Australian, premium ready-made meal service Garden of Vegan has new items on their menu which I tried so you know exactly what you’re getting based on value for money, taste, and nutritional quality!
Like the other times I tried Garden of Vegan, I sampled meals from their Comfort, Essentials, and Gourmet menu. To read my first review, click here. Most of the meals I saw on the menu I recalled from my previous order back in May, so I assume a lot of the menu items remain as favourites, however, some more variety in the menu would be great, especially for those who order regularly.
I chose five meals:
- Eggplant Moussaka
- Greek Nourish Bowl
- High Protein Mie Goreng
- Ayurvedic Kitchari
- Pumpkin Chickpea Korma
How much does Garden of Vegan Cost?
Here is a price breakdown of the meals I ordered:
| Eggplant Moussaka (450g) | $20.95 |
| Greek Nourish Bowl (450g) | $21.95 |
| High Protein Mie Goreng (450g) | $22.95 |
| Ayurvedic Kitchari (300g) | $15.95 |
| Pumpkin Chickpea Korma (300g) | $16.95 |
Garden of Vegan is one of the most expensive readymade meal options on the market, with their larger portions costing almost as much as your average takeaway meal. Whilst these portions are bigger (and arguably healthier than takeaway), in my opinion, they do not justify the cost per serve, particularly for a ready-made meal. If you are looking for a cheaper vegan readymade meal service, I would recommend Soulara – whilst they are not preservative-free, their meals are good quality and also cater to gluten-free customers.
Cooking Garden of Vegan’s meals
Their meals are very easy to prepare, simply 3 minutes in the microwave and you have a perfectly heated meal. They also include heating instructions for the oven and stove.
Are Garden of Vegan’s meals good?
Their meals are 100% organic, gluten-free, oil-free and free from processed sugars which might make some people think “bland”, yet all the meals I tried were really tasty. My two favourites were the Greek Nourish Bowl and Eggplant Moussaka – I loved the olives in the Greek Nourish bowl along with the perfectly roasted vegetables. The Eggplant Moussaka was super creamy and contained loads of flavour! Garden of Vegan is great at using a balanced amount of herbs and spices to create an authentic taste.
Are Garden of Vegan’s Readymade Meals healthy?
Garden of Vegan’s meals are made with high-quality, organic ingredients and are free from sugars, preservatives and additives which is a standout feature. So many ready-made meals include preservatives and additives to improve the shelf life and flavour, so I love that Garden of Vegan has achieved great-tasting meals without them. They also use lots of vegetables, herbs, and spices which add great flavour, along with many beneficial micronutrients.
Nutritionist Review of Garden of Vegan
Compared to my last order with Garden of Vegan, the protein content of their meals has increased. Apart from the Kitchari and Korma, (these meals contained the lowest protein at 13g and 15g), the other meals contained 23g, 40g and 43g of protein! The quality of their proteins is also fantastic including tempeh, lentils and chickpeas which not only help keep you full, but they are also great for our gut health!
The fat content was generally low due to the absence of oils. Processed oils are commonly added to ready-made meals and provide unnecessary calories with little to no nutritional value. The two main sources of fats that were included in the meals included nuts and coconut cream which provide mono-unsaturated fats (heart healthy) and saturated fats. Whilst saturated fats are higher in calories, the coconut cream was included in reasonable amounts and can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
The sodium content of the ready-made meals was higher than I expected. The Greek Nourish Bowl contained 1100mg per 450g serve and the High Protein Mie Goreng contained 1710mg per 450g serve. This is nearly half of our daily requirement for sodium in one meal! If you are looking for optimal health, I recommend selecting lower sodium options from their menu, especially if ready-made meals are a regular in your routine. The Kitchari had the lowest sodium content of 369.9mg per 300g serve.
Final thoughts on Garden of Vegan
I still recommend Garden of Vegan to anyone who is interested in high-quality, organic, vegan and gluten-free readymade meals. Their meals are packed with flavour and nutrient-dense vegetables, making them a nutritious option for those following a plant-based diet. However, I recommend selecting their lower sodium options to support optimal health.
