When you change the way that you eat, it can be hard to have the patience to push the boat out and try new recipes. I know when I did the ‘veganuary’ challenge, though I felt much better as a result, I did find it a little monotonous as I just stuck to the same handful of meals and recipes. They were quick and tasted good, and the kids would eat them too.
But keeping up that kind of momentum can be hard when you’ve got busy weeknights and need something quickly. I have stayed as a dairy-free vegetarian after the vegan month, so having new recipes to try and making eating this way simpler is fine by me! Plus, you want something to be good for you and follow the diet that you eat; that is a lot of boxes to tick! But thankfully, I have discovered allplants, which are plant-based, chef-prepared meals that get delivered frozen to your door, for you to enjoy at your leisure.
First Impressions
The sound of the meals being delivered locked all of the boxes for me. First of all, they are plant-based. So no checking labels for me, and knowing that I can eat everything the meal contains (some contain nuts but no nut allergy in our house). The second thing I was impressed by was the fact that the meals come frozen. Although you shouldn’t leave them in your freezer for months on end, they can sit there in your freezer until you need plant-based meal that you can just pop in the microwave or oven so that you’re good to go.
I have used some meal planning delivery boxes before, where all of the ingredients get delivered and you cook them meals yourself. And while I do like that concept, having some that are ready-made makes the busy mum in me smile! Have some meals in the freezer is always a must as a parent, but especially ones that are full of nutritional goodness.
The Packaging
I think that a lot of people that eat vegan or plant-based meals are generally going to be pretty concerned about the environment. So when it comes to anything getting delivered, then I need to know that it is all sustainable and recyclable or decomposable. But the good news is that the packaging is 100% recyclable. You can even send it back to allplants in the box it arrives in, with a postage label included, if you don’t want to recycle it yourself. So no excuses, right?
The Meals
There is a pretty wide variety of meals to choose from, and you can choose some one-off boxes, or arrange a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly delivery. The meals I tried out were:
- Keralan Sundown: delicately spiced, served with sugar-snap peas, red lentils and sweet potato
- Lasagne al Noci: walnut and tomato ragu, with carrots and courgette poured between layers of lasagna, topped with herbs and butternut squash béchamel
- Moussaka: roasted aubergines, potatoes, plant-based ragù with lentils, topped with an oat and polenta béchamel sauce
Other options include risotto, chilli, tagine,orzo, tikka masala, and green curry. So there is something for every taste, and the recipes do change from time to time too. So I like that there is plenty of choice. They are all packed with natural protein, and there are plenty go gluten-free options if you don’t eat that either.
The Price
If you want to do a one-off shop, then the meals are priced from £5.67 each, and for a subscription, they start from £4.99 per meal. Each meal serves two (or as I have been trying, one adult portion and two children’s portions), so I think that is totally reasonable. You are paying a bit for the convenience, but I do think it is worth it if you have a specific diet that you follow like this one. It is definitely comparable to what I would spend making a meal like this on my own, so to be honest, I would pay this price.
The Taste
At the end of the day, it all comes down to the taste of it, right? I honestly loved all of these recipes and found them such a nice mix. The moussaka was super creamy with a hint of spice, the lasagne was really tasty and in my opinion, didn’t taste that dissimilar to a ‘regular’ lasagne. The Kerala sundown was probably my favourite one, though – the mix of flavours and textures was fantastic.
If you’re looking to change your diet and want to eat more plant-based, then I think using allplants could be a good way of getting into it, as there is no preparation needed. But if you already eat this way or are vegan or veggie, then having some go-to meals in the freezer is a must. I was gifted these meals on this occasion, but I will be ordering them for myself for sure. Connivence is the key, but much better for my family and I than a takeaway!
Have you ever heard of allplants before? You can get 10% off your first order when you go to their website. It would be great to hear what you think.
*the meals were gifted in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
These meals look so amazing and reasonably priced too for what you get. The look amazing and I am glad you loved the taste. I can wait to try these myself.
I love the sound of this, especially as they are frozen. I can’t believe they will recycle the packaging for you too!