If you follow me on Instagram, you already know about my Sakara obsession. I heard about it a few years ago when the founders Whitney & Danielle were guests on The Skinny Confidential Podcast and was instantly intrigued. They discussed how Sakara was built with the understanding of food as medicine. At the time I discovered Sakara, I was in perfect health generally speaking so I didn’t realize the importance. I was also on a low carb high protein diet. This past year I had major hormonal issues that took over my physical health and even my appearance (hello hormonal cystic acne) and my mental well being (imagine having PMS for over a year straight). Needless to say, this impacted my relationship with my husband as well as how I interacted with my kids. I had zero patience at all. I saw my doctor and began getting it under control.
After starting a new job in August, i was pretty stressed out with all of the adjustments that come along with that. If you’re new around here, i was an art teacher at a pre k through 8th grade school for 11 years. I now teach art, fashion and digital photography at the high school level. My classroom happens to be next door to the culinary class. I would eat cookies, soups, BLTs, you name it, it made its way to my desk and i ate it. I was gaining weight and losing confidence.
After attending New York Fashion Week in February 2020, I was not 100% leveled out and decided I needed a detox. I was ready. The delicious menu pulled me in me (hello lemon poppyseed donuts!) and they had a program that was a collaboration with the legendary skincare guru Dr. Barbara Sturm. Her skincare is super high end and Sakara was offering a free skincare set with a subscription. I love that this brand works with experts in the wellness space. Every month they run promotions (always with fantastic free goodies). That convinced me to begin my Sakara journey in March. I purchased a five day meal plan.
What is this all about?
Sakara Life is a meal delivery service that is organic and plant based. It’s like having a nutritionist and a chef. And it’s delivered to your door. The wellness authority AKA GOOP had this to say about Sakara:
Organic, gut-focused, nutrient-packed, and delicious, Sakara delivers breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, wherever you live in the continental US. Depending on which program you choose, the inventive, plant-based dishes come with nutritional supplements, probiotics, detox and beauty tinctures, beauty and detox teas, and clear, beautifully art-directed instructions/tips/words of encouragement. All versions of Sakara involve more vegetables than you ever imagined you could eat, delivered in chic, totally recyclable containers.
The salads are gigantic and complex; there are raspberry scones, faux pho noodles made out of seaweed, Moroccan flatbreads, and every sort of roasted vegetable. The spices are generous, and the sauces are velvety and full of flavor.
https://goop.com/wellness/detox/detox-delivered-clean-meal-delivery-from-sakara/
If it’s good enough for Gwyneth…
It’s also a favorite of Victoria’s Secret Model Lily Aldridge, Hillary Duff and Dr. Oz’s daughter Daphne. It feels luxurious to know I am taking care of myself from the inside out -and it should because living the Sakara Life is not cheap (it ranges from $27-$80 a day). A celebrity following was impressive considering those are the people that probably could afford a private gourmet chef and a nutritionist -which is what Sakara is.
First Impressions
I love Sakara’s branding. From the fonts to beautiful graphics on the pamphlets included with my delivery. Sleek fonts spell out words of encouragement to keep your mind inspired to treat yourself well. My order came with an insulated tote (perfect for bringing breakfast and lunch to work). I received some Palo Santo incense, five days worth of probiotics, ten detox tea bags, a beauty snack bar and three days of meals. On the label of each meal, Sakara tells you about the star ingredient and the benefits of it. I love that I’m being educated on how to use food as medicine at each meal. The packaging is reusable and recyclable.
The Food
Every meal is super fresh. The breakfasts are by far my favorite. They typically come with fruit and or a sauce or compote. Some breakfasts I’ve gotten and loved : chocolate muffin with Carmel sauce (insanely rich and dense), rose petal donuts, avocado turmeric toast, chocolate mousse and granola parfaits, and almond peach pancakes. Their granola is SO good, I ordered three bags from the clean boutique. This is the fig and strawberry oatmeal bar I lightly toasted and ate today (yes those are edible rose petals sprinkled on top!).
Lunches were usually some kind of huge salad with lots of healthy fats (seeds, nuts or avocado), either noodles or grains and no shortage of delicious dressing -again large portions. While Sakara is plant based, I am not a vegan. Not even a vegetarian. Sakara is my convenient way of making sure I’m eating all of my fruits and veggies without having to shop or prepare. I love their salads as a base and sometimes add a few shrimp on top or grilled chicken, even hard boiled eggs -whatever floats my boat. The lunch portions are usually huge so I’ll sometimes I’ll divide the salad in half and make it two meals -and add a protein if I choose to for that day. Although I will note that most days, I don’t miss the meat at all. The salads are so filling on their own.
Dinners are usually meant to be heated up (although they don’t have to be). Sometimes the dishes were so filling that I couldn’t finish them -and that never happens when I eat “regular foods”. Some of my favorites were the rustic tomato soup with grilled “cheese” and side salad (omg too good), pineapple glow bowl (grains and veggies in a warm pineapple coconut cream sauce, the Sakara burger is amazing too. The quesadilla with guacamole (ugh YES!) is to die for and is on the menu next week.
The Extras
With a subscription, you always get detox tea (my husband’s favorite!). It’s mild in taste and you receive two tea bags for each day of your subscription. The tea is caffeine free which means it helps increase your water intake. This tea has detoxifying properties from the red rooibos, lemongrass and rose ingredients.
You can choose one “add-on” supplement kit that comes free with your meals. They supply enough servings for each day of your subscription.
- Sakara has an array of healthy chocolates. I love something sweet after dinner, so I love a beauty chocolate for dessert or an afternoon pick-me-up. The beauty chocolates are one of their best sellers in the Clean Boutique. They are clinically proven to improve skin’s elasticity, moisture and texture within 2 weeks. Beauty chocolates are sold separately but if you have a subscription for meals, you can opt for the little treats as your free add-on and save yourself a few bucks.
- Beauty & Detox Water Drops are another popular add-on that you can select. I love that they give you both. The super hydrating Beauty Water drops contain 72 trace minerals that counteract the effects of stress and aging on the body. The Detox drops are loaded with chlorophyll and turns your water a gorgeous shade of green! Benefits of chlorophyll include optimal digestion, gut health, immunity and liver function.
- Complete Probiotics are another option that’s offered as a free add-on. I absolutely love Sakara’s probiotics. It is a potent formulation with 11 complementary probiotic strains, two digestive enzymes to relieve bloat and improve nutrient absorption, two systemic enzymes to manage pathogens and inflammation, and prebiotic fiber to enhance efficacy. This blend boasts 3 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria per capsule for optimal gut health.
Results
After participating in 5 consecutive days of committing myself to my health with the signature meal program, I had ZERO bloat. The whites of my eyes were brighter, I noticed increased energy and an improved complexion. These things contributed to a better mood and overall well being. This made me also realize that my diet before was severely lacking in the veggie department. After feeling and seeing results so quickly, I became addicted to Sakara and addicted to feeling healthy. I lost 8 pounds in a couple months without trying, in fact I feel like I’ve never eaten more on a day-to-day basis. The drastic swing in my vitality keeps me going back -even if it’s just breakfast for the week (and free detox tea & probiotics) I know I’m doing something for my health and longevity. I wish I knew about Sakara before I got married -they have a four week bridal program and it’s amazing!!
How does a subscription work?
If you decide to give Sakara a try, there are so many ways you could customize your plan. I like to check out the upcoming menu and base my order on that. Usually breakfast is a given, so I’d order a 5 day subscription of just breakfast. Some weeks, I’ll order two nights of dinner or three days of lunch, it really depends on what’s being offered and honestly how busy my week is. If I have a hectic schedule certain days, Sakara saves me. I would make bad foods choices on those days out of convenience, not anymore. Again, the lunch portions are huge, so sometimes to save money, I’ll split the lunch and make it two meals. Again, to save money, I always subscribe rather than make a one time purchase (which is more expensive) because you can pause it -and not get charged whenever you want. You can switch days and meals every week to fit your preference. Deliveries are made every Monday and Thursday mornings by 6:00 am -perfect. Use XOMINDY to get 20% off your first order! Click here.
*This post was not sponsored.
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