Bringing your new baby home from the hospital is a time filled with cozy snuggles and kisses, but it can also be overwhelming as you adjust to your new normal. Finding time and the energy to prepare a healthy meal for your whole family can be impossible when you have a new baby. Fortunately, there are tons of meal delivery services that deliver nutritious, easy meals right to your doorstep, giving you more time to relax and spend time with your newborn (and get some rest!). This article will break down the best meal delivery services for new moms and dads, helping you manage meal planning while prioritizing self-care and your mental well-being.
Take the Stress Out of Mealtime
Meal delivery services are like your personal sous-chef, taking the stress out of mealtime and letting you focus on your new parenting journey. Just picture this: less grocery shopping with a crying baby, no more scrambling for recipes, and less mess in the kitchen after a long day of diaper duty. Meal delivery services make life easier – they take care of the planning, prepping, and delivering of delicious, well-balanced, delicious meals that cater to your dietary preferences and food allergies.
Are Meal Delivery Services and Kits Worth It?
Investing in a subscription meal delivery service can be a game changer when it comes to managing those first few months with your newborn. Specially designed with new parents in mind, some of these services offer a lineup of postpartum meals that are not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients that support recovery and breastfeeding.
With a variety of meals to choose from, you can customize your weekly deliveries based on your dietary needs and preferences, ensuring you'll never get bored. Plus, some of these meals come pre-prepared, so all you need to do is heat them up when you're ready to eat.
If friends or family members are eager to purchase a gift for your new baby, you might want to recommend a meal delivery service. A subscription to one of these amazing meal delivery services is a gift that keeps on giving!
The Top Meal Delivery Services for New Parents
Here are the top meal delivery services for new parents that combine convenience, nutrition, and taste in one easy package, making those first few months hassle-free and a little less stressful.
Best Meal Delivery Overall
Home Chef
Home Chef takes the lead as the best meal delivery service for new parents due to its extensive menu and customization options. Every week, they offer 20+ flavorful and nutritionally balanced meals, designed by professional chefs and dietitians. The best part? Home Chef provides a wide range of meals catering to different dietary preferences, including low-carb, vegetarian, and under-30-minute meals. This makes it incredibly convenient for new parents whose schedules have suddenly become dictated by a tiny human's needs. Plus, with simple-to-follow recipe cards and pre-portioned ingredients, meal prep becomes a fun, stress-free experience, even with a baby in tow.
Best Budget Meal Delivery
Sunbasket
Sunbasket shines as the best budget meal delivery service for new parents, offering value for money without compromising on quality or nutrition. Known for their organic, non-GMO ingredients sourced from trusted farmers and suppliers, they offer a diverse range of meal plans to suit different dietary needs—including Paleo, Vegetarian, and Gluten-free.
Best Meal Delivery for Gourmet Food
Cook Unity
Cook Unity is an excellent choice for parents seeking a gourmet meal delivery service. This service prides itself on delivering restaurant-quality meals right at your doorstep, making it a perfect fit for those who enjoy fine dining but are constrained by the demands of new parenthood. Their meals are crafted by skilled chefs, ensuring you savor an exquisite dining experience without stepping out of your home. Furthermore, they offer a diverse menu with over 150 meals per week, catering to a variety of dietary preferences.
Best Organic Meal Delivery
Green Chef
Green Chef, known as the top-notch organic meal delivery service, is a true champion for health-conscious new parents. Their dishes are crafted with certified organic, sustainably sourced ingredients, and they have a diverse menu that caters to dietary preferences like Keto, Paleo, and Plant-Powered.
Best Meal Delivery With Gluten-Free Options
Modify Health
Modify Health stands out as the top choice for those seeking gluten-free options in a meal delivery service. Designed with dietary restrictions in mind, Modify Health ensures that new parents don't have to sacrifice flavor for health. Their meals are meticulously crafted by dietitians and chefs, promoting a balance of taste and nutritional value. In addition to being gluten-free, their meals also cater to other dietary needs such as low-FODMAP and diabetic-friendly.
Best Meal Delivery With Dairy-Free Options
Methodology
Methodology offers dairy-free meal options and is committed to using wholesome and organic ingredients. What sets Methodology apart is its robust personalization feature — every meal plan is customized to suit individual dietary needs and preferences, ensuring a unique and satisfying dining experience.
Best Plant-Based Meal Delivery
Mosaic Foods
Mosaic Foods is an ideal choice for plant-based eaters. Mosaic prides itself on its innovative, chef-crafted recipes, taking traditional favorites and giving them a veggie-powered twist. Their ready-to-heat frozen meals are not only a time-saver for busy new parents but also a delicious way to incorporate more plant-based options into the diet.
Best Vegan Meal Delivery
Purple Carrot is an excellent choice for new moms who follow a vegan diet. In addition to their plant-based meals, they offer meal kits, frozen meals, and have a wide selection in their ‘plantry,' a plant-based pantry stocked with items like pistachio milk, vegan mac and cheese, and vegan donuts.
Best Postpartum Meal Delivery
MilkyOat (San Francisco/Bay area)
Milky Oat is an organic meal delivery service designed specifically for postpartum mamas. They focus on providing essential nutrients to moms who help with healing and recovery. Their meals include breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and also include one snack and ‘sip' to support the breastfeeding journey.
Mama Meals
Mama Meals is a meal delivery service specifically catering to new moms to help postpartum healing, using nutrient-dense and nourishing ingredients. They also offer add-ons such as lactation cookie mixes, collagen pancakes, and tea and beverage bundles.
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I hope this list of meal delivery services helped you find healthy and nutritious foods during the busy postpartum period. I want to ensure you are energized and fed during this transition time, so check out these breastfeeding snacks to have on hand and list of freezer meals you can prep before baby even arrives.
Feature image by Mizina from Getty Images