Delicious Plant-Based Meals: Soulara Reviews

Looking to make it easier to live and eat as a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian but struggle to find ready made, plant-based meals that nourish and sustain you? So am I!

Certainly, being plant-based comes with a multitude of challenges:

• The nutrition - am I getting all of the nutrients I need for my daily protein and mineral intake?
• The convenience - is it easy to make, order and process.
• The aesthetic - does it look like the pictures? (we eat with our eyes first, mouths later)
• The taste - it needs to be DELICIOUS, not just yummy.

Bravely, I've decided to share my journey (and my learnings) with you as I hunt for the best plant-based meal delivery service experience that'll blow my tastebuds away.

This is what has led me to Soulara.

Why Soulara?

Scouring through the multitude of Soulara reviews boasting healthy, whole-food ingredient meals and delicious meat substitutes, I needed to try the service for myself. 

I have to say, the extensive catalogue of mouth-watering menu items on my initial sneak peek through their website had me imagining a 5-star plant-based dining experience in my future (at home, without the fancy china and candle-lit atmosphere, of course). But the question remains, "how do the photos online stack up to what ends up on my plate?". That, my friends, is what I wanted to find out too.

Of course, there are other big questions like how easy it is to order, whether the meals are expensive, what the portion sizes are like, whether there are high protein options and so many more.

That's what I'll be aiming to discover in this Soulara review, as your experimental guinea pig I'll give you first hand information so you too can decide whether Soulara is the right meal delivery service for you.

What I Wanted Out Of This Experience

Before jumping into what happened, I wanted to set the bar with some expectations and goals for my tango with Soulara. I've been burned by other meal delivery services before, so ensuring that they met my expectations and exceeded them was paramount.

Here are my non-negotiables:

• Europpean summer body: with European summer on the horizon, I'm looking for a plant-based diet experience with better service than other providers that can give me lean options for weight loss while having optimal protein.
• Vegan options: I'm more than happy to experience vegan options and have found that in the past I avoid them because I'm scared. Not this time, we're being brave!
• Tastiness factor: If it isn't delicious and nutritious, leave it at the door.
• Tricky delivery: I struggled with other providers in the past, making numerous mistakes in delivering incorrect food and meals. My apartment building is also quite hard to find, so my fingers are crossed that I will get the right meals at my door and not at my neighbours'.
• Customer service communication: Many people have been raising safety concerns about delivery services leaving food out for too long in boxes upon drop off. Amid this, I will need complete communication from the brand on when and where the meals will be delivered.
• Value for money: Pretty cut and dry, is it worth the money?
• Now that that's settled, I'll be doing a week's delivery, having meals for lunch, dinner, and sometimes dessert if I feel like something a little extra. From there, I will decide if I recommend Soulara.

The Soulara Process (What Is Soulara)

First, let's go through the Soulara brand.

Soulara is a plant-based meal delivery service with ready-to-eat meals packed with protein, nutritious, delicious, sustainable and (most importantly) YUM.

 

Soulara's meals are created by chefs and nutritionists with curated whole food ingredients and are free from artificial preservatives, colours and flavours. Their plant-based options are gluten-sensitive and dairy-free, making them suitable for different dietary needs and preferences.

Signing up with Soulara's Meal Delivery Service

Ordering with Soulara is a piece of cake (baked with plant-based ingredients).

Their website's sign-up process and account creation were seamless as I scrolled and peeked through the easy navigation and user interface. I love their brand colours and designs; they are very trendy, bright, and exciting.

Customising your meal preferences

I was spoilt for choice when it came to choosing what type of meals I wanted to suit my dieting goals.

One of my non-negotiables was a high-protein diet mixed with low-calorie plant power options, and I was not disappointed.

From Soulara's menu catalogue, you can choose:

• high protein
• calorie-controlled
• low carb
• portion controlled
• cuisine style e.g. Mexican, Mediterranean
• exclusion of ingredients e.g. tree nuts

Even with all these options, the little hungry demon (nicknamed 'anxiety') in the back of my head whispered "there won't be enough, you'll still be hungry" after receiving other prepackaged meals (on more than two occasions) with a pretty woeful portion size in the past.

So, to avoid ending up in the same situation again, I ordered a large meal size and a couple more meals just in case to hit my protein content for the day.

Ordering, Delivery and Customer Service

Done and dusted, the ordering was done. All I had to do was sit back and wait for my vegan, protein-rich meals to arrive at my doorstep (hopefully). To say I was worried about having delivery issues would be an understatement, living in a hard to navigate apartment building, it happens to me a lot.

Surprisingly, I had no delivery issues with my first Soulara delivery. On the day that it arrived, I received a confirmation text message detailing the delivery time and the menu items that I would be receiving, which was great.

 

The meals were delivered in a large box, tightly packed, remained upright, and had three large, solid ice packs, perfect for keeping them cool on the hot day they arrived. I was over the moon, delighted and excited to try them. And so I did.

My favourite Soulara Meals

When I reheated these healthy meals, they looked divine. The packaging was simple yet effective; each part of the meal was separated, meaning the rice or pasta wouldn't get soggy with the sauces they came with.

Each meal had a unique but delicious flavour without the processed taste on the tip of the tongue that you sometimes get from frozen meals that I'm sometimes tempted to opt for. The food tasted fresh and made me feel lighter, more energetic, and detoxed after each meal.

My favourites were the Balinese Mie Goreng (a humble take on the oh-so-tasty mie goreng), Shakshuka w Mushroom & Tofu (a purely plant-based umami explosion). If you're looking for an even tastier meal, I highly recommend Soulara's Sunkissed Protein Pesto.

 

Here, I have to come clean about Soulara and their snacks. I love sweet treats, and the temptations get to me. Needless to say, I don't regret it. The Coco Cacao Protein Bars were a decadent treat to end a meal, and the cold-pressed juices, specifically the Cold Pressed Lean & Green, were a super refreshing boost for my morning routine.

I wish I had more options after trying all the meals I purchased this week. For my personal taste, I wish there were options with higher protein content and fewer carbs, but from the catalogue available, I was happy with what I received.

I also searched before finalising my order, and everyone raved about Soulara's Bliss Balls. People were saying they were to die for, but after searching on the Soulara website, they were missing. I would love to have an opportunity to try these if they ever come back.

My Soulara Reviews: Final Thoughts

Okay. I came into this product review looking to be wowed and excited, and I'm happy to say that as soon as I received my Soulara box, I was all in.

Going back to my criteria, I was pleasantly surprised by how well this brand met all my needs and wants. The low-calorie, vegan, high-protein options I went with were nutritious and delicious, putting me on track to lean and lose weight before European summer.

I couldn't have asked for a better customer service experience, and my safety concerns about the food being left out were taken care of with prompt and communicative delivery. I was curious about other people and their Soulara experience and saw that most Soulara reviews (4.8 stars) were consistent, highlighting the smooth delivery service.

My experience with Soulara was more than I had bargained for. They delivered on all of my criteria (apart from neglecting the Bliss Balls, which I craved so desperately for), and I'm more than happy to continue this plant-based journey with them.

So, is Soulara worth the money?

At the end of the day, what I wanted from last week's delivery was value for money and confirmation of 'was it worth it'. I think Soulara's value for money is excellent at $11.95 for their largest sizes. The large portion sizes were perfect and didn't leave me wanting more or feeling empty, as some other services have. Minimal snacking means minimal spending on snacks, which is also a great way to cut down on calories.

Out of all the ready meal delivery services I have tried (even with meat), the Soulara ready made options are the most filling, so you definitely get your money's worth.

Is a plant-based diet really worth it?

A plant-based diet with Soulara is extremely worth it, but ultimately, it depends on your personal preferences, goals, and lifestyle. For some, the health benefits of a plant-based diet and reducing meat intake make it a great choice, and services like Soulara can make it easier to adopt and maintain with great value-for-money options.

The Health Benefits

1. Nutrient-Rich: Plant-based diets are richer in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants from whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
2. Lower Risk of Chronic Diseases: Studies show that a well-balanced plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
3. Weight Management: A plant-based diet is often lower in calories and fat than an omnivorous diet, which can support healthy weight management.
4. Gut Health: The fibre-rich foods in plant-based diets benefit digestive health, promoting a diverse and healthy microbiome. If you value convenience and healthy eating and want to avoid the hassle of grocery shopping or meal prep, I highly recommend Soulara.

 

The Environmental Impact

1. Lower Carbon Footprint: Plant-based diets tend to have a smaller environmental impact, as plant farming generally requires fewer resources (land, water) and produces fewer greenhouse gases than animal farming.
2. Biodiversity Preservation: Reducing the demand for animal products can help conserve ecosystems, as it reduces the need for factory farming and deforestation.
3. Animal Welfare: A plant-based diet eliminates or reduces the exploitation of animals for food, which appeals to those concerned about animal rights.

With all of that being said, if you're looking for a great planet-based diet with a pre-packed meal option, Soulara is a great way to hit your macros and achieve your weight loss goals conveniently and tastily.