Many people are looking for a way to jump-start a healthier lifestyle but don’t have the time for much research, meal planning, or grocery shopping. This is where Sun Basket comes in, with healthy meals using organic ingredients for a variety of special diets, from paleo to Mediterranean to vegan.

Start by selecting the meal plan you’d like to. You may select recipes from all meals available that week under the Classic Menu but the ones from your chosen plan will be highlighted at the top of the list.

• Gluten-Free – no gluten
• Paleo – emphasis on vegetables and lean meats, free from gluten, dairy, grain, corn, and soy
• Lean & Clean – lower-calorie meals averaging about 550 calories per serving
• Vegetarian – meat free, with with dairy, eggs, and plant-based proteins
• Vegan – no animal products of any kind, with plant-based proteins
• Mediterranean – lean meats and seafood with healthy fats, whole grains, and fresh herbs
• Pescatarian – a vegetarian emphasis that includes fresh, wild-caught seafood
• Diabetes-Friendly – meals designed to take the guesswork out of managing diabetes
• Quick & Easy – recipes that are marked as taking less than 30 minutes to prepare; some take only ten to fifteen minutes and some are marked as a one-pan meal, to help reduce cleanup time afterward
• Chef’s Choice – some of the easiest meals to cook, highlighting seasonal produce at its peak and classic family-friendly flavors

Within those plans, recipes are marked as dairy-free, soy-free, or family-friendly. Recipes are also categorized as Super Speedy, which take 10 to 15 minutes, 20-Minute Meals, Great for Entertaining, One-Pan Meals, Dietician’s Favorite, and Heart-Check Certified. Sun Basket also collaborates with the Williams Sonoma test kitchen and features some of their recipes.  

After selecting the meal plan you’d like, decide which delivery plan works best for you. Under the Classic Plan, choose three recipes per week, out of 18, for two or four people. With the Family Plan, choose two, three, or four recipes per week (out of six) for four people. The six recipes under the Family Plan are Chef’s Choice recipes and include steps that are easy for children to help with.

Customer Favorites

• Burmese chicken aloo curry – gluten-free and dairy-free
• Orange chipotle–glazed pork with coleslaw and roasted sweet potato – dairy-free, gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, soy-free
• Steak with purple sweet potato and roasted red pepper salsa – dairy-free, paleo, Mediterranean, gluten-free, soy-free
• Penne and meatballs in marinara sauce with Caesar salad – family-friendly, soy-free
• Tofu burgers with oven fries and sambal mayo – spicy, family-friendly, vegetarian

Ingredients arrive wrapped by meal, so you can easily grab one bundle from the refrigerator and get started. The box comes with a recipe book, too.

Sun Basket prides itself on using all organic and non-GMO foods and choosing from seasonal vegetables picked at the peak of freshness. They coordinate with the California Certified Organic Farmers organization to source the best food from California farms and some of the seafood is regional from around the United States. Sun Basket works with the American Heart Association to have at least one certified heart-healthy meal each week.

The weekly day of delivery varies by region. If you need to skip a week or if you want to change plans, it must be done by a deadline. They will send you an email reminder, and everything can be managed from an app on your phone. The box and all the packaging materials are recyclable and the cold pack materials can be composted.

Sun Basket has a thorough help section and FAQ page on its website for customer service, plus a toll-free number to call if you want to cancel your subscription.

Pricing

• The Classic Plan is $11.99 per serving.
• The Family Plan is $10.99 per serving.
• Shipping is $6.99 per box.

Pros

• Sun Basket food is all organic.
• There’s a lot of variety with special diets and recipes to select from in the Classic Plan.
• Recipes are clearly labeled so you can choose by allergen, time allotted to prepare, or favorite ingredients.

Cons

• There’s not much variety in recipes under the Family Plan
• Gluten-free foods are prepared in same facility as wheat-containing ingredients so they can’t guarantee there’s no cross-contamination.
• Sun Basket costs more per meal than many meal kit delivery services.

Most customers rave that for healthy options from sustainable farms and recyclable packing materials, the slightly higher cost of Sun Basket is worth it compared to the other services. Sun Basket makes it easy to cook healthy meals that suit your lifestyle.