How to use Sun Basket's meal kit service to make delicious healthy dinners at home

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How to use Sun Basket's meal kit service to make delicious healthy dinners at home

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  • If you don't like the hassle of creating a meal plan, figuring out what you have in your pantry, and going to the grocery store for ingredients, a good meal kit service is indispensable.
  • Sun Basket is one of the top meal kit services because of its commitment to providing a variety of tasty menu options based on your dietary needs while using clean, organic ingredients.
  • With our foolproof tips, you can get started saving time and making healthier meals for the whole family.
  • Here's how to use Sun Basket's meal kit service to make delicious healthy dinners at home.

For the past few months, my family and I have been testing out Sun Basket, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. Each week, ingredients arrive at our doorstep, the recipes are easy to follow, and the meals we make using the kit are healthy and taste great. There are also usually leftovers for us to have for lunch the next day.

Based in San Francisco, Sun Basket has only been around for about four years, but the company has grown its reputation by providing clean, seasonal ingredients. The recipes are created by executive chef Justine Kelly who has over a quarter century of experience working in professional kitchens.

Sun Basket is certified by the United States Department of Agriculture as an organic handler, and the company strives to deliver exclusively organic produce. Though that's not always possible, Sun Basket achieves its goal about 99% of the time.

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How much does Sun Basket cost?

With Sun Basket, there are no commitments or contracts, and subscribers can skip or cancel at any time, which is helpful if you are going on vacation. The service also offers a "100% mouthwatering or your money back" guarantee.

You can choose from a few different delivery plans based on your needs and the size of your family. The Classic Menu lets you choose between 18 different recipes each week, while the Family Menu lets you choose between six recipes each week.

  • Classic Menu with three recipes per week for two people costs $71.94 for the first box.
  • Classi Menu with three recipes per week for four people costs $143.88 for the first box.
  • Family Menu with two recipes per week for four people costs $87.92 for the first box.
  • Family Menu with three recipes per week for four people costs $131.88 for the first box.
  • Family Menu with four recipes per week for four people costs $175.84 for the first box.

Sun Basket Salmon

Sun Basket

Who will love Sun Basket

If you like coming up with your own recipes and searching for local ingredients, then Sun Basket may not be for you. Instead, it's for those of us who want to eat healthily but don't have time to search out recipes and go to the grocery store to buy items. It's also a great option if you are just starting out on your own and don't have experience cooking. The directions are easy enough for anyone to follow.

And, just because Sun Basket sends you the ingredients and recipes, doesn't mean you have to make what Sun Basket tells you to make. The meals are incredibly adaptable. So, if there are certain ingredients you don't like, you can change the recipe to fit your tastes. Sun Basket also gives you recommendations for customizing your meal.

Since all of the meals are made in the same facility, Sun Basket is not for people with extreme food allergies or intolerances.

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If you're interested in Sun Basket, read on to find out how to get started and how to get the most out of it.

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How to get started with Sun Basket

How to get started with Sun Basket
How to sign up for Sun Basket

To get started with Sun Basket, you should first visit its website or download the app in the App Store or Google Play.

Once you are there, you will be asked to create an account. You can sign up with a Facebook account or create a Sun Basket account using your email address.

Next, you choose your meal plan. There are two main menus: Family and Classic. With the Family Menu, you can choose to receive two, three, or four meals each week. Each meal has enough food to serve four adults. There are chef's choice and vegetarian options to choose from. Or, you can mix and match from both categories.

With the Classic Menu, you get three meals per week and can choose either two or four servings. The meals in this plan fall into several categories: carb-conscious, paleo, lean & clean, gluten-free, vegetarian, Mediterranean, vegan, pescatarian, diabetes-friendly, chef's choice, and quick & easy.

You can choose recipes from one category or mix and match. At any time, you can change the number of meals you receive, your delivery schedule, and what meals you want.

Each week, there are 18 different meals to choose from, including six family-friendly alternatives. Classic Menu subscribers can't choose from the Family Menu and vice versa, but you can switch from one plan to the other at any time. Once, you choose your menu and customize the recipes you want, you enter your payment information.

Since the menus change each week, you can sign up to get weekly text alerts that let you know when to pick your menu so you don't miss the order cut off, which is the Wednesday before your delivery at 3 p.m. EST/Noon PST.

Sign up to start receiving Sun Basket next week

What do you do when your Sun Basket arrives?

What do you do when your Sun Basket arrives?

Depending on your delivery area, your meals will arrive on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. We receive two boxes each week with three meals for four people. Each box contains the week's recipe booklet, brown paper bags with produce and other ingredients, and the meat positioned on the bottom by the ice pack.

The ice pack will keep your food at a safe temperature for a while, but you should refrigerate your delivery as soon as you can. You can then empty the ice pack into your compost container or trash. The box and insulation are both recyclable in your curbside recycling bin. We also recommend reusing the screw-top containers for bulk spices or to organize small items around the house.

If you don't think you're going to be able to cook your recipes for a few days, I recommend putting the meat in the freezer. The meats are packaged in such a way that they defrost quickly. So, you can take the meat out the day before you plan on using it, and it'll defrost in time to make dinner.

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How to make dinner with Sun Basket's meal kit

How to make dinner with Sun Basket's meal kit

First of all, I've noticed that some of the sauces and dressings are fairly solid in the fridge and more of a liquid at room temperature. Most of the time, you want the sauce to run easily for mixing. Also, the produce tends to be easier to work with when it's warmer. So, I recommend taking your paper bags out of the fridge a couple of hours before you plan on cooking.

Though Sun Basket sends you all of the ingredients for your meal, you do need a few basics that are already found in most kitchens.

Here's what you need to have in your kitchen:
  • Oil: Sun Basket recommends olive, grapeseed, or sunflower oil, but I'm a big fan of using bacon grease and butter in place of oil, and these have worked just fine in most of the recipes.
  • Salt and pepper: Sun Basket recommends freshly-ground pepper, but you can just use the already ground stuff if you prefer.
  • Basic pots and pans: I have a great non-stick set from T-fal that has served me well, but you can get away with any large frying pan, small pot, and large pot for most recipes.
  • A Knife: I use the Victorinox Swiss Classic 22-Piece Cutlery Block Set, but you really just need a decent chef's knife.
  • A cutting board
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Basic utensils: This includes a good wooden spoon for stirring ingredients, some tongs for flipping items, and at one point, a zester came in handy for zesting some limes.

Each recipe specifies which tools and pantry ingredients you'll need. Once you have these extras gathered, you simply follow the directions in the recipe booklet. I may just be slow, but I've found that the meals take a little bit longer to make than the booklet suggests, so plan accordingly. I've also always made the four-person meals for my family so it may go faster if you are just cooking for two.

Also, we strongly recommend getting the kids involved. My 16-year-old was able to follow the directions and cook for us for the first time ever. Sure, it took him two hours, but the food came out excellent, and he had this beaming look of accomplishment on his face. We also got our five-year-old involved thanks to the special "Kids Can" section listed at the end of each recipe, which tells you the steps your child can help with.

How to get five-minute salads from Sun Basket

How to get five-minute salads from Sun Basket

If you want more out of your Sun Basket subscription, try the 5-minute salads. Currently, there are five options to choose from: spicy southwestern, protein crunch, rainbow Asian, and kale Caesar.

All of the salads are organic and designed to feed two people, but I’ve found there’s enough to serve the salad as a side during dinner parties. There are also snacks available featuring fresh vegetables and healthy dips.

As with everything you do in the kitchen, have fun! And, don’t be afraid to experiment. Also, remember to save those leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Sign up to start receiving Sun Basket next week
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Check out or guide to the best meal kits

Check out or guide to the best meal kits
The best meal kit delivery services we've tried

Why spend yet another dinner eating the same takeout when you can impress yourself with your culinary abilities?

We've tested several meal kits already, but stay tuned for more tasty additions soon.

Here are the best meal kits we've tried:
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