I Tried Whole Foods’ Prepared Family Meals, and Did Not Expect the Result
How hard is it to boil some spaghetti, throw some marinara and frozen meatballs with it? Quite, it turns out, if you have five kids and three sports activities and a parent teacher conference and a meeting that ran late after work on a Tuesday. Whole Foods has solved much of this with their prepared family meals, something I never thought I’d buy as both a thrifty parent and one with some basic cooking abilities. Yet, here we are.
What are Whole Foods family meals?
Really, just what they sound like: meals to feed the whole family, even larger ones like mine, sometimes with leftovers. There is very little prep, and you are mostly able to just heat and serve the food. I have been excited to try the Family Meal spaghetti and meatballs, as basic as it sounds, because my family has very few meals everyone loves, but haven’t tried it yet.
On the list of favorites that I will be trying again, we have:
I look forward to also trying the Chicken Tinga Enchiladas, Pot Pies, and the Pot Roast meal, and I frequently grab their prepared soups, such as Red Lentil Dal with Spinach, for easy lunches.
Tips for trying Whole Foods family meals
1. Note the portion sizes.
The meals come in a variety of sizes, which is important to note, as some are 12-ounce, some are 24-ounce, and the heartiness and amount of protein in each really varies. With seven people in my family, including multiple athletes, sometimes I have to supplement one of the meals with an additional protein or vegetable. While this can feel like it’s defeating the purpose, often it’s just a few minutes to add some shredded chicken (Whole Foods has rotisserie) or a side of broccoli.
2. Expect a variable selection.
Don’t expect to get that same spaghetti and meatballs with each grocery trip. Like any great kitchen or store, offerings change, which to me means they are fresh and trying new things. So, don’t get too set on one specific meal, but be open to trying what’s available that week. I do notice ordering through Amazon for Whole Foods delivery has generated more options than in store.
3. Look beyond the prepared family meal counter for other prepared family options
Our Whole Foods has an excellent bar with many different options, from Lemon Rosemary Chicken Breast to falafel, which means even if you don’t see a full prepared family meal you like, you can easily put together a few premade things from that section instead. Most of them are very freezable, but the packaging isn’t great, so be prepared to switch it to sturdier freezer safe containers.
4. And a note on guilt if you have it…
At first I was hesitant to spend extra money on foods that I know I could easily cook on my own, so I dove deep into mom guilt as I ate my excellent prepared meal. But, I’ve come to terms with a few things:
- On busy weeknights, or when someone is sick, the important thing is eating the “real” meal, not how it was made this time.
- My kids are eating more food groups and trying more things thanks to these meals.
- It doesn’t have to be every day, and is a healthier replacement to take out or fast food on the busiest nights.
So, happy guilt-free shopping. Get the meatballs!