With plant-based eating being such a popular trend right now, there are a number of different plant-based meal delivery services to choose from. So how do you know which one to choose? What should you look for?
People have different goals in mind when signing up for a meal delivery service. Some people may be looking for fully prepared meals, ready to consume as quickly and easily as possible. Others may be interested in a meal delivery service for its convenience, but enjoy prepping the ingredients themselves and cooking elaborate, delicious meals. You’ll want to consider the amount of prep and cook time in order to choose what works best for your schedule.
Be sure to also pay attention to factors like portion size, number of servings, and numbers of meals per week that work for you and your schedule. Another thing to consider is dietary restrictions—on top of being plant-based, you may have other dietary requirements such as gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan meals.
No matter your schedule or personal preferences, there are a few universal qualities to look for in a meal delivery service: Quality ingredients, great taste, and variety of meals. Based on our findings, here are some of the best plant-based meal delivery options available.
Best Plant-Based Meal Delivery Options
Daily Harvest
Daily Harvest meals are built primarily on organic fruits and vegetables. The prepared recipes come frozen, so they have a longer shelf life than most other meal kits which typically include refrigerated items. Meal options feature a combination of smoothies, soups, snack bites, lattes, and harvest grain bowls, all of which are 100% gluten and dairy free.
All recipes take less than five minutes to make and have 3 steps maximum. All you’ll need to do is either blend (for smoothies) or heat via stovetop or microwave (for hot soups and bowls) straight from the freezer.
You’ll also have the option of 9, 12, or 24 recipes to be delivered either weekly or monthly, so in addition to being super quick and easy, Daily Harvest also offers a lot of flexibility.
Splendid Spoon
Similar in concept to Daily Harvest, Splendid Spoon meal plans, which are also gluten-free, primarily consist of plant-based smoothies, soups, and bowls.
One of the key differences between Splendid Spoon and Daily Harvest is that Splendid Spoon smoothies arrive ready to drink, while you have to blend the Daily Harvest smoothies. The bowls and soups also arrive completely ready to eat—all you have to do is heat them up.
It’s good to note that the portion sizes are different. While Splendid Spoons smoothies are 16 ounces or two servings per meal, Daily Harvest’s are 7 ounces before adding water, equal to one serving per meal.
Mosaic Foods
Mosaic Foods, like Splendid Spoon, offers ready-to-eat plant-based meal solutions. Mosaic meals are created by chefs and then frozen, so you just have to heat up the meals in the microwave, all ready in five minutes or less. There are plenty of hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner options to choose from, like Miso Soba Noodle Soup or the Jerk Lentil & Plantain Bowl.
Mosaic Foods sources fresh local ingredients from New York’s Hudson Valley region. As an added bonus, all recipes are completely free of artificial ingredients and preservatives.
Green Chef
Green Chef is a good option for families with the most options for variety. You’ll have your choice of fully plant-based meal plan options, or a balanced living option that includes sustainable seafood and meat options, as well as plant-based meat substitutes, to keep everyone happy. You can also choose from 2, 4, or 6 servings per meal for added flexibility.
The Green Chef menu changes weekly, with the flexibility to cancel weeks or pause whenever you need. Typical plant-based menu options include wholesome dishes like Creamy Truffle & Mushroom Linguine and Maple-Glazed Carrot & Farro Bowls.
The ingredients, which are largely organic and free of GMOs, pesticides, or antibiotics, come pre-prepped, which is a huge time saver. In fact, all recipes can be made in about 30 minutes or less.
Sprinly
Sprinly’s 100% vegan and gluten-free meal service delivers ready-to-eat meals that are fresh, never frozen. The meals only need to be heated, so they are all ready in 3 minutes or less. And according to Inc500, Sprinly is currently the fastest-growing organic plant-based brand in the U.S.
Sprinly offers heartier meal options ranging from gluten-free noodle dishes to grain bowls. The menu changes weekly, but some examples of past menu options include General Tsao’s Tofu with Peanut Red Cabbage Slaw and Indian Roasted Vegetable Curry with Cashew Quinoa.
Purple Carrot
With Purple Carrot, you can choose from various dinner recipes to create your own custom menu and supplement your order with plant-based breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. This meal plan is great for people with allergies or food intolerances since recipes with common allergens like gluten, nuts, and soy are clearly marked and easy to identify.
Some of the delicious plant-based recipes to choose from include Smoky Two-Bean Chili with Tortilla Chips & Cilantro-Ranch Drizzle and Vegetable Panang Curry with Jasmine Rice & Cashews.
Why Plant-Based Eating?
There are many reasons that have led to a worldwide trend towards plant-based eating. People are increasingly focused on sustainability, and adopting a plant-based diet is a great step towards combating climate change and lowering your environmental impact.
Plant-based diets also offer a ton of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, improving cholesterol, and reducing the risk of disease such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
“Whether you are an animal lover, an environmental advocate, or want to live your healthiest life, being plant based is the one underlying thread that seems to be compelling to so many of us,” according to Maya Feller, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Brooklyn, New York.
There are lots of great plant-based meal delivery options available nationwide, and there are new ones popping up. Plant-based eating is a trend that is here to stay.
If you’re curious about developing expertise in plant-based cuisine, consider furthering your education in a plant-based culinary arts program.
Interested in learning more about sustainability?
