Sunbasket Review

What Is Sunbasket?

Nothing beats a good, home cooked meal, but the time and effort that goes into creating one can sometimes make it simply not worth doing. Between work and home commitments, many people end up opting for take out, whether they want to or not. From prepping to shopping to cooking, cooking at home is a lot of work and it can be exhausting just to think about.

Thankfully there are companies like Sunbasket around to help make the process more streamlined and far more easier. By doing all of the hard work for you, Sunbasket helps get you back in the kitchen and creating delicious, restaurant worthy meals from home. 

Sunbasket works by planning all of your meals for you each week, and then delivering all of the ingredients to your doorstep. With everything pre-measured and portioned perfectly, all that is left for you to do is cook. 

With an ever changing menu and a variety of different cuisines, Sunbasket guarantees that you will never get bored of what they have to offer, and that there is a little something for everybody. For those who have specific dietary requirements, Sunbasket also hosts a number of different plan options, ensuring that meat eaters, vegetarians, pescatarians, and those who are on a diet can all enjoy what they have to offer.

Sunbasket Pricing & Plans

Compared to other delivery services, Sunbasket has one of the largest selections of plan options. Given that they promote themselves a healthier, more organic version of a meal delivery service, it is no surprise that they have more meal plans for those with particular dietary restrictions.

For thir Classic Menu, there are actually 11 different plans that you can choose between depending on what your dietary needs are. You can also choose from a selection which includes: Carb Conscious, Paleo, Mediterranean, Lean & Clean, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Quick & Easy, Diabetes Friendly, and Pescatarian. Prices are the same for all of the plans, but there is variation depending on how many meals you want sent. There is also a choice when it comes to how many meals are delivered each week, and you can select either 2, 3, or 4. You can also choose whether or not you are wanting to feed 2 people or 4.

Recipes & Ingredients

Sunbasket prides themselves on using wholesome and organic ingredients. While their service does cost a bit more than some other meal delivery companies, the ingredients used are of a very high quality, and they opt for more sustainable produce and farming techniques. Many other companies try and include some organic foods within their boxes, but Sunbasket is a certified organic handler which means that they are using all organic ingredients 100% of the time.

When it comes to meat and eggs, everything sourced by Sunbasket is completely hormone and antibiotic free. Their eggs are all organic as well, meaning that the chickens are free-range and healthy. As for their seafood, everything is wild caught and sustainable, and they follow the standards and guidelines set out by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program.

One thing that customers really seem to love about Sunbasket is the fact that they include many different seasonal ingredients. This keeps everything tasting exceptionally fresh, and the food is tailored around what is best grown for that time of year. 

Sunbasket believes in combining great taste with healthy options, and their wide range of plans means that they are equipped to match with a wide variety of diets. They aim to make healthy eating fun and simple, removing the barrier that many people face when trying to stick with a diet. Instead of repetitive meals, bland tastes, and expensive grocery bills, Sunbasket simplifies your meal process so that you can just enjoy your dinner.

Below are some of their popular dishes, along with the number of calories per serving as well as some of the dietary restrictions they comply with.

Ordering & Delivery

Ordering from Sunbasket is extremely easy, and they make both sign up and meal selection a breeze. The first thing you will need to do is select which plan is best for you. Which one you choose will affect your first delivery, as well as any subsequent deliveries, but if you need to change it later on you can do so without any penalty.

Once your plan is selected, the next step is to figure out both how many people you are feeding each week, as well as how many times a week you would like to cook. Those who select 4 meals per week will save a couple dollars per serving.

Following your selections, you will then be prompted to give your delivery address, as well as your payment information. It is important to remember that you are signing up for a subscription, so every week your credit card will be charged. If you do not want a certain week, or if you want to stop receiving deliveries altogether, you can both pause and cancel your subscription at any time from your account dashboard.

The plan that you select will be the basis for which recipes you are show, and you will only have access to the ones that meet your needs. For example, if you signed up for the Vegan plan, then your menu each week will only show the vegan recipes that are available. If you do not have strict dietary restrictions, or if you want the largest selection possible, it is best to go with the Chef’s Choice plan, as that includes nearly everything. 

Once you place your order, you will receive your delivery on the same day every week. It is recommended that you select a day that you will be home, but if you aren’t there to collect your order then it will still stay fresh for the day. Each box is insulated and contains cooling packs in order to prevent your food from spoiling. 

All packaging used by Sunbasket is either recyclable or compostable, meaning that no waste is created from your order. Their website has a full breakdown of each component or pieve, explaining what it is made from and how to properly dispose of it.

Is Sunbasket Worth It?

Since Sunbasket is one of the most expensive meal delivery services, people often question whether or not it is worth paying for each week. While that is a fairly personal question and will depend on your own circumstances, there are some general points that will assist in making that decision. 

Let’s start with who Sunbasket probably isn’t best suited for. Many people enjoy the convenience of meal delivery services, but not everyone finds them to be worth the extra cost. Anyone who is on a very strict budget, or who looks to save money where possible, likely isn’t going to want to pay extra to have their groceries and meals delivered. You can do your own meal planning and grocery shopping for a cheaper price, and if you are a very savvy budget shopper then these types of companies really are not for you. 

It’s easy to argue that you could go to the store and pick up some spaghetti and a can of sauce and feed yourself for $0.30 per serving, and if this is what you like to do, then upping your bill to around $11.99 per serving is going to seem outrageous. But, many people don’t want to eat the same, cheap meal every day for dinner. 

For those who like variety, and who want restaurant style meals at home, then Sunbasket is sure to deliver. With an ever-changing menu and the use of seasonal ingredients, this is a company that works hard to ensure that you never get bored with the selection of recipes. This is also quite a bonus for anyone who likes to cook, but hates trying to come up with what to make. You will have access to a vast variety of recipes, each drawing inspiration from worldwide cuisines and using unique and inspiring flavors. 

The main group of people who will find Sunbasket worth it, however, are people who find that they are too busy to really take the time to cook at home. If you are someone who eats out multiple times a week, and finds they aren’t eating as healthily as they should be, then Sunbasket can be a real game changer. Not only is the food designed to be healthy and nutritious, but when you compare it price wise to take out it is significantly less expensive.

How Does Sunbasket Compare?

With so many different meal delivery services on the market, picking the right one for you can be challenging. What makes Sunbasket stand out from the rest? And where does Sunbasket tend to fall a bit short? Check out the chart below for a quick overview of how Sunbasket stacks up against some of the more popular brands available.

One of the first things you will notice is that Sunbasket is the most expensive option listed above. The main reason for this is the fact that all of their ingredients are certified organic, and that their meals are specially designed to meet the needs of those who are on various diets. Because of the extra care that is put into designed each recipe, and ensuring that it is both nutritious and delicious, there is a slight added cost for this. However, if you are ordering 4 meals per week, regardless of how many people you are feeding, you will only pay $10.99 per serving which is about the same as most other companies. It only becomes more expensive if you are doing 3 or less per week.

As for how many recipes you have access to each week, Sunbasket is near the top in terms of variety. So many options means you are unlikely to ever get bored, but it also means that you are sure to find something you like. This is great news for anyone who is a picky eater, as having less control over your meals can be a bit worrisome. Luckily, selecting a maximum of 4 from 18 should guarantee you a menu you love, and the only problem you will have is trying to pick which ones you have to leave behind!

Although they only have one main plan, the Classic they actually offer 8 additional plans underneath this heading. This means that they are more committed to providing specific options for those who are on diets or who have dietary restrictions and/or allergies. Most companies are not nearly as extensive in this area, making Sunbasket a great choice for anyone who is vegetarian, dairy-free, or even soy-free.

Bottom Line

There is no question that Sunbasket is more expensive than similar meal delivery services, but what you get for that price far exceeds what other brands offer. Instead of being confined to the same basic plans and similar meal choices, Sunbasket goes above and beyond in providing customers with unique recipes and specialized plans. 

Each week there is a wide array of options to choose from, many including ingredients that a lot of people probably have never cooked with, or in some cases even heard of. These are not recipes that you could easily replicate on your own, and for that you are gaining a significant amount of value each week.

Anyone who is on the fence about trying out a meal delivery service will likely be extremely impressed by Sunbasket, especially those who are paleo or vegetarian. Similar companies tend to cater more towards meat eaters, but Sunbasket really offers a lot of options for every person. 

To help you make a decision, Sunbasket offers new customers a sign-up bonus where they can save a significant amount of money on their first order. If you end up not impressed by what they offer, cancelling is easy, and can be done right on the website. Sunbasket is confident in what they offer, and if you haven’t tried them previously, then they are well worth looking into for your next week of dinners.