Sun Basket Review: Spring 2019 (plus a video)

I’ve been a Sun Basket customer for just about 2 years and have enjoyed numerous recipes from a variety of their different meal plans. Recently Sun Basket added new options to their menus so I decided to give them a try and share my experiences and thoughts in this review. Also, if you can’t decided whether or not Sun Basket is a good fit for your lifestyle then keep reading because I share my opinion on who I think would benefit the most from this meal kit company, and more importantly, who wouldn’t. 

**This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you decide to subscribe to Sun Basket. However, this is my completely honest review and you’re by no means obligated to use my links. If you do, thanks so much for supporting my site.

If you’re ready to try Sun Basket, and don’t want to read my entire Sun Basket review, you can use my link to get $80 off ($35 off first box and $25 off 2nd and $20 off 3rd box). <– That’s quite a deal!

Here’s my Sun Basket review video just in case you’re more of a visual person. I know this a long video so here’s a breakdown of the information you’ll find. Fast forward to the part that you think will be the most helpful. Or keep reading if that’s what you prefer.

0 – 9:30 – Sun Basket Unboxing

9:31 – 17:19 – General overview of the Sun Basket website

17:20 – 25:07 – Behind the scenes as a Sun Basket subscriber and how to put a box together.

25:08 – 27:30 – How to skip a week.

27:31 – 33:04 – Who I think Sun Basket would work best for.

33:05 – 41:04 – Who I think Sun Basket WOULD NOT work best for

41:05 – 45:03 – An overview of the Sun Basket recipes tried

45: 04- 46:13 – Final thoughts

Overview

Okay, let’s start with a quick overview. Sun Basket is like most meal kit companies in the sense that you choose from a list of recipes each week and they deliver a box to your doorstep filled with all the ingredients to make those recipes. Meal kit companies have blown up in popularity because they provide a much needed convenience that our busy lifestyles need. Clearly, people are struggling to find the time to make meal planning a priority and meal kit companies have taken notice.

Sun Basket is unique compared to other meal kit companies because their focus goes far beyond just offering convenience. They want to make it easy for people to eat healthier meals. In fact, Sun Basket’s motto is “healthy cooking made easy”.

The people over at Sun Basket work hard to provide the highest quality ingredients. This means 99% of the produce they send is organic. They only use organic milk, yogurt, and eggs. And all meats are 100% antibiotic and hormone free and also come from responsible ranchers and farmers. If high quality ingredients are important to you then Sun Basket is most certainly the top meal kit company to look at.

You can go to the Sun Basket website to read more about their values and sourcing practices.

Sun Basket Prices

Let’s chat about the price. This is often the first question people ask when learning about Sun Basket. I get it! We work hard for our money and want to make sure it’s not being wasted.

The Classic menu is $11.99 per serving and the Family Menu is $10.99 per serving. The final price of the box is determined by the number of recipes and servings you order. Shipping for each box is $6.99

Sun Basket cost a little more than the average meal kit company. However, like I said, each box contains only organic produce and ingredients along with very high quality meats and seafood. Naturally, the higher the quality the more money it’ll cost – that’s the way the world works.

Think about it…

In the grocery store organic chicken is going to cost more than conventional chicken. Organic celery is going to cost more than conventional celery. Even organic pasta costs more than conventional. If higher quality food is important then it’s going to cost a little more – it’s just the way it is.

But also think about this…

Even though Sun Basket might cost more than purchasing ingredients from the store, it’s still cheaper (and healthier) than ordering take-out or eating at restaurants all the time. So, it’s likely, turning to Sun Basket could end up saving you money.

Plus there are many things, we all do, that cost us extra. For example, ordering coffee instead of making it at home. Ordering pizza instead of making it homemade. Stopping for a breakfast sandwich instead of making it at home. See where I’m going with this? We do all those things because it’s convenient.

Sun Basket provides convenience and it’s healthy!

So, yes, Sun Basket might cost a little extra but if having healthy meals delivered to your door is something you can appreciate then this might might work for your budget and lifestyle.

If you’re ready to try Sun Basket, and don’t want to read my entire Sun Basket review, you can use my link to get $80 off ($35 off first box and $25 off 2nd and $20 off 3rd box). <– That’s quite a deal!

How Does Sun Basket Work?

When you sign up you’re going to choose a meal plan. Currently they offer 11 different meal plans:

• Chef’s Choice
• Carb- Conscious
• Paleo
• Mediterranean
• Lean & Clean
• Gluten-free
• Vegan
• Quick and Easy
• Vegetarian
• Diabetes Friendly
• Pescatarian

This is another area that sets Sun Basket apart from the competition – they make it easy for people with special dietary needs or eating styles. So, if you want to switch to Paleo, Gluten-free, or another speciality diet and have zero clue where to start then turning to Sun Basket is a great choice. They take the guesswork out of finding recipes that fit into your new eating habits.

However, just because you pick a certain meal plan doesn’t mean you can’t choose from other recipes when putting your box together.

After you subscribe you can head to the “my menu” section of their site. This is where you’ll make any changes. Keep in mind, and this is very important, any changes (including skipping a week) needs to happen by the date listed next to the “change my order” button.

If you forget then you will be charged and meals will be sent to you. Of course you might not care but I can tell you this is where many people get frustrated. Because getting charged for meals you didn’t pick or want can create one unhappy customer. Soooo, I’m here to tell you to pay attention to this date!

Got it? Good!

Okay, if you don’t make changes then Sun Basket will choose recipes from the meal plan you subscribed too. However, if you want different recipes then this is where you’ll do that. Again, click “change my order”.

If you’re ready to try Sun Basket, and don’t want to read my entire Sun Basket review, you can use my link to get $80 off ($35 off first box and $25 off 2nd and $20 off 3rd box). <– That’s quite a deal!

From there you can choose the dinners you’d like in your box. You can add 2-4 dinners. If you want more servings that’ll need to get changed in your profile section.

One of the features I love about Sun Basket, an again something that sets them apart, is the ability to sort dinners. For example, if you’re looking for dinners under 600 calories all you need to do is click <600 and all those dinners will go to the top.

Once you choose all your meals click save.  All the dinners in your box will show at the top.

Again, all of this needs to be done by the date listed.

What’s New?

Now let’s talk about the new options Sun Basket is offering. The first option is the ability to upgrade to organic meats and high quality fish. They already offer high quality ingredients but if you prefer organic meats then this is a great option. Personally, I place a lot of value in organic meats. Whenever I’m given the choice I always choose organic, even if it costs me a little extra money.

This option pops up after you choose a meal. If it’s available you can choose between conventional and organic.

A great option is the ability to add protein to a vegetarian meal. So you don’t have to pass up that tasty vegetarian recipe because it doesn’t have meat. Nope, just add some chicken or fish.

If you’re ready to try Sun Basket, and don’t want to read my entire Sun Basket review, you can use my link to get $80 off ($35 off first box and $25 off 2nd and $20 off 3rd box). <– That’s quite a deal!

Another new feature are their 5-minute salads. I’ve tried a couple of these salads and thought they were delicious. All the ingredients were fresh and crisp. More importantly, these salads came together quickly so they are perfect for a fast healthy lunch.

These salads don’t come with proteins but you can add chicken, salmon, beef, or whatever is available if you like. Of course, this requires cooking but if you cook it ahead of time these salads can still come together quickly.

The last new Sun Basket option I want to let you know about are their new dips/sauces along with some snacks.  These dips can be use for snack time but can also be stirred into rice, pasta, or even served with chicken or fish. So far, I only tried the greek feta dip and it was mmmmm mmmm good!

Those are all the new exciting meal options with Sun Basket. Not only can you order the highest quality meats and fish but you can order lunch and snacks too!

How to Skip a Week?

Sun Basket makes it very easy to skip weeks in advance. All you need to do is go the schedule section and click skip (or unskip if you change your mind). Again, this all needs to be done by the date listed underneath the delivery date.

How to Cancel Your Sun Basket Subscription?

When I first started with Sun Basket they didn’t make it very easy to cancel your subscription. Well this was a HUGE complaint with customers and now things have changed. Canceling your subscription is easy. All you need to do is go into the “my account” section and then click on the manage my subscription link.

From there you just need to click cancel my subscription. So, if you decide Sun Basket is not a good fit then go ahead and cancel it.

Who I think Sun Basket WOULD work best for?

So that’s all the nitty gritty. Now I want to share my opinion on the person I think Sun Basket would work best for.

1. If you want to change your eating habits to a healthy eating style that you’re not familiar with. For example, if you want to eat Paleo or Vegetarian but have zero clue where to look for recipes or how to cook anything other than the 5 family favorites you’ve made for the last 10 years then I think Sun Basket would be super helpful for you. They take all the guess work out of meal planning and recipes when starting a new eating style. You can get started right away by simply ordering a box.
2. If you want to simply eat healthier but not sure where to start then Sun Basket can help. It takes a lot of time to find recipes and figure out how to make them. Turning to Sun Basket can get you started right away without a lot of leg work.
3. If you’re super busy and appreciate the value in someone curating recipes and delivering them to you door then this will work. 
4. If you’re in a cooking rut then Sun Basket is a great option. This is one of the things I appreciate the most with Sun Basket. I’ve learned many new cooking styles and cook with ingredients I would’ve never used prior to subscribing.

Ultimately, you need to see the financial value in a service like this – it needs to be worth it. So if you fall into one of these categories AND don’t mind paying a little extra for quality and convenience then you’ll be a very happy Sun Basket customer.

If you’re ready to try Sun Basket, and don’t want to read my entire Sun Basket review, you can use my link to get $80 off ($35 off first box and $25 off 2nd and $20 off 3rd box). <– That’s quite a deal!

Who I think Sun Basket WOULD NOT work best for?

Let’s be honest, just because I enjoy using Sun Basket, and see the value in it, doesn’t mean everyone else will. So, now let’s talk about the type of person who I think wouldn’t have a great experience with Sun Basket.

1. You think that Sun Basket (and all meal kit companies) is too expensive. You feel you can easily go to the store and get everything much cheaper. You’re probably right…but here’s something to consider. Meal kit companies are not in the discount food business. So they are really not in the business to save you money – although I do think they can especially if you eat out mostly. Anyway, they are in the business to curate recipes and deliver everything to your door. That convenience cost extra. If you don’t see the value in that then Sun Basket probably won’t work for you.
2. You enjoy finding recipes, meal planning, and grocery shopping. If you do all of these things, and don’t feel the need for someone to do it for you, then Sun Basket might not work. Of course, there might be weeks you don’t feel like doing any of this…in this case I think it’s helpful to have Sun Basket in your back pocket 🙂
3. If you’re a picky eater, or don’t like trying new cuisines, then Sun Basket might not work for you. In my experience, Sun Basket recipes are eclectic. They use ingredients that I don’t feel are in the common everyday household. Now if you’re willing to step out of your culinary comfort zone then great. But if you’re like “NO WAY” then Sun Basket might not work.
4. If you’re picky about someone else choosing your produce and meat then using Sun Basket might not work. I received many boxes and never had an issue with any of the produce or meat that was sent. However, there could be random flaws and if you notice (or look for) every blemish then going with Sun Basket might not work.

Of course, this is only my opinion. You could think very differently or I could be way off. But from my own experience and talking with readers that have used Sun Basket these are the 4 people I think that would not be a great fit for Sun Basket.

Sun Basket Promo

Before I jump into the latest box I received I want to share the current Sun Basket promo. Right now Sun Basket is offering $80 off ($35 off first box and $25 off 2nd and $20 off 3rd box). This is a great deal to give Sun Basket a try without having to pay full-price. Get the deal here.

My Recipes

Now let’s go over all the recipes I received in my latest box. First, and foremost, everything came in a sturdy insulated box.

This is what was in my box:

Steak with Garlic Herb Ghee and Sautéed Mushrooms and Spinach

Fried Black Rice with Ground Turkey and Shichimi

Roasted Salmon and Broccoli with Almond Tapenade

Organic Spicy Southwestern Salad

Greek Feta Dip

Everything was neatly organized. The meats were on the bottom, on top of the ice packs, and they stayed cold and didn’t leak.

Let’s start with the salmon recipe. I loved that they put the salmon in a plastic bag for that extra layer of leak protection.

Out of the three dinners, this recipe was the easiest recipe. All I needed to do was put the salmon and broccoli on a sheet pan and cook it.

While it cooked I put together the tapenade – which, btw, is absolutely delicious. This is what I love about using Sun Basket. I would’ve never thought to make any type of tapenade like this.

I thought this recipe was very good and surprisingly filling. It is one of their Paleo meals so I knew I wouldn’t get any carbs but of course I still long for some rice to go with it 🙂

I actually stored the cooked recipe in meal prep containers and enjoyed it for dinner during the week.

The next recipe I made was the steak with garlic butter ghee.

They actually sent clarified butter instead of ghee. This is the note I got.

Just like the salmon recipe this one came together very fast. I feel like both of these recipes would be perfect for dinners during the week. Again, this is a Paleo recipe so I knew it wasn’t going to come with any carbs. I did find it tasty and filling but I did long for some rice again…I think that’s just my issue though.

The steak was tender and the veggies were fresh and delicious.

The last dinner recipe I made was the Fried Black Rice with Ground Turkey and Schichimi. This recipe took the longest to prepare, mostly because the rice needs 25 minutes to cook. A great way to prep this recipe ahead of time is to cook the rice in advance. You can even prep all the veggies in advance and that would make this dinner come together quickly when you’re ready.

This recipe had a lot more volume than the other ones. Of course, that’s because of the rice – obviously, this wasn’t a paleo meal 🙂 I thought it was delicious! I loved the flavors and all the veggies were crisp and tasty. I actually ate half and then froze the other half for a future dinner.

In this box, I tried one of their new salads – Spicy Southwestern Salad. You all know I love my mason jar salads so I don’t see myself ordering these a lot. But I wanted to give this salad a try so I can test it out for you.

I thought this salad was really good. It made 2 huge salads and both where very filling. Each one came together in less than 5 minutes so I think these would be great for a quick healthy lunch. Like I said earlier, you can order chicken or fish for these salads. Although, if you don’t want to spend the extra money then grab a rotisserie chicken to use.

Last, but not least, I tried the new Greek Feta dip. Let me just say, I think this was the star of the box. I loved it and will definitely be ordering this again. I used it for a dip with pita bread and veggies but this would be great stirred in some pasta or over chicken.

Final Thoughts

Sun Basket is one of my favorite meal kit companies. Their recipes are always delicious and push me to be a better cook. They are consistently working to add more healthy options to their menu making is easier for people cook and eat at home. Personally, I see the value in using Sun Basket. Like I said, Sun Basket isn’t for everyone and that’s totally fine. But if it works for you then that’s great!

If you’re on the fence with whether or not to give Sun Basket a try I hope you found my review helpful. I really try to give as much information as I can so you can make a confident informed decision.

Don’t forget, right now Sun Basket is offering $80 off ($35 off first box and $25 off 2nd and $20 off 3rd box). This is a great deal to give Sun Basket a try without having to pay full-price. Get the deal here.

Here’s my original Sun Basket review I did in 2017 if you’re looking for even more information.

**This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you decide to subscribe to Sun Basket. However, this is my completely honest review and you’re by no means obligated to use my links. If you do, thanks so much for supporting my site.