Purple Carrot Review 2024: Is It Any Good?

Overview

Purple Carrot is a popular, fully vegan meal delivery service. It offers standard meal kits, Less Prep kits, and prepared meals. When I tested it at home, the meal kits took about 30 minutes to cook, while prepared meals were ready in minutes. I liked the mix of prep styles, especially the Less Prep kits, which included pre-chopped veggies and sauces.

The weekly menu was packed with globally inspired dishes. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks were available as add-ons from the Plantry (most of the non-produce items were organic, too). I appreciated the clearly labeled options for gluten-, soy-, and nut-free diets and the tags for high-protein or low-calorie meals. Customization wasn’t an option, but the recipes felt cohesive and well-thought-out. 

Ingredients were fresh and high-quality, though I did encounter some issues, like a ripped bag of spinach, a missing cilantro packet, and a substitution I hadn’t expected. Customer service, however, was excellent and promptly addressed these problems with account credit.

Pricing starts at $11.00 per serving, which is on the higher side but comparable to other niche services. Shipping was smooth, though I wish I could choose my delivery day. The packaging was mostly recyclable, though the ice packs weren’t eco-friendly. If you’re vegan for eco reasons, you might find this service has too much plastic for your liking. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Purple Carrot’s inventive and flavorful recipes, even if prep time was occasionally longer than stated. While it’s not the most budget-friendly option, I think it offers good value for those after easy, plant-based eating.  

Purple Carrot’s Menu: Where Veggies Are the Star of the Show!

Purple Carrot has meal kits you can prepare in around 30 minutes. But if you're really pressed for time, make use of its prepared meals you can heat in just 2 or 3 minutes. 

The company also has some Less Prep meal kits on offer that include pre-made sauces and pre-chopped veggies. They often use fewer pots and pans, so the clean-up is faster. 

Meal Options: International Meals (With Organic Ingredients)

Purple Carrot’s menu is filled with recipes inspired by cuisines around the world. At the time of ordering, my options included dishes such as New England Lobster Rolls (made with hearts of palm), Korean-inspired Kimchi Mushroom Fried Rice, and Blood Orange Poke Bowls. 

The main attraction is definitely the assortment of Dinner options. But Purple Carrot also offers light and easy-to-prep options for breakfast and lunch, including Matcha Overnight Oats and Protein Power Bowls. You can add these to your weekly shipments for an additional charge, along with some snacks like Chocolate Glazed Donuts, crackers, soups, and beverages including health shots and kombucha.

Each week, the menu features recipes that are gluten-, soy-, and/or nut-free – and these are clearly labeled. Since the entire menu is plant-based, some common allergens and intolerances, such as dairy and shellfish, are already ruled out.

There are handy tags to identify which dishes are high-protein and low-calorie. If you want to try dishes that have been highly rated by customers, look out for the Fan Fave icon on the image. Some of these favorite dishes include Mac N’ Cheese, Buffalo Cauliflower Bowls, and Peanut Pad Thai Noodles.

Purple Carrot uses organic ingredients where possible, although it's not 100% organic due to sourcing and shipping constraints. You’ll find that most non-produce items are organic, such as beans, nut milks, tofu, tempeh, and vegan cheeses. Most ingredients are also non-GMO.  

No Customization, but That’s Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

Purple Carrot doesn’t offer any customization options, unlike HelloFresh and some other leading meal kit services. But this actually makes sense to me because each dish is cohesive and has clearly been thoughtfully planned. If there is an ingredient that doesn’t suit you, you can omit it when creating the meal kits. The full list of ingredients and allergens is on every recipe.

Each ingredient perfectly complements the others, and I wouldn’t have wanted to swap anything. Take, for example, the Red Lentil Soup dish pictured above (prepared by yours truly). This balanced dish tasted delicious with the tangy tamarind chutney and bright cashew yogurt, but the crispy parsnip ribbons were the ingredient that took it to the next level.

Purple Carrot’s Menu at a Glance 

My Unboxing Experience With Purple Carrot: There’s Room for Improvement

My Purple Carrot delivery box arrived in good condition and was well insulated. Everything still felt cold, and it was easy to see which items required refrigeration. The prepared meals were clearly labeled with storage and heating instructions.

One of the standout features of Purple Carrot is the recipe booklet included in each delivery. This includes ingredients and recipes for all the meal kits on the menu that week, not just the ones you order. It’s essentially a quality printed booklet of vegan recipes that you can keep in your collection. It’s not something I’ve seen from any other company before, and it's definitely my favorite.

My biggest gripe with meal delivery services is all the plastic and other non-recyclables. Other services I’ve tried use paper bags, which I find preferable.

Plastic bags were used to separate the smaller items for each recipe. These are #4 plastics, so you’ll have to check whether they’re recycled in your local area. The delivery box itself and the Climacell insulation are curbside recyclable, so it’s pretty eco-friendly in my view.

My main problem was the ice packs Purple Carrot uses, which have to be put in the trash. As someone who lives in an apartment in the city, I’d prefer those that can be disposed of down the drain.

All of the ingredients arrived fresh, and the veggies showed no sign of deterioration. There weren’t any best before dates on the packaging, but Purple Carrot recommends you eat all your dishes within 5 days for maximum freshness. Unfortunately, the bag containing the spinach had split, but after a quick chat with customer service, credit was applied to my account.

Cooking and Eating With Purple Carrot: An Overall Enjoyable Experience

The ingredients I received were all high quality. I was slightly disappointed to receive a substituted prepared meal, as I was really looking forward to the dish I’d actually ordered. Also, 1 recipe was missing the cilantro (and I’m a big cilantro fan) and another recipe included broccoli instead of the advertised gai lan (a type of leafy Chinese broccoli). Despite this, I really enjoyed my meals from Purple Carrot, and it definitely has some of the most exciting veggie-based meals around.

If you don’t follow a vegan lifestyle, you may be surprised by how much vegetable chopping is involved in Purple Carrot’s recipes. I’m a pretty avid home cook, and I felt my skills stretched a little. However, it’ll definitely expand your palate and introduce you to new combinations and techniques.

I’d say that the recipe timings are an underestimate of the total time it will take you to prepare a meal. I found I needed an extra 15 minutes to prep my veggies in addition to the prep and cook time stated on each recipe. In fact, the listed ingredients are described as chopped, sliced, or grated, but you need to do this yourself, which is probably what created the additional prepping time. 

I can't imagine anyone having trouble preparing these dishes, as long as you have a basic knowledge of cooking. The steps are detailed enough to understand, even though there aren’t images for each step. And if you need a quicker or simpler option, you can try Purple Carrot’s prepared meals that just need to be heated in the microwave.

Shortlist of My Favorite Meals

I enjoyed all of my meals from Purple Carrot. Here are my top 3 favorites.

Roasted Broccoli Flatbreads

I have to say that the Roasted Broccoli Flatbreads meal kit was my favorite recipe. It’s basically a veggie-filled take on a pizza with a flatbread base. I really enjoyed the flavors involved in this dish. As I’ve said before, Purple Carrot does a great job of creating innovative and exciting veggie dishes, and this 1 was a winner.

The cooking process is relatively straightforward, and there are no tricky techniques involved. I roasted the broccoli in the oven, then baked the flatbreads. The rest of the preparation involved making a vinaigrette for the arugula, then topping the flatbread with hummus, cashew cheese, and the rest of the ingredients.

The best part of the dish was the satisfying cashew cheese and sumac. Sumac is a lemony-flavored spice that I haven’t used much in the past. It really worked well in this dish to highlight the roasted broccoli and fresh arugula, which was a tasty contrast too.

Red Lentil Soup

This dish didn’t look as appetizing in the bowl as it tasted. The lentil base was like a warm and comforting curry, thanks to the Madras curry powder. This is also a dish that ticks all the boxes if you’re looking for a gluten-free, soy-free, high-protein, high-fiber, low sodium meal. 

Preparation took longer than I expected. The estimated time for prep and cooking is 30 minutes, which is reasonable for an evening meal. But peeling all those parsnip ribbons was quite a chore to create the topping.

However, hard work aside, the parsnips added an extra dimension that rounded out the dish in an impressive way. The other topping of chopped cilantro was missing from my shipment. A sprinkling of this herb would have been a really tasty addition. 

Pesto Portobello Tortellini

This wasn’t the Louisiana Style Red Beans I originally ordered, but it was a tasty mistake. As I enjoy both pasta dishes and portobello mushrooms, I was excited to try it. Considering I froze the dish rather than refrigerating it (against Purple Carrot’s recommendations) the pasta reheated well and had a lovely texture and consistency.

Heating the dish was a breeze. The microwaveable safe tray means you can just pop it straight in to heat after peeling back the plastic film a little. I decided to put it back in for an extra minute so it reached the desired temperature.

The pesto was delicious, but the broccoli wasn’t very yummy. Although not recommended, I froze this dish rather than keeping it in the refrigerator. This may have been what affected the taste of the vegetable sides. But I still very much enjoyed the meal, and the quality was similar to the Thai Peanut Noodles – the other prepared dish I ordered.

Recipes Summary

Prices: Purple Carrot Is Expensive (But Worth It)

Purple Carrot’s pricing varies based on how many meals you order. The cost per recipe also depends on whether you choose meal kits or prepared meals. The cheapest possible price per serving is $11.00 when you order 3 meal kits serving 4 people (plus current discounts), which is a great option for families. The price per prepared dish is a bit higher but remains the same whether you order 6, 8, or 10 servings. 

Remember that you can mix and match meal kits and prepared meals in the same order. Plus, you can score significant savings by taking advantage of our special deal. It tends to vary from time to time, but it's currently Get $100 Off!!

The Plantry is à la carte, and the items and their prices change regularly. At the time of my research, prices for individual items ranged from $3.50 for a cup of Blueberry & Vermont Maple Oatmeal to $8.99 for Asian Ginger Salad Dressing. Keep in mind that these costs are in addition to your weekly subscription.

A minimum order is $50 and shipping is a flat $10 but is waived for orders over $99. Purple Carrot also provides free delivery for first-time customers.

Purple Carrot is among the more expensive meal kits out there, even with free shipping. And that’s because it caters to a niche diet. However, its pricing is on par with other specialized services like Green Chef. 

Shipping & Delivery: Not Great, Not Terrible 

It took me pretty long to get my first order because of bad luck, not poor service. I signed up for Purple Carrot on a Wednesday and received my first shipment 10 days later (on a Monday). As it turns out, Tuesday is the weekly deadline for committing to a shipment. 

I received ample information via email regarding tracking once my shipment was in the mail. I also learned what to expect and how to prepare. The service also offers a mobile app, but I found I didn’t need it to get any of the information I needed.

It would have been nice to pick the day I wanted to receive my delivery, even though the delivery process was smooth. This is an option with most of the big names in the meal delivery game – including HelloFresh. So hopefully, Purple Carrot can step up its game in this regard.

How Purple Carrot Works: Step by Step Guide

Purple Carrot’s website makes it easy to sign up with its streamlined process. Here’s my handy step-by-step guide:

How To Sign Up (Just 5 Simple Steps)

1. Click Sign Up on the home page. You can find it in the top-right corner of the page. 

2. Create an account. You can use your email address or sign up via an existing Google, Facebook, or Apple account.

3. Choose your preferred meal type. You have to pick one when you sign up, but you can mix and match later on.

4. Enter your shipping address and payment details. You can pay by PayPal, credit card, or Google Pay.

5. Choose meals from the menu. You can adjust your order here to include prepared meals, breakfast, lunch, and pantry items.

As Purple Carrot is a fully vegan service, you don’t choose any dietary options during the signup process. You’ll be able to see every dish when you choose your meals. Just check for any sensitivities, such as soy or gluten, when selecting your options.

Managing Your Subscription

You can easily pause or end your subscription from the account page. I’ve tested services that make you get on the phone with an agent just to close your account. I’m pleased to say this isn’t the case with Purple Carrot. I love that you can pause your deliveries for up to 10 weeks, which is not often offered by other companies and makes it very convenient.

Once you click Change, there are a couple more steps. You will need to answer 1 quick question, but it’s pretty straightforward, and there’s no pressure to change your mind. For more info, I’ve pulled together a step-by-step guide on how to cancel Purple Carrot.

Customer Service: 5 Out of 5 Stars

The FAQs provided by Purple Carrot are unexpectedly comprehensive. If you're unable to find an answer, you also have the choice of starting a live chat by clicking on the Chat With Us icon from any page. The chatbot quickly connects you to a live agent, which makes it much better than trying to explain things to a bot.

I contacted an agent about my burst spinach packaging. I also wanted to ask why I had some missing ingredients and substitutions. I was assured that these issues would be dealt with, and I received credit to my account for my trouble. Everything was resolved very quickly and generously, which I really appreciated.

How Purple Carrot Compares to Other Meal Delivery Services

• Purple Carrot vs. Green Chef: Green Chef has a decent Plant Based plan, although it isn’t a completely vegan service. Purple Carrot strives to provide organic pantry items, while Green Chef is a certified-organic meal kit service that includes organic produce. Green Chef only offers meal kits, though, so Purple Carrot is better if you only want prepared meals. 

• Purple Carrot vs. Home Chef: Where Purple Carrot doesn't allow any ingredient customizations, Home Chef has plentiful options. For example, you can exclude various types of meat, such as beef and pork, and common allergens, like sesame and tree nuts, from your meal plan. Home Chef has dozens of weekly meals on its menu, many of which you can personalize to include Impossible meat thanks to its Customize It tool.

• Purple Carrot vs. Blue Apron: The former is a great choice for vegans, while the latter might be a better choice for omnivores. Unlike Purple Carrot, Blue Apron offers some customization, including the option to remove or add meat to certain dishes. Blue Apron is also more affordable and publishes its menu 4 weeks ahead.

The Bottom Line: Is Purple Carrot Worth It?

Purple Carrot is absolutely a meal kit worth trying. Vegans and vegetarians will enjoy the fully plant-based menu and access to high-quality ingredients. It’s particularly great for anyone new to the vegan diet who wants to learn new recipes or those who want to eat more plants for health reasons.

I recommend you to give it a try even if you’re an omnivore like I am. I was really impressed with the flavors of both the meal kits and the prepared meals. I like that you can mix and match these in each order if you wish.

Purple Carrot isn’t the most budget-friendly service but that’s not unusual for a service that caters to a niche diet. If you want to check out some alternative options, Purple Carrot features on our list of top 10 vegan meal delivery services. 

FAQ

What are the benefits of Purple Carrot?

The comprehensive and ever-changing menu of fully plant-based entrees is Purple Carrot’s most obvious draw. The service is also a great resource for making healthy and approachable vegan-friendly recipes – I found its meal kits super easy to put together. For those who don’t want to cook, it also offers a range of prepared meals that are ready in minutes.

How much does Purple Carrot cost?

The price per meal depends on the type of meal and the number of servings. Purple Carrot’s 2-serving plan starts from $8.50 for larger orders. And it’s even less if you use our discount code offering: Get $100 Off!

Is Purple Carrot organic?

Purple Carrot claims that most of its non-produce items are organic (stuff like tofu, beans, and milk alternatives). However, due to issues with sourcing and shipping, it doesn’t consistently offer organic produce.

How do you cancel your Purple Carrot subscription?

I found Purple Carrot’s cancelation process to be refreshingly simple. To cancel your Purple Carrot subscription, simply open your account settings, click to change your subscription status, and then select the option to cancel your subscription. It’s as easy as that: no need to pick up the phone or write an email to customer support.