Attention all vegans, plant-based peeps and carnivores who need more fruits and veggies in their lives: This one is for you.
If cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner have become more dreaded chores than fun activities, meal kits and delivery services may be for you. We realized this after reviewing 21 different kits but noticed there was something missing.
We’re looking at you, vegans.
For those who follow a vegan or plant-based diet, finding new and exciting things to eat can be a challenge, not to mention how many trips to the grocery store it can take to have enough fresh produce in the house without it going bad.
Here’s where kits and delivery services can help, as there are options for both fresh, cook-it-yourself kits as well as refrigerated and frozen options that eliminate the need for runs to the grocery store, meal prep and boredom when coming up with meals for the family.
We weeded through the crowded category and found five companies that offer a plethora of plant-based options, each of which has 100% vegan options with no animal products. Want to know how the kits stack up? Read on for the full review, or skip to the “Too Lazy Didn’t Read” section for the shorter scoop on each service.
Plus, be sure to pay attention to the New York Post exclusive discount codes under each header so you can score your meals for a deal.
1. Purple Carrot, starting at $9.99/serving
Use code NYP40 for $40 off your first box
If you want the ultimate vegan cooking meal kit, Purple Carrot is it.
I had the joy of trying this kit in the original roundup with other cook-it-yourself kits, but this time around I found this was really the only traditional meal kit on the market with solely vegan meals. If you do follow a vegan and/or plant-based diet, this is already a huge plus, as you don’t need to navigate any menus to be sure your food will be meat-, dairy- and animal-additive-free.
The meals come in pre-portioned bags, keeping the ingredients separated for ease of use when it’s time to start cooking. Speaking of easy, I also love how they include a recipe booklet with not only your meals but the other options from that week’s menu to spark some inspiration for meals to come, keeping everything in one place as well.
I opted to cook the Mushroom Fried Rice as my tester meal, as some of the other meal’s ingredients weren’t quite perfectly ripe yet, like the mango for my Caribbean Sweet Potato dish. Since all the ingredients come super fresh, that is both a pro and a con, as you’ll want to time your meals right for ultimate freshness, as you would with any produce bought from a grocery store.
As you can obviously see from the photo, my bok choy was super crunchy and fresh, which made for a restaurant-quality meal that I had the pleasure of cooking myself with easy-to-follow instructions and not too bad of a cleanup, either.
Too Lazy Didn’t Read (TLDR):
- The only fully vegan cook-it-yourself traditional meal kit on the market — 100% vegan and plant-based.
- Super-fresh, grocery-store-quality ingredients, like fresh fruits and veggies and full-sized cans and pantry items.
- Perfect for those that prefer actually cooking over microwave meals or freezer dinners. (BUT they also just released microwave meals, too!)
- Weekly menus include options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even “plantry” pantry staple snacks.
Use our link for $250 off and free shipping
OK, we know we said Purple Carrot was the only traditional vegan meal kit, but Green Chef is here with a few more options.
The meal-kit company isn’t only vegan, which is why we list it second here. However, if you want healthy meals to cook at home with some plant-based options as well as Keto, paleo and meals with animal products, too, then Green Chef is for you. Since this is a vegan review, I opted for the Plant Powered Meal Plan, which offers nine different meals per week from which to choose.
Since all of the meals are 100% plant-based, I chose to test out a pasta dish, a power bowl and a hearty soup, which is what I cooked and photographed below on a cooler fall afternoon. The first thing I noticed was just how fresh the ingredients were, with bright-green rainbow chard and a perfect white onion in this package, which also included pre-cut carrots, fresh chives and other spices that were pre-measured to make cooking go a bit faster.
Since Green Chef specializes in healthy-yet-filling meals, it was no surprise that they don’t need animal products to make delicious recipes. This option is for those who have time to cook, as they currently don’t offer vegan frozen or pre-made meals.
TLDR:
- The Plant Powered Meal Plan is vegan and plant-based, so no guessing when it comes to ingredients following your dietary restrictions.
- If you do eat other foods like meat, dairy or fish, they also have options for a Keto/paleo plan and a balanced living plan.
- Perfect for those who enjoy cooking and having hot, fresh meals without going to the grocery store, as the kit comes with full-sized produce and pantry items.
- All the produce and eggs are certified organic.
3. Veestro, a la carte meals starting at $9.90/meal
Use code NYPOST for 30% off of all orders
If you’ve been missing meat since going vegan or are just trying out the plant-based lifestyle for a bit, Veestro does not disappoint.
I love some veggies and fruits, but — and don’t get me wrong — sometimes trying a vegan meal delivery service’s meat substitutes to see if they are even comparable to the real thing is the best way to test whether the offerings are all that.
With Veestro, the answer is a resounding yes, after trying the Country Fried Chick’n meal and the Farro Ragout as two stand-out meals. Chicken — even non-vegan chicken — can be a hard thing to get right, especially in the microwave, but this dish was just as tasty as any real chicken I’ve had in a frozen meal. Not only was it delicious, but the texture of the “Chick’n” was spot-on, which is always an appetizing addition.
For the farro meal, I had more time to cook, so I used my trusty Always Pan and, after about 15 minutes, I had a delicious bowl of what tasted like a ground-beef-style stew that warms you from the inside out. Plus, I loved the option to use a pan instead of the microwave, as sometimes you need a bit of a boost from cooking a hot meal — and the whole house smelled like fall.
This being said, the plant-based meal delivery service is great for both those who worship the trusty microwave and those who like cooking and plating their meals even when they come frozen. Also note: This is one of the more flexible subscriptions, as you can order as many as 30 meals or as few as 10, depending on your household’s needs, and they are delivered every two weeks unless modified.
If you want to try Veestro but a subscription seems a bit scary, never fear, as they also have one-time purchases on their à la carte menu for just a few more dollars per meal.
TLDR:
- Super flexible plans with à la carte non-subscription meal, reccurring delivery plans via subscription and a weight-loss plan to choose from.
- The fake meat options taste and look like the real deal.
- Can be microwaved in a few minutes or cooked in the oven or a pan for a more homemade feel and flexibility.
- Choose from 50+ options on their menu, where everything is 100% plant-based and vegan.
- The meals can be kept up to eight to 10 weeks in the freezer or three to five days in the refrigerator for when you are ready to eat in the coming days. (Beware lack of freezer space if you opt for the 30-meal plan!)
4. Daily Harvest, starting at $5.99 per serving (priced per item)
Use code NYPOST25 for $25 off your first box
I had the pleasure of trying Daily Harvest back in January for the original (and much larger) round-up of meal kits. However, since then, DH has added even more vegan goodies that I needed to try.
Daily Harvest is a heat and eat (or blend or thaw and eat) vegan food service that has everything from flatbreads, soups and bowls for meals, ice cream (called scoops — how adorable?) and bites for dessert and plenty of smoothies, lattes and dairy-free milk called Mylk for snacking and more.
The beauty of Daily Harvest is that you can mix and match, depending on what you and your family want to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and beyond. Their plans range by items — not by servings per week like other companies — which offers lots of flexibility. You can also modify shipments, plus pause and skip deliveries, should you be traveling or have a stockpile of smoothies to get through.
As a taste test, I opted for a dinner and dessert combo. The flatbreads looked amazing, so I stuck the Sweet Potato Flatbread with Pear and Arugula into the oven for 20 minutes while looking over my options for smoothies and treats. I chose the tropical-looking pineapple, coconut and soursop, added water up to the top of the cup and blended away. It tasted like a Jamba Juice smoothie, so obviously both my mouth and wallet were very happy. I also love that the cups come with to-go lids, but chose a mason jar for presentation, sitting down for my dinner-for-one.
The best parts of this service for me were the flexibility and range of options, as there aren’t just entrees to choose from but more like a frozen pantry, if you will. Plus, even for a non-vegan like myself, this was a great way to always have fruits and veggies on hand to supplement my normal diet.
TLDR:
- Great for those who have little prep time but want vegan options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
- 100% vegan and plant-based.
- Order by number of items, not by servings per week or month, which makes this a very flexible plan for different-sized families and households.
- Make sure you have room in the freezer, as items need to be stored there until eaten.
- TONS of options for every type of food, from smoothies and plant-based milks to flatbreads, oat bowls and more, so you won’t be bored.
5. Mosaic Foods, dinners start at $8.99/meal
Use code NYPOST30 for $30 off over 2 boxes.
You don’t need to puzzle over this one, as we’ve put it all together for you. Mosaic is another frozen meal delivery service that sends breakfast, lunch and dinner to your door and can be reheated in the microwave in five minutes or less for a quick and healthy meal.
To build your plan, Mosaic operates on an à la carte basis, with a minimum order of $70 and free shipping on orders over $100. I personally love this style, as it helps to eliminate food waste and saves room in the freezer for exactly what you want.
When filling your cart, choose from Veggie Bowls for lunches and dinners, Oat Bowls for breakfasts, Soups for a great snack or meal and Mosaic+ meals for something a bit more gourmet to spice things up. Each category is priced out differently, but you can mix and match to reach your minimum box order. Furthermore, deliveries are super easy to customize, as you can get a recurring box every week, every two weeks or every four weeks, with the option to pause or cancel should you be out of town.
For my trial box, I ordered a few things from each category but decided on soup and some noodles for lunch. The directions were pretty straightforward, as all you need is a microwave and about five minutes of patience before food is served. The soup took an initial five minutes and then an additional two, as per the instructions, so be sure to read the packaging for the exact cooking time.
After the glorious sound of my microwave’s ding, I enjoyed the Spicy Dan Dan Noodles and a cup of Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Soup. I actually had leftovers because it was so filling — always a pro when it comes to plant-based foods.
TLDR:
- À la carte style, so long as you meet the minimum order of $70.
- Free shipping on orders over $100.
- Mosiac specializes in veggie bowls, soups and oat bowls, so not for those that are looking for other options. (But bowls include dishes like pasta and curries, for example, and not just vegetables!)
- Customize your delivery time as well, with options for every week, every two weeks or every four weeks. You can also skip or cancel at any time.
- Menus are super easy to read and have specific details on nutrition, ingredients, protein content and more.
6. Trifecta, Starting at $99.99 per delivery
Get $120 off across your first six orders with code NYP120
Trifecta is here to help with not only your vegan meal prep for the week, but also your fitness goals overall.
Trifecta is both a meal kit company and a personal fitness group, designed to help you eat better and also stay active, motivated and supported through their app of personal trainers, nutritionists and other members just like you.
Back to the food at hand, check out our full review here on the non-vegan side of things, and then come back for the full vegan 4-1-1-. Back again? Good!
The vegan plan is actually the least expensive plan on the site, starting at $99.99/week for 24 servings. A serving is one entire meal, each pre-packaged and labeled for your convenience, with the re-heating instructions on the package, too. To build your box, head to the site and then choose your breakfasts, lunches, dinners and even a third entree if you’d like, with either a five or seven day plan.
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When I got my box, I was thrilled to find some really tasty options inside, including a white bean risotto, tofu fried rice and a plant-based chicken dish that I opted to try first. I was delighted to see (and taste) that the mock-chicken was really tender and juicy, even after being microwaved for three minutes on high. I enjoyed that the meals weren’t only tofu based, as that can get boring, but I will say that there are a lot of rice-based meals, should that bore you at all — I personally love rice, so I loved it!
TLDR:
- Meals come pre-packaged and ready to heat-and-eat or store in the fridge for seven days, freezer for three months
- Options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even second dinner!
- Not only vegan, but you can also choose vegetarian, Keto, paleo and more
- Trifecta is also a health coaching site, with extra features in the app and in your account
- Calories, protein, carbs and fat are all included on the label
- $9.99 shipping cost
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