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Thistle is a meal delivery service that offers premade meals in the United States. The company’s primary focus is plant-based foods, but it also offers vegan plans and plans that include meat.
What is Thistle Food?
Thistle launched in 2013. The company says its mission is to improve health and wellness for its customers while reducing its environmental footprint.
The brand claims that organic foods are its priority, and it uses organic ingredients wherever possible. All its meals are free from gluten and dairy, and they center around plant foods.
Thistle also claims it has a community approach and partners with local organizations and farms.
It says that it reduces its energy, water, and waste footprints as much as possible and even donates the byproducts from its meals and juices to farmers for composting.
Pros and cons at a glance
Pros
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nutritionists design all meals
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meals are gluten- and dairy-free
- a suitable option for people aiming to eat more plant-based meals
- juice, snacks, and wellness shots available to those in Thistle’s local delivery zone, in addition to standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal delivery
- supports local farms and looks for sustainable products
- vegan meal plans available
Cons
- meals are only customizable for individuals in Thistle’s local delivery zone — otherwise, people receive preset meals
- organic ingredients are not guaranteed
- more expensive than other meal delivery services, starting at $11.50 per meal
- not available in all states
- deliveries include single-use plastic
- not all dietary restrictions supported
Who is Thistle best for?
Thistle is a suitable option for anyone trying to eat more plants and produce, whether they are vegan or not — people can still choose an omnivore plan. It also supports anyone who is dairy- and gluten-free. The ingredient restrictions supported include soy, tree nuts, coconut, peanuts, fish, shellfish, and pork.
However, it may not be the best option for people with special diet restrictions and food allergies or those who prefer all organic ingredients. While the company prioritizes organic produce, it does not guarantee them.
Customer reviews and brand reputation
Thistle has an average customer rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. As of March 2022, around half of the reviews award the company 5 stars, and only 2% of the 609 reviews rate it 1 star.
Positive reviews discuss the food quality and the range of meals available. Negative reviews mention delivery issues, missing meals, and ingredients not tasting fresh. Some have complained about the company’s use of single-use plastic. All of the negative reviews around delivery issues are post-pandemic, which, while inconvenient, could be due to universal shipping complications at no fault of the company.
How it works
Thistle provides two different services depending on where a person lives.
Hand delivery
Thistle offers local hand delivery in certain areas and allows a person to completely customize their meals. This may be beneficial for those who want to accommodate allergies or substitutions.
Shipping delivery
Thistle’s other delivery option is shipping, which it offers in select areas of the U.S.
Shipping customers cannot customize their plans and can only purchase fixed vegan or meat plans. Shipping does not cost extra.
Learn more about where Thistle Food offers shipping delivery here.
Menu
Thistle chefs create weekly menus that are all gluten- and dairy-free. The company provides breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, juices, and wellness shots.
Once a person signs up, they can choose the frequency of the delivery if they are within the local delivery area. Local delivery customers can also customize and swap their meals.
Meanwhile, shipping customers can receive a preset plan of six meals per week.
For local delivery, the company packages food into bags containing ice packs for freshness. It packs shipping deliveries in a refrigerated box.
Below is an example of a day’s meals in a Thistle package:
- Breakfast: Steel-cut oats with strawberry rhubarb compote.
- Lunch: Cherry, mint, and pistachio salad. Meat plan customers can add lemon pepper chicken, and vegan plan customers can add lemon and mint beluga lentils for extra protein.
- Dinner: Korean veggie and rice noodles. Meat plan customers can add Togarashi ground chicken, and vegan plan customers can add Togarashi Adashah, a lentil-based product, for extra protein.
- Snack: Peanut butter ganache bars.
Nutrition and health benefits
Thistle’s website says that the company’s goal is to reconnect people to nature and real foods while providing the correct amounts of nutrients.
All of Thistle’s meals are plant-based, even the meat options. The company uses organic ingredients where possible, gluten-free plant protein rather than carbohydrates, plenty of superfoods, bold flavors, and no dairy.
Instead of dairy products, Thistle uses substitutes that contain healthy fats and provide a person with the right amount of energy and vitamins.
Thistle claims that its foods benefit a person’s health by providing:
- more protein-rich ingredients and low glycemic carbs
- high fiber and low salt foods
- healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids
- foods low in sugar and rich in antioxidants
- The company claims that its lunches and dinners provide an average of 400–550 calories.
While Thistle’s meals do not contain gluten, the company does not currently have a gluten-free certification. It also does not recommend its products to those who have severe allergies to soy, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, shellfish, or pork.
Alternatives
Below are several alternative meal services that also use organic ingredients:
- Sun Basket: This brand offers various plans to cater to different diets using organic products. One plan is a vegetarian package that includes many vegan meals. Learn more about Sun Basket here.
- Green Chef: This company also makes its meals with organic ingredients and offers a plant-powered meal plan. Learn more about Green Chef here.
- Fresh n’ Lean: This delivery service provides oven-heatable and microwavable organic meals. The company also donates any unused food to local charities.
- Sakara: This organic, plant-based ready meal delivery service also provides beauty and wellness products. Customers can also buy detox and probiotic products.
Summary
Thistle makes and delivers ready-made meals containing plant-based, organic ingredients directly to customers who live within its delivery areas. The company does not currently ship to all states.
The service allows customers to choose between a meat and a vegan package and customize or swap their meals if they live within the local delivery zone.
A person may also want to consider alternative companies to find the best service for their needs.
