One of the biggest trends in food at the moment is home meal delivery. Whether it’s ready-to-eat restaurant delivery services like Postmates and UberEATS, cook-to-eat services like Blue Apron and Sun Basket, or in between heat-to-eat services like Munchery and Maple, these businesses are striking a chord with everyone from working parents needing an assist to younger folks obsessed with convenience.
While I’ve employed ready-to-eat and heat-to-eat services on occasion, as well as good old fashion CSAs, cook-to-eat services never appealed to me because I love the thrill of finding recipes and have a husband who doesn’t mind grocery shopping.
When Sun Basket reached out to see if I’d take their meal kits for a test drive, I couldn’t resist out of pure curiosity. Beyond seeing if I would enjoy the service, I wondered if it was actually more convenient than thumbing through cookbooks and grocery shopping.
My Sun Basket delivery, which arrived in 100% recyclable packaging, contained enough ingredients to prepare three meals for two very hungry people—priced at $11.49 per person, per meal. The recipes were created by Justine Kelly, the former head chef at The Slanted Door in San Francisco.
The vegetables were organic, non-GMO, and West Coast-grown, while the proteins were sustainably sourced and hormone-free. Quality stuff.
While the meals took closer to 45 minutes than the billed half hour to prepare, they came together straightforwardly and offered the kind of nutritional balance and textural variety that my weekday, one-pot meals generally lack. I also liked that the ingredients were better quality than our usual haul.
Overall, my experience with Sun Basket was a positive one. The meals struck a good balance between tasty and healthy, and having ingredients delivered to my doorstep was definitely convenient. The price point is slightly too high for this to be a regular part of our dinner rotation, but it’s worthy of a once-in-a-while splurge.
Sun Basket currently ships to California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Nevada.
Save $30 on your first order. You’re welcome.
One year ago: WILD at Canelé – Los Angeles (Atwater Village)
Two year ago: Bourbon Steak – Glendale
Three year ago: Hui Tou Xiang Noodles House – San Gabriel
Four years ago: A-Frame – Los Angeles (Culver City)
Five years ago: Bacon Almond Brittle
Six years ago: Dahlia Lounge – Seattle
Seven years ago: Taihei Restaurant – Monterey Park
Eight years ago: Augustin – Ho Chi Minh City
Nine years ago: Reading Terminal Market – Philadelphia
I’ve never tried one of these services but your Sun Basket meal looks good. Too bad they don’t ship to Texas!
I’m with you on the price point. At that price I can easily get some very decent Viet food for two with plenty of leftovers and not have to even enter the kitchen. It’s a novelty, but not necessarily a long term service I can see using.