STAYING HEALTHY
Self care is so important and something I try and fit in especially as a new mom, but it seemed to never happen during those first six months postpartum. It’s also something that is extremely hard to make time for. As moms I’m sure many of you can relate to taking care of everyone else but yourself.
I’ve been having trouble shedding my baby weight from being pregnant with Ford (now 11 months) . That mixed with exhaustion leading to unhealthy eating choices left me low on energy and feeling pretty bummed out. By the time I feed the kids and get them to bed the last thing I want to think about is cooking for both myself and Ray. I decided to take a month and try out different food delivery services in the area. I wanted the plans I chose to be centered around using fresh and healthy/anti-inflammatory ingredients, being easy to follow, breastfeeding friendly, and delicious. I chose three local brands and one national brand.
If you are local take advantage of these great options. So many moms reached out to me expressing how lucky I was that I had such great services at my finger tips. For moms that are not local, Sakara Life is a wonderful nationwide delivery food service option.
MAIKANA FOOD
Maikana foods is my go-to for everyday clean eating done right.
MANTRA: “Today's world is filled with diets and fads and an insane amount of information of what and how you should eat. Maikana believes in a simpler world. We use whole real foods. We use fresh ingredients. We believe in all things in moderation (except love and laughter). We believe eating a wholesome meal should not be a stressful ordeal. We want to make the healthy world one that is easy and convenient to navigate. We want to make eating healthy as straightforward & convenient as possible. Simply satisfying, healthy and delicious meals- made with love- and delivered right to your door. It can't get easier than that.” -Maikana
Things I loved:
SCHEDULE: The meals are made and delivered on the same day.
MENU: The menu changes every week so you won’t get tired of the same choices & everything is as fresh as you can get as it’s prepared and delivered on the same day. You can also order one-off meals, you don’t have to do an entire program to still benefit from eating healthy.
DELIVERY: Convenient delivery to your home or work every day.
SUPPORT: During the New Year Reset that I was a part of I had access to a nutrition and health expert, Katie Diehl and I was also part of a facebook support group for the week. This was so helpful, especially when going from unhealthy eating to trying to make good choices. I also loved how Maikana Food incorporated other great brands in their delivery, including Nit Noi. I loved the Nit Noi Provisions bone broth. I also really enjoyed using the adaptogenic powder they included in the reset. I highly recommend jumping on the next reset to kick off changes in your eating.
EASY TO FOLLOW: Everything was so clearly outlined and incredibly well organized. My first shipment arrived with a packet that went over every aspect of the program and answered every single question I had. It was extremely informative and really set me up for success.
MINI MAIKANA: It’s not always easy eating clean but having the option to order nourishing foods for you kids as well really helps set you up for success.
You can find Maikana Foods website, HERE.
KINNEY LANE
Kinney Lane is my go-to for meals the entire family can enjoy while you still feel like you are making great healthy choices.
MANTRA: “Our food philosophy is pretty simple. We think healthy food should taste good and be easily attainable. We know that the food that is best for us isn’t usually fast or easy and we don’t always have the time to prepare the nutritious meals we need to fuel our busy lives.
At Kinney Lane, we realize there is a need for readily available and prepared wholesome foods. When life gets busy, making healthy choices isn’t always easy. Kinney Lane’s goal is to help busy families and professionals eat well by providing them with healthy choices that are already prepared - giving you more time for work and family.” -Kinney Lane
Things I loved:
SCHEDULE: The meals are delivered twice a week.
MENU: I love that there is a super simple ordering system online but I also love that they can pick for you. I really didn’t have the time to go back and forth around what I was going to order so I simply told them I wanted it to be whole 30 compliant and I was delivered such a delicious weeks worth of food that was also family friendly! I told them I was breastfeeding and they included a special overnight oat container just incase my supply dipped from the whole30 meals. I loved that! Their menu also changes every week which is nice.
DELIVERY: Convenient delivery or pick up.
FAMILY MEALS: It’s really hard to stay healthy when I’m responsible for feeding my family as well! Having meals, especially dinners that were big enough for the whole family was a game changer.
EASY TO FOLLOW: Very simple and easy to follow!
Owner,Rachael, shares some thoughts:
“All meals are ready to heat and eat. We serve our entrees in oven-friendly containers equipped with heating instructions. This allows for easy heating and clean-up.
We believe in using organic, simple and natural ingredients: no refined sugar, gluten, or artificial ingredients. Many of our options are also dairy-free. Meals are designed to taste good but also fuel our clients busy lives with nutrient dense meal options.
As a local mom (I live in OG) I felt there was a need for a healthy, prepared foods service that could help busy moms and professionals get meals on the table and feel good about the food their families were eating. I am a classically trained chef, who has a passion for health and wellness. Being a mom I understand the flexibility that moms need which is why I provide several sizing options for different family sizes.” -Rachael
You can find Kinney Lane’s Foods website, HERE.
GREEN & TONIC
Green & Tonic is my go-to for the most cleanse like plan
MANTRA: At Green & Tonic, we want to help you make informed choices that positively affect your health, everyday.
G&T is delicious. We believe that healthy food should be fresh, vibrant, and full of interesting flavor and textures. “Good enough for health food…” said no one ever at G&T.
G&T is easy. On the run or taking it slow, we offer easy solutions for a healthy fuel-up on the go or an afternoon catch-up session with a friend. We feed your healthy lifestyle.
G&T is good for you. We put plants at the center of your plate and serve non-GMO, locally and sustainably-grown ingredients. We count quality, not calories. We embrace healthy fats, sweeten mindfully, and celebrate food in its least-processed form.
G&T is the real deal. We pride ourselves on being authentic, honest and transparent—with our employees, our customers, and everyone with whom we get to do business.
G&T makes sense. We feed your healthy appetite for information, inspiration and motivation so you can make better-for-you choices
Things I loved:
SCHEDULE: Depending on what food delivery service you choose you will be picking up your meal one or two times during the week.
MENU: The three food cleanses that are offered are the 1 day reset, the 3 or 5 day seasonal cleanse, or the G&T til’ dinner (You go off the cleanse at night to eat with your family). You can choose a cleanse that is juice based or choose one that incorporates clean eating.
PICK UP: No delivery offered but G&T has locations all over CT.
CLEANSE: What makes this different than the other services is this is much more cleanse focused in my opinion. You are incorporating multiple juices per day on top of the clean meals. Sometimes I feel like my body just needs a break and that’s where this cleanse comes in.
EASY TO FOLLOW: Very easy! There was a print out that went over each day and what I should be eating.
You can find Green and Tonic’s website, HERE.
SAKARA
Sakara is my go-to for out of towners
MANTRA: “THE SAKARA SECRET. Our philosophy is a combination of cutting-edge nutrition science and ancient healing wisdom. We source the highest-quality organic ingredients and powerful superfoods from trusted farmers and suppliers. Our meal delivery program brings everything to your door, fresh and completely ready to enjoy.”
Things I loved:
SCHEDULE: This was delivered to our front door two times during the week at 5 a.m.
MENU: Sakara offers a signature program (what I did), a deep cleanse, and a program specifically designed for brides.
THOUGHTS: Honestly I was impressed with this service. I didn’t think I would like it because it was not local and I was worried about freshness and taste etc. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. I would highly recommend as a wonderful option if you don’t live in Connecticut and you can not take advantage of the local services. You can use my code for a discount, REF_NIPPLE15
EASY TO FOLLOW: Everything came in a box and was very easy to follow.
You can find Sakara’s Food website, HERE.