I was never much of a person to have ready-to-eat meals delivered until I had children. It seemed needless with so many great options at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. But when you’re woken up at 5AM by a child screaming as though he hasn’t eaten in days, the appeal of something you can quickly pop in the microwave and know he will most likely eat becomes enormous. To my surprise, however, I started eating many of the things I’d order for the kids myself (because they have a talent for never actually finishing what’s on their plate).
Here’s a look at functional foods that come ready-to-eat (at least after a minute or two of heating), that the whole family will love.
Little Spoon
You might recognize Little Spoon from Shark Tank where they wow’d with their flavor and packaging. Despite using no preservatives or anything artificial and being low in sodium, pretty much every dish I’ve tried from them has gotten the stamp of approval – even from a salt-loving picky eater. They also have food pouches, which are great for on-the-go for any age.
Nurture Life
I am obsessed with Nurture Life’s Mighty Bites! I could eat these everyday. They’re amazing to not only satisfy a sweet tooth, they’re portable and they’re actually filling. They have fiber, protein and either no added sugar or very little added sugar (as in, for example, the only added sugar is in the chocolate chips so we’re talking 2g). Their ready-to-eat meals are also satisfying and tasty, especially their pasta options (which I’ve even eaten cold when I’m in a real time crunch).
Sakara Life 
If you’re looking to get a loved one to eat healthy, but don’t know where to start, go with Sakara. The only downside to Sakara is that some of their dishes aren’t the most filling – in those cases I’ll usually add some avocado or grilled chicken for “bulk.”
Azuluna Foods
Azuluna Foods makes it convenient with their ready-to-eat meals that clearly break down ingredients, nutrition facts and added details like net carbs for those following specific diets or looking for weight loss. Besides ready-to-eat meals (most around $15) they have lean protein options, sides, snacks like energy balls, pasture-raised bone broth and meat boxes. They’re also dedicated to regenerative agriculture practices.
Wildgrain
What’s life without some croissants and pasta? If you feel that way too you’ll love Wildgrain and their bake-from-frozen sourdough breads, fresh pastas and artisan pastries, which come in bundle boxes. All products are baked within 25 minutes (no thawing!) and are made with clean ingredients.
Home Chef
Home Chef is an OG in the space – they’ve been around for a decade and besides being available online, they are available in over 2,000 stores! They have a ton of meal kit options as well as options to buy lean protein like salmon, shrimp, etc. and the recipes are relatively easy to follow. Plus, everything comes neatly packaged.
Tattooed Chef
The Tattooed Chef doesn’t require a commitment to a “meal box,” but rather you can order a la carte. From a taste perspective they are a winner and because they’re frozen, you can easily keep them handy for “emergencies.” The only downside here is some of their options are very high in sodium, so if that’s a concern make sure to check nutrition labels.
