This information rich blogpost compares Sunbasket and CookUnity by looking at the unique features which are present in these two platforms. Sunbasket is a meal kit delivery service that brings meal kits full of healthy and useful ingredients to customers. On the other side, we have CookUnity which aims to deliver signature dishes from talented chefs.
In the end, we will give you our opinions on which of these two may be the better choice based on first-hand experiences.
Sunbasket vs CookUnity
The table below will show you the various features which are present in Sunbasket as well as those in CookUnity. Through the information presented in the following table, you will be able to find the meal delivery service which works for you, and get to know how you can get the best out of the platform you choose.
| Feature | Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Delivery areas | 98% of the United States aside from Alaska & Hawaii | Most regions of the United States |
| Price range | $10.99 to $13.99 per serving | $54.00 to $132 per week |
| Price per plate | $11.49 per plate | $10.99 per plate |
| Difficulty levels | Easy,Intermediate,Expert | Easy |
| Avg. cooking time | Up to 50 minutes | No cooking required |
| Avg. calorie count | 650 calories per serving | 300 – 800 calories per serving |
| Supporting material | Meal description,Nutritional fact,Recipe cards | Meal description,Heating instructions |
| Recipes supported | Soy-free,Gluten-free,Protein plus,Vegetarian,Calorie-conscious | Seafood,Vegetarian,Poultry,Meat,Vegan,Dairy-free,Gluten-free,Low-carb,Low-sodium,Keto,Paleo |
| No. of choices | 17 per week | 16 per week |
| Introductory deal | $90 off + 1 free gift | 50% off on first week |
| Avg. shelf life | 5 days for meat,3 days for seafood | 5-7 days in fridge |
Types of Plans: Sunbasket vs CookUnity
| Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Fresh & Ready Meal plan $9.99 – $17.99 per meal + shipping charges,Serves 1,Only needs to be heated | Four meals per week $13.49 per meal,$54.00 per week |
| Quick & Easy plan $12 – $18 per serving + shipping charges,Prepared in 10 minutes,Require only a single plan | Six meals per week $11.99 per meal, $72.00 per week |
| Lean & Clean $12 – $18 per serving + shipping charges,Calorie-conscious meals,Contains lean meat and seafood | Eight meals per week $11.49 per meal, $92.00 per week |
| 12 meals per week $10.99 per meal, $132 per week | |
| 16 meals per week $10.49 per meal, $168 per week |
Sunbasket offers a number of plans for its customers to choose from. The plans in this meal kit delivery service cover standard meal kits in addition to Quick and Easy meal kits which can be cooked in less than 30 minutes. There are also several Fresh and Ready meals in Sunbasket which come fully prepared and only need to be heated for a bit.
CookUnity also has several choices for customers to opt from. The plans include various numbers of servings which the customer requires for every week. The recipes in CookUnity cover a range of cuisines from various parts of the country for those who want comfort foods as well as new options to try.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Types of Plans segment.
Types of Ingredients: Sunbasket vs CookUnity
| Ingredient type | Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Produce | Organic fresh produce,Seasonal ingredients | Farm-fresh produce,Private chef gardens |
| Meat, eggs, fish | Antibiotic-free, Hormone-free,Sustainably-sourced seafood | Antibiotic-free,Hormone-free,Sustainably-sourced seafood |
| Other ingredients | Seasonings,Marinades,Spice rubs,Sauces | Seasonings,Spice rubs,Sauces |
Sunbasket uses only the best ingredients when it creates its meal kits for the customer. The ingredients here are organic and farm-fresh. This meal kit delivery service also emphasizes on using seasonal ingredients to bring more freshness and taste to the customer. The meat and poultry in Sunbasket is antibiotic-free and hormone-free.
CookUnity also uses very top-quality products to create its meals. Since the meals are created by chefs who tie up with the meal delivery service, the produce is also sourced from many of the chefs. However, organic ingredients are not always sourced in CookUnity and this can be a letdown for many customers.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Types of Ingredients segment.
Add-Ons: Sunbasket vs CookUnity
| Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Grocery items,Breakfast,Lunch,Snacks | Additional meals |
Customers can create several add-ons to their meal kits in Sunbasket. The add-ons in Sunbasket range from breakfast options, lunch options and even healthy and tasty snacks. Furthermore, Sunbasket also has a number of grocery items for customers to add to their meal kits. The grocery items can remove the need for household shopping for the customer.
CookUnity does not have any such add-on feature. The add-ons only include extra or additional meals which can be added to the cart. In this meal delivery platform, the customer can choose the recipes they want and include more if they need to. This can also be a disadvantage for many customers.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Add-ons segment.
Packaging of Meal kit: Sunbasket vs CookUnity
| Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Box,Paper insulation,Bags,Denim insulation,Ice packs,Fiber trays and sleeves,Recipe cards,Egg containers | Paper bags,Insulated reusable bags,Cardboard box,Insulation,Meal container |
| Fully recyclable | Fully recyclable |
When it comes to the packaging, both Sunbasket and CookUnity take this concept very seriously. The packaging of the meal kits in Sunbasket consists of recycled cardboard and comes insulated using denim. The plastic containers in the meal kits are made up of BPA-free plastic, which can be easily recycled curbside.
CookUnity also uses very recyclable containers for its packaging. The insulated reusable bags in the CookUnity meal boxes can be easily reused by the customer. One great thing about CookUnity is that it picks up the reusable bag every week and brings the meals in a new one for the customer, thus increasing the chances of reuse and recyclability.
Winner: CookUnity wins the Packaging of Meal kits segment.
Customer Support: Sunbasket vs CookUnity
| Feature | Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Chat support | + | + |
| Email support | + | + |
| Phone support | + | – |
| Availability | All days of the week | All days of the week |
Sunbasket allows its customers to contact the support team of the platform through live chat, email support and even phone support. The live chat on the website is the easiest way to reach the customer support. The phone support in Sunbasket is also another way to go, and is available throughout all days of the week.
CookUnity also has several ways through which customers can reach out for assistance or guidance. There is a chat feature here while customers can also reach out through texts or emails. However, one disadvantage of the customer support in CookUnity is that there is no phone support here.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Customer Support segment.
Sample Meals: Sunbasket vs CookUnity
| Sample | Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Sample 1 | Name: Black Angus rib-eyes with romesco and artichoke-olive saladPreparation time: 15 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Gorgonzola Mac and Cheese with PancettaChef name: Chris RatelNo. of calories: 700 caloriesCookUnity rating: 4.0 stars |
| Sample 2 | Name: Vietnamese shaking beefPreparation time: 25-35 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Black Angus TacosChef name: Pat LaFriedaNo. of calories: 680 caloriesCookUnity rating: 4.5 stars |
| Sample 3 | Name: Seared pork with blueberry-apricot sauce and sautéed greensPreparation time: 20 minsSpice level: MildDifficulty: Easy | Name: Spicy Yemenite Shrimp Curry with Jasmine Rice, Fresh Snap Peas and Blistered JalapenoNo. of calories: 480 caloriesCookUnity rating: 4.6 stars |
Sunbasket meals cover a number of recipes and even attend to specific dietary requirements that customers may have. The recipes in Sunbasket can be prepared within 35 minutes. There are also quick cooking meals which can be prepared in an even shorter span of time. Furthermore, there are various difficulty levels for various types of cooks to choose from.
CookUnity also has great recipes for customers to choose from. The great thing about these recipes is that they are created by chefs and therefore, the customer is assured of taste and quality. The customers can also leave ratings and reviews of the recipes to help others in their choosing process.
Winner: Sunbasket wins the Sample Meals segment.
App rating: Sunbasket vs CookUnity
| Platform | Sunbasket | CookUnity |
| Google Play Store | 4.5 | Not available |
| Apple App Store | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| TWP Rating | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
Final Verdict: The winner of this showdown is Sunbasket since it has more choices and meets customer needs very well.
Sunbasket is the main choice for many customers when it comes to meal kits due to the various choices of recipes available here. The customer satisfaction of Sunbasket is very high mainly due to the use of high-quality ingredients and excellent seasonings and marinades. Sunbasket not only serves the different dietary needs of customers but even their different taste preferences.
CookUnity became very attractive since the recipes are created by real chefs who can get immediate feedback from the customers. The recipes in CookUnity use amazing ingredients, sometimes even those from the chef’s private gardens. The meals in CookUnity are cooked with more care since each rating can affect the chef’s business.
When it comes to these two platforms, Sunbasket is the best choice since there is a variety of recipes and choices here. Sunbasket also uses organic and safe ingredients which are superb to eat on a long-term basis. The customer support and the user interface of this meal kit delivery service is sensible and smooth enough for even those who are not so tech-savvy.
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 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: “Sunbasket vs CookUnity”
Is Sunbasket ethical?
Yes, Sunbasket is ethical. The ingredients in Sunbasket meal kits and the meals are organic and come from sustainable sources. This not only includes the produce, but even the meat, poultry, seafood and also the dairy products. To ensure this throughout the year, Sunbasket ties up with local vendors who adhere to sustainable farming practices.
Can you microwave CookUnity?
Yes, you can microwave CookUnity. The meals in CookUnity are fully prepared and come in a microwaveable tray. They can also be heated up in the oven and also on the stove top as per the customer’s preferences.
Who started CookUnity?
Mateo Marietti started CookUnity with the aim of bringing healthy and fresh meals to busy folk. Another aim of CookUnity was to help chefs connect with customers who would buy their food directly, instead of having a middleman eating up the profit.
If you like this blogpost, please leave your comments and questions below.
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