Splendid Spoon Review 2023: Hit or Miss? Find Out Now

Overview

Splendid Spoon offers a range of plant-based meals, soups, smoothies, and grain bowls, all of which are gluten-free, non-GMO, and ready to eat. Its meal plans help you establish healthier eating habits. But other than that, figuring out if it’s right for you takes a bit of research. Find out everything you need to know in my full Splendid Spoon review.

I’ve taken the time to carefully research and analyze Splendid Spoon to save you time. I’ve also considered meal selection and variety, pricing, customization options, and ease of use. I also tried out the customer service features to see how responsive the team is.

Overall, I believe it’s well worth it if you’re looking after your health and well-being. It has a vast menu of plant-based meals, lots of dietary options, and a great selection of wellness shots and juices (plus lots more). It’s not the most affordable service on the market, but it might just be worth it. Let’s dive in and take a closer look!

What’s on the Splendid Spoon Menu

Splendid Spoon offers up lots of plant-based meal options. Examples include smoothies, meals, grain bowls, noodle dishes, and more. It’s a service that’s best for those who wish to eat a nutritious diet without spending inordinate amounts of time in the kitchen every day. 

Meal Options

There are plenty of meal and drink options on the Splendid Spoon menu. For instance, you’ll find around 20+ smoothies and bowls, 8 noodle dishes, 10 hearty dishes, 8 different shots, and 4 to 5 juice packs.

Smoothies

Let’s start with the Smoothies – you’ll get different flavors that include veggies and fruit. Smoothie examples include:

• Power Greens with wheatgrass and hemp seeds

• Dragon Fruit Berry with pineapple juice and chia seeds

• Carrot Ginger Chia with mango and flaxseed

• Orange Hibiscus with maqui berries and chia seeds

• AB&J (almond butter & jam) with banana and baobab

• And plenty more

Bowls

Next up are the bowls, of which there are a good number of weekly options. These include Beans & Green Soup, Veggie Bolognese Grain Bowl, Cauliflower Tikka Soup, and others. It’s nice to see a good range of cuisines like French, Italian, Indian, and others.

Noodles

In terms of noodles, you’ll get a handful, but they appear to be packed with nutritious ingredients. Examples here include Green Curry Noodles, Dan Dan, Creamy Mushroom and Spinach, Red Curry, Kale Pesto, and several others. Again, I appreciate the variety of international cuisines.

Dishes

These are what you want to look at if you’re looking to satisfy your hunger. You’re getting much heartier and heftier meals here like the Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, Creamy Korma, Roasted Cauliflower Falafel, Coconut Curry Rice, and others.

One of my personal favorite items from the Dishes menu is the Naked Burrito Bowl. I’m a sucker for burritos (and burrito bowls), so this is a no-brainer for me. Chock-full of plant-based chorizo sausage and fajita veg, this is probably your best bet if you’re really hungry.

Shots & Juices

These are 2 separate menus, but I’ve combined them here for simplicity. Between the 2 categories (combined), you’re getting around 6 to 8 options. 

Shots include:

• Discovery Bundle (5-pack)

• Bestseller Bundle (10-pack)

• 7-Day Reset Bundle (14-pack)

• Wellness 

• Detox

• Digestion

• Recovery

• Immunity

Juices include:

• Green Juice Discovery (3-pack)

• Lower Sugar Green Juice (10-pack)

• Tropical Greens

• Green Dream

• Super Greens

In my opinion, these options are great, though there are many overlapping categories. The menu does tend to feature a lot of liquid-based meals – but more options are never a bad thing in my opinion. It would just be nice to get an equal or greater number of hearty and wholesome meals instead of so much liquid.

Unfortunately, there are also not many (if any) options for sides and extras, aside from the aforementioned liquid-based products. But the menu does seem to be quite large and extensive, so I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a problem.

Customization

There is no shortage of customization options with Splendid Spoon. You can’t exactly customize each meal since they’re already prepared, but you can certainly filter the menu. 

Here’s exactly what you’ll find in each filtering category:

Dietary Needs

• High Fiber

• Higher Protein

• Lower Calorie

• Lower Carb

• Lower Fat

• Lower Sodium

• Lower Sugar

Avoidances

• Beets

• Caffeine

• Cilantro

• Coconuts

• Mushrooms

• Sesame

• Soy

• Spicy Ingredients

• Tree Nuts

Benefits

• Blood Sugar Friendly

• Energy Boosting

• Gut Healthy

• Heart Healthy

• Immunity Boosting

• Skin Friendly

Taste & Texture

• Creamy

• Hearty

• Light

• Rich

• Saucy

• Spicy

• Sweet

• Tangy

• Tart

All of the products are gluten-free and vegan, but sometimes products are processed in a facility that handles common allergens including dairy, eggs, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soy.

If you have a severe allergy, it would be best to contact customer service before ordering or avoid the service altogether.

Unboxing

Opening up your delivery is a treat in my opinion as everything is neatly organized and labeled. Since the food is prepared, it’s very easy to take it out of the box and stash it away for later consumption.

Storage Instructions

Speaking of which, you should place everything in the fridge or freezer right away. It’s up to you where you want to store your food.

Grain, noodle, and soup bowls are best consumed within 1 to 2 weeks of being stored in the fridge (or freezer for 1 to 3 months). It’s recommended that you stash away your bowls in the freezer if you’re not planning on eating them within 1 week. Bowls are also flash-frozen in Splendid Spoon’s facilities to “lock in the nutrients”. 

Smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and shots taste best if consumed by the "Enjoy By" date. This date is printed on each and every bottle, so there’s never any confusion or ambiguity.

A Note About Recycling

All the packaging that arrives in Splendid Spoon's box is recyclable, including the ClimaCell insulation. Any plastic used is also BPA-free.

Individual items come wrapped in recyclable paper to keep things neat. The combination of the dry ice and the cardboard creates good insulation to keep the food and smoothies cool. 

You should be able to recycle almost everything. Plastic containers for soups, grain bowls, and smoothies are super easy to recycle locally. Even the dry ice is easy to dispose of: you can just allow it to evaporate in a well-ventilated area – and that’s it.

Overall, Splendid Spoon does a fine job of implementing sustainable practices. Though it’s nice to see the environmental consciousness here, the company could do more to cut down on its plastic use. This could help make it even more eco-conscious.

Cooking with Splendid Spoon

Heating Dishes

You don't have to thaw your Dishes before you start cooking. Simply put them in a tray that's safe for the oven and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or until it's heated up to 165°F inside. Or, you can take off the paper cover, cut some holes in the plastic, and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes.

Heating Soups

Take your soup out of the fridge or freezer and start heating it in the microwave or on the stove. In the microwave, you’ll have to start with 2 to 3-minute increments if frozen. If it’s already thawed, it’ll take far less time.

If you’re using your stove, make sure it’s thawed enough so that it can be removed from the packaging. Once it is, plop it into a pot and begin heating on low to medium heat.

Heating Grain Bowls

Splendid Spoon states that you can technically eat these cold, though it’s not recommended. To heat these, simply heat your grain bowls like any other dish you would heat in your microwave or stovetop. Start at a low to medium heat, and heat for as long as needed to reach a consistent temperature.

Heating Noodles

Again, simply heat from frozen (or from the fridge). Start with 2 to 3-minute intervals in the microwave from the fridge, or about 5 minutes from frozen. You can also use a saucepan on your stovetop!

Shortlist of My Favorite Meals

I’m a big fan of hearty meals because I eat a lot and lift weights. For that reason, I’d choose 3 meals from the Dishes and Noodles categories (combined).

From the Noodles Menu – Dan Dan Noodles

This dish comes with bok choy and tofu, which are 2 of my favorite nutritious ingredients. It’s filling and hearty, which means you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck here. 

From the Dishes Menu – Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

This gets served up with Brussels sprouts and sweet potato, 2 of my favorite ingredients. Just pop it into your microwave for a few minutes and enjoy.

From the Bowls Menu – Brown Rice Taco Bowls

Check this out if you’re into Latin American-inspired food. I love taco bowls, and I love brown rice – so this was an obvious choice for me. You’re also getting red pepper, beans, and pepitas, which are all great for your overall health, too!

Prices

Prices at Splendid Spoon are very straightforward and come in 3 varieties. You can order 7, 14, or 21 meals every week. 

For 7 servings a week, you’ll pay around $12 per serving. Your total cost will be $84.42. 

If you go with 21 meals a week, your price will be $9.37 per serving. The total cost in this case is $196.79.

For the middle-of-the-road plan with 14 weekly meals, the price per serving is $9.02. Your total cost for the week will be $126.36.

Shipping & Delivery

Splendid Spoon only delivers on Wednesdays and Fridays, regardless of your location. It also delivers to all 48 contiguous states – like most other meal delivery services – to any residential or business address.

You won't receive an exact delivery time when you place your order. However, your box will be well-insulated with dry ice to keep the contents fresh – so open with care!

A cool thing about Splendid Spoon is that you don’t have to subscribe to a specific plan in order to try the meals. You can order an On-Demand Box where the meals are either picked for you, or you can mix and match 7 to 21 items that you’ve chosen yourself. This is completely commitment-free, too. 

Orders placed Monday to Wednesday will ship the next day, while orders placed Thursday through Sunday will ship the following Monday. Once shipped, you’ll usually get your order in 1 to 2 days. 

Changes to Your Deliveries

Mind the cut-off if you need to make changes to your order. For Wednesday deliveries, changes must be made by 4 pm ET on the previous Thursday. For Friday targeted deliveries, you must make changes to your order by 4 pm ET on the previous Sunday.

You’ll also be sent a reminder email every week. It should come 3 days before your cut-off time. You can also always choose your meals up to 2 weeks in advance in your account.

How Splendid Spoon Works

It’s super easy to sign up for Splendid Spoon. I really enjoyed the user-friendly interface.

How to Sign Up

1. Click GET STARTED on the homepage.

2. Choose the size of your delivery. Options include 7, 14, or 21 meals per week.

3. Accept the pre-chosen meals or choose your own. You will automatically have meals placed into your box, but you’re welcome to remove them and choose any combination of items you want. You can mix and match smoothies, bowls, noodles, dishes, and anything else.

4. Pick your first delivery date and enter your information. Then, click CONTINUE TO PAYMENT once all of your information has been entered correctly.

5. Review your shipping info + enter your payment info. Then, check out. 

Managing Your Subscription

Managing your subscription is as simple as logging into your online account dashboard. First, log into your account, then click your name in the upper right and select Account Details. 

Once there, you can:

• Change your delivery day

• Change your address

• Change your payment information

• Skip deliveries

• Change your weekly order size (7, 14, or 21 meals)

• Cancel your subscription altogether

Customer Service

Customer service is available 7 days per week. During weekdays, you can reach someone from 9 am to 8 pm EST or 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays. You can also email the team through an online contact form or via Facebook Messenger. 

I decided to give the email contact form a try. I wanted to find out how responsive the customer service team is and what kind of answer(s) I could expect. 

An agent replied to my email in about 2 days and seemed happy to be doing so. Overall, the experience was on par with most other email support services from leading competitors.

Splendid Spoon also has an in-depth FAQ section, complete with subtopics and a search bar. There’s also a self-service support center, with shortcuts to all the important actions you may want to complete, from pausing your subscription to changing your billing info.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the lack of support channels. Luckily, if you need to pause or cancel your order for whatever reason, it’s extremely simple to do so. You can read about it in this short blog post that explains the Splendid Spoon cancelation process in greater detail.

How Splendid Spoon Compares to Other Meal Delivery Services

Splendid Spoon vs. Factor: Factor offers more flexibility in meal choices and dietary preferences than Splendid Spoon. Its meals are chef-prepared and designed by dietitians, ensuring a tasty yet healthy experience. Factor also includes fresh meals, never frozen. It even offers some meat dishes if you aren’t after a fully vegan menu.

Splendid Spoon vs. Green Chef: Green Chef provides meal kits that you cook yourself. Unlike Splendid Spoon's ready-made meals, with Green Chef, you can customize ingredients to suit personal preferences. This is ideal for those who wish to explore new recipes while having control over their diet. Plus, Green Chef provides USDA-certified organic produce and eggs.

Splendid Spoon vs. HelloFresh: Like Green Chef, HelloFresh offers meal kits for you to cook yourself. It has a huge menu and its prices are affordable. Unlike Splendid Spoon's prepared meals, HelloFresh allows you to customize your meals, which is perfect for dietary needs or adventurous tastes.

The Bottom Line: Is Splendid Spoon Worth It?

Splendid Spoon is certainly not for everyone. Unless you’re on a real health kick, it can be tough to get excited about a diet that includes a lot of smoothies and soups. But taking into account the menu variety and quality ingredients, it does a pretty good job of offering appealing, colorful, and nutritious meals.

You might think that the smoothie and soup prices are expensive, and you're right. But this is not necessarily about value for money – it’s about convenience. For those who want the absolute best of the best, Splendid Spoon certainly doesn’t fall short.

Everything on the menu is vegan, designed to make you feel good, and promotes good health. I think it’s worth paying the price for Splendid Spoon if it means a healthier lifestyle overall. But the choice is ultimately yours! 

FAQ

Is Splendid Spoon healthy?

Splendid Spoon offers purely plant-based, non-GMO, and gluten-free meals, so I’d say yes. The company says its focus is on making healthy eating easier and helping people to create better eating habits.

How much does Splendid Spoon cost?

Splendid Spoon prices vary based on the plan you choose. Prices start at $9.99 per serving for the 14-meal box.

How do you cancel your Splendid Spoon subscription?

Splendid Spoon allows you to cancel your plan from within your online account dashboard. All you need to do is log in using these instructions to complete the cancelation process.