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A few months ago, I decided to rope my sister into trying out two different meal kit delivery services. Blue Apron and Sun Basket are two of the most popular health-oriented meal delivery companies in the US.
And since my sister is a Vegan, I wanted to see which of both services had better options and value for their prices. I found that while Blue Apron was a decent choice, Sun Basket beat it by a small margin.
Number of Recipe Options per Week
- Blue Apron – from 4 to 8 recipe cards each week
- SunBasket – 18
Dietary Restrictions Catered
- Blue Apron
- hormone-free meat
- sustainably-sourced seafood
- non-GMO ingredients
- vegetarian
- SunBasket
- vegan
- vegetarian
- paleo
- organic ingredients
- gluten-free
Shipping Cost
- Blue Apron – around $8 for the minimum order, otherwise free
- SunBasket – flat fee of around $7
Average Cost per Meal
- Blue Apron – under $9
- SunBasket – under $11
Popular Dishes
- Blue Apron
- Sweet Pepper Chicken with Ditali Pasta and Spinach
- Fresh Radiatore Pasta and Beef Bolognese with Grana Panado Cheese
- Spiced Cauliflower with Jasmine Rice and Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce
- Cheesy Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
- SunBasket
- Salmon with Roasted New Potatoes and Green Beans
- Grilled Steak with Roasted Poblanos and New Mexican Chile Sauce
- Steaks with Chimichurri and Harissa-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups
Menu Options
- Blue Apron
- Signature (meat, fish, Beyond Meat, vegetarian)
- Freestyle (weight watchers)
- Vegetarian
- Signature for 4 (family-friendly)
- Wine club
- SunBasket
- Classic
- Family (kid-friendly)
- Vegetarian
- Fresh and Ready (ready to heat)
- Carb-conscious (low carb)
- Paleo
- Gluten-free
- Lean and clean
- Vegetarian
- Mediterranean
- Pescatarian
- Diabetes-friendly
Minimum Order
- Blue Apron – 2 meals for 2 people
- SunBasket – 2 meals for 2 people
Delivery Coverage
- Blue Apron – all locations in the US
- SunBasket – 47 states in the US
Review Summary: Both Blue Apron and SunBasket offer a good variety that cater to vegetarians, regular diets, and more. But their most striking similarities end there. BlueApron is better suited for you if you’re looking for simpler meal variants and a more straightforward process in choosing your meal kit. On the other hand, SunBasket focuses on giving you more options and more control over your final basket. The company allows you to choose from a variety of diet-specific menus including diabetic-friendly and paleo options. Although BlueApron is a good, reliable, meal kit delivery service that does the basics well, SunBasket gives you more value for your money and a better variety of recipes to choose from.
Meal Delivery Services Plans & Prices Compared
Both meal plans offer a good variety of healthful meal variants including vegetarian, omnivore, and pescatarian options. The companies offer menus that are updated on a weekly basis to give you a variety of recipe options, guaranteeing that you won’t have the same meals two weeks in a row unless you want to.
Blue Apron’s meals cover vegetarian, Beyond Meat, seafood, hormone-free meat, and kid-friendly options.
Unfortunately, the company does not cater to specific dietary requirements other than vegetarian options.
- Their “Freestyle” plan is a collaboration with Weight Watchers that focuses on healthy recipe options. This meal plan is ideal if you’d like to focus on losing weight, or would like meals that are better balanced.
- Blue Apron’s Signature plan combines different protein sources like meat, seafood, and Beyond Meat. This means you have a small variety of options to choose from if you’d like to avoid certain proteins like red meat or shellfish.
- It does not have diet-specific menus other than their vegetarian option. However, they have meals that can qualify for nut-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free among others. But you will need to review the ingredients list yourself.
- The number of recipe choices you have each week is heavily reliant on the meal plan you choose. For example, if you choose the Vegetarian plan, you’ll be able to choose between three to four recipes. The Signature Plan for 4 on the other hand, gives you 6 recipes each week, while the Signature plan for 2 lets you choose from 8 recipes each week.
- It has an optional wine club you can subscribe to in addition to your meal kits.
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Unlike Blue Apron, SunBasket caters to different diet specifications like Paleo, Diabetic-friendly, and Vegan.
Each plan gives you 18 recipes to choose from each week, plus you can even mix and match meal variants.
- You can choose between 11 meal plans: low-carb, Paleo, gluten-free, lean and clean, fresh and easy, Mediterranean, Vegan, diabetic-friendly, Chef’s choice, and pescatarian.
- SunBasket also offers a specific menu for lunch, breakfast, snack options.
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Review Summary: SunBasket gives you more recipe variety and caters to more specific diet restrictions. You’re able to control exactly what you want in your box compared to Blue Apron that only offers a limited number of recipes each week and doesn’t have diet-specific menus ready. However, It would be an ideal choice for you if you’re looking for a simpler menu with less options.
My Experience Using Both Services
I won’t lie, both meal kit services made two weeks of my life easier. The recipes are easy to follow, most of the prep work was already done for me, and SunBasket even had a few ready to heat meals that I appreciated on busy mornings. But it was also clear that while both services mostly met my expectations, the experience with each company was also drastically different.
For one, Blue Apron’s ordering process was much less complicated compared to SunBasket’s. You only had to choose between two meal preferences, unlike Sun Basket which gave you a list of around 12 dietary options ranging from Paleo to Chef’s Choice. But it also meant that this company had much less to offer in terms of variety and recipe options compared to Sun Basket.
I also noticed that SunBasket had a better range of recipe difficulty. This means I was able to balance out meals that were ready in a few minutes that needed very little effort with meals that required a bit more work. That recipe difficulty levels also varied. But there wasn’t enough variety to choose from.
Plans & Prices Compared
BlueApron is significantly cheaper compared to SunBasket. But the price difference also comes at a cost. SunBasket offers more meal plan options compared to BlueApron which means there’s more value to your money depending on your specific needs.
Blue Apron allows you to choose from two to four meal deliveries each week for either two or four people.
Signature Plan
- Two recipes
- Cost per serving: nearly $10
- Shipping: almost $8
- Cost p/w: around $48
- Three recipes
- Cost per serving: nearly $10
- Shipping: free
- Cost p/w: almost $60
- Four recipes
- Cost per serving: around $10
- Shipping: free
- Cost p/w: around $80
Vegetarian Plan
- Two recipes
- Cost per serving: almost $10
- Shipping: around $8
- Cost p/w: almost $48
- Three recipes
- Cost per serving: nearly $10
- Shipping: free
- Cost p/w: nearly $60
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SunBasket’s meal plans and pricing are straightforward and applies to all menu options regardless of which meal preference you choose. Like Blue Apron, SunBasket lets you choose from two to four meals for two and four people each week.
Two or Four Servings
- Two Recipes – around $13 per portion
- Three Recipes – around $12 per portion
- Four Recipes – around $11 per portion
Shipping: flat fee of around $7
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Review Summary: Both Blue Apron and SunBasket give you good value for your money regarding nutrition and quality ingredients. However, if you’re looking for a much more affordable option, Blue Apron would be the ideal choice for you. On the other hand, SunBasket’s wide variety of meals and ability to cater to a diverse range of dietary preferences make it a more high-value service.
Best Menu Selection
I am one of the lucky few who don’t have any qualms with specific food. However, I was sharing these meals with my sister—who is Vegan, which affected my experience with the recipe variety each of the two services offer.
If you’re ordering for someone who’s like me and doesn’t have any allergies or is trying to follow a certain diet, then you won’t have much of a problem with the recipe selection from either of these services. The only clear difference is that SunBasket gives you more options.
Blue Apron’s menus have very limited options. For example, the vegetarian plan only has three to four recipe options. So if you’re ordering three or four meals a week, you won’t have a choice with what you get. The most options you get is with their Classic family plan that offers you eight recipe choices from their weekly menu. Another thing you need to consider is that Blue Apron doesn’t cater to specific diets apart from their vegetarian plan. This made it slightly more difficult for me to choose meals my sister would be comfortable with as a vegan. However, they did have a few meals that would fit the criteria. You just need to read the instructions extensively yourself.
Sun Basket had a better variety when it came to recipe options and catering to certain diet restrictions. They even have a specific menu for certain dietary preferences like Vegan, Paleo, Keto, and diabetic-friendly. Each menu had an average of 18 recipes to choose from. This made it both easier and more difficult to select meals that would work for me and my sister. I say it’s easier, because there’s more variety. I’m not stuck with a handful of recipes that don’t seem appetizing to me. On the other hand, it’s also difficult, because the variety can get confusing and it can be difficult to narrow down your choices.
Packaging
Both SunBasket and BlueApron pack their meal kits well. There are rarely any issues for leakage, and your food is kept fresh and in the best condition possible while it ships to you.
Blue Apron
Blue Apron utilizes cardboard packaging that is 100% recyclable. They carry the cardboard theme inside of the box as separators for fresh ingredients and meat. Their produce is kept in the same section, so you will have to do a fair bit of sorting through your box to determine which ingredient will be used for which recipe. You’re also supplied with ice packs that keep your meat fresh. The ice packs are reusable. But if you find yourself with one too many, they also provide clear instructions on how to recycle them.
Sun Basket
Sun Basket is better at segregating their ingredients. Their ingredients come in separate paper bags and are pre-sorted and are clearly labelled to tell you which ingredients need to be used for certain recipes. Their meats are packaged separately from other ingredients as well to avoid contamination and spoilage of produce.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Is Blue Apron Healthy?
Blue Apron focuses on delivering healthy and delicious meals. In fact, they’re one of the very first companies to extensively pay attention to portion sizes and offer well-balanced menus to their subscribers. Recently, they’ve partnered with the Weight Watchers program to curate meals that are designed for healthy weight loss.
Which is a Better Blue Apron vs Sun Basket?
Sun Basket gives you more meal variety while Blue Apron makes choosing your meals a simpler process. While both meal kit delivery services are good at what they do, SunBasket’s meal variety gives it more value over Blue Apron. Plus, the lack of specific menus that cater to dietary restrictions excludes a majority of people who might benefit from Blue Apron’s cheaper prices and simpler meal selection process.
Is Blue Apron Organic?
Perhaps it is a sign of how business has changed. When Blue Apron was first marketed to consumers, food was largely organic. Yes, there were some organic options in the food preparation aisle, but the food was never supposed to be organic. If you wanted an organic meal, you had to buy the organic items separately or cook the meals yourself. As an example, if you wanted some meatballs in your pad thai recipe, you would need to buy some.
Blue Apron does not break down organic offerings into product categories. It does have organic meals categories though and that is the one that I have my eyes on. The company has reported a 75% increase in “NON-GAAP MEALS GROWTH” over the last two years and I feel that organic could be a huge revenue driver for the company. Is Blue Apron Just For Cutting Back On Groceries? I have had a big problem with Blue Apron in that most customers who go to their site only want to cut back on spending. They also don’t really want to cook, so they want a packaged product that only needs to be cooked once.
Which Meal Delivery Service is Best for Weight Watchers?
So which meal delivery service is best for you if you are a Weight Watchers member? Well, I’ll let you make the decision. If you’re like me and crave culinary experiences I like to try a new recipe every week or so. If you’re like me and crave culinary experiences I like to try a new recipe every week or so.
Of course, this all depends on which meal delivery service is best for you. I am just like many of you, I do not eat healthy on a regular basis and so subscribing to a meal delivery service will provide me with an ongoing subscription of healthy, delicious meals. You’ve got a few options, right? Well, there’s HelloFresh, Home Chef, Healthy Living, and Purple Carrot, each having their own unique take on the meal delivery service market.
How Long Does a Sunbasket Last?
Did you know? Sunbasket uses Canadian hens for the eggs in its chocolate chip cookies and prefers locally-produced honey for its coffee and chocolate chip cookie dough. Sunbasket also highlights its commitment to quality. “If you cook with less, you can afford to cook with better ingredients,” the site explains.Is Sun Basket Easy to Cancel?
Yes, canceling a subscription with Sun Basket can be a straightforward process. Typically, you can manage your subscription through your online account settings. It’s advised to review Sun Basket’s cancellation policy, which may include specific timeframes or requirements for cancellation. Some users have reported that canceling through the website interface was hassle-free, but it’s always a good practice to read any updated terms and conditions before making changes to your subscription. It’s important to note that companies’ policies and procedures can change over time, so I recommend visiting Sun Basket’s official website or contacting their customer service for the most current and accurate information regarding canceling your subscription.
Why Did the Blue Apron Fail?
Blue Apron faced several challenges that contributed to its difficulties and eventual decline in the meal kit delivery market. While multiple factors played a role in its struggles, some key issues stand out as significant contributors to Blue Apron’s failure.
One primary factor was the intense competition within the meal kit industry. Blue Apron entered a market that quickly became saturated with numerous competitors offering similar services. This resulted in a struggle to differentiate itself and maintain a unique value proposition, leading to difficulty in acquiring and retaining customers.
Furthermore, the subscription-based model employed by Blue Apron proved to be a double-edged sword. While it provided consistent revenue streams, it also meant that customers could easily cancel their subscriptions if they found the service unsatisfactory. This put pressure on Blue Apron to consistently deliver high-quality experiences to prevent churn.
Economic factors also played a role. The cost of meal kits, although convenient, was often higher than traditional grocery shopping. As consumers became more price-conscious and sought value for their money, the premium price of Blue Apron’s service became a deterrent for some potential customers.
Logistical challenges were another hurdle. Delivering fresh ingredients in a timely manner while maintaining their quality required a complex and costly supply chain. Issues such as ingredient freshness, delivery delays, and package waste contributed to customer dissatisfaction.
Moreover, changing consumer behaviors impacted Blue Apron’s success. As the COVID-19 pandemic shifted dining habits, many people began cooking more at home. This led to increased competition from grocery delivery services and a decreased demand for meal kits.
In summary, Blue Apron’s failure can be attributed to a combination of factors, including intense competition, a subscription-based model susceptible to customer churn, economic considerations, logistical challenges, and evolving consumer preferences. These challenges collectively undermined its ability to maintain a strong foothold in the meal kit market.
Which Service is Better Blue Apron or Sun Basket?
Blue Apron is a good vegan meal kit delivery option. The service is around $2 cheaper per meal compared to Sun Basket and is ideal if you’re looking for meals that are healthy, accompanied by recipes that are easy to follow, and fresh ingredients. It’s better suited for you if you’re trying to lose weight, stick to a vegetarian diet or don’t have any serious food allergies or restrictions.
The Blue Apron menus consist of up to 8 meal options. It’s not restrictive if you’re not too picky with your food and if you have trouble choosing from meals if you have too many options in front of you. However, if you’re trying to follow a specific diet like Paleo or Keto, you may have a hard time finding meals that would qualify for your lifestyle.
Another thing to consider is that their meal kits are not curated with food allergies in mind. While you may be able to find certain recipes that don’t contain food you may be allergic to, all their ingredients are stored in a facility that handles allergens. Of course, the company takes care to prevent cross-contamination. But you can never be too careful.
On the other hand, Sun Basket allows you to choose from a list of around 12 meal preferences. This means you can specifically select whether you’d like a fully Vegan, Keto, diabetic-friendly, or low calorie menu among others. Sun Basket even offers snacks, a lunch menu, and a breakfast menu, so there’s more variety to choose from.
The wide range of recipe options and their ability to cater to different dietary preferences and restrictions make Sun Basket ideal for you if you want to get the most value for your money and if you want to be able to select meals from more than just a handful of choices.
Is Sun Basket Good?
Sun Basket is a home meal delivery service, a type of subscription service that delivers ingredients and recipes (for various meals and cuisines) to your door so you can prepare meals. Sun Basket launched in 2015 and is one of the best-known brands in the subscription meal kit market. If you’re interested in trying best meal kits, I’d say you should give Sun Basket a try. What I liked about Sun Basket was that it lets you customize your delivery in a number of ways. You can opt for no delivery and to have the meals sent to your apartment; you can opt for delivery every other day or once a week, or you can choose to have meals sent to your office so you don’t have to make dinner at home.
You can also select which meals you want to have delivered on certain days (all week, all month, etc.). I went with a two-day, every-other-week schedule. With my plan, I selected six meals per week from a mix of organic, vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, and non-vegetarian meals. Most of the menu items are wholesome, plant-based, and gluten-free, which made for convenient and healthy weeknight dinners. Each meal comes with a recipe card so you can easily make the recipes, which you can personalize as well.
What Are the Most Cost Effective Food Boxes?
Determining the most cost-effective food boxes involves considering various factors such as price per serving, portion sizes, quality of ingredients, and subscription options. Several meal kit delivery services offer affordable options without compromising on quality or taste.
One of the most cost-effective food box options is EveryPlate. EveryPlate stands out for its budget-friendly pricing, offering meals at a significantly lower cost compared to many other meal kit services. Despite its affordability, EveryPlate maintains quality by providing fresh ingredients and straightforward recipes that are easy to prepare. While the menu options may be more limited compared to other services, EveryPlate offers a variety of classic dishes with generous portion sizes, making it a popular choice for individuals and families looking to save money without sacrificing taste or convenience.
Another cost-effective option is Dinnerly. Similar to EveryPlate, Dinnerly focuses on affordability by providing simple, yet delicious recipes at a lower price point. Dinnerly achieves cost savings by using digital recipe cards instead of printed materials and offering fewer ingredients per recipe. However, this does not compromise on flavor or quality, as Dinnerly still sources fresh ingredients and offers a variety of meal options to suit different tastes and dietary preferences.
For those seeking plant-based options, Purple Carrot offers affordable vegan meal kits with an emphasis on quality ingredients and creative recipes. While Purple Carrot may have a slightly higher price point compared to traditional meal kit services, it provides excellent value for individuals following a plant-based diet. Purple Carrot’s meals feature a variety of nutritious ingredients, including organic produce and plant-based proteins, making it an attractive option for those looking to prioritize health and sustainability without breaking the bank.
Ultimately, the most cost-effective food box will depend on individual preferences, dietary needs, and budget constraints. By comparing prices, portion sizes, and meal options, consumers can find a meal kit delivery service that offers the best value for their specific needs and preferences.
Sun Basket even offers snacks, a lunch menu, and a breakfast menu, so there’s more variety to choose from.
The wide range of recipe options and their ability to cater to different dietary preferences and restrictions make Sun Basket ideal for you if you want to get the most value for your money and if you want to be able to select meals from more than just a handful of choices.
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