So you’ve heard about plant-based meal plan subscriptions and see people flaunting their results. But how do they work, exactly? Will you notice a difference in how you feel? We all know that dieting and nutrition can be challenging, and no one wants to starve or eat tasteless food in the process.
Too often, folks looking to lose weight hop from plan to plan, squandering money on overhyped programs that don’t work. Short term results aren’t fruitful if they don’t stick, so even before and after photos don’t make it easy to discern which health meal plans are worth the money.
Wanting to see for ourselves, we compared a few of the most popular healthy food delivery services that offer plant-based meal plans — Daily Harvest vs Revive vs Sakara vs Thistle — to see which is best for your budget, nutritional requirements, fitness goals, and flavor profile. Without further ado, let’s dive in to see how they stack up.
Daily Harvest vs Revive vs Sakara vs Thistle: What do they have in common?
Although not all of these plant-based meal plan services function in the same way, they do share many common themes. Each can be tailored to your specific needs, whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free eater.
They are all nutritionally oriented meal plans that are intended to improve your diet and day-to-day function over the long term. These businesses, like us, recognize that a single solution will not meet the needs of a diversified member base, so the ability to customize is baked in.
Here are a few quick pointers you can consider when choosing what’s the best meal plan subscription for you:
- Variety of food and quality of ingredients
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- Are you looking for strictly vegan options?
- All organic ingredients?
- Do you want some meat options?
- Convenience
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- Do they offer deliveries to your doorstep in your area?
- How quick would you like the food preparation to be?
- How much time does it save you every day?
- How many times should your meals be delivered — every week or every month?
- Cost and overall value
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- What is your budget?
- Can you choose what food to include in your program, or are there only set meals?
- Customer support
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- Is the customer support reliable in guiding you towards the program?
- Is there a community available to help support you in your journey?
When deciding on a meal plan, you must first determine what is most important to you. Is it all about the food’s quality and taste? Does it boil down to price? We’ve broken down and compared some of these services’ features below.
Daily Harvest vs Revive vs Sakara vs Thistle: How do they compare?
Daily Harvest vs Revive vs Sakara vs Thistle | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New member Discount | $20-$35 off first box Or use code: FINVSFIN40 for up to $40 off your first box | 20% off the first box, 50% off if from referral codes | $25 off first order | ❌ |
| Meal plans | – Small (9 items) – Medium (14 items) ($10 off) – Large (24 items) ($20 off) | – 9, 12, or 24 cups for the weekly plan – 12 or 24 cups for the monthly plan | – Sakara Summer – Signature Program – Monthly Detox – 20-Day Bridal Program | – Vegan meal plans – Omnivore combo (with meat) |
| Est. Weekly Cost | $70 – $215 | $50 – $145 | $280 – $400 | $42 – $234 |
| Fully organic? | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Plant-forward? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Meat options available? | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Customizable? | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Free delivery? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Geographic availability | Continental United States | Canada and United States | Contiguous United States | San Francisco
Los Angeles Select areas in: Nevada Arizona Oregon Washington Idaho |
| Website |
Review of Daily Harvest plant-based meal plans
Source: Daily Harvest
Daily Harvest began as a delivery service for packed, frozen smoothies. It has since grown to include meal and snack alternatives for all hours of the day. The company, however, takes satisfaction in employing fruits and vegetables as the cornerstone of all of its goods.
They are a plant-based meal delivery service with over 100 plant-based menu items to pick from (perfect for those who want variety from week-to-week), including smoothies, breakfast bowls, harvest bowls, and soups. In addition to being vegan, all Daily Harvest products are gluten-free and contain no additives or preservatives.
All Daily Harvest foods are packaged in recyclable paper containers with non-recyclable but thin plastic covers. Overall, it’s a reasonably eco-friendly food service.
How does Daily Harvest meal planning work?
Daily Harvest, unlike other food delivery services, does not provide pre-designed menus. Customers instead select the things they want to get each week.
Current plans call for a weekly delivery of 9, 14, or 24 items. You can place your order online or via the Daily Harvest smartphone app. You can also skip weeks, swap out selections, and manage deliveries using your online account.
Before you start putting things in your virtual cart, have a look at the filter option in the upper left corner of the order page. This useful application enables you to entirely personalize your meal alternatives depending on various diets and tastes.
You may also filter recipes by dietary constraints such as gluten-free, high protein, keto, low cal, low carb, low sugar, paleo, and vegan. Each item contains customer reviews to help you decide, and you can rate the things after you’ve tried them.
The boxes contain frozen vegan meals and healthy snacks that have been pre assembled. The service is definitely closer to a completely prepared meal delivery service than a meal kit operation. However, there is still some minimal prep and cooking required, which usually involves blending, mixing, or warming.
Daily Harvest’s meal selection:
| Smoothies | Passion Fruit + Pineapple Mint + Cacao Acai + Cherry |
| Chia bowls | Chocolate + Almond Vanilla Bean + Apple Blackberry + Majik |
| Oat bowls | Strawberry + Goji Berry Cinnamon + Banana Kabocha + Chai |
| Forager bowls | Leek + Fonio Grits Raspberry + Mulberry Seeded Cremini + Miso Oat |
| Soups | Carrot + Coconut Curry Butternut Squash + Rosemary Mushroom + Miso |
| Flatbreads | Kale + Sweet Potato Pear + Arugula Artichoke + Spinach |
| Harvest bowls | Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash Cremini + Asparagus Pot Pie Red Lentil + Cumin |
| Snack bites | Hazelnut + Chocolate Coconut + Lemon Espresso Bean + Tahini |
| Plant-based ice creams | Vanilla + Salted Swirled Black Sesame Mint + Dark Melty Cacao Chips |
| Lattes | Ginger + Turmeric Chaga + Chocolate Coffee + Almond |
The ingredients are carefully sourced, according to the company. It claims to work directly with farmers and food suppliers to achieve the highest possible quality. While some conventional produce is used, 95 percent of the ingredients are organic.
To maintain freshness, all items are delivered frozen and packaged with dry ice to your home. Once you’ve received your meals, they should last in the freezer for up to three months.
How much does Daily Harvest cost?
The item prices are as follows:
- Chia or oat bowls: $5.99
- Flatbread: $8.99
- Harvest bowls: $8.99
- Lattes: $7.99 (pack of 3)
- Smoothies: $7.99
- Snack bites: $7.99 (pack of 7)
- Soups: $7.99
Remember, you can select 9, 12, or 24 items per weekly shipment, with the option to pause deliveries at any time. There is a $0 shipping fee for all other price estimates.
An added bonus? Daily Harvest is also offering a new member special: use promo code: FINVSFIN40 to get up to $40 off your first box!
Review of Revive plant-based meal plans
Source: Revive
Revive Superfoods is a monthly subscription service that provides pre-portioned healthy superfoods. Smoothies, oat bowls, supermeals, soups, and falafel pops are among the items available. The company offers weekly and monthly plans, and you can mix and match your favorite goods. They are then delivered to your door in pre-portioned cups and are ready to eat after only one step of preparation.
Revive Superfoods continues to promote the idea that healthy food can be easily obtained. They ensure that products are neatly packaged for consumers on the go while also guaranteeing flavorful and delectable recipes. Want to make your life even easier? What about using a smart oven to get creative and efficient with your cooking of the delivery, too??
They currently have 28 items to select from, all of which advertise the use of superfoods designed to improve day-to-day performance. Their site provides thorough descriptions of their many food selections and insider recommendations on how to get the best results.
How does Revive Superfoods meal planning work?
You can sign up for one of several weekly or monthly programs at Revive Superfoods, registering for 9 (only delivered weekly), 12, or 24 cups per week or month.
When someone signs up, they are assigned a weekly or monthly billing date. Any adjustments to your order must be made before this date. Before this billing date, you can also adjust the exact menu items you order. Those who do not choose specific products will be served a variety of meals based on their preferences.
You can combine cups to build your own Revive box. There are no one-time purchases or subscription boxes available from the company. After you’ve filled the box to the capacity with nutritious Revive Superfoods shakes and oat bowls, choose the date for the first delivery.
The meals are all vegetarian. Many of the smoothies are vegan, and the majority are gluten- and dairy-free.
Revive Superfoods’ meal selection:
| Smoothies | Gingerbread Jungle, with gingerbread cookies, banana, flaxseed, and cauliflower Morning Mocha, with chocolate, cauliflower, and pea protein Pumpkin & Chill, with pumpkin, carrots, and dates |
| Oats | Berry Patch, with strawberries and blueberries Banana Nut, with bananas and dates Cheery Cherry, with strawberries and cherries |
| Smoothie bowls | Sweet Acai, with kiwi and raspberry Viva la Vita, with a mix of antioxidant berries |
| SuperMeals | Bean to Baja, with jalapeno, rice, and cheese Caul It Couscous, with couscous, lemon, and carrot Buddhacado, with avocado, edamame, and quinoa |
Revive Superfoods provides a variety of excellent, portioned meals and snacks, the majority of which require only one simple step of preparation.
Revive Superfoods sources all of its ingredients locally and strives to use the highest quality produce available.
While some conventional foods are utilized, all organic items are clearly marked with an asterisk on the menu.
According to Revive Superfoods, all goods should be frozen upon arrival and consumed within two months to avoid freezer burn and maintain optimum freshness.
How much does Revive Superfoods cost?
All subscription options at Revive Superfoods have the same pricing. You can select between 9, 12, and 24-cup sizes starting at $6.99 per cup. There are no additional fees because the company covers shipping on all orders.
Review of Sakara plant-based meal plans
Source: Sakara
You’ve most likely seen influencers and models promoting Sakara’s meal plans. And, while it may be tempting to jump on the bandwagon just because of the hype, you must first put things into perspective.
Sakara offers gourmet-style meal plans produced using high-quality, organic ingredients. Sakara is, in fact, the only program that provides an “organic exclusively” option. As a result, the program may become rather costly, with a single day of a full meal costing around $110.
Sakara, unlike Daily Harvest and Revive, does not allow you to customize your food plan. You can, however, select a program that meets your requirements, and they also provide a sample of the following week’s menu before you place your order.
Sakara is also the only program of these four that provides holistic wellness coaching to members who need direction or assistance. Other goods available include super powders, vitamins, snacks, and beverages.
How does Sakara meal planning work?
In that, you can choose your favorite weekly meal plan and delivery date; the subscription model is fairly similar to that of other meal delivery businesses. The service is available in three-day or five-day packages that include breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Unlike many other meal delivery services, Sakara does not allow substitutes or alternatives; what’s on the menu for that week is what you get. Allergy substitutions (such as nuts, seeds, legumes, cereals, and nightshades) will cost an additional $60 per box.
There is no nutritional information supplied; however, the contents in each meal are listed at the bottom of each container in case you are allergic to certain foods.
Sakara does not allow you to select specific meals, but you may check the menu for the coming week, which varies slightly depending on where you reside. Meals are delivered on Thursday if you select two days of meals; Sunday if you choose three days; and Sunday and then again on Wednesday if you choose five days of meals, ensuring that the food is always fresh.
Sakara’s meal selection:
Sakara has three meal plans: a Signature Program (Level I), a 5-day Detox Program (Level II) only available once a month, and a 20-day Bridal Cleanse.
The Detox Program is intended to supplement the Signature Program. There is also the option to purchase Signature Program add-ons such as Probiotics, Beauty Chocolates, and goods such as Beauty Water Drops and Metabolism Super Powder. (Fancy, huh?)
Three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners are included in the three-day Signature Program meal delivery. Each meal for the day is labeled and comes in its own container.
Sakara’s weekly menus are inspired by foreign cuisines, featuring Indian curries, Middle Eastern spreads, and Japanese noodle bowls loaded with fresh veggies. Nut bread and whole-grain toast with honey-ricotta spreads and tropical jams are popular b