7 Best Purple Carrot Alternatives (2026 Tested)

Purple Carrot is one of those services you really want to stick with. The meals look great, the plant-based angle feels healthy, and on a good week, it feels like you’ve finally dialed in your routine. But then real life shows up, and suddenly those 40-minute recipes and lighter portions don’t feel so practical anymore.

That’s usually where people start looking for alternatives. Not because Purple Carrot is bad, but because it’s built for a very specific kind of eater: someone who enjoys cooking, doesn’t need a ton of protein, and actually wants plant-based meals every night.

Most of us don’t live that way. I know I don’t. When I’m training consistently, I need meals that come together fast, hit my protein needs, and don’t leave me rummaging through the fridge an hour later.

The good news is there are plenty of services that solve those exact problems. Some are better for performance and recovery, some for families, some for people who hate cooking, and some for anyone who wants healthy meals without being locked into a vegan-only box.

This guide breaks down the best Purple Carrot alternatives based on real testing. The meals that were satisfying, the ones that actually saved time, and the ones that felt sustainable on busy weeks.

Best Purple Carrot Alternative

Trifecta Nutrition

If Purple Carrot was always a little too light for you, especially after a heavy lift or long grappling session, Trifecta is the fix. It’s the one service that consistently feels like fuel rather than an experiment in creative plant-based eating.

High protein, clean ingredients, predictable macros, and zero cooking. That alone puts it in a different category.

When I tested services like CookUnity, Sunbasket, and Home Chef, I kept running into the same issue: some meals nailed the protein, others left me hungry or reaching for a snack thirty minutes later.

Purple Carrot often falls into that trap, too with tons of flavor, but protein numbers hovering around 15–20 grams. Fine for some days, but not for actual training.

With Trifecta, that problem disappears. The meals come in already portioned, and it’s normal to see 30–50+ grams of protein depending on the category.

The meals are nothing fancy, just solid, reliable macro-friendly food. And unlike the occasional dry salmon or inconsistent portions I ran into with CookUnity, Trifecta meals tend to be surprisingly steady.

You know exactly what you’re getting each time: simple lean meats, veggies, carbs, clean sauces.

Convenience is really where it wins. After spending weeks chopping, sautéing, and washing pans for other reviews, having meals I could microwave in two minutes felt like cheating.

No guessing, no tweaking recipes, no extra protein shake to “top things off.” It gave me the feeling of staying on track even on chaotic days, which, realistically, is most days when you’re juggling training, work, and kids.

Trifecta isn’t trying to impress you with restaurant-level cooking. It’s trying to make hitting your nutrition stupidly easy. And for anyone who felt Purple Carrot didn’t quite keep up with appetite or training demands, this is the most natural upgrade.

My Trifecta review goes into detail about my experience eating this meal delivery service.

Pros

• Fully prepared — no cooking, no cleanup
• High protein (typically 30–50g per meal) with athlete-friendly macros
• Very consistent portions and ingredients
• Clean, simple meals that keep you full

Cons

• More expensive than standard meal kits
• Flavors lean simple, not gourmet
• Vegan options exist but aren’t the highlight

Trifecta

Trifecta Nutrition

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Best Purple Carrot Meal Kit Alternative

Green Chef

If you like the cooking experience of Purple Carrot but always wished the meals were a bit more substantial, Green Chef is the upgrade that actually delivers.

It keeps the same “hands-on, fresh ingredients” vibe, but with far more flexibility, higher-protein options, and noticeably better ingredient quality.

When I tested Green Chef, the first thing that impressed me was the organic produce. The veggies looked fresher and tasted cleaner than most meal kits I’ve reviewed, and definitely a step above what Purple Carrot sends.

And the protein options, especially on the Protein Packed plan, are a legit bump. Seeing meals hit 40+ grams of protein was a nice change after weeks of cooking dishes that left me eyeballing the fridge afterward.

Cooking feels familiar if you’re used to Purple Carrot: 30–40 minutes, clear recipe cards, everything pre-portioned. But the flavors are bolder.

One week I had a Moroccan-spiced beef dish, another week a chicken with roasted garlic cream sauce, and both had a depth you just don’t get from typical vegan-only kits.

It tastes like someone actually thought about the seasoning instead of just relying on colorful ingredients to carry the dish.

That said, Green Chef isn’t perfect. Portions are generally satisfying, but on heavy training days, I still caught myself wishing the Protein Packed meals had just a bit more volume.

And while Green Chef lets you switch between different eating styles (keto, plant-based, high-protein, etc.), it doesn’t let you tweak individual ingredients.

No swapping proteins like Home Chef, no adjusting sauces, no doubling a component. What you see is what you cook.

Still, compared directly to Purple Carrot, it’s a no-brainer alternative. You get better ingredients, more protein, more dietary freedom, and meals that hit harder without losing the fun of cooking. My Green Chef review goes into detail about my experience.

Pros

• Organic ingredients with noticeably better freshness and flavor
• High-protein meal options (often 40+ grams per serving)
• Flexible plans: keto, vegetarian, Mediterranean, high-protein, etc.
• Bold, globally inspired recipes that taste more substantial than Purple Carrot

Cons

• Portions can still feel light on heavy training days
• No ability to swap proteins or customize individual recipes
• Higher price point than typical meal kits

Best Purple Carrot Meal Kit Alternative at Your Local Grocery Store

Home Chef

Home Chef is the most practical alternative to Purple Carrot, especially if you like the idea of meal kits but don’t want to rely on a subscription showing up at your door every week.

You can literally walk into Kroger, grab a kit off the shelf, and be cooking 30 minutes later. And after testing it, I’d call it the “no-stress” option: simple flavors, solid portions, and enough protein to keep you from raiding the pantry afterward.

The part that surprised me most was the Customize It feature. A lot of services throw the word “customization” around, but Home Chef actually backs it up.

In almost every kit I ordered, I could swap chicken for steak, upgrade to shrimp, or choose a leaner cut, and the system recalculated the recipe automatically.

When I tested their Protein Packed lineup, this flexibility made a big difference. One night I took a basic BBQ chicken skillet and swapped in sirloin instead. It arrived perfectly portioned and required zero guesswork.

Meal variety is straightforward and consistently good. Think garlic butter steak, spicy pork tacos, salmon with brown butter. Familiar, weeknight food.

Compared to Purple Carrot’s more creative plant-based recipes, Home Chef is designed to appeal to everyone at the table, including partners or kids who aren’t signing up for vegan kimchi bowls.

And the protein content is noticeably better; even their lighter Calorie Smart meals felt more balanced than some of Purple Carrot’s portions, though on big training days I still found myself leaning toward the higher-protein categories.

Cooking time sits in the 30–40 minute range for classic kits, or as little as 15 minutes for their Fast & Fresh options. The Oven-Ready meals were honestly a lifesaver, especially on nights when I had zero interest in chopping anything.

Home Chef won’t give you the boldest flavors or the most adventurous menu. But it’s accessible, customizable, family-friendly, and easy to grab without planning.

And that alone makes it a strong Purple Carrot alternative, especially if you want something more substantial and flexible. My Home Chef review goes into detail about my experience trying this meal delivery service.

Pros

• Solid pricing with good portion sizes and high-protein options
• “Customize It” feature lets you swap or upgrade proteins easily
• Available in-store at Kroger — no commitment needed
• Simple, family-friendly flavors that consistently work

Cons

• Limited accommodations for strict diets (vegan, gluten-free, etc.)
• Recipes lean basic compared to more gourmet kits
• Still requires 30–40 minutes of cooking for most meals

Best Purple Carrot Vegetarian Alternative

Sunbasket

If you like the idea of Purple Carrot but want vegetarian meals that taste more “grown-up,” with richer sauces, bolder seasoning, and better ingredients, Sunbasket is the best move.

When I tested it, the overall quality jumped out immediately. The produce was crisp, the meat and seafood tasted clean, and even the vegetarian dishes had that restaurant-level depth you don’t always get with plant-based kits.

Where Purple Carrot leans heavily into creativity and plant-forward volume, Sunbasket leans into flavor. Even their vegetarian meals pack real punch.

One week I cooked a Paleo beef chili and a pescatarian dish with chimichurri and both hit 30–40 grams of protein, something Purple Carrot rarely approaches.

And the Fresh & Ready meals were even more convenient: 4–6 minutes in the microwave, and they didn’t have that “microwaved meal” vibe you sometimes get with cheaper services.

But the quality does come at a cost. Sunbasket sits firmly in the premium lane. Some meals run $11.49–$17.99 per serving, and with shipping added, it adds up fast.

During testing, I had a few nights where the portion sizes felt a bit tight — delicious, yes, but not quite enough after a heavy lifting session.

That’s not unique to Sunbasket; I had the same experience a few times with Green Chef. But it’s something Purple Carrot fans should keep in mind if they’re switching because they want more volume or protein.

Customization sits somewhere in the middle. You can pick across all their diet categories — Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, which is great.

But you can’t swap proteins or adjust individual recipes like you can with Home Chef. What’s on the card is exactly what you’re cooking.

One thing Sunbasket does exceptionally well is packaging. Nearly everything is recyclable or compostable, even the denim insulation. Purple Carrot is solid here too, but Sunbasket feels a little more thoughtful with materials.

If you’re looking for a Purple Carrot alternative that keeps things plant-forward but with fuller flavors, higher protein, and better ingredient quality, Sunbasket fits that space perfectly — just with a steeper price tag.

My Sunbasket review goes into detail about my experience eating this meal delivery service.

Pros

• Organic, high-quality ingredients with restaurant-level flavor
• Solid protein options (30–40g), even in many non-meat dishes
• Mix of meal kits and heat-and-eat Fresh & Ready meals
• Eco-friendly, nearly fully recyclable packaging

Cons

• Premium pricing — one of the most expensive kits on this list
• Portions can feel small after intense training sessions
• Can’t customize or swap components within recipes

Best A La Carte Purple Carrot Alternative

CookUnity

CookUnity is probably the closest thing to having a rotating cast of personal chefs cooking for you. It’s a completely different experience from Purple Carrot’s plant-based kits.

Where Purple Carrot gives you creativity through vegetables and sauces, CookUnity gives you creativity through actual chefs who cook like they’re trying to impress someone.

When I tested it, the variety was almost overwhelming at 200+ dishes each week, everything from Korean beef bowls to pork tenderloin with chimichurri.

And most meals tasted like legit restaurant takeout. Bold flavors, sauces with depth, ingredients that felt fresh rather than slapped together. For a heat-and-eat service, that’s rare.

But it wasn’t perfect. Portion sizes were inconsistent — some meals filled me up after training, others (especially lighter veggie-forward ones) had me hungry again pretty quickly.

And a couple dishes missed the mark, like the salmon that came out dry. Not a dealbreaker, just something I hadn’t seen mentioned in the glossy marketing.

What CookUnity gets right is customization. Not the “swap this for that” kind, but real filtering: high-protein meals, fitness fuel options, keto, gluten-free, vegetarian, different proteins.

I liked being able to sort by what I needed for the week, especially when I was looking specifically for meals around the 30–50g protein mark. You can even let CookUnity auto-fill your box if you don’t feel like choosing, which was surprisingly accurate.

The convenience is also hard to beat. 2–3 minutes in the microwave, 10–15 in the oven if you want a crisper texture. Compared to chopping veggies and following a 12-step recipe after a long day, this felt luxurious.

CookUnity is best for someone who wants variety, strong flavors, and zero cooking, but doesn’t mind paying a bit more for it. If Purple Carrot sometimes felt too limited or too low-protein, but you still want meals with personality, CookUnity sits right in that gap.

My CookUnity review goes into detail about my experience.

Pros

• Huge variety (200+ rotating meals) with standout flavors and chef-driven dishes
• Strong protein options — many meals hit 30–50g
• Extremely fast: heat and eat in minutes
• Useful filters for high-protein, dietary needs, and preferences

Cons

• Premium pricing adds up quickly
• Inconsistent portion sizes — some meals feel light

Best Purple Carrot Alternative for Families

HelloFresh

HelloFresh is easily the most reliable family-friendly alternative to Purple Carrot — the one you choose when you need meals everyone will actually eat without negotiations.

It doesn’t try to reinvent dinner, it doesn’t chase trends, and it doesn’t overload you with niche diets. It just gives you straightforward meals that taste good and fill people up.

Compared to Purple Carrot, or premium kits like Sunbasket,  HelloFresh sits in a much more affordable lane. Portions are solid, especially in the Protein Smart and classic kits, and I rarely finished a meal wishing I had doubled it.

That alone puts it ahead of many plant-based kits where 15–20 grams of protein just doesn’t cut it on training days.

Cooking is simple. Recipes usually land in the 25–35 minute range, and they don’t ask much from you. Pre-portioned ingredients, clear instructions, and nothing overly fussy.

Coming from Purple Carrot, where some recipes lean on creativity over convenience, HelloFresh felt more grounded and more forgiving.

And unlike the occasional “this is good but definitely a small serving” moments I ran into with Sunbasket, HelloFresh stayed pretty steady in volume.

Flavor-wise, it’s mainstream on purpose. Lots of Tex-Mex, Italian-inspired dishes, skillet meals, rice bowls, roasted veggies. Nothing too adventurous, but nothing bland either.

It’s the kind of food that works for both adults and kids, which might be the biggest contrast to Purple Carrot.

HelloFresh doesn’t cover strict diets particularly well, and there’s no vegan-focused menu like Purple Carrot, no organic promise like Green Chef, and no high-end touches like CookUnity.

But if you’re feeding a household, watching your budget, and still want something you can cook quickly after work, it’s the most practical fit. My Hello Fresh review goes into detail about my experience.

Pros

• Highly affordable compared to Purple Carrot and premium kits
• Solid portions — especially helpful for active adults
• Straightforward, family-friendly recipes
• Big weekly variety with multiple meal types (classic, quick, veggie, etc.)

Cons

• Not organic-focused
• Limited support for strict diets (vegan, gluten-free, keto)
• Flavors are intentionally simple — not for adventurous eaters

Best Purple Carrot Grocery Alternative

Hungryroot

Hungryroot is the alternative you choose when you’re tired of thinking about groceries but still want to eat clean. It doesn’t behave like a traditional meal kit.

Instead, it sends you a curated box of groceries plus ridiculously simple “recipe formulas” that turn those groceries into meals in about 10–15 minutes.

What I liked most when testing it was the mental break. Purple Carrot gives you interesting recipes, but they still demand time and effort on weekdays.

Hungryroot removes that whole layer. You’re not chopping five different vegetables or working through multi-step recipe cards. Most meals are: heat a grain, toss a protein, add a sauce, maybe throw in pre-cut veggies, that’s it.

The flexibility is huge. You can lean plant-based one week, high-protein the next, pescatarian after that. The algorithm adapts to what you choose.

This was a noticeable contrast to Purple Carrot’s one-lane approach. It also felt a bit like combining grocery shopping with meal prep, especially helpful when you’re juggling work, training, and family life.

The ingredients consistently showed up fresh, and the sauces and shortcuts actually tasted good.

It’s not perfect, of course. Like I experienced with a few Sunbasket and CookUnity meals, some Hungryroot portions were a little light for my 200 lbs frame.

And since the meals are more “assembled” than “cooked,” they don’t hit the same depth of flavor as something like CookUnity or Green Chef. But that’s not really the point. Hungryroot aims for convenience and consistency, not culinary fireworks.

The pricing can look high at first glance, but when you treat it like a grocery replacement, it starts making sense. Especially if your alternative is wandering through a store grabbing random items that don’t quite add up to meals.

For anyone who liked Purple Carrot’s plant-forward foundation but needs more flexibility, more protein options, and far less cooking, Hungryroot is the easiest, most adaptable fit.

My Hungryroot review goes into detail about my experience trying this meal delivery service.

Pros

• Grocery-style system offers unmatched flexibility and simplicity
• Meals come together fast — often 10–15 minutes
• Great for mixing plant-based, high-protein, or pescatarian weeks
• Excellent for reducing grocery shopping stress

Cons

• Can feel expensive if used in addition to groceries
• Meals are more “assembled” than cooked — simpler flavors
• Portions sometimes feel light for very active eaters

How To Pick The Best Purple Carrot Alternative

Customization

Purple Carrot doesn’t offer much customization — you pick meals, that’s it. The alternatives give you more control without making it complicated.

Trifecta gives you the simplest kind of customization: macros you can trust. You choose a plan, and every meal that arrives supports high-protein needs without you having to tweak anything.

Green Chef lets you switch between high-protein, plant-based, keto, Mediterranean, and calorie-smart weeks, which is a huge upgrade if you like to adjust your diet based on training or appetite.

Hungryroot gives you the most day-to-day flexibility, because you’re essentially filling a grocery cart, not picking fixed meals. If Purple Carrot ever felt restrictive, this freedom is refreshing.

CookUnity sits on the chef-driven end. You pick meals by cuisine, diet, protein, or macro preference. It’s less about structure and more about choosing what looks good.

Meal Variety, Kits & Recipes

Purple Carrot has variety within its niche, but it’s still a narrow lane — vegan meals, lots of legumes, bold sauces, and some lighter portions.

Sunbasket is the closest match in style if you like strong flavors, but it’s richer, more substantial, and uses far better ingredients. And unlike Purple Carrot, Sunbasket’s vegetarian options actually hit 30–40g of protein regularly.

CookUnity offers the deepest variety because 70+ chefs contribute to the menu. The tradeoff is that portions and consistency can vary, but when it hits, it hits big.

Hungryroot’s variety comes from flexibility. You’re not stuck cooking the same structure each night. Add a sauce, swap a protein, change a base — it just works.

HelloFresh sits in the comfort lane: affordable, accessible, and easy to repeat. Not the most adventurous, but incredibly reliable for households where everyone needs to be fed without drama.

Catering to Allergies

Purple Carrot labels allergens clearly, but the vegan menu leans heavily on nuts, soy, legumes, and grains, which is not ideal for people with common sensitivities.

Green Chef does a strong job with structured diets: gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, and plant-based pathways are easy to follow, though you can’t tweak individual ingredients.

Hungryroot adapts automatically once you list allergens, which made it one of the easiest services to navigate during testing.

Trifecta’s ingredient lists are short and predictable, which helps if you prefer minimal-ingredient meals.

CookUnity offers great transparency, letting you read exactly what each chef used, but cross-kitchen variability means you still need to double-check.

Packaging

Sunbasket’s packaging is nearly fully recyclable or compostable, even the denim insulation. Green Chef isn’t far behind with its recycled cardboard and compostable liners.

Trifecta uses the least packaging because everything is fully prepared — a single tray and film per meal, which is hard to beat on weekdays.

Hungryroot’s packaging is essentially grocery packaging, so expect recyclable plastics and cardboard.

Purple Carrot is solid here, but once you compare it to Sunbasket and Green Chef, it loses its lead.

Price

User Reviews

If you read enough reviews, you start to see patterns that don’t show up on marketing pages. Trifecta’s customers like results and meals that support training goals without surprises.

CookUnity inspires the most passionate reviews because when someone connects with a specific chef, the meals feel genuinely special. HelloFresh earns steady, reliable praise for making weeknights easier, especially for families.

Purple Carrot, on the other hand, tends to split the room: people who love plant-based creativity adore it; people who want bigger portions or fewer legumes… not so much.

User reviews reflect something simple: each service has a clear “type” of customer it serves best.

Cancellation Process

Cancellation policies are one of those things you don’t think about until you need them. And based on both my own testing and what customers consistently report, the services handle cancellation very differently.

HelloFresh is by far the easiest. You cancel or pause right in the app with a few taps, and it’s done. No awkward emails, no “call this number,” no runaround. It reflects exactly what the service is built for — convenience without friction.

Hungryroot is almost as smooth. Skipping weeks is effortless, and cancelling takes seconds. If your schedule changes often or you bounce between services, having this kind of flexibility really matters.

CookUnity lands in the “fine but not amazing” category. You can cancel online, but they do make you hop through a couple of confirmation screens. Nothing painful, but definitely nudging you to stay. Still, it’s fully self-serve, which is more than I can say for some competitors.

And then there’s Trifecta, which is my overall top pick for performance, but easily the clunkiest cancellation setup. You can’t just hit a button and move on with your day.

You have to call or email their support team, and while they’re polite, it’s an outdated process compared to the rest of the industry. It’s not a trap, but it’s not streamlined either. If you’re used to HelloFresh-style cancellations, this will feel old-school.

Purple Carrot sits somewhere in the middle. You can cancel online, but the flow feels dated and requires several steps. It works, but it doesn’t feel modern or intuitive.

Summary

Purple Carrot has its place. If you love plant-based cooking, enjoy being in the kitchen, and want meals that feel creative and colorful, it delivers exactly that.

But once you start looking at things through the lens of training, protein, family needs, or just the reality of busy evenings… the gaps show up fast.

The good news is there isn’t just one “best” alternative, only the best one for your lifestyle.

Trifecta stands out as the overall winner because it solves the biggest pain point most people have: it removes the work. High-protein meals, zero prep, clean ingredients, and reliable portions.

If you want healthy eating without sacrificing your time or your macro goals, it’s the easiest upgrade from Purple Carrot.

But the other options all have their own lanes.

Green Chef keeps the cooking experience but gives you more flexibility and more satisfying meals.

Home Chef makes weeknights simpler, especially when you need something you can grab at the store.

Sunbasket gives you a grown-up, flavor-forward vegetarian experience without strict rules.

CookUnity is for people who want chef-made meals that feel special.

HelloFresh is the family-friendly default that just works.

And Hungryroot is for the “I don’t want to think about groceries ever again” crowd.

The real question isn’t which service is best on paper,  but which one removes the most friction from your day.

Once you figure that out, picking the right Purple Carrot alternative becomes easy.

Trifecta

Trifecta Nutrition

A clean, high protein meal delivery service that doesn’t skimp on quality or portions. Get 40% OFF with code “liftbig40”

CHECK CURRENT DEALS