Best Plant-Based Meal Delivery Services of 2023, According to Dietitians

Plant-based eating is becoming increasingly popular as people learn about the health benefits and potential environmental impact of reducing meat consumption.

Not everyone agrees exactly on what a plant-based diet is, but it’s generally considered an eating pattern that primarily focuses on having more plants in the diet. Examples of plant-based diets include vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or other diets limiting or excluding animal products.

Some people want to start eating a plant-based diet but feel it’s difficult because they don’t know where to start or how to cook healthy plant-based meals.

To make plant-based eating a bit easier, whether you’re new to plant-based eating or have been plant-based for a long time, several companies cater to delivering meals to your doorstep.

Additional benefits of plant-based meal delivery services include:

• You get pre-made meals or recipe kits delivered on a regular schedule that take some of the guesswork and effort out of preparing meals.
• These services offer weekly menus that allow you to pick preferred meals, the quantity you’d like to have, and how often you want to receive them.
• It is a convenient tool for people who hate grocery shopping, figuring out what to cook, or for people who want to try new flavors.
• It can be a way to reduce food waste as they give you the exact portions of ingredients you need, with little to no required additions from your kitchen.

Here are our top picks for plant-based meal delivery services currently on the market that you should consider trying.

Summary of Our Picks

• Best overall: Purple Carrot
• Best fully prepared: Veestro
• Best for flexitarians: Sunbasket
• Best on-the-go: Daily Harvest
• Best for families: Green Chef

Best Overall: Purple Carrot

Best Overall

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Pros

• 100% plant-based/vegan meal service
• Has presented clinical study suggesting that it may be beneficial for weight loss and heart health
• Variety in cuisines offered

Cons

• Many meals available are time-consuming to make
• May not be friendly to all allergy needs
• “Extras” such as breakfast and lunch options are limited

The Experience

Purple Carrot stands out because it is a 100% vegan meal delivery service company that believes that plants have the power to transform people and the planet. Its message is based on the benefits of a plant-based diet not only for personal health but also for reducing the environmental impact on the world.

Purple Carrot is one of the few plant-based meal delivery services that have clinical research to support its health benefits, particularly heart health.

A clinical study presented at the American Heart Association’s 2020 Annual Meeting detailed the effects of plant-based delivery service (Purple Carrot) on cardiovascular risk. (1)

At the end of four weeks of having Purple Carrot dinners or a standard omnivorous box meal kit, individuals who had Purple Carrot had significantly decreased LDL cholesterol and experienced an average weight loss of 3.82 pounds.

In fact, people who received the standard omnivorous diet meal kit actually gained weight (average 0.87 pounds).

Purple Carrot offers 8 plant-based dinner options weekly that you can choose from, with a selection of meal kits or prepared meals for your convenience. All of the recipes are developed by a culinary team headed by a chef to provide a variety of flavorful meals that come from different cuisines.

The meal kits are customizable to offer either 2 or 4 servings per meal, and you can order 2 or 3 meals per week. All prepared meals are single-serving only, and you can choose to order 6, 8, or 10 meals weekly.

If you’re on the 2-serving plan and choose not to customize your weekly box, you can default to receiving Gluten-Free, High Protein, Quick and Easy, or No Preference meals that will allow you to receive Chef’s Choice meals.

In addition to ordering dinners from Purple Carrot, you can also purchase a limited selection of plant-based breakfasts and lunches, as well as add plant-based goods to your kitchen through their “Plantry” offerings.

There are some limitations to Purple Carrot’s offerings when it comes to allergies. The chefs at Purple Carrot are unable to omit specific allergens from their meals, but they do offer a gluten-free plan.

Consumers must otherwise look at the ingredient list for each recipe to see if a meal has any relevant allergens. If you have questions about recipes or available meals, the support team can help answer them. The culinary team can also suggest alternative ingredients to be used in delivered meals.

People with severe allergies should be aware that Purple Carrot’s foods are processed in distribution facilities that process wheat, gluten, nuts, and nut products.

Purple Carrot tries to use organic ingredients when possible but acknowledges that some ingredients may not be organic or non-GMO.

Cost

• Dinner meal kits: $11.99–$13.25 per serving
• Prepared meals: $13.00 per serving

Best Fully Prepared: Veestro

Best Fully Prepared

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Pros

• All meals are convenient prepackaged meals
• Meals are 96% organic and free of preservatives

Cons

• Heavy reliance on plant-based processed meats
• May not be suited for individuals with allergies or celiac disease

The Experience

Veestro is a meal delivery service that provides only fresh, prepackaged vegan meals that are good for people who are short on time but don’t want to sacrifice healthy eating.

Their focus is on making plant-based eating an easier choice for people looking to slowly introduce plant-based foods into their diet or need a quick meal.

Many of the recipes on Veestro are styled after comfort foods from a variety of cultures, including foods like jackfruit jambalaya, taco bowls, country fried chicken, or veggie empanadas.

Their menu is a la carte and you choose from about 30 meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert in any combination to suit your needs. You can filter for meals under 500 calories, and each meal includes information on its macronutrient ratios, as well as any allergens present.

Veestro meals are produced in a facility that processes foods containing wheat, soy, nuts, and seeds. If you have a severe allergy to any of these, it may be better to find an alternative meal service with separate facilities.

Over 96% of the ingredients used in Veestro meals are organic, and none of the meals have preservatives, which may be appealing to those concerned about GMOs and food additives.

Cost

Meals are $13.00 each. You can choose to have anywhere between 8–15 meals in each order. Shipping is $7.95–$12.95 per delivery.

Best for Flexitarians: Sunbasket

Best for Flexitarians

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Pros

• Good for vegetarians and people looking for ways to start introducing plant-based foods into diet
• Ingredients are responsibly sourced and some ingredients are organic
• Customizable for many dietary preferences

Cons

• Vegan options are limited
• Not available in all of contiguous U.S. and has some delivery limitations
• May not be suited for individuals with allergies or celiac disease

The Experience

Sunbasket is a meal delivery service focused on healthy, delicious, and easy-to-prepare meals made with farm-fresh ingredients.

This meal delivery service is not entirely geared towards vegetarians or vegans since there are meat options available. However, there are several plant-based options available on the menu, and nearly all options with meat are balanced with a fair amount of vegetable sides.

Sunbasket offers Fresh & Ready Meals and Meal Kits that you can mix and match to meet your needs.

The executive chef of Sunbasket crafting new and exciting recipes is Chef Justine Kelly, who also happens to be the founder of the company.

All meal kits make 2–4 servings per cooked meal and take 20–60 minutes to prepare. You can order between 2–5 different meals per week.

Fresh & Ready meals serve one, and depending on the meal, they can be ready to eat in as little as 6 minutes in the microwave. You can order between 4–10 meals per week.

In addition to dinners, Sunbasket offers breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. Some options are appropriate for vegetarians and pescatarians, but others contain meat.

Compared to other meal-delivery services, Sunbasket offers the most extensive customization for lifestyle. You can choose between the following menus:

• Paleo
• Vegetarian
• Gluten-Free
• Carb-Conscious
• Mediterranean
• Diabetes-Friendly
• Pescatarian
• Keto-Friendy

I was impressed by the number of healthy options available and appreciated the inclusion of a diabetes-friendly filter for recipes.

All recipes included on Sunbasket go through the executive chef and are reviewed and approved by a Registered Dietitian. However, Sunbasket recipes are made in a facility that processes gluten and all major food allergens.

Gluten-free recipes are also prepared in the same facility that processes other meals, so they may not be appropriate for people with celiac disease, severe allergies, or severe gluten intolerance.

Sunbasket strives to use nearly all USDA-certified organic fresh produce, eggs, milk, and yogurt.

All seafood is wild-caught or sustainably raised, with options that are recommended Best Choice or Good Alternative by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program. Their meats are also responsibly and sustainably raised, with some organic meat and poultry options.

Cost

• Fresh & Ready Meals: $9.99–$14.59 per serving.
• Meal Kits: $11.49–$17.99 per 2-person serving.

Best On-The-Go: Daily Harvest

Best On-The-Go

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Pros

• Meals contain high-quality organic ingredients without fillers
• Has many options for breakfast and snacks
• Easy to manage subscription through website and app

Cons

• Weekly or monthly cost of box may be extremely variable depending on items chosen
• Flavors and meal options may not be appropriate for kid’s palate
• Meals are generally light, so they may not be filling for all people

The Experience

Daily Harvest focuses on prepared and frozen foods to not only be convenient for your schedule but to lock in nutrients that can be lost naturally through ripening and air exposure.

Daily Harvest offers over 80 different vegan options built on fruits and vegetables that are good for any time of the day. The full Daily Harvest menu includes smoothies, almond milk, entrée bowls, flatbreads, soups, oat bowls, chia bowls, frozen desserts, snacks, and lattes.

Plans are available based on how many items you want in your delivery, either 9, 14, or 24 items at a time. Most Daily Harvest items are single-serving, but frozen desserts, lattes, and snacks have multiple servings per package.

You can choose to have your Daily Harvest foods delivered either weekly or monthly, and you can easily modify your delivery schedule or plan preference at any time. Daily Harvest also offers an app to manage your account if you prefer not to use their website.

If you have special dietary needs, you can filter available options, including keto, low-carb, paleo, high-protein, low-calorie, low-sugar, vegan, and gluten-free. There are even options to filter for ingredients that you like or dislike.

Daily Harvest goes beyond simply listing the ingredients for their recipes and includes some additional nutrition information and benefits for notable ingredients.

Out of nearly all of the plant-based meal delivery services I’ve looked at, Daily Harvest has one of the best breakfast selections I’ve seen. This brand is also great for people who want to have a light lunch or any light, plant-based meal or snack throughout the day.

Daily Harvest’s smoothies, meals, and snacks are made of 95% organic ingredients and are free of fillers, gums, refined sugars, harmful oils, stabilizers, and other artificial ingredients.

All of Daily Harvest’s foods are dairy-free and gluten-free, but some items do contain soy. Individual items cannot be modified to meet dietary needs.

It’s important to note that Daily Harvest’s foods are made in a facility that processes dairy, nuts, soy, and gluten, so be aware of potential cross-contamination.

Cost

The entire Daily Harvest menu is between $5.99–$11.99 per item. You can choose to have a subscription for 9, 14, or 24-item boxes. The total cost of your box will depend on which items you choose.

Best for Families: Green Chef

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Pros

• Meals can serve up to 6 people in a household
• Contains organic ingredients

Cons

• Weekly costs could become expensive for large families
• Does not offer options for breakfast, snacks

The Experience

Green Chef is a healthy meal kit delivery service that provides a variety of easy-to-follow meal plans for every lifestyle.

Green Chef offers these chef-developed meal plans:

• Keto + Paleo
• Vegetarian
• Mediterranean
• Fast & Fit
• Vegan
• Gluten-Free

All dinners are easy to prepare since all ingredients are pre-measured, and many are prepped, including sauces and marinades. Most meals take about 30 minutes to make.

You can purchase meals that serve 2, 4, or 6 people at once and have 3 or 4 meals sent to your home weekly. There are 30 menu options to choose from weekly.

Green Chef is great for families because it was one of the only services that I found offering meals that could make up to 6 servings without a significant time commitment.

Green Chef cannot customize meal plans for food preferences or allergies, but recipes posted online will show a full list of ingredients and allergens. Because of the individual packaging of ingredients, Green Chef suggests that you substitute ingredients for suitable alternatives.

All ingredients are processed and packaged in a facility that also processes major food allergens. If you have a significant food allergy, you may want to find options that are processed in facilities free of these allergens.

Green Chef is a USDA-certified organic company with foods free of GMOs, pesticides, and antibiotics.

Cost

$11.99–$13.49 per meal, depending on the number of people you are planning to feed and how many meals per week.

Things for You to Consider When Choosing a Plant-Based Meal Delivery Service

If you’re interested in trying out a plant-based meal delivery service, here are some things you should consider to find the best one for you:

Cost

While there may be an expected charge for the convenience of delivery, easy meal planning, and fewer cooking steps, you still want to choose an option that works for your budget.

Consider your current grocery costs and how a plant-based meal delivery service may either lower or raise your grocery budget.

The number of servings and meals delivered per week can also influence your meal delivery costs, so think about how much food you and your household may need.

Subscription Flexibility

Meal delivery services should have the flexibility to meet your needs.

A good meal delivery service has options for how many meals you receive weekly, delivery times to meet your schedule, and easy ways to skip delivery weeks and cancel your subscription.

Variety of Recipes

How important is variety to you? Do you like getting meals from a particular cuisine, or are you open to trying international flavors?

In addition to cuisine variety, meal delivery services may offer recipes in a short cycle menu (such as recipes repeating every 2–3 weeks) or have menus that don’t repeat for at least a month.

Consider the variety you want in a meal delivery service to avoid getting bored with the available menus.

Ease of Use

A meal delivery service only works if you actually use the products that are sent to you.

If you’re not into cooking or are short on time, you may want to consider meal delivery services that give prepared meals that you can heat up in minutes.

Alternatively, if you like spending some time in the kitchen and learning new cooking techniques, a meal delivery service based on recipes may be more your style.

Nutrition

When you’re choosing a meal subscription service, you should consider how nutritionally balanced your meals are. This becomes especially important if you’re relying on these meals for most or all of your daily intake.

People with chronic health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes may want to consider services tailored specifically to meet their health needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Plant-based meal services are a convenient way to get healthy foods delivered to your door without the hassle. While the cost may be a little high for convenience, it may be worth it to support a busy lifestyle or give yourself a helping hand with cooking.

When you’re looking for a plant-based meal delivery service, consider the things that are important to you. Cost, menu diversity, flavor, allergies and food restrictions, ingredient quality, nutrition, or even sustainability may influence your decision when choosing a service.

Even if you don’t stick with a meal delivery service for long, you may get inspired to make new plant-based meals at home.

For further help with meal planning or learning how to balance your meals for flavor and nutrition, you can speak with a dietitian to improve your DIY skills in the kitchen.