If you are a busy parent who needs help getting fast and healthy home-cooked dinners on the table, this article was meant for you!
Meal delivery kit services were created to offer easy-to-follow recipes using high-quality pre-portioned ingredients – all delivered directly to your door. They are the perfect solution to family mealtime stress!
There are many meal delivery services, but only some are suitable for families. We are here to help and rank the best available. We recently updated and revised our review in 2024 to make sure we’re covering the latest and best in family meal kit services!
What Makes A Meal Delivery Service Suitable For Families?
When choosing a meal kit for your family, there are a few important factors to remember.
- The service must provide fantastic meals for kids, who can often be picky eaters but still appeal to the grownups.
- The meals need to be quick and easy to prepare so they don’t make those busy evenings even busier!
- The meal delivery price per serving needs to be affordable so it fits into the family budget.
Our List Of Best Meal Delivery Services With Family-Friendly Meals
Short on Time? Here Are the Best Family-Friendly Meal Delivery Services For 2024:
- #1 Best Meal Kits For Families: HelloFresh
- Best For Easy-Prep Family-Friendly Meal Kits: Home Chef
- Best Cheapest Meal Kits For Your Family: EveryPlate
- Best Organic Meal Service Healthy Families: Green Chef
- Best For Classic Martha Stewart Family Meal Kits: Martha & Marley Spoon
- Best for a Variety of Kids-Friendly Affordable Meal Kits: Dinnerly
- Best For Chef-Designed Meal-Kits For a Family Dinner: Blue Apron
In-Depth Review of the Top Meal Delivery Services For Family-Friendly Meals
1. HelloFresh – #1 Best Meal Kits For Families
Pros and Cons
HelloFresh Pros
- Wide selection of kid-friendly recipes every week
- Offers a specific Family Friendly plan with recommendations
- Meal options for a variety of diets, including Pescatarian, vegetarian, low-calorie, and more
- Customize meals by swapping out proteins or sides
- Many add-on options like fast breakfast and lunch
HelloFresh Cons
- Largest plan is only four servings per meal
- No oven-ready options, only traditional meal kits
About the Service
HelloFresh is the most popular meal kit service in the US, and they’re all about making your family weeknights easy and delicious! HelloFresh offers meal kit options with classic, tasty recipes that are healthy and easy to prepare.
Our 2024 testers love that HelloFresh continues to include farm-fresh produce in their meal kits and the wide variety of crowd-pleaser recipes each week.
What Do You Get?
HelloFresh offers a 4-servings per meal plan with anywhere from 2 to 6 meals per week, perfect for feeding a family. When signing up, you can even pick up the Family Friendly preference to get recommendations for kid-friendly dishes for picky eaters.
The HelloFresh menu offers 100+ recipes each week, so you’ll surely find something to satisfy the whole family.
Family-Friendly Meals To Try From HelloFresh
- Cheeseburger Meatballs with Garlicky Potato Wedges, Pickles, & Special Sauce
- Turkey & Gouda Brioche Sandwiches with Dijonnaise, Lettuce & Tomato
- Honey-BBQ Pork Chops plus Garlicky Rice with Zucchini & Black Beans
- Beef Ragu Spaghetti with Zucchini and Italian Seasoning
What Do Customers Think Of It?
HelloFresh customers appreciate the convenience of this meal kit service and how it teaches them new and exciting meals to cook at home.
@KaJashey on Reddit subscribed to HelloFresh for their family of four and said, “The meals were generally nice. It was good to try different things.”
Reddit user @Feetyoumeet uses HelloFresh to feed their family of four, saying, “Hello fresh is definitely less stress, ingredients are ready to go and the food is really good.”
Our Dietitian Take on It
“HelloFresh makes meal planning and prep fun for families. I love that they have kid-approved recipes that are simple enough to prepare so the whole family can get cooking. The recipe’s difficulty level is ranked so that as your kids become more comfortable in the kitchen, they can level up to enhance their culinary skills. Additionally, with the wide breadth of flavors HelloFresh uses and the large variety of meals on the menu, you can expose your littles to new flavors they might not otherwise have a chance to try”, confirms Kathryn Drakeford, MA, RD, CSP, LD, CLC.
2. Home Chef – Best For Easy-Prep Family-Friendly Meal Kits
Pros and Cons
Home Chef Pros
- Good selection of tasty recipes that can be easily filtered for preferences
- Oven-ready, microwavable, and express meals in addition to standard meal kits
- Offers a dedicated family plan
- Customize it option to swap out proteins for some meals
Home Chef Cons
- Family size menu has fewer weekly options than the standard meal kit
- Not suitable for food allergies or those on a vegan diet
About the Service
Home Chef is all about helping you prepare delicious meals with high-quality ingredients. Their recipes are generally classic with a slight twist – great for the picky eaters. They even have a family plan specifically designed to help you get dinner on the table for the whole family.
In 2024, our meal kit testers appreciated the high-quality ingredients we received and the simple yet delicious recipes.
What Do You Get?
Home Chef offers a 4-person or 6-person plan for families, with the option to get between 2 and 6 meals per week. You’ll be able to choose from 35+ weekly menu options, including traditional meal kits, oven-ready options, express meals that come together quickly, and family-style family meals designed to suit picky eaters.
Family-Friendly Meals To Try From Home Chef
- One-pot Italian Sausage Lasagna-style Pasta With Mozzarella And Ricotta
- One-pan Beef, Bean, And Poblano Tacos With Chipotle Crema
- One-pan Chicken And Mushroom Stroganoff With Fettuccine And Parmesan
- Turkey And Bacon Cheesy Pasta Bake With Bell Peppers And Crispy Onions
What Do Customers Think Of It?
Home Chef users love the consistently delicious recipes the service provides and how it helps teach them new cooking skills.
On Reddit, @Gizmo_McChillyfry says, “I love what they have done for us in terms of providing quality meals, teaching us cooking techniques, and expanding our palates.”
@19frank90 and his wife signed up to enjoy fun cooking with their kids thanks to the themed recipes, noting, “we thought the Bluey theme would be a fun way to get our daughter helping at dinnertime.”
Our Dietitian Take on It
“Home Chef is a great meal kit for families. Their meals are purposefully designed to be simple to prepare so the whole family can enjoy the fun of making a meal together. Additionally, they tend to offer several entrees with more basic flavor profiles that may work best for families of picky eaters”, highlights Kathryn Drakeford, MA, RD, CSP, LD, CLC.
3. EveryPlate – Best Cheapest Meal Kits For Your Family
Pros and Cons
EveryPlate Pros
- Most affordable meal kit for families
- Simple recipes are easy and great for picky eaters
- Offers add-ons like extra protein or sides
- The menu is easy to browse, with clear labels for dietary preferences
EveryPlate Cons
- Traditional meal kit only, no prepared meals
- There are fewer weekly recipe options than some meal kits
About the Service
EveryPlate is an affordable meal kit delivery service offering delicious, budget-friendly meals. They cut costs by reducing packaging and focusing on simple recipes with few ingredients, saving busy parents money and time. Not to mention, the easy recipes make cooking with your kids fun!
Our testers were impressed with the delicious yet simple meals and the high-quality produce at an affordable price.
What Do You Get?
With EveryPlate, you can get plans for 2, 4, or 6 people, making them an excellent meal delivery service for families. You can get between 3 and 6 meals in your weekly meal kit delivery. They even offer a special Family Friendly preference you can specify when signing up to get recommendations from the full menu of 25+ recipes.
Family-Friendly Meals To Try From EveryPlate
- Crispy Chicken with Honey Dijon Drizzle plus Hot Honey Carrots
- Creamy Tomato Linguine with Bacon plus Garlic & Oregano
- Balsamic-Glazed Meatballs with Roasted Green Beans & Garlic Bread
- Jammin’ Fig Pork Chops with Green Beans & Crispy Potatoes
What Do Customers Think Of It?
EveryPlate customers love that the service provides a good variety of tasty recipes at a budget price.
Parent and EveryPlate customer @fleshjenn on Reddit says “These menus have made it easier to get my kids to try new things.”
Reddit user @PuggaWugga says, “What I like about [EveryPlate] outside of offering more varying recipes, is the customization options. For most meals, you can substitute the protein or the side.”
Our Dietitian Take on It
“Everyplate’s Family Favs option makes it easy to find recipes the whole family will enjoy. Parents will enjoy the Quick Prep and Easy Cleanup entrees, which make getting dinner on the table a breeze with minimal mess so you can spend more time having fun with the family. Kids will enjoy simple meals that are likely to appeal to picky eaters.”, says Kathryn Drakeford, MA, RD, CSP, LD, CLC.
4. Green Chef – Best Organic Meal Service for Healthy Families
Pros and Cons
Green Chef Pros
- USDA-certified, healthy ingredients
- Offers a 4-person or 6-person meal kit plan for large families
- Good variety of chef-designed meals per week
- Options to meet many dietary needs, including plant-based, protein-packed, and gluten-free
Green Chef Cons
- There is no specific plan or filter for family-friendly meals
- Upscale recipes may not always be ideal for picky eaters
About the Service
Green Chef is a USDA-certified organic meal kit delivering healthy, delicious recipes right to your door. You can feel good about feeding your family these meals, which focus on high-quality, nutritious ingredients that are sustainably sourced.
In 2024, our meal kit review testers appreciated the impressive quality of the ingredients in our box and the tasty recipes that were easy to prepare.
What Do You Get?
For families, Green Chef offers meal kits for four-person or six-person households, with the option to get 3 or 4 meals delivered each week. They also offer add-ons to help you skip the grocery, with quick lunches, breakfasts, and snacks.
Family-Friendly Meals To Try From Green Chef
- Beef Cavatappi Skillet With Roasted Red Peppers, Peas, Parmesan, And Mozzarella
- Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas With Rice With Roasted Tomatoes And Cilantro-lime Crema
- Mongolian Bbq-style Ranch Steak With Sauteed Bell Pepper & Green Beans And Ginger-lime Vinaigrette
- Beef Tacos With Lime Crema, Charged Corn, Cotija Cheese, And Rice With Tomato.
What Do Customers Think Of It?
Green Chef customers like that the ingredients are USDA-certified organic and that the recipes are tasty and easy to cook.
On Reddit, @Paddiewhacks says, “Very tasty meals. I think they are a bit easier to prepare.”
Redditor @Talaron says, “GreenChef offers a much better experience than [other meal kits]. Recipes are fancier and come with more premium ingredients.”
5. Martha & Marley Spoon – Best For Classic Martha Stewart Family Meal Kits
Pros and Cons
Marley Spoon Pros
- Enjoy Martha’s Best recipes created by Martha Stewart
- Wide selection of clearly labeled kids-friendly meals
- Offers Picky Eater Approved plan to get crowd-pleasing family recommendations
- High-quality, pre-measured ingredients
Marley Spoon Cons
- Ingredients aren’t pre-sorted per meal
- Recipes sometimes require more advanced cooking techniques
About the Service
Martha Stewart best represents healthy home cooking for families, which is why Martha & Marley Spoon is one of our recommended meal kits for families! The Martha & Marley Spoon meal kit subscription, focuses on family dinner time needs with well-balanced, comforting classic meals using high-quality fresh ingredients.
In 2024, our testers loved the creative yet easy-to-prepare recipes and consistently high-quality ingredients we received in our deliveries.
What Do You Get?
Marley Spoon offers a plan for families of four, with anywhere from 2 to 6 meals in your weekly delivery. You can specify preferences like quick & easy or picky eater approved when signing up so you get recommendations for recipes for your family’s lifestyle each week.
Thanks to the labeling system, the weekly menu includes 100+ recipes, with many kid-friendly options that are easy to find. You can also shop at the Marley Spoon market for add-ons of snacks, quick lunches, and more.
Family-Friendly Meals To Try From Martha & Marley Spoon
- Chicken Taco Salad with Lime Crema
- Ranch Smash Burger with Honey Mustard Salad
- Ravioli al Forno with Spinach, Peas, & Toasted Panko
- Wonton Stir-Fry with Chicken Breast Strips & Sugar Snap Peas
What Do Customers Think Of It?
Marley Spoon customers appreciate the detailed recipe instructions that make cooking easy and the variety of interesting meals on the menu.
Reddit user @SummonedShennanigans says “Marley Spoon is very good quality. I rank them #1.”
@DarthJojo loves Marley Spoon for getting the whole family involved in cooking, saying “My kids learned to cook with Marley Spoon.”
6. Dinnerly – Best for a Variety of Kids-Friendly Affordable Meal Kits
Pros and Cons
Dinnerly Pros
- Affordable, delicious recipes using high-quality ingredients
- Simple recipes are easy to make & great for picky eaters
- The menu has 100+ weekly options with easy-to-browse labels
- Caters to many diets, including gluten-free, friendly, and vegetarian
Dinnerly Cons
- There are no plans for families larger than four people
- Ingredients are not pre-sorted per recipe in the box
About the Service
Budget is often a super important issue when you are feeding a family, which is why Dinnerly is such an appealing option for families! Dinnerly is one of the most affordable meal kits for you and your family. The company delivers simple and delicious meal kits with a range of fuss-free recipes that suit both grownups and kids.
Our meal kit testers appreciate the simplicity of Dinnerly recipes, which are easy to make yet delicious, and the fuss-free, sustainable packaging.
What Do You Get?
Dinnerly’s family-size plan offers four servings per meal, with the option to get as few as two or as many as six meals per week. You can pick preferences like Quick & Easy or Picky Eater Approved when you sign up for weekly recommendations from the 100+ recipe options.
Dinnerly also offers a market of add-ons for ready-to-heat meals, desserts, quick breakfasts, and more.
Family-Friendly Meals To Try From Dinnerly
- Seared Steak & Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Carrots & Green Beans
- Crispy Chicken Cutlet with Caesar Salad
- Philly-Style Pork Burgers with Cheesy Broccoli
- Homestyle Chicken & Biscuits with Peas & Carrots
What Do Customers Think Of It?
People who use Dinnerly appreciate that the simple recipes are often kid-friendly and easy to prepare, all on a budget.
On Reddit, @EventualLynx says, “It’s more like a home-cooked meal that my kids are willing to eat, less ingredients, and less time-consuming to prepare”
Another Reddit user and parent says, “Kiddo will eat dinnerly meals unlike other kits” adding that “they have a ton of options.”
7. Blue Apron – Best For Chef-Designed Meal-Kits For a Family Dinner
Pros and Cons
Blue Apron Pros
- Offers prepared meals for busy weeks
- Specific Family Friendly plan for weekly recommendations
- High-quality, sustainable ingredients
- Choose from 80+ weekly recipe options, including family-friendly meals
Blue Apron Cons
- More unique, upscale meals may not be picky-eater-friendly
- The weekly menu is not as clearly labeled per dietary preference as others
About the Service
Blue Apron is well known as one of the longest-running meal kits. They offer delicious, creative meals using high-quality ingredients. Blue Apron also has some oven-ready and prepared meals each week alongside their traditional meal kits.
In 2024, our testers continue to enjoy Blue Apron’s high-quality fresh ingredients and the generous portion sizes that satisfy us.
What Do You Get?
With Blue Apron, you can choose a 4-person family plan and get between 2 and 5 meals delivered right to your door each week. When signing up, you can specify preferences like Family Friendly or Fast & Easy to get recommended recipes for your family’s needs.
Blue Apron also has a market full of add-ons, including prepared & ready meals, snacks, and extra servings. You can even shop for individual meal kits – no subscription required!
Family-Friendly Meals To Try From Blue Apron
- Chorizo & Creamy Tomato Gnocchi with Parmesan Cheese
- Ribeye Steaks & Mushroom Cream Sauce with Rosemary & Garlic Butter Potatoes
- Southern Pork Chops & Corn Cakes with Garlicky Green Beans & Honey Butter
- Fried Chicken Sandwiches & Herb-Ranch Dressing with Everything Bagel Corn on the Cob
What Do Customers Think Of It?
Blue Apron customers love that the meal kit teaches them to prepare new foods and helps them get healthy food on the table for their families, even with a busy schedule.
@Money_Pomegranate494 on Reddit says Blue Apron taught them to cook, and “now I am the main chef in the family. The only judgement I get is happy faces from my family.”
Redditor @OftenIrrellevant says, “my family has 3 healthy, home-cooked meals a week, despite work schedules and school and other distractions.”
Benefits of Using Meal Delivery Service For Families
Trying New Things
Planning what your family will eat for dinner every week can be difficult, and getting stuck in a rut is easy. Meal kits can give you new ideas for fun cooking at home and add an exciting variety of recipes to your weekly rotation.
Ease of Use
If there’s one thing busy schedules don’t need, it’s the challenge of planning meals and going to the grocery every week. Meal kit delivery services like these make it easy to get dinner on the table for your family by doing the work of planning and shopping for you.
Time & Money Saving
Meal kit services give you some time back in your day, thanks to cutting down on the need to plan your weekly meals. With ingredients delivered right to your door, you won’t need to spend so much time making lists and shopping at the supermarket. You can also avoid the temptation of takeout, saving your family money on dinner!
Perfect Portions With Less Food Waste
With meal kits, buying an entire bottle of sauce or spice for just one meal is unnecessary. The pre-measured ingredients come ready to make the perfect amount of food for your family – with nothing extra to create food waste! So, meal kits are not as wasteful as you might think. Read more about the research done on this issue here.
Quality Ingredients
Meal kits source high-quality ingredients from trusted vendors and local suppliers. That means you can be confident you’re feeding your family the best available, high-nutrient foods. Many meal kits also focus on sustainably sourced ingredients so that you can feel good about your environmental impact, too.
Diet Support
Using a meal kit service can help you and your family stick to your healthy diet. The recipes are nutritionally balanced and can even support specific dietary needs with tailored menu filters and plans. No matter which diet your family follows, there’s likely a meal kit to meet your needs!
Our Methodology – Why Trust Us?
At the Meal Kit Review, we take recommending the best meal kits for your family seriously. Our review process is hands-on, and our testers go through the full experience of every company. We sign up for the service, choose our meals, receive the delivery box, and prep everything according to the instructions. That means we can provide the most accurate, up-to-date reviews and recommendations for meal kits.
Bottom Line
If you are a busy parent who needs help getting fast and healthy home-cooked dinners on the table, this article was meant for you! Various meal kit services offer convenient and attractive solutions for families.
No matter which service you choose, we are confident that these meal delivery services will help your family eat better. Meal kit services will also help you reduce the time you spend thinking about dinner, grocery shopping, and cooking.
So whether your goal is to save time, reduce stress, or help your family eat healthier meals at home, using a meal kit service is a win-win option!
