The Best Brands of Vegan Ready Meals

Although it’s always best to cook fresh meals with real ingredients, sometimes in a pinch you may wish to have a vegan ready-meal to hand. You may be busy, feeling poorly or a carer with no time to cook drawn-out meals. Here are some of the best on the market. They are made with natural ingredients (most are in sustainable packaging, you can recycle any plastic at most supermarket bag bins these days, if not in household recycling). They are also all free from palm oil.

If ordering online, store ice packs away from pets and children. These are not real meats, so don’t give leftovers to pets, as some may contain pet-toxic ingredients like soy, onion and garlic.

Vegan Shicken Curry (in compostable packaging)

Shicken is a new brand of plant-based ready-meal curries, sold in home compostable sugarcane packaging. All the meals are handmade by chefs, using only natural ingredients. With chef Gordon Ramsay a fan, this is quality food that allows anyone to enjoy their favourite meals without sacrificing taste or texture.

These popular Indian meals sub the dairy with coconut cream, vegan yoghurt and other natural ingredients. The meals are based around soy and rapeseed oil, plus a mix of spices. You can cook them in the oven for around 25 minutes (from chilled) or around 40 minutes from frozen. Or (shock, horror) you can microwave if you use one. The range includes:

1. Karahi Kebab Skewers
2. Tikka Kebab Skewers
3. Vegan Butter Curry
4. Balti Curry
5. Keema Masala & Peas
6. Hot Madras
7. Jalfrezi Curry
8. Medium Tikka Masala
9. Rogan Josh
10. Mild Vegan Korma

Holy offers nutritionally balanced plant-based meals in compostable packaging. The menu changes each week for variety, and the full box option includes drinks and snacks, as well as all your meals for the day. They recommend to keep meals in the fridge, and consume within 72 hours from delivery, or before the ‘best before’ date. Meals include:

1. Indian Coconut Curry with Cashew Rice
2. Jackfruit & Tofu ‘Fishcakes’
3. Jackfruit & Tofu Corn Tortillas
4. Aromatic Pad Thai with Tofu

Dovebrook Kitchen offers plant-based meals in zero waste packaging. The insulation and delivery boxes can also be recycled or returned, and the kitchen uses clean energy. The first order includes a reusable glass dish to be used with meals. Meals include:

1. Persian Dried Lime & Herb Stew
2. Thai Yellow Curry
3. Spiced Sausage & Herbed Gnocchi
4. Sweet & Sour African Curry
5. Dovebrook Mac & Cheese

These one-pot ready meals are ideal if you don’t fancy cooking and can’t afford gourmet tray meals. Just heat and eat. It’s not always good to live on ready-meals, but if you don’t live near good shops or aren’t feeling too tickety-boo, these blend vegetables, protein and wholegrains into nutritious, tasty and affordable meals.

Recycle packaging with household waste. Keep these meals away from pets, due to to toxic ingredients (onion, garlic, mushrooms, jackfruit). 

Soulful One Pot Vegan Meals 

Soulful One Pot Vegan Meals are ideal to have in the fridge for up to 4 days (you can freeze them too) if you are tired or busy or a carer or a vegan with not much time or money. All these plant-based meals are complete in themselves, a blend of vegetables, proteins and grains. Prepared by chefs, these meals are superb, and you can buy gift cards, ideal for the plant lover in your life. 10% off your first order. There are also student discounts and reward points available (to redeem against future orders). Delivery is free on orders over £34.99 (and selection boxes) or choose £5 delivery for smaller orders.

Heat them on the hob or in the oven (or microwave if you use one).  They are also fairly cheap (around £3 a meal) so a good affordable option, if you can’t afford to order home-delivered gourmet vegan meals, or don’t live near shops that sell good alternative options.  You can order Variety Boxes, swap delivery days to suit. If freezing, OnePots and SuperSoups should be thawed in the fridge and cooked from chilled (or frozen), and just adjust the timings. RealMeals can be cooked from frozen.

A little bugbear for vegans is that the pots are sent in insulation made from either sheep’s wool or recycled denim. However, you can return the packaging to be used again, so at least it gets reused each time, rather than keep buying new. Wholesale orders are welcome, to sell in shops.

1. Butternut, Lentil & Spinach Hot Pot
2. Brazilian Tomato & Black Bean
3. Tempeh Katsu with Peppers, Corn & Rice
4. Tikka Masala with Sweet Potato, Cauliflower & Brown Rice
5. Moroccan Seitan Tagine with British Spelt
6. Cajun Spiced Jackfruit with British Spelt
7. Thai Green Jackfruit Curry with Brown Rice
8. Thai Red Vegetable Curry with Brown Rice
9. Persial Tomato, Lentil & Chickpea with Cauliflower
10. Pulled Jackfruit Smoky BBQ Chilli with Corn & Beans
11. North Indian Red Lentil Vegetable Dhal
12. Chestnut Mushroom Stroganoff
13. West African Peanut Chickpea with Red Rice
14. Sri Lankan Cauliflower & Kale with Quinoa
15. Mexican Bean & Sweet Potato with Quinoa

The company also offer Soulful SuperSoups:

1. Sweet Potato, Coconut & Coriander
2. Thai Chilli with Edamame, Peas & Quinoa
3. Butternut, Lentil & Spinach

And Soulful Meal Trays for more substantial meals:

1. Thai Green Jackfruit Curry with Edamame & Kale
2. Butternut Mac with Kale & Seeds
3. Piri Piri Tofu Jambalaya with Jalapeno
4. Marinara Seitan Balls with Spaghetti & Fresh Spinach

Bol Protein Power Pots 

Bol Power Pots are protein-packed meals that deliver big on taste and flavour. Each pot includes 2 servings of your 5 a day, a whopping 20g of plant-powered protein and half of your daily fibre needs. The perfect way to add planet-friendly protein to your day, the range includes:

1. Piri Piri Sweet Potato Stew
2. Spanish Smoky Butter Bean Stew
3. Sweet Potato Katsu Curry
4. Creamy Coconut Turmeric Daal

The Veg Pots also deliver serious flavour with a good health kick. Again they are packed with veggies, protein and fibre, combining grains and beans and pulses with fresh veggies and tasty sauces from different regions. Choose from:

1. Creamy Japanese Katsu Curry
2. Italian Roasted Tomato Pasta
3. Creamy Thai Green Curry
4. Keralan Coconut Curry
5. Japanese BBQ Teriyaki Rice
6. Mediterranean Pesto Pasta

Their Posh Noodles take noodles to the next level. Just heat and eat. Forget powdered sachets and dehydrated carrots, these don’t have a dried-out-vegetable in sight. They are packed with fresh veggies, and are the ideal healthy solution for people on-the-go. Choose from:

1. Japanese Yakisoba
2. Spicy Firecracker Udon
3. Creamy Malaysian Laksa Ramen
4. Sweet & Sticky Teriyaki
5. Korean Sweet Chilli Ramen
6. Aromatic Thai Charcoal Ramen

The Best Vegan Meal Delivery Companies

The best vegan meal delivery companies can send ready-made food to your door. It’s always good to make food from scratch and use local ingredients. But it’s not always possible. You may be feeling poorly or caring for someone. You may be too busy to cook, or you may live in a ‘food desert’, where there are no good local food shops. Also see the best vegan ready meals.

Free yourself from inferior ready-meal land, and subscribe to one of these companies. All are easy to cancel, if you just need to use them for a few weeks. And all use real ingredients to make nice healthy meals, prepared by chefs with lots of variety. They obviously work out more expensive than cooking from scratch, but not really any more than conventional ready-meals. And you can always eat half one day and fill up with spuds and veggies, and then heat up the rest the next day, to bring it in line with the price of cheaper ready-meals.

Keep these meals away from pets, they are not real meat and contain pet-toxic ingredients like onions, garlics and mushrooms. Recycle plastic packaging in supermarket bins (store dry ice in ventilated areas away from pets & children, until recycled or disposed of).  

Most of these meals send in eco packaging, be careful if you don’t want to use them, as a few companies that send out, use wool packaging to insulate. They say there are no alternatives but there are (like recycled denim), so ask before you buy. Most of these companies however are fine. 

Vegan Meal Delivery (UK & Ireland)

1. Allplants frozen meal delivery service offers boxes of 6 meals (choose from over 30) meals including Traditional (mac & greens, hearty roots stew, Shepherd’s Pie), Europe (Lasagne, Risotto, Goulash, Stroganoff) and Spicy (Thai Curry, Chilli, Szechuan Noodles, Satay, Korma, Burrito). The company also offers a Festive Roast with 7 sharing sides (roast spuds & veggies, truffle cauliflower cheese and cranberry sauce) plus puds (tiramisu cheesecake and banoffee pudding). You use the pre-paid envelope to send back packaging via nearest CollectPlus.
2. Planty lets you choose 6, 8 or 1meals from nutritionist-approved menus. All packaging is easy to recycle. The range includes Mac ‘No’ Cheese, Banana Blossom Burrito, Shepherd-Less Pie, Red  Thai Sweet Potato Curry and Garden Pea & Mint Risotto.
3. The Brook offers home delivery of its popular restaurant meals. Try Jackfruit Rendang, Lime & Coconut Dal, Seafood Stew, Mac & Cheese, Mushroom Bolognese, Black Bean Chilli, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Double Chocolate Brownies.
4. Vibrant Vegan again offer a choice of 6 meals: choose from gluten-free, protein power, low-cal, chef’s choice or slow burner. The trays are made from sugar cane and you can recycle the film.
5. Eight Seasons offers organic recipe boxes, with add-on fruit and vegan essentials. Example meals are Lentil Moussaka, Butterbean Gnocchi and Miso Ratatouille.
6. Check your local area, as many regional companies deliver plant-based foods. Bristol’s Gourmet Vegan Catering delivers food from chefs. DabbaDro (London) offers Indian delivered meals.
7. Green Label Kitchen (Dorset) offers freshly cooked meals delivered in the Bournemouth area, for a rate of £5 per meal. Menu includes a cheese burger taco kit, penne lentil bolognese with garlic rosemary flat bread, broccoli and cheese rice bake with rocket and watercress Waldorf salad, and a Sunday roast of herb-crusted ‘roast lamb’, fresh mint sauce, rosemary roast spuds, cabbage with garlic ‘butter, roasted carrots, peas and ‘bacon’.

Root Kitchen Vegan Delivery 

Root Kitchen offers homemade meals to your door, meals include Tikka Masala & Rice, Butternut Squash Lasagne, Korean-style Tofu Noodles, Moussaka, Szechuan Aubergine Noodles, Thai Red Curry, Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie, Vegetable Jalfrezi & Rice, Aubergine Al Forno and Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta.

Jam n Vegan Meal Delivery

Jam N Vegan offers meals inspired from different cultures around the world. Choose your plants that are cooked by Jam, which are frozen and delivered chilled to your home. Delivered carbon-neutral every Tuesday, the insulation is made from recycled denim and the trays made from bepulp. Ice packs can be emptied safely down the sink and recycled. The congratulations cards can be planted into wild flowers (see toxic flowers to avoid near pets). Menu includes:

1. Rasta Pasta with Coconut Sambol
2. Aloo Bharta Shepherd’s Pie
3. Saag Daal
4. Vegan Moussaka
5. East African Bean Stew with Jallof Rice
6. Sri Lankan Mango Curry with Turmeric Rice

Cook Food Vegan Meals

Cook offer lots of online meals, and their meals are also found in many farm shops and supermarkets. If you live near a stockist, you can just order online and then click and collect.  You can order the box for one or two people. The range of meals may include Vegan Lasagne al Forno, Shepherdless Pie (with rosemary and red wine-infused lentils), Mexican Three Bean Chilli, Mushroom Spaghetti Bolognese, Yellow Vegetable Curry and Red Lentil & Mixed Bean Casserole. The kitchen is not yet certified vegan, but this will surely happen.

If you have a sweet tooth, you can order some gourmet puddings at the same time. A quick look only found one item (the galette) with palm oil, so if you avoid the pastry, everything’s also palm-oil-free. Summer Pudding and Winter Pudding too (apples and blackberries with spices). And raspberry pistachio and apple and blackberry tortes.

Other Vegan Delivery Companies (UK & Ireland)

Neats Kitchen (Oxfordshire) offers nationwide delivery of vegan Indian food, all sent in eco packaging. Tanuj Grover worked in hospitality for over 10 years, and decided to use the experience to offer a vegan food delivery service.  The packs for 2 to 4 people come with simple instructions, and you can collect if you live locally. Meals include:

1. Vegetable Korma
2. Crikey Tikka Burgers
3. Vegan (gluten-free Samosa packs).
4. Saag Aloo
5. ‘Tofu’ Neer Makhani
6. Grove Kebab Burger
7. Haryali Seared Scallops

Eatto (Ireland) offers healthy plant-based meals delivered to your door, if you live on the beautiful Emerald Isle.

Veg Ready offers ready-to-eat vegan meals that you order online. These meals are made with natural food preservatives, and stay fresh for up to 12 months, without use of nasty chemical preservatives. Founded by the star of the documentary about a man who reversed his diabetes, seen by millions of people worldwide.

Purple Carrot offers wonderful meal kits, with ingredients and instructions to make meals at home. Dinners are in servings for 2 or 4 people, and there are also 2-serving lunches and 4-serving breakfasts.

Vegin’ Out offers nationwide delivery of gourmet meals, sent to your door. Low in oil, salt and sugar, the chefs have 15 years experience of cooking plant-based food. Choose from soups, side dishes and soups galore.

Plant Prepped (Canada) offers pre-measured ingredients and gourmet recipes, delivered to your door, all with healthy plant-based ingredients.

Vegan Meal Delivery (AU & NZ)

1. Garden of Vegan sends organic healthy meals to your door, most meals are free from oil, gluten and refined sugar. There are plenty of dinners with sides, soups, snacks and desserts.
2. Berkano offers simple delicious plant-based meals, just choose the correct freight method to suit. and you can also buy these meals in supermarkets nationwide. Above is their vegan butter ‘chicken’.
3. Green Dinner Table is a New-Zealand owned, living-wage-certified company offering plant-based meals to local people. Just choose a plan to receive delicious meals and sauces, available in several locations.
4. The Kai Box (NZ) offers breakfast, snack and dinner boxes to your door. There are low-carb boxes plus boxes for couples and families.

Splendid Spoon (US) is a company that creates dietary reset boxes to get you into good habits, or just order online  from a choice of over 50 ready-to-eat meals. These are extra healthy, so there are smoothies, with lots of Buddha-type-bowl meals and healthy soups. Let dry ice evaporate in a well-ventilated area away from pets and children, then break down the box and other packaging to recycle (items are shipped in plant-based compostable ClimaCell™). 

It’s difficult to go plastic-free as yet for companies that deliver plant-based meals. But with many shops not offering suitable alternatives for those who can’t or won’t cook from scratch, this company is at the forefront of innovations. And eating plant-based makes up for the negative climate-impact, it’s just the plastic waste that must be recycled properly. These meals are also sold in proper portions and can be frozen, to avoid food waste.

The company was founded by Nicole Centeno, a former businesswoman in other areas, who also is a trained chef with French Culinary Institute.  All the meals are plant-based, and most are low in sodium and salt. Delivery is nationwide across 48 states. Some sample choices include:

1. Green Tomatillo Chili Soup
2. Kale Pesto Noodles
3. Vegetabel Bolognese Bowl
4. Cauliflower Tikka
5. Vegan Meatballs with Marinara Noodles
6. Green Split Pea Soup with Tarragon & Basil
7. Black Eyed Pea & Tomato Soup

Plant-Based Meal Kits

These plant-based meal kits are ideal if you would like to make getting supper a bit easier, but don’t have the budget to order in vegan ready meals. Plant-based meal kits tend to work like this: you order a kit with recipe cards and the main ingredients. Then you simply get the fresh foods from the local farm shop or grocery, and then make up the meals. This is a great happy medium to adopt, as you can still shop locally (a few do include fresh foods) and get the base more unusual ingredients, and often in small portion sizes, so ideal if you live alone. Meal kits often cost a bit more than cooking from scratch, but they ensure all your nutrients and prevent food waste. They are also a great way to ‘reset’ your eating habits, if you fancy using them for just a few weeks or months, until you learn to cook from scratch yourself.

Many meal kits are delivered with dry ice packaging. Keep this away from pets and children and recycle responsibly. Use a letterbox guard if needed, and recycle any packaging with household waste or in supermarket bag recycling bins. 

Vegan Meal Kits in UK/Ireland

Planthood offers chef-prepared meal kits, delivered weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Skip or cancel anytime, with no ongoing commitment. Follow the instructions to get restaurant-quality meals in 15 minutes or less. With profits benefiting local food charities and rewilding, the chefs cook all the mains, sauces and garnishes from scratch, and you just re-heat and add the fresh bits at home. Meals include:

1. Jerusalem Artichoke & Chickpea Chaat Masala
2. Hot & Sour Korean Sundubu Jigae
3. Coconut & Lemongrass Thai Bowl
4. Squash Tortellini with Sage Butter & Hazelnuts
5. Slow-Cooked Mushroom Bourguignon
6. Crispy Chilli Tofu with Flamed-Roasted Peppers
7. Tempeh Tikka Masala with Toasted Almonds

Beetbox offers a range of meal kits. You then receive the exact portion sizes, plus a recipe card to your door. Choose 3 to 5 meals per week for 2 o 4 people. The boxes can go in the cardboard bin with insulation pads (made from recycled scrap paper). And ice packs are filled only with water (no gel). Many farms they use are within 25 miles of the distribution centre. Recipes include:

1. Vegan Burger with Cajun Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges
2. Harrisa Seitan Flatbread with Herby Potatoes
3. Mushroom Bourguignon with Mashed Potatoes
4. Toad in the Hole
5. Persian Aubergine Stew
6. Black Bean Shepherd’s Pie
7. Beyond Sausage & Gratin Mash

Vegan Meal Kits in US/Canada

Purple Carrot (US) is one of the original meal delivery kit companies. Choose your favourite high-protein and gluten-free meals each week. You can buy prepared foods but for a smaller fee, choose the meal kits. Then slice, dice and munch your way through meals for each part of the day (in 2 or 4 servings) including:

1. Pumpkin Overnight Oats
2. Kimchi Quesadillas
3. Agedashi Style Tofu
4. Italian Butter Bean Stew
5. Greek Seitan Gyros
6. Mushroom Reuben
7. Dal Makhani

Vegano (Canada) offers gourmet vegan meal kits, along with staple groceries, direct to your door. The in-house culinary team use locally sourced ingredients to create delicious food, then deliver in insulated boxes, according to your dietary preferences. Each order contains 3 fresh meal kits, ready for you to prep and cook. Leftover foods are used to make soups and sauces, and the same site sells over 1500 vegan groceries, should you need to stock up. Meals include:

1. Smokey Funghi Linguine
2. Indo Satay Tofu Bowl
3. French Vegan Cassoulet
4. Creamy Polenta & Broccoli
5. Winter Chopped Salad
6. Italian Roasted Eggplant
7. Lentil Meatball Minestrone
8. Jamaican Jerk Jackfruit

Plant Prepped (Canada) is a weekly vegan meal kit. Get fresh premeasured ingredients and recipes delivered direct to your door. There are always soy-free and gluten-free options available. Working with local artisan and organic farmers, the eco boxes are well-insulated and everything is pre-portioned to suit. Choose 3 meals a week for 2 to 4 people, and cancel or pause at any time. Meals include:

1. Cauliflower Shawarma Bowl
2. Portobello Mushroom Tacos
3. Pad Thai
4. Vegan Jerk Chicken
5. Tofu Banh Mi

Crisper (Canada) is based in Toronto and offers zero waste, plant-based meal kits that deliver fresh ingredients and tasty recipes in reusable and returnable packaging. You can also add on specialty coffee to your order. Choose from 5 recipe options each week. Meals include:

1. African Peanut Stew
2. Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
3. Mushroom & Soba Miso Soup
4. Black Bean Nourish Bowl with Sunshine Sauce
5. Smashed Chickpea Pitas with Potato Wedges & Greens

Vegan Meal Kits in Au/NZ

Eat Earthly (AU) offers nourishing meal kits for 2 to 4 people, all with natural ingredients. Meals are delivered on Mondays in minimal packaging, no subscription, just order what you want. Recipes include:

1. Bang Bang Cauliflower
2. Turmeric Cauliflower Aloo Gobi
3. Smokey Black Bean Jacket Potato

VegMeUp (AU) offers a plant-based food box, and weekly menus with six chef-designed recipes. Sent in eco packaging, this company was set up by a Melbourne chef and delivers meals in eco packaging, including:

1. Indonesian Yellow Curry
2. Cauliflower Crunch Tacos
3. Mushroom & Chickpea Risotto with Cashew Cheese
4. Smokey Jackfruit Burger
5. Sticky Orange Tofu with Sesame
6. Salad Nicoise

Green Dinner Table (NZ) offers weekly recipes designed by a local chef, to do all the hard work, yet get you cooking. Everything is delivered to your door each week, so you can just prepared dinner using straightforward recipes, to create restaurant-quality plant-based meals at home. Recipes include:

1. BBQ Tempeh Ribs (above)
2. Portobello Steaks with New Potatoes
3. Taco Salad with Garlic Roast Peppers
4. Japanese Noodle Curry with Sesame Seeds
5. Buffalo Tofu Sliders with Caramelized Onion
6. Creamy Polenta wiht Tempeh Sausage

The Kai Box (NZ) offers plant-based food boxes to your door. Choose a box to suit:

1. The Family Box (meals include black bean tacos, above)
2. The Breakfast Box is full of smoothies, Bircher bowls, and breakfast surprises.
3. Low Carb Box is always gluten-free with no grains, perfect for a kick-start to your healthy eating.
4. Dessert Box features plant-based sweet treats, like fruity peach cobbler with dairy-free custard.

Yum Jar (NZ) offers plant-based meal boxes to Wellington residents. These zero waste boxes take 30 minutes or less to prepare, made by local chefs. You can create your own box or choose pre-made boxes like Date Night, Treat Yourself and Self-Love. Recipes include:

1. Cauli & Courgette Alfredo Fettuccine with Spinach
2. Mushroom Tacos with Cheezy Garlic Sauce
3. Spaghetti Bolognese with Parmesan Crumb
4. Thai Green Curry with Fried Veggies
5. Fresh Summer Noodle Bowl with Almond Lime Dressing
6. Vegan Nachos with Corn Tortilla Chips
7. Tomato & Asparagus Risotto with Courgette
8. Cheezy Mashed Potatoes & BBQ Beans

Vegan Meal Delivery in the USA

Let dry ice evaporate in a well-ventilated area away from pets and children, then break down the box and other packaging to recycle. This company offers entrees in compostable packaging.

Boycemode (US) is a New York and New Jersey based service, that preps delicious plant-based meals, to deliver to your door. The service now operates across several US states (mostly east and Deep South) and can accommodate most food allergies, just let them know. You can take an introductory trial, followed by a weekly subscription. Catering options are available, with 4 days advance notice.

Founder Sam Boyce was a type-2 diabetic with high blood pressure 7 years ago, along with being 160 pounds overweight. After his doctor confirmed he would not have long to live without immediate lifestyle changes, he began to research and through healthy plant foods, reached his health goals. Now the picture of health, he hopes to help you do the same.

1. Vegan Crab Cakes with Roasted Corn & Couscous Succotash
2. Coconut Curry Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard with Turmeric Rice
3. Vegetable Bean Chili
4. Spicy Buffalo Tempeh Salad
5. BM Caprese Wrap (with vegan Mozzarella)
6. Vegan Jambalaya