We Tried Gardencup Salads. Here's What We Loved -- and What Was Just OK
8.2 Gardencup Buy at Gardencup Like Quick and easy lunch with little to no additional dishes needed
Quick and easy lunch with little to no additional dishes needed A healthier choice than many other prepared meal services
A healthier choice than many other prepared meal services Flavorful
Flavorful Good portion sizes
Good portion sizes Reusable containers
Reusable containers The website is easy to navigate and designed nicely
The website is easy to navigate and designed nicely Nationwide shipping Don't like Premium options can be pricey
Premium options can be pricey Sides like the soup and chia collagen pudding received mixed reviews
Sides like the soup and chia collagen pudding received mixed reviews Extra $11 for shipping
Extra $11 for shipping Packets included in the salads are hard to open
Let me start by saying that there's nothing groundbreaking about having a salad for lunch. Here's what's groundbreaking: Salads that are shipped across numerous state lines and still show up cold, tasty and crunchy. That's exactly what we got with Gardencup.
At the CNET office in New York, we got to taste 10 salads, including one with pasta, a soup and a chia pudding. Across the board, we were impressed with the quality of the salads, but the soup and pudding were lackluster.
At CNET we've tested numerous meal kits over the years so we can help take the guesswork out of the equation for you. We always aim to find one that strikes a balance between tasty and healthy -- all without having to break the bank.
We're happy to report that Gardencup has left us with fond memories thanks to the flavor, convenience and nutritional value of the meals. Here's everything to know about the meal delivery service that left me wanting more (deliveries.)
How GardenCup works
You choose your plan based on whether you want six or nine salads each week. Then you start loading up your pack. There are 17 salads to choose from, as well as Producecups, soups and other healthy snacks.
Gardencup delivers nationwide and each area has different delivery days, which you will see when you begin the checkout process. You can change your schedule or cancel your subscription at any time. However, if you don't cancel your subscription or pick out your salads, you'll still receive an order of salads the company picked for you.
You have full control over building your pack on the website.
Corin Cesaric/CNET
The service is a bit reminiscent of Farmer's Fridge, which CNET's resident meal-kit expert David Watsky tested out in 2022 before it shuttered operations. What he liked about that service was similar to what I liked about Gardencup, so if you're a former Farmer's Fridge customer, this might be the perfect replacement.
GardenCup pricing
Salads: Most salads are $12 each, but salads with steak, which are considered 'premium' options, are $13.49. Vegetarian salads are $11.
Soups: There are only three soupcup options -- chicken tortilla, vegetable chicken noodle and Tuscan canellini bean stew -- and they're $9.98 each.
Produce: Producecups -- which contain fruit served with almond butter, veggies served with hummus, hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken and more -- are between $6 and $10 each.
Extras: There are also a handful of Snackcups to choose from, including egg salad, tuna salad and chia pudding, and they are each $9.
Wellness shots: There is also a five-pack of wellness shots available for $19.95. However, we did not test them out, so we are unable to comment on the flavor.
Shipping: Shipping is an additional cost. For delivery to New York, the shipping cost is $11.
The lids include some of the nutrition information of each meal or snack.
Corin Cesaric/CNET
What we ate and how we liked it
At the office, we tried 10 salads, a chia seed pudding and a soup. Each salad was well liked, but the side options were less impressive. Here are some of our staff's specific thoughts on the salads we tasted.
Asian chopped with honey garlic chicken: The toppings were crunchy and the lettuce was so fresh. The chicken was delicious and not rubbery like in other premade salads. The dressing and topping packets were hard to open though. When I finally got the toppings open, they exploded all over my desk. -- Carly Marsh
Steakhouse wedge salad: Despite the steak being a little well-done (I'm team medium rare), the greens and veggies included were fresh, crisp and chopped, making it easy to eat on the go. Not to mention how transportable and reusable the packaging is. Wash it and use it as your new water cup. Or a vase. To each their own. -- Lai Frances
Mediterranean salad with grilled chicken: The chicken from this salad tasted so fresh and was a lovely accompaniment to the plentiful greens and vegetables from the jar. I'd happily eat this again as an alternative to ordering from the more expensive salad stores around our office. -- Mike Sorrentino
Caprese with grilled chicken: The tomatoes were perfectly ripe, the chicken was tender and the lettuce was crunchy. What more could you want from lunch? -- Corin Cesaric
The dressing packets were located inside of the containers.
Corin Cesaric/CNET
Pesto pasta bowl with grilled chicken - The pasta bowl tasted fresh and came with a generous portion of chicken and some added greens. The pasta was well-prepared, and the serving size was solid. Personally, I would've liked a bit more pesto, but overall, it definitely hit the spot. -- Joey Kaminski
Chicken tortilla soup: This was a functional soup but it didn't really rise above the level of a simple cup of soup from the grocery store. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I don't see myself going out of my way to order this one. --Mike Sorrentino
Chocolate strawberry chia pudding with Obvi collagen: My first time eating chia pudding will also be my last after trying this chocolate strawberry version. It partially froze after sitting in the refrigerator overnight, and I wasn't a fan of the taste or texture. -- Meara Isenberg
Who is Gardencup good for?
Gardencup is great for anyone who's too busy to make weekly lunches or for those who want to replace their current lunches with healthy alternatives. It's also great for anyone who simply wants a convenient lunch option throughout the week.
After testing out Gardencup, I wanted to order my own pack because of the convenience. As someone who's planning a wedding and a vacation all at once, the idea of not having lunch on my to-do list was quite the draw at this time. Plus, living in NYC, I've often paid more than $12 for a salad from Chopt and Sweetgreen. To me, Gardencup is a way to both save time and money.
The salads also have a QR code on the lid that will give you the full details on each salad, including the ingredient list and nutrition labels.
Corin Cesaric/CNET
Who is Gardencup not good for?
Gardencup is probably not the best option for one person who won't be able to get through the salads in a timely manner. The salads should not be frozen and although they are supposed to be consumed within five to six days of delivery, I personally don't think I'd push it past three or four regardless of how fresh it came.
If one person still decided to subscribe to the service, I would suggest ordering some Soupcups, Producecups or Snackcups in place of the salads so you don't have to deal with wilted lettuce at the end of the week.
The Gardencup containers are fully reusable.
Corin Cesaric/CNET
How we test meal kits or food services
When testing meal kits we consider various factors, including how easy or difficult it is to order on the brand's website, the price for each meal, the shipping length and the quality the delivery arrives in. We also think about how much packaging is used for the delivery and if it's recyclable, reusable or compostable.
We also take into account the variety of meals offered by the brand and if they can accommodate various diets and dietary requirements. After unboxing the meals, we taste them and look for fresh ingredients. We also look at the nutrition labels of each meal to determine if the meals can be a part of a healthy diet.
To account for varying opinions and preferences in taste, we crowdsourced our CNET co-workers as taste testers at our New York office. One of our taste testers doesn't eat dairy, for example, so she was a perfect person to try out the dairy-free Asian chopped salad with honey garlic chicken. Another tester wanted a high-protein lunch, so they opted for the premium steakhouse wedge salad, which has an impressive 35 grams of protein.
From left to right, strawberry spinach salad with smoked ham, pesto pasta with grilled chicken and caesar with grilled chicken.
Corin Cesaric/CNET
Final verdict on Gardencup
I loved this delivery service. The packaging also didn't seem overly wasteful since the salad cups are both recyclable and reusable. However, I would love it if there was a way to ship back the empty cups for the company to reuse them and make it even less wasteful.
Overall, I was impressed with Gardencup -- especially the salads -- and I can see this being the perfect meal kit for busy families who still want to eat healthy throughout the week.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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