As a vegetarian of 21 years who typically eats and cooks vegan recipes, it may be troublesome to seek out eating places that cater to my dietary restrictions. So when it got here to meal kits, particularly as a skeptic, I simply assumed these have been off the desk. However after I began testing vegan meal supply providers for CNET, I used to be pleasantly shocked to seek out that the majority have a number of vegan dishes.
Purple Carrot, as an illustration, solely sells vegan meal kits, ready-to-eat dishes and grocery gadgets. During the last 12 months, I’ve tried the service twice, and whereas I assumed the meal kits have been good, they weren’t my favourite. As a substitute, I used to be pleasantly shocked by one other service: USDA-certified natural Inexperienced Chef, which provides loads of plant-based meal kits and add-ons.
Whereas Inexperienced Chef isn’t 100% vegan like Purple Carrot, its weekly vegan kits did blow me away. This is the reason.
Inexperienced Chef’s considerate vegan flavors
Selecting Inexperienced Chef over Purple Carrot as my favourite vegan meal equipment service got here all the way down to style and the thoughtfulness of recipes. Over the twenty years I’ve been getting ready and chowing down on vegan meals, I’ve observed that some recipes are inclined to equate “vegan” with “flavorless,” both overcompensating on spice or salt or undercompensating by merely throwing tofu in a dish with barely any preparation.
I discovered that Inexperienced Chef’s meals included a stunning mix of veggies, greens, grains, seeds and beans whereas nonetheless making certain that every layer of its dishes was full of the correct quantity of taste. Despite the fact that Inexperienced Chef doesn’t solely give attention to vegan recipes, each I attempted didn’t really feel like an afterthought.
Roasted squash and bell pepper sandwiches, creamy tomato pasta with roasted veggies and black bean burritos and spiced cauliflower are the three Inexperienced Chef meals I attempted, and I might gladly make all of them once more.
Inexperienced Chef’s creamy tomato pasta with roasted veggies, which was full of taste.
A protein predicament
From Purple Carrot, I’ve tried eight totally different meals and a few I appreciated higher than others, however general, it felt just like the model was struggling to seek out the suitable stability of flavors — particularly when it got here to how its vegan proteins have been ready. For instance, two of the proteins I attempted, crispy lemon chick’n and adobo-roasted tofu, lacked tasty, well-rounded flavors, and I wasn’t in a position to end consuming them.
Most lately, I attempted Head Peloton Teacher Robin Arzón’s “Eat To Hustle” high-protein meal collaboration with Purple Carrot. I appreciated these meals higher than others I’d tried from the model, however nonetheless, Inexperienced Chef’s recipes win within the taste class.
If it’s vital to you, Inexperienced Chef’s meals are additionally USDA-certified natural, whereas just some Purple Carrot substances are natural or non-GMO.
Purple Carrot’s Puerto Rican rice and beans wasn’t my favourite, particularly because the tofu was merely reduce in half and rubbed with the spice combination.
The value comparability evens out
Purple Carrot and Inexperienced Chef meal kits are about even in value, and each are subscription providers. Inexperienced Chef expenses a flat $14 a serving, whereas Purple Carrot’s meal kits are $13 to $14 a serving. The latter’s ready-to-eat dishes vary from $13 to $18, whereas grocery gadgets are $3 to $40.
Purple Carrot’s transport is $12, however orders over $100 ship free. A $15 transport surcharge could apply to pick ZIP codes. As for Inexperienced Chef, transport is a flat $10.
Some Purple Carrot meal kits could also be $1 cheaper per serving than Inexperienced Chef’s, however the latter’s transport for orders underneath $100 is $2 much less.
The substances for Inexperienced Chef’s roasted squash and bell pepper sandwiches, which have been fresh-tasting and scrumptious.
The place Purple Carrot wins: selection
Inexperienced Chef provides at the least 5 vegan meal kits per week, whereas Purple Carrot gives over 50 choices, together with meal kits and ready-to-eat meals, every week. The week of writing, there have been 33 meal kits.
Each providers embrace breakfast, lunch and dinner choices. Whereas Purple Carrot has ready-to-eat meals and grocery gadgets, reminiscent of oatmeal, cheese, snacks and vegan proteins, Inexperienced Chef has its Inexperienced Market as “add-ons” on its menu, together with facet dishes, juices, egg bites and ready-to-cook non-vegan proteins.
If you would like greater than 5 vegan meal kits every week, Purple Carrot can be a more sensible choice.
Different dietary restrictions supplied
Together with vegan meals, Inexperienced Chef gives recipes for the next dietary restrictions and preferences: vegetarian, Mediterranean, gluten-free, calorie good, excessive protein, excessive fiber, low added sugar, keto, dairy-free, sodium good and carb good. There are additionally kits with substances that help intestine or mind well being.
Along with being 100% vegan, Purple Carrot helps gluten-free, high-protein, high-fiber and under-600-calorie meals.
Between the 2, Inexperienced Chef has extra preferences that you should utilize to kind by means of its menu. It might even be nice for flexitarians who wish to eat extra plant-based meals however do not wish to go all the way in which.
Purple Carrot’s substances for its miso leek pasta, which I loved greater than different meal kits from the model.
My ultimate ideas
After testing a wide range of vegan meal equipment providers for the previous few years, I’ve come to the conclusion that, so long as value isn’t a problem, the deciding issue between firms is style. On this respect, and since they’re about the identical price, my favourite vegan meal kits are Inexperienced Chef’s, regardless of Purple Carrot’s notoriety within the class.
Finally, for those who’re vegan and wish to give meal kits a strive, or for those who eat meat however wish to eat much less of it, my private advice for meal kits is Inexperienced Chef. However for those who’re going for extra selection and choices every week, then try Purple Carrot.
