SAKARA Review 2024
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Founded in 2012 by childhood friends Danielle Duboise and Whitney Tingle, Sakara Life is a unique meal delivery service that focuses on wellness and nutritionally balanced meals. The service has grown in popularity and expanded rapidly in recent years thanks to its convenience of providing ready-made nutritious meals directly to your door. But the organic meal delivery service comes at a high price point. We tested a variety of Sakara Life's programs to thoroughly evaluate the offerings and determine if it's worth the price. Read on for our full review of the Sakara Life service, including the new Sakara Systems programs.
| Cost | Programs start at $185 |
|---|---|
| Delivery | All cities within the contiguous United States |
| Packaging | All packaging is made with post-consumer recycled materials and is 100% recyclable |
What is Sakara Life?
Sakara Life is a wellness-based organic meal delivery service that focuses on whole foods and plant-forward eating. The service sources high-quality fresh ingredients and aims to create nutrient-dense meals, all prepared by classically trained chefs and delivered ready-to-eat to your doorstep. All meals are 100% plant-based — free from dairy, meat and seafood — but the service does occasionally use honey and bee pollen. Although the meals are made without gluten, Sakara Life does not recommend their program for individuals with severe allergies due to the potential for cross-contamination from their suppliers.
By creating nutritious meals packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, Sakara Life aims to help balance, restore and heal the body so you can look and feel your absolute best, according to its website. Sakara Life bases its meals on nine pillars of nutrition, which include:
- No calorie counting
- Plant protein
- Eat your water
- Greens
- Good fats
- Eat the rainbow
- Nutrient density
- Sulfur-rich veggies
- Body intelligence
How does Sakara Life work?
Unlike other meal delivery services where you can select your meals or recipes, Sakara Life offers a variety of plans with pre-set menus ranging in length from two days to 60 days. The service has five targeted nutrition programs, which include its signature nutrition program and its new Sakara Systems. This new program is an extension of Sakara Life's offerings, providing more options for a personalized experience based on your individual health and wellness goals. Sakara Systems was created alongside a team of experts known as The Sakara Science Council which includes a panel of doctors and a registered dietitian. Every program offers a variety of support materials including booklets, supplements and more as well as access to Sakara Life's team of health coaches.
Ordering and Pricing
Both I and our other testers found the ordering process to be simple and straightforward. You can compare the different programs on Sakara Life's website to determine the right fit for you. You also have the option to choose breakfasts, lunches and/or dinners so you can target which meals you tend to have the most difficulty preparing, which really came in handy.
The Signature Nutrition Program is great as an introduction to Sakara Life and gives you a nice overview of the service as a whole. The Sakara Systems definitely feel a bit more personalized, especially if you have a particular health or wellness goal that you are working towards. It was nice knowing that there was a panel of experts, including a registered dietitian, that developed the systems and that each system itself is backed by scientific research.
Some of the claims do feel a bit elaborate to draw you in, and good nutrition is an important part of the health equation but it is just one component. You'll want to make sure you're staying hydrated, exercising, getting adequate sleep and taking care of your emotional and mental health in order to complement the healthy foods the service sends you. One drawback is that the meals are pre-set, so you can't pick and choose dishes that you would prefer. While you can't select the meals that are part of your plan, you can get a sneak peek at the menu every week on the website. The cost is definitely more expensive than other services out there, but you are ultimately paying for convenience and best-in-class organic ingredients. It's also important to note that everything is designed only for one person, so if you're looking to feed a large family then this service isn't ideal for you.
Delivery, Packaging and Unboxing
Most testers had a positive experience in terms of delivery and shipping. My meals and products were all delivered neatly and came in sturdy containers that sometimes included little shelves inside them to keep certain ingredients separated so they didn't become soggy. There was also an insulated bag provided in the first box which made it easy to transport the food to work. I also liked that you could eat the food right out of the container if you were on the go.
Meals were delivered at appropriately cold temperatures and the ice packs were easy to recycle. "Everything arrived cold and stayed fresh the duration of the time that it was supposed to," a tester noted. "The delivery was well organized and the meals were fresh, flavorful and satisfying," another said.
One tester in New Jersey did note that her delivery box may have been tossed around in transit so the containers were thrown within the box, but she said that the food was still fresh and tasty. "Their packaging is very durable. Packaging wasn't punctured or smushed during the crazy travel," she added.
The Food
Even though the meals are plant-based, the testers and I found them balanced and satisfying. Some meals are more hearty than others, but every dish was incredibly tasty and included diverse flavor profiles. I shared the tacos with my husband who is a big carnivore and he was shocked to find out that they were jackfruit and not pulled meat. "I already have dietary restrictions and know how complex and often unsatisfying dairy-free and gluten-free eating can be, but I felt that all of those substitutions didn't take away from the meals," one tester said.
Even the four-week Sakara Systems menu felt varied. I was worried that the meals would get repetitive, but each week was unique and included diverse dishes. Salads are definitely a staple of the programs, but you'll also receive chilis, stews, grain and noodle bowls, flatbreads, quesadillas and more. My system even included healthier takes on favorites like cornbread, pancakes and plant-based grilled cheese which were all a pleasant surprise.
The convenience of having everything prepared was not only practical but also significantly reduced my stress level for the week. After working a full day and then coming home to take care of the baby and put her down to sleep, I didn't have to worry about preparing dinner since it was already in the fridge and ready to eat. I actually really looked forward to the meals since they were very original and packed with flavor.
I also physically felt good and strong during and after the four weeks, and it was interesting to have a break from meat-based meals and products while still feeling satiated and energetic. In my personal experience, I also saw an improvement in my skin health but don't think that the meals are necessarily a miracle cure. You'd likely find the same benefits by eating whole plant-based foods on your own, though without the convenience and meal creativity that the service offers. Certain items, like the $40 Beauty Water Drops won't magically transform your appearance, but the ingredients can certainly support overall health. "As someone who cooks nonstop, I was impressed with the combinations and creative ingredients," one tester said. "It was super easy as nothing required cooking. The meals were restaurant quality, delicious, healthy and satisfying," another noted.
The Supplements and Extras
Sakara Life offers a variety of supplements, snacks, teas and more to support each program. We tested the bars and granola which were both filling and tasty, as well as The Foundation supplement and a few other items. The supplement and extras vary based on the plan you choose, but according to Sakara Life's website, the supplements go through seven rounds of third-party testing for purity and potency and are manufactured at a facility that is FDA-regulated and cGMP and NSF certified.
The Foundation is Sakara Life's daily supplement pack and is a well-rounded addition to a few of the existing programs. The pack includes their food-based multivitamin, a calcium and magnesium supplement, plant-based omega-3 supplement, a blend of B vitamins and adaptogens, as well as a probiotic supplement. Sakara Life says that The Foundation has gone through seven rounds of testing (identification, physical, chemical, microbiological, gluten/allergen, pesticide/herbicide and stability) and adds that all raw materials have been tested to ensure they are authentic and free of any contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals and all finished supplements have been tested for purity and potency.
Informational Materials and Customer Service
The informational booklets were also useful and provided some background on the meals and why they were specifically designed for the particular program. Every meal has an ingredient or ingredients spotlighted for their potential health benefits. "I appreciated the information provided on the highlighted ingredient," one tester said. The booklet in the Sakara Systems box was very comprehensive and featured information on the science behind the program, as well as tips, recipes, motivational guidance and more.