Sprinly Review: Is This Plant-Based Meal Kit Worth the Money?

Tired of having to surrender to only one or two meat-free options per week? Not a fan of traditional meal kit deliveries since you’d like to skip food prep altogether? As you’ll see in the rest of our Sprinly review, you’re in for a treat.

And the best thing? You’ll no longer need to compromise on speed, practicality, and vegan options.

Sprinly is a fresh, fairly new plant-based meal kit company offering ready-to-eat lunches and dinners that are wholesome, nutritious and tasty.

While most meal kit companies offer a mixture of vegetarian and omnivorous meals to customers, a few have made a name for themselves offering exclusively plant-based options. These include Purple Carrot and Veestro. 

Another, somewhat newer name in the plant-based meal kit category is Sprinly. We decided to try the service for ourselves to see how it stacks up against the meat-full and meat-free competition. 

In this Sprinly meal kit review, we’ll cover:

• How Sprinly is different from other meal kit options
• How the dishes taste compared to the competition
• Who will love a subscription to Sprinly (and who might not)

Here’s what you need to know about Sprinly meal kits. 

How is Sprinly Different from Other Meal Kits?

Right off the bat, Sprinly differentiates itself from more traditional meal kits like Blue Apron and Sun Basket by offering plant-based, organic meals.

Not only that, but they’re also entirely gluten-free and don’t contain any kind of added preservatives or refined sugars. Super healthy, basically!

“Frustrated that the “healthy” label has became more of a marketing tool, Sprinly works with doctors and nutritionists on each recipe to ensure their meals are, in fact, good for you.”  - Cleveland.com (1)

In addition, all of the dishes come ready to eat. Some need a few minutes in the microwave to warm, but others are ready fresh out of the fridge. 

Sprinly offers three different meal plan options: 6, 12 or 18 meals a week. Each meal only serves one, and the menu only offers six meal options each week. That means that customers on the 12- or 18-meal plans are doubling or tripling up on some of the same meals.

If you live in a multi-person household, that might be preferred so you can enjoy the same dinner as family or friends. However, people who live alone may not appreciate the repetition of meals each week. 

At first glance, it seems that Sprinly would be a great solution for a plant-based eater to make lunch and dinner convenient. However, some people may not appreciate the repetition of meals during the week. 

That being said, despite there being only six recipes to choose from each week, Sprinly does offer a good variety between the six. On any given week, you’ll find options for fresh salads, Indian curries, Thai stir-fries, Italian pasta, tacos, and more. 

Price

Regarding price, Sprinly is on the higher end than other meal kits. The 6-meal plan breaks down to about $18 a meal, which is pricier than most take-out lunch options.

However, when you consider that the meals are fully prepared, healthy and offer a good variety of vegetables and protein, you can consider this a solid investment in your health. 

Other Sprinly Features

Subscription Flexibility: if what’s stopping you from joining the Sprinly squad is the fact that you don’t want to feel ‘boxed in’ (pun intended), don’t worry.

This meal box delivery service is easy to customize when it comes to subscriptions! In fact, should you need to skip a week because you’re on holiday or you just need to save some extra money that month, you can always do that through their website or by emailing their customer service at hello @ sprinly.com.

As long as you select this option before Tuesday at 11.59 pm EST, you won’t be charged for the following week. Likewise, you can cancel your subscription just as quickly and easily;

Customer Service: the Sprinly website is already packed full of relevant information from allergens to how to recycle your packaging.

However, should you have any additional questions, you can always get in touch with their friendly customer service team. They aim to reply within 24 hours, and, judging by most reviews, they’re actually extremely helpful.

We Tried Sprinly for a Week...Here’s How it Went

We had to see how these pricier meals compared to other meal kits and ordered a week of recipes to try. 

The food arrived in a bright, friendly box that was compact and lighter than other do-it-yourself meal kits. The packaging is all environmentally-friendly, including a compostable insulation made from natural cotton.  (2)

“Sprinly's notable contributions toward society include plant-based meals to help reduce an individual's carbon footprint from food by up to 73% (among many other environmental benefits).” Inc Media 

Inside the box were the six neatly packaged, well-labeled meals. The branding is bright, clean and feels healthy. All allergens are clearly labeled on the front of the packaging. 

There was even a hand-written note welcoming us to the Sprinly family and encouraging a share on social media, as well as a lengthy letter about how the meal kit is ensuring safety during COVID.  

Meal #1: Zucchini Noodle Pesto with Sun-dried Tomato Cakes

Several of the meals had an “eat me first” icon on the label because the ingredients were likely to perish first. One of these meals in our box was the Zucchini Noodle Pesto with Sun-dried Tomato Cakes. 

The dish is packaged in a compartmentalized plastic container with raw zucchini noodles, tomato cakes and the pesto sauce in a separate, small container. The back of the package included instructions to remove the pesto and microwave the dish for about 2 minutes, right in the plastic tub. 

The noodles softened, but didn’t fall limp, which was great. And there was plenty of pesto to coat them. 

Taste-wise, this meal was fresh and light. The sun-dried tomato cakes lacked a bit of flavor, but they added needed protein to the dish. 

Meal #2: Vegetable Tikka Masala with Roasted Cauliflower and Rice

Next up, we popped the Vegetable Tikka Masal with Roasted Cauliflower and Rice dish into the microwave. 

This dish was packaged with the rice on one side and the curry on the other side of the container. We heated it for about two minutes, then folded the flexible plastic container over on itself so the curry landed on top of the rice. 

This dish was certainly hearty and filling, thanks to the chickpeas, peas and rice. We would have preferred a bolder flavor and more spice, but overall, it did the trick. 

Meal #3: Blueberry Salad with Blueberry Basil Balsamic

Finally, we tried a no-cook option from Sprinly: a salad of greens, quinoa, fresh blueberries and a blueberry-balsamic dressing. The quinoa and nuts added a nice amount of protein to the meal, which is a satisfying enough salad for dinner. 

And the dressing on this dish was unexpected but delicious. A bit sweet and a bit rich from the balsamic, it nicely tied the dish together. 

What Type of Household is Sprinly Good for?

• Busy professionals who just haven’t got the time to prep food from scratch, not even with a traditional meal kit delivery
  
  
• Vegetarians, vegans, anyone on the gluten-free diet or with a focus on healthy eating, and even omnivores who’re simply trying to reduce their meat consumption by committing to a few plant-based meals every week
  
  
• Singles, couples, and small households for whom budget isn’t the main concern and who’re looking for a quick solution for both their dinners at home and, perhaps, lunch at work
  
  
• Considering their plant-based approach and compostable or recyclable packaging, anyone with an eye for sustainability, too

Who Would NOT Enjoy Sprinly?

• Meat lovers (duh!)
  
  
• Picky eaters and anyone who prefers having a wide range of dishes to choose from (6 per week could feel a bit limiting, and it’d force you to repeat them if you’re planning on covering many meals)

FAQ’s

Is the Packaging Recyclable?

Yes, all of the Sprinly packaging is either recyclable or reusable. 

Does Sprinly Make Meals Other Than Dinner?

Currently, Sprinly offers six meal options per week. Depending on the size of your appetite, these meals work for either lunch or dinner. There are no breakfast, snack or dessert options at the moment.

Sprinly Alternatives

If you’re looking for a more hands-on or less expensive meal kit, try these other popular options:

Purple Carrot

Purple Carrot is a plant-based meal kit with options for gluten-free and high-protein meals. Customers prepare their meals using pre-portioned ingredients provided in the box.  

Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh is a less expensive meal kit option that includes plans for pescatarians, vegetarians, lower-calorie diets and kids. 

Green Chef

Green Chef is a certified organic meal kit that offers plans for keto and paleo diets, Balanced Living, and Plant-Powered, with vegetarian and vegan options. For larger households, Green Chef offers a six-serving plan with four unique meals a week. 

If you’re looking for a practical solution to simplify your vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based diet or ready to cut down on your meat consumption, why not try a week’s worth of Sprinly and see how you get on?

References:

1. (n.d.). (2020, March 20). Cleveland-based meal kit service Sprinly wants to make eating healthy easier here and beyond in time of crisis. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/03/cleveland-based-meal-kit-service-sprinly-wants-to-make-eating-healthy-easier-here-and-beyond-in-time-of-crisis.html

2. (2021, April 6). Sprinly Earns Inc.'s Best In Business Award for Biggest Positive Impact on Society. Retrieved from https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sprinly-earns-inc-best-business-155200534.html?