My Opinion on RUTABAGO: The Truth About These Ready-to-Eat Organic Meals

For years, I've been buying organic and seasonal products to prepare my meals. However, there are times when I struggle to come up with new recipe ideas.

When I discovered Rutabago, I immediately wanted to give it a try! The recipes looked delicious and it saved me time. Here’s my verdict after several orders!

What is a Rutabaga?

👍 I loved it

• The practicality of meal kits,
• The ability to easily eat organic,
• Discovering new flavours,
• The well-explained recipes that are easy to follow,
• The option to take breaks whenever you want,
• The quality of the delivery,
• Quick meals that allow you to eat organic without any hassle at work during lunch!

❌ What Could Be Improved

• The quite high rate,
• No option for a single person.

Source: rutabago.com

How does Rutabago work?

Rutabago is a meal kit: this means that you receive all the ingredients and recipes to cook the meals you've chosen delivered directly to your home. This saves you the hassle of shopping and the trouble of figuring out what to eat. It also helps to reduce 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 will only receive products sourced from organic farming.

Source: Rutabago.com

What meal plans does Rutabago offer?

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

• Seafood (so including fish),
• Vegetarian (no meat or fish),
• Vegan (no animal products).

👉 You can mix different meal plans in a single order. This is really handy if you're trying to cut down on your meat intake without necessarily going 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 (rarely more than 30 minutes).

Recipes to Cook Rutabaga for the Week of 28 November

Source: Rutabago.com

When placing your order, you can choose the meals that appeal to you the most, so you can receive the ingredients 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 looking for 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 commitment-free. This means that you have the option to pause your subscription or cancel it permanently whenever you wish, and it's a straightforward process.

👉 If you do not want to receive your organic meal kit next week, you need to cancel your subscription or pause it before the previous Wednesday at 23:59. You can do this directly from your customer account on the website!

Where does Rutabago deliver?

The company delivers its cooking kits across mainland France, excluding Corsica. Certain areas may benefit from a two-hour delivery window from Tuesday to Saturday. This includes:

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

The remaining destinations receive a time slot of 5 hours, meaning deliveries occur between 8 AM and 1 PM from Wednesday to Saturday.

How does delivery work with Rutabago?

Delivery is done through a specialised courier to ensure the cold chain is maintained. You can have your order delivered directly to your home by selecting your preferred time slot, or to your workplace if that is more convenient for you.

Source: Rutabago.com

👉 If you’ve missed your delivery, you can get in touch with Rutabago via email at bonjour@rutabago.com or by phone at 01 75 85 85 06 (calls are not charged extra) from Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 12:00, and 14:00 to 17:00.

🏪 You can also collect your parcel from a collection point.

What does a Rutabaga box look like?

When you receive your Rutabago box, it arrives in the form of a cardboard parcel, in which all the ingredients for your meals for the week are carefully packed.

In each box, you will find:

• a fresh pack, which includes all the products that need to be refrigerated,
• a grocery pack, which contains the dry ingredients for the meals (pasta, cereals, spices...),
• the recipes to help you cook.

👉 All the ingredients are carefully measured so that you have only the amounts you need.

🥕 The vegetables and fruits are neither peeled nor chopped, to help maintain their freshness and extend their shelf life.

Source: Youtube.com - Rutabago Channel

5 Things to Know Before Ordering Rutabaga

What I appreciated about Rutabago is the brand's commitment to healthy eating, organic produce, and supporting local supply chains. Here are 5 key points to know about the brand's ethics so you can order with confidence!

"Manifesto for Eating Well" by Rutabago

Source: Youtube.com - Rutabago Channel

Seasonal Menus

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

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

Meals Approved by Nutritionists

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

Source: Rutabago.com

Rutabago promotes local produce and short supply chains

Like 100% organic products, buying local helps improve the economy and the quality of life for producers. Therefore, Rutabago is committed to sourcing as much as possible from local producers.

Source: Rutabago.com

🛫 The food delivered in your cooking box doesn't travel by plane.

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

🚚 Deliveries are made using 100% electric vehicles, or alternatively, Rutabago is committed to offsetting 100% of the carbon emissions generated from deliveries.

The company is committed to reducing packaging

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

Currently, Rutabago is conducting research to create a deposit system that would eliminate packaging. Products would be packaged in reusable containers, which would then be returned to Rutabago.

Being a Commander at Rutabago is about Showing Solidarity

Rutabago is an ESUS certified company: this means a social enterprise of public utility. In fact, the company donates 5% of its products to community shops and promotes social and solidarity economy.

Source: Rutabago.com

What is the price of Rutabaga?

The price of Rutabago depends on the quantity ordered: the minimum charge is R95 per plate.

Here’s a quick overview of the meal prices at Rutabago, based on the assumption that there are no meat or fish dishes:

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

• approximately 1 € per plate for 4 people,
• around 2 € 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 slightly higher than those of non-organic competitors.

However, Rutabago is transparent about the distribution of its fees and ensures that it compensates producers and its partners fairly. This comes at a cost, which is explained in the graph below:

Source: Rutabago.com

Are there shipping fees at Rutabago? 🚚

There are no additional shipping costs, as they are included in the base price of your meal kit. 😊

Can I gift a Rutabago organic basket? 🎁

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

How to Give a Rutabago Gift Card?

It's really simple: just head over to the Rutabago website and click on "Gift Card" in the menu, then click 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 card, from the following options:

• R1,400 (3 meals for 2 people),
• R2,800,
• R4,200,
• or R5,600.

💬 You can then add a short 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 immediately and will be valid for a year. 😊

Who should you gift a Rutabago cooking box to?

Rutabago is a gift idea that suits everyone. For example, you could give this gift card:

• To a student struggling with their budget,
• To young parents who are exhausted and need a break,
• To a couple or a family,
• To the members of your flat share!

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 time, I've already done the legwork and I'm summarising what I've discovered here.

About Trustpilot

Rutabago encourages its clients to leave a review on the independent platform Trustpilot, whether they are satisfied or not. The feedback is largely positive, as currently, out of the 200 reviews posted on the site, the average rating is 4.5 out of 5. Over 70% of the reviews give a 5-star rating, compared to only 2% that have 1 or 2 stars.

Source: trustpilot.com

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

• The quality of the box,
• The careful organisation of products in the box (except for rare mishaps: in that case, please contact customer service),
• The savings in time and energy that this box provides,
• The balance and great taste of the cooked meals,
• The brand's commitments,
• The opportunity to learn how to cook with new spices.
• The availability of customer service.

Positive reviews from Rutabago customers on Trustpilot

❌ They liked it less

• The price is a bit high for some,
• The plastic packaging that is sometimes found in the parcels goes against the brand's ethics.

Mixed customer reviews about Rutabago posted on Trustpilot

On Google

You can also find nearly a hundred reviews for Rutabago on Google Maps by searching for the company name. The average rating is 4.4 out of 5 to date, which is quite consistent with what we've seen on Trustpilot.

Source: google.com

Customers are generally delighted with their experience with Rutabago. During the Christmas season, there were some extra gifts included in the boxes (vegan truffles, for example), which were very well received.

The simplicity of the recipes and the ability to discover new flavours are true advantages that Rutabago brings to our daily lives. It means you always have meal ideas at hand, and it takes away the hassle of grocery shopping.

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

Rutabaga dish created by a customer and shared as part of her Google review

Source: Google.co.za

Rutabaga on Social Media

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

• Facebook,
• Instagram,
• Twitter.

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

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

Rutabaga, From Fork to Plate

Source: Youtube.com

Is Rutabaga a reliable company?

Rutabago is part of the French company Les Commis, which is located in Gennevilliers. This company has been in operation since 2012 and specialises in the production of food and beverage products.

The Rutabago project was founded in 2016 by Matthieu, Pierre, and Younès, three entrepreneurs who aimed to make cooking easier for everyone. Their goal was not only to provide recipes but also, and most importantly, to promote 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 strong company, having established a lasting partnership with Biocoop since 2019 to make organic products more accessible and provide simple, sustainable solutions for better consumption.

The company makes it easier to connect with its customers by providing a customer service hotline available from Monday to Friday, as well as a chat service. The Rutabago team is also easily reachable via email and takes the time to respond to reviews left on Google and Trustpilot.

Source: Rutabago.com

✅ Rutabago is a French company that has been around for several years. It is a reputable and reliable business that you can confidently place orders with.

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 site is well designed, especially for first-time orders. You can specify your dietary preferences right away, so you're only shown dishes that are likely to appeal to you.

Additionally, I found the recipe photos to be really great. They are inviting and you instantly know what the preparation time will be.

Source: Instagram (@amandinecooking, @addict_healthylife)

For the delivery, I found it easy to choose a time slot. Since I don’t live in a big city, I have to select 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 ensures that the cold chain is not compromised.

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?

Yes! That's exactly why I choose Rutabago every time I order prepared meals. The recipes are balanced and the dishes you get are generous and delicious.

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

Is this cooking box 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 daily grocery shopping. It's also quite handy if you have guests and want to prepare an original meal without too much hassle.

However, I find these meals a bit pricey to order on a daily basis throughout the year, especially if there are just one or two people at home. Personally, I live alone and I do wish there was a single meal option available for ordering.

Source: Instagram (@etiquettable, @chicdesplantes)

✅ In summary, I encourage you to try Rutabago because the meals are truly delicious and the delivered ingredients are of good quality. Personally, I didn't encounter any issues, but I felt reassured knowing I could call customer service if anything did arise. 😊

Frequently Asked Questions about Rutabaga: I'm answering YOUR questions!

To wrap up this experience sharing, I’d like to include a small FAQ section to address some of the common questions you might have about Rutabago! 😉

Source: Rutabago.com

Is there a referral system at Rutabago?

Yes, Rutabago offers a referral program for all its customers. It allows the referred friend to receive R400 off their first order, and the referrer to earn the same amount for each new customer who places an order.

👉 To refer someone, you need to share your personal referral code. You can find it in your Rutabago customer account under the section "My Referral Programme". You can only refer 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 R20 discount code through the referral programme by following the instructions above.

At the moment, you can also get a R400 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. The customer service hours are from 10 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

💬 Alternatively, you can also reach out to 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. This means you can cancel your subscription whenever you like. To ensure your cancellation is processed before the next delivery, please do so before 11:59 PM on the Wednesday prior to the delivery date.

To do this, log in to your account, then go to "My Subscription". You then need to click on "Pause my subscription until further notice". If you wish, you can reactivate it later! This is how I handle it when I want to order from Rutabago occasionally, and it works really well.

In conclusion, I find that the Rutabago box is really super handy when you don't have the time or inclination to explore new dishes. Have you given it a go? 😊