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There was a time when vegans had no option but to source their own ingredients and create meals. Nowadays many more people are turning to the healthy eating that veganism is based around, and this has led to a choice of vegan ready meals from many of the top supermarket chains.
Also entering the market are some of the meal delivery services which adds to the available variety. In this article we will look at the best meal delivery service – Splendid Spoon – alongside the vegan ready meals offered by supermarket chains. Let’s get started!
Splendid Spoon
Splendid Spoon follows the format of other food delivery services but with the emphasis on plant-based food and variety. Basically, the user picks a menu from a varied selection, specifies how many meals of each type they want per week, and pay the fee. The meals are then delivered to the address. Meals come boxed with ice to keep them fresh and ready, and the choice is impressive.
We like the option of smoothies including mango guava, mint chip and a choice of other delicious flavours. Standard bowls are either soup or grain – choices include brown rice taco, Moroccan lentil, garden minestrone and many more recipes chosen for their healthy attributes and great flavours. There are also ‘reset’ bowls which are designed to reset the digestive system, these including soups such as fennel and parsnip apple. The final part of the package is a choice of ‘wellness shots’ that include immune boosting properties.
The customer does not have to take all as there are three plans: The Breakfast Plan is 5 smoothies only, delivered weekly so one for each day of the week. The Breakfast, Lunch and 1 day Reset Plan provides 5 each of the smoothies, bowls and 1 reset bowl. The full; plan involves 5 smoothies, 5 soup bowls, five noodle bowls and a reset bowl. Prices work out at between $8.50 and $13 per meal, depending upon the chosen plan.
Splendid Spoon is, to put things simply, very good, sensibly priced and offers a fine selection of flavours and tastes across its varied menu. We easily rank Splendid Spoon as the top vegan food delivery service right now. You can read this review of Splendid Spoon for more detailed information on the various options, packing and meal choices.
Waitrose
Upmarket supermarket giant Waitrose offers a variety of vegan ready meals both on its shelves and for home delivery by its own service. These meals come prepacked and are ready to heat and eat, and the variety is good although we don’t rate the meals as highly as those from vegan delivery specialists Splendid Spoon.
Some of the recipes are inventive and interesting, offering a selection of different tastes that should please most customers. We like the choice of Beetroot Risotto made with spelt, in interesting a little-seen recipe that offer great taste. Also available in the Waitrose Vegan range is a neatly concocted meal of Mac and Greens, while others may like the Cauliflower Chick Pea and Potato Curry.
While not an extensive range, Waitrose Vegan does do well in catering for a wide range of different tastes – a vegan Barbecue Pizza is a nice idea, and there are Asian themed meals such as Greens and Tofu – although we believe the prices of individual meals to be high compared to the delivery service from Splendid Spoon. Worth checking out to stock up on ready meals for odd occasions, this is a decent range of vegan ready meals.
Tesco
We have seen people asking whether healthy foods are worth the cost and we say yes, they are, as a healthy diet is essential not just for your physical health and well-being, but for your mental health too. A well-considered vegan diet can be as healthy and nutritious as any, especially when the meals are put together carefully using fresh and interesting ingredients.
Tesco, one of the biggest of all supermarket chains, has a range called Tesco Wicked Kitchen which includes among its many ready meals a selection of nicely thought-out vegan options. Although there are not many choices within the range those that are available are nice ideas.
We like the Naked Burrito recipe with its mix of spices – the Wicked Kitchen range is all spice oriented – and the Big Bros Enchiladas ready meal will find favour with many vegans who like something hot for their meals. These well-sized ready meals are also sensibly priced, which is the market sector that Tesco aims for and successfully serves.
Sainsbury’s
Another of the upmarket grocery stores, Sainsbury’s caters for vegans with a range of ready meals that are plant based. As with the Tesco range, the Love Your Veg selection is not extensive but what is available is carefully considered in terms of taste and ingredients. These are original choices that will make a decent meal that even non-vegans will enjoy.
The two we looked at are the Onion Bhaji Vegetable Keema Masala and the Chickpea Masala, both of which are Indian inspired takes on the vegetable curry theme. Both of these are nicely made and come in decent sizes, so they can make a meal for more than one person. They are designed to be healthy, nutritious and full-flavoured and are popular with customers.
The price of these meals is surprisingly cheap as they are bought individually, and they can be ordered online as part of a larger order for home delivery. We still think the convenience of the Splendid Spoon delivery package and choice is a better and more economical option, but if you happen to shop at Sainsbury’s then this is a range you may want to try.
BOL
BOL is not a superstore chain but a specialist food manufacturer dedicated to plant based ready meals suitable for vegans and all other customers. The meals are available to purchase through the major food delivery service Ocado, who partner with BOL and other suppliers to cater for home deliveries.
BOL has an extensive range of vegan ready meals covering a varied choice of tastes. Each is made from quality ingredients sourced from top growers, and the recipes are carefully devised for nutrition, taste and enjoyment. Examples include Thai Coconut Curry, with sweetcorn and red peppers plus two forms of rice, a nice and tasty option that will meet with plenty approval.
Other meals include a Mexican Five Bean Chilli – a classic that anyone can enjoy – plus a ‘Shepherd’less Pie’ – a vegan take on shepherd’s pie – and Cauliflower Tikka Masala for those who like a spicy meal. Perhaps the nearest competitor to our favourite’s Splendid Spoon, BOL ready meal are sensibly priced and some ranges are stocked by Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
M&S
Our final choice for vegan ready meals is he M&S Plant Kitchen range of meals, each of which offers a decently sized meal at a sensible if not exactly cheap price. These are available on the shelf at high street stores or via the website for home delivery when bought with other items to the minimum delivered order price.
Plant Kitchen offers more choice than some of the ranges we have talked about but still fails to match Splendid Spoon for options and convenience. Some of the meals we looked at included a spaghetti Bolognese suitable for vegans, which is a tasty meal for anyone, plus Cashew Mac which we like the look of.
Also in the range are such as Mushroom Pie, a simple yet attractive choice of recipe, plus Sticky Teriyaki Tofu which is great mix of flavours. Overall, a decent selection of these and many more that can be bought off the shelf at M&S Food Halls but there is no home delivery option offered at the moment.
So, there’s our selection of ready meals for vegans, which d we like the best? We think you’ve probably guessed, so let’s see if we can wrap things up with an informative conclusion.
Conclusion
Vegans undoubtedly have more choice of ready meals than ever before. This is in no small part down to the growing support for the vegan and organic food movements. Home delivery groceries was not a service widely used until the covid-19 pandemic brought it to a greater range of homes. Now that people have experienced the convenience of having food delivered, they are sticking with it as a way of shopping.
When we compare all the above options the clear winner – and by a long way – is undoubtedly Splendid Spoon. The choice of meals and meal options is unbeatable, and as the customer is not forced to buy other products to get the cost up to a deliverable amount, the service is by far the most cost-effective and convenient we have found so far.
If you are vegan or want to try some home-delivered vegan ready meals then Splendid Spoon is our number one recommendation for home deliveries of carefully devised, quality and affordable plant based ready meals that you will enjoy to the full.
