Purple Carrot Meal Delivery Review: How Does It Work?

Never am I more unrealistic than when I’m buying ingredients at the grocery store. Each week, I find myself following the same blissfully naive strategy: diligently researching recipes and shopping out fresh ingredients, only to later find myself too exhausted to cook, resorting to microwaveable frozen dinners. More often than not, I’m left with a dysfunctional diet and food that goes bad. (It’s a vicious cycle.) I’ve been weary, however, of trying any meal delivery services, even in spite of my hectic schedule. But after learning about the unique menu offerings provided through Purple Carrot’s Meal Delivery Plan ($53, originally $106), I decided to give the service a shot.

Unlike other food-subscription services, Purple Carrot offers weekly delivery plans that are centered around customized serving sizes and meal types (you can choose between a prepared meal or a meal kit). Just in time for the new year, I had the opportunity to test out Purple Carrot for myself to see not only how the program operates, but also whether or not its plant-based dishes truly live up to the hype.

If you’ve been on the fence about subscribing, here’s what to know about Purple Carrot.

What Makes a Good Meal Delivery Service?

There are a couple factors to consider before subscribing to a meal delivery service. First and foremost, you’ll want to take into account its options for servings and portion sizes. Some brands offer predetermined serving sizes for their meal plans, which could either leave you with less than what you’re looking to spend money on, or overwhelmed with too much food.

Customization is also key: if you’re opting to subscribe to a food delivery service rather than shopping out ingredients or meals for yourself, it’s important that the available menu has options you’ll actually be excited to eat. And if you have any dietary restrictions, you might be better off ordering from a more niche brand that specializes in plant-based dishes or vegan meals.

Finally, given that this will be an expense taken out of your monthly budget, you’ll also want to take the meal plan’s affordability into consideration. More often than not, food delivery services can actually prove to be a much more feasible option because they remove the hassle of having to buy individual ingredients for every meal.

What I Like About the Purple Carrot Food Delivery Service

While I don’t generally consider myself to be a picky eater, I am someone who values variety. What I like or crave one week might be completely different the next. As a result, I appreciate the diversity in dishes provided through Purple Carrot. While all of the brand’s meals are plant-based and vegan-friendly, they include a wide range of options that are perfect for every consumer, regardless of your food preferences.

Purple Carrot’s weekly menu also changes regularly, so you have the opportunity to constantly try new things. For example, in my shipment, I received prepared meals like the Roasted Root Veggies dish and the Pesto Nourish Bowl with roasted butternut and apple almond pilaf — but these are just two of many options. This week in particular, users can also choose from items like a Cauliflower Palak, Cavatappi Ragu, or Pizza Beans. On the meal-kit front, options includes dishes like Peanut Pad Thai Noodles, Chipotle Tofu Tacos, or Steakhouse Burgers.

Consumers also have the option to completely customize their weekly meal deliveries based off of serving totals and meals per week. For the meal kit option, you can choose between two or four servings per meal, as well as receiving three or four meals per week. For prepared meals, users can choose to receive anywhere from three to five days’ worth of meals per week (accounting for both lunch and dinner), depending on their preferences. This sort of flexibility ensures that anyone can enjoy Purple Carrot’s fresh food offerings, regardless of their household size or daily food intake.

What’s Worth Noting

Similar to other meal delivery services, Purple Carrot’s brand ethos is rooted in freshness, meaning that each week, you can expect to receive freshly prepared meals and ingredients with quality you can taste. As a result, it’s worth noting that the meals are not designed to have a long shelf life like frozen or boxed products you might buy at the grocery store. They’re supposed to be consumed quickly, and the prepared meals even come with an expiration date printed across the front so you know how much time you have to eat them before they go bad.

If you’re truly committed to using Purple Carrot’s meal offerings as an alternative to store-bought meals, then this shouldn’t be a problem. I personally had no issue eating all of the dinners and meal kits in the recommended amount of time. However, if you’re concerned about being able to keep up with the brand’s weekly deliveries, you might be better off trying a different service or sticking to buying your food from the grocery store.

Who Is Purple Carrot’s Food Delivery Service Best For?

If you (like me) are always looking for more ways to improve your diet, better manage your budget, or simply take the stress out of having to shop for fresh groceries each week, then Purple Carrot is the ultimate investment. It takes all the guesswork out of having to grocery-shop. I now know exactly how much I’m spending each week based off of the servings and total meals ordered.

All the meals (and meal kits) are delivered right to my door and filled with quality ingredients and vegetables that usually taste even fresher than the ones I typically buy from my local market. Purple Carrot’s unique, plant-based menu has always expanded my food preferences and introduced me to a whole new variety of dishes that are not only better for me, but ones I likely wouldn’t have tried otherwise. All in all, it’s a worthwhile subscription that’s paid off in big ways and even inspired me to rethink my weekly dietary (and spending) habits.

Additional Details:

Where Can I Sign Up For Purple Carrot’s Meal Delivery Plan?

You can browse meal plans and subscribe to Purple Carrot via the brand’s website.

Rating:

★★★★