10 Best Meal Delivery Services for New Mothers 2023

No one needs a live-in chef more than a new mother! And yet, not many of us can afford such a luxury. Luckily, meal delivery services are a great alternative, as the right one will deliver healthy and nutritious meals that take minimal time to cook and serve.

Since I know your free time is non-existent, I worked with our team of experts on a list of the best meal delivery services for new mothers. For this list, I selected services that focus on healthy nutrients and create easy-to-prep meals.

Based on these criteria, Home Chef is the best choice due to customization possibilities, flexible ordering, and healthy meals. But if my first option doesn’t fit your needs, there are other amazing alternatives to try. So make sure to scroll through all the options until you find the best for you!

The Best Meal Delivery Services for New Mothers Reviewed

1. Home Chef – Best Customization Options and Menu Variety

Key Features

• 15-minutes meal kits

• 25+ unique recipes per week and extras

• Dietary options include carb- and calorie-conscious meals

• Current deal: Get 60% off your first three boxes

Home Chef’s menu includes a well-balanced offer of meal kits that often take between 10 and 30 minutes to prepare. Plus, many recipes follow the one-pot style, so there won’t be much cleaning involved either.

I love the “Customize It” feature because you can swap the protein with something of your choice, but I also like that all the ingredients come prepared and packaged, ready for use. This way, there’s no food wasted, and you don’t have to measure or weigh anything.

To make things even easier, Home Chef’s offer also includes oven-ready meals, Fast & Fresh recipes, and extras for snacks and breakfast options. Also, each recipe has clear nutritional and allergy info, and all the ingredients are fresh and carefully selected.

Each meal kit contains two servings, which is why it’s perfect for couples with a new baby. Even though your free time is limited, you at least get to enjoy a delicious meal together!

2. Blue Apron – Great Option For Health-Conscious Parents

Key Features

• Wellness and Vegetarian plans

• 19 unique recipes per week plus add-ons

• Dietary options include diabetes-friendly, vegetarian, health-conscious, and carb-conscious

• Current deal: Enjoy $110 off across your first 5 orders

Blue Apron’s menu may be a bit limited in the number of options, but you can choose from several different cuisines such as Asian, Italian, American, Greek, and so on. Plus, there’s a nice balance between meal kits and prepared dinners that only need a few minutes in the microwave or oven.

Fancy eating an exquisite meal? Blue Apron has your back! The clear-cut cooking instructions and well-packaged meal kits make it easy to cook a restaurant-worthy meal in less than 40 minutes. All the ingredients are fresh and tasty, so the result will be delicious and nutritious.

Plus, Blue Apron also has a separate wine menu (for when you can drink wine again) and offers tips on how to pair it with the right food. And if this isn’t enough, make sure to check the Add-ons menu to add more flavor to your meals.

3. Freshly – Best for Busy New Moms Looking for Meal Variety

Key Features

• Flexible ordering system

• 40+ unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include gluten-free, plant-based, carb-conscious, dairy-free, etc.

• Current deal: Get $175 off your first 7 boxes!

Whether you need a special diet or just craving variety, Freshly has your back! Its menu is well-balanced, has options from several international cuisines, and there are plenty of gluten-free or vegetarian dishes. 

All the meals arrive ready to eat, and all you have to do is pop them in the microwave or oven. Also, the cleaning is minimal, especially if you don’t bother to switch the plastic container with a plate.

All Freshly meals are designed to be nutritious and healthy, and the chefs focus on creating recipes that don’t need added sugars. The meal plan is flexible, and each meal is designed for a single person to enjoy in one sitting. This way, you have full freedom over what and how much you order.

4. HelloFresh – Great for Nutritious Meal Kits and Easy-To-Follow Recipes

Key Features

• Good selection of veggie dishes (up to 10 meals/week)

• 30+ unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include vegetarian, pescatarian, carb-, and calorie-smart

With this meal kit service, you can still enjoy cooking well-balanced and delicious meals at home even when you don’t have free time. That’s because all the ingredients are carefully selected and prepared for each meal. Also, the recipe cards are well-detailed and extra easy to understand.

Most meal kits take around 20 to 30 minutes to prepare, but you can also find a few that only need around 10 to 15 minutes. The cleanup is minimal, and you can order up to six meals a week for two or four people, so you don’t have to worry about shopping or anything else when it comes to meal times.

Lastly, I like that the ingredients are fresh and organic where possible. Plus, the menu includes kid-friendly recipes, which is great if you have a bigger bundle of joy to feed.

5. Marley Spoon – Good Selection of Quick, Chef-Worthy Meals

Key Features

• Six steps recipes ready in less than 30 minutes

• 45+ unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, low-calorie, and no added gluten

If you like Martha Stewart’s cooking and want her recipes and spice blends in your kitchen, Marley Spoon is the best option. The menu includes a variety of meals so you can choose between soups, veggie-forward dishes, steaks and poultry, fish recipes, and desserts.

Also, each meal kit comes with clear instructions, and most recipes only take six or fewer steps to complete. Plus, if you’re really pressed for time, you can focus on the Under 30 Minutes category, where the focus is on the quality of ingredients and speed of cooking.

I also like that many recipes are kid and family-friendly, which means even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy them.

6. Purple Carrot – Best for Healthy, Plant-Based Meals

Key Features

• Meal kits and prepared meals

• 16+ unique weekly recipes (meal kits and prepared) + add-ons

• Dietary options include gluten-free, soy-free, vegetarian, high-protein, low-calorie

Purple Carrot is great if you’re on a vegetarian diet or if you want to mix things up and add more plant-based meals on your current menu. Plus, dads can try it too! The meals are nutritionally balanced and delicious, and there are options for dinner, breakfast, and lunch (if you order meal kits).

Depending on which option you choose, your meal may take between five (prepared meals) and 40 minutes (meal kits) to prepare. However, the menu is a bit lacking in diversity, even if there are new recipes each week. Still, it can be a nice change of pace when you want to switch things up and bring a bit of extra freshness to your daily menu without a big time commitment.

7. Green Chef – For Moms on a Fitness or Diet Journey

Key Features

• A certified organic company

• 24 unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include gluten-free, paleo, keto, vegetarian, and Mediterranean

Green Chef is a great option for active moms who want to get back in top shape after birth. The menu caters to several healthy diets such as keto, paleo, calorie-conscious, and vegetarian/vegan, and you can order up to six meals for two or four people.

I like that you’re not limited to one meal plan (you can mix and match) and that all the ingredients come pre-measured and prepped. This way, you can cook delicious recipes like Almond Crusted Pork Chops in as little as 30 minutes!

Plus, many recipes are under 600 calories per serving, so you don’t have to worry about measuring each ingredient. Just follow the instructions and enjoy!

8. Factor – Dietitian-Designed Fully-Prepared Healthy Meals

Key Features

• Delivered fresh, never frozen

• 29+ unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include vegetarian, calorie-smart, keto, high-protein, and vegan

Factor’s meals are designed by registered dietitians and cooked by professional chefs to create premium, highly nutritious meals that’ll supply you with fresh energy throughout the day. Plus, you can order between four and 18 meals per week, so it’s easy to stock up on ready-to-eat meals.

Also, if you want to learn more, you can get personalized advice by taking advantage of the complimentary 20-minute consult with a registered dietitian that’s offered with each subscription. This way, you can learn which meals best fit your needs as a new mother.

While it’s true that Factor is more diet-oriented, it can be a great provider of healthy meals created from carefully selected ingredients. Plus, the menu includes options from a range of international cuisines, so you won’t lack diversity.

9. EveryPlate – Affordable and Fast Home-Cooked Meals at your Doorstep

Key Features

• Family Plate meal plan, perfect for families with children

• 18+ unique recipes per week

• Dietary options include veggie-forward meals

EveryPlate is a meal kit service that focuses on designing high-quality meals at an affordable price. And, at Price: Missing price for Product undefined per serving, the company does a great job at catering to users who are on a tight budget!

However, this also means less recipe diversity, limited menu options, and few dietary preferences. Still, since the food arrives as a meal kit, you can customize the meals during the cooking phase. Plus, the menu includes add-ons (breakfast and dessert options), so there’s a way to spice things up.

The recipes are mostly from American cuisine, but since the menu rotates weekly, chances are you’ll find a few Asian or Mediterranean meals as well. Overall, EveryPlate is a great option for families on a budget who don’t have the time and energy to do the shopping and cooking.

10. Splendid Spoon – Best for Health-Conscious New Mothers

Key Features

• Great selection of fresh smoothies

• 50+ unique recipes per week

• 9 dietary options including gluten-free, plant-based, low sodium, and low sugar 

Splendid Spoon is a service focused on providing nutrient-packed meals that are easy to consume regardless of your location. The menu is a bit different from what you’d expect from a standard prepared meal delivery service and includes smoothies (in a bottle), grain bowls, noodle bowls, soups, and cold-pressed juices.

Since there are no regular meals on the menu, it’s best to use Splendid Spoon as an addition to your daily nutrient intake. Plus, because the smoothies, noodles, and soups are easy to store, you can order in bulk. This way, whenever you need an energy boost, you just reach into the fridge for a smoothie or juice.

The soups and the grain bowls are packed with healthy ingredients, vitamins, and nutrients and are easy to prepare (they only need heating up).

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Meal Delivery Services for New Mothers

There’s no doubt you have lots of choices, but new parents (especially new mothers) don’t have the time or energy to research all available options. To make things easier, here’s a short list of the main criteria I used in selecting these services:

• High-quality ingredients: As a new mother, you need lots of energy to keep everything under control. Since sleep is probably scarce, your diet needs to compensate with an influx of nutrients and vitamins so you’ll stay healthy and ready for action.

• Low prep effort: This one is self-explanatory – you don’t have the time or the energy to cook advanced meals from scratch. So you should choose easy-to-cook meal kits or ready-made meals.

• Low cleanup: The less time you have to dedicate to cleaning up after cooking and enjoying your meals, the better. So, if you choose a meal kit service, make sure the ingredients come prepped and ready for use.

• Customization options: When you can swap ingredients or play with add-ons, it’s easier to satisfy all the picky eaters in your home. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy the same food but in a different flavor.

Bottom Line: Are Meal Delivery Services a Good Option for New Mothers?

Yes. The lack of free time and energy are perfect reasons for you to try a meal delivery service. And, if you don’t feel comfortable with prepared meals (since you don’t have any control over what goes in your food), a meal kit service like Home Chef is a great option.

All the services I listed use fresh, sustainably-sourced ingredients and work with highly-trained chefs to create delicious, healthy meals. Plus, if you take discounts into account, many are quite affordable for the regular family budget.

FAQ

Is Home Chef good for families?

Yes. Home Chef is a great meal delivery service for families since you can order as many as six meals per week for up to six people. But what makes this meal delivery service so great for families of any kind and size is its Customize It feature, where you can swap proteins from meals to make them more to your taste.

Which meal delivery service is easiest?

The easiest meal kit delivery service is HelloFresh due to its nicely-packed ingredients, easy-to-follow recipes, and menu diversity. Its menu also includes meals from various international cuisines, and most only need around 30 minutes to prep and cook.

What is the best meal delivery service for large families?

If you’re looking for a service that has good menu variety and good prices, then EveryPlate is the go-to option. The meals are easy to cook (only six steps), and the ingredients are fresh and tasty. Plus, the Family Friendly plan includes kid-approved dinners that will fit the requirements of most fussy eaters.

Best Meal Delivery Services for New Mothers in 2023 – Final Score: