Plant-based meals can be incredibly nutritious and flavorful, but finding new and exciting meal options is challenging at first for those new to eating 100% vegan. Vegan meal delivery services are a great way to learn about the many vegan options out there, new flavor combinations, and the wonders of a healthy, plant-based lifestyle.
While I am not 100% vegan or vegetarian, on the whole, I do eat a more plant-based diet than, say, pescatarian or omnivore. I’ve grown to love the flavors and how I feel after eating the meals. For this reason, I jumped at the chance to try Purple Carrot’s meal delivery service. I’ve tried all the best meal delivery services catering to omnivores and pescatarians, so this is a welcome change. Below is my review of the meals I tried, what I loved and didn’t, who the meals would be a great option for, and those who might want to skip this meal delivery service and opt for another vegan meal delivery option.
If you’ve been reading Purple Carrot reviews, then you know it delivers both plant-based meal kits or fully prepared heat-and-eat meals to your home or office on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, but did you know each week you also receive a beautifully illustrated vegan cookbook with recipes that are both fun and flavorful? The cookbook was as much a delight to me as the meals! The meal options range from breakfast, lunch and dinner for both meal kits that you prepare and fully prepared fresh meals (not frozen) that you cook in the microwave and are ready in under five minutes. There are also “Plantry” add-on options you can choose from each week, such as matcha cold brew oat milk latte, instant lentils homestyle chili, plant-based crab cakes, juice shots, dark chocolate espresso cups, cumin or six-seed crackers and vegan cheese.
The dietary options the company carters to include:
Purple Carrot also works with a variety of farmers and vendors across the country to ensure non-produce items are organic (beans, nut milk, tofu, tempeh, vegan cheeses and yogurts), though the company does state that, “Due to constraints with sourcing, shipping locations, and our desire to provide unique ingredients and recipes, we are sometimes limited in our options for organic (and non-GMO) products.”
Organic ingredients are always indicated through the “View Full Nutrition Label” link on every meal kit recipe page or on any prepared meal page’s Ingredients tab.
Purple Carrot is a standard weekly subscription meal delivery service, so you’ll start by subscribing to the service with the understanding that each week, you will choose a preselected number of meals that will be delivered to your front door on a set day. You also have the option to choose add-on options from the Plantry each week, meaning you could essentially order a week’s worth of food to skip your weekly trip to the grocery store.
Depending on where you are located, delivery can be scheduled for Saturday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
Purple Carrot plans and pricing
There are two types of plans: meal kits or prepared meals
Meal Kits:
Prepared Meals:
You have the option of adding both meal kits and prepared meals to either plan during ordering. You can always add-on Plantry items with either plan. Your first order ships free, as do all following orders over $100.
What can I expect from a Purple Carrot meal delivery box?
Each week, on your preselected delivery day, you will receive a refrigerated box containing the meal kits, prepared meals and Plantry items (if any) you chose for the week. There will also be a bound cookbook with beautifully illustrated photos and step-by-step instructions for the meals you’ll prepare that week. The bound cookbook was an especially welcome surprise.
As someone trying to move to a more plant-based diet, the cookbook includes all of the meal kit options from the week, not just the ones you selected. This not only gives you ideas for other plant-based meals, but also allows you to make the other meal options. All you have to do is buy the ingredients from the local market. I’ve kept every cookbook and have made other recipes from quite a few!
The meal kits are individually bundled in bags so all you have to do is pull the bag containing the meal out of the refrigerator, turn to the page in the cookbook containing the recipe instructions and get to work preparing the meal.
All the Purple Carrot meals I made and what I thought of them
I opted for three meals:
One prepared meal:
And three juices from the Plantry:
All ingredients were fresh and prepped so cooking was fun and easy, and everything was incredibly flavorful! I was truly impressed by how all the sauces were creamy and delicious, yet 100% plant-based!
Who Purple Carrot meal kits are good for
In my opinion, Purple Carrot meal kits are great for everyone! The flavors were wonderful; I think even omnivores would be pleasantly surprised by how tasty the meals are without animal-based proteins. Purple Carrot is especially good for those just embarking on their shift to a more plant-based diet due to the ability to try many different dishes and flavor profiles, while also getting used to cooking with only plant-based ingredients. The weekly cookbook is a genuine winner since it gives you a large selection of recipes to cook beyond the meals ordered.
Who Purple Carrot meal kits are not so good for
Purple Carrot may not be the best choice for carnivores or pescatarians who prefer an animal or fish protein with each meal. The meal plans will also not be a fit for vegetarians who still enjoy dairy products in their diet.
Purple Carrot packaging and environmental friendliness
Purple Carrot is an eco-friendly company that uses recyclable shipping and packing materials (depending on your community’s recycling abilities), paper and minimal plastics for meal kit bundles and ingredients. The company also encourages you to compost all plant waste and scraps (e.g., banana peels and carrot shavings).
How I evaluated Purple Carrot delivery and meals
When preparing for this review of Purple Carrot, I paid close attention to five key things:
Subscription price: Ease of use: Menu choices: Taste: Packaging: The final verdict on Purple Carrot
For those who are already vegan or embarking on a shift to a more plant-based diet, Purple Carrot is a fantastic option to get you started. I thoroughly enjoyed the meals and juices. I especially liked the cookbooks and how the meals left me full, satisfied and not feeling weighed down from heavy ingredients or animal products. I absolutely would continue to use Purple Carrot.
Frequently asked questions
Skipping a week is easy! When making your weekly selections, you just need to click the button that says “Skip this week” and you will not be charged.
Note: The skip deadline is always Tuesday the week prior to your next expected shipment by 11:59 p.m. EST.
You can view nutritional information for each meal kit on the Menus page. Click the photo or meal name and then click “Full Nutrition Label” on the right. You can also find nutritional information for each meal kit on the Upcoming Deliveries page by clicking the photo or meal name and then “View Full Nutrition Label” on the right.
All shipments are packed in insulated boxes with frozen gel packs to ensure the food arrives cold and fresh.