Sun Basket is a meal kit delivery subscription and delivers fresh, seasonal ingredients to your door each week to create three unique and delicious meals. With recipes developed by chef Justine Kelly, the food of Sun Basket focuses on organic ingredients, sustainably farmed protein, and spices from all other the world.
Check out all of our reviews of Meal Delivery Services to see every meal kit subscription box option!
Sun Basket offers two menu options: the Classic Plan (3 "inspired, farm-to-table recipes" for 2 or 4 people per week) for $11.99 per serving, and the Family Plan (2 or 4 "family friendly meals that kids will love" for 4 people per week) at $10.99 per serving. The Family Plan was co-created by Tyler Florence from Food Network!
Within each plan, there are options for vegetarians, paleo eaters, gluten-free diets, and even breakfast-lovers (Classic Plan only). According to the Sun Basket FAQs, these are the options for the Classic Plan, I will be reviewing the Mediterranean option.
Classic Menu Meal Plans:
Chef's Choice: Chef Justine's favorite recipes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Paleo: Quick, low-carb recipes designed for the Paleo diet, featuring fresh seasonal produce and sustainably sourced meats and seafood.
Lean & Clean: Gluten and Dairy-free meals, each about 550 calories per serving
Gluten Free: Inspired gluten-free recipes featuring fresh, seasonal produce, sustainably sourced meats and seafood, plus healthy gluten-free grains. Please note, Sun Basket meals are prepared in a facility that handles wheat, and while the Gluten Free meal plan follows a gluten-free diet, due to risk of cross-contamination, meals are not suitable for people with severe gluten intolerance.
Vegetarian: Delicious, meatless recipes with an emphasis on seasonal produce and nutritious plant-based proteins.
Meditteranean: Seasonal produce, lean meat, and seafood paired with whole grains, healthy fats, and fresh herbs.
Vegan: Meatless recipes with seasonal organic produce, plant-based proteins, and Sun Basket's house-made signature sauces.
Pescatarian: Organic produce combined with sustainably sourced seafood.
Regardless of the plan you choose, you can always log into your Sun Basket account and hand-pick what meals you'd like to receive. If you don't go in and curate things for yourself, Sun Basket will just choose meals for you based on your plan/preferences. Keep in mind that folks with special diets will always have more limited options. For example, there will always be at least 3 or 4 vegetarian options on the menu, but that's it—there's not a lot to go in and choose between.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is for the Sun Basket Classic Menu, Mediterranean box, three meals to serve two people, $71.94 a week.
About Sun Basket
The Subscription Box: Sun Basket
The Cost: $11.99 per meal with free shipping on your first delivery (normally $6.99)
ACTIVE DEAL: Get $90 off and 4 free gifts on first-time order of $65 or more. No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: Farm-to-table-inspired recipes and the pre-portioned, high quality, non-GMO, organic ingredients you need to make them. Some items, such as signature sauces and spice mixes, come pre-prepared for you.
Ships to: From Sun Basket:
We ship to most zip codes in the United States, excluding AK, HI, MT, and parts of NM.
Sun Basket Classic Mediterranean Menu, April 2018 Review
Every Sun Basket Menu Book has some great additional information; this month there’s a great little DIY on growing windowsill scallions from trimmed ends of scallions as well as a handy conversion chart for common measurements. I love the added information in the boxes; it really feels like they want you to develop your cooking skills and feel confident as you work in the kitchen on these recipes.
Meal #1: Braised Chicken With Mushrooms, Artichokes, and Almond-Olive Relish
Calories per serving: 490
Time to prepare according to Sun Basket: 25-40 minutes
Actual time to prepare: 40 minutes
This is the Williams Sonoma recipe for the month, and it’s a definite keeper. I invited a friend over to cook this with me, and it was so fun! This wasn’t the fastest meal of the three, but it was by no means complicated - we just poured some wine and chatted while it simmered. The most intriguing part by far was the almond-olive relish added to the dish at the end; it was briny and rich, brightened by the lemon-peel and parsley. I also really loved the sun-dried tomatoes in this; they’re one of my favorite ingredients and this dish reminded me why; they added richness and a little bit of sweetness, as well as a beautiful color to the dish.
Recipe #2: Salmon and Quinoa Bowls with Wilted Greens and Citrus Dressing
Calories per serving: 540
Time to prepare according to Sun Basket: 20 minutes
Actual time to prepare: 18 minutes
This is the fastest recipe I’ve ever made from a Sun Basket, hands-down! The best thing is that everything was prepared essentially at the same time; I was chopping and pickling the celery while both the quinoa and greens cooked, then I seared the salmon at the very end, getting this dish on the table in record time. I love the colors in this quinoa, and I was careful not to let it go for too long while cooking (scraping burnt quinoa off the bottom of a pan is the worst). When it was time, I actually cooked the kale and chickpeas in some cooking spray, rather than the oil the recipe called for, so that the kale would crisp up a bit instead of cook down. There’s nothing better than super-crispy kale! The chickpeas in this made the meal hearty, and as always, I felt the portions were more than generous - both salmon filets were huge.
Recipe #3: Chiles Rellenos with Sirloin Steak Strips, Pinto Beans, and Romesco
Calories per serving: 600
Time to prepare according to Sun Basket: 20-35 minutes
Actual time to prepare: 25 minutes
There is usually one recipe in the bunch that is absolutely stunning visually, and this month, it’s their take on chiles rellenos! This recipe had an interesting swap; instead of poblanos, they had to sub in organic red peppers in order to deliver the freshest ingredients possible. This definitely changed the dish dramatically, since the signature of chiles rellenos traditionally is the spice that particular pepper offers, but I actually worried it would be a bit too spicy, so I wasn’t too sad about this change of plans. I’ve definitely mentioned before how much I love chef Justine’s romesco sauce, and it truly never disappoints, making this dish really vibrant in both color and flavor. This came together really easily; I was careful not to overcook the steak, and I sliced the pepper in half and stuck it under the broiler instead of trying to char it. The portion on this was huge! I stuffed the pepper halves and I still have filling left over; I think it’ll be awesome over rice for lunch some day this week.
Verdict: I always love receiving my Sun Basket. I’m glad I chose some really veggie-forward recipes, like the stuffed peppers, and the salmon bowl that was brimming with kale. I always like trying new things, like the almond-olive relish, but I also find myself drawn to old favorites, like the pre-made romesco. The value of this box is definitely on par with other popular subscriptions (Plated, Blue Apron, etc), and Sun Basket has all kinds of upgrades and add-ons to completely customize the meal-making experience.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Since Sun Basket menus change weekly and you must choose them ahead of time, you won’t be able to order these dishes unless they are offered again in the future.
Coupon – Save $35 off your first box. No coupon required, just follow this link!
Value Breakdown: At $71.94 for this box, you’re paying $11.99 per meal.
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Which of these Sun Basket recipes look the best to you?
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