Updated on Dec. 04, 2024
We tested more than 15 services to find the best plant-based meal delivery options—whether you're an exclusive vegan eater or trying it for the first time. Read on for our top picks.
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In 2024, we’re no strangers to meal delivery services. The appeal is simple: ingredients shipped straight to your door without having to wonder what’s for dinner tonight. Say no more. Since growing in popularity, meal delivery for specialized diets has also cropped up—hello, gluten-free plans and diabetic meal delivery.Â
Another specialized option gaining popularity is plant-based meal delivery. While plant-powered meals have become popular among vegan or vegetarian eaters, anyone can benefit from this style of eating. Plus, it’s better for the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and requiring less water.
So, what exactly is a plant-based diet? “A plant-based diet typically focuses on whole, plant foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds—with minimal processing,” says Senior Shopping Editor and registered dietitian, Nancy Snyder. “This diet differs from ‘vegan’ in that a person following a plant-based diet may still consume minimal amounts of meat, eggs or dairy, while a vegan diet eliminates all animal products.”
With an overwhelming amount of options for where to order groceries online, it’s difficult to know which plant-based options are best for your lifestyle. We tested more than 15 services to determine the best plant-based meal delivery options based on ordering experience, overall quality, meal variety and price. Read on for our top picks.
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Topping our list of best plant-based meal delivery services, Purple Carrot is 100% vegan and plant-based. It stands out for ease of ordering, strong meal variety and fresh ingredients. While some services specialize in one category, like “prep and cook it yourself” kits or heat-and-eat-style meals, Purple Carrot offers it all. Looking to channel your inner chef? Go for the meal kit option. What about those nights when you’re craving something easy yet packed with flavor? Purple Carrot’s prepared meals and frozen meals are ideal.
Add as many meals as you’d like to your weekly order. The lowest possible weekly cost comes in at about $50. Bonus: The “plantry” section makes it a breeze to stock up on vegan pantry goods.
I first tested this service in October 2022 when I was trying plant-based eating for the first time. I remember feeling overwhelmed by all the ingredients I had to cut out of my diet to maintain a plant-based plate. Purple Carrot blew me away with the flavors and ease of cooking. Who knew all it took was a juicy portobello burger meal kit to convert me to this eating style? In all seriousness, Purple Carrot is the service that gave me the confidence to maintain a plant-based diet that tastes amazing and makes my body feel good, too.
But I’m not the only one who loves Purple Carrot—our expert Product Testing Team also tried this plant-based service. Editorial Coordinator and tester Sydney Manning notes that despite not being vegan herself, she found the menu creative and robust, with many different options each week. Purple Carrot’s weekly menu also maintains some core staples, so regular subscribers can have a good “go-to” meal to count on. Sydney’s favorite meal? Elote Tacos.
“I love corn, so this was a favorite for me,” she says. “Overall, it was very easy to make. There wasn’t much to it besides the simple prep, which involved cutting radishes and cilantro, making the sauce, microwaving the rice, charring the canned corn and then just putting together the tacos.”
The biggest issue we encountered with Purple Carrot was price transparency. The total charge in our confirmation emails didn’t always match the charges made to our card. While these discrepancies were minor (under $10), we still think it’s worth noting. That said, it’s also not enough to stop us from loving this service. As with any subscription service, always keep an eye on bank statements to catch any discrepancies.Â
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Marley Spoon won us over as the best meal delivery service we tested overall, and it’s easy to see why. Between a strong recipe variety, flexible scheduled delivery dates and a focus on flavorful, filling food, it really is a lifesaver for those who are short on time. Each meal comes with two to four servings, and customers can pick between two and six meals per delivery. Prices range from $63.95 for two two-serving meals to $275.75 for six four-serving meals.
Despite not being a fully plant-based meal delivery service, filters make it easy to see which meals are vegan and vegetarian. You can customize some recipes, such as choosing between quinoa or rice or swapping out proteins. Each listing also details the calories, fat, proteins, carbs, allergens and ingredient information for each meal. That said, this service does not provide information on sodium or sugar, so it may not be the best choice for people with specific dietary needs.
Many ethnic choices and a wide variety of add-ons—including desserts, fresh produce, breakfast items and snacks—make it easy to replace your regular grocery trips with this service. Each week’s menu is different, and the options are so varied that choosing can be a bit overwhelming. Prior to delivery, Marley Spoon sends an email with a list of items you’ll need for your week of meals (things like salt, pepper, oil and vinegar).
Product Tester Sheri Kaz liked that the total cost for her first week was only $121.89 with shipping. “At $12 a meal, it saved me a lot of time in meal planning and shopping,” she says. “As a single ‘cat’ lady, I loved that there was no food waste and plenty of food for leftovers. Plus, people who are far superior chefs than I provide great recipes and guidance.”
“I absolutely loved the Butternut Squash Ravioli Florentine,” continues Sheri. “Who would have guessed that pesto on top of butternut squash ravioli would be so wonderful? The sweet squash and the tang of the pesto were delightful together. The wilted spinach gave it another texture while adding a nutritious element.”
That said, she’d prefer if each meal were packaged in its own bag within the box. As it stands, she had difficulty parsing out which ingredients belonged to which recipe. However, she enjoyed that she could store each ingredient properly—each delivery comes with a “how to store your produce” guide.
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HelloFresh is perhaps the most well-known meal delivery service on this list. Although it is not a plant-based meal delivery service by design, it offers dozens of plant-based options for non-meat eaters. Each week’s menu offers more than 60 entrees, along with additional items available as add-ons once you build a cart. Meals come with anywhere from two to six servings, and customers can choose up to six meals per week. Prices start at $56 for two meals and go up to $370 for six.
Subscribers can also use the HelloFresh Market to round out their meals for the week. Choose from apps and sides, desserts, breakfast and brunches, lunch, snacks and drinks, pizza and pasta, proteins and even healthy dog food for your furry BFF. While this service may not have the most vegan meals out of the services we tested, there are plenty of options for vegetarians, pescatarians and those with dietary restrictions.
When ordering, you can quickly view each recipe, which includes the total time, prep time, calories and difficulty level. It also comes with a meal description, any allergens, ingredient quantities and pictures of the meals. We especially love that there’s a section for each recipe that highlights “not included in your delivery,” such as oil and seasonings. It also outlines the utensils you’ll need and the nutrients per serving.
“Apple Crisp, as we called it in our house, has always been a fave of mine. HelloFresh calls this lovely dessert a Breakfast Bake—less guilt this way. Of course, this is the first one I tried in the box,” says Sheri. “I was a little concerned that this recipe would be way too sweet for me, so I omitted a tablespoon of sugar. Perfect! But what made this recipe stand out was the lemon zest added to the yogurt. WOW—delish. Per the recipe, I also included the creme fraiche and honey. Who knew?! Everything blended together so nicely and it was a warm treat on a rainy autumn day.”
HelloFresh offers free shipping and a deep discount for first-time subscribers. With the first delivery, Sheri received a substantial discount and paid only $45 rather than the $115 quoted. Plus, the company offers a free-for-life promo that lets customers choose a free item that comes with all future deliveries. Sheri chose Avocado and Pineapple Salsa Breakfast Toast. Notably, HelloFresh also has a robust referral program that offers savings for you and a friend, should they mention you at signup.
Read our HelloFresh review for more information on the subscription. Not sure whether to try HelloFresh or a different service? Read our Home Chef vs. HelloFresh and Blue Apron vs. HelloFresh comparisons!
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Don’t sacrifice flavor and excitement to stick with your plant-based goals. Crafted by the award-winning chefs you watch on TV, CookUnity is a chef-to-you delivery service offering ready-to-eat meals packed with exceptional flavor—just heat and eat. It’s like eating out at a gourmet restaurant every night, minus the expensive bill. This service isn’t exclusively plant-based, but our testing experience left us more than satisfied with the array of yummy options for vegetarian, vegan and plant-powered dishes.
I tested a handful of vegan and vegetarian meals from CookUnity. These include standout picks like Wild Mushroom Bibimbap, a Mission-Style Veggie Burrito and Peanut Soba Noodles with Tofu. While some ready-to-eat meals take upwards of 20 minutes to heat, I was impressed with CookUnity’s sharp 7-10 minute oven heat time. Simply remove the packaging, plop the container on a baking sheet and wait for your restaurant-quality meal to finish. It’s that easy—and oh so tasty!
Each meal is a single serving, and subscribers can choose 6, 8, 12 or 16 meals per week. Prices range from $73.74 for six meals to $177.44 for 16 meals (excluding all deals/discounts). The meals themselves aren’t totally health-focused, and some folks may be unable to subscribe since they are not quite available nationwide. However, the fair pricing and wide variety still make it one of our favorite plant-based meal delivery services for those who can enjoy it!
Our expert Product Testing Team also tried CookUnity and found it a breeze to customize their selections based on goals. Myriad menu tabs make what you’re getting with the categorized meals super clear. Vegetarian, vegan, less than 600 calories, low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, low sodium, keto, paleo, high protein and low fat are all categories available to the consumer. As you’re scrolling the menu, the star ratings of each meal are displayed, as well as the spiciness indicator and calorie count. All in all, the menu offers over 200 different dishes.
According to Product Testing Manager, Annamarie Higley, the tracking experience was among the best of all the services we tested. “I was able to access minute-by-minute updates on my order and was given details regarding how many stops the delivery person had to make before mine,” she says. “Once my delivery was next up, I could track what street the delivery person was on, as you would with an Uber or Lyft driver. I also was able to call or message the person if needed. Woah.”
Annamarie was also impressed with the dishes themselves. “The concept behind CookUnity, a chef-to-customer meal service, is so cool,” she notes. “I loved feeling like I was supporting local culinary talent, and I had no doubt that my meals would be delicious based on the professionals preparing them. It did not disappoint! The entrees, especially the Caramelized Mushroom Quesadilla, were restaurant quality.”
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Green Chef is our favorite service for finding certified organic ingredients that turn into chef-quality, flavorful entrees. This flexible meal delivery service offers more than 80 meal options per week, along with additional add-ons and chef-inspired options. Meals come with two, four or six servings each, and each box boasts up to four weekly meals, depending on preference. You can also add more meals to your cart for as little as $13.09 per serving. Costs range from $72 to $288 (not including shipping). The site boasts a nice FAQ section and the choice of meals is easy to navigate. It also lists all of the nutritional information, along with prep instructions and required tools.
The site is very user-friendly, especially for those who don’t know where to start when choosing their own meals. When ordering, the site offers add-ons that complement an entree, whether it’s Green Bean Amandine for $3.99 or Keto-Friendly Snickerdoodle Cookies for $4.99. Meals change weekly and include ample categories for many different diets, including gluten-free, keto, low added sugar, dairy-free, sodium smart, calorie smart, veggie, vegan, gut and brain health and paleo.
While we were impressed with the well-insulated packaging upon UPS delivery, we ran into a few small issues during prep. Sheri notes that the included recipe cards list the “cook time,” which isn’t exactly accurate. In some cases, she found the total time to prep and cook to take much longer. Additionally, she notes that this isn’t the most family-friendly meal service and may not be a good option for picky eaters. That said, she liked the recipes and found the instructions easy to follow, even for “kitchen-challenged” individuals.
“I would eat this sandwich for lunch or dinner any day of the week,” says Sheri of the Deli-Style Chickpea Salad Sandwiches she made. “As a single person, I was able to make three meals out of it, with the third using crackers instead of bread. Just wash and chop the veggies, mash up the chickpeas with the other ingredients and voila—done!”
Each meal’s ingredients come packaged in a paper bag to keep them separate from the other meals. This simplifies storage and ensures that all ingredients are accounted for when it’s time to cook. Additionally, the plastic bags that hold the items are recyclable, as are the ice packs. That makes this a great option for planet-conscious customers!
“Green Chef is my favorite of the services I tested because I like clean, healthy foods. This test has converted me! I plan on continuing to order from Green Chef,” Sheri says. “As a single person who doesn’t like to cook every day, I plan to find dishes that will be good as leftovers.”
Read more about the service in our full Green Chef review.
We originally wrote and published this piece in 2022. Since then, we’ve tested each service again (along with a few newcomers) to ensure our analysis remains current. Our current tests led to a few slight changes in rankings. In our latest updates, we changed CookUnity from “Best for Foodies” to “Best Prepared.” We also added a few newcomers to our list upon testing a few newer services (and re-testing options we’ve tried in the past). Changes include adding Green Chef as “Best Organic,” Marley Spoon as “Best for Families,” and HelloFresh as “Best for Flexitarians.”
Before you dive into plant-based meal delivery, keep the following in mind. While popular services may advertise plant-based recipes, our testing shows that exclusively plant-based or vegan services offer better meal variety. After filtering for the things we didn’t want (most animal products), we were sometimes left with three to four options for the entire week. That meant you wouldn’t get a fair choice to pick and choose the plant-based meals you desire. We found that the services with 100% plant-based or vegan options offered the best meal variety and ordering experience.
Additionally, Nancy recommends researching each service’s menu to ensure they’re offering minimally processed, whole-plant meals. “While you can find a certified plant-based macaroni and cheese at the grocery store (which is great if you’re in the mood for a vegan alternative to this tasty comfort food), this would not fit most people’s idea of a whole plant-based meal, nor would it be an efficient way for packing in more nutritious fruits and vegetables,” says Nancy. “If you have underlying conditions or health concerns, be sure to consult with your doctor before ordering. For example, someone who has high blood pressure or is at risk for cardiovascular disease would want to look for a low-sodium, plant-based meal service.”
We also spoke to Debbie Petitpain, MBA, RDN and Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, who recommends ensuring that the service provides clear nutritional information for each meal. “Look for meals with adequate sources of vitamin B12 and iron, or consider supplementation if needed,” she notes.
Since 2017, I’ve written and edited content for various print and digital outlets including Better Homes & Gardens, Reader’s Digest, Family Handyman, The Everygirl and Stylecaster. As Product Reviews Editor, I exclusively test and research meal kit services, cleaning products, organizing gear, and “internet made me buy it” home finds to help readers level up their lives.
This list is based on our success while sampling each of these meal delivery services. We tested over a dozen options, well beyond the favorites you see here. Most of the healthy or diet-based winners are based on feedback provided by nutritionist Nancy Snyder, who attempted to verify the legitimacy of recipe labels. We also continually updated this piece over a two-year period and will continue to do so in the future. These updates include additional testing of winners and any new services we try.
We’re firm believers that putting plants at the center of your plate shouldn’t be boring—and neither should your options with meal delivery. We relied on firsthand testing to determine the best plant-based and vegan meal delivery services. After testing over 15 services, we selected top picks based on ease of ordering, ingredients, price and overall quality and experience. We closely evaluated prep time, cook time, ingredient freshness and special tools required to master your meal.
In our latest tests, we tried 13 services and prepared between four and six recipes from each. That’s roughly 115 servings of meals that we plated! Additionally, we collected more than 2,000 data points and spent a collective  225 hours on this test, including researching, ordering, cooking, cleaning and note-taking.
Yes. While the service is not centered around plant-based meals, it does have a selection of plant-based and vegetarian recipes. However, the service does not differentiate between plant-based and vegetarian, so you’ll have to pay close attention to the ingredients in your meals should you wish to avoid all animal products, including dairy and eggs. If you’re looking for fully vegan meals, you may want to choose one of the other services in our guide.
The cost per serving for vegan meals ranges from about $9 to $15, depending on the service and the recipes you choose.
A plant-based diet can be cheaper than one including meat and dairy—this estimate says you can save around $23 a week on average—but there may not be a noticeable difference overall when shopping for meal delivery services. This is partly because the delivery services have additional fees—like the delivery itself and other operational costs. That said, if you’re cooking meals yourself, a whole-foods, plant-based diet can save you quite a bit of money regularly, as meats, cheeses, eggs, etc. all come at premium costs.
