Although it’s good to make your own food, sometimes life gets in the way. So rather than stock up on expensive supermarket ready-meals, if you have freezer space it’s often a good idea to stock up on some good plant-based ready meals, so you always have something to eat if you’re unwell, a time-starved carer or perhaps feel depressed or a bit lazy, and don’t fancy cooking. Supporting these companies helps to change our food systems. Most of these companies send bulk meals to your door, then you just heat and eat! Keep dry ice away from children and pets. Read more on food safety for people & pets.
affordable big-portion vegan ready meals
Root Kitchen is an award-winning company that delivers chef-made delicious vegan meals to your door. Just freeze, then heat up when you’re hungry! These meals are affordable and smashing in taste, and also in fairly large serving sizes, so good for people with big appetites. You also don’t have to commit to regular deliveries (just order one-off to try it out or say if you’re feeling poorly or caring for someone). The company also sells wholesale to shops.
Just build a box of 6 to 10 meals from the chef-prepared menu. Then choose the frequency and date for carbon-neutral delivery, then just warm up a meal and enjoy! All prepared meals work out a little more expensive. So you could if on a tiny budget, simply divide one portion and add potatoes and vegetables, then eat the other half the next day. That way you still get the meals and nutrients, at half the cost. As more people use their services, prices will be able to reduce.
Root Kitchen was founded by a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, who are on a mission to fill the nation’s freezers with delicious health plant-based meals. This is a carry-on from the co-founder’s mother, who was a professional cook in Tanzania. After suffering from a fatigue-related illness (which healed by switching to eating plants), they knew they were onto a winner for a business idea! They are not chefs themselves, but work with professional chefs to bring inspired meals to the masses.
All the meals are made with fresh natural ingredients, frozen to preserve freshness over artificial preservatives. All you do is heat in the oven for around 45 minutes (or microwave, if you use one). The dishes will last 15 months in the freezer. You can pause deliveries if you go on holiday, and the meals are sent in biodegradable compostible recycled denim liners (you can compost or recycle these, or reuse them to keep drinks cold for picnics, or to keep fresh bread warm).
You can build boxes of individual meals or save up to 20% by choosing pre-made bundles:
- Classics
- Spicy
- European
- Asian
- Bestsellers
- Taster kits
so what are the meal choices?
- Tikka masala & rice
- Butternut squash lasagne
- Vegetable shepherd’s pie
- Moussaka
- Korean-style tofu noodles
- Red Thai vegetable curry
- Mediterranean vegetable pasta
- Vegetable jalfrezi curry & rice
- Aubergine al forno
- Szechuan aubergine noodles
chef-prepared sustainable plant-based meals
allplants is a main player, founded by two brothers, who were so fixated on their mission, they set the company up a second time, after the kitchen burned down early on. Now all their meals are sent in compostable packs, and there is a huge range of chef-prepared meals to choose from.
The range includes a whopping 80 plus dishes, all flash-frozen with discounts on bundle orders. Chef quality, just choose the style of food you like (Italian, Asian, low-fat, gut-health or popular) and away you go. The company has also donated over 20,000 plant-based meals to hungry families and school children. There are also discounts for students, key workers and seniors. The best-sellers include:
- Mac & greens in creamy sauce
- Sticky teriyaki udon noodles
- Tofu saag paneer curry
- Carbonara with crispy ‘pancetta’
- Sticky banoffee pudding (no palm oil)
other good vegan meal delivery services
Meatless offers affordable ‘surprise’ boxes delivering 7 vegan meals each week. By letting them choose, they create less food waste and it’s a better price for you.
Planty offers freshly prepared vegan meals to your door. Sent carbon-neutral in compostable packaging, their Michelin-stasr chefs create restaurant-quality dishes with natural ingredients, choose from filters like extra spicy or high protein.
COOK meals are often sold in farm shops and some supermarkets, and it has a small but growing vegan range. These meals are not prepared in a separate area (not good as it’s a successful company). But at least they’re heading in the right direction so unless you are allergic, it may be suitable for some.
Grubby offers plant-based meal kits. It works with local organic farms to provide the veggies, so the only thing that tastes of cardboard is the box! PlantHood also offers vegan meal kits. Check out this delicious Christmas dinner feast!
