As a busy mom of four, juggling work, household chores, and the demands of parenting small children is intensely rewarding, yet also overwhelming. Finding time to meal plan, prep, and cook nutritious meals that appeal to the varied tastes of our family can be daunting. Especially because, honestly, I’m no cook. I’m not proud of it, but I would make breakfast for dinner more nights than not. And the clean-up; agh. All of it, not the place I shine.
My husband is the opposite, though. He loves different types of dinners and trying new recipes. Plus, we are trying to cultivate a love of foods beyond macaroni and cheese for the littles. So, it’s a bit of a weekly stressor.
And then there was the dawn of meal delivery services! We have tried our fair share, but for one reason or another, we haven’t stuck with any. Finding the balance between cost-effectiveness, minimal prep, and nutritious foods has proven harder than we might have thought. When I saw Feast & Fettle was now in Westchester, though, this looked like an opportunity to simplify mealtime while also really enjoying it.
Feast & Fettle is unique in that every dish is made from scratch with fresh, unprocessed and seasonal ingredients. A variety of plans are offered to select from, including the number of meals and servings you would like delivered, as well as opportunities to indicate ingredient preferences and allergies. F&F also prides itself on having its own fleet of delivery vans making food personally delivered door-to-door and easily trackable. It’s a level of care that makes a big difference in a home-cooked meal.
The menu changes weekly with some staples you can always count on. You can order anything from breakfast to a packed kids’ lunch to dinner, choosing your mains and sides separately to suit all tastes. I ordered on a Thursday for a Monday delivery. The meals came in branded cooler bags, and I received updates throughout the day about my delivery time. Selecting the meals was a challenge only in that everything looked so appealing. Ultimately, we went with:
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake
- Chicken Puttanesca
- Apple stuffed pork loin
- Artichokes with garlic aioli
- Mushroom and Herb Risotto
- Broccoli rabe with red pepper flakes
- Turnips Gremolata
- Southwest Portobello Rice Bowl
- Vegan chocolate chip cookies and sea salt chocolate chip cookies
I loved the variety of the options and the ability to customize. Everything came ready to heat, either in the microwave, or in the oven and the packaging was minimal in comparison to other prepped meals we have tried. Something that really made me feel good about ordering, is that Feast & Fettle uses Terra Cycle to recycle the containers that are collected from members along with the ice packs and cooler bags. I feel so much better knowing that there is less waste, and that F&F is going out of its way to take on that spend. To me, it speaks to their mission all around and is another example of how their actions align with their ethos. This is really important to me as a consumer, especially when I feel like I am taking a shortcut and opting for my own convenience.
I won’t review every item, although trust me, I’d love to, but I’m not a food critic. I’m a mom and I can tell you that it checked all of my boxes - delicious, healthy, filling, easily made, easily cleaned up, and generous portions. We had leftovers from each meal, and I would happily order everything again. Both types of cookies were exactly what I was looking for in a from-scratch dessert and were appreciated as a mid-day treat and for dessert another evening.
What else should you know?
- Mom-created!
- You are only charged on the weeks you order. No meals piling up, no waste.
- Sample price point: Family sized order for two meals = $159/week
- Members have free delivery and free customizations, plus $150 credit per referral
- Veggie and vegan options
- Giftable (great for expecting parents!)
- Seasonal favorites also include cocktail mixers which I thought was pretty fun for completing a meal
Long and short of it, will we order again? YES! Let me know if you try it, too!
Feast & Fettle is generously offering Macaroni KID readers a Buy One, Get One opportunity through March 31st. Redeem your free week here!
