Once Upon a Farm Review 2025: Fresh & Organic

Overview

Once Upon a Farm offers fresh, organic meals for infants and young children, using high-quality ingredients and a farm-to-fridge model that ensures optimal nutrition and freshness. Crafted with input from nutritionists and pediatricians, its offerings eliminate the hassle of meal planning, shopping, and cooking.

The menu is divided into 2 categories: Pouches and Meals. Pouches include Dairy-Free Smoothies, Fruit & Veggie Blends, Overnight Oats, and Baby options. Meals consist of Organic Plant-Rich Meals, Organic Oats & Fruit, and Variety Packs, tailored to various developmental stages. All products are organic, with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available.

Meals are delivered frozen with dry ice, while pouches require refrigeration. The bowls and some meals are recyclable, but the pouches aren’t. There’s a Pouch Mail-Back program to help minimize waste and stop pouches from ending up in landfills, but this requires more effort when compared to packaging that’s curbside recyclable. 

Subscriptions are flexible, allowing for customization based on age, dietary preferences, and allergens. Shipping is available on weekdays with predictable flat rates for orders over $45. Customer support offers multiple contact methods, a detailed FAQ section, and a refund policy for damaged items.

Pricing starts at $2.99 per portion for pouches and $4.69 per meal, with options to purchase variety packs or make bulk orders. Once Upon a Farm products are also sold at major retailers like Target and Whole Foods. With convenient subscription options and a commitment to quality, Once Upon a Farm is a practical choice for families seeking nutritious, ready-made meals for young children.

Once Upon a Farm’s Menu: Healthy Meals for Kids

Meal Options: A Good Selection of Pouches & Meals

Once Upon a Farm’s menu is conveniently divided into Pouches and Meals, both of which offer a range of nutritious options. These 2 types of food are packaged differently and are also separate subscriptions. Let’s take a closer look at the varieties available.

Pouches 

The Pouches menu is home to 4 subvarieties of squeezable best sellers. These are Dairy-Free Smoothies, Fruit & Veggie Blends, Overnight Oats, and Baby. 

• Fruit & Veggie Blends combine the goodness of organic fruits and vegetables. These pouches provide a delicious and nourishing snack that also works great as a meal option.

• Dairy-Free Smoothies are packed with fruits, vegetables, and other wholesome ingredients. These smoothies offer a refreshing and nutritious option, perfect for a quick, on-the-go beverage.
• Overnight Oats are another convenient and delicious breakfast or snack option. Made with organic oats, fruits, and veggies, these pouches offer a hearty and satisfying meal.

• The Baby section is filled with pouches that provide essential nutrients for healthy development in babies. These wholesome meals are organic and crafted with care, so even the little ones can enjoy them.

Meals 

Once Upon a Farm’s Meals section features:

• Organic Plant-Rich Meals
• Organic Oats & Fruit
• Variety Packs. 

Designed with a growing child in mind, all of its meals can be blended, mashed, or served as finger food.

You can cater to all phases of your child’s development with 1 meal – serve purees for the early stages, mashed or textured food for the advancing stages, and finger foods for toddlers who are learning to self-feed.

Organic Plant-Rich Meals are made from organic and plant-based ingredients and provide a nourishing and flavorful dining experience. Organic Oats & Fruit are oat-based meals that offer a delightful combination of hearty oats and flavorful fruits. These meals are a satisfying and nutritious breakfast choice.

Customization: Order Based on Your Child’s Preferences (& Exclude Some Allergens)

Once Upon a Farm’s blends are hypoallergenic and safe for anyone to consume, regardless of age. Note that some of the other products may contain coconut, which is a fruit but is treated as a tree nut by the FDA due to potential sensitivities. Just something to keep in mind if you’re looking to avoid nuts!

You’ll fill out a quiz to get your subscription box ready. The quiz covers your children’s age, food preferences, and any allergen concerns you may have. During the sign-up, you’ll be asked what matters most to you when it comes to feeding your children.

With Once Upon a Farm, you have the option to exclude both dairy and gluten-free choices from the menu. While all Once Upon a Farm products are dairy-free, some may still contain gluten. As these sensitivities share a filter, it’s not possible to exclude only 1 of them.

Once Upon a Farm processes tree nuts, eggs, dairy products, and soy in the same facility, but it adheres to strict hygiene standards. All equipment is thoroughly cleaned between each product to prevent cross-contamination. That said, if you have allergy concerns, I recommend carefully reading the ingredient statement for each product.

Once Upon a Farm’s Menu at a Glance

Unboxing: What You Should Know Before Your Box Arrives

Upon opening your Once Upon a Farm box, you’ll find a selection of wholesome and nutritious baby food blends carefully crafted with organic fruits and vegetables.

Each box of cold-pressed blends provides a variety of nutrients for your little one. The thick and heavy bags ensure the freshness and integrity of the contents during transit while keeping them thoughtfully organized.

Pouches and Meals must be ordered separately as individual subscription boxes, but you can choose to have them delivered on the same day. Meals will arrive frozen and packed in dry ice, and you should store them in the freezer. Pouches should arrive cold to the touch and need to be refrigerated on arrival. Use them by the “enjoy by” date.

If any of the meals arrive thawed, the service advises not to refreeze them and to contact customer service. Meals should be heated up from frozen and not thawed first. Meals can be safely frozen for up to 12 months. Any leftovers can be refrigerated but not refrozen.

Once Upon a Farm acknowledges that its pouches need improvement in terms of sustainability and packaging. The Pouch Mail-Back program, a partnership between Once Upon a Farm and Recyclops, is aimed at keeping used multilayer pouches out of landfills.

You can participate by simply collecting the empty pouches at home and mailing them back. Make sure to squeeze and empty them as much as possible, and screw the caps back on. You can drop the package off at your local Post Office or schedule a pick-up.

The bowls are recyclable. Once Upon a Farm recommends giving them a rinse and replacing the lid before recycling. The packaging for meals can be recycled by returning them to specific stores. You can find out what stores are nearby by following the link in the FAQ section of the website.

Cooking & Eating With Once Upon a Farm: Pouches Are Ready to Eat, but Meals Need to Be Prepared

If you’re not opening a Pouch immediately, you can store it in the fridge until the indicated expiration date. Once opened, refrigeration is necessary, and the blend should be consumed within 3 days to ensure optimal freshness and taste.

When your kids are on the go, you can grab a Pouch Cooler – a simple way to keep pouches cooler for longer – also offered by Once Upon a Farm. Cool it for 4 hours in the freezer, and it keeps Pouches cool by the pool, on the road, or on a family vacation.

If you’d rather warm the baby food blend, avoid using the microwave. The containers aren’t microwave-safe. Instead, place the unopened container in a bowl of warm water and let it sit for a few minutes. This gentle warming method ensures the meal is ready for your little one’s enjoyment.

All the meals need to be cooked before consumption. Still, they more than make up for the hassle of having to cook them, and they do so with their versatility – these plant-rich foods can be enjoyed in 4 different ways.