The current blogpost will be checking out the main features which are present in HelloFresh as well as those in Purple Carrot. Both of these are meal kit delivery services which focus on two very different types of populations. While HelloFresh focuses on everyday cooking for everyone, Purple Carrot is completely plant-based and thus might not be liked by all.
In the end, we will give you our opinions on which of these two may be the better choice based on first-hand experiences.
HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot
The following table will show you the main characteristics and features which are present in HelloFresh and Purple Carrot. We have also mentioned the delivery areas of both these platforms, along with the price ranges of the meals here. You can choose which of these options works better for you with the help of the information presented below.
Feature | HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Delivery areas | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii,UK,France,Germany,Netherlands,Belgium,Luxembourg,Austria,Switzerland,Australia,Canada,New Zealand,Denmark,Sweden | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii |
Price range | $120 to $460 per month | $72 to $130 per week |
Price per plate | $7.49 per plate | $11 per plate minimum |
Difficulty levels | Easy,Intermediate,Expert | Easy |
Avg. cooking time | 20 – 50 mins per meal | 30 – 40 minutes |
Avg. calorie count | 500-800 calories per serving | 600-900 calories per serving |
Supporting material | Recipe cards,Nutritional facts,Meal description | Recipe booklet,Online information |
Recipes supported | Calorie-smart,Carb-smart,Vegetarian,Pescatarian,Beef,Chicken,Beans and Legumes,Grain | Gluten-free,High-protein,Low-carb,Nut-free,Soy-fee,American,French,Indian,Italian,Middle Eastern |
No. of choices | 30 per week | 12 per week |
Introductory deal | 60% off on first box | $20 off on first order |
Avg. shelf life | 3-5 days for meat,1-2 days for seafood | 3-5 days |
Types of Plans: HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot
HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Meat & Veggies Meal kits containing meat and veggies | Meal-kit 2 or 4 servings3 or 4 dinners per week |
Vegetarian Plant-based meals,Not always vegan | Prepared meals 1 serving per meal6 or 8 or 10 dinners per week |
Family Friendly Kid-approved meals | |
Calorie-Smart meals 650 calories or less in each serving | |
Quick and Easy Meals which can be cooked within 30 minutes | |
Pescatarian Meals containing seafood proteins |
In HelloFresh, there is certainly no dearth when it comes to variety. There are a number of options for customers to choose from in this meal kit delivery service. There are not only vegetarian recipes here, but even those which combine meat and veggies and even seafood recipes for pescatarians.
Purple Carrot offers mainly two types of plans for users to choose from. Here, the user can choose from the meal kit plan or the prepared meal plan depending on their needs and their requirements. The recipes in Purple Carrot cover a multitude of cuisines and even come in gluten-free and low-carb options.
Winner: HelloFresh wins the Types of Plans segment.
Types of Ingredients: Hello Fresh vs Purple Carrot
Ingredient type | HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Produce | Farm-fresh produce | Farm-fresh produce |
Meat, eggs, fish | Hormone-free,Antibiotic-free | No meat |
Other ingredients | Seasonings, Spice blends | Seasonings,Sauces |
The ingredients in HelloFresh meal kits are of the best quality in order to bring both taste and health to the user. In every country of operation, HelloFresh cleverly ties up with local farms and vendors who bring the very best of produce to the customer. The meat and the poultry used in HelloFresh meal kits are antibiotic-free and hormone-free.
When it comes to Purple Carrot, the ingredients are completely vegetarian. The veggies and the fruits are sourced from local farms which use only safe farming practices. Purple Carrot tends to focus more on seasonal produce to bring the best in quality. The meal kits come with the required seasonings and spices for the customer to cook with.
Winner: HelloFresh and Purple Carrot win the Types of Ingredients segment.
Add-Ons: HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot
HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Garlic bread,Yogurt dip,Garden salad,Cheesecake Mousse Parfait | Breakfast,Lunch,Grocery items |
HelloFresh offers way more than just meal kits for its users. In this meal kit delivery service, the user can choose from various items such as garlic bread and even yogurt dip to add to their meals. Several types of soups and salads are also available in HelloFresh, along with a selection of tasty treats.
Purple Carrot also excels in add-ons. Through this meal kit delivery service, the customer can choose from various breakfast items and even lunch items to keep them happy and fulfilled throughout the day. There are also many grocery items to choose from to fill up household pantries.
Winner: Purple Carrot wins the Add-ons segment.
Packaging of Meal kit: HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot
HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Cardboard box,Kit bag,Separator,Insulator,Ice packs | Meal box,Liners,Cooling packs,Plastic jars,Plastic bottles,Plastic bags |
Fully recyclable | Fully recyclable |
When it comes to packaging, both of these meal kit delivery services are quite similar. HelloFresh delivers the ingredients in a cardboard box which can be recycled, while Purple Carrot also does the same. Both of these meal kit delivery services use denim insulation to keep the internal temperatures of the box low.
In HelloFresh, certain ingredients like meat and seafood which are prone to perishing are vacuum sealed and packed with ice packs containing a non-toxic gel. The containers and the jars in both these services use BPA-free plastic which can be easily recycled or even rinsed and reused.
Winner: HelloFresh and Purple Carrot win the Packaging of Meal kit segment.
Customer Support: HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot
Feature | HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Chat support | + | + |
Email support | – | + |
Phone support | + | + |
Availability | All days of the week | Monday-Friday |
The customer support of HelloFresh can be reached best through the live chat feature. In addition to the live chat, HelloFresh also offers phone support. This can be reached at any time of the day and operates throughout the week. HelloFresh is also available on several social media platforms and can be reached out through those as well.
In Purple Carrot, the customer support can be reached through several methods. There is the live chat feature as well as email support available in Purple Carrot. Furthermore, phone support is also available throughout the day. However the customer support of Purple Carrot is only available from Monday to Friday.
Winner: HelloFresh wins the Customer Support segment.
Sample Meals: HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot
Sample | HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Sample 1 | Name: Hearty Steak and PotatoesPreparation time: 40 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Charred Broccoli Tacos with Garlicky Black Beans & Roasted Pepper ChimichurriPreparation time: 45 minsSpice level: MediumNo. of calories: 640 calories |
Sample 2 | Name: Winner Winner Chicken Orzo DinnerPreparation time: 30 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Tofu Palak PaneerPreparation time: 40 minsSpice level: MediumNo. of calories: 650 calories |
Sample 3 | Name: Ginger Beef Stir-FryPreparation time: 30 minsSpice level: MediumDifficulty: Easy | Name: Creamy Pasta PrimaveraPreparation time: 30 minsSpice level: MildNo. of calories: 430 calories |
HelloFresh’s recipes are inspired from a number of international cuisines and therefore the menu is never going to get boring for the users of this meal kit delivery service. HelloFresh offers not only simple weeknight dinners, but even gourmet dishes which can be pretty awesome for special occasions.
Purple Carrot is completely plant-based. At the same time, the recipes in Purple Carrot are delicious to try even if they do not contain any meat. And therefore, this meal kit delivery service is a great option for those who are just starting out on a plant-based journey. Most of the recipes in Purple Carrot can be prepared in about 30 minutes with minimum difficulty.
Winner: HelloFresh wins the Sample Meals segment.
App rating: HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot
Platform | HelloFresh | Purple Carrot |
Google Play Store | 3.4 | Not available |
Apple App Store | 4.4 | Not available |
TWP Rating | 3.5/5 | 3/5 |
Final Verdict: HelloFresh wins the crown because of its variety of choices and high customer satisfaction.
HelloFresh is a highly popular meal kit delivery service and has operations in a number of countries. This meal kit delivery service brings fresh and high-quality ingredients along with recipe cards for the customer to cook with. The large number of add-on options in HelloFresh is also another reason for the high popularity of this meal kit delivery service.
Purple Carrot is one of the very few completely vegetarian and plant-based meal kit delivery services in the market today. Unlike the bland bunny food in other similar platforms, the recipes in Purple Carrot are delicious and wholesome enough to tempt even those who normally pick out any green thing on their plate.
Between HelloFresh and Purple Carrot, the former option is the winner. In HelloFresh, the customer can find meat as well as vegetarian options. There are even several recipes which completely use plant-based proteins to create healthy meals. HelloFresh is the clear winner in this face-off.
Methodology
To bring you the best reviews of each and every meal delivery service, we spoke to testers and real life users, reviewed the information provided by each service on their respective websites, carried out primary research on social media platforms and checked out the user reviews of these platforms on various social media sites. We have also used the reviews presented by current users of these services on their respective Google and Apple apps.
We are currently conducting our own internal review and we will update this page with videos and pictures of our experiences. If they differ extensively from what our external reviewers said then we will update this post so you get both points of views and can decide which service provider is more suited to your needs based on the information above.
The main types of criteria which we have used in order to assess and evaluate these meal delivery services is the simplicity of the recipes, the variety of meals in the service, the inclusiveness of diets and cuisines and even the supporting material.
In addition to these, we have also highly taken into regard the sustainability and recyclability of the packaging of these services. Lastly, we have also considered the delivery services and customer services of these platforms.
Frequently asked questions: “HelloFresh vs Purple Carrot”
Is HelloFresh vegetarian friendly?
Yes, HelloFresh is vegetarian friendly. While there are recipes which use both meat and vegetables here, there are also recipes which are fully veggie-based and use only plant-based proteins. These are not only delicious but even healthy. In this plan, the user can even find gluten-free and low-calorie vegetarian recipes.
Can I look at HelloFresh meals before buying?
Yes, you can look at HelloFresh meals before buying. As an alternative, you can also let HelloFresh do the choosing for you. To make it easier for you, you can even use the filters in the platform to search for the recipes which you need.
Does Purple Carrot offer prepared meals?
Yes, Purple Carrot offers prepared meals. In addition to meal kits which need cooking, Purple Carrot also has a number of prepared meals. These are fully-prepared and come in a chilled state to the customer. Before consumption, the customer only needs to heat the meals in a microwave oven or even on the stove top.
If you like this blogpost, please leave your comments and questions in the space below.
Other FAQs about HelloFresh that you may be interested in.
Citations
https://thewholeportion.com/recommends/HellofreshUSfood-guide/meal-kits
https://thewholeportion.com/recommends/PurpleCarrot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HelloFresh
https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/55753-66
https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/hellofresh
https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/HFG:GR
https://www.inc.com/magazine/201808/burt-helm/hellofresh.html