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Is dinner time a daily struggle? If you have more than a few mouths to feed, it sure can feel that way.

As a toddler-mom, I know the challenge all too well. If half my daughter’s food doesn’t end up splattered across the floor, I consider that a win. A big win. Sometimes, that simply means resorting to pizza delivery. Other days, it means digging through the pantry until I find something I purchased in 2018. Neither feels like the solution I’m looking for. Suffice it to say, family meal kits have turned into our saving grace.

Everyone has their own taste, and if there are kiddos involved, half the battle is searching for a recipe that will appease those uber-picky eaters. Lucky for you and your little ones, most family-friendly meal kits offer a rotating menu curated across a variety of diets and preferences, from crowd-pleasing comfort foods to keto-friendly options for health-conscious households. There are even some gourmet plans to try for the families wishing to brush up on their chef skills.

To guide your search for easier meals (and more sanity), we’ve spent hours researching, ordering, cooking, and taste-tasting some of the best meal kits for families on the market. We considered top-rated delivery services, from Factor to HelloFresh, as well as dedicated kids’ options like Little Spoon, too.

Whether you’re looking for the best made-from-scratch meals, microwave-ready options, or a subscription service that will save you time and a few bucks, this roundup has got something for you. Behold, the best meal delivery service for families, delivered right to your doorstep.

A family meal kit roundup is not complete without HelloFresh. The company is one of the first brands to enter the meal-subscription service, and today, they go by the simple motto: Eat Well. Feel Good. Save Time. Our editors have tested HelloFresh many times since it opened in 2012, and this time around, we decided to look into their family-friendly meal kits.

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New York Post Review: HelloFresh has managed to maintain a stellar reputation for years, so I was curious to see just how seamless the service was. Spoiler: I was sold in the first five minutes. My daughter and I aren’t afraid of some flavor (and spice), and it wasn’t hard to find meals that could satisfy both cravings on its menu. We ordered the Coconut Curry Chicken, Apricot, Almond & Chickpea Tagine, Coconut Curry Tofu with Bok Choy, and Sweet Sesame Udon with Chicken & Red Peppers.

My order arrived right on time for its scheduled Wednesday delivery, dropped right on my doorstep. The box was stacked with ice packs, and each meal was neatly packed into a brown paper bag with proteins stored on ice below. The recipe pages were placed on top, with images and easy step-by-step directions so even amateur home-chefs can follow along. Overall, I was very impressed. Everything was neat, aesthetic, and my favorite part, easy to get rid of.

The expected preparation time for my home-cooked meals was around 25 minutes, but we clocked out in about 20. I’m an avid believer that your toddler doesn’t need to eat separately from the adults, and I found that HelloFresh had options that were enjoyable for all parties. Finetuning the recipes is easy. For my daughter, I cut the serving size in half and used the spice packets a bit more sparingly. I was pleasantly surprised by how filling everything was. HelloFresh isn’t pretending to be gourmet, but the meals were appetizing and on the heartier side. Some leftover can be expected.

HelloFresh offers a variety of plans suited to different needs. Simply select the number of meals needed per week and the number of mouths to feed (up to six people). From there, you can select preferences — meals in under 20 minutes, protein-packed varieties, and the easiest family-friendly options. HelloFresh generates a menu that works well for you, and you won’t have a hard time finding something everyone can agree on.

Little Spoon is a pioneer in the kids’ meal kit space, setting a new standard with its diverse menu for picky eaters and their health-conscious parents. Many recipes are certified organic, developed by experts, and packed with real ingredients that little ones love (heavy on the fruits, veggies, and whole grains). In 2024, Little Spoon became the first U.S. baby food brand to adopt EU-aligned safety standards for its Babyblends.

New York Post Review: To be completely candid, it’s pretty slim pickings when it comes to kids’ food delivery services. When I heard about Little Spoon, I knew I needed to give it a shot. These beautifully packaged kids’ meals come in every shape, size, and flavor profile, so you can stock your fridge and forget about the rest. The subscription service is very straightforward. It’s also easy to filter for gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free items, so families with special diets or allergies should have no problem finding what they need.

I settled on a mix of their best-sellers like Turkey Kale Meatballs, Rosemary Chicken, Spinach and Cheese Ravioli, Pizzalicious Veggie Loops, the Golden Apple Pie Smoothie, and more tasty snacks. The order arrived a few days after it was placed, in a durable box with all heat-and-eat meals completely frozen. Everything was clearly labeled and vacuum-sealed in BPA, BPS, and Phthalate-free packaging. The best part about this service is easily the fact that no preparation is necessary. For the frozen meals, you can simply pop them in the microwave. Snack bags and smoothies are also resealable, so you can take them on the go.

My daughter greets each Little Spoon meal with delight; the portions are just right, textures are easy, and flavors are bursting. Half the time, she’s begging for more, which is quite the 180 from the finicky eater I used to know. I had to try a taste for myself to see what it was all about, and I can affirm — Little Spoon understands how to lock in freshness. I wouldn’t know better if you said they came right from a restaurant. Yes, this service is made for kids, but I’d be lying if I said I haven’t popped a meal in the microwave for myself, too.

From hearty chef-curated Lunchers and Plates suited for every eating stage, to slurpable Smoothies, perfectly-portioned Biteables, and Puffs for school lunches and snacking. Little Spoon has a little bit of everything, making it a great choice for families with young children. All products are junk-free. Little Spoon maintains a list of over 100+ banned ingredients, so ingredients like artificial flavors, sweeteners, or certified synthetic colors are never in their products.

Little Spoon offers a selection of meals tailored to different age groups, each with its own price range. The subscription service is simple. Following the first order, all future deliveries are scheduled to ship every two weeks. Customers can also skip, cancel, and edit menu plans at any time. Larger bundles offer the best meal discounts. A standard shipping fee of $10 is applied to all orders.

Factor might be the best prepared meal delivery for families, especially if you’re factoring in calories while counting the clock. These meals require no prep and no cooking. The entire menu is dietitian-approved and chef-prepared, and all you’ll need to do is pop your plates into the microwave for two minutes and enjoy. The protein-heavy menu spans from seafood delicacies like Salmon Piccata to Fajita-Spiced Shrimp and Filet Mignon, as well as tasty plates like Blueberry Pancakes and Kale and Mushroom Egg Bites, so you could have breakfast, lunch, and dinner covered.

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Families barely have enough time to set the table, let alone prepare homemade meals. Factor is an attractive choice for those who would prefer heat-and-eat meals that can be stored in the fridge and freezer. This entirely pre-made delivery service also offers protein shakes, snacks, and fresh juices that are perfect for families looking to meet health goals. Simply order as many as you’ll need to feed the entire family.

Feeding the whole family gets pricey. EveryPlate has positioned itself as a more budget-friendly meal delivery service, and they’ve made good on that promise. Meals start at around $5.99 per serving, making it more affordable than strong competitors like Blue Apron and even HelloFresh. The recipes are a bit simpler, as is the packaging, which helps keep prices lower for customers.

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New York Post Review: EveryPlate’s menu may have been absent of filets and fancy recipes I can’t pronounce, but I was still pleasantly surprised with the options. I ordered a sampling of the Hawaiian-Style Loco Moco, Saucy Black Bean Fajita Burrito Bowls, and Soy-Marinated Steak Fried Rice. Everything was delivered in a brightly-colored cardboard box that arrived ahead of schedule. Upon breaking it open, I noticed the ingredients were all placed together in one bag, with meat and fish placed below. This is a bit different than HelloFresh, which wraps meals separately, but it’s no bother as long as you save some time to sort through the ingredients.

It took some time to find what I needed for the different recipes, but once that was out of the way, the rest of the preparation process was seamless. The meal cards have large photographs for those who are more visually oriented. I probably could have figured out how to make the black bean bowl from pictures alone, and for busy parents, that type of intuitive cooking is greatly appreciated. It saves time, energy, and takes out the guesswork. Another big draw: The recipes are simple, so simple in fact that my toddler was able to assist in stirring up some sauces.

Sure, EveryPlate cuisine might not look like it came out of a Michelin-star restaurant (frankly, kids don’t care about that), but the meals were still tasty and just as good as leftovers the next day. My daughter devoured the Saucy Black Bean Fajita Burrito Bowls (pictured above) within minutes, and it’s typically a battle just to get her to try any type of veggie, let alone peppers, onions, and tomatoes in one dish. Since EveryPlate has a smaller menu to choose from, you may notice some repetition. However, families who value affordability, consistency, and practicality might appreciate having fewer choices — we sure did.

EveryPlate caters to a more value-driven crowd, ideal for college students, first-time meal kit users, and families with young children. Meal plans range from two to six people, with three to five meals per week. The menu rotates with about 20 choices, and most meals are ready in 20 minutes or less. Customers can filter for family faves, quick and easy recipes, healthier options, and more suited for different diets.

If you’re all about options, Blue Apron is hard to beat. The rotating menu features over 100 meals every week, which makes it easy for foodies to find something fresh and exciting every time they put in their order. It’s easy to filter for carb-conscious options, family favorites, seasonal veggie varieties, and more categories customized to your liking. There’s even a section dedicated just to desserts, so sweet-tooths are satisfied too. Blue Apron has also positioned itself as a more sustainable choice, as far as subscription services go. Their team partners with experts to create better standards for growing food and raising animals, committing to antibiotic and hormone-free meats and selecting seafood recommended by Seafood Watch, so customers know they’re meals are sustainably sourced and safe to eat.

Blue Apron isn’t just a meal kit subscription, it’s designed to teach you how to cook new recipes you may have never tried before. This service is a great way to introduce kids to new flavors and spend quality time with each other in the kitchen. As far as meal plans go, customers can choose from over 20 weekly options of never frozen, microwave-ready meals in 1, 2, 3, or 4 serving sizes. You can stop or skip at any time and shop single-serve options from the Marketplace, no subscription required.

Based on our testing and research, EveryPlate was the most cost-effective meal kit for large families. Meals average at roughly $5.99 per serving, with a shipping fee of $9.99 per order.

However, the overall price-per-meal decreases with orders of larger quantities. For five meals that cater to six people a week, the total cost comes to just $1.99 per serving. First-time customers can also score a discount of up to 66% off the total cost of their order.

To review the best family meal kits, we evaluated the meal delivery services on a few factors: taste, nutrition, convenience, variety, and overall value. Each factor played a key role in determining whether the service was worth the cost for parents.

This article was written by Miska Salemann, New York Post Commerce Journalist. As a Gen Z first-time mother of one, Miska tests baby, maternity and postpartum products ranging from stylish new kids clothes to long-trusted diaper brands with her daughter. She evaluates baby- and mom-approved products for practicality and quality, and consults medical and parenting experts to weigh in on safe ingredients, usage and more. Before arriving at the Post, she covered the lifestyle and consumer verticals for the U.S. Sun.