If you like the ease and convenience of meal kits, you might want to give Splendid Spoon a try. Some meal kits like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron are popular for those who still have the time and want to cook their food. For those who prefer not to touch the stove, Splendid Spoon may be a good option, especially if you are looking for a healthier choice.
This healthy, non-GMO meal subscription sends pre-made plant-based and vegan soups, smoothies and bowls that can be custom ordered and delivered to your door to eat throughout the week. Sounds pretty great, right? No cooking, no hassle, no fuss. Just defrost the soups or bowls and either warm up on the stove or pop into the microwave and you are all set.
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Splendid Spoon is ideal for breakfast and lunch. Yes, of course, you can eat the soups, noodles, and bowls for dinner, but it does seem best suited for daytime meals. I had a week’s worth of Splendid Spoon. Here’s how it works and this is what I thought of their meal kit subscription.
How Splendid Spoon works
We are all familiar with meal delivery services, and even if you have never ordered one, it is likely that you know that most of them are meal subscription services. Splendid Spoon is just that. You pick a plan, and that delivery will arrive at your doorstep every week until you cancel or press pause. The menu has grown over the last couple of years (which is great because it means new dishes to try and it doesn’t get boring eating the same food). You choose from a selection of meals – you can either have the same selection come every week or you can switch it up and have different meals show up. There are 6 plans to choose from with a minimum of 5 meals up to 20 that is based on breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are 50+ meals to choose from. The meals pretty much cost about $9 a pop.
Their website is user-friendly and has great photos to make it easier to choose your selection. Depending on what your subscription includes, you select from the list of smoothies, grain bowls, soups, and noodle dishes. You can also select how often you want to receive the delivery – once a week, twice a month, or once a month. It’s up to you. There is a bit of planning involved. If you want to receive your delivery by Friday for example, your order needs to be placed by 4 pm ET on Sunday. Splendid Spoon currently only delivers within the 48 continental United States (sorry Hawaii and Alaska!).
Splendid Spoon Price Table
| Meal Plan | Description | Price Per Meal | Total |
| Breakfast | 5 Smoothies | $14 | $70 |
| Lunch | 5 Grain Bowls or Soups | $14 | $70 |
| Breakfast + Lunch | 5 Smoothies and 5 Grain Bowls or Soups | ||
| Breakfast + Lunch + Reset | 5 Smoothies5 Soups & Grain Bowls5 Light Soups | ||
| Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner + Reset | 5 Smoothies5 Soups & Grain Bowls5 Noodles5 Light Soups | $9.75 | $195 |
If you don’t want to commit to a subscription service, they do have an on-demand boxes option which is essentially for one-time orders. You choose from select bundles – smoothies only, soups and grain bowls only, wellness shots or mixed bundles if you prefer. You should note that the on-demand boxes are generally more expensive per meal but the good thing is that there is no commitment to continue ordering.
What Are Splendid Spoon Meal Choices?
There are over 50 meal choices on the Splendid Spoon Meal Plan. There are 18 smoothie choices including fruity smoothies like strawberry chocolate smoothie, mango guava smoothie and blueberry coconut smoothie. Or if you prefer more savory or non-fruity flavors, they offer coffee frappe smoothie, green matcha smoothie, and carrot ginger chia smoothie (one of my faves!), among others. There are 30 soups and grain bowls to choose from including roasted cauliflower grain bowl, coconut curry rice bowl, and garden minestrone soup. If noodles are more your jam, then you have 6 options to choose from – including dan dan noodles with bok choy and tofu, kale pesto noodles or red curry noodles. They seem to be coming up with new recipes every so often so that keeps the meals from becoming too redundant and boring. Splendid Spoon also offers 3-ounce wellness shots and protein-packed snack bars if you want to add those to your weekly order.
If healthy options are important to you, Splendid Spoon meals are vegan (meat-free, dairy-free and no animal byproducts) and gluten-free. They are non-GMO, low sodium, protein-packed and have no artificial sweeteners. Many of the dishes include healthy fruits and vegetables like kale, spinach, chickpeas, cauliflower, and whole grains.
The range of recipes definitely has an international culinary fusion flare, which I love. From Ras El Hanout Buckwheat Grain Bowl to Masala Kichri Soup to Kimchi Fried Quinoa Grain Bowl, there is a wide range of flavors for people who love to eat healthily.
Portion Size
I found the portion size to be perfect. Many of us have a tendency to overeat. Having these containers pre-portioned for us makes eating easier. Some people may think it is a small portion size, but in line with healthy eating, I think it is good to keep control of how much we eat.
What If I Have a Dietary Restrictions?
The folks at Splendid Spoon are mindful of that. When you choose your meals, you can check out the full ingredient list and nutritional information. As I mentioned before, all the meals are dairy-free, meat-free, non-GMO, and low sodium. You can also choose your meals if you want high-fiber, low carb or high protein foods.
My Favorite Splendid Spoon Meals and Smoothies
If you want to take a look at some of the soups and grain bowls, I did a video taste test with several of Splendid Spoon’s grain bowls, soups and smoothies.
The Splendid Spoon smoothies come pre-blended like in the supermarket. Some are more like juice drinks while others are creamy smoothies. Each smoothie is fortified with superfoods like chia seeds, hemp seeds and pea protein. Don’t worry as it doesn’t really alter the taste – it provides a powerful punch of nutrients and antioxidants.
My Favorite Smoothies
To be fair, I have not tried all 18 smoothies, but of the ones that I have tried, these are my top 3 (not in any particular order)
Carrot Ginger Chia Smoothie If you like carrot ginger juices, then you will love this. It is light and more like a juice (than a smoothie) with a slight punch of ginger.
Power Greens: This green juice smoothie is loaded with so much great yumminess, including organic hemp seeds, chia seeds, spirulina, pea protein and kale. Banana in any smoothie helps to sweeten it up a bit, but not too much. I also really love green smoothies.
Cacao Almond Smoothie. This one is for the chocolate nutty lovers. Cacao, bananas, almonds – what’s not to love? This makes for a great mid-afternoon snack.
There are 30 grain bowls and soups to choose from. I have not had all of them, but I have tasted a number of them. Here’s some that made it to the top of my list.
My Favorite Grain Bowls
Roasted Cauliflower Grain Bowl. I love anything that has cauliflower in it, especially if it is roasted. Full of nutrients and flavor, the added chickpeas and tahini sauce make this a go-to grain bowl for me.
Coconut Curry Rice Bowl. This is for the curry lovers – but not the spicy curry lover kind. Yes, it is curry but the coconut mellows out the taste. The cashews make it crunchy (yum!) and the kale gives it a boost of superfood flavor.
Sweet Potato Quinoa Grain Bowl. Sweet potatoes and quinoa go together like peanut butter and jelly…okay not quite but, it does go well together. Some garbanzo beans for flavor and texture topped with lemon tahini sauce makes this grain bowl one of my faves.
My Favorite Soups
Spiced Lentil and Chickpea Stew Soup. This soup is spiced, but not spicy. Chockful of lentils, chickpeas and vegetables, this soup is hearty and will fill you up.
Butternut Turmeric Soup. Thisbutternut squash turmeric soup is great for those cold wintery days. The turmeric is a great addition and is a great anti-inflammatory. If you like creamy soups, you have to try this one.
Garden Minestrone Soup. If you prefer a light brothy soup, then Splendid Spoon’s garden minestrone soup is a great choice. There are plenty of vegetables in a light broth. It is light in sodium for people like me who have to watch their hearts (and blood pressure) which some may consider it making the taste a bit bland, but then just add some salt and pepper and you are good to go!
My Favorite Noodles
Dan Dan Noodles with Bok Choy and Peppercorn. This noodle dish has a kick of spice and sichuan flavor for you spicy food lovers. The added bok choy and tofu nicely complemented the meal.
Kale-Pesto Noodles with Roasted Tomatoes: These noodles were flavorful and simple. Great for a light lunch meal.
Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Noodles. Noodles mixed with shiitake mushrooms, peas and spinach. It has a light taste so you may want to add some spices and herbs if you want more of a kick.
Wellness shots
My order came with five free wellness shots. The Immunity Shot goes down smoothly with a nice elderberry and orange flavor with a little kick at the end of cayenne. The Wellness Shot of ginger and lemon is stronger as there is a bit of heat with the ginger. But it does make you feel as though it is a boost to your immune system.
How to Prepare Splendid Spoon
Hungry and ready to eat? The smoothies and drinks arrive cold so you can drink them right away. If you want to put them in the freezer you can do that as well if you like them extra cold or perhaps you want to save it until later. I generally put the soups and grain bowls in the freezer until I am ready to eat them. This way I am not pressured to eat them right away. But you can stick them in the refrigerator. The meals can all be put in the microwave, but I am a fan of reheating the meals in a saucepan on the stove. This way produces even heating and more control when you are heating it up so that it is exactly how you like it.
Who is Splendid Spoon Meals Ideal For?
Splendid Spoon is ideal for busy people who enjoy healthy plant-based meals. You don’t have to be a vegetarian or vegan, but if you like to incorporate vegan meals in your weekly diet and don’t want the hassle of cooking then Splendid Spoon might be a great option for you.
For those who have specific dietary restrictions, Splendid Spoon offers gluten-free options as well low sodium. The portions are perfectly suited to those who are trying to regulate and control their amount of food intake. It is made with whole foods, natural ingredients and is not highly processed, which makes it a Whole30-friendly meal.
The smoothies are great for grab and go meals or drinks. They have a wide variety so you will always have great options to choose from.
Who is Splendid Spoon Meals Not Ideal For?
If you are a heavy meat eater who needs or prefers to have meat-based protein at each meal, or maybe you are simply openly not vegan-friendly, then Splendid Spoon is probably not for you.
If you are also on a super low-carb or keto diet, then maybe you want to try something else.
What’s The Cost and Is Splendid Spoon Worth It?
The price per meal works out to be $6.50 – $14.00 depending on the plan that you choose. That can be very reasonable depending on your needs. Of course, the bigger your plan the more you save so they definitely encourage you (and make it worth it) to buy at least the Breakfast and Lunch meal plan. Their pricing is similar to their plant-based competitors like Daily Harvest or Mosaic Foods.
They Have Eco-friendly Packaging
I definitely appreciate their attention to detail in their packaging. All their smoothies, soups and bowls come in recyclable plastic. They use dry ice when packing and their cooler box is made from recyclable materials. This is one of most eco-friendly meal kit delivery services I know of.
It’s important to consider a company’s packaging especially if you intend to order from them regularly.
The Final Dish
I really enjoy the variety that Splendid Spoon offers. While the portion size may feel on the lighter side especially for dinner, I think it is great for breakfast and lunch. If you are busy and don’t have the time or the energy to cook every meal, Splendid Spoon is a healthy alternative and time saver. With over 50 choices (and counting) for plant-based, non-GMO, healthy meals, you can’t go wrong.
If they taste a little bland to your liking, then adding some spice is always a good alternative. All in all, I really enjoy Splendid Spoon and it relieves the stress of having to cook during the day.
