If we can’t avoid repeating meals, we’ll provide a duplicate within a line. For additional meal diversity, if you allow substitutions between the Mixitarian and Vegetarian line of meals, we can further minimize meal repeats. Learn more here.
What types of meal swaps are allowed?
With a dinner order any meal can be substituted for lunches or dinners within the same meal line and same delivery schedule. Lunches can only be swapped for other lunches within the same meal line and same delivery schedule. It's best to let us know which meals you'd like to sub out and which meals you'd like to replace them with.
How do I make a substitution request if I am ordering from the Mixitarian (Paleo-inspired) or Vegetarian meal plans?
The easiest and most popular way to make a substitution request is to send an email to chowhelp@mypowersupply.com by Thursday for the changes to take effect the following week. Putting "Substitution Request for Week of X" in the Subject line helps but is not critical. As soon as we receive your request we’ll confirm receipt.
Have a question not answered here?
Drop us a note and we’ll get right back to you.
- Overview
- Ordering Meals
- Picking Up Meals
- Meal Plans and Meal Content
- Allergies and Meal Plan Modifications
Overview
Where are your meals made?
Right here in the local DMV (DC, MD, VA) community. Kitchens in Chantilly and DC to be precise, within about an hour of all our delivery locations.
How will Power Supply make my life better?
We make eating well easy and save you a ton of time in the process so that you can focus more on what matters most to you. Check out this infographic for a comparison of the time saved by ordering 5 days of lunch and dinner from us vs. Cooking vs. Eating Out.
How do your meal plans compare?
Check out this infographic for a side by side comparison of all our meal plans. Right now you can order our Mixitarian and Vegetarian Plan on this website and you can order our Pure Paleo Plan on our parent company website.
How do you source your food?
We use the highest quality suppliers that we can find. We look for suppliers that have not only the freshest and most tasty ingredients, but also those with a genuine concern for quality and transparency. Learn more here.
Where’d Mindful Chef go and what’s Power Supply?
Back in June we (Mindful Chef) joined forces with Power Supply and have since added our Paleo-inspired (now Mixatarian) and Vegetarian offerings to their classic Paleo line for a total of three great meal options for active folks. To get you these choices faster we’ve taken the approach of keeping two web sites (for now) but integrating ordering so that our (new) system will recognize you in either place and you can order and manage whatever plans strike your fancy all from one user account. Down the road we’ll move everything together on one site, integrate pricing, etc.
Our new combined organization will operate under the Power Supply brand and now serves more than 45 locations throughout the DC-MD-VA area where you can pick up meals. To learn more about Power Supply and where we’re headed together visit www.mypowersupply.com.
Is the delivery schedule the same for all the lines?
Yep, we’ve integrated delivery already so the schedules are unchanged. And if you order multiple plans, they’ll come together to whatever location you select provided it’s a location where we’ve started delivering the new lines.
What about customer service? Do I have to go to different folks by line if I have questions?
Nope. Just email chowhelp@mypowersupply.com and we’ll be there.
I noticed you have a new ordering system. How does it work?
Please see our Ordering 101 page here.
Is it possible to do a combo of Mixitarian (Paleo-inspired) lunches and vegetarian dinners?
Si. Just place two separate orders.
Can I pick up my Mixitarian or Vegetarian meals at other Power Supply delivery locations?
Maybe. We’ve begun to carry all our meal lines in some traditional Power Supply locations. We include the new locations in our weekly newsletter and on this website under locations.
Can I order Power Supply’s Pure Paleo line at my location?
Yep. Thanks to the new order system we’re now using, which Power Supply built and recently rolled out to great reviews from customers, you can get delivery of any of our three lines to the location where you’ve been receiving Mindful Chef meals. We’re still in the phase of separate websites so you’ll need to visit www.mypowersupply.com to order but the system will recognize you if you’ve created an account and will keep all your orders in one place for easy management.
How do you ensure your meal plans are wholesome and well-balanced?
We work with a team of nutritional advisers that assist us in crafting meals that are hearty and easy for the body to digest, using a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts as well as whole grains, for our Vegetarian plan, and only the highest quality animal proteins, for our Mixitarian and Paleo plans. As a result you get to enjoy meals that taste great and are great for you.
Can I choose which meals I get?
Yes and no. Variety and creativity are cornerstones of our approach. We provide a new menu lineup every week, but customers have the opportunity to customize their order using our substitution options to eliminate meals they don't want and to stock up on meals they love. The only restriction is we cannot make substitutions between the 3 and 5 day plan menus unfortunately since the meals are prepared and delivered separately in plan packages only. If you choose a 5 day plan, you can substitute meals within your 1st and 2nd delivery that week with other meals also scheduled within the same delivery.
Will I lose weight eating these meals?
While our meals do not constitute a weight loss plan, many customers do find they lose weight by eating our all-natural food and living an active lifestyle. This is entirely dependent on how many meals you receive from us, what you eat on your non-Power Supply days and how much exercise you do. We recommend losing weight at a safe pace of one to two pounds per week. Your results may vary.
How does Mindful Chef's giveback work?
In partnership with our customers we’re hardwiring philanthropy deep into everything we do with the PS Giveback, an integrated approach to philanthropy in which we donate 1% of proceeds (and eventually of our time and products) back to our local community. Launched in 2013, the PS Giveback supports local organizations that focus on improving access to quality food for underserved communities. Here’s more information [link] on our parent company site.
Ordering Meals
How will I be billed?
You will be billed weekly. If you are a recurring customer, billing will renew automatically each week on Tuesday unless you send an email to put on hold or cancel by Thursday at midnight. We are always able to refund money if needed for holds or cancellations as long as we get the notification before Thursday at midnight.
How do I make changes to my preferences or modifications to my order (put on hold, cancel, etc.)?
You can log into your account and make these changes yourself or simply email us at chowhelp@mypowersupply.com to make this change and we will respond within 1 day or most often sooner to confirm the change. Please submit any changes to preferences or modifications to order by midnight on Thursday for them to take effect the following week.
Picking Up Meals
What are the hours for pickup at delivery locations?
Pickup hours are whenever the studio you’re picking up from (membership is not a requirement) is open for business, which is typically when classes are happening. So your best bet is to check the class schedule at your studio and time your pick up then. We will deliver your meals by 7am on Mondays and Thursdays.
How do I switch my pickup to a different studio?
If you have a recurring order and want to pickup at a different studio location you can make that adjustment directly in the new order system on your recurring order.
What if I don't pick up my meals?
For health and safety of our customers, Mindful Chef will remove meals a week after they have been delivered if they are not picked up.
Meal Plans and Meal Content
What does "Mixitarian" mean?
It means Real Food, which to us means nothing processed and no “bad stuff” like hormones, artificial ingredients, GMO ingredients, or refined sugars. We include ingredients like safe starches/grains, legumes, fruit, and natural sweeteners judiciously, and sometimes use non-dairy cheese, which usually consists of rice and soy. Please contact us with any specific dietary requests and we'll let you know if we can assist.
What if I am vegan?
All of our vegetarian entrees are free of dairy though we do use eggs on occasion and would be glad to only provide you meals that do not contain eggs. Please list Vegan as a restriction when you place your order.
Do you provide details on your ingredients, nutrient content, and calories?
We are in the process of developing a system that helps us to share this information with you accurately and consistently.
Is each meal for one or more people?
Our meals are made for a single person. You can certainly share the meal with others or split two meals with a friend. If you ever want the same meal for two or more people, then you can simply substitute for additional meals of that type.
Are your meals ever frozen?
No. Our meals are never frozen. You can freeze them if you need to keep them for more than a few days, but we deliver twice a week to ensure freshness. On rare occasions, we may use a pasta, bread, or other high quality ingredients that have been frozen to preserve freshness in lieu of adding preservatives, but we strive to use the freshest ingredients possible.
How do I heat the meals?
All meals that require heating can be done quickly in the containers they arrive in by using a microwave oven or easily transferred for a conventional oven or a skillet. Stirring occasionally during whatever cooking process you use will accelerate and evenly distribute the heating process. We recommend microwaving containers for 1 – 2 minutes depending on the power of your microwave and nature of the dish. When microwaving, place a moist paper towel over your entree to retain more moisture, especially for lean proteins. Snacks do not need to be heated unless specified.
What are your portion sizes?
Our portion sizes are built around an average caloric count with a balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Our portion sizes tend to be large and filling relative to other prepared meal providers.
Do your meals contain sugar and salt?
We balance our meals with the just enough seasoning to bring out the full flavor of each dish. This means minimal sodium and no refined sugars. On occasion with our Mixitarian (Paleo-inspired) and Vegetarian plans we use low amounts of carefully sourced, whole, natural sugars such as honey, molasses, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup.
Do you use bread?
We don't use traditional bread with any of our meal plans. We use Paleo wraps made with arrowroot flour on our Pure Paleo line and gluten free bread and wraps with our vegetarian meals.
What type of Veggie Cheese do you use?
Our veggie cheese is made of soy flour and rice milk. Occasionally we use veggie cheese with our Mixitarian and Vegetarian meal plans.
How is your Seitan free of gluten - isn't it usually made with wheat?
We use gluten-free rolled oats and nutritional yeast to make our Seitan.
Allergies and Meal Plan Modifications
Can I get a mix of meals from different meal lines?
Yes! Simply place in your cart whatever meal lines you'd like for a given week. You can pause, change, or remove meal lines independently. For example, you can order a 3-day Mixitarian Lunch and a 3-day Vegetarian Dinner one week and then order a 5-Mixitarian Lunch & Dinner the next week.
What if I have a food allergy?
Please let us know all applicable food allergies for each meal plan you order. In most cases, either we or you can substitute out meals that contain an allergen and are happy to discuss your needs with you to see if we can provide you meals that work for you. While our meals contain no gluten or dairy, our goods may contain peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs, and soy products among other ingredients. Please also be advised that all of our entrees are prepared in kitchens that handle all of our ingredients, so there is always a possibility that some cross contamination may occur. Additionally, our meals may be produced in close proximity to these ingredients as well as dairy or wheat. If you have a serious food allergy that could be life threatening we cannot recommend our product for you. If you have been diagnosed with a food allergy, or believe yourself to be allergic to a certain ingredient found in our entrees, please notify us at the time of your order. You are also able to contact us at chowhelp@mypowersupply.com at any time to make adjustments to your allergy restrictions.
How do you substitute meals to accommodate my allergies and restrictions?
We’ll look to substitute across lunch and dinner lines to prevent meal repeats. If we can’t avoid repeating meals, we’ll provide a duplicate within a line. For additional meal diversity, if you allow substitutions between the Mixitarian and Vegetarian line of meals, we can further minimize meal repeats. Learn more here.
What types of meal swaps are allowed?
With a dinner order any meal can be substituted for lunches or dinners within the same meal line and same delivery schedule. Lunches can only be swapped for other lunches within the same meal line and same delivery schedule. It's best to let us know which meals you'd like to sub out and which meals you'd like to replace them with.
How do I make a substitution request if I am ordering from the Mixitarian (Paleo-inspired) or Vegetarian meal plans?
The easiest and most popular way to make a substitution request is to send an email to chowhelp@mypowersupply.com by Thursday for the changes to take effect the following week. Putting "Substitution Request for Week of X" in the Subject line helps but is not critical. As soon as we receive your request we’ll confirm receipt.
Have a question not answered here?
Drop us a note and we’ll get right back to you.
EAT WELL. DO WELL. FEEL GREAT.
