Blue Apron vs. Sunbasket: Which Meal Kit Delivery Subscription Box Is Better?

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See our comparisons of these Meal Kit Delivery Subscription Boxes!

Blue Apron & Sunbasket Comparison

Meal kit delivery subscription boxes send recipes and ingredients that are already prepped and ready for you to cook. These meal kit delivery services make meal preparation easier and much more convenient in the comfort of your own home. But which one is right for you?

Founded in 2012, Blue Apron is an ingredient-and-recipe meal kit service. They make cooking at home much easier and fun. Blue Apron is dedicated to changing the way people prepare meals by sending all the required ingredients in specific proportions.

On the other hand, Sunbasket is a healthy meal subscription service, which was founded in 2014. They simplify cooking delicious meals, eating clean, and feeling great. Sunbasket aims to help customers eat nutritious meals and prepare simple-to-make recipes.

Blue Apron

Image from our review.

Blue Apron is a meal kit delivery subscription box. They send all the needed ingredients in exact proportions to cook recipes. Blue Apron customers can pick 2 to 4 Signature recipes for 2 or 4 people and 2 to 3 Vegetarian or Wellness recipes for 2 people each week.

DEAL:

  • Save $60 on your first THREE boxes – that’s $20 off each box! USE THIS LINK to get the deal.

Sunbasket

Image from our review.

Sunbasket is a meal kit delivery service. They offer both ready-made meals and easy-to-cook recipes. Sunbasket subscribers can choose 4 to 8 Fresh & Ready meals (1 serving each) or 2 to 4 Meal Kits recipes for 2 or 4 people every week.

DEAL:

Now, what do these meal kit delivery services have in common? They both offer meals that will keep you on the right track for a healthy lifestyle. However, there are some certain factors wherein Blue Apron and Sunbasket differentiate themselves from one another, which will help you make your choice. Here are all the details that will help you decide which meal kit delivery subscription is best for you.


COST AND SHIPPING

In each of these subscription services, the more meals you order, the more you save. Blue Apron offers free shipping unless you’re only ordering 2 recipes for 2 people per week, while Sunbasket comes with free shipping on your first order. Blue Apron and Sunbasket provide discounts for multiple servings, but Blue Apron’s meal plans are still lower-cost. Both subscriptions allow you to input your zip code upon registration for you to know if they ship to your area.

Blue Apron Cost and Shipping

If you consider budget as a part of your buying decision process when choosing the meal kit delivery subscription box that’s best for you, Blue Apron is the more affordable option. Although both boxes offer lower costs to subscribers who sign up for a larger number of servings, Blue Apron’s meal prices are still cheaper than Sunbasket’s. Blue Apron has a minimum weekly order value of $39.96. Their 3 recipes for 2 people per week plan is $59.94 a week, which works out to $9.99 a meal (free shipping). Blue Apron delivers to the contiguous United States, and they provide you with delivery options available in your area.

Sunbasket Cost and Shipping

Even though both give out savings to subscribers who acquire more servings, Sunbasket is more expensive than Blue Apron. Nonetheless, Sunbasket comes with free shipping on your first order. Sunbasket has a minimum weekly order value of $47.96. Their 3 recipes for 2 people per week plan is $71.94, which works out to $11.99 a meal (free shipping on your first order). Sunbasket currently delivers to most zip codes in the United States, excluding Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and parts of New Mexico.


CUSTOMIZATION AND SIGN UP PROCESS

In order to choose the right meal kit delivery subscription box for you, it must reflect your tastes and preferences. Blue Apron and Sunbasket let you pick your meals according to your liking. Both their sign up forms utilized a simple yet straightforward way of acquiring details from customers.

Blue Apron Customization and Sign Up Process

Blue Apron allows you to change your upcoming recipes ahead of time every week. To join Blue Apron, new customers will be asked to provide their email address, while returning customers could log in with their existing accounts. Then, they’ll ask you to choose your menu and pick a subscription plan.

Once you’ve chosen your meal plan, they’ll ask you to fill out your delivery information and set your first delivery date. Upon checking out, you’ll be tasked to provide your billing information, which has the credit card as a payment option. After you’ve placed your order, you can now begin to choose your meals.

Sunbasket Customization and Sign Up Process

Sunbasket lets you mix and match any of their weekly recipes. When signing up for Sunbasket, new customers will be asked to provide their email address and zip code to check if Sunbasket ships to their area, while returning customers could sign in with their existing accounts. Next, they’ll ask you to choose a subscription plan and indicate your dietary preferences.

After you’ve selected your meal plan, you can proceed to add meals to your cart. Upon placing your order, you’ll be tasked to set your first delivery date and provide your shipping information, delivery instructions, promo code (if any), and payment information, which has the credit card and PayPal as the options.


MENU AND MEAL PLANS

Both Blue Apron and Sunbasket have menus with plenty of options to choose from. Blue Apron has around 20 glorious recipes per week, while Sunbasket comes with 40 tasty recipes weekly. Hence, both services ensure that you are getting the best value for your money and not the same recipes all the time.

Blue Apron Menu and Meal Plans

With Blue Apron, you’ll have around 20 new recipes to choose from each week that feature their Signature for 2, Signature for 4, Vegetarian for 2, and Wellness for 2 selections. Blue Apron gives you the option to choose if you want to receive 2 to 4 Signature recipes for 2 or 4 people and 2 to 3 Vegetarian or Wellness recipes for 2 people every week. They have a maximum of 16 servings per week, which could suit larger families.

Here are some of Blue Apron’s menu options:

  • Egg & Spicy Cheddar Cheese Sandwiches with Butter Lettuce Salad & Coconut Chips. This vegetarian recipe features hearty toasted baguettes filled with crunchy cucumbers, hard-boiled egg, creamy white cheddar, mayo, and spicy tomato achaar plus zesty butter lettuce salad covered in mustard seeds, lime-marinated carrots, and coconut chips (allergens: coconut, egg, milk, and wheat).
  • Dijon-Roasted Trout & Potatoes with Arugula Salad & Honey-Olive Vinaigrette. This recipe has potatoes and arugula salad topped with roasted trout dressed in chopped niçoise olives, dijon mustard, olive oil, and red wine vinegar (allergens: trout).
  • Baked Tofu & Creamy Cashew Korma with Carrots & Bell Pepper. This vegetarian recipe consists of hearty brown rice topped with diced and baked tofu coated in vadouvan curry powder plus mixed veggies and ginger simmered in korma sauce (allergens: cashew, coconut, milk, and soy).
  • Teriyaki Shrimp & Green Beans with White Rice. This recipe contains plump shrimp glazed in sweet and savory sauce served with crispy green beans and steamy white rice (allergens: shrimp, soy, wheat).
  • Calabrian Beef & Gnocchi with Zucchini & Romano Cheese. This recipe includes gnocchi and ground beef combined with the sweet-hot flavor of Calabrian chile paste and creamy mascarpone cheese (allergens: milk and wheat).
  • Lime & Date Chicken with Vegetable Farro. This recipe comes with chicken coated in a light sauce of zesty lime and dried medjool dates served over a hearty farro and sweet sautéed carrots dressed in creamy Greek yogurt (allergens: milk and wheat).
  • Prosciutto Fried Rice with Sesame Snow Peas & Bok Choy. This recipe features an umami-packed fried rice with crisped prosciutto (or dry-cured ham), vegetables, and egg (allergens: egg, soy, and wheat).

  • Cheesy Pork Chorizo Enchiladas with Bell Pepper & Rice. This recipe includes a flavorful chorizo (Mexican spiced pork sausage) and sweet bell pepper coated in light tomato sauce, wrapped in flour tortillas, baked under a layer of melty monterey jack cheese, and topped with a dollop of sour cream (allergens: milk and wheat).
  • Grilled Beyond Burger™ with Lime Mayo, Grilled Onion & Sweet-Chili Dressed Salad. This vegetarian recipe consists of togarashi-spiced Beyond Burger™ with soft potato bread, zesty lime mayo, and grilled onion served with a salad dressed in sweet-chili and chopped peanuts (allergens: milk, peanut, and wheat).
  • Pesto & Goat Cheese Fettuccine with Zucchini. This vegetarian recipe contains fettuccine and zucchini tossed with vibrant basil pesto and creamy goat cheese (allergens: egg, milk, and wheat).
  • Grilled Chicken & Fingerling Potatoes with Hot Honey Dressing. This recipe has grilled chicken topped with garlic mayo plus a mix of grilled onion, bell pepper, and foil-packet potatoes coated in a spicy-sweet dressing (allergens: almond and egg).
  • Butter Chicken & Sweet Potato with Spinach & Rice. This recipe comes with a bed of fluffy white rice topped with chicken covered in spiced tomato sauce mixed with sweet potato and spinach (allergens: milk).

Sunbasket Menu and Meal Plans

At Sunbasket, you’ll have 40 healthy recipes to choose from every week that feature paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, mediterranean, diabetes-friendly, high protein, high fiber, low carb, low calorie, low added sugar, and low sodium options from their Fresh & Ready meals and Meal Kits recipes. Sunbasket gives you the option to choose if you want to receive 4 to 8 Fresh & Ready meals or 2 to 4 Meal Kits recipes for 2 or 4 people. They have a maximum of 16 servings per week, which could fit larger households.

Here are some of Sunbasket’s menu options:

  • Chicken Larb Lettuce Cups with Carrots and Fresh Mint. This lean & clean, soy-free, paleo, carb-conscious, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, Mediterranean, and dairy-free recipe features a minced meat salad paired with stir-fried veggies, sweet tomato, and fresh mint.
  • Spicy Sambal Chicken over Kale Salad with Thai Ginger Dressing. This gluten-free, dairy-free, spicy, soy-free, paleo, and carb-conscious recipe has kale salad dressed in Thai Ginger and topped with chicken coated in sambal mayo plus thinly sliced mango.
  • Italian Sausage and Vegetables in Marinara with Soft-Cooked Eggs. This family-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, soy-free, and carb-conscious recipe comes with mild Italian sausage and veggies covered in flavorful marinara sauce plus soft-cooked eggs.
  • Pork Chops with Apple Pan Sauce and Sweet Potato-Cabbage Mash. This dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, lean & clean, Mediterranean, family-friendly, and paleo recipe consists of tender pork chops covered in apple pan sauce with sweet potato-cabbage mash.
  • Hanoi Steak Stir-Fry with Zucchini and Bell Pepper over White Rice. This dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free recipe includes a steamy white rice topped with Hanoi steak stir-fry, zucchini, bell pepper, and shredded carrots.
  • Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs with Chard and Red Pepper-Cashew Crema. This lean & clean, dairy-free, Mediterranean, diabetes-friendly, family-friendly, gluten-free, paleo, soy-free, and carb-conscious recipe contains juicy meatballs covered in red pepper-cashew crema with chard and lemon wedges.

  • Smokehouse Sausage Jambalaya. This soy-free, family-friendly, dairy-free, and gluten-free meal comes with a glorious mix of smoked andouille sausage, rice, aromatic veggies, tomatoes, and Creole spices.
  • Turkey Bolognese Over Spaghetti. This soy-free and family-friendly meal consists of ready-made pasta Bolognese with lean ground turkey, tomatoes, mirepoix, oregano, and milk.
  • Pancetta-Kimchi Fried Rice. This gluten-free, spicy, and dairy-free meal has chunks of chewy pancetta mixed with kimchi rice, eggs, and edamame.
  • Beef Chili with Cheddar and Greek Yogurt. This carb-conscious, gluten-free, soy-free, and spicy meal includes beef chili topped with creamy greek yogurt and cheddar cheese.
  • Spicy Southwest Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet. This gluten-free, paleo, soy-free, carb-conscious, dairy-free, and spicy meal contains turkey skillet, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced black olives, pickled jalapeños, creamy guacamole, and lime.
  • Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini with Braised Kale. This soy-free and family-friendly meal features egg noodles combined with creamy mushroom sauce, grilled chicken breast, earthy kale, and three types of cheese.

INGREDIENTS AND DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

Finding the right meal kit delivery service that meets your special dietary needs can be really challenging. Fortunately, Blue Apron and Sunbasket accommodate a variety of dietary preferences. Both subscriptions let you easily find recipes that work for you, which also have a full list of ingredients and nutrition facts that you can check out if you have specific requirements or concerns.

Blue Apron Ingredients and Dietary Restrictions

Blue Apron’s high-quality ingredients are sourced from their network of farmers, fisheries, and ranchers. Blue Apron is not recommended for people with severe food allergies as their ingredients are all packaged in a facility that also processes milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy. Nonetheless, Blue Apron’s suppliers never use any added hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics, and they provide non-GMO ingredients in their recipes. Blue Apron’s nutritionist-approved meals range from 700 to 900 calories, and they also offer vegetarian options.

Sunbasket Ingredients and Dietary Restrictions

Sunbasket’s organic fresh produce and clean ingredients are responsibly and sustainably sourced from over a hundred of their trusted farms, ranches, and fishermen. Their suppliers only use organic & non-GMO produce, antibiotic-free and hormone-free meats and poultry, and seafood that abides by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch’s sustainability standards. Sunbasket also offers high protein, high fiber, low carb, low calorie, low added sugar, and low sodium recipes, and they let you indicate if you’d like to avoid dairy, soy, lamb, pork, beef, shellfish, fish, poultry, or grains. Sunbasket’s healthy meals range from 400 to 800 calories, and they also provide paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, mediterranean, and diabetes-friendly meals.


PACKAGING AND SHELF LIFE

When it comes to delivering perishable food to customers, it is of great importance that the meals arrive in their best conditions. Blue Apron and Sunbasket both guarantee that their meals are packaged properly to ensure that the food and ingredients remain insulated as all products have a certain shelf life. Both services make use of recyclable and eco-friendly materials for their delivery boxes to help minimize the waste and keep your package secure.

Blue Apron Packaging and Shelf Life

Blue Apron’s easy and fun recipes and fresh ingredients are served in the right proportions. Everything is already provided in one securely-packaged box, and 85% of Blue Apron’s packaging is recyclable by weight. The meat is placed at the bottom, surrounded by still-frozen gel ice packs. Their new double-sealed meat packaging is great and keeps errant meat juice out of your box. Other ingredients are individually packed and well-labeled, so there’s no problem sorting them out and preparing them for cooking. The recipes also come with respective cards that each contain a detailed step-by-step cooking procedure and ingredient list. To ensure freshness, Blue Apron advises to unpack all ingredients into your fridge as soon as they arrive, and separate fruits and vegetables from raw meat, poultry and seafood. Any frozen meat, poultry, fish or seafood thawed for cooking should be used immediately.

Sunbasket Packaging and Shelf Life

Sunbasket’s protein (meats) and other ingredients that require being chilled are placed under a cardboard separator. The boxes are made from recycled and virgin kraft paper, while the paper insulation is 100% shredded recycled paper filling between two sheets of recyclable kraft paper. All recipes are separated by clearly labeled brown bags. They also include recipe cards that contain all the items needed for the dishes and step-by-step instructions. Their eco-friendly packaging ensures that meals will stay fresh in the box for up to 8 hours after delivery. Upon receiving, Sunbasket recommends cooking the seafood within 3 days and all the other meats within 5 days.


SKIPPING AND CANCELLING

Skipping and Cancelling for Blue Apron

At Blue Apron, you can modify your subscription whenever you want. They allow you to skip orders up to 5 weeks in advance through your account page. In order to cancel your plan, you must contact their Customer Experience team at [email protected], and they’ll send you instructions on how to accomplish the cancellation process. Blue Apron notes that any order shown as ‘Ordered Processed’ or ‘Shipped’ on your Upcoming page has already been processed and may not be cancelled anymore.

Skipping and Cancelling for Sunbasket

With Sunbasket, you can always make changes to your subscription whenever you please. They let you skip your delivery for any week and cancel your subscription through your account page at any time. Sunbasket notes that this must be done by 12pm PST or 3pm EST before the weekly cutoff.


CUSTOMER SERVICE

Blue Apron Customer Service

Blue Apron always aims for their customers to have an incredible experience with their service. Blue Apron’s customer service hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm EST and Saturday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm EST. Within those hours, you have the option to submit a request at support.blueapron.com/hc/en-us/requests/new, call them at (646) 891-4349, or email them at [email protected]. Their Customer Experience team would love to hear from you.

Sunbasket Customer Service

Sunbasket’s agents are available to assist you 24/7 regarding any concerns you may have. Sunbasket’s customer service hours are from 6am to 8pm PT, 7 days a week. They give you the option to call them at 866-786-2758, text them at +1 208-960-6505, or email them at [email protected]. Alternatively, they also have the “self-service,” “ask an expert,” and “chat with Sunny B” options for you to get help automatically.


SUMMARY

Here’s a quick overview of each box to help you decide better:

COST AND SHIPPING

  • If you’re looking for a meal kit delivery service with low minimum order per box, Blue Apron’s recipes start at $39.96 per week (plus $7.99 shipping fee). Shipping is free for 3 to 4 recipes for 2 people and 2 to 4 recipes for 4 people. They deliver to the contiguous United States.
  • If you’re willing to spend more money on your meal kit delivery subscription box, Sunbasket’s meals start at $47.96 per week. Shipping is free on your first order, and they currently deliver to most zip codes in the United States, excluding Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and parts of New Mexico.

CUSTOMIZATION AND SIGN UP PROCESS

  • If you want to receive personalized recipes, Blue Apron allows you to choose your meals according to your personal preferences. Their sign up process is simple and straight to the point when dealing with customers.
  • If you want to receive customized recipes, Sunbasket lets you mix and match any of their weekly recipes. Their sign up process is user-friendly and the steps are easy to follow.

MENU AND MEAL PLANS

  • If you value getting the most out of your subscription, Blue Apron comes with around 20 new recipes to choose from each week that feature their Signature for 2, Signature for 4, Vegetarian for 2, and Wellness for 2 selections. They give you the option to choose if you want to receive 2 to 4 Signature recipes for 2 or 4 people and 2 to 3 Vegetarian or Wellness recipes for 2 people every week.
  • If you like to experience an extensive selection of meals, Sunbasket has 40 healthy recipes to choose from every week that feature paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, mediterranean, diabetes-friendly, high protein, high fiber, low carb, low calorie, low added sugar, and low sodium options from their Fresh & Ready meals and Meal Kits recipes. They give you the option to choose if you want to receive 4 to 8 Fresh & Ready meals or 2 to 4 Meal Kits recipes for 2 or 4 people.

INGREDIENTS AND DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

  • If you want to receive meals patterned with your lifestyle, Blue Apron’s nutritionist-approved meals range from 700 to 900 calories, and they also offer vegetarian options.
  • If you need a box that fits your dietary preferences, Sunbasket’s healthy meals range from 400 to 800 calories, and they also provide paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, mediterranean, and diabetes-friendly meals.

PACKAGING AND SHELF LIFE

  • If you prefer eco-friendly boxes, 85% of Blue Apron’s packaging is recyclable by weight. To ensure freshness, they advise to unpack all ingredients into your fridge as soon as they arrive.
  • If you prefer environment-friendly boxes, Sunbasket’s packaging is recyclable. They assure that meals will stay fresh in the box for up to 8 hours after delivery.

SKIPPING AND CANCELLING

  • If you wish to skip your Blue Apron subscription, you can disable it through your account page. To cancel your plan, you need to send them an email at [email protected].
  • If you wish to skip or cancel your Sunbasket subscription, you can disable it through your account page.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

  • If you’re looking to find answers to your questions about your Blue Apron box, you can reach out to their customer service at [email protected].
  • If you’re looking to find answers to your questions about your Sunbasket box, you can get in touch with their customer service at [email protected].

What’s our pick – Blue Apron or Sunbasket?

Overall, Blue Apron and Sunbasket both have a lot to offer in terms of giving you the right nutrition you need for a whole day. The choice between these two meal kit delivery services still depends on the type of meals you require. Blue Apron takes your culinary skills to the next level through new and challenging recipes. Sunbasket, on the other hand, helps you consume and prepare nutritious meals amidst busy schedules.

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