Everything You Need to Know About Purple Carrot: An Honest Review
Hey there, vegan food lover! If you‘ve been curious about Purple Carrot‘s plant-based meal kits but hesitant to take the plunge, you‘ve come to the right place. I‘m a fashionista by day and a foodie by night who‘s been subscribing to Purple Carrot for the past 6 months. I‘m dishing all the details on taste, variety, convenience, cost, and more in this thorough Purple Carrot review.
Consider this your one-stop guide to decide if Purple Carrot is worth a try. I‘ll walk you through my personal experience and share feedback from other happy (and not so happy) customers. No sugarcoating here – just the whole truth about whether Purple Carrot lives up to its promises. Let‘s get into it!
What is Purple Carrot?
Purple Carrot is a 100% plant-based meal kit delivery service that sends fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and chef-designed recipes to your doorstep each week. Every single menu item is vegan-friendly, from appetizers and entrees to breakfasts and snacks.
The company was founded in 2014 by Andy Levitt, who struggled with digestive issues before switching to a vegan diet. After seeing major improvements in his health, Andy launched Purple Carrot to help more people reap the benefits of plant-based eating in a convenient, non-intimidating way.
Today, Purple Carrot offers meal plans for 2 or 4 people with 8 dinner recipes, 2 breakfast options, and 2 lunch options to choose from each week. All meals are ready in about 30-45 minutes. In addition to meal kits, Purple Carrot also sells vegan packaged snacks and pantry staples.
How does Purple Carrot work?
Getting started with Purple Carrot is simple:
- Choose your plan size (2 or 4 servings) and select any dietary preferences like high-protein, gluten-free, or <600 calories.
- Pick your weekly delivery day and any add-ons like breakfasts, lunches or snacks.
- Build your box by selecting meals from the upcoming weekly menu of globally-inspired recipes.
- Receive your insulated box filled with ice packs, recipe cards and pre-measured ingredients.
- Unpack your box, follow the step-by-step instructions and enjoy restaurant-quality vegan meals at home!
You can easily skip a week, change your plan or cancel online anytime – no sneaky contracts or hoops to jump through.
Purple Carrot Pricing
So how much does all this plant-based goodness cost? Here‘s the breakdown of Purple Carrot prices:
| Plan | Servings | Price per Serving | Weekly Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-serving | 3 dinners | $11.99 | $71.94 |
| 2-serving | 4 dinners | $11.99 | $95.92 |
| 4-serving | 2 dinners | $9.99 | $79.92 |
| 4-serving | 3 dinners | $9.99 | $119.88 |
| Breakfast | 4 servings | $4.49 | $17.96 |
| Lunch | 2 servings | $8.99 | $17.98 |
Shipping is a flat $8 fee per box, but you can sometimes score free shipping promos for new signups. At $72-$120 per week ($9.99-$11.99 per serving), Purple Carrot is definitely pricier than grocery shopping and cooking from scratch. But I think it‘s a solid value compared to vegan takeout or meal delivery, which can easily run $15+ per entree in cities like LA or NYC.
One thing to note is that Purple Carrot doesn‘t offer as much flexibility as other meal kits in terms of skipping or customizing recipes. You‘re locked into a plan size and have to manually select meals each week or risk getting random dishes. But more on that later!
My Purple Carrot Experience
Alright, you‘ve got the basics down, but I know what you really came here for – the food! I‘ve personally tested a few dozen Purple Carrot recipes over the last 6 months. To give you the full unboxing-to-eating scoop, I took meticulous notes and snapped some mouthwatering pics of my latest weekly haul. Bon appetit!
The Unboxing
Like most meal kits, Purple Carrot delivers chilled, insulated boxes to keep ingredients fresh in transit. The veggies and pantry items for each recipe are bundled together in paper bags and stacked on top of large ice packs:
Right away, I was impressed by how eco-friendly the packaging was compared to other services I‘ve tried. The box, paper bags and insulation are all curbside recyclable. The gel ice packs can be emptied and recycled too. The plastic containers, jars and bags are also recyclable in most areas. A+ for low-waste!
As I unpacked the contents, a few things caught my eye:
- Vibrant, crisp veggies like rainbow chard and watermelon radish
- A rainbow of spices like smoked paprika and garam masala
- Thoughtful, well-timed extras like vegan parmesan and dark chocolate
- Pre-cooked ingredients like beets and lentils to save time
- Cute branded swag like kitchen towels and totes
With everything sorted, I was ready to get cooking. I appreciated that most of the ingredients were pre-washed and pre-cut. There was minimal waste since everything was portioned for each recipe. The "knick knacks" (Purple Carrot‘s term for pantry items) even came in reusable glass jars and bottles.
The Meals
Now for the moment of truth – how did the Purple Carrot meals stack up? I‘ll walk you through my thoughts on the 3 recipes I made that week, from least favorite to most drool-worthy.
3. Roasted Red Pepper Shakshuka with Za‘atar Tofu
This hearty skillet dish marries tender bell peppers, onions and tomatoes with silky soft tofu and runny vegan "egg" made from chickpea flour. The base was tasty, but a bit too watery for my liking. I think the tofu needed a harder sear to really sing. Overall, a fun twist on a classic, but didn‘t quite hit the flavor heights I expected from the enticing photo.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
2. Sesame Crusted Avocado Salad with Citrus Miso Dressing
I‘ll admit, I was skeptical of the idea of eating warm avocado. But coated in crispy sesame seeds and perched on a fluffy bed of quinoa and arugula, it totally worked! The creamy wedges played nicely with the juicy orange slices and tangy, umami-rich miso dressing. A refreshing, addictive combo I never would have thought to put together on my own.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
1. Kimchi Grilled Cheese with Gochujang Roasted Broccoli
Oh baby, this one blew me away! Funky, fermented kimchi and melty vegan mozzarella are a match made in sandwich heaven. The spicy-sweet gochujang glaze on the broccoli was so finger-lickin‘ good, I almost licked the sheet pan clean. Dare I say, the best vegan grilled cheese I‘ve ever had? Putting this bad boy on regular rotation for sure.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
Customer Service and Community
One thing I love about Purple Carrot is how responsive and friendly their customer service team is. When I had an issue with a missing ingredient, they credited my account within minutes of emailing. On social media, they go above and beyond to address concerns and celebrate customer wins.
Purple Carrot also has an awesome Facebook group called "The Plant Curious" where tens of thousands of members share tips, tricks and drool-worthy photos of their Purple Carrot creations. The founders even pop in from time to time to gather feedback and spill sneak peeks of upcoming menus.
It‘s clear that Purple Carrot is super passionate about their mission of helping people eat more plants. They put their money where their mouth is by partnering with food justice organizations like Food Corps to provide nutrition education and fresh produce to underserved communities.
What Other Customers Are Saying
But hey, don‘t just take my word for it! Here‘s a sampling of rave reviews from other happy Purple Carrot customers:
"I never thought I could go vegan, but Purple Carrot made it so easy and delicious! I‘m down 10 pounds and have more energy than ever. The Thai noodle bowls and jackfruit tacos are my jam." – Rachel, Los Angeles
"As a busy mom, I love that Purple Carrot simplifies meal planning and shopping. The portions are generous enough for leftovers. Even my picky toddler gobbles up the veggie nuggets!" – Kayla, Chicago
"I‘ve been veg-curious for a while but didn‘t know where to start. Purple Carrot‘s recipes have tons of variety so I never get bored. It‘s also saved me money on pricy vegan groceries." – Mike, Denver
Of course, no meal kit is perfect. A few recurring complaints about Purple Carrot include:
- Some dishes are too spicy, salty or oily
- Organic produce isn‘t standard
- You can‘t handpick every meal in your box
- The website can be buggy and glitchy
But overall, the vast majority of customers seem thrilled with the taste, quality, and convenience of Purple Carrot. The service has an impressive 4.1 rating on Trustpilot with over 2,900 reviews.
Pros and Cons
Need a quick summary? Here are the key pros and cons I‘ve noticed from subscribing to Purple Carrot:
Pros
✔ Makes it effortless to eat more plant-based meals
✔ Huge variety of creative, global dishes to try
✔ Saves hours on meal planning and grocery runs
✔ Generous portions and quick cook times
✔ High-quality, pre-prepped ingredients
✔ Eco-friendly, recyclable packaging
✔ Responsive customer service and community
Cons
✖ Costs more than grocery shopping or some vegan meal kits
✖ Can‘t fully customize each meal in your box
✖ Recipes sometimes need tweaking for taste
✖ Requires basic cooking skills
✖ Can‘t accommodate all allergies/diets
✖ Website is occasionally glitchy
FAQ About Purple Carrot
To wrap things up, let‘s tackle some frequently asked questions about Purple Carrot:
Do Purple Carrot meals taste good?
In my experience, the vast majority of Purple Carrot meals are truly restaurant-quality. The flavors are bold and the recipes are endlessly creative. Since the ingredients are pre-portioned, it‘s easy to nail the seasoning balance and sauce ratios. Of course, taste is subjective, but I think most foodies would be impressed!
Is Purple Carrot good for weight loss?
While Purple Carrot isn‘t explicitly a weight loss program, many customers report shedding pounds thanks to the service‘s focus on whole foods over processed junk. Most Purple Carrot meals clock in around 500-800 calories, with plenty of filling fiber and plant protein. If weight loss is your goal, look for the <600 calorie tag on the weekly menu.
Are Purple Carrot meals healthy?
You bet! Going vegan is consistently linked with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and some cancers. Purple Carrot meals are packed with nutrient-dense veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Many of the dishes are also gluten-free, soy-free or nut-free. The nutrition facts and allergen info is listed for every meal.
How long do Purple Carrot meals last?
Most of the fresh ingredients have a shelf life of at least 5 days in the fridge. Some pantry items like spices and sauces will last even longer. I usually have no problem polishing off my Purple Carrot haul within a week. For ingredients on the verge of going bad, try roasting, sautéing or blending them into sauces or dips.
Is Purple Carrot worth it?
Only you can decide if Purple Carrot fits your taste, budget and lifestyle. But if you want to eat more plant-based with less effort, I think it‘s 100% worth a try. For the time and energy you save on meal planning and supermarket schleps alone, a Purple Carrot membership could pay for itself. Bonus points for exposing you to unique ingredients and flavor combos!
The Final Verdict
Whew, that was a lot of info to digest – pun fully intended! I hope this ultra-thorough Purple Carrot review helped you decide if this vegan meal kit deserves a coveted spot on your doorstep.
IMHO, Purple Carrot totally delivers on its promise of making plant-based eating more fun and accessible than ever. The ingredients are high-quality, the recipes are foolproof, and the flavors are on point. You‘d be hard-pressed to find this level of variety and creativity in your average cookbook.
Sure, Purple Carrot might be a tad pricier than some vegan meal kit competitors. But I think the drool-worthy dishes, time saved, and stellar customer service make it worth the extra buck or two per serving. Plus, it‘s still leagues cheaper than dining out at a vegan cafe or buying specialty ingredients.
If you‘re veg-curious, tired of boring salads, or just want to mix up your dinner routine, I can‘t recommend Purple Carrot enough. With the $20 off deal for new signups, you‘ve got nothing to lose (except maybe a few pounds)! I hope you‘ll give it a shot and report back on how your taste buds enjoyed the ride. Catch you on the Plant Curious Facebook page!
