7 Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services 2020 – The Results Are In

These days, more and more people are getting on the plant-powered bandwagon and either adopting a completely vegan diet or working more plant-based meals into their day. So it’s no surprise there’s a surge in the number of vegan meal delivery services catering to this growing market.

To make things easier for you, we’ve tested today’s most popular vegan meal delivery services to sort the good from the average. From plans and prices to menus and tastiness, we’ve done our research and compiled a list of the best vegan meal delivery services out there.

Short on Time? Here Are the Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services of 2020

• Veestro – Best selection of premade, frozen vegan meals

• HelloFresh – Most affordable vegan meal kits

• Purple Carrot – Most exotic plant-powered meal kits

• See 4 more vegan meal delivery services

• Comparison table

• FAQ 

What to Look For in the Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services

If you’ve somehow gotten the idea that vegan food equals endless salads, think again. Vegan meal delivery services – whether they’re standalone companies or plant-based plans from some of the big names on the market – include a huge range of tasty dishes like smoothies, soups, grain bowls, Indian-inspired meals, Chinese food, Mexican fare – and yes, delicious salads. 

In short, there are plenty of vegan options out there, so keep your standards high. Let’s take a closer look at what those standards should be: 

Vegan Prepared Meal Delivery Services

• How meals arrive – Pre-cooked meals can be fresh or frozen. If they arrive fresh, you can keep them in the fridge or store them in the freezer. Don’t be put off by the idea of ready meals – they’re definitely not your grandmother’s bland TV meals! The tasty smoothies, grain bowls, and soups from Splendid Spoon, for example, reflect modern culinary trends. And don’t worry about losing valuable nutrients – meals are flash-frozen to keep all the goodness.

• Heating options – Think of prepared meals, you’ll automatically think of the microwave. But some people are starting to shy away from using their microwaves or getting rid of them altogether. That’s why most meals can also be heated up in the oven, on the stove, or even in a bamboo steamer. 

• What you’ll need to warm them up – The last thing you want when heating your pre-cooked meal is not being able to find a suitable pan or tray to use. Fortunately, many vegan meal services send you microwave-safe containers that are also recyclable.

• Expiration date – Whatever your type of subscription, you need to know your meals will last you until your next delivery. Some diet options include shelf-stable meals prepared using water, which have a long shelf life. Others arrive fresh and are supposed to be eaten within a few days if you keep them in the fridge. Anything frozen can be enjoyed after weeks or even months.

Vegan Meal Delivery Kits

• Perfectly ripe and fresh produce – We’ve all been at the grocery store and looked in dismay at the less-than-perfect fruit and vegetables for sale. But that’s a thing of the past with meal kits that guarantee food reaches you in prime condition.

• Clearly labeled items – If your ingredients don’t arrive well organized and clearly labeled, you’ll fall at the first hurdle. And that’s before you’ve even looked at a recipe card!

• The right level of preparation – Some services just supply the ingredients and the recipes, leaving you to cut, dice, chop, and grate. Others, such as Green Chef, come ready prepped, so you just have to follow the recipe but don’t need any special kitchen equipment (or skills) to get your meal on the table. 

• Recipes for your level – Don’t let the pictures seduce you! If you’ve never done more than boil water, you should probably start out simple. There are plenty of recipes ranging in difficulty, so make sure you choose something that’s within your ability.

What to Look For in Prepared Home Delivery Meals and Meal Kits

• The variety of recipes – You might have loved a certain dish the first couple of times you had it, but you can have too much of a good thing. Some services have a wide range that doesn’t change, while others have fewer options that refresh every week, month, or season. Which one works best is entirely up to you!

• Which daily meals you get – Everyone wants something different from a meal delivery company. That might just be dinner, or you might want it all: lunch, breakfast, and snacks included. In many cases, you can also add extra meals or snacks. Make sure a service offers as many or as few meals as you need. 

• Ease of changing or canceling – Until you taste the food, there’s no guarantee you’re actually going to like your chosen service (even if it seemed like the best fit online). That’s okay. There are so many services out there, it would be a shame not to try a few. Read the small print to know in advance how (and when) you can change or cancel your plan. 

• Shipping costs – There’s a big variation in how much delivery services charge for this. Some build it into the price of the meal, while others add it to every parcel they ship. Make sure you do the math on this one because the added shipping can turn a value meal service into an expensive luxury over time. 

Our Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services Reviewed

1. Veestro – Best Overall Vegan Meal Delivery Service

Veestro Best Features

• Pre-cooked meals – Quick-heat dishes for one
• Mostly organic – More than 96% of ingredients are organic
• Great for kids – Classic recipes turned vegan, kids won’t be able to resist
• Shipping included – As standard with auto-deliveries 

Veestro in a Nutshell 

Veestro is the ideal solution if you’re looking for fuss-free, delicious vegan food. The pre-cooked meals arrive frozen and can be heated however works for you: in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave. 

Veestro’s menu filter lets you choose dishes that work with your diet, like nut-free, gluten-free, high protein, low calorie, or soy-free. Veestro also offers kosher meals – something we haven’t seen elsewhere. While the meal selection is extensive, it doesn’t change, so after a while, you’ll probably end up choosing the same meals. 

You can learn more about Veestro’s plans in this dedicated Veestro review. 

Veestro sends out its meals with plenty of dry ice to keep them frozen and the packaging can all be recycled. Meals can be stored for up to eight weeks in the freezer. Currently, Veestro delivers to everywhere in the US with the exception of Hawaii, Alaska. Puerto Rico isn’t serviced, as well. 

2. HelloFresh – Affordable Vegan-Friendly Meal Kits

HelloFresh Best Features

• Lots of variety – A wide choice of recipes for every taste and skill level
• Farm-fresh produce – Get the best-quality fruits and vegetables, direct from the farm
• Budget-friendly – Cheaper than many other services
• Kid-friendly – Includes meals the whole family will enjoy

HelloFresh in a Nutshell 

HelloFresh might not have a specific plant-based plan, but plenty of dishes on the Veggie plan can be made vegan. Sometimes it’s just a matter of leaving out an ingredient (for example, a dressing) and switching it with an alternative from your pantry. You can also filter out certain ingredients. 

What makes HelloFresh stand out from the rest? We go into more detail on its plans in our in-depth HelloFresh review. 

Delivery is currently only available to the continental U.S. Everyone is guaranteed delivery from Wednesday-Friday, but depending on your location, Saturday-Tuesday might also be available.

3. Purple Carrot  – Most Exotic Plant-Powered Meal Kits

Purple Carrot Best Features

• International menu – From Indian cuisine to Italian favorites
• Delicious, organic snacks – Including gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough. Enough said!
• Four comprehensive plans – Freedom to choose dishes from every plan (or stick with just one)
• Shipping included - Free shipping with every plan

Purple Carrot in a Nutshell 

Too often vegans get left out when it comes to food choices. But that’s not the case with Purple Carrot, one of the few 100% vegan kit services. And don’t worry, you won’t be greeted with endless salads. Purple Carrot offers exciting, balanced, and tasty meals where vegetables are the star, not an afterthought. 

As well as being vegan, Purple Carrot takes other dietary requirements into account. Opt for the High-Protein, Gluten-Free, Quick & Easy, or Chef’s Choice plan, or mix it up with dishes from every plan. Learn more about Purple Carrot’s plans in our expert review. Shipping is included and your delivery day depends on how close you are to Purple Carrot’s distribution center.

4. Green Chef – Plenty of Plant-Powered Choices

Green Chef Best Features

• Organic ingredients – All produce and ingredients are certified organic
• “Green” packaging – All ingredients arrive in recyclable, eco-friendly packaging
• Prepared ingredients – The hard work is done for you
• Plant-powered plan - Plenty of vegetable-forward choices

Green Chef in a Nutshell 

The first meal delivery service to be certified organic, Green Chef offers a good range of meal plans for those following a specialized diet, including its plant-powered plan. This plan features a mix of veggie and vegan dishes, so you’ll have to check the individual recipes to ensure there aren’t any dairy products.

The ingredients arrive almost ready to go (a bonus for anyone who hates to peel or chop), with meals taking around 30 minutes to put together. Learn more about what’s in the Green Chef box in our full-length Green Chef review. 

Green Chef offers delivery from Monday-Saturday, though the actual delivery day depends on your location. Shipping is available throughout the U.S. (except for Hawaii, Alaska, and some parts of Louisiana), and costs $8.99 a week after the first order, which is free. 

5. Splendid Spoon – Detox-Friendly Vegan Smoothies & Meals

Splendid Spoon Best Features

• Pre-cooked, organic frozen meals – Flash-frozen for maximum nutrient content 

• Gluten-free – Enjoy without worrying about cross-contamination

• Unique “Reset” days – To reset your gut, boost energy, and support weight loss

• Advanced payment plans – Get a significant discount on up to 12 deliveries a year

Splendid Spoon in a Nutshell 

Splendid Spoon promises an end to meal planning. It offers four plans: Breakfast, Breakfast + Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch + 1 Day Soup Reset, and Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + 1 Day Soup Reset. There’s also the choice of a “stock-up box”, which allows you to order food in bulk. 

The food is all plant-based and heavily focused on smoothies, noodles, soups, and grain bowls. It’s also free from gluten, dairy, and soy, as well as being non-GMO and low in sodium. Read more about the menu and plans in our dedicated Splendid Spoon review.

Splendid Spoon is available throughout the continental U.S. The food is sent in 100% recyclable packaging and packed with dry ice. Current delivery days are limited to Wednesdays and Fridays. 

6. Sun Basket – Most Customizable Vegan Meals

Sun Basket Best Features

• Organic meal kits – In-season, farm-to-table food
• Heat and serve options – Fresh & Ready meals, for when you just can’t wait
• Allergen-free meals – Got food allergies or intolerances? Easily filter out the meals you don’t want
• Large portion sizes – More than enough to keep you full 

Sun Basket in a Nutshell 

Sun Basket might not be a purely vegan service, but it has a ton of great choices that will keep plant-based eaters happy. Just use the filter to find all the available vegan meals. You’ll be spoiled for choice with internationally inspired food, like Indian, Moroccan, and Chinese cuisine, and delicious-sounding dishes like tempeh burrito bowls or pumpkin chili.

Learn more in our expert Sun Basket review. 

Most Sun Basket meals come in at 500-800 calories and are easy to prepare, with recipes taking about 30 minutes to put together. Sun Basket is available throughout most of the U.S. – unless you’re in some areas of Montana, New Mexico, or North Dakota.

7. Fresh n'Lean – Freshly Prepared Vegan Meals For Staying Fit

Fresh n’Lean Best Features

• Low-carb vegan – A low-carb vegan option for dieters 
• Pre-cooked – Ready-to-go meals, heated in minutes
• Healthy ingredients – All ingredients are locally sourced, clean, and gluten-free.
• Huge variety – New meals are constantly added to keep mealtimes fresh 

Fresh n’Lean in a Nutshell 

Fresh n'Lean offers a selection of lifestyle plans, including vegan. If you choose one of the plans, you don’t get to pick individual meals (you have to go for the a la carte option for that). The meals rely heavily on whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lentils, and have a hefty 10-25g of protein per serving. 

Fresh n’Lean prides itself on not using any refined sugars or processed ingredients, so what you’ll get in your weekly box (delivered on a Friday across the U.S.) is fresh, natural whole foods to heat and enjoy. 

Meal choices include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options. If you don’t want to receive a weekly delivery, you can call Fresh n’Lean to arrange a bi-weekly subscription instead, which is useful if you don’t want to eat prepared meals daily.

Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services: Comparison Table

How Vegan Meal Delivery Services Work

The Difference Between Regular Vegan Meal Plans & Meal Delivery Services

Online vegan meal plans give you information and recipe ideas but they don’t provide the actual ingredients. They take some of the stress out of planning meal times, but you still have to do all the cooking and food shopping yourself. 

By signing up for a vegan meal delivery service – no matter if you choose a meal kit or pre-cooked option – meals are delivered to your door, which means less stress and fewer trips to the grocery store.

Meal Kits V.S. Prepared Meals: Which Is Right for You?

This is the most important question when finding the right vegan meal service and the answer is as straightforward as asking yourself how much time you want to spend cooking. If you can spare some time and you like the challenge of trying out new recipes, then you’ll enjoy a meal kit, like the ones from HelloFresh. 

If you have absolutely no desire to be in the kitchen and the mere thought of doing dishes makes you want to cry, a pre-cooked meal is the best choice. Vegan prepared meals, like those from Veestro, are an easy way to eat a balanced, and nutritious diet with zero effort. 

Vegan Delivery Service Plans Explained

Vegan food is firmly in the mainstream, which means there’s a really good range of services and companies offering plant-based cuisine. If you want to have all your meals covered, choose a company that sends breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even delicious vegan snacks. 

If you prefer to use a delivery service as an occasional break from “regular” cooking, you can pick a company that enables you to cook a couple of dinners a week. Purple Carrot, for example, provides both options.

Vegan Meal Delivery Service Prices

There’s no hard and fast rule about the price of meal delivery services. Each one has a different plan and menu structure, with variations in the price of meals, new customer offers, and shipping costs. 

The easiest way to compare pricing is to take a look at the starting price per meal. Because vegan food is a niche within the world of meal delivery services, the starting price is slightly higher at around $9 per meal, compared to $5 for a “regular” meal. 

There are many different pricing structures. Some services have a fixed price, no matter how many meals you choose, while others reward you with a cheaper per-meal price the more food you order.

Whatever the cost (and don’t forget to take shipping into account), it’s important to remember how much you’re saving by not wasting any food and on gas by not going to the grocery store. There are also non-monetary savings, like the time you save not worrying about what to eat!

How Vegan Meal Service Shipping Works

An important part of researching the best service is making sure the delivery schedule suits you. Delivery is often dependent on location i.e., if you live in a big city, you’re going to have more delivery options than a small town in the country. While the bigger companies might offer delivery most days of the week, some of the smaller ones only ship food once or maybe twice a week. 

If you’re flexible, the delivery day won’t matter, but think it through if you’re someone who likes to batch cook your weekly meals on a Sunday and the only day you can get delivery is a Tuesday.

Shipping and delivery charges also vary. As we’ve already said, some offer free shipping, while others offer free shipping on the first order and then charge afterwards. Shipping charges can also vary, with some charging up to $20 per delivery. If you subscribe to a service that charges for delivery, just make sure you factor it in to the cost, so you know exactly what you’re being charged. 

Most companies offer tracking, whether it’s through a dedicated app or the shipping company (commonly FedEx), so you always know when your parcel is due. For the most part, though, the time of arrival doesn’t matter. That’s because meal delivery services work really hard to ensure your food arrives in prime condition, even if you’re out of the house for hours after your shipment arrives.

You can expect your box to be insulated or packed with dry ice to keep your food chilled or frozen during transit. There’s also likely to be a lot of packaging. Much of this is recyclable and many companies promote themselves based on their eco-friendly credentials, Green Chef being a prime example. 

How to Pause, Skip, or Cancel Your Orders

Meal delivery services know that people often want to change or cancel their subscriptions, so they’ve made it easy to be able to skip, pause, or cancel your orders. Any changes can usually be done from the company’s website, although some require you to send an email or even call. 

Just make sure that you read the fine print, as most meal delivery services require you to put in any changes at least five days before your next delivery and some require at least a week’s notice. You don’t want to get stuck with a delivery you don’t want or can’t use. 

When Is a Vegan Meal Service NOT Right for You?

Handing off the task of setting a menu for the week and getting all the necessary ingredients sounds like a win-win. But there are some people who should think carefully before they sign up for a particular meal plan.

Top of the list is anyone who suffers from a medical issue that could be made worse by not following the right diet. For example, if you suffer from something like severe celiac, you should do a lot of research to make sure the service you choose avoids any and all cross-contamination. Fresh n’Lean, for example, uses zero gluten in its meals. 

If you suffer from Crohn’s disease or diabetes, you should also approach a meal delivery service with caution. A clean and simple menu, like one from Splendid Spoon might be a good fit. 

When it comes to medical issues, you should consult with your doctor or healthcare professional before you subscribe to any service. Convenience definitely doesn’t outweigh health!

Even if you don’t have any medical issues, there are other aspects to consider: the type of food, the cooking skill required, the delivery days available. No matter how perfect a service seems on the surface, if it doesn’t tick most of your boxes, it’s not going to be a good choice. 

Bottom Line: Why Choose a Vegan Meal Delivery Service?

A vegan meal delivery service is ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to spend every day answering the most dreaded question of all time: “What shall I eat?” They’re also ideal for anyone who wants to eat more healthily but who doesn’t have the time or the knowledge to do it on their own. 

If you’re looking to improve your culinary skills, a meal kit provides the perfect combination of convenience, fun, and challenge. On the other hand, if you want to think about food as little as possible, a pre-cooked meal plan is right for you. No matter which you choose, you’ll be eating healthy and nutritious vegan food that saves you time and reduces food waste. 

FAQ

What is the best vegan meal delivery service? 

Veestro is a great all-round vegan meal delivery service. The pre-cooked frozen meals can be heated up in a matter of minutes and there’s also a good selection of nut-free, gluten-free, high protein, low calorie, and soy-free food. In addition, if you keep kosher and you’ve never been able to find a meal delivery service to fit your requirements – you can stop looking! Veestro is the only service to offer kosher meals.

Does Home Chef have vegan meals?

Sort of. Home Chef offers vegetarian options that are occasionally completely vegan. However, the company doesn’t have a guaranteed option for vegan diners. HelloFresh also offers vegetarian meal kits where you can swap or leave out any non-vegan ingredients for customized alternatives. If you’re looking for a strictly all-vegan meal kit, check out Purple Carrot.

Does HelloFresh have vegan meals?

HelloFresh doesn’t currently offer a purely vegan meal plan. However, it does have a wide range of vegetarian options available that can easily be made vegan by omitting dairy ingredients, such as cheese or yogurt. 

Does Blue Apron have vegan meals?

Maybe, but HelloFresh has better quality meal kits that you can curate to suit your needs. All you need to do is leave out the non-vegan ingredients or swap them for alternatives. If you’re looking for a company with a fully vegan meal plan, try Green Chef. And if you’re strict about making sure your food never comes into contact with any non-vegan ingredients, we recommend Purple Carrot.

What’s the cheapest vegan meal delivery service?

Fresh n’Lean is one of the cheapest vegan meal delivery services on the market, closely followed by HelloFresh. Veestro is also affordable at just $9.99 for a generous ready-made meal. 

Is there a vegan weight-loss meal delivery service?

Absolutely! Both Veestro and Splendid Spoon can’t be beaten for detoxing and resetting the body. Fresh n’Lean is packed with nutritionally dense and healthy food to help you on your weight-loss journey.