3. Thistle

This is by far the most formal service of the four. The build-your-own meal plan subscription service seems designed for healthy-minded eaters, which is perfect for those of us focusing on eating better in the new year. A range of meal options (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) is available, and subscribers can choose between wholly plant-based meals or those with meat, as well as the number of meals you want per week. Allergies are accommodated and meals are available in small, medium and large portions. Meals are gluten- and dairy-free.

Order: I ordered three lunch salads for the week — a hemp chimichurri salad with black rice, pickled cabbage and Southwestern chicken; a beet and jeweled quinoa salad with herb chicken; and a curried cauliflower salad with curried chicken — which, cost-wise, ended up being about $50 (about $16/ salad). While not over-the-top expensive, that still ain’t cheap, though according to Thistle’s website, meal prices decrease the more meals you add to your subscription. On a reporter’s salary, it’s simply not a sustainable meal option.

Packaging: Meals are delivered in an insulated bag with a large ice pack, which Thistle will take back and reuse. The salads come in clear, recyclable plastic tubs. Dressings come in compostable containers. Calories and nutritional info are listed on the outside of each salad. (Most meals are between 400 and 600 calories.)

Delivery: Delivery is free and no option was given for tipping the delivery driver. Meals can be delivered throughout the Bay Area, Sacramento, Davis, as well as some areas in Southern California. Shipping is also available throughout California and Nevada. While this is a subscription service, you can pause or cancel the service at any time.

B+

Grade: My nitpick with these salads, which were Instagram gorgeous, is that they seem to rely heavily on spring mix, of which I am not a huge fan. Aside from the price, I really like how customizable ordering can be.

www.thistle.co