Planty meal box review

What is Planty?

Planty is a meal delivery service providing 100 per cent plant-based, chef-prepared meals designed to help their customers eat responsibly-sourced, nutritious food. Their head & development chef, Joe Lovell, has worked at some of London's top restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Petrus. The company claims to exclusively source from suppliers who share their values, namely an effort towards socially responsible and environmentally conscious business practices.

Planty meal choices

The company offers a good range of meal options, ranging from classics like shepherd’s pie, tikka masala and enchiladas to more unusual combinations, like tempeh lasagne and BBQ banana blossom burrito.

The company have added special diet filters such as gluten-free, high-protein, low sugar, low carb and more - making meal search easy for those with special dietary requirements. Furthermore, each recipe is clearly signposted to tell you if it's soy free, low saturated fat, a source of fibre and protein or contributes to your five-a-day.

How many meals do you get with Planty?

The site is simple and easy to navigate, offering customers the option to build their own ‘planty’ box, choosing up to 12 plant-based meals and 3 desserts from their online menu. You can also choose the 'pick for me' option which will automatically generate a box of meals which you can edit before checkout. Meals are fresh-frozen and delivered to your door on your chosen date. They can then be stored in your freezer and simply reheated in the oven or microwave as desired.

What were your first impressions of the delivery?

First impressions were promising. On opening the box, we were pleased to discover the eco-conscious insulation padding surrounding the dishes. The sleeves on the meals were vibrant and attractive to the eye.

What do you get in a Planty box?

You receive all of your individual Planty meals wrapped in recyclable insulated padding. You also receive a welcome card, a returns label and details on how to return the packaging to Planty so that it can be recycled.

Are refrigerated ingredients kept sufficiently chilled in the packaging?

Our initial concern was that on a hot day, the meals might begin to thaw by the time we returned home; however, the meals were well packed with thick insulation and a large ice-pack.

What are the delivery options?

You can select a specific day for the box to be delivered. You can't allocate a time – but, as with ours, if you are out when the delivery arrives, it will be left on the doorstep.

How much packaging was there?

While you could reduce the packaging by removing the meal sleeves, they were recyclable cardboard and contained a lot of useful product information. It's clear that Planty is making an effort to minimise waste.

Does it offer good value-for-money?

We think so, considering you get freshly prepared, healthy and 100 per cent plant-based meals that can be stored in the freezer and eaten when you like.

How easy are the meals to make?

The meals are already prepared and simply need to be heated in the oven or microwave.

Is there any food waste?

No. Meals are individually portioned.

What are the finished meals like?

The meals were simple, tasty and satisfying. We really appreciated the clear nutritional signposting to indicate whether a dish was gluten-free or contributed to your five-a-day. Quite a few of the meals were on the spicy side, which might not be to everyone’s taste.

How many people does a Planty box serve?

Each meal serves one person. You can build boxes that include between 6-12 meals and add up to 12 extras.

What utensils did you need to use to make the recipes?

No utensils required.

Who would the product be most useful for?

Due to the portioning, we think this service is aimed at individuals or couples, rather than families.

What's your favourite thing about Planty?

Overall, the best thing about Planty is the convenience. It's so lovely to be able to pop a meal in the oven or microwave and have a balanced, nutritious dish ready for you after a long day – without any washing-up to do afterwards!

What are the subscription terms?

Planty uses a subscription model, with prices based on number of meals purchased (12 meals|£5.65 per meal, 9-11 meals|£5.90 per meal, 6-8 meals|£6.50 per meal). Subscriptions can be changed, paused or cancelled anytime online.

Star ratings

Ease of cooking 5/5
Quality of the finished recipes 5/5
Packaging 5/5
Quality of ingredients 5/5
Value for money 5/5

Discover how to sign up to the Planty meal subscription box

This review was updated December 1st 2022. If you have any questions or suggestions for future reviews, or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.