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As a health and vegan editor for 20 years, I spent several months this year testing 10 plant-based meal kits and prepared meal companies for CNET’s list of plant-based meals. Best vegetarian meal delivery services. Although I enjoyed several of them, one stood out in terms of taste, price, and specific dietary restrictions. I’m talking about him Blue apronwhich is CNET Best all-in-one meal kit For some reason.
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Blue Apron has the most thoughtful vegan recipes.
This year I’ve been trying out four Blue Apron vegan meal kits, namely As low as $7 per serving. They were all delicious: the roasted cauliflower and farro salad, the white bean and veggie bowls, the loaded veggie burrito, and the Thai-style curry noodles. I even saved the recipe cards and recreated the farro salad and grain bowls myself.
I later tried the pimento cheeseburger with black bean patties, fried peanut udon, roasted red pepper pasta, spicy mushroom, and onion quesadilla. Again, absolutely delicious. There are no notes on taste. However, the pimento cheeseburger meal kit was missing one important ingredient, pickled peppadew peppers, but I had a substitute on hand.
Pimento cheeseburger with black bean patty. I added tomatoes and arugula to the burger, and cauliflower on the side for extra veggies.
I can say that whoever created these recipes did not skimp on flavor or rely on old recipes like tofu or additional seasonings. I also felt that these dishes offered a good variety of fresh vegetables, greens, grains, and different protein options, with the ability to adjust sodium and seasoning levels to your liking.
As someone who regularly cooks at home to avoid spending extra on dining out or eating out, I was really inspired by these meal kits, especially by the sauces that brought the recipes together.
Fried peanut udon topped with fried egg.
The cost is on the more affordable side.
You might think that with more flavor and creative recipes, you’ll have to pay a higher price. However, Blue Apron is one of the most affordable meal kits we tested, earning a spot on our list Cheapest meal delivery services We love. So if you are one of 61% of adults in the United States Who are concerned about the cost of meal kits, Blue Apron can be a good option — especially if you’re looking to waste less food or save money when going out to eat.
Blue Apron eliminated subscriptions and added new meal options.
Since I first experienced Blue Apron, the brand has also completely revamped its model, Cancel their subscriptions In favor of a la carte meals. (Don’t worry, if you like the subscription, you can still opt in and get discounts with Autoship and Save.)
Along with more than 100 meals a week, double what it served before, Blue Apron also has two new product lines in addition to its meal kits:
- Blue apron plate: Prepared meals are ready in at least 5 minutes, and do not require advance preparation. About $9 per serving.
- Assemble and bake: One-pan meals require at most 5 minutes of hands-on preparation using pre-cut or prepared ingredients. About $10 per meal.
Ingredients for pesto gnocchi bread. It also comes with stairs.
My thoughts on the new product lines:
During my previous tests, I tried the four-cheese enchiladas with rice and sweet and spicy tofu noodles, which are currently offered on the vegetarian menu for about $9 per serving. Although I enjoyed them and found them filling, I can’t say they were any better than the meal kits.
Recently, I tried two assemble-and-bake dishes for about $10 each: baked pesto gnocchi and baked cremini mushrooms and cabbage pasta. Although they were delicious and filling like plate meals, and saved me time in the kitchen, they were a bit cheesy for my taste. So, again, meal kits would be my top choice.
What does pesto gnocchi look like after baking?
It’s also important to note that Blue Apron shipping costs $10 per box. However, with a premium Blue Apron Plus membership, which costs $10 per month, you can enjoy free shipping on all orders, plus unlimited Tastemade Plus streaming and exclusive deals. If you plan to order Blue Apron at least once a month, this membership will pay for itself.
My vegan meal delivery recommendations:
For dietary restrictions, Blue Apron only offers vegetarian options as well as meat and seafood dishes, with about five vegetarian meal kits per week, for up to four servings. There are at least two vegan meals to be assembled and baked and at least two Blue Apron pre-prepared vegan meals per week.
If you are looking for vegan meal kits, I recommend them Green Chef. To deliver ready-made vegetarian meals, Mosaic foods Great, though Thistle It was my favorite for the fresh vegetarian meals (although expensive). Purple Carrot Meal Kits It is also very popular, because it is 100% vegan, but in terms of the taste of the recipes, I preferred Green Chef. As for vegan meal kits, it’s still Blue Apron for me.
My final thoughts on Blue Apron
The only issue I have with Blue Apron is that my most recent order did not arrive on the scheduled delivery date. I waited a few days to inquire via email and received a response stating that it would take time to process my order due to the high volume of emails. I then messaged Blue Apron’s virtual chat and after waiting about 45 minutes, I was told my order was canceled but I never received any notification. I was refunded and was able to order again without any issue, but I recommend tracking your order and contacting you immediately if you don’t receive it in the expected time.
When it comes down to it, if I were going to spend my hard-earned money on a meal delivery service, I would choose Blue Apron meal kits. They have vegan options that aren’t sad, are more affordable than others on the market, and most importantly, taste delicious enough that I (and have) recreated the recipes myself. I’d better get the takeaway kit next time and save myself the extra effort.
