It’s such a confusing task when you have to decide between two of the most popular meal kit delivery services. That would be Blue Apron and Sunbasket, and the long-standing debate of Blue Apron vs Sunbasket seems to persist in various forums and review sites.
Now, you might probably think that Sunbasket is the better choice since it offers both meal kits and fully-cooked meals. But let me just stop you right there because you also need to know that Blue Apron is more affordable and caters to a wider audience – and now the confusion is back again!
There are many such differences between Blue Apron and Sunbasket. Another example would be – and this is not making things any easier- that Sunbasket uses only organic ingredients and Blue Apron doesn’t. But then, Blue Apron has a menu with a larger selection of meals, and Sunbasket doesn’t.
Regardless, both meal delivery services are influential in their own way and have their own strengths and weaknesses too.
Read on to know all about the most important factors that play a role by default whenever the comparison of Blue Apron and Sunbasket comes up.
(Read our complete Blue Apron review here)
(Read our complete Sunbasket review here)
Why Use Heat-and-Eat Meal Kit Services Like Blue Apron and Sunbasket?
In our fast-paced world, where time is a luxury and cooking can feel like a daunting task, we find ourselves yearning for convenient solutions without compromising on flavor and nutrition.
Our lack of time to prepare healthy meals is another thing to consider here, so what gives?
This is where the revolution of heat-and-eat meal kit services like Blue Apron and Sunbasket step in, promising to transform your culinary experience. From busy professionals and parents to amateur cooks and food enthusiasts, these services have captured the hearts and taste buds of millions.
Convenience at its Finest
Let’s face it: life can get chaotic. Between juggling work, family, and social commitments, finding the time and energy to plan meals and navigate the grocery store can be overwhelming. Enter Blue Apron and Sunbasket, the culinary superheroes who swoop in to save the day.
These meal kit services eliminate the need for meticulous planning and shopping by delivering pre-portioned, ready-to-cook meals right to your doorstep. With everything conveniently packaged, complete with easy-to-follow recipe cards, you can bid farewell to grocery store mayhem and spend your precious time on what truly matters.
Expand Your Culinary Horizons
Are you tired of cooking the same recipes week after week? Bored with the limited selection at your local supermarket? Blue Apron and Sunbasket are here to reinvigorate your taste buds and broaden your culinary horizons. These meal kit services offer an impressive array of globally-inspired dishes, incorporating a diverse range of flavors, spices, and cooking techniques. From Thai curry to Mediterranean delicacies, you can embark on a culinary adventure without leaving your kitchen. With each meal, you’ll receive carefully curated ingredients, ensuring you explore new flavors while gaining valuable cooking skills along the way.
Bid Farewell to Food Waste
How many times have you thrown away wilted vegetables or expired ingredients that you never got around to using? Food waste is a significant problem worldwide, but Blue Apron and Sunbasket are championing a deliciously sustainable solution. By delivering pre-portioned ingredients, these meal kit services minimize food waste, as you receive precisely what you need for each recipe. No more forgotten produce rotting away in the depths of your fridge. By embracing heat-and-eat meal kits, you’ll not only savor fresh ingredients but also contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.
Embrace Your Inner Chef
You don’t need a culinary degree to create mouthwatering dishes worthy of a five-star restaurant. Blue Apron and Sunbasket empower you to unleash your inner chef with their meticulously crafted recipes. The step-by-step instructions, accompanied by vivid visuals, ensure that even the most inexperienced cooks can achieve culinary excellence.
These meal kit services take the guesswork out of cooking, allowing you to focus on the joys of creation, experimentation, and culinary self-expression. Whether you’re a novice or an aspiring gourmet, each meal becomes an opportunity to discover hidden talents and unlock your culinary prowess.
Health, Wellness, and Beyond
In the age of health-consciousness, it’s essential to fuel our bodies with nutritious, well-balanced meals. Blue Apron and Sunbasket recognize this need and prioritize sourcing high-quality ingredients that cater to various dietary preferences and restrictions.
Whether you’re following a specific diet like keto, paleo, or vegetarian, or simply looking to make healthier choices, these meal kit services have you covered. By offering a variety of nutritious options and transparent ingredient sourcing, they enable you to nourish your body while enjoying delicious, chef-curated meals.
Factors to Consider in Choosing Heat-and-Eat Meal Kit Services
Embarking on the journey of selecting the perfect heat-and-eat meal kit service can feel like stepping into a culinary wonderland. With a myriad of options available, it’s essential to navigate through the tantalizing choices to find the one that best suits your palate and lifestyle.
Culinary Variety
First and foremost, let’s indulge in the rich tapestry of flavors offered by different meal kit services. Take a moment to ponder your culinary preferences. Are you an adventurous eater, excited to explore new cuisines? Or do you prefer sticking to familiar favorites? Consider meal kit services like Blue Apron or Sunbasket, known for their diverse and globally-inspired menus. From exotic Thai dishes to comforting Italian classics, choose a service that caters to your taste buds and keeps you excited about each meal.
Dietary Considerations
Whether you’re following a specific diet or have dietary restrictions, it’s crucial to select a meal kit service that accommodates your unique needs. If you’re vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free, explore options like Purple Carrot or Green Chef, renowned for their focus on plant-based and allergen-friendly recipes. For those embracing the low-carb lifestyle, services such as Freshly or Factor75 offer keto-friendly and high-protein meal options. Ensure that the service you choose aligns with your dietary goals and makes healthy eating an effortless and enjoyable experience.
Quality of Ingredients
The key to an exceptional culinary experience lies in the quality of ingredients. Look for meal kit services that prioritize sourcing high-quality, fresh, and sustainable ingredients. From farm-fresh produce to responsibly sourced proteins, a commitment to quality ensures that each bite is bursting with flavor and nutritional goodness. Explore the ingredient sourcing practices of different services, and opt for those that share your values and deliver ingredients you can feel good about.
Customization and Flexibility
We all have our unique preferences when it comes to food. Some of us adore spicy flavors, while others prefer milder options. When selecting a heat-and-eat meal kit service, consider the level of customization and flexibility they offer. Can you adjust spice levels or swap ingredients to suit your taste? Are there options to skip weeks or modify portion sizes? Choose a service that puts you in the driver’s seat, allowing you to personalize your meals and adapt them to your individual preferences.
Pricing and Value
While exploring the world of heat-and-eat meal kit services, it’s essential to consider the pricing and overall value they provide. Compare the costs of different services, keeping in mind factors such as portion sizes, ingredient quality, and recipe complexity. Some services offer introductory discounts or loyalty programs, which can enhance the overall value of your culinary journey. Remember, finding the perfect balance between quality and affordability ensures that your taste buds and wallet remain equally satisfied.
Blue Apron vs Sunbasket – Meal Selection and Cost
Both Blue Apron and Sunbasket offer different meal prices based on the number of meals you select each week. With Blue Apron, you can select meals in 2 or 4 servings each and select from different meals per week at varying prices.
You can easily build your own plan based on the number of servings and meals per week starting with the following:
- 2 servings per week for 2, 3, and 4 meals. The cost per serving for 4, 6, and 8 total meals per week is $11.99, $9.99, and $9.49 per serving.
- 4 servings per week for 2, 3, and 4 meals. The cost per serving for 6, 12, and 16 total meals per week is $9.49, $8.49, and $7.99 per serving.
Blue Apron charges a flat shipping fee of $9.99 on every order. Extra protein, breakfast, and snack items cost extra though much less than the per-serving cost of the meals.
Moving on to Sunbasket, they offer two different types of meal plans: meal kits and prepared meals. The meal kits start from $11.49 per serving, while the freshly prepared meals start at $9.99 per serving.
You can select as many meals as you want per week, and the price varies according to the total number of meals you select. The average cost range that you’re likely to spend on Sunbasket’s meals falls between $11.49 and $17.99 per serving for meal kits and between $9.99 and $13.69 per serving for Fresh & Ready meals.
The meal kits require 2servings per meal at the minimum, while the Fresh & Ready meals are all single-serve.
These prices are not shipping fee-inclusive, which means you have to pay an extra $9.99 for shipping no matter the size of your first box. The prices also do not include the extra snack items, but they cost much less. This also includes the extra proteins, breakfast, and light lunches on the menu.
It is with both Blue Apron and Sunbasket that the higher number of meals you order, the less you pay on the final bill amount. The cost per serving decreases as you increase the servings.
Benefits of High-Quality Heat-and-Eat Meal Kit Services
In a world where our hectic schedules often leave us craving convenience, it’s essential not to compromise on our health. Enter the realm of high-quality heat-and-eat meal kit services, where culinary expertise meets nourishing goodness. These services, such as Blue Apron and Sunbasket, go beyond the realm of convenience by offering an array of health benefits that can transform your relationship with food.
Portion Control and Balanced Nutrition
Maintaining a healthy diet often hinges on portion control and balanced nutrition. High-quality heat-and-eat meal kit services take the guesswork out of meal planning and ensure that each dish is nutritionally well-rounded. By providing pre-portioned ingredients, these services help you avoid overeating and foster portion awareness. Additionally, their emphasis on incorporating a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains ensures that your meals are packed with essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals necessary for optimal health.
Time-Saving, Without Sacrificing Health
Busy schedules can make it tempting to opt for unhealthy, processed fast food options. However, high-quality heat-and-eat meal kit services offer a delightful alternative, saving you time without compromising your health. With these services, you can enjoy the convenience of ready-to-cook meals without sacrificing nutrition.
By receiving pre-measured, fresh ingredients, you can prepare a wholesome, home-cooked meal in a fraction of the time it would take to start from scratch. It’s a win-win situation, allowing you to savor delicious, nutritious food while keeping up with your busy lifestyle.
Enhanced Culinary Education
Have you ever wished to expand your culinary repertoire but didn’t know where to start? High-quality heat-and-eat meal kit services serve as a gateway to culinary education. Each carefully curated recipe comes with detailed instructions, introducing you to new ingredients, techniques, and flavors.
This exposure helps you develop essential cooking skills and encourages experimentation in the kitchen. As you gain confidence and knowledge, you’ll find yourself effortlessly preparing nutritious and flavorful meals even outside the realm of meal kits.
Allergy-Friendly and Specialized Diets
Navigating food allergies, intolerances, or specialized diets can be a challenge. However, high-quality heat-and-eat meal kit services cater to a wide range of dietary needs. Whether you follow a gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegetarian lifestyle, you can find services that offer dedicated meal options. These services prioritize ingredient transparency and provide peace of mind, ensuring that your dietary restrictions are respected without compromising on taste or variety.
Sustainable and Ethical Sourcing
In a world where sustainable practices and ethical sourcing are paramount, high-quality heat-and-eat meal kit services stand out as beacons of environmental and social responsibility. Many of these services prioritize partnering with local farmers, fishermen, and sustainable suppliers. By choosing these services, you support a sustainable food ecosystem, reduce your carbon footprint, and contribute to the welfare of local communities. It’s a delicious way to make a positive impact on the planet while nourishing your body.
Why Choose Blue Apron?
In the vast realm of heat-and-eat meal kit services, one name stands out as a pioneer, igniting a passion for cooking and revolutionizing the way we experience food: Blue Apron. With its unwavering commitment to culinary excellence, exceptional ingredients, and unparalleled convenience, Blue Apron has captured the hearts and taste buds of countless food enthusiasts.
Blue Apron is renowned for its ability to transform home cooks into culinary maestros. Each week, this exceptional meal kit service unveils a menu featuring chef-designed recipes that span the globe. From aromatic Thai curries to classic Italian pastas, Blue Apron takes you on an exciting journey of flavors and techniques. With easy-to-follow recipe cards and step-by-step instructions, you’ll gain confidence in the kitchen and create dishes that rival those of professional chefs. Blue Apron’s dedication to culinary mastery ensures that your taste buds are continually delighted, while your cooking skills evolve.
At the heart of every extraordinary meal lies the quality of its ingredients. Blue Apron’s unwavering commitment to sourcing the finest, farm-fresh ingredients sets it apart. Partnering directly with farmers, fisheries, and ranchers who share their values, Blue Apron ensures that you receive top-notch produce, responsibly raised meats, and sustainably sourced seafood. The result? Vibrant, flavorful meals bursting with goodness. With every bite, you’ll savor the freshness and taste the difference that high-quality ingredients bring to the table.
Blue Apron understands that life is full of variables, and your meal kit service should adapt to your unique needs. With flexible subscription options, you have the freedom to choose the number of recipes and servings that best align with your lifestyle. Need to skip a week? No problem. Blue Apron allows you to pause or modify your deliveries effortlessly. This flexibility ensures that you’re always in control of your culinary journey, making it a seamless and convenient experience for busy individuals and families alike.
Why Choose Sunbasket?
In the realm of heat-and-eat meal kit services, one name shines brightly, enticing food enthusiasts with a captivating blend of flavor, health-consciousness, and culinary adventure: Sunbasket. With a mission to empower individuals to eat well and live healthier lives, Sunbasket has earned a reputation as a frontrunner in delivering exceptional meals that delight the senses and nourish the body.
Sunbasket invites you to embark on a gastronomic journey like no other, embracing an extensive array of global flavors and culinary traditions. From bold Thai curries to comforting Italian pasta dishes, their menu showcases the richness and diversity of world cuisine. Each recipe is carefully crafted by talented chefs, ensuring that you savor the authentic flavors and experience the nuances that make each dish memorable. With Sunbasket, your taste buds will dance with delight, as you explore new horizons of flavor in the comfort of your own kitchen.
When it comes to your health, Sunbasket spares no effort in providing the highest quality, nutrient-dense ingredients. They prioritize organic produce, sustainably sourced seafood, and responsibly raised meats, ensuring that your meals are not only delicious but also nourishing. Whether you follow a specific dietary plan or simply strive for a healthier lifestyle, Sunbasket offers options to cater to your needs. From Paleo to vegetarian, gluten-free to carb-conscious, their meal plans allow you to enjoy delicious, wholesome meals without compromising your dietary goals.
Sunbasket recognizes that everyone has unique tastes and dietary preferences. With their customizable meal plans, you have the freedom to curate a culinary experience that suits your individual needs. You can choose from a wide variety of recipes each week and personalize your selections based on your preferences, portion sizes, and dietary restrictions. This level of customization ensures that each meal is a reflection of your personal taste, making the Sunbasket experience truly tailored to you.
Sunbasket’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond the realm of taste and health. They prioritize environmentally conscious practices, partnering with suppliers who share their vision of a greener future. Sunbasket supports regenerative agriculture, which promotes soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. By choosing Sunbasket, you contribute to a more sustainable food system, reducing your ecological footprint and supporting the well-being of our planet for future generations.
How Blue Apron Works
Blue Apron lets you try new and interesting recipes every week. The cooking process depends on the type of recipe you select, so there are some easy-to-follow and complex recipes as well.
Even with complex recipes, Blue Apron strikes a good balance of comfortable flavors. The meal kit includes ingredients that are pre-portioned according to serving size. Recipes cards with proper cooking instructions, cooking tips, and other relevant information are included.
Some of the cooking time mentioned on the recipe cards may be slightly shorter than the actual time it takes to cook the recipes. So, there may be some more steps you need to take to get the dish ready, but Blue Apron guarantees a simple and smooth cooking process, even for the meat recipes.
Some pantry ingredients like salt, pepper, oil, and butter may not be included in the meal kit. The cooking equipment required to prepare the meals is not very complicated or professional level either. Simple pots and pans are enough.
The recipes require basic-level cooking skills and beginner-friendly equipment. Cleanup after is also reasonably minimal. None of the recipes require more than 1 or 2 utensils to make, so the cleanup time is quicker than expected.
How Sunbasket Works
If you’re looking for quick and simple recipes, Sunbasket has a special filter that lets you pick from Under 20 Minutes meals. You can also select their freshly prepared meals that take only minutes to heat and serve.
The meal kits come with pre-portioned ingredients and labels that indicate the cooking level and preparation time of each recipe. Other than the speedy Under 20 Minute meal kits, the other meal kits are super straightforward to make.
The ingredients are pre-portioned but not pre-prepped, so you will have to chop the veggies on your own. The sauces, marinades, seasonings, etc. are pre-portioned and packed. Thus, you simply have to add them to the recipes without any prep.
Simple cooking equipment is necessary with must-have pantry ingredients like salt, cooking oil, and pepper. The meals themselves do not take much to cook, so the cleanup afterward is a breeze. Most of the meal kits come with 3 to 6 cooking steps, not more.
The Fresh & Ready meals are microwave-friendly, so they do not require additional cooking equipment or prep time.
The Blue Apron Menu
On Blue Apron’s menu, you have the option to select meals from Signature, Vegetarian, Wellness, Signature for Four, and some Add-Ons. All the meals on Blue Apron’s menu, except for Add-Ons, are lunch and dinner recipes. The Vegetarian plan includes plant-based meals, while the Wellness category includes low-calorie and health-conscious meals for weight loss and diabetes.
Keep in mind that just like Sunbasket, Blue Apron also changes their weekly every week. So, you have different meal varieties and add-ons to choose from every week.
Blue Apron’s meal plans include the following:
- Signature: Includes a blend of meals with vegetarian, nonvegetarian, diabetes-friendly, WW-recommended, fish, and such meal options.
- Vegetarian: Only meat-free and plant-based meals are included in this diet plan.
- Wellness: Meals that have comparatively fewer carbs and calories are included in this diet plan – meals that are WW-recommended, nutritionally balanced, and good for weight loss and dieting.
- Signature for Four.
- Add-Ons: A blend of appetizers and side dishes, some breakfast options, and a la carte proteins like chicken breasts, beef, shrimp, and vegetables are included as extras.
The Sunbasket Menu
Sunbasket offers greater meal variety than Blue Apron. With Sunbasket, you can select paleo, carb-conscious, gluten-free, lean, diabetes-friendly, vegetarian, pescatarian, Mediterranean, and prepared meals.
Just by looking at Sunbasket’s menu, you can see that it has more features and subcategories on its weekly menu than Blue Apron. You can select the holiday special menu, breakfasts, lunch, extra proteins, pasta and sauces, snacks, and newest additions. They even offer the option of meal kits and heat-and-serve meals.
While Sunbasket is also focused on serving more dinner and lunch meals, they also offer a generous variety of snacks, precooked proteins, sweets, juices, breakfasts, light lunches, and lots more.
You can customize the menu with the following filters:
- Under 20 minutes.
- Under 600 calories.
- Paleo: meals that are rich in protein and do not contain any dairy, gluten, grains, soy, and corn.
- Gluten-free: the meals are all gluten-free, ideal for people with gluten insensitivity and those on a gluten-free diet.
- Dairy-free: dairy-free, plant-based alternatives for sauces, cheese, and lots more conventional ingredients. The meals are made up of whole foods such as healthy nuts and fiber-rich vegetables.
- Soy-free.
- Diabetes-friendly: carb-conscious meals are preapproved by the American Diabetes Association.
- Vegan and vegetarian.
- Pescatarian: meals that contain more fruits and vegetables and no meat – seafood only.
- Mediterranean: meals that contain meat, seafood, healthy veggies and fruits, good fats from nuts and seeds, and whole grains.
Under each subcategory, there is a dropdown list of submenus that allow you to select different meal types and cuisines.
Here’s a complete breakdown of Sunbasket’s meal offerings:
- Dinners: Meal Kits & Fresh & Ready meals
- Sides
- Holiday: small bites, festive mains, seasonal sides, and seasonal treats
- Breakfast: eggs, oatmeal and granola, breads and spreads, grab-n-go bars, juice, smoothies, and coffee
- Lunch: ready-to-eat proteins, pizzas and empanadas, grain and noodle bowls, tortillas and breads, and deli
- Pasta & Sauce: fresh pasta and pasta sauce
- Proteins: seafood, poultry, beef and lamb, pork and sausage, plant-based, and cooked and cured
- Snacks: crackers and crisps, cheese, bars and bites, and sweet treats
How Are Blue Apron Meals Packed?
Blue Apron delivers all its meals in standard cardboard boxes with pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards. To make sure the ingredients stay fresh during transit, the meal kits are packed with thermal liners and gel ice packs, sometimes even refrigerants based on the delivery location.
The boxes are modified based on their contents, which means that it’s highly possible that based on the number of meals you order each week, your weekly box may differ in appearance and size from week to week and the weather conditions.
All the small packaging items placed in a typical Blue Apron box are perishable. You will receive proper instructions on how to recycle and discard the packets, containers, and thermal insulation in each box.
Blue Apron has a separate Recycle page with all the information you could need regarding the orders. 85% of the packaging, according to their website, is recyclable. The rigid plastics, cardboard boxes, recipe cards, cardboard inserts, plastic bags, ice packs, and blend sachets and liners are all recyclable.
The packaging is divided into different numbers and labeled accordingly for curbside recycling and drop-offs at a recycling center in your local area.
How are Sunbasket Meals Packed?
Sunbasket, like Blue Apron, does a lot to ensure smooth and sustainable packaging. From ingredient packaging and insulation, all of the packaging is recyclable in one way or another.
Starting with the cardboard box, it’s made with recycled and virgin kraft paper. The materials are shreds of used paper and other recyclable materials. To keep the ingredients fresh, recyclable denim insulation is also used made with 100% reclaimed denim material.
Boxes, paper insulation, denim insulation, ice packs, fiber trays, meal bags, recipe cards, and plastic jars and containers are recyclable. You can read about how to get rid of them on their dedicated Recycle page.
All the packaging is labeled for curbside pickup and recycling centers. You can even reuse some of the packaging like the jars and containers. If you’re into composting, you can use egg containers as they are made from compostable recyclable paper. The cardboard boxes and inserts can also be reused and repurposed for creative projects if that’s in your daily routine.
Are Blue Apron and Sunbasket Diet-Friendly?
All the meals provided by Blue Apron and Sunbasket are nutritious and healthy. The quality of the ingredients is without artificial preservatives, colorants, additives, or fillers. They are even GMO- and hormone-free.
Blue Apron has partnered up with homegrown suppliers and local farms for the sourcing of their ingredients. All the ingredients are free of GMOs and artificial preservatives. Healthy, whole plant-based alternatives are used wherever possible.
The meat is sourced from local farms and distributors and complies with the standard animal welfare policies. The meat is also naturally free of GMOs and hormones, while some of the produce is organic depending on the availability.
Health-wise, the convenience of meal kits served by Blue Apron is similar to that of home cooking. The meals do not contain unhealthy ingredients because you will be making them yourself based on the meal recipes you select.
Sustainably grown ingredients are without antibiotics, hormones, and GMOs, with simple and easy-to-follow recipes and less than half an hour of cooking time.
Blue Apron lets you follow some diets like vegetarian and WW-recommended nutrition for weight loss and diabetes. So, it’s suitable for a carb-conscious, calorie-conscious, plant-based, and diabetes-friendly diet.
For more specific dietary needs, Blue Apron may not be cut out as it has a limited set of diet plans. For allergies, the ingredients are packed in the same facility which processes and packs common allergens such as gluten, nuts, dairy, etc. So, it’s not a very allergy-friendly diet plan either.
Sunbasket offers plenty of interesting meal recipes and grocery items. You can filter their meals in different ways to include more diet-friendly options like diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, etc.
However, gluten-free meals are still processed in the same kitchen facility as other gluten-meal options. You can read about the ingredient details and nutrition info for all the meal kits and prepared meals before placing an order.
Ingredients that Sunbasket uses are wholly organic and sustainable based on the availability of organic ingredients. They are sourced from organic and local farms.
Ingredients like milk, yogurt, eggs, and tofu are organic as well. Meat, like seafood, poultry, and beef is GMO- and antibiotic-free. Some meal options also include organic meat alternatives, but this doesn’t apply to all the meals, only a few weekly.
Diet-friendliness-wise, Sunbasket offers plenty more options. It accommodates diets like Mediterranean, paleo, carb-conscious, low-calorie, paleo, vegan, and diabetes-friendly. You can also exclude specific ingredients from the meal plan like gluten, dairy, and soy.
All the meal kits are packed with delicious ingredients and are nutritionally balanced with lean proteins, plenty of healthy veggies, and whole grains. You have multiple calorie options from 300 to 800 calories per serving, depending on the type of cuisine and protein you select.
Recipes
It’s time to view things from the “macro” perspective. That said, Blue Apron meals are certainly more wholesome than takeout. Their meals have the perfect combination of veggies, carbs, and lean proteins. The carbohydrates are refined and not complex though, but the presence of whole grains makes up for that.
Calories per serving, approximately, are between 480 and 1,100. This is clearly mentioned on each meal or recipe page, along with other important nutritional facts (both on the website and app).
Some of the meals carry extra dietary information such as tags – Vegetarian, Plant Forward, Carb Conscious, Diabetes-Friendly, Mediterranean Diet, and more.
These tags can be chosen when you’re selecting your dietary preferences – go to Account Settings > Meal Preferences, and choose from options such as “We’re Vegetarian,” “Prioritize Signature Wellness Meals,” etc.
Blue Apron meals are somewhere in between extremely healthy or purely nourishing and complete indulgence. Their meals land on safe ground where you’ll find no complaints about the quality and type of nutrition. But if your first and foremost priority is peak nutrition, you may want to check out Sunbasket meals’ nutritional breakdown and then decide.
Blue Apron, givens its reputation of being one of the best meal kit delivery services, is the most fitting for couples and also small families where the person who prepares food doesn’t need to have any expert cooking skills.
As for Sunbasket, this meal delivery service is all about well-balanced, organic nutrition. That’s where and how Sunbasket gets the upper hand in the nutrition department. These meals consist of 100% organic ingredients – whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins.
The calorie count of meals is also more restricted – between 350 and 900 calories per serving.
About dietary categories, several of Sunbasket meals fit into more than just one diet plan:
- Gluten-Free Friendly
- Dairy-Free
- Soy-Free
- No Added Sugar
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Protein Plus
- Paleo
- Lean & Clean
- Keto-Friendly
- <600 Calories
- Mediterranean
- Diabetes-Friendly
So, to sum up, Sunbasket’s meals are the best if nutrition seems to be your top concern. It’s the perfect meal delivery service for busy folks who want to prefer eating healthy lunches and dinners.
Blue Apron Recipes
Explore the Blue Apron menu – here are two randomly selected meals from each of the menu categories:
Signature (2 servings per meal):
| Tomatillo Chicken & Brown Rice Bowl with Roasted Vegetables & Orange Salsa | Ancho-Honey Salmon with Farro & Lime Sour Cream | |
| Prep time | 30 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Dietary information | WW Recommended | – |
| Calories | 650 calories per serving | 570 calories per serving |
| Protein | 42 grams per serving | 37 grams per serving |
| Carbohydrates | 69 grams per serving | 41 grams per serving |
| Fat | 23 grams per serving | 29 grams per serving |
| Sugar | 14 grams per serving | 10 grams per serving |
Vegetarian (2 servings per meal):
| Oven-Baked Pesto Pasta with Spinach, Tomatoes & Calabrian Ricotta | Roasted Paneer & Vegetables with Brown Rice, Arugula & Creamy Cilantro Sauce | |
| Prep time | 40 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Dietary information | Vegetarian | WW Recommended, Vegetarian |
| Calories | 720 calories per serving | 700 calories per serving |
| Protein | 27 grams per serving | 30 grams per serving |
| Carbohydrates | 78 grams per serving | 79 grams per serving |
| Fat | 33 grams per serving | 29 grams per serving |
| Sugar | 13 grams per serving | 18 grams per serving |
Wellness (2 servings per meal):
| Chimichurri Shrimp with Barley, Pepper & Tomatoes | |
| Prep time | 35 minutes |
| Dietary information | WW Recommended, 600 Calories Or Less, Carb Conscious |
| Calories | 480 calories per serving |
| Protein | 31 grams per serving |
| Carbohydrates | 56 grams per serving |
| Fat | 17 grams per serving |
| Sugar | 11 grams per serving |
Signature for Four (4 servings per meal):
| Curry & Soy-Glazed Chicken with Zucchini & Cashews | Pork Chops & Pistachio-Brown Butter Sauce with Veggies & Mashed Potatoes | |
| Prep time | 35 minutes | 50 minutes |
| Dietary information | – | – |
| Calories | 610 calories per serving | 650 calories per serving |
| Protein | 38 grams per serving | 49 grams per serving |
| Carbohydrates | 65 grams per serving | 38 grams per serving |
| Fat | 23 grams per serving | 34 grams per serving |
| Sugar | 13 grams per serving | 6 grams per serving |
The Blue Apron menu includes Add-Ons too, such as the following:
- Breakfast: Blueberry-Pecan Overnight Oats
- Brunch: Monte Cristo Sandwiches
- Dessert: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- A La Carte Proteins: Chicken Breasts or Beef Tenderloin Roast
Sunbasket Recipes
Easy meals with premeasured and pre-portioned ingredients – these are Sunbasket’s most delicious meal kits from the menu:
Sunbasket Meal Kits:
| *Per serving macronutrient breakdown | Moroccan Chicken Over Mashed Sweet Potatoes | Spicy Chinese Zhejiang Noodles with Pork and Shiitake Mushrooms | King Salmon with Chile-Lime Sauce and Citrus-Cabbage Slaw | French Quarter-Style Black Angus Steaks with Olive Tapenade |
| Prep time | 25-40 minutes | 20 minutes | 20-35 minutes | 25-40 minutes |
| Calories | 550 | 850 | 600 | 600 |
| Protein | 34 grams | 34 grams | 29 grams | 54 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 61 grams | 80 grams | 29 grams | 18 grams |
| Fat | 21 grams | 43 grams | 42 grams | 35 grams |
| Sugar | 22 grams | 12 grams | 10 grams | 7 grams |
| Fiber | 10 grams | 10 grams | 5 grams | 6 grams |
Vegetarian-only meal kits of Sunbasket:
| *Per serving macronutrient breakdown | Zucchini-Chickpea Kofte Over Mixed Greens with Mango Dressing | Vegetable Biryani with Tofu, Basmati Rice, and Ginger Chutney | Japanese Mushroom Rice with Green Beans in Sesame Dressing |
| Prep time | 30-45 minutes | 20 minutes | 30-45 minutes |
| Calories | 500 | 590 | 540 |
| Protein | 15 grams | 29 grams | 16 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 68 grams | 74 grams | 87 grams |
| Fat | 25 grams | 19 grams | 16 grams |
| Sugar | 10 grams | 6 grams | 8 grams |
| Fiber | 16 grams | 12 grams | 8 grams |
Sunbasket Fresh & Ready Meals:
How can I leave out the premade meals that are also a part of the Sunbasket menu?
| *Per serving macronutrient breakdown | Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini with Braised Kale | Pork Chile Verde Over Cilantro Rice | Swedish Meatballs with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Lingonberry Sauce | Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara with Pancetta and Sweet Peas |
| Prep time | 4-5 minutes | 4-5 minutes | 4-6 minutes
(microwave) 25-35 minutes (oven) |
3-5 minutes
(microwave) 25-30 minutes (oven) |
| Calories | 600 | 440 | 570 | 690 |
| Protein | 37 grams | 25 grams | 19 grams | 29 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 34 grams | 44 grams | 51 grams | 74 grams |
| Fat | 37 grams | 18 grams | 32 grams | 31 grams |
| Sugar | 5 grams | 8 grams | 20 grams | 8 grams |
| Fiber | 5 grams | 5 grams | 5 grams | 7 grams |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Blue Apron and Sunbasket
Can You Make Changes to Orders Before Delivery?
Both Blue Apron and Sunbasket are flexible meal delivery services when it comes to making last-minute changes to any order.
Blue Apron lets you manage your deliveries easily before the cutoff deadline. All the upcoming deliveries will have a cutoff date and day. Before that, you can edit your meals by adding or removing servings, customize your dietary selections, and alter your delivery day.
You can even skip a delivery for an upcoming order and skip future orders up to 5 weeks in advance. Once you’ve made these changes, either from the webpage or mobile app, you will receive a confirmation instantly.
Rescheduling orders before they have been shipped and are out for delivery is also possible. You’ll find everything you need on the Plan Settings page to skip, cancel, reschedule, and edit your orders.
With Sunbasket, there is a fixed cutoff time weekly for every order. You can make all the changes you want to order before the cutoff time, which is at noon PST. To make edits to the next week’s order, you have to follow the current week’s cutoff time.
You can skip deliveries, add or remove meals, cancel your subscription, reschedule, and change your delivery address easily.
To make any changes to an order, click on My Account, and you’ll find all the relevant information there. To change the delivery address, change your meal plan, customize dietary preferences, and so on.
Do Blue Apron and Sunbasket Care About Food Allergies and Intolerances?
Neither Blue Apron nor Sunbasket has a special allergy-friendly plan. All their meals, including gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free alternatives, are processed and packaged in the same kitchen facility that processes common allergens such as gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, fish, shellfish, etc.
I don’t recommend Blue Apron if you have a severe food allergy. The same applies to Sunbasket even though some of its meals are labeled gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. The meals are still packed and processed in a kitchen that is also exposed to shellfish, tree nuts, gluten, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, and other food allergens.
Blue Apron Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Blue Apron is more affordable than Sunbasket. | Some of the recipes take longer to prepare than expected. |
| It offers a good blend of healthy and delicious home-inspired meals. | Not an allergy-friendly meal service. |
| The ingredient quality is fresh and locally sourced. | Might lead to excess plastic usage, but the plastic is recyclable. |
| If you order for 4 servings per meal, you pay less than for 2 servings per meal. | |
| Best for eco-friendliness and sustainable practices. | |
| The packaging is durable and recyclable. | |
| Easy to understand meals with some diet customizations for vegetarians and weight loss diets. | |
| Lots of carb-conscious meals are included. | |
| Add-ons like different choices of protein are also included. |
Sunbasket Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Lean proteins, carb-conscious, and healthy meals. | The cost per serving is relatively expensive. |
| The variety of meals available on the weekly menu is impressive. | Not the best choice for people with severe food allergies. |
| Accommodates some special diet plans like Mediterranean, paleo, and gluten-free. | |
| You can order meal kits and freshly prepared single-serve meals. | |
| The cooking time is quick and beginner-friendly. | |
| The majority of the packaging is either reusable or recyclable. | |
| Supports different lifestyles for weight loss, diabetes, and ingredient restrictions. | |
| Plenty of breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snack options. |
Blue Apron vs Sunbasket – Final Verdict
Sunbasket offers more meal plans than Blue Apron for diet-friendliness. It’s also more beginner-friendly to subscribe to as it features two different types of meals: meal kits and prepared meals.
If you have time to cook and want to learn a bit about cooking, Blue Apron is the right choice for you. It gives you a hands-on experience of being a home cook. Blue Apron’s meals are very family-friendly and delicious.
Both Blue Apron and Sunbasket offer different diet meal plans, but Sunbasket is the king of them all with paleo, Mediterranean, dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free meals. Plus, they offer more add-ons like proteins, breakfast, snacks, and light lunches. So, every meal of the day, including what you binge on, is covered with Sunbasket.
If the basic yet fulfilling meal plans of Blue Apron meet your weekly diet needs, it’s a more affordable meal subscription choice for most people. In addition to being one of the easiest meal services out there, it’s also the most popular choice for beginner home cooks looking to learn a thing or two about cooking healthy and delicious meals.