Basil Brings a New Face to the Daily Meal Delivery Scene

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Step aside Tribe, Basil (罗勒, luo le) has officially entered the health lunch market and they’re ready to provide curated daily meals delivered straight to your doorstep!

Founded in July 2020, Basil is a relative newcomer to Beijing’s foodie scene, but it’s certainly gaining ground with its lean and mean offerings. With meals starting as low as RMB 48, and plenty of options that cater to various dietary requirements or lifestyle choices, from keto to vegan, Basil is casting a wide net to lure in all of the capital’s hungry, busy people.

Basil Fit provides you with two meals a day, promising 50 percent quality protein, 30 percent complex carbs, and 20 percent healthy fats. Likewise, the vegan option provides 20g of plant-based protein, usually in the popular form of tofu. Those on the ketogenic diet can put their minds and stomachs at ease with Basil Keto, which supplies less than 30g of carbs per day.

For myself, I chose Basil On The Go, which is the single meal option of any of the above plans. I’m currently on the Fit Plan because that was precisely my plan when I signed up!

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You see, the Jingkids office is conveniently located near fantastic eateries such as Las Musas, and just a short bike ride from the endless mouthwatering offerings of Taikoo Li, which is dangerous for both my wallet and my waistline. Plus, I’m a big proponent of efficiency. Taking the time to think about what to eat, every day, not to mention the time to physically go and join the long queues to buy the food, is just wasted minutes that add up to hours I could spend on much better activities. (This is also the reason I don’t bother with make-up. Think about it: Even five minutes a day becomes 20 hours in a year. Yes, it’s true, I’ve done the math. But that’s for another blog.)

Here’s a week’s worth of my Basil lunches in pictures! These are delivered straight to my office every day at 11am, which provides the perfect opportunity to get up (one more “stand hour” on my Apple Watch, yay!) and take the stairs to fetch my meal.

Monday

I aim for Meatless Mondays and Basil was super accommodating with a vegan meal. The tofu was deliciously spiced with a kimchi-like taste, and the tomatoes were bursting with flavor.

Tuesday

Hands down one of my favorite offerings from Basil! This juicy pulled pork dish pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables. If it weren’t for this plan, I would never eat zucchini. Another reason to join Basil – it widens your palate and encourages you to experience new flavors/combinations that you otherwise wouldn’t.

Wednesday

Chicken + cauliflower + yellow capsicum + green beans = healthy, nutritious lunch! Not one of my favorites, but here’s another cool thing about Basil – they listen to feedback and actively address it. Talk about customer service!

Thursday

Oh yum. My colleague (who’s also on Basil but on the two-meal plan) and I exchange a happy, anticipatory smile whenever we see it’s meatball day! They’re not a meatball fan, but even they will admit that these meatballs are juicy spheres of tastiness. And look how I’m consuming almost the full spectrum of the rainbow with this meal!

Friday

The beef stewed in whole tomatoes with bok choy, carrots, and green beans rounds off the week by showcasing the good variety that you get with Basil’s day-to-day meals.

The cherry on top of this great meal delivery service is how Basil aims to be as environmentally friendly as possible, using no plastic in their packaging and opting for paper bags and a simple wooden fork. In sum, Basil provides punctual delivery of nutritious and tasty meals, at an affordable price. I’m definitely keeping Basil Fit for as long as I come to the office. Heck, I may even keep it up at home so I don’t fall off the healthy, time-saving bandwagon!

Scan the QR code below to learn more about Basil!

Images: Vivienne Tseng-Rush

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