For once, I decided to do a bit of online trawling. You know, ogle a few pictures and see what folk are up to – general Instagram scrolling. Little did I know though, that trawl would cost me £40. Now, before you get all scared about data protection lark, know this was entirely my choice. Amongst the plethora of rubbish that ran through my feed, a heavenly video shone its way into my eyes, and it was too beautiful to ignore. It was a video of a divine looking risotto, spilling creamy colours and verdant vegetables on a plate, just asking to be eaten. It was making my mouth water. I simply had to have it.

I bought it.

(To watch 10 seconds of said vegan food porn click here)

You’re probably already hooked too, right? Not surprising really – that video alone sells it. Whoever thought vegan nosh could look so damn good?! Now, for some even better news than just taste alone…

Founders of this tasty company, brothers JP and Alex, follow a simple ethos.

The food they make must be:

• Super delicious (yup)
• Always nourishing (you should see the nutrition sheets!)
• Ever planet-positive (100000%)

The bracketed statements are mine, by the way. Just in case you hadn’t guessed.

As if this idea wasn’t amazing enough already, knowing that these frozen ready meals are super-healthy, that they will save me time in my busy schedule, are good for the planet and also will reduce my carbon footprint, is a complete win-win!

To read more of their story, then you can head to their website by clicking here.

(On the left: JP + Alex, brothers and founders of allplants. On the right: Lasagne Al Noci – this meaty-looking, indulgent treat is 100% plant-powered using a delicious blend of crushed walnuts, seared courgette + carrot chunks, alongside a sweet passata, all the herbs you’d expect, and one secret ingredient)

If you’re anything like I was, by this point I was on their website, selecting 6 of the most delectable looking my meals, ready for PayPal to take my money. Obviously, I went for the risotto, but I did have a good deliberation over the rest as well. As it’s not super cheap for a single lady (£6.75 per serving for one, £4.99 per serving for two) I decided to go for a one-off box and see if expectation met reality. And it was all pretty easy. Two days after ordering, it was on my doorstep. An email with an attached picture of my box was sent to me to show that it had arrived safely whilst I was out. This was during the crazy British heatwave, so I did worry it would all turn to veggie slush, but thankfully, they insert each box with ice packs, so that fear was dodged. Anyway, I got back home from work full of excitement, I was so looking forward to indulging in one for my lunch! Before I could though, I was overwhelmed with how much care had been taken to send out my order. Aside from all the recyclable and reusable packaging (which I sent back via collect + so they could use it again, and save some more of my carbon footprint too), it was just so well-presented. Everything was a lovingly wrapped and placed, and there was even a personalised note inside my box! (See pic below) It was a great start. Therefore, I expected nothing less than for it to get even better. So, here I am, after indulging in all 6 of my choices, about to give you the lowdown. Forks at the ready? It’s time to dig in!

 

Meal 1 – Yasai Yaki Udon

Expectation ⇒  

Reality ⇓

Okay, so it’s possible that my phone is not very complimentary on the lighting front. Either that or the boys had a hoot with the Insta filters. But, either way, it was good! I had high hopes for this meal because my favourite vegan Japanese meal is that lush Ramen at Wagamamas, but I suppose, in hindsight, I shouldn’t have compared. This meal tastes COMPLETELY different. One, because of the orange teriyaki sauce, which for me, isn’t my favourite taste. Don’t get me wrong, the meal was tasty and well-balanced, but it wasn’t what I’d hoped for. I felt that the sweet sauce reduced my liking for it and it would have been better off with something more savoury to compliment the meal. Also, I wanted more aubergine! I love aubergine and was sad that I only found 4 chunks. Nevertheless, my hopes weren’t completely dashed and I still had faith that my other meals would be awesome. But sadly, for me, this wasn’t my favourite. Sorry, guys!

Out of ten?

Taste 6/10

Nutrition 6/10

Fullness Factor 6/10

Meal 2 – Super Green Risotto

Expectation ⇒

Reality ⇓

My phone blatantly hates colours. Although, from recollection, I don’t think that this was too far off reality. Bearing in mind I ate most of these meals in the evening (thus, it was pretty dark) which may have contributed to the not-so-pretty appearance of the dishes. Anyway, after seeing this meal first and foremost, I was pretty eager to try it. It seemed pretty nutritional already (offering 76% of my daily omega-3 and 30% of protein) so I didn’t feel the need to pair it with anything more than some of Popeye’s favourite treat – spinach. As I dug in, I was pleasantly surprised. It had a lovely crunch and minty taste to it. The risotto was creamy too – which was pretty surprising considering there was no cheese to accompany it. I didn’t want this meal to end. My faith was restored once again. Huzzah! Does it compare to a traditional creamy risotto? No – it was better! Much lighter and healthier. I’d love to have this one again.

Out of ten?

Taste 8/10

Nutrition 8/10

Fullness Factor 7/10

Meal 3 – Polpette Orzo

Expectation ⇒

Reality ⇓

This one was by far my favourite! I can’t tell you how delicious it was. The Mediterranean flavours were on point, the combined textures were beautiful and the balance of ingredients was Bellissimo – mwah! Nutritionally, this dish is super high in the hero antioxidant, vitamin C (106% of your RDA, if you will) and is also rich in iron, fibre and protein (all between 30-42%) So, apart from being mouth-watering, this will definitely keep your body in tip-top condition. Good work, boys!

Out of ten?

Taste 10/10

Nutrition 9/10

Fullness Factor 9/10

Meal 4 – Moussaka

Expectation ⇒

Reality ⇓

Aubergine was calling my name once again, so it didn’t take long for me to select this beauty. I even decided to fancy it up a bit and stir-fry some butternut squash in garlic and herbs to go alongside it. The only downside was that I couldn’t microwave this one, so I had to be patient for the oven to cook it to a golden crisp. But once it was ready and on my plate, oh, you should have heard the amount of ooh-ing and ahh-ing that went on that night. Man, it was GORGEOUS! Every bite was a taste sensation. I’d probably even go as far as saying that it was my favourite ever moussaka (and I’ve had a lot of moussakas!) One of the most incredible parts is the bechamel sauce made using polenta and oats – who’d have thought that such a creamy result would be possible? Well, I can tell you it is and it’s amazing. I’d turn away the dairy option for this one every time. I hear winner, winner, moussaka dinner!

Out of ten?

Taste 10/10

Nutrition 9/10

Fullness Factor 9/10

Meal 5 – Hearty Roots Stew

Expectation ⇒

Reality ⇓

It’d been a long day, so the presentation wasn’t key for me. Looking at the packet, I reckon the allplants chefs had done a good enough job of keeping it nutritionally balanced and jam-packed with taste, anyway. So, I placed the contents into a bowl and let the meal do the rest. Incredibly, it did just that. This meal is like a forager’s dream. Cook it, pour it, spoon it – done. And the whole thing was brilliantly flavourful! It’s not quite as vitamin and mineral-rich as the other meals, but it’s still a great source and is nut-free too. This really is all plants!

Out of ten?

Taste 9/10

Nutrition 7/10

Fullness Factor 8/10

Meal 6 – Wild Green Curry

Reality ⇓

Last but not least, the wild green curry! I saved this premium dish for a day when I had a long shift and knew I’d be on my feet a while as I knew it’d keep me going, and with 593 calories a portion, I wanted to make sure I used it to its full potential! I must admit that I was rather surprised to learn that it was only 30% protein, considering it contains tofu. However, once I’d made my way through all 3 chunks, I realised why. Guys, this meal is delicious, don’t get me wrong, but I could’ve done with less rice and more tofu (72g of carbs is pretty hefty!) However, it does make up for tofu’s absence by offering 99% of your RDA of vitamin C, which is pretty great. The taste is good as well. The sauce is thick and delicately spiced, beautifully fragrant too. A sensation for the eyes, nose and tongue all in one! I loved the mix of veg too, it was a perfect blend. Again, I didn’t want it to end.

Out of ten?

Taste 9/10

Nutrition 7/10

Fullness Factor 10/10 

(UPDATE! This dish appears to no longer be available – hence why there’s no comparison pic – but a good alternative to this is the Kerlan Sundown, which you’ll find on here)

So, there you have it. 6 tasty and wholesome vegan meals prepared by chefs and delivered straight to your doorstep! Plant-life made easy. Would I buy it again? Totally! There’s a cashew nut macaroni dish on their site calling my name. However, more dishes would need to be added to make me a regular buyer, as there are currently only 18 (now 24) to choose from. So, after 3 deliveries, I’d have tried them all, and not all 18 are guaranteed to be to my liking either. Gotta take it all into account! But yes, all in all, it was a really great experience and I can say that vegan food is far from bland when it’s cooked like this. One thing’s for sure, it’s made me want to be more adventurous with my diet. If I can incorporate more plant-based meals and help save the planet then I certainly shall!

Keep up the good work, JP and Alex! Maybe bring out a dessert range one day, too? Because vegan pecan pies are like slices of heaven…Just a thought!