Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
I have spent the last 21 years of my life following a vegetarian diet, and because of this, I naturally cook and eat many meatless vegetarian recipes. However, when I first heard about meal kits, I was skepticalassuming they will not meet a vegetarian diet. But when I started testing Meal delivery services According to CNET, I was happy to discover that there are a large number of meal kits that Accommodate vegetarian dietary restrictions.
When it comes to vegetarian meal kits, Purple carrot Most often comes to mind because it is a 100% vegan service. However, there are many other companies that offer vegetarian dishes – but not this many. It’s another one of those services that outperforms Purple Carrot in my opinion. I’m talking about USDA certified organic Green Chef.
Although Green Chef Not 100% vegan Purple carrotThat’s why I choose the first option if I’m spending my own money on vegan meal kits.
Green Chef is thoughtful about its vegetarian dishes
Choosing Green Chef over Purple Carrot as my favorite vegetarian meal kit service is due to the taste and depth of the recipes. Over the two decades I’ve been preparing and eating vegetarian meals, I’ve noticed that some recipes tend to equate “vegan” with “flavorless,” either overcompensating with spices or salt or undercompensating by simply throwing tofu into a dish with barely any preparation.
I’ve found that Green Chef’s meals include a great mix of vegetables, greens, grains, seeds, and beans while ensuring that each of his dishes is packed with just the right amount of flavor. Although Green Chef doesn’t focus solely on plant-based recipes, every one I tried wasn’t an afterthought.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Bell Pepper Sandwiches, Creamy Tomato Pasta with Roasted Veggies, Black Bean Burrito, and Seasoned Cauliflower are the three Green Chef meals I tried, and I would happily make them all again.
Green Chef’s creamy tomato pasta with roasted vegetables, which was full of flavour.
The purple carrot protein dilemma
From Purple Carrot, I tried eight different meals, and I liked some more than others, but overall I felt like the brand was struggling to find the right balance of flavors, especially in how it prepared plant-based proteins. For example, two of the proteins I tried, crispy lemon chicken and adobo-roasted tofu, lacked overall delicious flavors, and I couldn’t finish them.
Recently, I experimented with Peloton trainer Ruben Arzon’s “Eat To Hustle” high-protein meal with Purple Carrot. I liked these meals more than others I’ve tried from the brand, but Green Chef’s recipes still win in the flavor category.
If that’s important to you, Green Chef meals are also USDA Certified Organic, while only some Purple Carrot ingredients are organic or non-GMO.
Purple Carrot’s Puerto Rican rice and beans were not my favorite, especially since the tofu was cut in half and rubbed with the spice mixture.
Green Chef vs Purple Carrot: Price comparison is equal
The prices for the Purple Carrot and Green Chef meal kits are about the same, and both are subscription services. Green Chef charges a flat rate of $14 per meal, while Purple Carrot meal kits range from $13 to $14 per meal. Prices for ready-to-eat dishes range from $13 to $18, while grocery items range from $3 to $40.
Purple Carrot shipping costs $12, but orders over $100 ship for free. An additional $15 shipping fee may apply to select zip codes. As for Green Chef, the shipping cost is a flat $10.
Some Purple Carrot meal kits may be $1 cheaper per serving than Green Chef, but the latter’s shipping for orders under $100 is $2 less.
The ingredients for Green Chef’s roasted pumpkin and sweet pepper sandwiches were fresh and delicious.
Where purple wins: variety
Green Chef offers at least five plant-based meal kits per week, while Purple Carrot offers more than 50 options, including meal kits and ready-to-eat meals, each week. In the week of writing, there were 33 meal kits.
Both services include breakfast, lunch and dinner options. While Purple Carrot has ready-to-eat meals and grocery items, such as oatmeal, cheese, snacks and plant-based proteins, Green Chef has its green market as “extras” on its menu, including sides, smoothies, egg bites and ready-to-cook non-vegan proteins.
If you want more than five vegetarian meal kits each week, Purple Carrot will be the best choice.
Other dietary restrictions provided
Along with vegetarian meals, Green Chef offers recipes for the following dietary restrictions and preferences: vegan, Mediterranean, gluten-free, calorie smart, high protein, high fiber, low added sugar, keto, dairy-free, sodium smart, and carb smart. There are also combinations that contain ingredients that support gut or brain health.
In addition to being 100% vegan, Purple Carrot supports gluten-free diets, is high in protein and fiber, and is less than 600 calories.
Between the two, Green Chef has more preferences that you can use to sort through its menu. It would also be great for flexitarians who want to eat more plant-based foods but don’t want to go too far.
The Purple Carrot ingredients are in the miso and shallot pasta, which I enjoyed more than other meal kits from the brand.
My final thoughts
After testing a variety of vegan meal kit services over the past few years, I’ve come to the conclusion that as long as price isn’t an issue, the deciding factor among companies is taste. In that regard, and since they’re about the same cost, my favorite vegan meal kits are Green Chef, despite Purple Carrot’s bad reputation in this category.
Ultimately, if you are a vegetarian and want to try meal kits, or if you eat meat but want to consume less of it, my personal recommendation for meal kits is Green Chef. But if you want more variety and options each week, sign up Purple carrot.
