My Thoughts on RUTABAGA: The Truth about These Ready-Made Organic Meals

I've been buying seasonal organic produce for years to prepare my meals. However, I sometimes find myself lacking the imagination to discover new recipes.

When I discovered Rutabago, I was immediately keen to give it a go! The recipes looked tasty, and it saved me time. I'm sharing my verdict after several orders!

What is a Rutabaga?

👍 I Loved It

• The practicality of meal boxes,
• The ability to easily eat organic,
• Discovering new flavours,
• Clear and easy-to-follow recipes,
• The option to take breaks whenever you want,
• The quality of the delivery,
• Quick meals that allow you to eat organic without the stress at work during lunch!

❌Areas for Improvement

• The price is quite high,
• No options available for one person.

Source: rutabago.com

How does Rutabago work?

Rutabago is a meal kit: this means you receive all the ingredients and recipes to cook the meals you've chosen delivered straight to your door. It saves you the hassle of grocery shopping and figuring out what to cook. It also helps minimise waste, as you only get the exact amounts needed to prepare your dishes.

Unlike its competitors like HelloFresh, Rutabago is a 100% organic box. You only receive products that are sourced from organic farming.

Source: Rutabago.com

What meal plans does Rutabago offer?

Rutabago offers omnivore menus, as well as options such as:

• Seafood Option (includes fish),
• Vegetarian (no meat or fish),
• Vegan (no animal products).

👉 You can mix different diets in the same order. This is really handy if you're looking to reduce your meat consumption without going fully vegetarian.

Source: Rutabago.com

How to Choose Your Menus?

Every week, Rutabago offers you a selection of recipes to cook. For each recipe, you will find the following information:

• The type of diet in question (meat, fish, vegan, vegetarian...),
• The preparation time (usually no more than 30 minutes).

Recipes to Cook Swede for the Week of 28 November

Source: Rutabago.com

When you place your order, you can choose the meals that appeal to you the most, so you can receive everything you need to cook them at home, along with the instructions for preparation.

What are the bionus offered by Rutabago?

With every order, you have the option to add extra products, known as "Bionus". This includes a breakfast, as well as a seasonal fruit basket.

If you're planning to have a quick lunch, you can also order express meals, which heat up in just three minutes in the microwave.

Source: Rutabago.com

Is there a commitment with Rutabago?

Rutabago is no-strings-attached. This means you have the option to pause your subscription or cancel it permanently whenever you like, and it’s really straightforward.

👉 To avoid receiving your organic meal kit the following week, you need to cancel your subscription or pause it before the previous Wednesday at 11:59 PM. You can do this directly from your customer account on the website!

Where does Rutabaga deliver?

The company delivers its recipe boxes throughout mainland France, excluding Corsica. Some locations can enjoy a two-hour delivery window from Tuesday to Saturday. These include:

• Paris and the surroundingDepartments (92, 93, 94, 77, 78, 91, 95),
• Nice,
• Marseille,
• Toulouse,
• Bordeaux,
• Montpellier,
• Rennes,
• Grenoble,
• Nantes,
• Lille,
• Strasbourg,
• Lyon,
• and Toulon.

The other destinations have a 5-hour delivery window, meaning deliveries are made between 8 AM and 1 PM from Wednesday to Saturday.

How does delivery work with Rutabago?

The delivery is made via a specialised courier to maintain the cold chain. You can have it delivered directly to your home by selecting your preferred time slot, or to your workplace if that's more convenient for you.

Source: Rutabago.com

👉 If you missed your delivery, you can contact Rutabago via email at bonjour@rutabago.com or by phone on 01 75 85 85 06 (standard call charges apply) from Monday to Friday, between 10 AM and 12 PM, and 2 PM to 5 PM.

🏪 You can also pick up your parcel from a collection point.

What does a Rutabago box look like?

When you receive your Rutabago box, it comes as a cardboard package, containing all the ingredients for your meals for the week, which are carefully packed.

In each box, you'll find:

• a fresh pack, which includes all the items that need to be refrigerated,
• a grocery pack, that contains the dry goods used in meals (pasta, cereals, spices...),
• the recipes for cooking.

👉 All the ingredients are measured out exactly so you have only the amounts you need.

🥕 Vegetables and fruits are neither peeled nor chopped, to help maintain their freshness and prolong their shelf life.

Source: Youtube.com - Rutabago Channel

5 Things to Know Before Ordering Rutabaga

What I really appreciate about Rutabago is the brand's commitment to providing healthy, organic food sourced from local producers. Here are 5 key points to understand about the ethics of this brand so you can order with confidence!

"Manifesto for Eating Well" by Rutabago

Source: YouTube.com - Rutabago Channel

Seasonal Menus

The recipes offered by Rutabago are in tune with the natural rhythm of the seasons: no more strawberries in November or tomatoes in February! Instead, you'll rediscover the joy of enjoying pumpkin soup in autumn or tasting the first fruits of spring, just like I do.

🍎 Fruits and vegetables are picked at their peak ripeness. They aren't artificially ripened, so they retain all their nutritional value when you enjoy them!

Dishes Approved by Nutritionists

Eating organic is important, yes, but having a balanced diet is just as crucial! That's why Rutabago gets its recipes validated by nutritionists to ensure they contain all the essential nutrients for good health.

Source: Rutabago.com

Rutabaga Promotes Local Produce and Short Supply Chains

Just like 100% organic products, shopping locally helps to boost the economy and improve the quality of life for producers. That's why Rutabago is committed to sourcing as much as possible from local producers.

Source: Rutabago.com

🛫 The foods delivered in your meal box don't travel by air.

🌞 Additionally, they are not grown in heated greenhouses, even in organic farming.

🚚 Deliveries are made using 100% electric vehicles, or if that's not possible, Rutabago commits to offsetting 100% of the carbon emissions from the delivery.

The company is committed to reducing packaging

The products we receive in the Rutabago boxes are packaged as much as possible with recyclable materials, such as Kraft paper.

At the moment, Rutabago is conducting research to create a deposit system that would eliminate packaging. Products would be packaged in deposit containers, which could then be returned to Rutabago.

Being a leader at Rutabago means showing solidarity

Rutabago is a certified ESUS company, which stands for socially responsible enterprise for social utility. In fact, the company donates 5% of its products to community grocery stores and supports the social and solidarity economy.

Source: Rutabago.com

What is the price of Rutabaga?

The price of Rutabaga depends on the quantity ordered: the minimum is $4.95 per plate.

Here’s a quick summary table of meal prices at Rutabago, considering that there are no recipes that include meat or fish:

Number of People	Number of Meals	Price per Plate
2	3	$9.83
2	4	$8.44
2	5	$7.45
3	3	$7.67
3	4	$6.63
3	5	$5.97
4	3	$6.63
4	4	$5.56
4	5	$4.95

🐟 If you want meat or fish, all you need to do is add:

• approximately $1 NZD per plate for 4 people,
• approximately $2 NZD for 2 to 3 people.

Why this price? 💰

When I ordered from Rutabago for the first time, I was a bit surprised by the prices, which are a tad higher than non-organic competitors.

However, Rutabago is transparent about its fee distribution and ensures that it fairly compensates producers and its collaborators. This comes at a cost, which is detailed in the graph below:

Source: Rutabago.com

Are there shipping fees with Rutabago? 🚚

There are no additional shipping charges, as these are included in the basic price of your meal kit. 😊

Can I give a Rutabago organic hamper as a gift? 🎁

Great news: Rutabago is offering a gift card that you can give to your loved ones to introduce them to this organic meal box system for cooking. What a unique gift idea! 😊

How to Give a Rutabago Gift Card?

It's really straightforward: just go to the Rutabago website and click on "Gift Card" in the menu, then hit the orange button that says "Give a Gift Card" on the page that appears.

Source: Rutabago.com

You will then have the option to choose the amount for your gift voucher from the following options:

• 68 NZD, (3 recipes for 2 people),
• 136 NZD,
• 204 NZD,
• or 272 NZD.

💬 You can then add a little message that will be attached to the gift to personalise it.

Next, all you need to do is create an account or log in, and then proceed to payment. The gift card will be sent to you via email straight away and will be valid for a year. 😊

Who should you gift a Rutabago cooking box to?

Rutabago is a gift idea that suits everyone. You could, for instance, give this gift voucher:

• To a student struggling with their budget,
• To young parents feeling worn out,
• To a couple or a family,
• To the members of your flatshare!

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Source: Rutabago.com

What do customers think of Rutabago?

Reading online reviews gives you a general idea of a brand's reliability. To save you some time, I've done this research for you and I’m summarising what I discovered here.

About Trustpilot

Rutabago encourages its customers to leave a review on the independent platform Trustpilot, whether they are satisfied or not. The feedback has been predominantly positive, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from the 200 reviews posted on the site so far. Over 70% of the reviews have given 5 stars, compared to only 2% receiving 1 and 2 stars.

Source: trustpilot.com

Let's take a closer look at the details of these assessments:

💚 Rutabago customers loved

• The quality of the box,
• The careful arrangement of products in the box (except for rare accidents: in such cases, please contact customer service),
• The time and energy savings provided by this box,
• The balance and great taste of the meals prepared,
• The commitments of the brand,
• The opportunity to learn how to cook with new spices.
• The availability of customer service.

Positive reviews left by Rutabago customers on Trustpilot

❌ They liked it less

• The price is a bit high for some,
• The plastic packaging that occasionally appears in the parcels is somewhat contrary to the brand's ethics.

Mixed customer reviews about Rutabago on Trustpilot

On Google

You can also find nearly a hundred reviews for Rutabago on Google Maps by searching for the business name. The average rating is currently 4.4 out of 5, which aligns well with what we've observed on Trustpilot.

Source: google.com

Customers are overall thrilled with their experience with Rutabago. For the Christmas season, there were some additional gifts in the boxes (vegan truffles, for example), which were greatly appreciated.

The simplicity of the recipes and the opportunity to discover new flavours are real advantages that Rutabago brings to daily life. It ensures you always have meal ideas and takes the hassle out of grocery shopping.

Some customers have experienced delivery issues with the courier, but the customer service team responds quickly to feedback to reschedule deliveries. 😊

Rutabaga mash made by a customer and posted as an illustration in their Google review

Source: Google.com

Rutabaga on Social Media

Want to stay updated with Rutabago's news and discover a heap of cooking and health tips? Like me, you can follow the team on the following social media platforms:

• Facebook,
• Instagram,
• Twitter.

👉 Discover recipes from the Rutabago community by following the #rutabago hashtag on these platforms!

You can also check out some reports on Rutabago on the brand's YouTube channel. Feel free to take a look if you're after more information!

Rutabaga, From Farm to Fork

Source: YouTube.com

Is Rutabago a reliable company?

Rutabago is part of the French company Les Commis, which is based in Gennevilliers. This company has been in operation since 2012 and specializes in producing food and drink products.

The Rutabago project was established in 2016 by Matthieu, Pierre, and Younès, three entrepreneurs who aimed to make cooking easier for everyone. Their goal was to provide not just recipes, but also, and most importantly, a focus on Good Eating, which means quality products. This is what inspired the creation of this 100% organic box!

Source: Rutabago's LinkedIn Profile

Today, Rutabago is a well-established company that has enjoyed a long-lasting partnership with Biocoop since 2019, aimed at making organic products more accessible and providing simple, sustainable solutions for better consumption.

The company makes it easy to communicate with its customers by providing a customer service hotline that's available from Monday to Friday, as well as a chat service. The Rutabago team is also easy to reach by email, and they take the time to respond to reviews left on Google and Trustpilot.

Source: Rutabago.com

✅ Rutabago is a French company that has been operating for several years. It is a reputable and trustworthy business where you can confidently place your orders.

My verdict on Rutabago ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Since discovering Rutabago, I've often found myself placing orders, especially during busy weeks, to save time. Here’s a brief summary of my experience.

Was it easy to order from Rutabago?

The website is well designed, especially for first-time orders. You can specify your dietary preferences right from the start, ensuring that you are only shown dishes that are likely to appeal to you.

Additionally, I found the recipe photos to be really great. They are enticing and give a clear idea of the preparation time straight away.

Source: Instagram (@amandinecooking, @addict_healthylife)

For shipping, I found it easy to choose a time slot. Since I don’t live in a big city, I have to pick a half-day window. I prefer Saturday morning, as I need to be home to put away the fresh produce.

How did the Rutabago delivery go?

My deliveries have always arrived on time. I appreciate that all the fresh products are packed together in a separate bag. This saves time and prevents the cold chain from being broken.

The products I received were mostly well packaged and in good condition. Some use-by dates were a bit short, but this was never an issue as the meals are meant to be cooked within the week.

Source: Instagram (@grange_eliane, @etiquettable)

Are ready-made meals any good?

Absolutely! That’s why I always choose Rutabago whenever I order prepared meals. The recipes are well-balanced and the dishes we receive are generous and delicious.

Thanks to the spices included in the packages, I discover new and unique flavours each time. I've often reused tips I've learned from Rutabago dishes in my everyday cooking as well.

Is this meal kit worth it?

I find the Rutabago box really interesting if you're looking to cook new dishes or if you want to save time on your everyday grocery shopping. It's also quite handy if you have guests and want to whip up an original meal without too much hassle.

However, I find these meals a bit pricey to order every day throughout the year, especially if there’s just one or two of us at home. Personally, I live alone and I do wish there was an option to order meals for one person.

Source: Instagram (@etiquettable, @chicdesplantes)

✅ In summary, I highly recommend giving Rutabago a go because the meals are truly delicious and the ingredients delivered are of excellent quality. Personally, I didn't encounter any issues, but I felt reassured knowing that I could call customer service if anything did come up. 😊

Rutabaga FAQ: I Answer YOUR Questions!

To wrap up this experience report, I'd like to share a brief FAQ section to address some common questions you may have about Rutabago! 😉

Source: Rutabago.com

Is there a referral system at Rutabago?

Yes, Rutabago offers a referral programme for all of its customers. This allows the referee to receive a $20 discount on their first order, and the referrer to earn the same amount for every person who places an order.

👉 To sponsor someone, you need to send them your personal referral code. You can find it in your Rutabago client area under the section "My Referral Programme". You can only sponsor people who have never ordered before, and you must have already ordered the Rutabago cooking box yourself. 😉

How to get a Rutabago promo code? 🤑

You can get a $20 discount code through our referral program by following the instructions above.

Right now, you can also get a $20 discount with the following code: PAR-63FC1E!

Source: Rutabago.com

How to contact Rutabago by phone? 📞

You can call Rutabago's customer service at 01 75 85 85 06 (or +33175858506 from overseas) at the cost of a local call. Their phone customer service hours are 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

💬 Alternatively, you can also get in touch with Rutabago via email at bonjour@rutabago.com! The advisors are very responsive during the week!

📩 To visit Rutabago or for any inquiries, here is the postal address of the company:

Rutabaga

84 Paul Vaillant Couturier Street

92230 GENNEVILLIERS

France

How to cancel your Rutabago subscription?

Rutabago is commitment-free. You can cancel your subscription whenever you like. To ensure your cancellation is considered for the next delivery, you need to do this before 11:59 PM on the Wednesday prior to the delivery.

To do this, log in to your client area, then go to "My Subscription". Next, click on "Temporarily suspend my subscription until further notice". If you wish, you can reactivate it later! This is how I go about ordering occasionally from Rutabago, and it works really well.

To wrap up, I think the Rutabago box is really super convenient when you don't have the time or inclination to explore new dishes. Have you given it a go? 😊