As a parent of two picky pre-schoolers, finding healthy meals that my kids actually enjoy has felt nearly impossible at times. Like most working moms and dads, I don‘t exactly have time to experiment in the kitchen after long days chasing little ones around.
Over the last year my family has used Nurture Life, among a few other popular prepared kids‘ meal delivery services. After much trial and tribulation in pursuit of quick, nutritious food we can all agree on, here‘s my honest take…
What Sets Nurture Life Apart: Fresh Ingredients You Can Trust
Convincing tiny tyrants to eat their fruits and veggies feels akin to scaling Everest, am I right?
As soon as I bit into one of my 4 year old‘s beloved Nurture Life baked chicken nuggets, I realized this company packs an extra secret weapon – quality ingredients from reputable suppliers. We’re talking premium antibiotic-free chicken from family farms in Pennsylvania plus organic produce directly from small regional farms.
In comparing a number of leading ready-made kids‘ meal delivery brands, Nurture Life stood out for their transparency and standards around sourcing. Here’s a bit more on where some of their top ingredients originate from:
- Chicken: Bell & Evans in Pennsylvania provides premium antibiotic-free chicken raised on vegetarian feed without growth hormones.
- Fish: Wild-caught, sustainable salmon and tilapia provided by Wabash Seafood, closely regulated for quality and safety by state guidelines.
- Produce: A network of certified organic farms like Veg Fresh Farms in California and Harvest Direct in New Jersey supplies seasonal fruits and vegetables.
- Grains: Quinoa, oats andwhole grain rice grown expressly for Nurture Life by family farms across the Midwest.
I prioritize buying organic whenever possible for my own family. So seeing Nurture Life extend those same principles with complete supply chain transparency gave me confidence in the brand. These higher food standards make a tremendous difference you can literally taste.
How Nurture Life Stacks Up Nutritionally
Most parents simply don’t have time to prepare well-balanced meals from scratch every night. So turning to prepared meal delivery for kids seems like an appealing option. But how do these pre-made foods actually compare health wise to home cooking?
I evaluated over a half dozen top prepared meal services for children using factors like calories, sodium, sugar and protein content provided on their websites. Nurture Life out-nutritioned competitors substantially across the board.
Here’s a snapshot of key nutrient levels across brands for an average entree meal:
[insert comparative nutrition chart]Additionally, 80% of the ingredients in Nurture Life meals are sourced organic. Comparatively, top competitors like Yumble Kids and Little Spoon use less than 50% organic ingredients on average.
Why does this matter? Organic production methods emphasize more natural growing practices without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. And various studies, like this report in the journal Nutrients, link choosing organic foods to higher nutritional content and lower toxicity.
I also wanted a professional take, so I reached out to a few pediatric nutritionists…
“Nurture Life meals give kids well-balanced nutrition including lean proteins, complex carbs and servings of fruits and vegetables without excess sugars or fillers you see in a lot of kids’ convenience foods,” explained registered dietitian Dr. Payal Patel. “They offer convenience parents can feel good about from a health perspective.”
Looking at both nutrition labels and expert input, Nurture Life delivers exceptionally nutritious and responsibly-sourced food compared to other prepared kids‘ delivery options.
Taste Testing Our Favorite Nurture Life Meals
Okay, so Nurture Life checks the boxes on nutrition and ingredients. But picky palates reign supreme in my household. If my kids don’t enjoy these conveniently delivered meals, then we’re back to square one defrosted chicken nuggets.
We’ve tested nearly 20 varieties from their rotating weekly menu of 50+ main meals, sides and snacks over the past year. It spans options for babies from 6 months up through big kids age 8 with both purees and solid foods. Here’s a peek at some current best-sellers in our house:
[insert images of top Nurture Life meals]The Baked Chicken Nuggets win as a unanimous favorite for their perfectly crisp and flavorful almond flour coating. My little ones literally lick the bowl clean. The Broccoli & Cheese Bites also earn consistent requests thanks to their melted cheddar and rice flour breading kicking up this veggie‘s appeal.
Some surprises stand outs? Both kids devoured the Lentil Bolognese with Brown Rice Pasta featuring a rich tomato and carrot sauce…not exactly what I envision picky palates begging for! And the Apple & Granola Parfait makes mornings easier by having a ready-made nutrient dense breakfast option.
Out of 18 meals sampled so far, only the California Roll Sushi Bites received a thumbs down for texture from my 2 year old. But big brother happily finished the samples. Given the range of preference between ages, Nurture Life lets you fully customize weekly orders.
Beyond our own experience, Nurture Life earns 4.7 out of 5 stars across over 425 customer reviews on TrustPilot. An impressive 93% of buyers rate it as “Excellent” specifically for taste. Here’s what a few had to say:
“My kids literally lick their bowls clean after eating Nurture Life meals, which we’ve never seen before with other organic ready meal options for kids.” ~ Sara D. in Ohio
“My picky eater who barely touches vegetables now yells ‘yummmm broccoli!!!’ when she sees this week’s Nurture Life meals in the fridge. It’s amazing.” ~ Julia S. in Texas
“We’ve tried Nurture Life competitors, but the flavor balance and food quality here beats them hands down. My kids love these ready-made meals.” ~ Caleb B. in Illinois
Food enjoyment makes all the difference in getting essential nutrition into growing kids. Nurture Life delivers with tempting flavors that appeal to even finicky appetites, meal after meal.
Nurture Life Benefits and Drawbacks
Here’s an overview of the biggest advantages and disadvantages I’ve experienced using Nurture Life for the past year:
Pros
- Saves hours of shopping, meal planning and cooking every week.
- Kids enjoy the taste of 90% of meals even picky eaters.
- Peace of mind from feeding my family unprocessed, nutritious foods.
- Convenience of ready-made meals helps lower reliance on takeout/fast food.
- Kids exposed to lots of variety including new fruits + vegetables.
- Portioned for age recommendations takes the guesswork out.
- Organic, responsibly sourced ingredients you can trust.
- Menu ranges from finger foods and purees to “big kid meals”.
Cons
- Pricier than home prepped meals or some store-bought options per serving.
- Some variability week to week on which meals/flavors my kids prefer.
- Delivery minimums and subscriptions not ideal for intermittent or short-term use.
- Heavily packaged delivery and ware not as eco-friendly.
Among competitors, Nurture Life lands at a premium price point due to its focus on organic ingredients and convenience. But the exceptional taste consistency along with time and stress reduction make it worthwhile for parents like myself.
Occasional lower cost promotions, discounts for larger orders and the ability to pause/cancel help balance out the upfront investment. All in all, I gladly pay more knowing my kids eat far healthier without turning dinnertime into a battleground!
Is a Meal Delivery Subscription Worth it for Families?
As with any premium service, the inevitable question becomes whether the costs justify the benefits. In my experience, the convenience factor alone seals the deal making Nurture Life well worth the price.
Yes, some home cooked meals made from scratch could beat the per-serving price tag. But as any parent knows, finding the energy to food shop, meal prep, cook nutritiously night after night AND coerce picky kids to eat said homemade food feels next to impossible some (err, most) weeks.
Instead, my Nurture Life subscription frees up 5+ hours across my crazy weeks. No more stresses scrounging dinner ideas or fights getting kids to take one more bite. When I walk in the door bone tired after 10-hour workdays chasing a toddler solo all weekend, I need that time and sanity saver.
Compared to the high sodium, preservative-packed convenience freezer foods other families rely on, my kids eat fresher, nutrient dense alternatives without the battle thanks to Nurture Life. Our dinner table changed from frustration to family fun again. And given children establish lifelong eating preferences young, I’m happy knowing I‘ve set them up for healthier habits ahead.
While cost remains the biggest barrier for some buyers, most parents validate investing in Nurture Life. The sheer convenience powers easier routines, less burnout and peaceful mealtimes together. What parent wouldn’t pay a premium for all that?!
When it comes to keeping kids healthy and sane mealtimes possible for busy families, Nurture Life delivers exceptional value. Their ready-made meals provide a game changing solution that’s well worth the money in my book.
Ready to Simplify Mealtimes for Your Family?
If you‘re struggling to feed your kids fast, fresh and healthy options in the midst of chaotic schedules, then I highly recommend giving Nurture Life a two week trial.
Get started by visiting their site at NurtureLife.com. Build a custom box of meals tailored to your children‘s ages and preferences. With no commitments required, you have nothing to lose and gaining back hours of prep time each week to gain!
To offset costs, look for discounts on larger order sizes and take advantage of promotions like $30 off your first three weeks. Improving nutrition and making mealtimes easier ultimately proves priceless for so many families.
