Like so many other families, in our home we go through phases where the “busy” factor snowballs and becomes all-encompassing. When that happens, we tend to eat out which isn’t always the healthiest option. In this three-part blog series, I review meal services I’ve tried to make eating at home easier: Sakara, Marley Spoon, and Hello Fresh.
Meal Delivery Service Test #1: Sakara
I had seen ads for Sakara on Instagram for a while and was interested in trying it as a way to reset and eat healthy for myself. They offered a new year special called the 30-Day Reset. I’m a total sucker for New Years goals and eating healthy is usually on my list. Their plan is advertised as nutritionally designed, plant-rich organic meals delivered to your door, made ready-to-eat. What’s not to love about that?
This was the message they included in the welcome email – who wouldn’t love this?
“Our intention for this program is to help you release what no longer serves you—stress, tension, monotony, toxicity—for the year ahead. With four weeks of Sakara nutrition and a curation of wellness tools and gifts, you will discover newfound space, mentally and physically, primed for joy and radiant health. And we promise to make it delicious.”
On their website, the food looked amazing, healthy and – best of all – easy! They promised that everything comes pre-made, and is either ready to eat or requires very little prep time. Big promises to fill!
How it Works
I signed up through their website. You have to select the number of meals you want to receive, with a minimum of two per week. I personally didn’t try the breakfast options since breakfast is easier for me to manage.
I went with a delivery frequency of three days a week. Initially, I chose the one-time option to try it out and then signed up for the subscription service once I felt good about committing. They make it pretty easy to skip weeks and cancel all together if you aren’t happy with it.
Here’s what I loved about Sakara
First off, I was so impressed with how good the meals tasted. The salads in particular were so yummy and convenient, which made it easier to eat healthy and stay consistent. Given my busy schedule, that was a big plus to have truly ready-to-go meals available. I’d often save some of the salad dressing and use it for another meal.
They also provided samples along with the meals (probiotics, tea, bars, chocolates etc) which was a great way to try out their snacks. I did end up ordering some of their bars, granola and chocolates since they were so good.
As an aside, it doesn’t look like they have their chocolates anymore but the granola is available which is so good! They also have a rewards program so I got some things for free which was a perk.
What I Didn’t Love
Of course, nothing in this life is perfect! Here are a few things that I didn’t love so much about Sakara.
- You don’t have any choice over the meals provided each week. So as a self-proclaimed picky eater, I ended up wasting some of the meals because I didn’t like squash or peaches, etc.
- It was hard to recycle their packaging in our area.
- They offered a health coach resource, but it was hard to schedule (lack of availability in my time zone) so I never got to take advantage of that option.
- There were several things I would have loved to make again but they didn’t offer recipes.
Final takeaway 
I definitely recommend this program for individuals who want to jump start a healthy eating routine and need help getting started. However, I personally wouldn’t recommend this for a family meal plan. Before you choose your meal plan service, think first about your goals. Who is it for? What frequency is sustainable for your budget? Asking these questions first will help you narrow down your search.
Total Stars 4 out of 5.
I give this plan 5 stars for a short term reset but 3 stars for a long-term meal plan option. Mainly due to the expense, lack of choices on meals and hard to recycle packaging.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of my takeaways.
If you have any favorite tasty and time-saving meals to share, I’d love to feature them here! Comment below or reach out to hello@careerinsightstudio.com with your ideas.
Happy eating!
