Family-Friendly Meal Prep Services Every Parent Should Know
Image: POW Food
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Family-Friendly Meal Prep Services Every Parent Should Know

As the new term begins, calendars quickly fill up with busy school runs and extra-curricular clubs. Meal prep services are the unsung heroes of this chaos, bringing delicious, nutritious food right to your door. Whether you’re cooking for toddlers or teens, craving convenience or trying to encourage little ones to eat more greens, these are the services that promise to make weeknights easier, healthier and less stressful…
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Image: POW Food

FOR TEN-MINUTE MEALS:

Rumble Tums

Created by a nutritionist and a mum who are both familiar with the challenges of feeding children, Rumble Tums is designed to take the stress out of family mealtimes. Dishes are built around familiar, comforting favourites – think classic lasagne, golden fish goujons, spaghetti bolognese, pesto chicken and shepherd’s pie – but subtly reworked with a healthier twist. Portions come in two sizes – one for toddlers and another for hungrier children, making it easy to cater for siblings at different stages. Parents can order a box of six or 12 meals on a flexible subscription that fits around family life, and because the meals are already cooked, all that’s left to do is heat and serve – meaning dinner can be on the table in less than ten minutes.   

From £2.76 per meal, including free delivery when you order 12+ meals, plus next-day delivery if you order before 8am Mon-Fri. 

Visit RumbleTums.com

FOR DIFFERENT DIETS:

Mindful Chef

If you want to feel healthier as the new school year begins, Mindful Chef is the family-friendly recipe box to try. With balanced, nutritionist-approved meals free from refined carbs and additives, it’s an easy way to reset after a summer of ice creams and BBQs. The generous family portions serve two adults and up to three children, and dishes strike the right balance between healthy and wholesome, with crowd-pleasers like chicken katsu curry, smoky Mexican chilli and creamy fish pie all appearing on the rotating menu. Mindful Chef also caters well for different diets, offering gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. Parents will love that recipes are quick and foolproof – think 20-30 minutes from pan to plate – while children will enjoy familiar, comforting flavours. 

From £5.12 per portion, based on a Family Box. Delivery is £4.99 per order, often free for your first few boxes. 

Visit MindfulChef.com

Mindful Chef

FOR VEGGIES:

Wildly Tasty

Wildly Tasty is a vegetarian meal service that makes plant-based family dining straightforward. Every dish – from Moroccan lentil stew to fragrant chickpea curry – is designed to work as a flexible base. The clever part? Each meal comes with suggested sides printed on the packaging, from rice and couscous to baked potatoes or tortillas. This not only helps you build a complete dinner in minutes but also gives children the chance to mix and match according to preference. The kids’ portions serve one to two, while larger family meals serve two adults or one adult and two children. Clever, eco-conscious packaging makes storage easy, and a little planning turns these meals into a week’s worth of versatile, wholesome dinners.

From £4.35 per meal. The Family Meal Bundle, including five family meals, costs £44. 

Visit WildlyTasty.com

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY:

Lune + Wild

If you’re feeding both a school-aged child and a baby who’s just started solids, Lune + Wild is the rare service that caters to both. Founded by a chef and nutritionist duo, the brand takes a whole family approach, offering vibrant weaning purees, toddler-ready finger food and bigger kid-friendly meals. Think pasta sauces brimming with hidden veg – ideal for tossing through penne on a weeknight – as well as wholesome fishcakes, mini muffins and frittata bites that slip neatly into lunchboxes. Everything comes in slim, freezer-friendly packs that lie flat – a small but genius design detail that saves space. Meals are quick to heat from frozen, and many of them are in cubes, so you only have to defrost what you need. 

From £3.36 per serving. Nationwide delivery & 20% OFF your first two subscription boxes. 

Visit LuneAndWild.co.uk

Lune + Wild

FOR OLDER CHILDREN:

POW Food

Designed with wellness in mind, POW Food is the family-friendly service that really comes into its own as children get older and appetites grow. The menu reads like a high-end restaurant – fragrant Thai green curry, teriyaki salmon with greens and plant-packed pasta bakes – but everything is nutritionally balanced and portioned generously enough for tweens and teens. We rate the Brain Food Bundle, a curated selection of meals high in omega-3s, protein and slow-release carbs, designed to support focus, concentration and overall brain health. Meals arrive frozen and can be reheated quickly, meaning older children can prepare them themselves. With a B Corp stamp and nutritionist-designed recipes, POW Food makes feeding teenagers both easy and nourishing. 

From £7.65 per meal. Subscribe & save 10% OFF your first three months. 

Visit POWFood.co.uk

FOR LONDONERS:

V&Me

Founded by a London mum and health entrepreneur, V&Me is built on the belief that little ones should be exposed to a broad spectrum of flavours from the start. Unlike many brands, the food is never frozen – dishes are freshly prepared each morning in a London kitchen, guided by chefs and dietitians. The result is meals that feel as considered and flavourful as something you’d cook yourself, minus the planning and prep. Menus change weekly and are designed to expose toddlers to a variety of tastes and textures – think pea and parmesan risotto, lentil dhal with jasmine rice and chicken with roasted potatoes and broccoli. Packaging is biodegradable, delivery is daily, and portions are balanced to be filling yet age appropriate. For a special occasion, V&Me offers sugar-free celebration cakes, gently sweetened with golden raisins and vanilla extract. 

From £13.99 per day, including two meals plus a snack, delivered fresh daily across London only. 

Visit VAndMe.co.uk

HelloFresh

FOR RELIABLE CONVENIENCE:

HelloFresh

For families seeking convenience, quality and variety, HelloFresh remains a standout. The appeal is obvious – flexible meal plans that serve two, three or four people; a rotating weekly menu of more than 40 recipes; and pricing that undercuts most competitors. The family section is full of kid-approved favourites, from creamy pasta bakes and mild curries to honey mustard chicken and Mexican-style wraps. Ingredients arrive pre-portioned, cutting down on waste and prep time, and recipes are broken down into easy, foolproof steps. Most dishes take around 30 minutes, and the flexibility to pause, skip or adjust your box means it genuinely adapts to your family’s week. For busy parents who want variety and value in one place, HelloFresh remains a winner.

From £3.15 per portion, delivery is £4.99. Frequent promotions offer large discounts to new customers. 

Visit HelloFresh.co.uk

FOR PICKY EATERS:

Pots For Tots

If mealtimes feel like a battle of wills, Pots for Tots is here to help. Specialising in simple, handmade dishes for children, it has won over parents of picky eaters thanks to its thoughtful menu. You’ll find familiar favourites like cottage pie with hidden veg, mild chicken curry with fluffy rice, and pasta in a light tomato sauce – all designed to gently broaden young palates without overwhelming them. Everything is freshly cooked and free from additives, before being frozen and delivered straight to your door. Build your own box of meals, choosing a mix to suit the week ahead, and stash extras in the freezer for fuss-free evenings, including healthy snacks such as mini muffins and pancakes. They’ve even created recipes specifically for fussy eaters, making it a reliable safety net for parents navigating unpredictable appetites. 

From £28 for an eight-meal box (around £3.50 per meal), plus 20% OFF your first three subscriptions. Alternatively, create a one-off box. 

Visit PotsForTots.co.uk

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