The Best Vegetarian Meal Delivery

Tuesday, May 20th

2025 Vegetarian Meal Delivery Reviews

Sunbasket

• Price per serving: Starts at $9.99
• Days of food: 2-5
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner
• Calories per meal: 400-800
• Number of vegetarian meals: Unspecified, but many

Sunbasket is a San Francisco-based subscription meal delivery service specializing in organic and sustainable ingredients. It was founded in 2014 by Adam Zbar and Chef Justine Kelly, who previously worked as the head chef at the renowned Slanted Door restaurant. Sunbasket stands out in the crowded meal delivery market by focusing on healthy, organic, and sustainably sourced ingredients.

98% organic guaranteed

Sunbasket takes great pride in the quality of ingredients in their meal kits. They aim to provide at least 98% organic fresh produce, certified by the USDA, in every box. If there's ever a need to include a non-organic item, they make sure to inform you. This commitment to quality extends to where they source their ingredients, which you can read all about on their website. For instance, Coke Farm, located in California, is not just the state's first organic strawberry farm but also a pioneer in the organic movement since 1981. Representing over 70 local organic growers, they have been instrumental in bringing organic produce to the market.

Microwavable meals available

Sunbasket offers two kinds of meals: Fresh & Ready, or Meal Kits. Some services only provide one or the other - the microwavable no-prep kind, or the kind you have to work for a little. We love that Sunbasket offers both options so that you can eat healthy on your lunch break at work, then come home and spend quality time with your partner by cooking a meal together. Starting at $11.49 per serving, meal kits are ready in 15-40 minutes and come with easy-to-follow instructions. Fresh & Ready meals are $9.99 a serving and can be heated up in 3-4 minutes.

400-800 calories per meal

Sunbasket's meals are crafted by top chefs and have the stamp of approval from dietitians, focusing on health and flavor. They pack each meal with wholesome ingredients like fresh produce, whole grains, quality protein, and healthy fats, while keeping added sugars and processed stuff to a minimum. Every serving is calorie-conscious, ranging from 400 to 800 calories, and is nutritionally balanced. You'll get at least 5 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein per serving, making these meals both filling and energizing. Plus, they're mindful about sodium, usually keeping it under 800mg per serving, making these meals a great choice for health-conscious foodies.

Good customization of dietary restrictions

When you set up your plan, you'll be prompted to select either Meal Kits or Fresh & Ready. But don't worry - you'll be able to add meals of either type each week. Next, click the box to indicate that you'll be following a vegetarian diet. The next question asks how you prefer to eat, and we really like how they're going about this because you can get as specific as you need with what you don't want in your meal boxes. For example, if you follow a "flexitarian" diet where you avoid mammal meats but are okay with eating poultry or seafood occasionally, you can choose to avoid beef, pork, and lamb. This is different from some services that only offer strict vegetarian plans with no flexibility. Among the options for exclusions, you can also choose to avoid dairy, sesame, sodium, added sugar, and meals with high carb, high calorie, low fiber, or low protein contents.

Good variety of vegetarian meals

After informing Sunbasket about the number of people at your table (2 or 4) and the number of dinners you want to be sent each week (2, 3, 4, or 5), you'll need to create an account to select your dinners. However, you can still browse the weekly menu page without doing so. For some reason, you can filter the weekly menu options by those that have fewer than 600 calories, cook in under 20 minutes, or that cater to dairy-free, paleo, soy-free, diabetes-friendly, and vegan diets - but not vegetarian. This is a frustrating but common theme with meal delivery services. We can't find an exact number of how many vegetarian recipes Sunbasket uses, but customer reviews consistently mention being pleased with the variety in the vegetarian plan.

Truly unique menu options

An average day with Sunbasket might look like two Petite Quiche Florentines for breakfast, Tuscan Vegetable Soup with Ciabatta Croutons for lunch, and Shakshuka with Spinach, Feta, and Toasted Pita for dinner. We really loved the variety of international options available, as well as snacks and add-ons from categories like Nuts & Seeds, Cheese, Bars & Bites, Sweet Treats, Juice, and Smoothies.

You can reuse every bit of packaging

Sunbasket delivers their meals in a bright yellow box adorned with a smiling sun design, echoing their environmentally-conscious ethos. These eco-friendly boxes, along with the rest of their packaging from the ice packs to the denim insulation, are not only recyclable but also creatively repurposable. The boxes, made from recycled kraft paper, can be used as pet beds or for art projects. The paper insulation is great for packing or as compost bedding, and the denim insulation is useful for things like yoga bolsters or pet house insulation. They even suggest reusing ice packs for garden mulching.

Fresh for 5 days

Upon receiving your Sunbasket box, refrigerate the ingredients immediately, keeping the box away from direct sunlight. Greens and fresh mushrooms should be eaten within 5 days of delivery for maximum freshness and flavor. To enjoy your meals at their best, start with the Fresh & Ready meals, and then Pre-Prepped. Some Fresh & Ready meals can also be frozen for later use, as indicated in the cooking instructions.

Shipping fee is $9.99 per box, not per delivery

Sunbasket offers flexible delivery days, typically from Sunday to Thursday, although the exact days available might vary based on your location to ensure freshness. They cater to most U.S. zip codes, excluding some areas. You should be aware that Sunbasket charges a shipping fee of $9.99 per box for their meal delivery service. If your order requires multiple boxes, each box will incur its own shipping charge of $9.99. We wish they were more up-front about this on their website - we had to do a bit of digging to find out.

Save on your first four boxes

When we visited their site, Sunbasket was running an offer that included free shipping and a discount of $90 across your first 4 boxes. The breakdown of the discount is as follows: $40 off the 1st box, $20 off the 2nd box, $20 off the 3rd box, and $10 off the 4th box. We're impressed that each box in that promo came with free shipping - competitor services often only cover the first one.

Satisfaction guaranteed

Sunbasket has a "100% Mouthwatering Guarantee” where they promise to "make it right” if you don't love your order and get in touch before 7 days is up, but they don't go into much detail about how they will honor this promise.

"Excellent” on Trustpilot

Customers are really happy with Sunbasket. One reviewer appreciated Sunbasket's accommodating customer service when they missed the cutoff for skipping a delivery and still received a refund. Many are impressed by Sunbasket's diverse vegetarian and vegan choices, which have helped them introduce meat-free days to their family. Others have found Sunbasket a game-changer in their eating habits, praising its ease of use for non-cooks, the quality of ingredients, and the variety of ethnic recipes. For those with specific dietary preferences like vegetarianism or calorie counting, Sunbasket stands out. Customers also value Sunbasket for its commitment to sustainable food and packaging, responsive customer service, and the novelty of trying new, delicious meal combinations every week. They currently have an "Excellent” 4.6 rating on Trustpilot and a "B-” from the Better Business Bureau.

Our top pick for vegetarians

Sunbasket really stands out as a top-notch vegetarian meal delivery service. It's a hit for those who love complex, international flavors, making healthier eating both exciting and delicious. The quality of their veggies is consistently high, and their customer service is notably friendly and helpful, always ready to credit your account if there's ever an issue - a pleasant change from some other services that can be more difficult to deal with. Considering that everything is organic and locally sourced, the pricing is quite reasonable, offering great value. With all these points in mind, we highly recommend Sunbasket as the go-to option for anyone looking for a top-tier vegetarian meal delivery plan.

EveryPlate

• Days of food: 3-6 meals per week for 2, 4, or 6 people
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Dinners and add-ons
• Calories per meal: 700-1,000
• Number of vegetarian meals: Roughly 6 out of 26 total
• Trial period: No

EveryPlate, launched in 2018, is a budget-friendly meal kit service that stands out for its affordable and easy-to-cook meals. As a subsidiary of the well-known HelloFresh brand, EveryPlate benefits from industry expertise but focuses on providing simple, cost-effective meal solutions. Their aim is to make home cooking accessible to more people, offering a no-fuss approach that appeals especially to those new to cooking or looking to streamline their meal preparation without a hefty price tag.

Pre-portioned ingredients means fewer dishes to wash

EveryPlate is designed with ease of preparation in mind, making it a great choice for those who are short on time or new to cooking. The meals are straightforward to prepare, often taking just 20-30 minutes from start to finish. Each meal kit comes with pre-portioned ingredients, so you won't need to dirty measuring cups (yay for less washing up!). Your meal will arrive with step-by-step recipe cards, which are clear and easy to follow.

Expand your palate

EveryPlate goes beyond convenience and simplicity; it's also a fantastic way to expand your culinary horizons. One of their big selling points, as they mention on their website, is that they encourage you to try new things. This means each week, you get to explore a variety of recipes and ingredients that you might not usually pick up at the grocery store. This variety is great if you're looking to break out of your usual dinner routine and experiment with different flavors and ingredients.

Packaging is 100% recyclable

EveryPlate's meal kits are delivered weekly between 8am and 8pm in environmentally-friendly packaging that is designed to keep your meals fresh for up to 48 hours after delivery. The kits arrive in recyclable cardboard boxes, with ice packs to keep ingredients fresh. These ice packs have a drainable gel and a recyclable plastic wrap. The box liners also have parts that are recyclable, specifically the outer plastic film, once the cotton lining is discarded.

Cancel or skip anytime

EveryPlate makes it really easy to handle your meal kit subscription. If life gets busy and you need to skip a week, no problem. You can quickly pause your deliveries using their app or website. You can also stop your subscription anytime, but be aware you might need to call customer support to do this.

Lowest prices

When you get started creating your plan, you'll indicate your vegetarian diet, then select your box size. You can choose 2, 4, or 6 people and 3-6 meals per week. Depending on your configuration, the price-per-meal starts as low as $4.99 - which makes it one of the lowest priced options in our review by far. According to the EveryPlate website, they're 56% cheaper than some of their top competitors. Shipping is $9.99 and billed weekly, not per box.

Plenty of discounts

EveryPlate has you spin a wheel "minigame" to reveal your discount. The deal we got was $1.49 a meal plus a weekly 10oz steak for $1 for life... which, as a vegetarian, would be pretty useless to you. We suspect the Wheel is a farce and everyone gets the same deal, but you'll have to spin it yourself and let us know. Later, we got another pop-up for $109 off across 3 boxes, and if you're a student, you qualify for 75% off your first box plus 15% off all following boxes for 52 weeks.

6 vegetarian recipes out of 26

Unfortunately, there's no way to filter for vegetarian meals on the menu page, but at least vegetarian meals are labeled as such. Of the 26 dishes listed in the weekly menu at the time we visited the site, 6 of them were vegetarian. Some options we saw were Zucchini Parmesan, Black Bean Stew, and Cheesy Tomato & Kale Sandwiches. The Moroccan Chickpea & Apricot Tagine were labeled a customer favorite. Each dish includes full nutrition facts, calorie count, and the list of ingredients you'll be sent. Honestly, there's nothing stopping you from bootlegging a recipe or two if you want to know if you'll like the kinds of things EveryPlate sends.

Suppliers not named, changes based on week and region

While EveryPlate doesn't name their suppliers, they promise they only work with the best. They switch their ingredient sourcing up based on the week and the region, but their main goal is always to ensure they're getting you the best quality ingredients. From customer experience, this means you can count on their produce (and meat, if you're ordering for a non-vegetarian or consider yourself a "flexitarian”) being fresh and delicious. However, if you're looking for organic ingredients, you might not find them here. Given that their meals are quite budget-friendly, priced at under $5 per serving, it's understandable that organic options aren't part of the deal.

Generally good reviews

EveryPlate has a 4.1-star rating average on Trustpilot from nearly 21,000 reviews, and people seem to have generally positive experiences with them. Customers love the variety and ease of the meal selections, appreciating the pre-portioned ingredients which cut down on waste and stress. The affordability is a big plus, especially for those switching from more expensive services like HelloFresh, allowing more meals for the same price. The recipes are straightforward and the ingredients fresh, making meal planning and cooking less overwhelming, particularly for those who find grocery shopping a hassle. EveryPlate's customer service is often described as excellent, with issues like missing items or late deliveries quickly resolved.

They may sneakily reduce your produce amounts after a while

However, there are a few problems to note. Some customers mention a higher quantity of starchy vegetables, like potatoes and rice, in the meals. This might be a cost-saving measure, as these ingredients are generally cheaper. Also, there have been observations about a reduction in the size of fresh produce over time - for example, one customer noted that initially, EveryPlate would send a full-sized carrot if the recipe required one, but this changed to a much smaller carrot after a few months. Similarly, for a recipe calling for 12 ounces of potatoes, they initially received the full amount, but this eventually reduced to only 6 or 7 ounces. They experienced the same issue with HelloFresh, EveryPlate's parent company.

Great value overall

We really like EveryPlate. We think they offer great value for the price, especially since there's only one other service where you can get meals for under $5. However, it's important to note that you do get what you pay for. While their meals are affordable, they tend to prioritize starch over high-quality grains and fresh produce that you might find in more expensive services. Despite these concerns, we still give them a high rating among your options for vegetarian meal delivery services.

Jet Fuel Meals

• Price per serving: Starts at $6.46
• Days of food: Up to you
• Shipment frequency: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
• Daily meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Calories per meal: 400
• Number of vegetarian meals: No repeats for 16 weeks

Jet Fuel Meals, a dynamic meal delivery service, was founded in South Florida in 2018. They provide microwavable, ready-to-eat meal plans for a range of dietary needs to areas of New York, New Jersey, and South Florida.

Fresh, never frozen

Jet Fuel's meals are made with fresh, locally-sourced natural ingredients, without any preservatives, and they're never frozen. Their chefs only use a small amount of natural Kosher salt, so you can count on your meals being low in sodium. You can store them in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, and if you prefer, you can also freeze them. Your meals will come fully prepared - all you need to do is stick them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Completely plant-based plan available

Jet Fuel Meals has 7 plan types to choose from, including Ketogenic Inspired, Weight Loss, Traditional Maintain, Athletic Weight Gain, Pescatarian, Plant Based, and Kids Meal. You'll notice the lack of a specifically Vegetarian meal plan - this means you'll need to be okay with your Jet Fuel meals being totally vegan. You can still have your cheese and eggs, of course, but you'll have to shop for them at the grocery store yourself like usual.

33 grams of protein per meal

Each Plant-Based meal is estimated at 400 calories with 10 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and (drumroll, please) 33 grams of protein. That's nothing to scoff at for a plant-based diet. A typical day might look like Blueberry Pancakes with Berry Compote for breakfast, Crusted Sesame Tofu with Basmati Rice and Snap Peas for lunch, and Red Bean Beyond Beef Chili with Brown Rice and Spinach for dinner. Yum!

Up to 5 meals per day for $6.46 to $9.25 each

Jet Fuel Meals' plans can accommodate any number of daily meals between 1 and 5. If you choose the 1 meal a day plan for 7 days a week, it costs $64.75, which is $9.25 per meal. That's pretty nice! And if you opt for the 5 meal plan, which includes 35 meals in a week, it's only $6.46 per meal. Keep in mind that delivery costs $15.99 per week (not per delivery).

Cold-pressed juices as an add-on

Jet Fuel Meals not only provides a variety of nutritious meal plans but also allows you to add cold-pressed juices to your plan. Cold-pressed juices are a fantastic way to get a concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants without the fiber of whole fruits and vegetables. This makes them a quick and easy option for busy mornings or an afternoon pick-me-up. Imagine you're rushing to a meeting and don't have time for a full breakfast; a cold-pressed juice can give you that vital energy boost. It's a convenient and healthy choice for those on-the-go moments. In order to find out how much extra this will cost, though, you'll have to first sign up and begin the checkout process.

Don't get rid of your delivery bags and ice packs

Unlike other services that deliver one large box weekly with all of your meals for that week, Jet Fuel delivers their never-frozen meals three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) to ensure freshness, and as a side effect, you'll save fridge space, too. Your food will be delivered with ice packs in insulated bags, which you'll need to leave outside before your following delivery if you want to avoid fees, so don't throw them out. Delivery happens really early in the morning - we're talking between 12am and 6:30 AM. As long as they don't knock and wake up your dogs or kids, we can see the benefit of having your meals ready on your doorstep first thing.

Doesn't deliver outside of South Florida, New York, and New Jersey

Unfortunately, Jet Fuel Meals might not deliver to your region. When we tested a zip code for a suburban area in the Midwest between two major cities, we were met with a pop-up apologizing for there being no delivery in that area and were directed to a contact form to confirm with someone from their team whether this was indeed the case. When we investigated further, we learned that Jet Fuel Meals mainly delivers to select areas in South Florida and parts of New York and New Jersey.

Meals are chosen for you

Another drawback of Jet Fuel Meals is that you can't pick and choose your own meals when you set up your plan, only exclude specific ingredients or meals. However, you should be able to pick substitutes from their list when it comes time to review your upcoming boxes for the week.

High variety for vegetarians

One customer who had been using the service for more than three months said that they hadn't gotten any repeat meals and were happy with the variety. On their site, Jet Fuel Meals says their menu operates on a 16-week rotation, so for those first 4 months, the only repeats you'll get are fan favorites.

No discounts, but prices are fine without them

We didn't notice any discounts on Jet Fuel Meals' website, but we're not too bothered by it, considering how competitive their prices already are. Often, these are just gimmicks to make you think you're getting a better deal than you really are, and Jet Fuel Meals' prices are reasonable enough as is.

Good ratings

On Yelp, Jet Fuel Meals has a 4.0 rating average across 53 reviews. People love the doorstep delivery, especially those who live in big apartment buildings - super convenient. The meals are fresh and don't skimp on portion sizes, and each meal has its own unique taste, so it's not the same old, same old every day, which is great for the vegetarian foodies trying to keep things balanced without missing out on flavor. The shining star seems to be their customer service. Jet Fuel Meals checks in on you, sees how you're liking your meals, and even sends friendly delivery reminders.

Complaints are minor

There are a few complaints as well. One customer received a few meals where the pasta and rice were half-cooked. (Kudos to Jet Fuel, though, for trying to make things right with refunds and extra meals.) Then there's the delivery timing - middle of the night drop-offs aren't everyone's cup of tea, especially in gated neighborhoods where you might have to play doorman if you can't get the gate code to your delivery person for whatever reason.

Recommended by Top Consumer Reviews

Fuel Meals' variety (no vegetarian repeats for 16 weeks) and the attentive customer service more than make up for any minor drawbacks. If you're within their delivery area, Jet Fuel Meals is a worthwhile option for fresh, easy, flavorful, and healthy eating.

Gobble

• Price per serving: Starts at $12.99
• Days of food: 2 or 4 servings for up to 4 nights a week
• Shipment frequency: Once a week
• Daily meals: Breakfasts, dinners, soups, salads, sides, desserts
• Calories per meal: 700-900
• Number of vegetarian meals: 3 a week

Gobble, a meal kit delivery service known for its 15-minute meal kits, was founded in 2010 by Ooshma Garg. The inspiration behind Gobble stemmed from Garg's own experiences in college, where she missed the emotional benefits of home-cooked food. Initially, Gobble started as a marketplace for home-cooked meals but evolved into providing meal kits. The service then shifted to offering deconstructed meals that are easy to assemble, even for those with minimal cooking skills.

15 minutes until dinner time

Gobble's chefs do all the hard work for you, like chopping and marinating. So, when you get your meal kit, you're almost ready to cook. It's super quick - you can have a meal ready in just about 15 minutes. They don't specifically focus on organic ingredients, but they do make sure everything is fresh and natural. You won't find them highlighting organic ingredients often, but what you get is still pretty good quality from the farm.

Freeze or refrigerate

Gobble meals are designed to stay fresh for about 5 days after delivery, as long as you store them in your fridge. This makes it easy to plan your week without worrying about the food going bad too quickly. Also, some parts of the Gobble meals, like proteins, pastas, soups, and sauces, can be frozen. Freezing these items within the first few days can help them last up to 3 months. This is handy if you don't plan to cook everything right away and want to save some meals for later.

Get your first 6 meals for $36 and free shipping

email address, but you can get by with a fake one for the first couple of steps. After you've done this, you'll get a pop-up offering you free shipping on your first box. When we first landed on Gobble's website, we noticed that they were running a promotion for your first 6 meals for only $36 for new subscribers.

$12.99 to $16.99 a serving is a bit pricey

Set your preferences to Vegetarian, then choose how many people you need your plan to feed. Your options are a bit limited here - only 2 or 4. Next, you indicate how many nights you want Gobble to send you dinners for in a week. Here your choices are 2 nights for $16.99 a serving, 3 nights for $14.99, or 4 for $12.99. These prices are certainly on the higher end of the scale for vegetarian meal delivery services. Next, you'll enter your address, choose the delivery date of your first box (usually a week out at the earliest), enter your billing info, and select your meals. You can cancel your subscription or skip orders in the Delivery Calendar as needed.

Only three vegetarian meal options a week

Fortunately, you can check out the menu before you commit, and without having to enter your email address. Unfortunately, there's no way to view only the vegetarian options. Instead, you'll be looking at steak and salmon dinners with a few meat-free pasta dishes scattered throughout. According to a FAQ answer dating back at least two years, they offer "at least three” vegetarian dinner kits each week, which isn't very generous compared to other services, and is a little ironic, considering in that same FAQ answer, we're told the CEO follows a vegetarian diet herself. We assume the idea is that when you indicate that you're vegetarian while setting up your plan, each week you'll be prompted to replace the meat protein items in the other dishes with something that is vegetarian-friendly. However, we're not really sure, and Gobble doesn't make it easy to find out, given you can't advance to the last step of the setup process without entering billing information.

Meals are high in calories, add-ons available

Gobble gives you nutrition info with their meals. When you get a meal from them, you can find out all about what's in it - like calories, carbs, and other stuff - right in your account where you manage your deliveries. This is handy if you're watching what you eat or just like to know what's in your food. According to customer reports, most dinners are between 700 and 900 calories. With Gobble, adding extras to your meal plan is pretty simple. When you're choosing your meals for the week, you can also pick add-ons. These could be extra protein, side dishes, breakfast options, or desserts. It's a way to customize your order a bit more and get exactly what you're craving or need for that week. Basically, it gives you more options on top of your regular meals, so you can have a bit of everything.

Feast boxes could solve holiday hostess woes

Gobble's limited time Holiday Feast boxes are first-come, first-serve, but you don't need a subscription to purchase one of these. If you have no idea what to serve for the holidays and are also considering a meal delivery service subscription, this might be a good way to try out Gobble with no strings attached. A heads up, though: don't expect to get the pricing of their regular meal boxes. The New Year's Eve/Day Dinner box is $209.99. The Holiday Feast boxes are described by reviewers as "classy/vibey”, "very thorough”, and "yummier than the sides from our local fancy foods store”.

Shipping costs not specified

Gobble is not forthcoming with their shipping costs after the first box, but we've read reports that the number is either $6.99 or $8.99. They try to reduce waste and tell you how to recycle their packaging, such as the cardboard box, gel ice packs, insulated liner, and plastic bags, so you can enjoy your meal without guilt about the planet. When you sign up with Gobble for their meal kits, they don't have a universal delivery day-of-the-week. It actually depends on where you live. When you're setting up your account or managing your orders, they'll show you which days you can choose from for your area.

Reliable customer service

People generally like Gobble, giving it a 4.1-star rating average on Trustpilot based on nearly 2,500 reviews. Customers appreciate how Gobble specifies the cooking equipment needed for recipes, which helps beginners in the kitchen. Many enjoy the flavors and spices, along with the short prep time. While the variety in meals keeps things interesting, there are occasional issues with packaging leaks and flavor combinations that don't always hit the mark. When there are complaints, like receiving spoiled herbs, Gobble responds by crediting the customer's account, showing a willingness to address and rectify problems.

Expensive, but good quality

Gobble's most unique selling point is that their meals are all ready to eat after only 15 minutes of cooking, which is about half the amount of some competitors. However, they're more expensive than competitor services and only offer dinners. We also wish that you could get a better idea of what the meals will look like, especially as a vegetarian. But, customers are happy with Gobble, and we're satisfied with how customer service has responded to complaints. If you like what you see when looking at Gobble's menu and you can justify the cost, there's no reason not to try them out as a vegetarian meal delivery service.

Dinnerly

• Price per serving: Starts at $4.09
• Days of food: Customers choose 2, 3, 4, or 6 meals per week
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Dinner only, no specific count
• Calories per meal: 750 on average, low-cal options available
• Number of vegetarian meals per week: At least 4

Dinnerly, launched in 2017, is the budget-friendly subsidiary meal kit service of Marley Spoon, offering simple, affordable cooking solutions. They focus on easy recipes with fewer ingredients, making home cooking more accessible. A neat aspect of Dinnerly is their eco-friendly digital recipe cards, a move that cuts costs and helps the environment. Perfect for families and individuals seeking quick, cost-effective meals, Dinnerly makes dinnertime both easy and fun.

Dinner in 5 steps

Dinnerly has over 100 recipes to choose from every week, and each one has five simple steps - no more ‘tater-peeling tedium in your tomorrows (say that one ten times fast!).

Veggies will be fresh for four days

Getting started with Dinnerly takes even fewer steps, if you can believe it. Step one: choose the day you want your ingredients to be delivered. Step two: the ingredients arrive in a temperature-controlled, ice-packed box that will keep your veggies fresh for at least four days. Third and final step: you get cooking.

Automatic billing

You have the ability to skip or cancel your subscription, or just put it on hold for a little while - like if you're undergoing a kitchen renovation and have to live off PB&Js while your refrigerator is out of commission (in which case, please try to get some canned greens in your diet, too! Scurvy is so 1700s). If you don't remember to tell Dinnerly to skip a delivery, you'll have to eat the cost, since their billing is done automatically.

Minimum of 4 vegetarian recipes to choose from every week

In the week we were doing our research, Dinnerly had 18 vegetarian recipes to choose from, like a Poke Bowl with crispy seaweed and spicy mayo, a Black Burger with oven fries, and a One-Pot Gluten-Free Ravioli Florentine. They promise to give you at least 4 vegetarian options a week, but chances are there will be more or that you can substitute protein on non-vegetarian dishes. You have up to 7 days before your delivery to swap out recipes if you change your mind about a meal.

Desserts and breakfast items only on holidays

There's a reason they're not called "Lunchly” or "Breakfastly” (aside from how much of a mouthful those names are): Dinnerly only occasionally includes brunch and dessert options, like during special occasions such as Easter or Mother's Day. While not available every week, these once-in-a-while recipes add a nice touch to your celebrations. Dinnerly's meals are versatile, suitable for both lunch and dinner, with a mix of lighter and heartier options to cater to different preferences.

No antibiotics in meat products

Dinnerly really focuses on quality when it comes to their ingredients. They team up with trusted suppliers to ensure you're getting fresh fruits and veggies, and top-notch proteins for those who opt for non-vegetarian options. For instance, their chicken is always NAE (No Antibiotics Ever) and ABF (Antibiotic-Free), meaning those chickens have never been given antibiotics. While their other meats are antibiotic-free at harvest, they might have been treated with antibiotics at some earlier life stage.

Some foods may be organic, but not all

As for organic products, Dinnerly does incorporate them, but not everything is organic. They occasionally source organic items from local suppliers, depending on availability. When it comes to additives, they don't use MSG in their own ingredients. However, they note that some condiments, seasonings, or sauces might contain MSG. Also, all their dairy products are pasteurized; you won't find any unpasteurized or raw milk cheeses in their kits.

We don't know where produce is sourced from

Dinnerly's suppliers vary based on the region you're in. All their meat is sourced from the USA, except for some high-quality, grass-fed beef that comes from Australia. They don't say anything about where they source their produce, unfortunately.

Shipping is $11.99

Your first order will benefit from an (oddly specific) 31.72% discount and free shipping. After that, box number two is 40% off (but no free shipping) - and the following two are both 12% off. After that, Dinnerly shipping always costs $11.99, no matter where you're located.

Per-meal price starts at $4.09

When you're ready to get started, you'll be asked to indicate how many people you want your boxes to feed (2 or 4 are your only options) and how many meals you'll need each week (2, 3, 4, 5, or 6). The more you choose, the lower the overall price becomes. Two meals for two people each week will cost you $5.49, while that per-meal cost becomes only $4.09 if you opt for six meals (12 total servings). This step is where you'll need to check a box to indicate you're vegetarian, but it's hard to miss.

Vegetarian meals are the same price as those with meat

You won't get any reduction in price for this dietary decision, because even in their veggie recipes, Dinnerly works hard to get you a great mix of carbs, seasonal veggies, and spices. They've got the nutrition part covered too, packing in plenty of vegetarian proteins that not only meet those important macronutrient needs but are also pretty much on par cost-wise with the non-vegetarian proteins.

Save up to $30 per week with hearty staple meals

But, if you're particularly price-savvy and not too picky, you might consider prioritizing Dinnerly's "Saver” recipes. These are the filling-but-familiar comfort foods of budget-friendly eating - we're talking about staples like pasta, risotto, curry, stir-fries, and those hearty soups that feel like a hug in a bowl. In times when your wallet feels a bit lighter, these recipes are Dinnerly's way of helping you cut back on expenses. Saver options are not just easy on your budget, being up to $1.50 less per serving than their regular dishes, but they also don't skimp on the flavor. With these, you could keep up to $15 in your pocket each week on a 2-person plan, or even up to $30 on a 4-person plan, compared to their standard menu offerings five nights a week. Spotting these wallet-friendly options is easy - just look for the "Saver” badge on recipe images in the weekly lineup.

Swap animal protein for vegetarian options

Other badges to look out for include "Customizable” and "PLUS”. As a vegetarian, you might be eyeing a tasty stir fry and lamenting its inclusion of chicken - but if it has that "Customizable” badge, you can swap the animal protein for tofu by clicking on the recipe image or the ‘+' icon. Customizable recipes can also be altered for reduced preparation time (for example, by swapping rice for pre-cooked rice) and for increased portion sizes of particular ingredients (like veggies or cheese).

Ingredient Hub has detailed information on recipe ingredients

Depending on the state you live in, you might not have access to all the recipes Dinnerly offers, so be sure to enter your state in the dropdown in the Ingredient Hub before you get too excited about a menu item. If you have an allergy or simple distaste for a particular ingredient, you can deselect it from the dropdown titled Ingredient Name to banish recipes containing it from your search results. Note that you can't customize recipes to exclude certain ingredients; you can only exclude the recipe from your results altogether.

Mixed reviews

Dinnerly's got a lot of fans, but it's not all smooth sailing. They've scored pretty well with a 3.9-star rating average on Trustpilot from nearly 5,000 reviews, but an "F” from the Better Business Bureau sticks out. This tells us that while plenty of people are happy with Dinnerly, there are some areas where they could really do better.

The good stuff

Plenty of customers say they love how easy it is to whip up Dinnerly's meals. They like the straightforward recipes and the no-fuss ingredients. Some even say Dinnerly's a step up from other meal kits they've tried, especially when it comes to value for money. A few have called it the best meal kit service out there, liking the variety and how it fits different diets. Also, they give a thumbs up for Dinnerly's customer service - reviewers say they've been attentive and communicative.

Not-so-great parts

But it's not all perfect. There are a few hiccups here and there - like missing ingredients, packages showing up looking like they've been through the wringer, and sometimes the veggies aren't as fresh as they could be. Some customers say Dinnerly meals are on the bland side compared to other meal services they've tried. Others say they wish Dinnerly would throw in more everyday ingredients like garlic, so they don't have to run to the store. And, yeah, a few more vegetarian dishes to choose from would be nice.

Good, but could be better

Dinnerly has a lot going for it - it's easy on the wallet, simple to cook, and a lot of people are pretty happy with what they get. But, if you're thinking about trying them out, just know that there might be a few bumps along the way, especially with delivery and getting all the right ingredients in the box. If you're cool with that, then Dinnerly could be a solid pick, especially if you're looking to save some cash and still get tasty vegetarian meals on the table.

Fresh N Lean

• Price per serving: Starts at $11.16
• Days of food: 5 or 7
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
• Calories per meal: 450
• Number of vegetarian meals: Dozens

Fresh N Lean is a meal delivery service focused on health, fitness, and convenience. They offer various meal plans for different dietary needs, using fresh, organic ingredients that are combined in microwavable meals.

Straight from their kitchen to your table

At Fresh N Lean, they take pride in preparing all your meals right in Moosic, PA, where each dish is made with love and attention. When you get your delivery, just pop those meal packs in the fridge as soon as you can. They'll stay fresh and safe in their box for 6-8 hours after they arrive, or 1-3 hours if it's really hot outside. They taste best when enjoyed fresh from the fridge (where they can stay 7-10 days after delivery), but if you're not ready to eat them right away, no worries - you can freeze them for up to 6-8 weeks. If you do freeze them, let them thaw in your fridge for about 36-48 hours for the best flavor.

Cage-free eggs

Fresh N Lean is all about whole-food, nutrient-rich, and organic ingredients. No GMOs here. Whether you're avoiding dairy, gluten, meat, or soy, they've got you covered. Vegetarians will be glad to know their eggs come from free-range chickens. Animal welfare matters to Fresh N Lean, so they choose suppliers who treat their farm animals humanely.

Fresh, unprocessed, and organic

Fresh N Lean says a big no to overly processed ingredients. Everything they use is non-GMO and FDA-compliant, and everything in the vegetarian meal plan is completely organic. Each meal is made from scratch - just like you would at home, but in bigger batches. They also never fry your food. Their chefs are experts at baking, roasting, and steaming, making sure every meal is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients.

Up to 3 meals a day, 5 or 7 days a week

Unlike most services that only provide one meal a day (usually dinner), Fresh N Lean's plans can accommodate all three. The more meals you opt for, the lower the average price per meal will become. For the sake of a more direct comparison, let's start by calculating how much 5 dinners a week will cost you. Weekly, you'd be looking at $79.95, or $15.99 per meal. That's pretty spendy. Does it get much better when you opt for all 3 meals? Somewhat. The per-meal price drops to $11.16, which is closer to some of its competitors, but remember that overall price: in this 3-meal scenario, it'd be $167.35. Fresh N Lean has flexible subscription options. If you're going out of town, skipping up to two weeks of deliveries can be done from your dashboard.

Exclude allergens and foods you just don't like

Picky eater? We hope you're open to widening your palate, because Fresh N Lean only lets you select up to three exclusions when designing your meal plan. Got allergies? Fortunately, there's no limit on how many of these you can select, and they include Egg, Sesame, Dairy, Shellfish, Tree Nut, Soy, and Wheat.

Snack options available for extra $

After this point in the process, you can opt to include additional meals or snacks. In the "Breakfast/Snacks” category, you've got Hearty Granola, Breakfast Muffins, Coconut Almond Buttercups, and several varieties of flavored almonds. These range in price from $2.99 to $4.99. The "Entree” and "Bulk And Sides” categories yield two "rotating seafood meals” and 16 ounces of seasoned salmon respectively. Sadly, these won't be of any use to you vegetarians - yes, fish counts as meat, even if you are Catholic!

Choose your meals on Tuesday

In the Review step of the process, you'll see your "Guaranteed To Deliver By” date of your first delivery, which for us, was about 11 days out. This date might change after you enter your shipping address in the next step. Every Tuesday, Fresh N Lean will email you to select the next week's meals.

Macros included in meal overviews

To get an idea of what will be in your box, you should navigate to the "Weekly Menu” tab and choose the grayed-out "Vegetarian” icon at the top of the page to see only the meals that align with your dietary needs. In the week we looked, a 3-meal day might look like a Blueberry Walnut Pancake Square and Impossible Sausage, Ginger Glazed Yams with Beans and Roasted Vegetables for lunch, and Spicy Garlic Eggplant with Rice for dinner. We appreciate how Fresh N Lean tells you at a glance exactly how many grams of protein and carbs there are in each meal, since it can be difficult as a physically active vegetarian (especially a weightlifter) to hit your macros. On average, a Fresh N Lean meal contains 18 grams of protein, 45 grams of carbs, 21 grams of fat, and 450 calories.

Portion sizes may be inconsistent

Unfortunately, Fresh N Lean isn't as consistent with portion sizes as some serious bodybuilders would require. One customer says they compared the weight of two Vodka Sauce Chicken Pastas, and the difference between the two servings was 210 grams. So, if hitting your protein goal is really important to you, you might need to get out your kitchen scale.

No need to have anything else on hand

By clicking on a meal, you can see more detailed information, like a Nutrition Facts label, an ingredient list, and preparation instructions. Fresh N Lean states that their mission is to "take the hassle out of healthy eating”, and they accomplish this by making all of their meals essentially prep-free. All you have to do is poke some holes in the plastic film over the recyclable plastic tray and stick it in the microwave for a few minutes. You won't need to have any additional ingredients on hand, either, which is a gripe customers have about similar services.

Free shipping on orders over $100

Fresh N Lean offers free shipping on orders over $100, which slightly eases the blow of a much higher price than competitors, but remember that Fresh N Lean's advantage is that you get more meals per box. You can also get an additional $20 off your first week of meals when you sign up for their promotional emails and texts. This discount is okay, but keep in mind that other services often give you your first box free and a discount off of the next two or three to follow.

10-day satisfaction guarantee

Fresh N Lean is one of few vegetarian meal delivery services in our review that provide a satisfaction guarantee. What does theirs entail? If you're not totally happy with your first order, Fresh N Lean will refund you $150 or the price of 14 meals - but you only have 10 days to decide.

Quality leaves something to be desired

It sounds like a few people are having a tough time with Fresh N Lean's meals. A few reports from Reddit reveal that the vegetables are more soggy than crispy, and some are even swimming in strange sauces. It's not just a one-off thing either. People are genuinely struggling to enjoy these meals, and some are trying to salvage what they can because, well, wasting food isn't cool. But making these meals palatable is turning out to be a bigger challenge than expected. Even potatoes (which should be hard to get wrong, right?) are apparently a big letdown. We think this is probably due to the cooking process - everything is in the same tray and gets heated up together. While this is time-saving and creates less hassle, it does mean you won't have as much texture differentiation as you would with a service that requires more chopping, dicing, and multiple cooking pans.

Customer service is responsive

What does stand out about Fresh N Lean is their customer service. Customers have shared positive experiences, particularly appreciating the quick and efficient live chat support, a refreshing change from the usual frustrations with chatbots. This efficient customer service is also evident in their handling of delivery issues, with prompt responses and resolutions. At the time of this review, Fresh N Lean had a 4.0 "Great” rating average from Trustpilot and an "A+” from the Better Business Bureau. However, opinions on meal quality vary greatly, with some customers reporting weight loss success and satisfaction with the meals, while others express deep regret, citing nearly expired meals and inedible options that had to be thrown out.

Not for picky eaters

We're not really sure who the ideal customer for Fresh N Lean would be. We wouldn't recommend them to serious weightlifters because the macro information is so inconsistent. We also wouldn't recommend it to picky eaters, considering the experience some customers have had with texture and flavor. We suppose if you've acquired a taste for microwave meals three times a day but want to get a little healthier with it (and regularly have $160 to burn), you might like what Fresh N Lean has to offer. While we don't have any major hangups about Fresh N Lean, we'd still recommend you check out one of our higher-rated vegetarian meal delivery services first.

HelloFresh

• Price per serving: $9.99 to $11.49
• Days of food: 2 to 6 meals per week for 2 or 4 people
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Primarily dinner, but some lunches, breakfasts, and snacks
• Calories per meal: 800 on average
• Number of vegetarian meals: At least 14 per week

Founded in 2011 in Berlin, HelloFresh began with a simple yet innovative idea: making fresh, home-cooked meals easily accessible. Known for its pre-measured, fresh ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes, it simplifies meal prep for busy individuals and families. Fun fact: its founders initially hand-delivered the first boxes themselves. Today, HelloFresh has grown into a global enterprise, operating in numerous countries and emphasizing convenience, quality, and sustainability.

Sustainable practices

HelloFresh takes their ingredient sourcing pretty seriously, focusing on sustainability and ethical practices. They've got a detailed process for picking suppliers who share their values, aiming for a greener future. That means they're choosing vendors who put sustainability front and center, like The Better Fish® which is known for its Fair Trade-certified ocean-farmed white fish. They're not just about sourcing responsibly but also reducing their carbon footprint, which is 31% lower than what you'd get from a typical supermarket haul.

Produce is usually in-season

They're big on local sourcing too. Wherever possible, HelloFresh opts for locally grown, in-season produce. This approach not only cuts down on food miles but also supports local agriculture. For instance, in France, they've stopped using out-of-season veggies like peppers and tomatoes in their meal kits during winter to reduce imported ingredients. In the US, they get creative with their sourcing, like using potatoes and bell peppers that might not make the cut for retail sale due to their shape or size. Sometimes ingredients will be organic, but not always, and you can't request more of them.

No shipping cost info readily available

HelloFresh isn't really transparent about how much shipping will cost you, simply stating in their FAQ that you'll need to finish customizing your plan and checking out to get that number. Given some of the reports we've read about unapproved charges and obnoxious emails once they have your info, we aren't particularly happy about this hurdle.

Insulated box

HelloFresh meals are packaged in insulated boxes designed to keep ingredients fresh during transit. After delivery, your produce should stay fresh for up to 5 days. Inside, each recipe's components are portioned and packed in separate, labeled bags, making it easy to identify and organize the ingredients for each meal. The packaging materials used are often recyclable or biodegradable.

Easily skip a week

If you need to make a change to your order, you have 5 days before the date of delivery to do so. Skipping a week is easy - all you need to do is log in to your account, navigate to "My Menu”, choose the delivery you want to skip, and click the "Skip this week” button from the "Manage Your Delivery” banner.

No more "what's for dinner” dilemma

Someone who's been using HelloFresh weekly for a few months reports the convenience it brings to their dinner routine is a big plus, saying, "Finally, no more scratching my head every night over what to cook". But, they did mention that the meals started to feel a bit same-y after a while. And, oh boy, they weren't fans of the constant emails from HelloFresh either.

Email avalanche alert

If there's one common thread in the reviews, it's the email situation. People are not thrilled about the bombardment of promotional emails. One user tried unsubscribing multiple times but kept receiving emails from a "friend” raving about HelloFresh - despite the fact that that friend had never been a HelloFresh customer. Disturbing!

Fresh ingredients are a gamble

Ingredient freshness is hit or miss, according to some users. One person, who's been a subscriber for two years, pointed out that while most times the produce is top-notch, every so often, they'd find a not-so-fresh item in their box. They said it didn't happen often, but it's obviously an inconvenience when it does. It does seem like HelloFresh is consistent with offering credits for missing or bad food items, though.

Not the most environmentally friendly

One thing that's come up a few times in reviews is the plastic waste. A customer mentioned they were a bit put off by the amount of plastic in each order. Subscribers are loving the fresh ingredients and the ease of meal prep, but the environmental aspect? Not so much. Other services in our review make it a point to reduce the amount of packaging involved.

Customers take drastic measures to get out of subscriptions

HelloFresh really needs to work on resolving subscription and billing issues. One customer, disgruntled with subpar meals, tried to cancel their subscription after an unexpected overcharge, only to be met with a wall of silence and unfulfilled promises of callbacks. One long-term subscriber couldn't put their membership on hold despite multiple attempts, leading to a sense of desperation and thoughts of canceling their credit card to escape the cycle.

Needs to improve customer service for a higher recommendation

To sum things up, HelloFresh seems to be about the same as competitors in terms of reliability of freshness of ingredients and variety. However, we're not really happy with the quality of their customer service or their promotional strategy. Customer reviews give us the feeling that once you end up on HelloFresh's email list, you can never really get away from them. From what people have to say about the cancellation process, we'd be hesitant to give HelloFresh our credit card information. We wouldn't outright tell you not to try them for your vegetarian meal deliveries, but we'd encourage you to check your bank statements regularly if you do.

Factor

• Price per serving: Starts at $10.99
• Days of food: 6-18 meals a week
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Dinner and add-ons
• Calories per meal: 400-600
• Number of vegetarian meals: Factor claims 35+; customers say 3-4 a week

Factor75, often referred to as Factor, is a meal delivery service that provides healthy, chef-prepared meals with no prep needed. Their name comes from their belief that 75% of how you look and feel comes from what you eat, hence their name. Since their start in 2013, they've made a name for themselves in the health-conscious food world, which caught the eye of HelloFresh, a global meal-kit giant also in our review, leading to an acquisition in 2020.

Free wellness shots for new customers

Factor welcomes you with open arms and discounts. When we landed on the site, we got an offer for 50% off our first month and 20% off our next when we signed up for texts. There was also an offer for free wellness shots for life.

Starts at $10.99 a serving

To get started, go to "Our Plans" and then select "Vegan & Veggie." You will find options for 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 18 meals per week. Other services may ask you how many people you will be feeding, but we prefer this way because it reduces the chance of mental math confusion. A box of 8 meals will cost a total of $103.92, which is $12.99 per serving. If you choose 18 meals, the cost per serving decreases to $10.99. However, this is still a bit higher than a few of its competitors. Remember, their lowest-priced competitor offers meals for only $4 each. After choosing your desired plan, you'll be prompted to enter your email and billing information, after which point you can choose your meals.

Never frozen

Factor meals are prepared by gourmet chefs and require no prep on your part. They are fresh, never frozen, and can be microwaved and ready to eat in minutes. Supposedly, they offer 35+ vegetarian meals and 45+ add-ons.

Vegetarian options hard to find in menu

Unfortunately, there's no way to filter out meals with meat in them when you're looking at the general menu tab on their website. So, you won't really have a good picture of what you'll be eating as a vegetarian. If an item is vegetarian, it should say so in the title. However, we only spotted one of these options in the menu for the week we previewed. This makes us think that maybe the rest of the options shown actually are what you'll be eating, just with plant-based substitutions for the protein - but Factor doesn't make this clear.

Factor doesn't name their suppliers

Factor says their ingredients are sourced from their "network of trusted partners”, but we thought this was vague. Unlike some of their competitors, they don't actually give you the names or locations of these suppliers. Who are these trusted partners, and why should we trust them too? Factor says their plant-based meals never contain antibiotics, refined sugars, or GMOs, and that they can be kept in the fridge for 7 days after delivery.

Evasive responses from customer support

Some Reddit users also had doubts about the quality and source of Factor's ingredients. Online reviews often praise Factor for organic and grass-fed ingredients, but one customer thought that, since HelloFresh bought Factor, things might have changed. When this customer asked Factor for more details about where their ingredients come from, the responses were similarly vague and unhelpful. Finally, in a phone conversation, a customer service agent gave the answer that the vegetables in Factor boxes tend to be organic, but that meat is often "low quality.” Good news for vegetarians, we suppose?

Pausing and skipping is easy

To skip or pause your Factor deliveries, you can easily manage your account through their website or app. Simply log in, select the specific week you want to pause, and click on the "Edit Delivery" button. From there, you can easily navigate to the "Skip Week" button. The great thing is that you won't be charged for the weeks you choose to pause, giving you the flexibility you need. It's important to note that you can only pause deliveries for the current week, and automatic deliveries will resume the following week unless you pause again.

Canceling is difficult

If you ever decide to cancel or deactivate your account, you can't do this in your own settings. Instead, you actually have to reach out to Factor's customer support via email or phone and request the deactivation. We always consider this a red flag - we can't think of any good reason why the service you're using should be the one to decide whether or not they get to hold onto your credit card information.

Shipping costs are hard to find

Factor's website fails to provide a lot of important information up front. Yet another example of this is delivery fees. We dug into their Terms and Conditions page and found the amount described as "approximately $9.99”, but some customers report paying $10.99.

Stays cold until 10pm

Factor uses insulated liners and gel packs to keep your food cold until at least 10 pm local time on the day of delivery, so you can stay late at the office without worrying about your dinner. The deliveries are handled by third-party companies and typically arrive before 9 pm local time. If you're not home, don't worry! The delivery person will leave the package at your door. In case of bad weather, they'll make sure to deliver your order as soon as conditions allow. And if for any reason the delivery location is inaccessible, Factor should personally reach out to you to find an alternative location or date that works for you.

Mixed experiences are common with these services

Factor boasts an impressive 4.0 rating average on Trustpilot from over 46,000 reviews and an "A+” from the Better Business Bureau. But what are customers really saying? A common thread is a wish for more vegetarian meals per week, with one customer saying their options have been limited to 3 or 4. A vegetarian athlete tells us she wishes the meals were higher in protein, maybe incorporating more tofu or beans. Some customers have reported poor customer service, while others have said customer service was helpful, which is pretty common among these types of services - only our top service had consistently positive reports about customer service.

Not a top choice

Overall, it seems like Factor has some areas that could use improvement. The lack of transparency when it comes to shipping and ingredient quality is definitely a red flag. It would be really helpful if they made it easier for us to see what vegetarian meals they offer on a regular basis. Plus, since they were acquired by HelloFresh, there's a chance that some of the same issues we have with HelloFresh may apply to Factor as well. And let's not forget the frustration of not being able to cancel our subscription ourselves - that's a big downside. Considering all of this, we would recommend exploring other options before committing to Factor for your vegetarian meal deliveries.

Splendid Spoon

• Price per serving: Starts at $8.67
• Days of food: 7, 14, or 21 meals
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Smoothies for breakfast; lunches and dinners
• Calories per meal: Usually under 400
• Number of vegetarian meals: Entire menu

Splendid Spoon is a food delivery service specializing in healthy, plant-based meals and smoothies. Founded in 2013 by Nicole Centeno, a former biochemist, Splendid Spoon aims to make healthy eating more accessible and convenient. The company's mission revolves around the idea that eating well should be easy and enjoyable, not stressful or time-consuming.

Free shipping on two plans

Splendid Spoon offers a straightforward and somewhat customizable meal plan service. They provide three primary plans:

• 7 meals for $84.43 ($12.06 per meal) plus $12.00 shipping.
• 14 meals for $121.36 ($8.67 per meal) with free shipping.
• 21 meals for $191.79 ($9.13 per meal) with free shipping.

We think the free shipping on the 14- and 21-meal is a fantastic value, and we appreciate that they don't attempt to hide the costs until the last step. We also noticed a deal for $105 off your first 3 orders.

Skip or cancel from Account Details page

You have the flexibility to modify your box, skip deliveries, or cancel your subscription anytime through the Account Details Page. Here, you can also adjust the number of meals, set delivery dates, and specify ingredient preferences or avoidances. If you want to try Splendid Spoon's offerings without subscribing (and canceling if you're unhappy with it), you can always order directly from their Marketplace, no subscription necessary.

Foods are 100% vegan

After selecting your plan, you'll be prompted to choose your meals. However, you need to provide an email and zip code to proceed to this step. A workaround for just browsing the meal options is to use a fake email. Splendid Spoon categorizes their meals starting with smoothies, followed by soups, noodles, and then dishes. As a 100% vegan service, you won't encounter any meat in the meals, needing only to filter based on other specific avoidances.

Try their bestsellers or fully customize your box

For those who prefer a hands-off approach, there's an option to checkout with a pre-selected assortment of best sellers, typically including 5 smoothies, 5 soups, 2 noodles, and 2 dishes. An average day's dining with Splendid Spoon might include a Chocolate Cherry Smoothie for breakfast, Channa Potato Stew Soup for lunch, and a Vegan Shepherd's Pie for dinner, offering a diverse and satisfying vegan menu.

Meals are ready in minutes

Getting your Splendid Spoon meals ready to eat is super easy and hassle-free, which is perfect if you're always on the go or don't enjoy spending an hour in the kitchen. There's no cooking or chopping required - these meals are designed to be as convenient as possible. Most items, like their soups and grain bowls, can simply be popped into the microwave for a quick heat-up. Just follow the instructions on the package for the best results. If you're more of a stove-top person, that's an option too for some items. This simplicity is one of the big reasons why Splendid Spoon is a hit for those looking to eat healthily without the extra work.

Commitment to non-GMO and sustainability

We think Splendid Spoon's focus on organic and non-GMO ingredients is a big plus. They're especially careful with the "Dirty Dozen" - those fruits and veggies that usually have high pesticide residues. By choosing organic for these items, Splendid Spoon shows they're serious about health and the environment. We're also impressed with Splendid Spoon's sustainable sourcing. They partner with suppliers like Simpli in Peru (which is women-owned) for quinoa, chosen for their ethical practices and minimal impact on the land.

Recyclable packaging

Splendid Spoon packaging is totally recyclable, so when you're done, you can just pop it in your recycling bin - super easy. Plus, all the plastic they use is safe and doesn't have BPA, so that's one less thing to worry about. For keeping your food cool, they use dry ice. If there's still some left in the package when it gets to you, just leave it in a spot with good airflow, and it'll evaporate.

Some items can be frozen for two months

Once your Splendid Spoon delivery arrives, store the Soups and Noodle Bowls in either the fridge or freezer, depending on when you plan to eat them. If you keep them in the fridge, it's best to eat them within two weeks of their arrival. For items you freeze, try to enjoy them within two months for optimal taste. As for the smoothies, juices, and wellness shots, they're freshest when consumed by the "Enjoy by" date that you'll find on each bottle. This way, you can be sure that you're getting the best taste and nutrition from each item.

Customer service is inconsistent

Splendid Spoon has several really great reviews for customer service, with some customers sharing stories of how the company went above and beyond in resolving issues, like refunds for delayed deliveries due to weather. However, there's another side to the story. One customer had three boxes go bad due to hot outside temperatures and customer service basically told her, "good luck”. The last straw was when she found a hair in her smoothie. Gross!

May be overpriced for plant-based products

An almost unanimous point among the reviews, though, is regarding the pricing. Pretty much everyone agrees that the food is overpriced for what you're getting (read: plant-based items). The comparison with similar meal services that offer meat-based options at similar price points further fuels this sentiment. We're disappointed to report that Splendid Spoon only has a "poor” 2.7 star rating average across 30 reviews on Trustpilot, and a "C-” from the Better Business Bureau. Do better, Splendid Spoon!

Things could get hairy

While we were hoping to give Splendid Spoon a high rating for the variety they inevitably would have for vegetarians as a fully plant-based service, unfortunately, we can't recommend them. We think it would be easy to get bored of soup and noodles for dinner and lunch, and the price ($12 for a vegan soup?) gave us pause. We also have to admit, the mention of the hair in the smoothie really put us off. Because Splendid Spoon has so few reviews online, we can't give you a good idea of how likely it'd be that you'd have a similar experience. We'd recommend you look at one of our higher-ranked services for your vegetarian meal delivery needs.

Home Chef

• Price per serving: Starts at $9.99
• Days of food: 2-6 recipes per week
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Mainly dinners; add-ons
• Calories per meal: 450-800
• Number of vegetarian meals: Roughly 30 food options a week; half are meals

Home Chef, a meal kit delivery service, was founded in 2013 by Pat Vihtelic out of a passion for cooking and a need for more convenient meal solutions. Starting from humble beginnings, Vihtelic initially developed recipes in his condo, beta-tested his service, and personally made deliveries around Chicago from a U-Haul truck. Today, Home Chef's mission revolves around making home cooking quick, tasty, and easy for people with busy lifestyles, aiming to bring simplicity to the kitchen even on the busiest of days.

Not enough transparency about ingredient sourcing

While Home Chef meals occasionally include organic ingredients, they don't tell you how many. The company sources from a range of suppliers, but details about these suppliers are somewhat vague compared to some other services in our review that specify the exact farms where ingredients are sourced. Home Chef says they care about high-quality ingredients and also implement eco-friendly practices in their packaging, using recycled materials and striving to reduce food waste. However, customers who want fully organic meals or detailed information about where ingredients come from may find that Home Chef has limited offerings and transparency in these areas.

Sign-up process has hoops to jump through

To see what the sign-up process looks like (preferences, box size, billing, picking your meals), you have to enter your real email address, which we're not happy about. We went through this process so you don't have to, if you're concerned about never getting off their promo email list. After telling them you're vegetarian and selecting any other foods you want to avoid, you can customize your box size for 2, 4, or 6 people, providing between 2 and 6 recipes per week. Unfortunately, this is the point in the process where we had to stop - your billing info is required before you can pick your meals, and we weren't confident we wouldn't be charged.

Pricing is not at all transparent

We didn't find pricing information readily available during any of these steps on Home Chef's main page, but in an article hidden on their support site, we learned that "Standard meals” start at $9.99. They mention that this number might change "depending on the size of your order”, but they don't say if it goes up or down. They mention that "meal types vary in price”, but they don't tell you what those differences are, either.

Quiz is kind of pointless

Home Chef has a quiz to help users figure out if the service fits their lifestyle. The quiz asks questions like if they enjoy cooking, what they usually have for dinner on weeknights, which meals they like, and what's most important to them when cooking: saving time, trying new recipes, or sticking to wellness goals. At the end, you learn "what kind of cook” you are, but your results don't factor in to make the meal-choosing process any more streamlined. The quiz is just a gimmick for Home Chef to convince you that they have options for you.

A lot of the vegetarian options are not full meals

You can always check out Home Chef's menu elsewhere on their site, though. This service does have a filter for Vegetarian meals, which is an oversight by many of their competitors. The sample menu for the week we checked had 23 options, but 13 of these were snack items, desserts, or even condiments. If your family isn't feeling most of those remaining 10 recipes, you might be in for a trip to the grocery store that week, especially if you rely on Home Chef for more than one meal a day.

Several different prep intensity levels

Home Chef offers several different meal types, more than pretty much any other service in our review:

• Meal Kits: These kits give you all the ingredients you need, measured out, along with instructions to cook the meal. It's like a DIY project for dinner, great for those who like to cook and have some time to spare.
• Express Meal Kits: These are like the regular meal kits, but they're quicker to make. They might have some ingredients already partly cooked or require fewer steps. They're good for days when you're a bit rushed but still want to cook.
• Oven-Ready: Super easy to prepare, these meals come in a tray that you just put in the oven. There's no prep work needed. This option is perfect for really busy days when you don't have time to cook but don't want takeout.
• Family Menu: Made for families, these meals are bigger to feed more people and are picked to be liked by both kids and adults. If you need to make dinner for the whole family, this is a handy choice.
• Culinary Collection: This is the fancy option, with gourmet recipes and special ingredients. It's for when you want to make a really nice dinner at home, maybe for a special occasion.
• Fast & Fresh: These meals are already cooked; you just heat them up. They're the most convenient, great for days when you're super busy and don't have time to even throw ingredients together.

In the FAQ section on the Home Chef site, there's mention of there being three different plan types that affect the kinds of meals you can add to your box, but we didn't find any other mentions of it either on the Menu page or during the check-out process (at least not as far as we were able to get).

Discounts for students, military, and more

Home Chef offers several discounts and promotions to make their meal kit delivery service more affordable. New customers can enjoy 18 free meals or get 50% off their first four boxes, with a maximum discount of $45 per box. They also provide additional discounts for students, alumni, and government officials, offering 50% off the first four boxes, up to $47.50 per box. For military members, first responders, health care professionals, and teachers, there is a special offer of 50% off the first box (up to $60) and a 10% discount on future orders.

They won't tell you how much shipping costs

Home Chef delivers on the day of your choosing in an insulated recyclable box. You need to have your menu picked out by Friday. However, there is no mention of how much shipping costs on their website. That's sketchy, Home Chef. In a Reddit comment thread, we saw three different numbers: $12.99, $9.99, and some mentioned getting free shipping for orders over $60, while others complained that they did not.

Delayed deliveries

At the time of this review, Home Chef was sitting at a 2.7-star "poor” rating average on Trustpilot, based on over 3,000 reviews, and from the sound of it, their customer service isn't exactly winning any trophies. First off, the good news: people actually like the food and recipes. They're tasty, which is a plus. But, and it's a big but, if you run into any trouble, brace yourself: the customer service sounds like a bit of a nightmare. There are tales of ridiculously late deliveries - we're talking 8:30 pm or even, get this, estimated for 1:35 am... seriously? If you're counting on them for your week's meals, that's pretty inconvenient. Imagine waiting for dinner and it shows up after you've already given up and ordered takeout.

Customer service may not make it right

And if you think reaching out to Home Chef will fix things, think again. It looks like the response you'd typically get is a lukewarm "Sorry, we'll try to do better." Missing recipe cards? Don't expect much help there either. Apparently, instead of sending a link to the recipe, they just drop an "Oops, sorry" in your inbox.

You have to jump through hoops to cancel your subscription

Want to cancel your subscription because you've had enough of Home Chef's "garbage service"? You'd think that would be straightforward, right? Wrong. While you can pause your service through your account dashboard at any time, you can't cancel it unless you reach out via email to customer service. And if you're not careful, Home Chef might just send you a box, charge you for it, and then refuse a refund.

Pricing structure is confusing

Last but not least, there's a bit of a twist in what you're actually signing up for. We're unable to confirm this because Home Chef doesn't talk about their pricing in much detail, but according to one customer, you're buying credits, not actual meals. And guess what? Those meals might cost more than the credits you've got.

Avoid Home Chef

The typical customer experience with Home Chef seems to be one of unmet expectations and frustration. Their website presents you with contradictory information, especially when it comes to plan pricing, where they're about as clear as mud. Vegetarians looking for a variety of meal options might be disappointed, as the weekly selection only has about 10 actual meals to pick from. And if you're thinking of canceling, think again; you can't just click a button and be done. You actually have to go through their customer service, which, according to customer feedback, is far from impressive. All these issues combined lead us to give Home Chef one of our lowest rankings in our review. Choose one of our higher-ranking vegetarian meal delivery services instead.