This post is in partnership with Nurture Life. I only endorse products I use with my own family.

After a fun-filled summer, my kids are finally heading back to school, work is busier than ever, and by the time 5pm rolls around, my kids are starving (hello, hangries!). I’ve come to accept this isn't the season of life where I have perfectly prepared dinners on the table every night. I keep reminding myself that I don’t need to do it all or overextend myself. To make life easier (and honestly, be a better parent), I’ve been relying on meal delivery services to help feed my kids at dinnertime.

Recently, I switched from my old kids' meal delivery service (a very popular one) to Nurture Life’s Kids Meals, and I’m never going back. Here’s my review of both services after giving them a try.

TLDR: Try Nurture Life for 50% off your first order with code VEGGIES50

Criteria #1: Nutrition

Nurture Life Kids Meals

Fresh or Frozen? 

Nurture Life Kids Meals are made fresh to order and never frozen, giving them a more homemade feel. I love that I don't have to worry about food sitting in a deep freezer for months. 

Ingredients

Nurture Life meals have less added sugar and salt than my last meal delivery service and most of the fresh produce and whole grains are organic. They are free of nitrates, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fat, artificial colors and flavors, and other additives. 

Nurture Life is designed by registered dietitians, and the macronutrient balance of each meal is based on recommendations from US Dietary Guidelines, American Academy of Pediatrics, ASPEN Clinical Nutrition Recommendations, and USDA MyPlate.

The Other Kids Meal Delivery

Fresh or Frozen?

The other kids' meals are cooked and prepared, vacuumed-sealed to preserve the shelf life without the use of preservatives, then shipped frozen. They are tightly wrapped in plastic and the directions say to microwave them with that plastic. I didn’t love hot plastic wrap touching my kids' food.

Ingredients

Meals are made with meat and eggs that are antibiotic and hormone-free, and meals with pork do not contain added sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite. There are several meals with organic ingredients.

The TLDR Comparison	Nurture Life Kids Meals	The Other Kids Meal Delivery
Nutritional balance	– At least one whole serving of veggies per meal! – More protein and fiber	– Each meal features 2 to 4 food groups
Added sugar	– For those with added sugar, no white sugar is used, instead only fruit purees, agave and maple syrup – 74%+ of Kids Meals contain zero added sugar	– There is a small amount of cane sugar or maple syrup in a handful of Plates.
Allergy considerations	– Can filter out allergens – Options for vegetarian, gluten-free, fish-free, pork-free, milk-free. – Meals are prepared in a nut-free facility except for coconut.	– Can filter out allergens – Options for vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, allergy-friendly, and vegetarian. – No peanuts or tree nuts in meals, except for coconut.

Nutrition Winner: Nurture Life Kids Meals

Criteria #2: Taste

Nurture Life Kids Meals

Instead of oversimplifying meals with basic flavors, Nurture Life meals push the boundaries and introduce new flavors to my kids in an approachable way, even my picky eater likes them!

The Other Kids Meal Delivery

Meals are very kid-friendly, my kids never protested them! And hidden veggies don’t seem to offend my picky eaters at all.

Taste Winner: Tied

Criteria #3: Variety

Nurture Life Kids Meals

There are tons of meal options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nurture Life Kids Meals are balanced with different food groups, colors, textures, and flavors.

New meals are introduced each month to the menu so my kids don’t get bored (or too comfortable) with the same foods. I love that they are made with a diverse range of ingredients, including 20 different vegetables, plant-based proteins, whole grains, herbs, and spices. 

The Other Kids Meal Delivery

There’s a good selection of plated meals for lunch and dinner, with a few breakfast options to choose from. But many of the proteins I had the option of ordering seemed quite similar, with many breaded bites and nuggets.

Variety Winner: Nurture Life Kids Meals

Criteria #4: Portion Sizes

Nurture Life Kids Meals

I love that Nurture Life offers bigger portion sizes that are also based on nutritional research and tailored to the developmental needs of each age group. So, if my kids are really hungry, they get enough to feel full and satisfied. Plus, if they don’t finish it all, there are usually enough leftovers for a meal or snack the next day. You definitely get more bang for your buck than my past delivery service.

The Other Kids Meal Delivery

These meals are the right size for my 2 and 4 year old, but I definitely can see my older one quickly outgrowing the portion size or having to open a second meal to keep him satisfied. 

Portion Size Winner: Nurture Life Kids Meals

Criteria #5: Cost

Nurture Life

Nurture life offers a plan-based subscription so you can choose a certain amount of items to be delivered per week. *Reminder, items are fresh, never frozen, so you’ll receive deliveries weekly. 

You can also get 50% off your first order, which is an incredible deal when you consider how many ingredients go into each meal you’d make at home. Here’s the breakdown:

• 6 items per week: $7.49/ item OR $3.74/item with a 50% discount for your first order 
• 10 items per week: $6.99/item OR $3.49/item with a 50% discount for your first order 
• 13 items per week: $6.72/item OR $3.36/item with a 50% discount for your first order 
• 16 items per week: $6.55/item OR $3.27/item with a 50% discount for your first order 

To put it in perspective, with the smallest subscription plan of 6 items per week, you'll get 24 meals per month. The total cost is $179.76 per month, or $89.99 with a 50% discount on your first order.

I also love that there’s no weekly commitment. Once you sign up, you can skip weeks, cancel, or make changes to your account as long as it’s before the cutoff date and time. It’s super flexible for travel or when we have other plans for the kids during the week.

The Other Kids Meal Delivery

You can place a single order or sign up for a subscription plan. Items are delivered every 2 weeks (aka you are required to do a 2 week week commitment per order).

• 8 plates per 2 weeks: $7.50/plate
• 12 plates per 2 weeks: $7.08/plate
• 18 plates per 2 weeks: $6.53/plate
• 24 plates per 2 weeks: $5.83/plate

To put it in perspective, with the smallest subscription plan of 8 plates per 2 weeks (referred to as 4 plates per week on the website), you’ll get 16 plates per month, and the total cost is $120 per month.

I have to note, when checking out the subscription options are a bit confusing because they only ship twice a month. It took some time and a bit of “mom math” to figure out the pricing.

Cost Winner: Nurture Life

Nurture Life is my preferred food delivery for my kids!

✅Super fresh and good quality foods 

✅Tons of variety and diverse ingredients 

✅Nutritionally balanced and nutrient-dense

✅Lower in sodium and added sugars

✅Tastes incredible (I even nibble off my kids’ plates!)

✅Larger portion sizes 

✅More cost-effective 

✅Shipped to your door weekly

Try Nurture Life for 50% off your first order with code VEGGIES50

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