Mosaic Foods Review 2023: Food With A Social Impact

Overview

Mosaic Foods is a relatively new meal delivery service and it certainly created a lot of hype around it. It brings vegan and vegetarian healthy meals that arrive hand-cooked and frozen to your doorstep, plus some mouth-watering fruit smoothies to blend and enjoy.

I’ve investigated further to see if all this hype is really worth it.

First, I was impressed with the good deeds the company promises to do for each box you order. Many companies are only concerned with environmental-related issues when it comes to the impact on the planet, but Mosaic Foods is aware of the social issues as well. And it delivers.

What I didn’t like is how many of the recipes seem to include sugar, either as white cane, brown or under the guise of maple syrup or honey. For a health-forward service, this seemed a bit odd.

So, buckle up to get all the tea on Mosaic Foods, from ingredients and quality to price to its view on food’s industry impact.

Pros

• Wholesome ingredients, primarily veggies

• Convenient, as everything comes prepared

• Socially conscious, as food is donated for every box

• Current deal – Get 15$ off with code: THEGLOW15

Cons

• Coverage isn’t nationwide yet

• Many of the recipes contain sugar

• You need a blender to make the smoothies

What’s on the Mosaic Foods Menu

First, menu variety. This is a category in which Mosaic Foods does pretty well, especially as a plant-based service. It offers different cuisines, from local and Mexican to Italian and Asian and even North African. You’ll also see a great variety of ingredients and plant-based protein sources (hello, jackfruit!).

The menu comprises several meal categories: veggie bowls, family meals, soups, oat bowls, smoothies, pizzas, Mosaic + meals, plus the current bundles or special seasonal collections.

The names of the categories are pretty self-explanatory. The Mosaic + collection includes eight special recipes that are designed by some of New York City's top chefs and restaurants. They’ve partnered up with Mosaic to bring you a fine dining experience straight to your home.

There’s also the Hudson Harvest which is a limited edition menu highlighting the veggies of the season in a farm-to-table approach. You can find these meals scattered around the other menu categories, just like the meals from the bundles (like the fall-themed Pumpkin Spice bundle).

Everything on the Mosaic menu is pre-made. This means that there’s no customization available, and the menu is fixed, but there are a lot of meals to choose from – over 70 different recipes, and the list is expanding.

As every meal is vegetarian or vegan, you won’t see any meat on the menu, but there are many recipes that include dairy. The vegan meals are marked with a green V for convenience.

You can see some other quick details, such as if it’s a wheat-free dish or the grams of protein in the dish – which in many cases is surprisingly high for a plant-based meal!

You can filter the menu using the tags: vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, wheat-free, and high protein. Each recipe has its allergens listed at the end of the ingredients list, including each type of nut, but you should be aware that the facility also cooks foods that contain peanuts, soy, fish, meat, and wheat.

While Mosaic Foods isn’t certified organic, there are some recipes that have organic ingredients which are marked as such in the ingredient lists.

In terms of portions, the veggie bowls are single-serving, which means they can fully feed an adult for lunch (or dinner). Thanks to the plant-powered protein and fiber, you should feel energized and satiated until your next meal.

For a lighter lunch, the soups are a perfect choice, while the oat bowls provide you with an easy breakfast.

The family meals weigh 2.5 pounds and can serve two adults and two small kids (or two adults and one bigger kid). If your family is larger, you can use these meals as an entree next to a side dish or salad of your choice.

And luckily, the family menu is super kid-friendly, with items like casseroles, lasagnas, and baked pasta dishes. At the same time, it strives to be super healthy, with at least four veggies packed in every meal and no added sugar.

If you’re worried about your kids’ total sugar intake, natural or not, I’ve evaluated the ingredients for each family recipe. There’s some negligible amount of sugar in the chipotle sauce and the vegetable base, a small amount in the panko, while the Thai Peanut Curry recipe uses dates (which are naturally very high in sugar), but in a decently small amount.

You can check the nutritional value table for each recipe to see if they fit your personal standards, but none exceeds 11 g of sugar per portion.

Speaking of sugar, a lot of the veggie bowls have either sugar, honey, maple, or agave syrup on the ingredient list, which adds sweetness and helps balance the meal in terms of taste. It’s still sugar at the end of the day and you should consume it in moderate amounts, especially if you’re predisposed to diabetes, pre-, or diabetic.

The Veggie Sausage and Gouda Oats is a better alternative for breakfast in my opinion, as it has way less sugar in it (even though it still has some, for taste.)

The most questionable recipes in terms of sugar are, usually, the smoothies. The Mosaic smoothies are considerably better than many other smoothies I’ve seen, as they contain some fat and protein as well, making them more nutritionally complete. However, the amount of sugar in them still makes them a better choice as a dessert rather than as a standalone meal, so they won’t mess with your blood sugar as much.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that Mosaic claims that it’s serious about “eliminating artificial ingredients from its meals”, and that xanthan gum, malodextrose, or corn starch are on its “naughty list”.

Still, some of the recipes contain, for example, guar gum and cellulose gum (in the tortillas), which aren’t exactly “everyday ingredients”, while the pizzas include “naughty” xanthan gum and corn starch themselves.

While there’s nothing wrong with using safe, regulated food additives, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to advertise not using any artificial ingredients when you clearly do sometimes. Plus, some of the meals have a “natural flavoring” listed as an ingredient that's not explained anywhere, so I expected a bit more transparency.

Now back to the good deeds. Mosaic is really trying its best and it shows that by making a real impact in the community. First, all Mosaic meals are frozen to help fight America’s food waste epidemic. Then, for every box that you purchase, the non-profit City harvest donates two pounds of nutritious food and distributes it around New York to people in need.

I haven’t seen many companies preoccupied with the social aspect of things, as many focus on the environmental impact only. I have to admit I’m impressed by this.

Unboxing

Your meals will arrive frozen in a box kept cold with super cool dry ice. After you get them, make sure to move them to the freezer so they can remain fresh.

There’s a sticker with the expiration date on each meal carton, but the rule of thumb is that they’ll last for at least three months in your freezer.

If you find you don’t have enough space in your freezer, you can store some of the meals in the fridge, but you’ll need to chow them down within three days. This is because the meals don’t contain any preservatives, so they don’t have a long shelf life.

The cooking times are based on heating your meal from frozen. If your meal has rested in the fridge, remember to halve the microwave time when heating it up, since it will have defrosted by then.

When we're talking about eco-friendliness, Mosaic Foods has a pretty high score. Everything in your box is either curbside recyclable or made with post-consumer recycled fiber.

The trays for the veggie bowls are made of 100% recyclable paperboard and have recyclable plastic linings. The family meals are plated in sturdy aluminum trays that you can recycle along with your usual cans at home.

If you want to find out more, Mosaic Foods has set up a Sustainability Page on the website where you can learn how to recycle each component of your delivery.

Cooking (and Eating) with Mosaic Foods

Mosaic Foods uses freezing as a preserving technique for a bunch of reasons, from fighting food waste by extending the meals’ shelf life to not having to use preservatives. Plus, it preserves nutrients at peak ripeness and helps expand access to fruits and veggies by being so convenient.

Why are they so convenient, you ask? Because there’s no actual cooking involved in getting these meals ready.

Smoothies come prepped, all you have to do is fill the cup with your liquid of choice (Mosaic recommends almond milk), pour it into your blender, and blend. You can enjoy them in less than two minutes, provided that you already own a blender (I personally don’t, so I envy you a bit, okay?).

As for the rest of the meals, you just need to heat everything up. I’ll detail below just how.

The veggie bowls need five minutes in the microwave or less. You can heat them directly using the trays they come in. You can also cook them in a skillet if you prefer, just make sure to follow the directions on the individual meal’s page.

The Mosaic family meals can be cooked in the oven for about an hour. The oat bowls need three minutes in the microwave, while the soups need eight. You can also cook them on your stovetop.

If you choose to use the microwave for heating up the meals, you need to peel up a corner of the plastic film to let the steam escape, microwave on high for 5.5 to 6.5 minutes, and lastly stir well to mix.

On the stovetop, you need to pour a teaspoon of neutral oil (oil that doesn’t have a strong flavor, such as grapeseed or canola) and two tablespoons of water into a nonstick skillet, combine them, and add the tray contents. Then, cover and heat for about 7-10 minutes over medium heat while stirring often.

For pizza, you need to preheat the oven to 450F. Then, remove it from the packaging and bake it directly on the rack for 16-20 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown. Make sure to let the pizza sit for a minute before you dig into it, even though it’s tempting!

Shortlist of My Favorite Meals

After taking a look at the menu, I can safely say that what caught my eye the most was this creative twist on BBQ chicken pizza that features seitan:

The spinach crust makes it all better, and let’s not underestimate the power of a melty Monterey Jack cheese.

I also love that Mosaic offers a two-pack of broccoli pizza crusts to make your own pizza at home. How cool is that?

From the Mosaic + menu, I really liked the sound of this Veggie Kebab from content creator and food fanatic Pierce Abernathy:

Flame-grilled veggie kebabs? Roasted eggplant? Garlicky tomato sauce? Protein-rich bulgur? A herbaceous blend of mint, cilantro, and parsley? Pickled onions? This has everything and more for a divine bite.

Next, this Asian-inspired soup caught my eye:

It’s got buckwheat soba noodles in a rich, kombu and ginger miso broth. The shiitake mushrooms, soft tofu, and crunchy bok choy add protein and a nice mixture of textures. And all you need to do is warm it up to have a perfect cold-weather delight.

And last but not least, I looked at the veggie bowls, which also happen to be the most numerous of the dishes on the menu. It was hard to choose, but my top choice would be this Mediterranean-style ragout:

Besides the crunchy topping, I like the paprika and cumin-spiced tomatoes and the addition of lemon and parsley for freshness. Mmm!

Shipping & Delivery

Mosaic Foods currently ships to most major metro areas in the Eastern and Western US. To see if you’re eligible to order, you need to enter your zip code on the website.

At the time of writing this article, the states that Mosaic covers are: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, parts of NY, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

While this is hardly nationwide coverage, the list is ever-growing. If you aren’t in the lucky area, you’ll get a message that says Mosaic is “sold out” there. What I don’t like is there’s no way to check if it’s actually sold out or you’re just out of the delivery range.

However, since you’re required to fill in your email next to the zip code, you’ll get an email as soon as Mosaic is available in your area. This saves you the trouble of refreshing the page in the future.

I appreciate how flexible the plans are. You can get your delivery weekly or every two, three, or four weeks. Depending on how big your freezer is, that’s super convenient.

Based on where you live, shipping takes one or two days, so if you’re lucky you’ll get next-day delivery which is pretty rare for a meal delivery service. This super fast shipping also ensures you’ll get your food as fresh as possible.

You’ll also get two weekdays to choose between for your delivery based on your zip code. For example, if you’re from New York, the available slots for receiving your order are Tuesday and Friday.

After your order starts being prepared, you’ll find your shipment status in the Customer Portal as Processing. After Mosaic sends it on its way to you, it will be marked as Shipped and you’ll also get the tracking number.

Subscription

Mosaic Foods mostly works on a subscription basis, which means you’ll get your box regularly delivered to your door. The exception is the bundles, which are designed to be one-off orders.

However, you can make one-time purchases from the rest of the menu as well. It’s a new feature, so you need to shoot an email to customer service to request it, but it’s totally possible.

How to Sign Up

1. Enter your zip code and email address to see if you’re eligible for delivery. If Mosaic delivers to your location, you’ll get to the next step. If not, you’ll get an email once it expands to your area.

2. Choose your meals. If you’re not sure what to pick, you can opt for the Choose for me option and your basket will fill for you.

3. Review your order. Here, you’ll see the details of your order and you’ll be able to adjust the frequency, as well as the day of your first delivery.

4. Go to the checkout and pay for your meals. That’s it!

Managing Your Subscription

You can change your plan (the number of meals in your box) easily in your Customer Portal, as well as the frequency of your upcoming orders (called cadence). Simply click the drop-down menus to adjust both of them to your liking.

However, you need to know that this will only change your orders after your next scheduled one. Scroll down to Your Next Delivery to adjust the timing of your next order as well.

To access the Customer Portal, go to the Mosaic Foods website and log in with your username and password.

If you want to skip your next order, go to the same Customer Portal in the Your Plan section at the left and click the Skip button there. You can do that up until your card has been charged.

But don’t worry! In case your card has already been charged, you can still skip or reschedule your next delivery by sending an email to customer service. The same applies if you want to cancel an order that’s already been processed.

Customer Service

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for Mosaic Foods, you’re welcome to contact the customer service team either by phone at (317) 597-6409 or by e-mail at support@mosaicfoods.com. You don’t have to be an active customer to do that, just shoot your Qs if you’re curious before purchasing anything.

Customer service is available from 9 am to 6 pm EST for emails, and from 10 am to 4 pm EST for phone calls. You can also fill in the form directly on the website and you’ll get an email response from the team as soon as possible.

If you want to cancel your subscription, all you need to do is send an email to the above-mentioned address and everything will be sorted out with no penalties or extra fees on your part. Pretty easy, huh?

Oh, and since Mosaic is a new company, I’m sure some feedback will be appreciated. After all, only by speaking up can you help make any change to improve your (and others') experience.

If you wish to resume your plan after canceling, it’s even easier. No need to write any emails, just click on the big Resume button in the middle of the screen on your Customer Portal page.

Prices

The prices for Mosaic Foods start at $4.99 per serving but depend a lot on which type of meals you choose.

It was a bit frustrating that I couldn’t see the prices for the plans before beginning the signing-up process. That means you need to check if Mosaic delivers to you and enter your email before being able to see how it fits into your budget.

The best deal is ordering four-serving family meals, which cost $4.99 per serving. I’d say that’s a pretty great deal.

A bowl of oats for your breakfast is $5.99, the smoothies hit the $7.99 mark, and the soup is $8.99. Veggie bowls, which are more filling, are $9.99 each, while the fancier Mosaic + meals, as well as the pizzas, cost $11.99.

Of course, you can use our special deal to get that sweet extra discount on your box. And another cool thing that Mosaic Foods has going for it is a 100% Guarantee, which means that if the meals don’t hit the spot for you, you can get a full refund, no questions asked.

Occasionally, you’ll see themed single-order bundles on the menu. For example, the Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice bundle consists of one oat bowl, two smoothies, two soups, four veggie bowls, one pizza, and two four-serving family meals, all for $131.80.

As for delivery costs, you need to pay a $10 shipping fee if you choose the smallest, six-meal plan. Otherwise, shipping is free, no matter where you’re from. Yay!

The Bottom Line: Is Mosaic Foods Worth It?

I’d say so! If you want to enjoy some flavorful, diverse plant-based meals, from smoothies to breakfast oatmeal to pizza, Mosaic is the place. Did I mention the hearty, colorful veggie bowls? Just looking at them makes my mouth water.

However, if you’re particularly concerned about the use of sugar or additives in some of the meals, you can skip those after consulting the ingredient lists. There are many recipes on the menu that should check all the boxes even for the most health-conscious eaters.

So, even though Mosaic is a new company and it doesn’t cover the whole US just yet if you’re in the lucky area where delivery is available you might as well give them a try. You’ll get healthy meals for the whole family cooked fresh with wholesome veggies and you’ll also make a social impact thanks to the company’s projects.

If Mosaic Food doesn’t deliver to you right now or if you don’t particularly like the recipes, you can have a look at our top 10 best vegetarian meal delivery services and see what pops up.

FAQ

1. How does Mosaic Foods work?

Mosaic Foods is a subscription-based meal delivery service that sends you plant-based flavorful meals. You can take a look at my favorite picks from the menu to see what’s in store.

After you enter your zip code on the website to see if it delivers to your location, all you need to do is choose your meals, review your order, go to the checkout and pay for your meals. You can also purchase one-off bundles, such as the fall-themed Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice bundle.

2. How much is Mosaic Foods?

The prices for Mosaic Foods start at $4.99 per serving but depends on how many and which type of meals you choose. The best deal is the four-serving family meals, which cost only $4.99 per serving.

You can use our special links to get a sweet extra discount on your box. Mosaic Foods also offers a 100% Guarantee, which means that if the meals don’t hit the spot for you, you can get a full refund, no questions asked.

3. Is Mosaic Foods organic?

While Mosaic Foods isn’t a certified organic producer, there are recipes that use organic ingredients. The Hudson Harvest limited edition menu, for example, uses farm-to-table veggies that are in season and locally sourced. Plus, all the meals are delivered sustainably in recyclable packaging.