Tovala Family Meals Review: High Sodium, Smart Oven Convenience

Tovala, a meal-delivery service requiring its own smart oven, has introduced family-style meals serving two to four people, addressing a previous limitation of single-serve only. The oven, available in original ($299) and Pro ($349) versions with steam function, scans QR codes to execute preprogrammed cooking cycles. Family meals cost $9-$13 per serving plus $11 shipping, with discounts on the oven for committing to six weeks of orders. Testing five family meals revealed juicy proteins and flavorful sauces, but nutrition is a concern: a Parmesan chicken meal contained 2,300 mg of sodium per serving, near the daily adult allowance, and high cholesterol. The garlic-herb salmon with risotto was the best, while teriyaki chicken was criticized as inauthentic. Prep time for family meals is about 10 minutes, using aluminum trays and the oven's full capacity. Tovala offers a 100-day money-back guarantee and about 45 weekly options, though few are vegetarian. The oven also functions as a countertop appliance for non-delivery recipes, making excellent toast but not a strong air fryer.