I’m a Dietitian Who Tried Splendid Spoon — Here’s What Impressed Me

There’s a reason that meal delivery service ads keep popping up in your inbox and social feeds: People want to make healthy food choices, but finding the time is a challenge. Life is hectic, and services like Splendid Spoon offer a solution, with convenient, ready-to-eat meals designed to make it easier to get healthy food on the table fast.

Founded by a full-time working mom, Splendid Spoon delivers plant-based, gluten-free food to your door, from smoothies and wellness shots to noodles and soups. As a dietitian, I love the idea of a service that makes it easier to find healthy foods and eat more plants, but I also wanted to dig a little deeper to make sure that Splendid Spoon delivers on its promise of convenience and good nutrition. So my family and I spent two weeks diving into Splendid Spoon’s offerings, and here’s what I learned.

The sign-up process for Splendid Spoon is simple. On the homepage, I entered my ZIP code to confirm that delivery was available in my area. Then I was presented with the option of 7, 14, or 21 meals per delivery, saving more per item in the larger plans.

After I chose a plan, I selected meals to fill my box.

Choosing the Meals

I was given 38 options across different categories, like smoothies, soups, shots, noodles, and dishes (similar to bowls). All of the meals were gluten-free and vegan.

Smoothies and wellness shots are 95 percent organic and 100 percent GMO-free, according to the website. While not all of Splendid Spoon's other choices are fully organic, some still contain organic ingredients (you’ll see this labeled on the ingredient list), and all are gluten-free.

Everything is premade, so customization isn't possible, but you can add more meals to your box (for an additional cost) and easily switch your weekly selections. All changes must be submitted before the cutoff date, and those times vary based on your location, delivery day, and other factors. To find your cutoff date, go to the Your Plan tab; locate your upcoming order to check the edit-by date.

Splendid Spoon says that its meal options change throughout the year, but during my review, the menu was static. That said, there were an array of flavors and dishes — from Mexican-influenced bowls to Italian-inspired pastas — made with plant-based proteins like lentils, beans, and nuts, plus a variety of vegetables as well as fruits in the smoothies and shots. There are also several kid-friendly pastas, grain dishes, and soups, depending on your kiddo’s preferences.

My Splendid Spoon order included the following:

• Brussels Bolognese Pasta
• Shots Variety 5-Pack
• Hearty Vegetable Bolognese
• Naked Burrito Bowl
• Coconut Curry Rice
• Green Carbonara Pasta
• Vegan Meatball Marinara Noodles
• Kale Pesto Noodles
• Creamy Green Curry Noodles
• Tomato Rosemary Soup
• Kabocha Congee Soup
• Red Lentil Dal Soup
• Mint Chip Smoothie
• Blue Majik Smoothie
• Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

After choosing my meals, I couldn’t pick a delivery date or time window. I received an email with tracking information a day before delivery, which also laid out how to safely dispose of the dry ice included in my box (outside or in a well-ventilated area away from children and pets).

My meals arrived in an insulated cardboard box packed with dry ice. Everything was intact and still frozen. The packaging is recyclable, and there were clear instructions for disposing of the packaging responsibly.

Preparing the Meals

The ease of preparation is a huge selling point of Splendid Spoon meals. Each dish is premade, which means there’s no time needed for prepping ingredients. Pop the meals in the microwave, and they’re ready to enjoy in less than five minutes.

The microwave instructions suggest heating the items directly in their containers by peeling back part of the plastic cover (the entire container is lined with plastic). The website states that these containers use BPA-free plastic, but I prefer to avoid microwaving plastic, so I transferred the contents to a plate for heating. This did increase the cooking time by a minute or two. You can also cook the meals on the stovetop by following the package instructions, but expect it to take a little longer (closer to 10 minutes).

Soups take around seven minutes even in the microwave, but they’re just as easy to prepare as the other meals. If you want to speed up the cooking time, thaw the soup in the fridge the night before you plan to eat it. All the soups have stovetop and microwave instructions, so you can choose the method that works best for you. I followed the microwave instructions, and they turned out perfectly.

Smoothies and shots arrived frozen, and there were no instructions on how to defrost them. I decided to defrost them in the fridge the night before having them, but they needed a little longer than 12 hours with this method. If you plan to drink them within the week after delivery, you could put them directly in the fridge so they'll be ready to go.

Tasting the Meals

The soups smelled delicious as they heated up. The Tomato Rosemary Soup was a hit with my husband, who said he'd love to pair it with a roll or a grilled cheese sandwich. I appreciated the visible pieces of rosemary and white beans. It was delightful, but at 260 calories, this soup is likely better as a side dish.

The dal was a standout for me, with its array of spices, including fenugreek, coriander, and curry powder. Thanks to its high protein and fiber content, it was also filling. All of the soups we tried were definitely on the salty side, so keep this in mind if you are sensitive to the taste.

If you love cherries, the Chocolate Cherry Smoothie was a win and popular with my kids, although I thought it needed more cacao flavor. Unfortunately, the Mint Chip Smoothie wasn’t a favorite due to its chunky texture, but after I ran it through the blender, it was tasty. It’s important to note that smoothies contain two servings per container, but the nutrition label is based on one serving, so each smoothie is higher in calories and protein than it initially appears.

Of the Splendid Spoon dishes I tried, the Naked Burrito Bowl was surprisingly satisfying, with its plant-based chorizo and fajita veggies. I enjoyed the smoky and slightly spicy flavor and shared some with my husband, who asked for more after one bite.

On the other hand, the Brussels Bolognese Pasta didn't impress as much. Although it gave off a yummy aroma, it was slightly mushy, but that could be because I took it out of the container to heat up. The Coconut Curry Rice offered good flavor, with chickpeas and crunchy cashews. Although it leaned salty for my palate, I ultimately liked this one too.

As for the noodles, the Vegan Meatball Marinara Noodles didn't heat evenly (again, likely due to not being in the container), but my nonvegan husband was a fan and couldn’t tell the meatballs were actually meatless. The Creamy Green Curry Noodles, with shiitake mushrooms and a mild curry aroma, warmed well in a saucepan.

Finally, the five-pack of shots were a fun addition. The Digestion Shot was spicy and delicious, with apple juice, apple cider vinegar, ginger juice, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. The Wellness Shot tasted like spicy orange juice with a gingery taste. The Recovery Shot was less appealing due to its beet flavor, but I enjoyed the neutral taste of the Detox Shot (not too bitter and not too sweet). There was no information about the benefits of the shots on the packaging, but you can read more about them on the website.

Splendid Spoon's meals emphasize the importance of plant-based nutrition, featuring dishes high in plant protein and fiber. According to the company's website, its meals are made with input from a registered dietitian to optimize nutrition quality. While everything is gluten-free, those with nut allergies likely need to steer clear as many meals contain nuts.

I also appreciated that most of the smoothies and wellness shots contained no added sugars (except the Chocolate Cherry Smoothie, which has added sugar from the cherry juice). They are processed using high-pressure methods to retain nutrient quality. For example, the Blue Majik Smoothie has healthy fats from almonds and 9 grams of protein per serving.

However, there are a few things to consider before ordering Splendid Spoon.

After noticing the elevated sodium levels, I looked online to see if this was the case with all of Splendid Spoon's meals. Fortunately, there are a few options I didn't happen to order that contain less salt, like the Split Pea Soup and the Spiced Lentil and Chickpea Stew, but none of the noodles or dishes had less than 20 percent of the daily recommended value for sodium.

Overall, while Splendid Spoon meals offer convenience and the benefits of a plant-centric diet, those mindful of sodium, carbohydrates, and fat intake should check the nutrition labels of each meal before ordering.

Daily Harvest, another popular meal delivery service, shares similarities with Splendid Spoon, emphasizing plant-forward, premade options. Daily Harvest provides some choices that Splendid Spoon doesn't, including flatbreads, bites, and a wider selection of smoothies, which may cater to a broader range of meal preferences. However, Splendid Spoon's portions are slightly larger, which is worth considering for individuals with a larger appetite.

Trifecta and Factor also offer premade food, but neither is 100 percent vegan. This may work well for those who want to include plant-based meals in their diet without committing to a fully vegan meal plan. Similarly, Purple Carrot is another plant-based meal delivery service; it provides meal kits and premade meals.

Overall, many of these services are close in price, with similar offerings, so it comes down to your taste preferences.

Splendid Spoon is a practical choice for those looking for convenience and a simple way to add more plant-based foods to their daily meals. It’s also a good option for someone who wants to experiment with a vegan diet. Even though I am not vegan, I liked the variety and ease of having ready-made meals. The premade meals could be especially nice for someone with limited time who wants a quick lunch or dinner that is likely less expensive than takeout.

The sodium content stops me from recommending Splendid Spoon meals daily, especially if your diet has other high-sodium foods, but the service may be worth it to have easy meals on hand a few days a week. Also, keep an eye on fat and carbohydrates to fit your dietary needs.

Although it’s BPA-free, the plastic-lined packaging may be a deal-breaker for some. You can get around this by heating the meals on the stove or putting them in different containers before warming them in the microwave, but these extra steps do take away from the convenience.

Overall, Splendid Spoon may be a good way to get started on a plant-based diet or to have a convenient meals in the freezer, but it’s not ideal for daily consumption.

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With new meal delivery services popping up daily, Everyday Health is testing over 50 options to make finding the right fit for your lifestyle easier. Each service is evaluated using the same criteria. We look at everything from the variety of flavors to sustainable business practices. We also collaborate with dietitians, professional journalists, and consumers for hands-on testing.

As part of Everyday Health's comprehensive review process, we evaluate each service according to a detailed set of criteria:

• Sign-Up Process Is the service easy to sign up for, and does it offer subscription flexibility?
• Delivery and Packaging How do the meals arrive, and is the packaging environmentally friendly and efficient?
• Taste and Variety Does the food taste good, and is there a wide variety of meals available?
• Cost and Value How does the price compare to similar services, and does it offer good value for the money?
• Quality of Ingredients Are high-quality, fresh, and sustainable ingredients used in meal preparation?
• Nutritional Value Do the meals provide balanced nutrition, with options for different diet needs?

I’ve tested dozens of meal services because I love trying food of any kind. As a registered dietitian, I’m constantly searching for simple ways to make eating nutrient-dense foods easier for clients (and my family). I look for food that adds convenience and tastes good but also provides the nutrients we need to feel good, and I want to make it easier for you to have this information accessible, too.