When it comes to eating (and feeling) better, what’s your biggest challenge? For us, it’s preparing healthy, satisfying meals that fit into sometimes nonstop schedules—whether that’s work, kids, school, or whatever!

That's why we tested the three leading plant-focused meal delivery brands — Mosaic Foods, Splendid Spoon, and Daily Harvest. We enlisted TCD mom Kyle to review each, focusing on four key areas: (1) Taste, (2) Nutrition & Ingredients, (3) Convenience, and (4) Value.

We also teamed up with Stephanie Wells (MS, RD, LD), a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant, to break down what really matters in veggie-forward eating. One clear winner stood out — read on to find out which.

Why You Should Incorporate Plant-Powered Meals

Why consider plant-based meals, even if you eat everything? Stephanie, our Registered Dietitian, explains the clear benefits: “Eating more plants increases your fiber and antioxidant intake and decreases saturated fat and cholesterol levels. That reduces inflammation and even boosts metabolism.”¹ Studies also show that plant-forward eating supports weight loss, improves blood pressure, and reduces risk of heart disease.²

But plant-based doesn’t just mean “no meat”. Stephanie shares her expert tips:

1. Nutrition: Each meal should include all three major macronutrients - shoot for 30%+ protein, and 20%+ healthy fats, with the remainder complex carbs. 
2. Ingredients: Opt for minimally processed ingredients like whole vegetables and superfoods rich in fiber and vitamins; avoid high added sodium or sugar.
3. Variety: Incorporate a variety of recipes to build sustainable habits.

Let’s see how Mosaic Foods, Splendid Spoon, and Daily Harvest stack up.

Taste

Mosaic Foods wins with meals that taste like our favorite take-out. 

Mosaic Foods nails it with bold, globally inspired flavors like their Vegan Carbonara, a perfect combo of sweet peas, silken tofu sauce, and smoky tofu ‘bacon’. Kyle’s favorite, Spinach Artichoke Pizza with Cauliflower Crust, features creamy fontina cheese and tangy pickled pepperoncini. The Thai Peanut Curry — savory, creamy, with the right touch of sweetness  — “actually tastes a lot like my go-to Thai spot,” Kyle notes. Mosaic offers a fully vegan plan or a vegetarian option, which is primarily plant-based but supplemented with some non-vegan ingredients (like that creamy fontina cheese). This leniency let our testers experience great taste while remaining true to the spirit of plant-based eating.

Splendid Spoon meals feature some tasty combos of unique ingredients. For example, the Meatball Marinara Noodles uses healthier ingredients like vegan (soy) meatballs, rice noodles, and a rich marinara sauce from organic tomatoes. Still, Mosaic’s comfort food-inspired dishes and more flexible ingredients give it the clear edge in taste.

On the flip side, Daily Harvest recipes lacked flavor; Kyle told us she usually added extra seasoning or toppings, for both flavor and satiety. Pastas, like Tomato Basil + Portobello Bolognese, tasted watered down. Bowls, like Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash, were mushy. Kyle sums it up: “If I’m spending money on meal delivery, I shouldn’t need to add toppings to make it tolerable.”

Nutrition & Ingredients

It’s a tie between Mosaic and Splendid Spoon.

With a focus on whole ingredients, all brands do well on vitamin and mineral content. For overall nutrition though, it’s a tie between Mosaic and Splendid Spoon. Mosaic has the edge in protein, and Splendid Spoon in fiber. Mosaic is a great choice if you’re generally trying to be healthier or lose weight, and want to do it with whole ingredients. Opt for Splendid if you’re trying to eat 100% plant-based.

We summarized the brands’ average macronutrients, calories, and total sugar below:

“With up to 27g of protein per serving in some meals, Mosaic has some of the highest-protein plant-based meals I’ve seen. Perfect for building lean muscle,” explains Stephanie.³

Mosaic and Splendid Spoon actually offer the same smoothies. They combine antioxidant-rich superfoods like spirulina and wheatgrass with healthy fats from ingredients like hemp seeds. “These recipes support heart health, reduce inflammation, and importantly, have little or no added sugar,” explains Stephanie.^4,5

“After a week of Mosaic Foods, I felt less bloated and more energized throughout the day. That consistency helped me stick to my workouts and feel good about myself postpartum,” explains Kyle.

Splendid Spoon shines on variety with 50+ fully plant-based recipes, including noodles, soups, and those smoothies we mentioned. Recipes use whole ingredients and are high in fiber and many nutrients. For example, their Coconut Curry Rice is packed with high-fiber chickpeas, cashews, and spinach.

Finally, Daily Harvest’s Harvest Bowls average only 277 calories. While calorie restriction is key to weight loss, these meals are simply too small. “With Daily Harvest, I kept reaching for side dishes and snacks,” explains Kyle. 

On average, Daily Harvest’s smoothies contain 45% more total sugar per serving vs. Mosaic and Splendid Spoon. Their Harvest Bowls also have much lower protein at just 10g per serving. “With high sugar, and low protein, Daily Harvest does not deliver the nutrition essential for meeting weight loss goals,” notes Stephanie, our Registered Dietitian.⁶

Convenience

Mosaic Foods wins for grab-and-go and family-friendly meals.

All three brands offer flexible delivery schedules. The difference-maker is Mosaic’s smoothies (ready-to-drink) and Family Meals (that can feed 4 people). Daily Harvest’s smoothies require water or milk plus a blender. “Waking up my newborn with a blender, cleaning dishes, and figuring out how to take my smoothie on the go all made me pass on the Daily Harvest smoothies,” explains Kyle.

Value

Mosaic Foods wins for the best bang for your buck.

Pricing for each brand below:

Mosaic wins on price at the lowest $ / meal and $ / oz — with the largest portions and highest protein. Daily Harvest is last in value at $0.95 per ounce, particularly considering its much lower protein content.

The Verdict: Mosaic Foods is the Best Plant-Based Meal Delivery Service

After carefully evaluating all three brands on taste, macronutrients, convenience, and value, we found one clear winner: Mosaic Foods. 

Mosaic offers bold and satisfying flavors, high-protein meals, and convenience. It’s a great choice for weight loss, jumpstarting healthier habits, or just eating cleaner. It’s also the cheapest per meal — easily making it our top pick. 

Stephanie, our Registered Dietitian agrees: “I recommend Mosaic Foods for its taste, nutrition, quality ingredients, and convenience.” 

Ready to try Mosaic Foods? With TCD, save $30 on your shipment! Plus, they offer a full money-back guarantee.

1. National Library of Medicine
2. National Library of Medicine
3. National Library of Medicine
4. WebMD
5. Healthline
6. The British Medical Journal