Purple Carrot Review 2024: All You Need to Know

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The point here is that every or any reason is good enough to choose a plant-based meal delivery service like Purple Carrot.

The best part about them is that their menu does not only cater to vegans. Thanks to the flavorful recipes; the new, seasonal, and exotic ingredients; and the well-balanced nutritional value per serving of the meal, Purple Carrot’s food even leaves the most ardent meat-eaters craving for more!

Purple Carrot set the stage for all plant-based meal kit services in the United States when it was founded in 2014. It’s a Massachusetts-based company that offers primarily meal kits but also healthy and wholesome premade meals at an affordable rate.

Back in 2022, an article in Cosmopolitan stated that “each Purple Carrot meal kit results in 72% less carbon being released into the atmosphere as compared to the standard American meal.”

Another article published in 2022 by Modern Retail emphasizes the flexible offerings of Purple Carrot, particularly their unique flavors, meal kits, premade meals, and seasonal ingredients.

For a wholly plant-based diet, there’s no better news than this!

What Purple Carrot does is it takes care of the first few essential steps of healthy eating on your behalf, so that’s planning, shopping, and portioning the ingredients. What’s left to do, that’s where you come in, is putting all the preportioned ingredients together to cook, which shouldn’t take longer than 40 minutes, ideally even less for simpler yet delicious recipes.

Another key moment in the history of Purple Carrot is when it was acquired by Japan’s largest meal kit and organic food delivery service in 2019. The popularity and commitment to health and well-being have only improved ever since.

Every big change starts with a few baby steps. You cannot grow a plant overnight. It needs years of care, nurturing and patience. You have to stick to your basics and never put your foot down when things are difficult. Purple Carrot was founded and evolved with this philosophy of setting a new benchmark in every single step.

They believe in defying all odds and breaking all boundaries. When everyone is following stereotypical recipes in their meal plans, Purple Carrot does everything differently. They carved their niche by developing a 360-degree vegan approach that works for you.

They are not anti-animal, but simply pro-plant. Their realistic approach stands out while favoring the plant-based living. Eat to your heart’s delight and eat more plants, that’s the simple message of Purple Carrot.

Their standard meal plans have 2 portions, which is perfect for bachelors or small families. If you want to savor a gala family dinner, go for their 6-serving. It’s great for big families or parties.

You will have more ideas from my experience. When I opened Purple Carrot meal box, I found a recipe booklet right on top of it. They have included all the recipes for the entire week in that booklet – with many more than the ones I chose. I was impressed with this gesture. This will set you up for the week if you plan to cook your favorite plant-based meals. Remember to store these booklets in a safe place so that you can refer to them at the time of need. Keeping such wonderful recipes under your sleeves allows you to surprise your loved ones with your cooking skills as well.

If you’re thinking about trying out a meatless diet or perhaps you’re curious about how veganism works, if you want the best, Purple Carrot is it. Its menu categories are divided into the following sections:

• Meal Kits – You’ll find 20 meal kits, with offerings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Prepared Meals – You’ll find 8 premade meals that can be reheated in less than 5 minutes.
• Plantry – Choose from a variety of 25 plant-based pantry staples, such as cookies, dips, desserts, milk, burger patties, and juices.
• Less Prep – Got only half an hour to spare? Select these 7 meal kits designed for minimal prep and fewer cooking steps.
• Frozen Meals – For those busy weekdays when time is a luxury, pick from the 6 premade frozen meals.

Every meal kit offered comes with preportioned ingredients for either 2 or 4 people. You can select your desired serving size from the menu’s right-hand cover, just above all the recipe cards.

Speaking of recipe cards, Purple Carrot features the important details of each recipe for both meal kits and premade meals, such as the main protein, seasonings or sauces, dietary preferences, prep time, and calories.

To get more information out of the recipe, individual recipe pages are easy to access by all, nonsubscribers and subscribers alike.

For example, what immediately drew my attention was the Hoisin Glass Noodles with Stir-Fried Veggies & Cashew-Lime Crunch. Its recipe page tells me that it is gluten-free, low-calorie, chef’s choice, and good for bone health. Purple Carrot, along with ingredients and instructions, lets me browse through similar recipes like Hoisin Tofu Steaks, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Lemon Braised Chickpeas, White Bean Cassoulet, and more.

What does Purple Carrot take into consideration when picking out similar meals? Well, it’s either the choice of dressing like the spicy cashew sauce, rosemary and cashew cheese, or the type of diet like low calorie and gluten-free.

Lastly, I couldn’t find any complaints concerning the serving size of the cooked meal or the way the ingredients were portioned. Each meal offers a delightful mix of flavor and nutritional value, and you might even have leftovers perfect for a light lunch the day after.

It’s more than evident that Purple Carrot’s meal kits and prepared meals are a wonderful fit for vegans or individuals interested in incorporating only plant-based cooking into their daily diet.

Purple Carrot shows how simple and fun it can be to follow a restrictive diet plan like veganism without the dull and repetitive flavors.

Instead of using the same kind of plant-based protein like soy or tofu or tempeh, Purple Carrot comes up with new and refreshing protein choices labeled “High-Protein,” such as the following:

• Mojo Rojo Black Bean Tacos
• Loaded Greek Flatbreads
• West African Peanut Stew
• Stuffed Avocados with Smoky Chickpea Salad

There are other healthy options too, such as the following:

• Gluten-free
• Nut-free
• Soy-free
• <600 calories

Taking a closer look at their prepared and frozen meals, aside from the fact that all are plant-based and vegan, Purple Carrot makes a note of the following:

• Protein
• Ingredients
• Allergy information
• Non-GMO certified

You can instantly identify which meal is more nutritious and filling by the image of the meal and the main ingredients. Purple Carrot offers plant-based substitutes for meat in a wholly authentic way, such as Plant-Based Beef Crumble and Plant-Based Meatballs.

Their prepared meals are portioned slightly differently with the main source of protein along with a small portion of a mix of vegetables like Saffron Rice Bowl with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Romesco, Cavatappi Alla Norma with Eggplant and Pesto, Portobello Tortelloni with Cauliflower Cream and Truffled Mushrooms, and many more.

When it comes to add-ons, Purple Carrot offers a fair amount of delicious and healthy treats like 4 breakfast recipes and 25 pantry staples, such as cookie dough, juices, plant-based cheese, burger patties, oatmeal, donuts, burger buns, milk, and desserts. All are plant-based and 100% vegan.

If you’re seriously mindful of the amount of calories and carbs you eat on a daily basis, Purple Carrot’s meal plans would suit you. The meals are extremely effective and nutrition-controlled with accurate information concerning the amount of calories, proteins, fats, carbs, fiber, and essential nutrients each meal contains.

Purple Carrot helps start or maintain a weight loss diet plan in multiple ways:

• All meals are plant-based and vegan.
• A number of meals that have fewer than 500 calories per serving.
• High-protein meals with more than 25g protein per serving.
• No presence of GMOs, processed ingredients, or
• Fewer carb-heavy ingredients and more fiber-rich that promote fat burn.

Some low-calorie and high-protein recipes that aid weight loss are the following:

• Braised Coconut Chickpeas
• Tahini Bulgar Bowls
• Aleppo-Lemon Butter Mafaldine
• Kimchi Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Similarly, aside from their meal kit recipes and prepared meals, Purple Carrot also offers weight loss-friendly add-ons that you can have guilt-free with no processed ingredients, artificial sugars, or additives, such as the following:

• Cookies & Cream Cookie Dough
• Lean and Clean Cold-Pressed Juice
• Everything Cream Cheese
• Plant-Based Burger Patty made with beet, carrot, and red onion.

Everything about Purple Carrot’s diet should tell you that it’s 100% vegan, making it the go-to choice for vegans, vegetarians, and individuals who crave a wholesome and plant-friendly diet plan.

The main highlight of Purple Carrot’s meals isn’t just that their meals are cooked with non-GMO and nonprocessed whole fruits and vegetables, but also that they offer plant-based substitutes for meat ingredients like burger patties.

The Purple Burger beef patties are made up of beet, carrot, and red onions. The nutritional value for the same is 7g protein, 10g fiber, and 0g saturated fats. The plant-based beef patties contain no oil, no gluten, no soy, and no preservatives.

The Truffle Burger patties, similarly, are made up of Shiitake mushrooms and white truffle, boasting 9g protein, 8g fiber, and 0g saturated fats.

Delicious and plant-friendly breakfasts that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to cook on your own include Cucumber Bagel Sandwiches, Smoky Tofu & Sweet Potato Hash, Black Forest Chia Parfait, and more.

Purple Carrot has over 30 different varieties of vegan recipes spread across meal kits, prepared meals, less prep meal kits, and frozen meals.

Read more: Veestro Review

Add-ons on Purple Carrot’s menu include breakfasts and pantry staples like milk, cookie dough, dessert cups, donuts, bagels, dips, cheese, oatmeal cups, and cold-pressed juices.

The average cost per item starts from $3.50 up to $7.99. The items are preportioned and measured by ounces. You can increase the number of add-ons you want per order.

Purple Carrot offers various meal plans, each with its own pricing structure. For instance, a box of 3 meals per week for 2 people costs around $79.50 or approximately $13.25 per serving. However, the cost per serving varies based on the meal plan chosen.

The smallest box with 3 meals for 4 people costs $79.50, while the largest option with 4 meals for 4 people costs $88. First-time subscribers receive a one-time $25 discount, reducing the initial cost.

The benefit of Purple Carrot’s pricing is its flexibility, allowing customers to choose plans that match their serving and dietary needs. However, it may be more expensive than some other meal kit options.

To calculate the cost per month, you can multiply the weekly cost by the number of weeks in a month, which is typically around 4. Purple Carrot’s cost per month for a 3-meal plan for 2 people would be approximately $318 ($79.50 x 4).

Depending on the specific meal plan selected, the monthly cost can vary significantly. The pros of Purple Carrot’s pricing model include the option to customize servings and meals, ensuring flexibility for varying needs.

Additionally, the availability of discounts for first-time customers can make it more affordable initially. However, it’s important to consider that this cost is for meal kits and does not cover all meals throughout the month.

To know whether you fall into the delivery areas of Purple Carrot, connect with their team of Carrot Coaches, and they should help you figure out if your zip code is accessible or not. Not only do the Carrot Coaches address zip code-related queries, but they also provide real-time clarity regarding any other delivery doubts that you may have.

Presently, Purple Carrot offers delivery services within the contiguous United States. However, it’s worth pointing out that they are actively pursuing a wider delivery network.

Here’s how Purple Carrot delivers:

• They deliver to all 48 continental
• The box arrives every Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday; it can differ based on where you live.
• There’s no room for changing delivery days.
• Real-time updates via text and email are sent from the moment your box is out for delivery.

While it’s evident that Purple Carrot predominantly uses plastic in its packaging, it’s still good to know that most of it is recyclable. Even the smallest packets containing seasonings or herbs are fit for recycling. You can even reuse some of the plastics they sent you, especially the plastic bags.

Packaging-wise, Purple Carrot is among the least wasteful meal kit service I’ve tested. Prior to your scheduled delivery, you’ll receive an email that details the process of breaking down and recycling the packaging materials. This adds the personal touch that other services lack.

The actual box all the meal kits come in contains bundles of ingredients, each labeled correctly for your convenience. The box itself is well-insulated; meal kits and prepared meals are kept cold, while frozen meals are stored frozen. The ingredients are not scattered everywhere but organized by recipe, each bag containing the ingredients of the same recipe.

Taste-wise, Purple Carrot meals are delicious and varied each week. They do not repeat the same recipes which means you get a taste of very appetizing global cuisines. All the ingredients are fresh and ready to cook with minimal prep work.

Since all the meal kits are plant-based, you would assume that the prep time could not exceed 30 minutes, but with Purple Carrot, that is not entirely true, save for some less prep meal kits. There are recipes that may take up to 45 minutes to prep, but the taste is totally worth it.

Purple Carrot offers a blend of traditional and exotic flavors. Here’s a quick glimpse into their current week’s menu:

• Moroccan Chickpea Soup with Orzo and cilantro Gremolata
• Crispy Lentil Cakes with Romesco& Spicy Cauliflower Salad
• General Tso’s Tofu with Quinoa and steamed Broccoli
• Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Sandwiches with Tzatziki & Sesame Carrot Fries

Purple Carrot uses organic fruits and vegetables, even for their plant-based dairy alternatives like nut milk and cheese. Tofu and tempeh are prepared with organic ingredients too, with the added advantage that all their meals are non-GMO certified.

For people with allergies, however, you’ll find allergen information for every recipe at Purple Carrot, clearly specifying when a recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, or soy-free. And when a recipe or add-on item does not contain any allergen, it specifies that too for your peace of mind.

In spite of that, Purple Carrot is not a 100% allergen-free meal kit delivery service. For people with severe gluten, soy, or nut allergies, there might be a risk of cross-contamination since all the meal kits, prepared meals, and add-ons are processed in the same kitchen facility.

Cooking Purple Carrot’s meals might not be the easiest to prepare when compared to other meal kit delivery services. However, it’s worth mentioning that the meal variety of Purple Carrot is also beyond comparison as they serve truly authentic, globally inspired recipes.

You get to enjoy meals that are less common, which should be one of the reasons why food lovers must go for Purple Carrot for the flavor and freshness of the ingredients alone.

Special ingredients like whole grains, potatoes, lentils, beans, etc. take a bit longer to cook and might even require a bit of extra attention. Nevertheless, if you do have a bit of cooking experience under your belt, it should not be a problem.

The average cooking time for a Purple Carrot recipe falls between 30 and 45 minutes. The time varies depending on the recipe.

For example, with a recipe as simple and carefree as the Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Sandwiches, the prep time is less than 25 minutes.

But for a slightly more intricate recipe like the Thai Lemongrass Soup, the cooking time is not more than 35 minutes.

It’s crucial to also factor in the serving size when looking at the prep time of meal kit recipes. Purple Carrot offers meals with 2 or 4 servings each, depending on your chosen serving size when you place an order.

The preparation itself is pretty straightforward. All the ingredients are packed preportioned and well-organized. Certain ingredients that are not included are specified, which are usually basic pantry items like salt, pepper, butter, etc.

The prep instructions are numbered step after step. Though they do not accompany pictures for every step, the instructions are easy to follow.

Your first order comes with a one-time $25 discount, which is common for most meal kit delivery services. Aside from the newbie offer, there’s even a limited-time offer that gives you a total of $100 off on your first 4 boxes.

Once you start getting acquainted with Purple Carrot’s interface, the first thing to do is choose the type of plan that suits you best: either prepared meals or meal kits.

Next, you’ll need to specify the size that matches your needs and preferences.

The good thing about Purple Carrot is that they offer not only the current week’s menu but also a full 4-week preview so that it’s easier for you to have an idea as to how many meals and servings you wish to order as part of your first order.

The meal kits come in 2 or 4 servings, offering 3 or 4 meal recipes per week. While prepared meals are tailored for individuals, you have the option to choose from 6, 8, to 10 dinners per week.

Following your plan selection, you’ll be guided to choose your preferred delivery day, which varies according to delivery location.

After the initial subscription steps, you’ll gain access to the 4-week menu preview. This convenient feature allows you to effortlessly swap out meals or skip weeks as per your schedule and culinary preferences.

Simply put, adding extras like Plantry items is a straightforward process. You can add as many items to your cart, and you’ll be charged per portion. The cost breakdown plus any discounts are finalized during checkout.

Managing your weekly meal selections is hassle-free, and you have the freedom to skip multiple weeks at a time. Any cancellations and modifications are straightforward as well. In case you plan on canceling your subscription and plan on returning in the future, Purple Carrot securely retains your information, enabling you to simply reactivate your account.

With all their meals plant-based, there is no need to worry about meat or dairy. So, for vegetarians, Purple Carrot offers an impressive variety of whole fruits and veggies. For a family, however, it’s possible that not every member of the family is on a purely plant diet. So, the vegetarian meal kits of Purple Carrot may suit one or two people.

Purple Carrot can also be a good way for people to get into the habit of cooking and eating healthy meals. They offer a broad selection of preportioned vegan staples, many of which tend to be expensive when bought at a supermarket.

The fresh, organic ingredients offer a much-needed improvement over highly processed ingredients, enhancing the overall quality of the diet and promoting a higher nutrient intake.

Even if you want to take a break from cooking anything, the prepared and frozen meals offer a good reprieve without costing you a fortune like takeout foods do.

Purple Carrot’s dinner options are affordable, starting from $11 per serving, making it an efficient and budget-conscious way to add more fruits, veggies, and plant-based proteins into your diet.

Purple Carrot is a great choice for people switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet. To top it off, they have several more meal customizations, such as paleo, gluten-free, low calorie, high protein, soy-free, and nut-free.

Although it holds a dominant position in the meal kit delivery industry and is highly popular, it also includes a little something for people who want prepared meals too.

In short, Purple Carrot is a satisfying, plant-based service for health-conscious people. It definitely piques one’s interest, even if you’re not a complete vegetarian, with its sheer variety and nutritional value.

The $11-per-serving starting price is affordable considering how expensive buying vegan products in supermarkets can get. Here, you have the added advantage of preportioned ingredients which eliminates leftovers, and you get a variety of meals at your disposal to cook with confidence.

Read more: Purple Carrot vs. Blue Apron

Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon

When it comes to affordable meal delivery services suitable for the entire family, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon excels with its extensive 100+ meals menu. The service offers comfort foods and globally inspired cuisines, such as Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, etc.

The meal kits are easier to prepare and ideally designed for beginners. Even the more complex recipes are beginner-friendly, taking at most 35 minutes from prep to plate.

Though not customizable by allergy or diet, the service offers a range of family-friendly and individual-friendly meals. It differs from Purple Carrot in the fact that it has no add-ons like pantry items to offer, but overall, it’s a nice, convenient, and customized meal kit delivery service for most people.

Home Chef

If you want varied meal kits like speedy, no prep-required meal kits, oven-ready meal kits, quick lunches, meal kit bundles, premade snacks and desserts, and à la carte proteins, Home Chef is a highly customizable and convenient option.

Unlike Purple Carrot, Home Chef allows you to swap proteins on select recipes with the “Customize It” option, allowing you to switch from vegetarian to non-vegetarian sources of protein.

Additionally, on the top of the menu, you have the option to filter the meal kits by diet and time: Calorie-conscious, Under 30 minutes, Carb-conscious, and Vegetarian. They offer meals in all shapes and sizes, premium meal kits with seasonal ingredients, meal kits ready in 15 minutes, oven-ready meals, family-sized meal kits, and add-ons.

HelloFresh

Another popular meal kit delivery service with a diet plan-based menu is HelloFresh. Where Purple Carrot doesn’t offer any special diet customizations, HelloFresh offers plenty of options. It’s supportive of a vegetarian and omnivore diet.

The meal kits are further divided into calorie-smart, family-friendly, pescatarian, quick and easy, and balanced diet.

And if that’s not plentiful enough, they also feature a cookbook where you can find interesting recipes organized by ingredient, meal-type, one pot or one pan, cooking difficulty, and dietary lifestyle. HelloFresh offers better customizable features, but if you want to add prepared meals into the mix, Purple Carrot is your option.

From my testing, I found that there won’t be any sudden occasion to contact customer service, but should you feel the need to – it’s a quick and simple process. The “Chat With Us” button pops up on every page on the right-hand-side corner of the screen at the bottom. The “Live Chat” option gets you in touch with a real Purple Carrot representative and not just a bot.

And if that’s not enough, they have a thorough Frequently Asked Questions section with a search box are any quick questions or doubts that you want answered.

Think of the Purple Carrot menu as a tableful of different types of lunches and dinners, along with extras such as breakfasts, snacks, and (very important to note!) super convenient, super quick heat-and-eat meals.

There are no imitation meats; hence, there are no highly processed food items. That’s how Purple Carrot has managed to grab the attention of both plant and meat lovers!