Splendid Spoon Meal Delivery Review: Is it worth it?

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has played a significant role in the expansion of online meal delivery services. The variety, quality, and service of these meal delivery services have improved a lot since the start of the pandemic.

Many of you may remember Blue Apron was fluently alive a few years ago, as well as HelloFresh. Now, the vegan community can join hands in celebration of new plant-based meal subscription services designed for a healthy and convenient way of eating.

Unlike most reviews out there, Splendid Spoon did not contact me, nor did they send me a free box of goodies to try in exchange for a written research paper or video. What I did do, however, is purchase Splendid Spoon myself. In addition, I bought a few other 100% vegan meal delivery services just to see how good each one was. That's what we do here at GLAM-Vegan!

Related Reading: Splendid Spoon vs Daily Harvest

So, in honor of the admirable taste test (a lost art), this is my honest experience with Splendid Spoon Meal Delivery.

My Detailed Splendid Spoon Review

Splendid Spoon is a subscription meal delivery service focusing on serving a very specific demographic. Just like their website states, “Only clean, delicious meals make it to your table.”

Splendid Spoon offers meals that are plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, GMO-free, soy-free, and low in sugar and sodium. Not to mention they are ready-to-eat delivered meals and are widely recognized for their ever-so-popular pre-made smoothies.

According to their website, Splendid Spoon focuses on physical health through food. Each meal is prepared and designed to be quick, fulfilling nutrient-dense (high in nutrients, but low in calories), and plant-based!

Most importantly, Splendid Spoon is notorious for being so flexible when choosing real foods and meals. They possess renowned recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Seriously, what more can you ask for as a customer when it comes to a meal delivery service?

Choose from brown rice to white bean soup, and their famous noodle dish bowls to their powerful wellness shots. There are thousands of positive customer reviews, as well as nationally recognized influencers that may have brought you here. But, is their food delicious and healthy? Are Splendid Spoon's grain bowls, smoothies, dinner, black bean bowl, and kabocha congee as good as everyone says?

Cost And Where To Buy

It's nice to see brands that have their own official website where everything is legitimate, looks good and it's easy to order. First, you start with a plan. There are currently three different plans to choose from. Here's a table that shows what they offer on their official website:

Meal Plan	Food Included	Weekly Delivery	Pricing
The Breakfast Plan	5 Smoothies	✔️	$13 per meal, $65 Total
The Breakfast + Lunch Plan (NEW)	5 Smoothies and 5 ready-made bowls	✔️	$9.50 per meal, $95 total
The Breakfast, Lunch +1 Day Soup Reset Plan	5 Smoothies, 5 bowls, 1 full-day reset	✔️	$9.00 per meal, $135 total
The Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner +1 Dat Soup Reset Plan	5 Smoothies, 5 bowls, 5 noodle bowls, 1 full-day reset	✔️	$9.25 per meal, $185 total

Smoothie flavors include:

• Coffee Frappé (with coconut cream & maca)
• Coconut lime (with avocado & spirulina)
• Strawberry Chocolate (with pea protein & vanilla)
• Mango Guava (with camu camu & lime juice)
• Mint Chip (with cacao nibs & almond butter)
• Dragon Fruit Berry (with pineapple juice & chia seeds)
• Blueberry Coconut (with acai & cinnamon)
• Strawberry Goji (with cashew butter & baobab powder)
• Green Matcha (with avocado & spirulina)
• Cacao Almond (with baobab & cacao)
• Power Greens (with wheatgrass & hemp seeds)
• And, many more!

Bowls alternate between soups and grain bowls from various different cuisines. Here are some examples of bowls:

• Kabocha Congee
• Black Bean Bowl
• Lemon Wild Rice & Broccoli
• Brown Rice Taco
• Garden Minestrone
• Mexican Tomato Chili
• Moroccan Lentil
• And, so many more!

The “reset” bowls consist of 5 Light soups that are designed to reset your digestive system in 1 day. Splendid Spoon refers to this as a day of self-care. The 5 Light soups are:

1. Pumpkin Pear Bisque
2. Cauliflower Potato Chowder
3. Butternut Turmeric Soup
4. Fennel Consommé
5. Parsnip Apple Puree

Lastly, there are 3 available “wellness shots” that are designed to boost your immune system. These immune-boosting shots provide a quick dose of nutrients for busy people on the go. These are gaining massive popularity. Splendid Spoon started with two, now they are up to three, and they promise more in the future. The 3 available wellness shots are:

1. Digestion Shot (apple cider vinegar and turmeric)
2. Detox Shot (aloe and moringa)
3. Wellness Shot (ginger and lemon)
4. Recovery Shot (watermelon & cherry)
5. Immunity (elderberry & camu camu)

Why We're Covering Them

Whether you're here to find out if Splendid Spoon's meal delivery service is worth your time and money, or if you already made up your mind and want to know more about a specific food, GLAM-Vegan's got your back. We're here to make it happen and help you find out if Splendid Spoon is the right plant-based, gluten-free food brand that's convenient, tasty, and worth your hard-earned money!

We ran a Miami-based Vegetarian restaurant (GLAM-Vegan) for years, and now we're bringing our expertise and unique perspective to all that are interested in hearing our voice.

Let's get personal, shall we?

My Meal Delivery Experience

My experience begins at the start of everything – the delivery. After all, Splendid Spoon Meal Delivery is a delivery food service for all the folks who support green living, so let's start there.

After ordering on their website, which was super simple, I was excited to see that shipping was going to be just a few days.

Three days went by, and, as I was about to cook something for supper (boring), our doorbell rang. Could it be? My Splendid Spoon food?

I had two initial thoughts that I'd like to share – First (and this was a first), a plant-based meal subscription service that delivers on time. And, second, I thought Yay! I don't have to cook dinner tonight! That's why I ordered Splendid Spoon in the first place!

I opened the front door and sure enough, it was the delivery person. The box was large, but also lightweight. Here's the entire box so you can get a good feel for how big it is.

Using a kitchen knife, I cut the tape and went to pull out the food from Splendid Spoon. On the inside, the box is refrigerated with dry ice and insulation, so it's best to take it out and put it in your refrigerator immediately. Side note, my box had no dry ice remaining, but all food was surprisingly cold so I had zero concerns about the food being spoiled.

Being green lovers, we also like to keep the environment safe and friendly, and everything in this box is 100% recyclable, including paper-based insulation.

As with many subscription meal services, there are common complaints about food being delivered spoiled, broken, opened, damaged, and even inedible. I can tell you first hand, this is not the case with Splendid Spoon. Kudos to their quality control department.

From left to right, here's what we received in my Splendid Spoon package:

Smoothies:

• Mango Guava
• Blueberry Coconut
• Mint Chip
• Dragon Fruit Berry
• Strawberry Goji

Soups and Grain Bowls

• Green Goddess
• Brown Rice Taco
• Cuban Black Bean
• Aloo Gobi Quinoa
• Coconut Curry Rice

I took a closeup of the packaging for one of the bowls, check it out below:

Notice how the ingredients are very real, mostly fresh grains, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Splendid Spoon does it right when it comes to ingredients – extremely high quality.

Likewise, the nutritional information (see image above) is also centered around health. There are no added trans fats or sugars. In addition, it's very low in sodium, cholesterol, and fat. Without question, Splendid Spoon is providing a healthy option for each of us. The 340 calories total (2 serving sizes per bowl) is the perfect amount for lunch, just as advertised.

Smoothies

Overall, the smoothie portion size you get in a single bottle is a lot! They are very filling and often I didn't finish a single bottle in one sitting, storing half or more in the fridge for the next day.

If you're wondering how long they're good for, Splendid Spoon's smoothies last in the fridge for one (1) week and in the freezer for one (1) month. So, saving your smoothies for later, if you don't finish the whole thing, is safe.

In terms of taste, it's important to contextually understand that their smoothies (and bowls) are designed to be healthy. That said, you won't be finding the outrageous amount of added sugar that you see at Smoothie King or Tropical Smoothie. You'll receive healthy smoothie ingredients pre-blended to supply you with the necessary nutrients in the fastest way possible.

If you want to eat the healthiest, you're going to have to re-assess what your idea of “sweet” is. For those who have been drinking sugary drinks, or eating foods with lots of added sugar, then these smoothies will NOT taste “sweet” to you. There will be an acclimation period and you'll need to develop an acquired taste. But, the payoff is indeed worth it.

Splendid times call for splendid measures, so here are my thoughts on each of the five smoothies I received:

Mango Guava

This smoothie was fruity and refreshing, and also had a spec of lime that you can taste. You can tell by the taste it is high in fiber, low in fat and low in calories. The consistency was near perfect – not too watery and flavorful. The mix of ingredients like mango, lime, and banana made a flavor between sweet and sour (but sweeter). This was my favorite smoothie.

Blueberry Coconut

I'm a big fan of all things coconut, so I was excited to try this smoothie. Some people complain about this flavor, but let me tell you – if you like coconut, you'll love this smoothie. The cooks nailed the consistency on this one. It was tasty and I liked it a lot. The only knock I have on it was that it was a tad bitter.

Mint Chip

This smoothie was probably my second favorite of the five. The flavor was really good and the smoothie was extra filling. Great consistency and you could really taste the mint.

Dragon Fruit Berry

I've grown fond of Dragon Fruit recently, so I was extra “juiced” up to take a sip of this smoothie. It did not disappoint, everything about it was right on point. I felt healthier after drinking the whole thing. The taste was a mix between sweet and salty, mainly because of the ingredient avocado.

Strawberry Goji

This was another one of my favorites, as it had just the right balance of sweetness and thickness. I love a thick smoothie and that's what this was. The combination of strawberries and goji flavors was a match made in heaven.

Related Article: Splendid Spoon Smoothies

Grain Bowls

Talk about the perfect size for lunch! These grain bowls are just enough to get you really satisfied, but at the same time not too much where you felt like you overate. These grain bowls have a plethora of fiber and nutrients, which help keep you full until the next big meal.

If you browse the selection, you'll be quite impressed. Choose from nearly any type of cuisine you can think of for every nationality. They have Indian, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Moroccan, and even more. Head on over, and shop their website right now to check it out.

Here's the skinny on the five bowls (some also refer to them as soups grain bowls) that I ate:

Brown Rice Taco

If you like Mexican, you'll love this bowl. Before I purchased my package, I read some online reviews and this bowl seemed to be a fan favorite. Now I understand why. The ingredients are made for a fresh-tasting lunch, carrying a strong flavor. Side note, I added cheddar cheese and tortilla chips (why not when you're eating Mexican). Overall, this bowl was similar to the Cuban, which I'll cover next.

Cuban Black Bean

The fact that something like this can be considered a gluten-free meal sometimes blows my mind. It's a perfect lunch and just like all the other recipes, they nailed this one too. I popped it in the microwave and when it came out it was ready to eat. It was a little bit hot but was delicious. It's packed with protein and grains, which is filling. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't spicy.

Aloo Gobi Quinoa

My initial reaction after eating this one was different but in a good way. It's Indian comfort food, which I wasn't particularly used to. The ingredients were blended masterfully as I tasted quinoa, carrots, and red peppers on every bite.

Coconut Curry Rice

This was an excellent lunch and I wish I could have two of these per week, to be honest. The ingredients are packed with fiber and grains. So filling, and, if you like coconut, you have a high chance you'll love this one.

Some Questions I Had Before Ordering, and Answered After Eating

Do You Lose Weight With Splendid Spoon?

For anyone paying attention to the scale, I usually lose between two and four pounds after a week of cognizant eating and Splendid Spoon meals. After a successful week of eating Splendid Spoon's meals with proven weight loss results, it will motivate you to keep going. I find myself consistently making healthy choices throughout the week. As a matter of fact, research studies (1, 2, 3) show that adhering to a plant-based diet is strongly related to increased weight loss and fat loss.

Is Splendid Spoon Healthy?

Splendid Spoon meals are filled with fiber, protein, and healthy ingredients that are good for your body. They are plant-based and overflowing with seasonal vegetables, legumes, healthy fats, antioxidant foods, and whole grains. The US National Library of Medicine conducted a research study that showed that adding dietary whole grains in your meals has major health benefits, such as a therapeutic agent in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity. This makes any Splendid Spoon meal, like the light soup and ready-to-eat smoothies, for example, a very healthy choice, backed by scientific research.

Is Splendid Spoon Worth The Expensive Cost?

After eating 3 months' worth of eating these meals, I can attest that Splendid Spoon is 100% worth the hefty price tag all because you're paying for convenience, plus they taste good if you like plant-based food. Splendid Spoon delivers ready-made organic meals that not only promote healthy eating but are also a total lifesaver if you're pressed for time cooking food. Their soup and grain bowls offer 460 calories, which is a great amount for lunch, and their breakfast smoothies fill you up fast (sometimes I only need half of the smoothie, which makes it worth the price point).

Does Splendid Spoon Taste Good?

Splendid Spoon Meal Delivery is the apex of convenience, with a variety of tasty food and flavors. The only drawback with all heat-and-eat services is that there aren't any fresh, raw veggies or fruits, and some meals take a hit as a result. That said, I find eating Splendid Spoon's meals delightful, and yummy and I'm always wanting more the next day.

Real Customer Reviews

After reading many customer reviews from trusted sources online, the main takeaway from everyone is how great the convenience factor is and how much food you get. People really appreciate the 460 calories in the Splendid Spoon grain bowls (basically lunch bowls), and the fact that they are pretty much guaranteed to eat a healthy meal anytime they order from them.

One particular customer mentioned how good their coconut curry rice bowl and their creamy butternut squash noodles were. This particular reviewer inspired me recently as I went ahead and put in another order to try those out – after eating, I can say wholeheartedly that yes, this customer was dead nuts right?

Final Verdict: Is it worth the money?

If you're someone who is pressed for time cooking meals and you want fresh, plant-based meals delivered right to your home with little to no effort required, then Splendid Spoon is a great option for you. It may also be a good option for those thinking of transitioning to a vegan or plant-based diet, or for those looking to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in their daily diet.

For breakfast and lunch, the bowls are really good and the smoothies are excellent. This service is a lifesaver for me. As a busy person that's short on time, I can now have ready-made meals on the go. If you're someone who values plant-based, healthy, nutritious meals that are convenient and delivered to your doorstep each week, this is the program for you.

It's a great brand and I'm excited to have tried them here at GLAM! They totally make my life easier and stress-free.

Trusted Sources Used in Creating This Article:

1. Effect of Plant-Based Diets on Weight Status by the US National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7533223/
2. A Plant-Based Diet for Overweight and Obesity Prevention by the US National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466943/
3. Plant-Based No Added Fat or American Hear Association Diets by the US National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4380801/