I enjoy cooking and years ago when I was younger, I actually thought about becoming a chef. Although my life took a different path, I do enjoy cooking, but meal planning... not so much. After a long day of work, school, volunteering, activities, and running around town, I just want to do something simple and easy when it comes to family meals. And I just dread being asked, "what's for dinner?" now that my kids are older and tend to be on the picky side.
I've considered the different meal delivery companies out there, but honestly I've been a bit hesitant to try them. My family eats primarily vegetarian and I have concerns about the quality of ingredients. Keeping a focus on plant-based, high quality foods can make it difficult to find a meal delivery company with enough options to keep us satisfied.
The author received Thistle meals and compensation for this article. All thoughts and opinions expressed are their own.
Recently I found out about a plant-based ready-to-eat meal delivery service called Thistle. I wondered if this could be the answer to some of my family meal-time challenges? I was so excited to find out that I'm in their local delivery zone, and couldn't wait to sign up. I took a peek at their website and was amazed! Everything looked so tasty, and healthy... I just had to try it! Delicious, nutritious, and better for the planet... what more could I ask for?
 B. Gutell |
Thistle is a subscription meal plan service with a mission to make eating nutritious, plant-based foods incredibly convenient and accessible by delivering ready-to-eat, gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-forward meals right to your doorstep.
Offerings include Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, Dinner, Juices, and Wellness Shots. Some meals offer a protein choice of meat or vegan and ingredients are locally sourced and organic whenever possible.
I love that they deliver right to my door and I'm not tied to any set plan. Once you choose how many meals you want, you will have the option to customize items from the weekly menu. Flexible to your lifestyle, you can adjust, pause or cancel anytime. Get $120 off your first 4 weeks!
 B. Gutell |
Let's not even talk about all the money I spend at the grocery store, only to hear days later "we have nothing to eat." I'm sure you can relate. It's for this reason I was so thrilled to try out Thistle ready-to-eat meals. Choosing the vegan protein option makes these the perfect fit for my family's needs.
One of my many passions is doing my part for the planet and teaching my children to do the same. I'm thinking about less food waste, locally-grown planet-friendly foods that are not only nutritious, but give me peace of mind, and a little less meal-time stress – all reasons I was eager to try Thistle. Win-win.
Get $120 off your first 4 weeks!
Anticipating the arrival of my order, I received a text message alerting me that my order was on it's way, and then again after it was delivered. Of course I didn't need the second text because like a little kid waiting for a delivery, I peeked outside every five minutes till my order arrived. I was not disappointed. Everything was nice and cold, packed with ice packs, so don't worry if you don't bring it inside the moment it arrives. Thank you to the Thistle team for that.
 B. Gutell |
What did we get?
- Tahini-Java Smoothie Bowl
- Kale & Quinoa Caesar
- Persephone's Salad with Herb Garbanzo Beans
- Banh Mi Salad Bowl with Sesame Baked Tofu
- Red Thai Curry with Garlic Baked Tofu
- Almond Cherry Moringa Fudge
- Rooted Orange Juice
- Vibrant Veggie Juice
- Probiotic Shot
- Glow Shot
Each meal item is meant to serve one, but there is no reason why you can't share – that's what we did.
 B. Gutell |
We enjoyed everything that came with our delivery, and would order all these items again. The juices and shots were a big hit too – I would order extras next time.
So often we are in a hurry or distracted when we eat, and we don't always take the time to savor our meals. It's definitely worth taking a few extra minutes to appreciate the flavor in this case. One of the first things I tried was super yummy, it was the Tahini-Java Smoothie Bowl – the flavor reminded me of chocolate halavah. The glow shot was another one of my favorites, it was remarkably lemony.
My oldest mentioned he liked the texture of the food and my youngest loved the juices and the shots. My hubby said everything was good and he would order again.
I love that everything is ready-to-eat, so no cooking, prep work, or even dishes required. One of our items did suggest heating in a skillet for a few minutes, so we did, or actually my teen did. I envision how these also could be convenient to grab and take for a day out, maybe a picnic or even to the office or school for lunch.
These globally inspired meals are a great way for me to introduce my family to new tastes without all the work. I can't tell you how many times I needed a special ingredient for a recipe that I ended up using only once. With a different menu offered each week, it's more variety than we are used to, and that's a good thing. I have a teenager who more recently has been interested in trying new foods, so this was perfect timing. Between being busy and the creative part of my brain that seems have left on vacation, we tend to have the same handful of meals over and over every week. It was refreshing to try some new meals.
 B. Gutell |
Some of the things I loved about Thistle:
- Convenient
- High quality
- Delicious and tasty
- Ready-to-eat
- Juices and shots
- Nutritionally designed
- Kids can serve themselves
- Problem solver
- Globally inspired meals
- Planet-Friendly
I love so many things about Thistle. I know it may sound corny, but these meals check all the boxes for me, with a positive impact on my body, my schedule, my mind, my wallet, and the environment. Everything is ready-to-eat and always fresh, delivered straight to my door. There are just so many times I am at a loss when it comes to mealtime and Thistle fills in the gaps for me.
The no hassle subscription with the ability to adjust, pause, or cancel my plan at any time fits perfectly into our life. I especially love that their expert chefs and nutritionists plan these meals with the ideal blend of vitamins and nutrients to help me feel full, energized, and mentally sharp – and they taste good too. Get $120 off your first 4 weeks!
 B. Gutell |
Thistle helps my family solve one of our biggest daily challenges, "what's for dinner." These meals are super easy, delicious, nutritious, and planet forward with globally inspired flavor. Creating less food waste means easier on my mind and my budget. Don't forget, you can get $120 off your first 4 weeks!
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Brenna Gutell is the publisher of Macaroni KID Conejo Valley - Malibu - Calabasas
