Sunbasket organic meal kits deliver everything you need to cook easy, delicious, nutritious meals right to your front door. This is our review of our Sunbasket experience.
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What's Sunbasket All About?
There are a vast number of meal prep home delivery programs to choose from. Sunbasket, established in 2014, has now stood the test of time, and there are a few things that really stand out about their service.
- They use certified organic, non-GMO, sustainably sourced, seasonal ingredients from the country's top farms.
- Live proteins are grass-fed, antibiotic-free, pastured meats and sustainable seafood, from ranchers & fishermen with whom they have a direct relationship. (Read: trust)
- They offer Paleo, Gluten-free, and Vegetarian options.
- Recipes are healthy, innovative, easy-to-prepare meals that require 30 minutes or less to prepare.
- Packaging is environmentally responsible and 100% recyclable.
With all those points on their side, we decided to give them a try, so we sat down to order our first box.
Ordering Process
The online ordering process itself is very simple, but our household dynamics make it just a bit tricky. Until very recently, we had a very full house - including kids home from college for the summer and married kids landing for a few weeks. And guess what? Everyone had a slightly different eating style!
Luckily, Sunbasket offers a variety of meal plans, including both meal prep kits and Fresh & Ready prepared meals. Since everyone home at the time was OK with fish, we chose these three meal prep kits:
- Roasted Salmon with Red Chermoula & Seared Endive
- Quinoa Fritters with Arugula-Strawberry Salad
- Shrimp Tacos Diablo with Pickled Cabbage & Lime
Shipping & Arrival
Our shipment arrived on time, as scheduled. We were impressed with the packaging, which clearly reflects Sunbasket's commitment to the environment. The packaging is 100% recyclable, plus they offer free delivery and free return shipping so that they can reuse the materials. Boxes arrive with clear instructions on recycling, and the sauces came in awesome little reusable plastic containers with lids.
All of the ingredients arrived fresh and in premium shape, including tricky-to-ship items like strawberries and cilantro. Ingredients for each meal were clearly marked and packaged together in a brown paper bag, except the fish and shrimp, which were packed separately in the bottom of the box with additional ice packs.
Sunbasket follows best practices when it comes to preparing ingredients, and all allergens are clearly listed. Moreover, while they are not a completely gluten free facility, they take ingredient preparation very seriously.
Each meal came with a beautifully photographed, detailed recipe card as well.
Meal Preparation
Each of the meal kits we ordered served two people. (Four-meal plans are also available.) However, as I mentioned earlier, we had a full house, so we decided to have a party and make all three meals at the same time. Sounds like a great idea, right?!?
Let's just say, I do not recommend making all the meal at the same time.
Things got a little confusing at times. I tried to keep things organized by arranging the ingredients for each meal on top of the bag that it came in. (This part wasn't as easy as it looks.)
Nevertheless, the meals were simple to prepare, and the directions were straight-forward. It definitely would have been easier it I hadn't been trying to take pictures and access the process at the same time I was preparing the food!
Our meals not only tasted delicious, but they plated up beautifully, too. I referred to the photos on the recipe cards for plating, and everything looked as good as it tasted.
Hits & Misses
Each meal provided enough for two decent-sized portions, but in the future, I think I'll try to have a few extra sides to bulk up the meal for those with heartier appetites.
Of the three meals we prepared, the Quinoa Fritters were the stand-out favorite. Not only did they go a long way, but the Quinoa Fritters were without a doubt the biggest hit from our box as well – everyone loved them! (Believe me, this is no small feat!)
The fritters were very flavorful, and had just the right amount of contrasting textures with the crunch of the fried quinoa and the smooth yogurt-tahini sauce. The arugula-strawberry salad paired with them very well too; although honestly, I think almost any light, slightly sweet salad would do the trick.
Final Thoughts
Would we order from Sunbasket again?
Probably. This service would work well for a working couple or small family, or anyone wanting to expand their cooking repertoire. You get reasonably priced gourmet meals, ordering is online is super easy, and you can skip a week or cancel at any time. Their demonstrated commitment to both the environment and quality customer service is a real selling point to us as well.
If you'd like to try one of Sun Basket's recipes at home, check out our adaptation of their easy Quinoa Fritters recipe.
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