Subscribing to a meal kit delivery service is an attractive method for figuring out your weekly dinners.
Meal kits make home cooking highly convenient, offer cost-saving potential, provide exposure to a range of different foods and global cuisines, encourage healthy eating and portion control, and reduce food waste.
As consumers have recognized the aforementioned benefits, the popularity of meal kit services has increased – and with that, dozens of new companies have launched their services!
With the ever-growing array of meal kit companies to choose from, you may find it challenging to make a decision.
This article comprehensively compares two of the best and most popular meal kit companies: Sun Basket and Purple Carrot.
We’ll see how they face off in terms of diversity of meal options, nutritional value and quality of ingredients, pricing and plans, and ease of use.
Let’s dive in!
Overview of Sun Basket and Purple Carrot
Sun Basket
Sun Basket offers “delicious meals made with farm-fresh, organic ingredients, delivered to your door and ready in minutes”.
Sun Basket founder Adam Zbar had always been athletic, but also experienced trouble losing weight.
When he turned 40, his vitals began to suffer.
Doctors told him to change his eating habits or suffer the consequences. Zbar then altered his diet drastically. He explained to Forbes, “The challenge was that it was healthy, but it wasn’t easy – and it wasn’t delicious”.
As a serial entrepreneur, Zbar saw an opportunity: he wanted to make eating better food easier, and he envisioned health-focused eating plans that would include organic and sustainably farmed ingredients.
In 2014, Zbar launched Sun Basket – the name inspired by the sun that greets him on morning mountain runs representing vitality, energy, and life.
Sun Basket’s point of difference is its focus on health and sustainability. Their mission is to “empower people to live their healthiest lives, starting with what’s on their forks”.
Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot provides “outrageously tasty, super satisfying plant-based meals”. Its meal options are 100% vegan.
Purple Carrot founder Andrew Levitt was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2012.
He was prescribed endless medications to improve his condition, but it wasn’t until he switched to a plant-based diet that he noticed drastic changes and finally felt better.
Two years after his diagnosis, Levitt founded Purple Carrot to help others facing similar challenges.
Purple Carrot’s point of difference is their niche specialization in vegan meal plans.
Their mission since day one has been to shift people’s mindsets around vegan food and allow customers to experience the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Both meal kit delivery services prioritize sustainability through their business models.
Meal kits reduce food waste by delivering the exact amount of each ingredient needed, so all produce is used and nothing is wasted.
Further, shopping in grocery stores generates 33% more carbon emissions than meal delivery.
Both companies use mostly recyclable and compostable packaging and are both working to get to 100%.
Diversity of Meal Options
Sun Basket offers a variety of delicious meal kits and pre-prepared meals to suit all diets; paleo, gluten-free, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, carb-conscious, Mediterranean, diabetes-friendly, and lean and clean.
Sun Basket recipes are carefully crafted by chefs and offer diverse and exciting flavors from numerous global cuisines.
With options like Chorizo Chili, Quinoa and Tofu Bowls, North Indian Aloo Gobi, and Sazon-spiced Shrimp in Coconut Sauce, your tastebuds will never be bored!
Purple Carrot offers weekly meal kit boxes as well as pre-prepared meals.
All meals are 100% vegan and prioritize protein as well as whole food ingredients (you won’t find any fake chicken here!).
Purple Carrot provides options for additional dietary requirements, such as nut-free, gluten-free, and high-protein options.
Even if you don’t follow a vegan diet, Purple Carrot’s delicious options like Gnocchi Al Pesto, Indian Butter Chickpea Tacos, Coconut Tofu, and Kimchi Udon are sure to please. They might even convert you!
Both Sun Basket and Purple Carrot provide an ever-changing menu with meal options to suit all taste buds that reflect in-season produce.
Nutritional Value and Quality of Ingredients
Sun Basket promises a minimum of 98% USDA-certified organic fresh produce in meal kits.
Sun Basket sources antibiotic, hormone-free, and responsibly-raised meats, as well as wild-caught seafood and fresh produce from family farms around the USA.
Each meal is dietician-approved, containing 400-800 calories per serving. The meals emphasize nutrient-dense produce, whole grains, quality protein, and healthy fats, with minimal sugar and processed ingredients.
Purple Carrot focuses on plant-based, whole food ingredients, and works with a variety of farmers and vendors across the USA.
Most items are organic, but due to sourcing and shopping constraints, they cannot provide all organic produce.
The meals are highly nutritious, providing complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plant proteins. Each meal contains 500-800 calories per serving.
Pricing and Plans
Sun Basket’s weekly meal kit deliveries provide 2-5 meals per week, with 2 or 4 services for each.
The meal kits start at $11.49 per serving, and their ready-to-eat meals start at $9.99 per serving. Shipping is $8.
With Purple Carrot’s weekly meal kit deliveries, you can choose between 2 or 4 meals per week with 2 or 4 servings for each.
The meal kits start at $11.00 per serving, and their ready-to-eat meals start at $10.50 per serving.
For both companies, pricing varies depending on the number of servings and meals ordered per week.
While the price difference is marginal, Purple Carrot tends to be slightly more affordable than Sun Basket.
Both companies offer subscription-based models with high flexibility. Both offer the option to skip a delivery (which is handy if you’re out of town or on vacation), and you can cancel your subscription at any time.
Ease of Use and Customer Experience
Reviewers have noted that Purple Carrot’s process is incredibly straightforward. The website is easy to navigate; it’s simple to set up a subscription, choose the meals you want, and have them show up on your doorstep each week ready to be put together!
Reviewers also praise the creativity of meals. The recipes combine plant-based ingredients with unique flavor combinations and cooking techniques – you certainly won’t be missing meat.
Reviewers appreciate Sun Basket’s impressive variety. Within our comparison, Sun Basket is definitely the winner in terms of which company offers the most selection.
However, some reviewers note that some recipes take upwards of 30 minutes to put together.
Additionally, some customers note that the recipe booklet provided with each delivery is less user-friendly than the large recipe cards that other services provide.
Sun Basket customers can schedule their delivery any day from Sunday to Thursday, whereas Purple Carrot customers will receive their delivery on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday depending on their shipping location.
Therefore, Purple Carrot provides less flexibility in the choice of delivery days.
Pros and Cons of Each Service
Sun Basket Pros
- Wide variety of meal plans and recipes
- Prioritizes sustainability
- 98% organic ingredients
- Minimal time and effort required
- Mostly environmentally-friendly packaging
- Exciting add-on options
- Can choose specific delivery days
- Offers both meal kits and prepared meals.
Sun Basket Cons
- Expensive
- Some elements of packaging are plastic
- Does not cater to more specific dietary restrictions
- Certain meals can be time-consuming.
Purple Carrot Pros
- 100% vegan
- Assortment of plant-based snacks and add-ons
- Creative and delicious options
- Offers both meal kits and prepared meals.
Purple Carrot Cons
- Meals can be relatively high in calories and carbs
- Uses a combination of organic and non-organic ingredients
- Cannot choose specific delivery days.
Choosing the Right Service for Your Needs
Ultimately, it is down to your individual needs, preferences, and values to decide which service to go with.
You may wish to trial each company by ordering a week’s worth of meals from each!
This will give you an idea of the ordering and delivery process, ease of preparation, and meal experience.
Sun Basket is ideal for people looking for a wide variety of meal plans, as well as those who value and prioritize organic, sustainably-sourced ingredients.
Purple Carrot is a great option for individuals who follow a vegan diet or are interested in incorporating more plant-based meals into their diet that are nutritious, satisfying, creative, and delicious.
Conclusion
Sun Basket and Purple Carrot are meal delivery services that are both at the top of their game.
They each offer a plethora of different plans and recipes, prioritize sustainability in business, offer nutritious yet delicious meals, and make home cooking highly convenient.
The key difference is that Purple Carrot is 100% plant-based, whereas Sun Basket caters to a wider variety of eaters.
Both options are sure to make dinner time a more pleasant, convenient, and delicious experience!