Hi friends!! Oh my gosh, hi! Let’s see if I remember how to write a blog post haha because it’s been awhile. COVID-10 affected me in so many ways, as I’m sure it has with others, and I’m so sad that talking with you guys took the biggest hit. Well I hope this puts me back into a good routine for connecting with you and giving you more blog content as we head into 2021.
One thing that has stayed constant throughout 2020 is my love for meal subscription boxes. I LOVE food but hate cooking so getting ingredients for my meals pre-portioned to my doorstep is amazing! It has helped me eat heathier vegan food, get leaner, and stay conscious of what I’m putting into my body.
Which subscription services are vegan and how do you choose the right one?
It took a lot of research to find which meal subscription even offers vegetarian and vegan options. The meal subscription services I found that catered to vegan/vegetarians: Freshly, Green Chef, and Purple Carrot. Out of the three, how do you choose the right one??
Well, long story short: I tried all three haha. I started with Green Chef and they have amazing meals for the same price point as Purple Carrot. Their vegan options are limited as well since they don’t just cater to vegan lifestyles, but I still enjoyed the flavor of the meals I chose each week. However, the meals were very calorie dense and not filling at times. It worked for awhile but as soon as things got busy and I stopped working out, I actually gained weight because it was just too much of a calorie intake for my body to burn it off. I also found myself not getting full with one serving so I actually ate both servings to feel satisfied and overate wayyyyy too many calories at times. It just wasn’t sustainable and I didn’t get the results I wanted.
When that didn’t work out, I tried Freshly who also offered vegan-friendly meals. Each meal was about 400 calories and I only had to pop them in the microwave or oven! Each meal was full of whole foods, and they were pre-cooked so each meal was ready in 3 minutes. When life started getting busier, it definitely came in handy. However, each meal was just not a lot of food. I had to have two meals to feel satisfied and that caused it to not be as economically friendly. The price point was not worth the amount of food I was receiving.
So, I ultimately tried Purple Carrot who is completely vegan/plant-based! It’s exactly like Green Chef and has absolutely delicious meals that have a healthier number of calories while keeping me satisfied. Keep reading for my full review on Purple Carrot and why I will never go back to another vegan meal subscription service.
Why choose a meal subscription service?
First, I want to point out some key reasons why I have loved getting my meal subscription box. I personally hate looking up recipes, figuring out ingredients and going to the store to get them. I know that sounds weird but I’m just not a fan of going grocery shopping, especially since the ingredients go bad ALL the time because I’m horrible at using them in time. It’s just a very difficult process for me and I’m not a great cook either. So it’s been a game changer to have everything pre-portioned and the meals chosen for me. It takes out a lot of the prep work and then I can just take my meal kit and cook the food in 30 minutes or less.
Because I am a bad cook, I would usually resort to easy, quick meals. This usually consisted of processed vegan meat/dairy alternatives (aka vegan junk food), pasta, and bread. I wasn’t getting my 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, that’s for sure. Subscribing to a meal delivery service has helped me eat cleaner and get my daily nutrients.
The meals are delicious!! I have been blown away by the flavor and variety of each meal I receive. It definitely beats the same three meals I had on rotation prior to getting a meal subscription service. Because of the variety of meals, it has also educated me A LOT on what types of food go together and how to cook different things. It’s been a fun learning experience and I’ve picked up on useful cooking skills!
review of purple carrot
After trying a few vegan meal subscription services, Purple Carrot by far is the best I have tried. They check off all the boxes of balanced nutrition, whole foods, and they have the most impressive variety of meal options.
Meal Options
Purple Carrot has a large variety of meals to choose from since everything they offer is vegan-friendly. This allows them to offer special options such as high-protein, gluten-free and calorie conscious and it’s all plant-based. Because I don’t burn a lot of calories during the day, I really appreciate the lower calorie options. Usually the meals I choose are around 500-600 calories/ meal and that’s perfect for my lifestyle. Each meal varies from 400-800 calories so you can really get what you need based on your lifestyle.
Taste/Nutrition
The meals are incredible! I’ve had Purple Carrot for two months now and each meal continues to amaze me. Each meal is made with whole foods and that’s really important to stay healthy as a vegan. Processed vegan foods are delicious, but they can be really unhealthy. I especially appreciate that Purple Carrot allows me to get the necessary amount of protein through natural foods. Previously, I relied on processed vegan burgers and frozen foods. I do still enjoy them on occasion, but I don’t have to rely on them to get my protein anymore!
In addition to getting protein, they are all nicely balanced meals that allow me to get my daily fruit and vegetable intake. I was definitely not on track before getting the meal subscription service! Overall, I’ve felt much better about my eating habits and my overall health since I’ve had Purple Carrot. A bonus is that because the meals are satisfying, I have also been craving less and cutting back on snacking!
Price Point
The price is about $70 for three meals that are two servings each. That equals about $11.66 per meal. If you order more than three meals, the cost per meal decreases as well. Regardless of what plan you get, it’s definitely a fair price. With how convenient the meal subscription service is and the quality of meals you receive, it’s definitely worth it. It requires no grocery store shopping, no prep, and the meals are easy to cook. And $11.66/meal is much cheaper than going to a restaurant or ordering take-out!
Conclusion
I definitely recommend Purple Carrot and the meal subscription delivery service world. Overall, I think it’s an easy and affordable option to eat healthy vegan food with little to no work at all. The convenience in itself is worth the price, especially during COVID. I have noticed how much healthier I look and feel, I have more balanced meals, I feel satisfied longer, and I stopped snacking. If you have been on the fence, definitely give it a shot! You can always skip a month or two, or cancel anytime if you don’t like it.
Is it environmentally-friendly?
As I have been sharing my Purple Carrot experience on Instagram stories, a lot of you have commented on the amount of plastic in the packaging. What’s great about Purple Carrot is that each meal comes in ONE plastic bag and it is completely recyclable. If you compare the plastic/paper bags you get at the grocery store to carry your food and the packaging the food comes in at the store, it really does even itself out. Plus, all of the packaging Purple Carrot uses is fully recyclable so you can continue to be environmentally conscious. Trust me, if it was bad for the environment, I would not be supporting this service.
What are your thoughts on meal subscription services? Let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried it! I will also be giving away TWO FREE BOXES of Purple Carrot over on Instagram stories so head over there to enter!
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XO, Stephanie
I’ve always wanted to try Purple Carrot! And thank you for mentioning the packaging, since that’s something I would watch out for if purchasing something like this. Great review!