With about 6% of the US population now identifying as vegan/plant-based, family meals have been getting all the more complicated for the past few decades.
Who’s allergic to what? Who’s pescatarian/flexitarian/plant-based/vegetarian this time?
This is not to undermine dietary choices and restrictions, but I know for a fact that it can get overwhelming for people.
Veganism, with its positive health benefits and environmental benefits, is not going away any time soon.
Luckily, a few clever companies have identified that and are looking to help out struggling hosts who are unfamiliar with vegan cooking or vegan people just looking to streamline their holiday cooking.
Using a vegan Thanksgiving meal delivery service or exploring vegan meal options is a perfect solution, and in this review, you can find the best vegan options for your Thanksgiving feast!
1. Purple Carrot (Editor's Choice)
Best match for: People looking for recipes that incorporate innovative plant-based recipes into a traditional Thanksgiving feast.
Menu
Each meal contains four servings, so it is a perfect option if you have several vegans or people keen on trying plant-based recipes at the table.
Keep in mind that Purple Carrot delivers meal kits instead of ready-to-eat meals. So, you'll get perfectly portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes with detailed instructions, timing guidelines, tips, and tricks. All you have to do is follow the recipes, and your delicious Thanksgiving dinner will be ready in no time.
Cost
Each serving of Purple Carrot’s delicious meals is $11-$13, with shipping at $10 per box.
Ordering Tips
If this is your first time ordering with Purple Carrot, some great first-time subscription deals can make Thanksgiving just a little bit more budget-friendly!
Keep the pros and cons table for all.
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2. Veestro
Best match for: Vegans looking for a diverse holiday feast.
Menu
Veestro doesn’t have a set Thanksgiving dinner menu, but they do have a range of delicious meal options! Their a la carte selection includes over 45 different entrees, including Herb-Crusted Turk' y Dinner, Turk' y Scallopini Dinner, Holiday Shepherd's pie, and many other delicious options.
All meals arrive frozen and can easily be reheated in under 5 minutes. This doesn't affect the taste whatsoever, and you'll get an experience of a restaurant quality-dish.
Even though Veestro doesn't offer a special Thanksgiving box, their meals are still a fantastic option for this special holiday. You can order a box of 10, 20, or 30 meals and forget about spending the whole day cooking. You can store the extra plant-based dishes in the freezer and eat them at a later date.
A great thing about Veestro is that you can select meals suitable for different dietary restrictions and preferences, including gluten-free, kosher, nut-free, high-protein, low-calorie, and soy-free.
Just make sure to read the fine print and opt for a one-time order if you don't want to end up with a Veestro subscription plan.
Cost
Each Veestro meal costs around $14. Buying multiple meals and shipping can quickly hike up the prices, but you are paying for convenience! It’s a time vs. money toss-up.
Ordering Tips
Because Veestro doesn’t offer a specific Thanksgiving menu and all their meals are freezable, you can stock up on those holiday treats as early as you deem necessary!
Shipping is dependent on your area, but best to be prepared and start thinking about the menu as early as you can.PROS
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Best match for: People looking for delicious cheese and meat vegan alternatives.
The Herbivorous Butcher is a 100% vegan delivery service specializing in cruelty-free cheese and meat alternatives full of rich flavors. These plant-based meals are nutritious and delicious, and most importantly, good for your health and the environment.
Menu
Price
The Turkey-Free Feast costs $115.
Ordering Tips
The Herbivorous Butcher advises that you select November 13th as your shipping date because of UPS shipping delays.
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Best match for: Families looking to mix vegan and non-vegan meals.
Whole Foods Market’s classic Holiday Roast Turkey with traditional stuffing has been making people happy during the holiday season for a long time, along with their green beans with shallots, creamy mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, and Scarlett pie!
Menu
The company offers the captivating Vegan Spiced Squash Mushroom and Pumpkin Seed Loaf and the Sgaia Vegan Garlic and Rosemary Stuffed Roast, as well as delicious sides.
You can keep the cranberry sauce, green beans, and mashed potatoes from the classic menu and throw in a vegan holiday roast and mushroom gravy for the ultimate vegan Thanksgiving experience!
Prices
Vegan Spiced Squash Mushroom & Pumpkin Seed Loaf and the Sgaia Vegan Garlic - $12.99
Sgaia Vegan Garlic & Rosemary Stuffed Roast - $10.99
Whole Foods Market Cranberry Sauce - $5.49
Vegan Sides Package for 4 - $34.99
Ordering Tips
This is the perfect ordering option for a group with mixed requirements!
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5. Tofurky
Best match for: Anyone who wants a delicious and plant-based protein option.
Tofurky is a US-based company that is on a mission to provide brilliant plant-based alternatives to people.
In 1995, Tofurky debuted their first Holiday roast which proved to be a hit to many thankful Thanksgiving vegans.
Ever since then, they have been on a mission to prove that you don’t have to sacrifice good food to look after yourself and the planet.
Tofurkey does not do shipping themselves anymore, but there are online retailers that you can order through. They are also available in many stores around the country like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.
Menu
The Tofurkey Plant-based Holiday Feast is a tofu/seitan mix that has kept vegetarians and vegans happy for decades on Thanksgiving.
It comes with gravy, stuffing, and a rich brownie for dessert. There are also ham roast options, as well as tofurky slices for those missing the taste of those unbeatable leftover sandwiches!
Price
A single Tofurky roast meal runs at about $12, and the total cost comes to around $25 depending on your retailer.
Ordering Tips
Add lots of veggies! While it is a delicious option, Tofurky’s roast dinner is on the small side. As such, I recommend bulking it out with plenty of roast potatoes or some delicious honey roast carrots – get creative!
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6. Gardein
Best Match For: Vegans who want to enjoy meatless “meats” and meals.
Gardein was founded in 2003 and provides a line of meat-free foods that have proven popular with consumers over the years.
Menu
Gardein is a perfect option for you if you are looking to make an entirely vegan meal and base it around the turk’y roast.
While Gardein offers many plant-based meals, their turk’y roast is probably your go-to product for Thanksgiving!
It’s a mix of seitan-based roast stuff with brown and wild rice, cranberries, and kale.
They also offer lightly breaded turk-y cutlets, savory stuffed turk’y, as well as a wide range of beefless and porkless options.
Price
Gardein’s Savoury Stuffed Turk’y meal costs $13.99.
Ordering Tips
Like Tofurky, Gardein doesn’t offer direct ordering. However, there are plenty of retailers that offer it.
For example, it’s available at Walmart, Savemart, or Instacart, as well as some online retailers if you prefer delivery options!
There are plenty of extensive reviews and cooking guides surrounding Gardein. Be sure to check them out to see how they prepared their food and what they paired it with!
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7. Field Roast
Best Match For: Vegans who want a lot of options for meatless “meat” slices, as well as cheeses.
Field Roast is a Seattle-based Vegan meat company started in 1997. Field Roast are taste connoisseurs and have some brilliant options, with European charcuterie and Asian mein ching traditions influencing their work.
A lot of people leave meat eating behind without missing the flavors, and this is the product for them!
Field Roast isn’t trying to be anything other than what it is, which is a delicious plant-based meal. Field Roast is about exploring moreish plant-based flavor palettes, because contrary to popular belief, vegan food can taste amazing!
Menu
The Celebration Plant-based Roast is an absolute crowd-pleaser this Thanksgiving, with its decadent porcini mushroom gravy. There’s also a Sage & Garlic Celebration Roast and the Hazelnut & Cranberry!
Prices
Prices vary between retailers but are advertised on Instacart as $9.09, but Field Roast meals are available from a range of online retailers with their own pricing. So, be sure to shop around.
Ordering Tips
Remember to defrost it 24 hours before baking! You can order Field Roast through online retailers such as Amazon, Whole Foods, and Meijer.
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Why Are Vegan Meal Delivery Services an Excellent Option During Holidays?
Holidays are a truly special time of the year, and we can't imagine them without good food. However, planning, shopping, preparing, and cooking everything can be exhausting.
Cooking for one or multiple vegans means you have to work twice as hard as you want to provide some delicious plant-based meals at your table. And, it can be just too much for some of us.
Meal delivery services offer great convenience, and with shipping straight to your door, you won't even need to go to the grocery store. However, it is important to decide whether you want prepared meals that are easily reheated in a few minutes, or you want a meal kit that comes with pre-measured ingredients, but you still need to cook them.
Whatever option you choose, you'll save a great deal of time. And the best thing is that with most services, you can combine vegan and non-vegan meals for the ultimate holiday feast. That way, nobody will feel left out, and who knows, maybe your meat-loving uncle will finally try some of those delicious veggie dishes.
Additionally, those long lines at the grocery stores get even crazier during the holidays, and with the whole COVID-19 pandemic still raging on, you probably want to avoid them.
While most people can't imagine Thanksgiving without a turkey, you won't go wrong with those vegan meals as they are full of flavor. Food is so delicious you may change a few opinions about vegan dishes. There are even gluten-free, low-carb, and other options for different eating preferences.
Our Favorite Vegan Meal Delivery
After learning what customers have to say, and deep-diving into the research of best vegan services, we have to choose the Purple Carrot as our number one, with Veestro coming in a close second.
Purple Carrot's Thanksgiving offer is simply outstanding. From roasted Brussels sprouts, root vegetables, butternut squash to traditional cranberry sauce and gravy – everything is delicious. It is a perfect mix of classic Thanksgivings flavors and modern vegan recipes.
Keep in mind that their feast serves four people, and it can be an excellent additional option for all vegans at the table. Everything comes pre-measured with detailed cooking instructions, so preparing everything should be easy even for newbie cooks.
The only downside is that you need to be a Purple Carrot member to purchase this Thanksgiving offer, but you can easily cancel your subscription afterward. But, with how delicious everything is, you may wish to stick around and try some more of their tasty vegan dishes.