Food Box HQ Note: Sunbasket was previously called "Sun Basket" but went through a rebranding and is now called "Sunbasket". We use both brand names since we've used them before and after their rebrand.
Going through all the research, notes, photos, and our old YouTube reviews for this updated review, I remembered that Sunbasket was one of the first meal kits we ever tried all the way back in 2017.
Since then weโve literally tried hundreds of other boxes. But even though weโve tried nearly every meal kit currently on the market, Sunbasket has still stayed one of our favorites.
Why? Well, in this updated review youโre going to find out!
Weโre going to go over the entire Sunbasket meal kit service โ the meals, everything thatโs new, our experience using their meal kit, and so much more. Letโs jump into itโฆ
How Sunbasket Works
Sunbasket is a traditional meal kit service, with a twist. They first started out similar to Home Chef or Green Chef, where you simply pick your dinner meals and they would deliver everything to you. However, over the years theyโve evolved their service to include a lot more.
You start by selecting which dinner meals youโd like based on your dietary preferences (more on that later). If you donโt care about sticking to a specific diet, no worries, you can also find meals that are simply delicious and/or easy to make.
Once youโve narrowed down your dinner meals, you now have the option of adding on a ton of additional foods. They offer breakfast, lunch, snacks, and more. We even got smoothies and ginger/turmeric โshotsโ in one of our recent boxes.
Types of Plans & Meals Sunbasket Offers
One big advantage Sunbasket has over the other meal kits is the variety of meals they offer. Not only do they have meals that fit specific diets but they also have meals for people who just want the best tasting food or just want to prep/cook quick.ย
Paleo
This is the plan we usually stick with. I like that it has a mix of meals that stick within the paleo diet constrictions without being boring. All the meals are going to be around 550 to 800 calories, 20+ grams of protein, 5+ grams of fiber, and rich in omega-3's. If you go with this plan, I recommend adding masala-spiced turkey kebabs with cashew chutney to your box. Itโs so good and you can actually see us make it in one of our Sunbasket video reviews!ย
Carb-Conscious
This is a great option if youโre looking to kick carbohydrates but still want tasty meals. All of the meals are going to be around 550 to 800 calories, have less than 35 grams of carbohydrates, have 20+ grams of protein, and be rich in omega-3 fats. If youโre leaning towards this plan, definitely throw their balinese chicken stir-fry with coconut-turmeric cauliflower rice meal into your box (also gluten-free). Itโs a personal favorite of mine and itโs pretty quick to cook too!
Gluten-Free
This plan is a little tricky. The name โgluten-freeโ would suggest all of the meals are strictly free of all gluten. However, they arenโt and they actually may contain trace amounts of gluten. I wouldnโt suggest this meal plan for anyone who is Celiac or has a severe gluten-allergy (there could be cross-contamination). That being said, there are still some great meals on this plan. All of the meals are going to be between 550 and 800 calories, have 20+ grams of protein, have 5+ grams of fiber, and are rich in omega-3 fats.
Lean & Clean
This plan is great for anyone looking to eat a general โcleanโ diet, lower in calories, and more whole foods. All of the meals on this plan are less than 600 calories, have 10+ grams of protein, have 5+ grams of fiber, use clean ingredients, and are rich in omega-3 fats. I wouldnโt classify it as a true โweight lossโ meal plan but itโs definitely the closest plan to it on this list. One of my personal favorite Lean & Clean meals is the steak with chimichurri and harissa-roasted sweet potatoes.
Diabetes-Friendly
Looking for meals that will stick to your diabetic diet? This plan is perfect. All of the recipes are not only approved by the American Diabetes Association but actually taste really good. All meals on this plan are going to have less than 700 calories, 15+ grams of protein, 5+ grams of fiber, less than 70 grams of carbohydrates, saturated fats take up less than 10% of total calories, and less than 700 mg of sodium. Another thing to note is that a lot of the meals on this plan are going to be plant-based. One of my favorites is their burmese salmon salad with lemongrass and bell pepper. Itโs the perfect summer dish โ light but filling.
Chefโs Choice
If youโre just looking to make the tastiest meals available, this is the plan for you. These meals are going to be seasonal, using organic produce and house-made sauces and spice mixes. This is the best plan to choose if youโre not sticking to a specific diet and just want the best tasting food Sunbasket offers. Even though itโs super traditional, on this plan I love their steak and sweet potato frites with kale and mushrooms.
Vegetarian
With this plan, Sunbasket proves that vegetarian meals donโt have to be boring. While these meals donโt have meat or seafood, theyโre still packed with all the right nutrients your body needs โ 550 to 800 calories, 20+ grams of protein, 5+ grams of fiber, and rich omega-3 fats. Thereโs also a ton of meal variety (not just salads or pasta dishes). One of my favorite vegetarian meals is their chilaquiles verdes with soft-scrambled eggs, avocado, and queso fresco. Itโs a really fun Mexican-inspired dish that you wouldnโt even initially categorize as โvegetarianโ at first glance.
Pescatarian
Love fish? This is the plan for you. All of these meals are going to have zero meat or poultry and basically be vegetarian meals with wild-caught seafood. As with the plans above, this plan also offers a lot of variety (youโre not just getting salmon or tuna). One of my favorites on this plan is their shrimp tacos diablo with cabbage slaw and queso fresco.
Mediterranean
Did you know the Mediterranean diet is ranked as one of the top diets in the world? This is because it has a balance of healthy foods and offers a ton of diverse flavors. These meals are going to made with whole grains, good fats, wild-caught seafood, and meats. I find this plan to be perfect for those who want something thatโs delicious and healthy. One of my favorites on this plan is their salmon with roasted new potatoes and charred broccoli.
Quick & Easy
Last on the list (but definitely not least) is Sunbasketโs Quick & Easy plan. These are meals that prioritize ease of prep and cooking. All of these meals can be made in under 20 minutes, only use one pot, and involve nearly zero prep time. Many of the meals in this plan are oven ready so you can literally put everything in a pan, throw it in the oven, wait until itโs done cooking, and youโre ready to eat. One of my favorites on this plan is their chipotle turkey chili with cucumber-sumac salad.
Customizing Your Meals
Another big advantage Sunbasket has over other meal kits is that they allow you to customize your meals. For example, letโs say you wanted to order their korean tteokbokki rice cake stir-fry with pork and shiitake mushrooms but you donโt want the pork that comes with it. When viewing the meal in your Sunbasket profile, you can simply select another meat from a dropdown menu and theyโll automatically adjust the recipe for you. So, using the above meal example, instead of pork they also offer tofu, shrimp, turkey, and even lamb. They also give you the option to choose organic or non-organic options.
Add-On Meals, Snacks, and More
Sunbasket doesnโt just stop at dinners. They have a ton of additional meals, foods, snacks, and drinks you can add-on to any box. Hereโs a rundown of what you can addโฆ
- Breakfast: All of their breakfast foods are โgrab and goโ so thereโs little to no actual cooking involved. You'll find foods such sous-vide egg bites, yogurts, oatmeal, granola, breakfast bars, breads, juices, and smoothies.
- Lunch: These are also going to be โgrab and goโ pre-made meals. You'll find foods such as soups, grain bowls, breads, and even pre-cooked proteins such as chicken breasts or salmon filets.
- Pasta: Sunbasket goes all in when it comes to pasta! They have everything from fresh spinach linguine to lobster ravioli (one of my favorites). You can also add in pasta sauces to make it a full dish. Or, if you want a pre-made option, they offer ramen and noodle bowls, which make great โgrab and goโ lunch options.
- Proteins: If youโre looking for just meat, Sunbasket offers a ton of options. You can choose from prepped meats (like their delicious Applewood bacon-wrapped beef filet mignons), seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, pork, sausage, and even plant-based โmeatsโ.
- Snacks: Sunbasket also has a huge variety of snacks, from healthy to savory to sweet. You can choose from veggies, nuts, crackers, snack bars, candies, and jerky. I always throw their Organic Chocolate Covered Cashews into our box โ theyโre dangerously
Where Does Sunbasket Source Their Meats and Vegetables?
If youโre going to pay a premium for a meal kit you want to guarantee quality. And quality food starts with where it comes from. Thankfully, Sunbasket works directly with local farmers to ensure high standards are met.
- All produce is organic, non-GMO, and farmed sustainably.
- Sunbasket recipes are all seasonal so only fresh, in-season produce is used.
- All of their meats are antibiotic and hormone-free. You also have the option of choosing meat that is organic or not in your meals.
- They only use wild-caught seafood that is recommended as Best Choice or Good Alternative by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list.
Because of their โfarm to tableโ mentality, the quality of their ingredients is especially high and one of the reasons that their meals taste so good.
Delivery
Before you can order, you have to find out if Sunbasket delivers to your state! Luckily, they deliver to most of the United States at this time. The only states that are out of luck are Alaska, Hawaii, and parts of Montana, New Mexico, and North Dakota.
You can also select your preferred delivery day. So, hypothetically, if you work in an office and would rather have the box delivered on Saturday or Sunday when youโre home, you can request it.
The one downside is delivery isnโt free. Including taxes, it will come out to a $7.99 delivery fee per box shipped.
Packaging
Sunbasket packages all of their meals very well in an insulated cardboard box. That insulation is made from either recycled paper or recycle denim. The insulation will change depending on the climate or season youโre in. For example, if youโre in a hotter climate, youโre likely to receive the thicker denim insulation.
Also included in every box are ice packs that are made from a gel that's 98% water and 2% nonโGMO cotton. This allows you to cut the plastic bag and drain the gel into your trash or curbside compost bin. Whatโs great about Sunbasketโs packaging is that they prioritize environmental responsibility by making all of their packaging items recyclable or compostable.
What We Got In Our Recent Box (April 2020)
Now letโs get to the main courseโฆ The meals! Hereโs what we received in our most recent boxโฆ
Our Dinners
Letโs go in-depth on our dinners first.
Sicilian rigatoni with orange segments and roasted cauliflower
This meal was a breeze to make. The hardest part was peeling and cutting the orange, haha! What I loved most about this meal was how all of the flavors complimented each other without overpowering each other. Itโs a bit sweet, savory, tangy, and even spicy.
Korean tteokbokki rice cake stir-fry with organic ground turkey and shiitake mushrooms
Donโt worry if you canโt pronounce โtteokbokkiโ, I canโt either but it still came out delicious. This is the only meal where we made a customization by swapping the pork meat for turkey (Iโm not a huge fan of pork). I originally thought I wouldnโt like the rice cakes, since they were kind of chewy, but they ended up bringing the whole dish together really nicely.
Masala turkey kebabs with cauliflower โriceโ and cashew chutney
This is the meal you can see us cook up in the video review above. Not only was this one super tasty, it was actually pretty healthy too. Iโm a big fan of Indian food so this Indian-inspired dish was my personal favorite out of all 4.
Beef dzik salad with honey-lime vinaigrette and guacamole
Being a salad, this one was super simple to make but was still packed with flavor. This was the only recipe where Sunbasket had to make a swap because they were out of one of the seasonings. Instead of piment d'espelette, they swapped it to aleppo chile flakes. I have no idea what either of those spices are but the meal still came out delicious. It was served over crisp vegetables dressed with a slightly sweet honey-lime vinaigrette. Again, the perfect blend of flavors โ sweet, tangy, savory.
Our Add-Ons
- Organic grape tomatoes
- Organic snap peas
- Toasted coconut and cassia cinnamon oatmeal cup
- Ricotta and broccoli rabe ravioli
- Apple and mango whole fruit bars
- Apple and blueberries whole fruit bars
- Organic Turmeric Wellness Shots
- Dark Chocolate Granola Clusters
- Organic Chocolate Covered Cashews
- Prosciutto and Gruyรจre Eggs Bites
Sunbasket Recipe Cards
Recipe cards are an important part of the meal kit experience that often gets overlooked. A poorly designed recipe card will lead to a frustrating cooking experience. A well designed recipe card can make the cooking process so much easier.
The Sunbasket recipe cards are designed very well. Theyโre a folded booklet with a picture of what the final cooked meal should look like and, when opened up, the inside has all of the cooking instructions. They even tell you what cooking tools youโll need from the start and if youโll need anything from your pantry (such as salt and pepper).
My only wish is that they had images at each step of the cooking process. This helps you know exactly what everything should look like at each step.
Is The Sunbasket Mobile App Worth Downloading?
Just about all of the popular meal kits on the market these days have a complimentary mobile app. Technically, there is almost no difference between the Sunbasket mobile website and mobile app (iOS and Android versions). They both have the same features and options โ you can choose your meals, manage your preferences, rate past orders, etc.
I wouldnโt say itโs necessary to download their app but it does seem to load everything a bit quicker than their website (on wifi).
How Do You Cancel Sunbasket?
Having to jump through hoops to cancel a subscription service is a pain. Thankfully, Sunbasket makes pausing and canceling your plan super simple. When you log into your account and go into settings, youโll see the option to cancel right under โDelivery Frequencyโ. You can also pause your subscription or skip boxes if youโre going to be away for a while.
Sunbasket vs. Similar Meal Kits
Sunbasket is in the same meal kit โrealmโ as other super popular meal kits like Blue Apron and HelloFresh. However, I would say that theyโre most similar to Home Chef. Both of these meal kits prioritize healthier meal options, ease of cooking, and the ability to change/update the meats in your meal. That being said, Home Chef doesnโt have nearly as many varieties of meal plans, dietary preferences, and meal options as Sunbasket.
Also, no other meal kit that I know of has as many add-ons as Sunbasket. The only other one that comes remotely close would be Hungryroot. But Hungryroot is less of a traditional meal kit and more of a healthy marketplace with recipe options.
Pros & Cons of Sunbasket
Now that weโve gone over every detail of Sunbasket, including our personal experience over the years, letโs talk about what we love and what we donโtโฆ
Sunbasket Pros
- Unique selection of foods. Out of all the meal kits weโve tried, Sunbasket has the most unique and diverse selection available. They take meals from all nationalities โ Indian, Mexican, American โ and create these distinctive twists that blend the flavors together perfectly.
- Fits a ton of diets. It would be very hard to find a popular diet that doesnโt work with Sunbasket.
- Itโs the most customizable meal kit weโve used. Iโm amazed that they give you the ability to not only add a ton of different food options into every box but also allow you to customize your meal by swapping out ingredients for others.
- The ingredients and foods are very high quality. Researching their sourcing process and the farms that they work with, I can tell that they prioritize high-quality foods in each recipe.
- The portions were larger than many other meal kits. If you couldnโt tell by the pictures or video review, the portions in our Sunbasket meals were decently large and definitely larger than some other meal kits that weโve ordered from.
Sunbasket Cons
- You have to pay for shipping. The biggest negative Iโve found is that they charge for shipping. With many other meal kits, shipping is free.
- It's more expensive than many other meal delivery services. HelloFresh and Blue Apron meals are a dollar or two cheaper (depending on the plan you go with).
- No visual step-by-step recipe instructions. My one gripe with the recipe cards is that I wish they offered more visuals. In some recipe cards from other meal kits they will provide images at each step of the recipe so you know what it should look like at that step.
- Not 100% gluten-free. Although they have a gluten-free plan, it isnโt 100% gluten free and isnโt suitable for those who are Celiac or actually have a gluten sensitivity/allergy.
Does Sunbasket Offer Any Coupons?
If youโre ready to order your first Sunbasket box, Iโm here to help save you some money! Use any of the coupons below for a discount on your orderโฆ
- Use coupon code โAFFHFREESHIPโ for free shipping.
- Use this coupon link for $60 off your first month.
Weโre always on the lookout for the best working coupon codes and links so if you find that one of the above doesnโt work or you find a better one, let us know in the comments below!
Final Thoughts: Who is Sunbasket Right For?
Sunbasket is, hands down, one of my personal favorite meal kits. They check all the boxes โย tons of variety, delicious meals, the ability to customize the meals, and so much more.
I would recommend this meal kit to any household with 2 or more people that wants diversity in their meals (some healthy options, some easy to cook options, some fun to cook options) and needs to have all of their meals covered (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
This would be the perfect option for a family of 3+ or even a couple who is looking for all around delicious meals (and snacks) that fit into each otherโs diets.
Overall, Iโm extremely satisfied with Sunbasket.
Past Food Box HQ Sunbasket Reviews
- Sun Basket Review: Is This Healthy Meal Delivery Service Worth It? (May 19, 2017)
- Sun Basket Review December 2017 Update (December 22, 2017)
Have a question about Sunbasket we didnโt answer? Have you tried their meal kit before? Weโd love to hear in the comments below!
I think I heard about Sun Basket on a podcast or something like that. I knew I wanted to try out one of these meal delivery services so I thought I'd try Sun Basket first. Turned out to be a good decision. Pretty easy to make the meals (considering they are all unique). The taste of all the ones I tried were actually really good too. I wasn't expecting to love them all but they hit the spot...
Okay, I looked far and wide to find the right meal delivery service for me and my family. There are so many out there that promise the world. I was between Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, and Sun Basket. I decided to go with Sun Basket first and am very glad I did. I had a few goals with trying a meal delivery service. First, learn to cook. Second, make healthy meals for my boys. We've been eating takeout a little too often. Sun Basket was a great choice. It has the added benefit of being a bonding experience with my family. We like to cook meals together at least once a week. They love it.
Does this meal kit deliver outside of the United States?
Sun Basket currently only delivers within the United States. It's possible as they grow that they will expand outside of the US to other countries.
I got mono for about a month. This made it nearly impossible for me to go outside and interact with others as I was super contagious. To be quite frank, I was going insane being inside all day! So I decided to teach myself a new skill. I've never been a great cook so I chose cooking to be what I worked on while I recovered. Since I was sick, I couldn't go out and get groceries from the store so I had to order. That's when I found your review of Sun Basket. After reading some more positive reviews I decided to pull the trigger and order. It showed up a week later. After cooking all three meals, I actually feel a bit more confident in my cooking abilities haha! It was also good to finally have a home cooked meal.
Glad to hear, Ari! Hope you're feeling better.
Okay, story time... I used to be a really bad cook. I mean REALLY bad. I could take the easiest such in the world and make it taste horrible. I blame my mother for never teaching me. Nevertheless, I somehow was able to survive on cereal and takeout until I was 31 years old, when I met my now husband. We had just started dating and I wanted to impress him with my future wife abilities but I really had zero to be honest. So I decided to start by learning how to cook. I mean really cook. I bought books, courses, etc. Of course, I never had the time to invest in any of them so I felt like a failure for a while. That was until my sister told me about meal delivery service. Then it all clicked! I could use a meal delivery service to learn how to cook. By the end of the second week using Sun Basket I felt like a pro. Now, fast forward one year and I'm the one who does all the cooking! Moral of the story: if you're a bad cook, you can use Sun Basket to become a better one like I did :).
Haha, love this story!
How would you compared Sun Basket and Home Chef? I've been torn down the middle in choosing between either of them. My son wants to learn how to cook and I think this could be a fun activity for us.
Both are great choices but for different reasons. If you're looking for a more health oriented or "diet" meal delivery service, I would check out Sun Basket. They have tons or variety when it comes to their different plans such as Paleo, Lean & Clean, Vegetarian, and many more. If you're looking for quick-to-prepare meals that are also relatively (but not always) healthy, go with Home Chef. We really love both services so you can't go wrong with either.
Who needs to go out food shopping when you have a hundred different meal delivery kits like Sun Basket to choose from haha. But seriously, I have tried a couple of other bigger meal kit companies and Sun Basket has a good balance of everything I am looking for. They are healthy, don't break the bank and are simple to make. Now what more can a girl ask for?
My daughter in-law brought this over last weekend for us to try. We're so used to pulling out the recipe book and driving to the grocery store. I didn't even realize they made these kits now! Everything was very tasty. We had a burger but apparently it was healthy? Well, that's what it said on the nutrition label. I was doing more research on this company when I found your review. It is very thorough!! Thank you for it and the video made me hungry!
Thorough! I wonder though... My child is a picky eater. We have him on a gluten free diet because he has been having issues with his stomach and digestion. Obviously this makes feeding him much harder. When we first learned about gluten free cooking I was totally in the dark! Now I have a better handle on it but I still am barely cutting it as a chef, haha. Would you think the gluten free menu option would be tasty for a picky eater? He's not big on trying new food but I think this could be a good option to introduce him to new things. Also, I want to learn to cook new (and tasty) gluten free recipes. Thank you for this review!!!
Hi Ashley! The gluten free options are delicious :-). I suggest trying out one month of Sun Basket to see if he'll like it. Use the coupon code for money off your first box. If he doesn't like it, they allow you to cancel any time.
Been trying to make a decision for a while now on these meal kits. I feel like they're everywhere these days. Of course blue apron was my first choice but I watched some reviews where people weren't too fond of them. I kept reading and found this review of Sun Basket but want to ask a question before I order. Would you consider this a weight loss type of meal delivery service? It seems like it has a lot of "healthy" options but I just want it to actually taste good.
I wouldn't classify Sun Basket as just a weight loss meal kit. Yes, they have a great "Lean & Clean" plan that people use to eat healthy and lose weight but the meals they deliver are not bland (if that's what you're asking).
Love the cute animations to see you cooking!!
Which plan should i order for a family of 4? We are all picky eaters but I need something that we can make quick that is going to be healthy for all of us. We can not continue to eat out or at fast food every night like we have before. We need to make a change but I have very little time to prepare food after we all get home because I work until 8 at night most days.
Hey Sharon! Check out the "Lean & Clean" and "Quick & Easy" plans. They're both great options based on your needs.
I took the meal box quiz on this site and it told me to get the Sun Basket box based on my what I'm looking for. My question is if I decide to get their meals can I switch between plans? Like if I start with the Lean and Clean plan, can I switch to the Gluten Free one? That's what is holding me back from actually ordering. I don't want to be stuck with one plan, not like the meals and want to change but can't.
Hey Cary! Thanks for your question. Yes, you can definitely switch between Sun Basket plans.
I'm having a problem with my dealings with Sun Basket which I hope no one else has encountered. I went to the site to see about comparing Sun Basket to Hello Fresh. Three days later I am checking my credit card account and there is a charge for Sun Basket that I do not recognize nor did I make. I filed a report immediately with my card co. and also and now sending Sun Basket another (5th)note requesting my 100% satisfaction guarantee. Waiting to hear from them as I have been stonewalled through emails with uncooperative customer service. Do not like paying for something I did not authorize. Now I'm wondering if Groupon is in on the scam. My other course of action is to write to the BBB.
We have been using Sunbasket for about 2 months now and I have enjoyed it. Thank you becasue we had found it when I saw your review. I am wondering now if it is possible to add on more meals to our subscription for a short period of time. We will have family over next month and need more meals for more mouths to feed!
You're welcome! You may want to take a deeper look at the Sunbasket marketplace. They give you the ability to add on more meals and groceries there (pastas, snacks, drinks, and more).
What are your thoughts on their prepared meals that they have now? I am between them and freshly. But I like that I can go back and forth between sunbasket prepared meals and meal kit meals.
I'm a big fan of their pre-made meals. We're actually working on an updated review where we'll be going more in-depth on the new offerings Sunbasket has.
We have a unique situation that I am hoping you can help with. My mother in law will be moving in with us soon and we are looking for a meal delivery service for her to cook that is easy. Cooking has been a hobby of hers for her whole life and we want her to stay active while she is here. But I know that she really only has the energy to cook once per day (dinner). So we are looking for a meal kit that will give us breakfast, lunch, and dinners for 5 people. We want the dinner meals to be easy recipes. We also want the breakfast and lunch meals to be pre-made or very simple to make. This is because my wife and I go to work and have 2 kids to care for (young teens). I don't know if this type of meal kit exists but Sunbasket seems to offer what we need with the meal kit options and pre-made options.
Sunbasket does offer a mix of meal kit and pre-made meal options, so it could be the best option to consider. However, since your situation is a bit more unique than most, you may also want to consider using 2 different meal delivery services โย one for your mother-in-law and one for the rest of your family. This will ensure that your mother-in-law gets to choose simple recipes and you get the most convenient pre-made meals. For her, I might suggest looking into Dinnerly or EveryPlate. They are inexpensive when compared to other meal kits like Sunbasket (only around $5/meal) and the recipes are usually very simple. Another good option for her could be Home Chef. It's a bit more expensive than Dinnerly and EveryPlate but she can customize the meals by swapping out meats. Plus, they have specific "quick and easy" meals like oven-ready meals. For you and the rest of the family, you may want to go with a fully pre-made meal delivery service such as Freshly, Cookunity, or Territory Foods (depending on your meal preferences and budget). All of them are great options and, from my experience, have a variety of delicious meals to choose each week. If you do want to cook but you still want convenience, RealEats is another good option to consider. Their food is sous-vide so you basically just boil it in a pot and it's ready to eat. Super convenient and fresher than the pre-made options I mentioned.