My Personal Experience Trying IKU’s Plant-Based Home Ready Meals

I’ve tested dozens of meal delivery services across Australia, and IKU surprised me for a simple reason: the food tastes good. Genuinely good, not just “good for vegan prepared meals“.

IKU is a Sydney-based service delivering fresh, ready-to-eat plant-based meals across NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD and SA. Everything is 100% vegan and built on whole foods rather than mock meats, prepared fresh in their Sydney kitchen.

This review covers how ordering works, what the food actually tastes like, whether the pricing makes sense, and who IKU is genuinely right for. Everything here is based on my hands-on experience with the service, paid for with my own money.

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IKU has been around since 1985, starting as a tiny plant-based eatery in Glebe built on macrobiotic, whole‑food principles. That heritage still shapes the menu today with simple, nourishing dishes made from real ingredients, no mock meats or artificial fillers.

They also operate a physical store in Sydney’s MLC Centre (25 Martin Place), which is handy if you want to try meals in person before ordering online. Hours can vary, so it’s worth checking before you visit.

Getting Started with IKU

IKU operates as a straightforward online delivery service with no ongoing subscription required, although it’s slightly cheaper if you do subscribe.

To order, you can simply visit their website, choose what you’d like, and place a one-off order whenever it suits you. As they prepare everything fresh in their Sydney production kitchen, you’ll need to order at least three days in advance to give them time to prep and cook your meals.

The menu sits at over 50 plant-based meals and products, all 100% plant-based and suitable for vegans. Each meal is designed as a single portion serving one person.

Two Ways to Order

IKU gives you two approaches when ordering:

Build Your Own Pack is exactly what it sounds like where you pick individual meals from across their range. This works well if you know what you want or have specific dietary needs to work around. The minimum order is $59, and they automatically apply discounts the more you buy, which encourages larger orders without feeling forced into a subscription model.

Curated Meal Sets are pre-selected collections like the “Real Food Reset,” “Protein Power Set,” or “Best Sellers Set.” These take the decision-making out of the process and are themed around different nutritional focuses. The “Complete Air Fryer Collection,” for instance, is specifically designed for those who prefer air frying to microwave heating.

Meal Variety and Options

With over 50 individual items across their menu, IKU offers more variety than you might expect from a prepared meal service.

The breakdown sits roughly at 30+ main meals, 8 salads, 6 breakfast options, 6 soups, 8 juice varieties, 2 ready-to-cook products, and around 20 snacks, treats, and accompaniments.

How the Menu is Structured

Rather than one long list, IKU breaks their offerings into distinct categories that make navigation straightforward:

• Breakfast options including scrambled tofu, shakshuka, chia pots, and bircher bowls
• Salads like the Green Goddess Bowl and Miso Poke Bowl (these have a shorter 4-day shelf life and are marked “Eat Me Fresh”)
• Meals are the largest category with over 30 options ranging from lasagnes and curries to tacos and noodle dishes (typically 11 days shelf life)
• Soups including their broths, laksa, and minestrone
• Juices with cold-pressed options and immunity shots
• Snacks, Treats & Accompaniments covering everything from sago cups and puddings to dressings, fritters, and mix packs

Many meals are labelled with tags like “Air Fryer,” “Best Seller,” or “New” to help you identify popular options or those suited to specific heating methods.

The Main Meals Range

The 30+ main meals cover decent ground across cuisines.

Italian-style options include Spinach & Eggplant Lasagne, Tomato & Pumpkin Lasagne, and Fettuccini with Pesto & Semi-dried Tomato.

Asian-inspired dishes bring in Creamy Coconut Laksa, Shiitake Udon Noodles, and the newer Peanut Satay Noodles with Spiced Tofu.

Curries feature regularly such as the Ayurvedic Pumpkin Curry, Rich Aloo Gobi, Chickpea & Coriander Curry, and Spinach & Chickpea Green Curry. Mexican-influenced meals like BBQ Jackfruit Tacos, Classic Bean Nachos, and IKU Burrito Bowl add some variety.

Pies and tarts (Mushroom Medley & Lima Bean Pie, Caramelized Onion Tart, Chunky Pumpkin & Tempeh Pie) also offer something different to most other ready meal services.

How the Variety Actually Feels

Fifty-plus items sounds substantial, but the reality depends on your dietary preferences and how often you’re ordering. If you’re eating IKU meals daily, you’d cycle through the menu relatively quickly. The curry options, while numerous, share similar flavour profiles, and the pasta dishes follow familiar Italian templates.

One thing worth noting is IKU’s approach to protein sources. Rather than relying heavily on processed meat substitutes or mock meats, they predominantly use whole food proteins such as tempeh, tofu, mushrooms, legumes, and beans.

You won’t find much in the way of Beyond Meat-style products or heavily processed vegan “chicken” or “beef.” This aligns with their macrobiotic philosophy and whole food focus, but it does mean if you’re after that meaty texture or flavour, IKU might not scratch that itch.

The variety works better if you’re using IKU as an occasional solution rather than your primary meal source.

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Nutritional information

IKU provides nutritional information for each meal, which is easy to find just by clicking on the meal through the ordering page. Each meal has a “Nutritional Information” tab that breaks down the macros by calories, protein, carbs, fats, fibre, and sodium per serving.

What’s helpful is they also list the full ingredient breakdown in plain language, so you can see exactly what’s in each meal rather than trying to decipher a code. Given that IKU focuses on whole food, plant-based ingredients, most meals naturally skew higher in fibre and lower in saturated fats compared to meat-based alternatives.

The nutritional profile varies significantly depending on what you choose. Lighter salads and soups sit around 250-400 calories, while heartier meals like lasagnes or curries can reach 500-650 calories per serving. Protein content ranges from around 10g in some lighter options to 20g+ in meals featuring tempeh, tofu, or legumes as the primary ingredient.

Special diets and food intolerances

All IKU meals are 100% vegan, which immediately makes them suitable for vegetarians and anyone avoiding animal products. The whole food, plant-based approach also means meals are naturally free from dairy, eggs, and meat-derived ingredients.

However, their facility isn’t allergen-free. IKU clearly states on their website:

“Meals are prepared in an environment containing Gluten (Wheat, Oat, Barley), Fish, Egg, Milk, Peanut, Soy, Sesame, Almond, Brazil Nut, Cashew, Macadamia, Pecan, Pistachio, Pine Nut, Walnut and Sulphites.“

They take care in preparation but can’t guarantee the absence of these allergens, so if you have severe allergies or require trace-free meals, IKU won’t be suitable.

Each meal’s product page lists specific allergens contained in that dish, which helps if you’re avoiding certain ingredients but can tolerate trace amounts. The menu includes several gluten-free options, though you’ll need to filter through manually as there’s no dedicated gluten-free category.

If you’re looking for truly allergen-free meals or have coeliac disease requiring strict gluten-free preparation, IKU’s cross-contamination disclaimer makes them a risky choice. Like most prepared meal services, IKU works better for people with dietary preferences rather than medical requirements around allergens.

Delivery Options

IKU delivers to NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD, and SA, although not all postcodes are covered. Check their delivery zones page to confirm your specific postcode.

Delivery is $14.99 flat rate, or free for Sydney metro orders over $125. This makes sense considering IKU’s production facility is in Sydney but obviously that’s a significant extra cost if you live anywhere else.

Orders require three days advance notice with an 11pm cutoff (e.g., order by Sunday 11pm for Wednesday delivery). Deliveries arrive between 6am and 5pm, with more accurate ETAs available the day of or evening before.

Delivery frequency varies significantly by location. Sydney Metro gets three delivery days per week (Wednesday, Friday, Sunday), while ACT matches this schedule. Victoria and Queensland offer up to six delivery days per week, though availability depends on your specific area. South Australia only gets Thursday deliveries, which is quite limiting if you’re planning regular orders.

You don’t need to be home as drivers are able to leave orders at your door or in a secure spot. Orders arrive in insulated boxes with ice packs that keep meals chilled for up to 6 hours, giving you buffer time before refrigerating.

How much does IKU Cost?

IKU’s pricing is straightforward, with each meal priced individually between $8.95 and $12.95. Most cost between $11.95 to $12.50.

The breakdown for the ‘Build Your Own’ box looks like this (at the time of writing!):

• Main meals: $9.50–$12.95 (most are $12.50)
• Pies and tarts: $10.95
• Salads: $11.95
• Breakfast options: $9.00–$12.50
• Soups: $9.50 (thicker soups) or $12.50 (broths)
• Juices: $5.80 each or $16.00 for multi-packs of 3
• Snacks and treats: $3.00–$10.95

The minimum order is $59, which works out to roughly 5–7 meals depending on what you choose.

They automatically apply quantity discounts the more you order, with the following discounts available:

• Spend $170, get 5% off.
• Spend $195, get 10% off.
• Spend $220, get 15% off.

Add delivery costs ($14.99 for most areas, free over $125 in Sydney Metro) and you’re looking at around $73.99 minimum spend for a typical order outside Sydney, or $59 if you’re in Sydney Metro and hit the free delivery threshold.

For comparison, that puts individual meals at a similar or slightly higher price point than other prepared meal services, though IKU’s focus on whole food, plant-based ingredients and fresh preparation arguably justifies the premium. This is a lot cheaper than services like Garden of Goodness for example.

If you commit to a subscription (weekly or fortnightly), there’s an additional 10% discount available which means you can end up getting individual meals for around $9.50 which is very reasonable.

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My IKU Review Box

My IKU order arrived in a large cardboard box with their branding stamped across it in oversized orange letters.

Inside, the meals were neatly stacked in uniform trays, each sealed with clear plastic film and slipped into colourful printed sleeves.

The sleeves are where IKU’s branding really comes through with bright yellows, reds, and greens differentiating each dish. Each one includes the meal name, heating instructions, nutritional icons, and storage details, plus a photo of the actual plated meal.

The trays themselves are made from moulded paper pulp with a think plastic liner, which feels more substantial than I expected. They’re microwave-safe and recyclable once rinsed, though you do need to peel off the plastic liner first which is a bit annoying.

Everything fits compactly in the box with an ice pack and an insulated liner keeping things chilled. My order had been sitting outside for a couple of hours and everything was still properly cold when I brought it in.

Alongside the main meals, I’d also ordered a few extras. Soups arrived in vacuum-sealed standing pouches with simple white labels, while the desserts came in a variety of different packaging.

The whole unboxing experience feels intentional. It’s not trying too hard, but it’s definitely curated. You get the sense IKU is trying to project and image of sustainability and freshness which I think they do very well.

How’s The Food?

IKU’s meals delivered on flavour in ways I genuinely didn’t expect from a vegan prepared meal service. These aren’t the bland, health-food-adjacent meals you sometimes get from plant-based services trying too hard to be virtuous. I found the seasoning and depth across most dishes was genuinely impressive.

What struck me most was how well IKU uses plant-based proteins. I didn’t miss meat across any of these meals. Rather than relying on heavily processed mock meats, they use tempeh, tofu, and legumes in ways that feel satisfying and complete on their own terms. The meals don’t try to fake meat textures, they work with what plant-based ingredients do well.

The sauces and flavour bases were consistently strong. Whether it was Asian-inspired broths, Italian tomato sauces, or curry bases, everything tasted well-balanced rather than watered down or overly cautious. Portion sizes felt appropriate too as I found meals to be filling without being heavy.

One element that’s a bit unique and really enhances IKU’s meals is how they package sauces, pickles, and accompaniments in separate inner pots rather than mixing everything together. This keeps ingredients fresh and stops things getting too mushy until you’re ready to eat. It’s a small detail that most prepared meal services skip, but it makes a noticeable difference to the final result.

However, I found that the main limitation is texture. Microwave reheating fundamentally can’t deliver crispness or structural integrity, which affects dishes that rely on those elements. Anything with a crispy coating loses it entirely and pastry-based items go mushy. This isn’t unique to IKU (it’s inherent to the prepared meal format) but it does mean certain dishes work better than others.

I also noticed a slight vinegary tang in some dishes, which seems common across prepared meal services and likely relates to how ingredients hold up over several days in the fridge.

Overall though, I enjoyed IKU meals enough that these texture trade-offs didn’t overshadow the experience. IKU performs well above what you’d expect from ready-made plant-based meals.

Meals I tried

Creamy Coconut Laksa – The standout meal from my order. Properly spiced, good depth of flavour, filling without being heavy. Not quite restaurant-level complexity but genuinely impressive for a prepared meal.

Crispy Tofu Katsu Curry – Fantastic sauce, well-seasoned tofu, but zero crispness on the katsu itself. This is the inherent limitation of microwave meals, you lose crispy textures entirely so I don’t know why they tried.

Power Burrito Bowl – Tasty overall but carried a slight vinegary tang that felt a bit sharp. Common across prepared Mexican-style dishes, likely from how ingredients hold up in the fridge.

Spaghetti Bolognese – Incredibly flavourful sauce with a delicious tomato base that didn’t taste thin or overly sweet. The pasta was quite chewy though, which made it harder work to eat than it should be.

Spinach & White Miso Tart – Delicious flavour but the texture went quite mushy after reheating. Pastry-based dishes don’t hold up well in this format.

Cacao & Cocoa Tapioca Pudding – Genuinely incredible. Great texture (slightly slimy in the way good tapioca should be) with really flavourful chocolate. Rare to find a dessert that feels indulgent but uses whole food ingredients.

Golden Rice Nuggets – Underwhelming. Didn’t deliver any interesting flavours and felt like filler more than a standout snack option.

Reheating the prepared meals

IKU’s standard reheating instructions are very straightforward. Remove the cardboard sleeve, peel back the plastic film slightly, take out any inner pots or compartments, then microwave on high for 2-3 minutes until piping hot.

From the fridge, most meals took around 2 and a half minutes to heat properly in my microwave.

If you’ve frozen meals (which IKU says is possible despite not being designed for it), you’re looking at 5-6 minutes from frozen, checking and stirring halfway through.

A selection of meals can be air fried, which IKU marks clearly on the packaging. Remove the sleeve and film completely, place the container in the air fryer, and heat at 120°C for around 20 minutes.

If you don’t have a microwave or air fryer, you can transfer meals to an oven-safe dish or non-stick pan and heat them that way, though IKU clearly intends for meals to be microwaved. The trays themselves will melt if you put them in the oven or on the stove, so it’s probably not worth trying that.

My Overall Thoughts on IKU

IKU delivers one of the stronger plant-based prepared meal services I’ve tried in Australia. What actually sets IKU apart is they’re using real ingredients rather than processed fake meats, and the food genuinely tastes good rather than just being ‘healthy’.

What works well:

The flavour is genuinely impressive across most dishes. Sauces are well-seasoned, robust, and don’t taste watered down. The use of tempeh, tofu, and legumes feels intentional rather than like they’re trying to replicate meat, and that authenticity comes through in how satisfying the meals are.

The separate inner pots for sauces, pickles, and accompaniments are a standout detail that most prepared meal services skip.

Menu variety is decent at 50+ items, though you’d cycle through relatively quickly if using IKU daily. The range across Italian, Asian, Mexican, and curry-based dishes gives enough options for regular use.

Packaging and delivery execution are solid. Meals arrive properly chilled, well-organized, and the branding feels cohesive and thoughtful.

Where it falls short:

Microwave reheating can’t deliver crispness or maintain structural integrity, so dishes relying on those elements (crispy coatings, pastry, layered textures) lose what makes them interesting. This isn’t unique to IKU, but it does mean you need to choose carefully.

The three-day advance ordering requirement is slightly limiting. Combined with delivery frequency that varies significantly by location (Sydney gets three days per week, SA only gets Thursday), this service requires planning and isn’t suitable for last-minute meals.

Delivery costs ($14.99 flat rate unless you’re Sydney Metro ordering over $125) add up if you don’t live in Sydney.

Who should consider IKU:

• Committed vegetarians or vegans looking for genuinely flavourful prepared meals
• People interested in whole food, plant-based eating without the meal prep time
• Those willing to plan ahead and order in advance
• Anyone seeking an occasional backup meal solution rather than a daily reliance

Who should look elsewhere:

• Anyone needing gluten-free or allergen-free meals with strict cross-contamination requirements
• People wanting meat substitute products or heavily processed vegan alternatives
• Those requiring spontaneous, same-day meal delivery
• Households needing flexible portion sizes or family-style meals

At $12–$13 per meal for fresh, plant-based prepared food, IKU sits at a fair price point for what you’re getting.

The meals are enjoyable enough that the inherent limitations of the prepared meal format don’t overshadow the experience, as long as you choose dishes that play to the format’s strengths.

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Alternatives to IKU

If you’re after plant-based prepared meals in Australia, there are a couple of alternatives worth considering depending on what you prioritize.

Soulara is probably the closest comparable service. They’re Australia’s most popular plant-based meal delivery with over 50 meals to choose from. Where IKU focuses on whole food, macrobiotic ingredients, Soulara takes a slightly more accessible approach with broader flavour profiles and more protein-forward options. Their meals are also cheaper at $10.95-$11.95 per serving compared to IKU’s $12.50+ range. If you found IKU’s texture limitations frustrating or want more variety, Soulara’s larger menu might suit you better.

Garden of Goodness sits at the premium end. Every meal is 100% certified organic, oil-free, and gluten-free, which aligns closely with IKU’s whole food philosophy but takes it further. Their meals are genuinely outstanding but come at a significant price premium, with individual portions starting around $17.50. If you’re willing to pay more for certified organic ingredients and appreciate IKU’s whole food approach, Garden of Goodness delivers exceptional quality.

Both services offer plant-based meals that avoid heavily processed meat substitutes, though each brings a different focus. Soulara works better if convenience and variety matter most, while Garden of Goodness suits those prioritizing organic certification and premium ingredients above all else.

I’d love to hear about other people’s experiences with IKU – were they similar to mine? Did you find my IKU review useful? Let me know in the comments section below!