How to Cancel Nutrisystem (2026 Guide) — Stop Paying $350/Month for Processed Diet Food

Updated 2026-02-28 · 5 min read

Nutrisystem plans cost $300-400/month for pre-packaged diet meals shipped to your door. That's $3,600-4,800/year on highly processed, shelf-stable food that dietitians widely agree is nutritionally inferior to cooking simple meals yourself. Plus, you still need to buy fresh groceries (produce, dairy, protein) on top of the Nutrisystem cost. Here's how to cancel.

🧮 The Hidden Cost

Nutrisystem's advertised price covers only their pre-packaged meals. You still need $150-200/month in fresh groceries for the "flex meals" and required fresh additions. Real monthly cost: $450-600/month. That's more than most families spend on ALL food.

How to Cancel Nutrisystem

You must call to cancel — Nutrisystem does not offer online cancellation:

Call 1-800-585-5483 (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ET, Sat 9am–5:30pm ET)
Say "I want to cancel my auto-delivery subscription"
They will aggressively try to retain you — stay firm
Ask for a confirmation number and email
Write down the agent's name and the date/time of the call

🚨 Phone-Only Cancellation = Dark Pattern

Nutrisystem requires a phone call to cancel — one of the worst dark patterns in subscription services. The FTC Click-to-Cancel rule should make this illegal, but Nutrisystem has historically been aggressive about retention. Expect a 20-40 minute call with heavy upselling.

Retention Script to Speed Up Cancellation

Say this to cut through the retention:

"I want to cancel my subscription today. I'm not interested in discounts, pausing, or changing my plan. I'm aware of the FTC Click-to-Cancel rule and I'm requesting immediate cancellation. Please process this now and send me a confirmation email."

Common Retention Offers

40-50% off next month
Free week of food
Downgrade to cheaper plan
"Hold" your subscription (not a real cancel)
Free shaker bottles/supplements

Decline everything. They're trained to offer multiple times — just keep saying "No, please cancel."

Cancel Before Your Next Shipment

⚠️ Timing Matters

Your auto-delivery processes 10 days before your shipment date. If you call after the order processes, you may be told it's too late to cancel that shipment. Call at least 2 weeks before your next delivery date.

Getting a Refund

Unopened shipment: Return within 30 days for refund (minus $19.99 shipping)
First order dissatisfaction: Money-back guarantee within 14 days
Opened food: Generally non-refundable
Auto-delivery you didn't want: Contact support and cite FTC rules

Better Alternatives

Cooking simple meals — $200-300/month for ALL food (vs $450-600 with Nutrisystem)
MyFitnessPal (free) — calorie tracking without pre-packaged food
Budget Bytes — healthy recipes with cost breakdowns
Meal prep Sundays — batch cooking saves time AND money
Frozen meal aisle — Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice at $3-5 each vs $10+ per Nutrisystem meal

🔍 Find All Your Food and Diet Subscriptions

Nutrisystem, meal kits, diet apps, supplement autoships — food subscriptions can cost thousands per year. Scan your statement to find them.

Scan Your Statement →

⚡

Quick Cancel Guide: Nutrisystem Detailed

Direct cancel link + step-by-step instructions