The Rise of Baby Food Delivery Boxes

With fewer people willing to go grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have turned to meal delivery kits and subscription boxes. But in recent months, the pandemic has given rise to baby food delivery services, and much like those targeted toward their parents, these services focus on healthy, nutritious foods.

The growth of baby food delivery services comes as no surprise, especially since running to the grocery store for jars of baby food — or fresh ingredients to prepare your own — is not as simple as it once was pre-COVID-19. One thing that the pandemic hasn’t changed, however, is the need to ensure that there is always wholesome and nourishing baby food. That’s why many new parents are turning to baby food delivery boxes that can be conveniently ordered online and safely shipped to their doorstep. For busy parents, this means one less trip to the grocery store and more time to spend on the better parts of parenting.

Luckily, delivery services specializing in baby food are as abundant and convenient as those for adults. And since nutrition is even more critical for babies than it is for adults, many baby food delivery services consider it a top priority.

Depending on their age and stage of development, babies also require different nutrition and food types, which many services also take into consideration when curating meal plans. And while the food is intended to be eaten by babies, the boxes are marketed to their parents, with customizable plans, vegan and vegetarian boxes as well as organic options.

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New York City-based Little Spoon, for example, offers a wide variety of baby foods that specialize in boosting various areas of a baby’s health and development. Angela Vranich, Little Spoon’s co-founder and chief product officer, told Xtalks that the company was founded out of frustration with the lack of fresh, organic and convenient baby food options.

“We know how difficult this year has been for parents and it has tested them in ways we could have never expected,” Vranich said. “So we believe parents shouldn’t have to choose between what’s healthy for their babies and what’s convenient for them. This was our mission before the pandemic and it will continue to be our mission for many years to come.”

Since maintaining a consistent customer base can be difficult for food delivery services in this sector, Little Spoon introduced Little Spoon Plates, an offshoot of their baby food boxes that target children up to ten years old. Starting at just $5 per serving, Little Spoon Plates includes healthy, ready-to-eat spins on kid-favorite recipes such as macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets.

“Our Little Spoon Plates service encourages clean, healthy eating beyond toddlerhood and into childhood, which our customers love,” Vranich added.

California-based Yumi offers three “stages” of baby foods for different levels of development. Starting with single-ingredient purees and moving into chunky, multi-ingredient purees, Yumi has babies of all ages covered. Much like Little Spoon, the company’s USDA certified organic meals extend beyond babyhood to include infant and toddler meals that gradually introduce new flavors, textures and nutrients.

Some baby food delivery services offer fewer, more specialized products, such as Once Upon a Farm. The Jennifer Garner-endorsed company delivers fresh food pouches and cold-pressed purees for babies, toddlers and kids. Once Upon a Farm uses organic, farm-fresh ingredients in its pouches, which start at $2.69 per serving.

The market for infant formula and baby food is expected to grow in North America in the coming years, forecasted to have a market value of $30 billion by 2025. Part of this growth can be attributed to the increase of e-commerce sales of baby food — including services like Little Spoon, Yumi and Once Upon a Farm. With many more startups entering the space, it is clear that when it comes to baby food, demand remains high for nutritious food and organic ingredients.