I’m a sucker for a #lifehack, especially during the transition from maternity leave to working again. One hack we’ve leaned on heavily over the last month is a meal delivery kit subscription. This has taken one thing off our plates (pun intended) while we adjust to new routines and responsibilities.

Every few months we’ll find ourselves in a very busy season where meal planning is near impossible, or just in a rut when it comes to thinking of meals to make. For weeks when you can’t fathom how you are going to get to the grocery store, or don’t have a moment to think about a meal plan these services can be a great option!

Most meal delivery kits are around the same price (about $9-12 per serving), offer varied number of servings for different sized families, and offer flexible scheduling for delivery and the ability to skip weeks where you don’t want a delivery.

Here are the services we’ve tried along with our thoughts, and our favorite!

Hello Fresh: this is probably the meal delivery most familiar to you, and for good reason. This is a great option for less experienced cooks looking to improve, and offers a variety of recipes (although eventually they may start to seem similar- different flavored chicken breasts or types of burgers for example). This service won’t save you time cooking though, so if you need something fast this may not be your best option.

Blue Apron: this service offers more creative recipes than some, but some may be up-charges from the package price. The instructions are well written and easy to follow for even inexperienced cooks.

Home Chef: Home chef offers diverse recipes with great portions. One thing you may not love is having potato-heavy sides more often than not.

Purple Carrot: Purple Carrot is great for vegetarians or people wanting to eat more plant- based meals. They have minimal packaging which is great for an eco-conscious family. This may not be the best option if you have picky eaters. This one also won’t save you time cooking as there is plenty of peeling, chopping and dicing to be done.

Our Favorite!

Every Plate: So far, this has been my favorite meal delivery kit. It has minimal packaging, which can be a little confusing at times but is much more eco-friendly than others. It is slightly more affordable, and offers easy recipes and customizable meals. This is also a great option for families or picky eaters.