Fit Healthy Momma Rating: 9.5/10 
Once Upon a Farm offers cold-pressed, organic pouches and meals that are designed to taste great to your kiddos while packing in as much nutritional value as possible. These easy-to-eat on-the-go meals and snacks are perfect for kids of all ages, from babies to teens. As parents and/or guardians, we can feel great about choosing Once Upon a Farm as the brand is full of integrity and dedication to bettering the lives of families everywhere.
Once upon a time, food came from the earth and farms. Today, so much of what lines the store shelves are filled with artificial ingredients, fillers, preservatives, and other junk that’s affecting our overall health and nutrition.
As health-conscious parents, we often feel lost, confused, and duped by what’s out there claiming to be healthy. We want the best for our kids, but navigating baby and toddler nutrition is overwhelming. In a perfect world, we’d have the time and energy to make homemade foods for our children, lovingly pureeing fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed, knowing that our kiddos are getting the nutrients they need to grow and thrive.
But the reality is that most of us have far too much on our plates to do this. And, besides, who needs that added pressure?
This is where Once Upon A Farm comes into play by making feeding your children fresh, nutrient-packed whole foods simple, easy, and delicious. As an RD who always preaches taking a food-first approach to better health, I am always on board to learn more about brands that are in alignment with this mission.
In this review of Once Upon A Farm, we’re going to tell you all about this fresh baby and toddler food brand, giving you the pros, cons, and finally, letting you know if we think it’s worth it.
Quick Summary of Once Upon A Farm Review
Product: | Organic, Cold Pressed Foods For Little Ones (Babies and Toddlers) |
Brand: | Once Upon A Farm |
Founders: | John Foraker, Jennifer Garner, Cassandra Curtis and Ari Raz |
Website: | |
Ages for: | Kids (both boys and girls), ages 2 through mid-teens |
Partnered with Raised Real: |
|
Baby-led weaning: |
|
Price: | 12 packs of cold pressed blends starting at $39.48. Raised Real Meals starting at $4.99 per meal (16 meals per order). |
Discounts/Coupons: | check LIVE sale (save more on their official website) |
Subscription Option: |
|
Avg. User Rating: | 4.8/5 |
FHM Rating: | 9.5/10 |
, This provides healthy, organic meal options
(over 3,000+ reviews at amazon)
What Is Once Upon A Farm?
Once Upon a Farm creates organic baby, toddler, and big kid foods that are cold-pressed to deliver the most nutrient-dense kids meals on the market. By leaving the farm-fresh foods in their natural states, children benefit from optimal nutrition and nutrient absorption, which is crucial during their early years of life.
Once Upon a Farm takes a farm-to-fridge approach to baby nutrition, delivering snacks and meals for kids that are free of added sugars, preservatives, and junk. Delicious, fresh, fruits, vegetables, and superfoods are combined to give your little ones the tastes they crave and the nutrition they need.
Pros:
Cons:
What Makes Them Different?
Let’s face it, there are a lot of options when it comes to feeding your kids. There are a lot of choices to be made -some great, some not so great, and some that you’re totally confused about.
When it comes to Once Upon a Farm, they keep things so simple, straightforward, and honest that it’s easy to see they are one of the healthiest, most nutritionally abundant options out there.
Just as the name suggests, the pouches delivered by Once Upon a Farm start on organic farms with fresh fruits and veggies. Every ingredient is cold-pressed, including the skins, to preserve and get the most out of the nutrients.
Then, they are high-pressure pasteurized to get rid of any bacteria while, again, locking in the nutrients naturally found in the ingredients. They take the preparation of the food just as seriously as they do the sourcing of it which results in your child getting the most out of their food and peace of mind for you as a parent.
Nutritional Benefits of Once Upon a Farm Foods
- Always organic
- Whole ingredients
- Cold-pressed
- Nutrient-dense
- Farm-to-fridge
- Zero added sugar
- Free of dairy, preservatives, artificial ingredients, and GMO’s
Above Average Ingredient Standards
Once Upon a Farm takes snack time seriously. They believe that it’s the small details that matter the most when it comes to delicious foods for your kiddos. Let’s take a look a few of the key unique ingredients used in Once Upon a Farm’s recipes and why they use them.
Avocado
Healthy fats for vitamin absorption and brain health + Vitamin B for brain development
Blueberries
Vitamin C for immunity + Anti-oxidants to fight off free radicals
Coconut milk
Healthy fats for brain development and vitamin absorption
Flaxseed
Omega 3 support for brain health + prebiotic boost for beneficial gut bacteria
Ginger
Supports the immune system + expands and develops the palate
Kale
Vitamin A for eye health + Vitamin C for immunity
Mango
Vitamin A for eye health + Vitamin B6 for brain development
Pumpkin Seed
Zinc and Iron for a sharp mind + protein to support healthy, strong bodies
Spinach
Zinc for a healthy mind + calcium for strong bones
Strawberry
Vitamin C for immunity + Anti-oxidants to fight free radicals
Sweet Potato
Vitamin A for eye health + Vitamin C for immunity
Turmeric
Curcumin for immunity + aids in palate development
Who Is Once Upon a Farm For?
Once Upon a Farm meals are recommended for ages 6 months and up. Although even the tiniest of eaters can enjoy Once Upon a Farm pouches, toddlers, kids, and adults love the cold-pressed goodness, too!
For parents with babies and toddlers over the age of 6 months, Once Upon a Farm is a great snack and/or meal option for on-the-go. Kids absolutely love pouches, and they are so simple and convenient that parents love them, too. Especially when you’re purchasing options that you know contain high-quality, clean, and nutrient-dense ingredients like what you get from Once Upon a Farm.
What Kinds of Foods Are Available?
Once Upon a Farm started out offering pouches only with a variety of cold-pressed blends, however, they recently partnered with Raised Real to offer organic frozen meals, too.
Pouches
- Fruit and Veggie Blends
- Dairy-Free Smoothies
- Overnight Oats
- Baby Blends
Organic Meals From Raised Real
Raised Real offers nutritionists-recommended self-feeding and development. These meals are designed to help babies develop good eating habits, allowing them to see, smell, and explore different textures on their own schedule.
There are so many benefits to self-feeding, including:
- Improved dexterity
- Motor-skill development
- Improved self-regulation
- Decreased likelihood of being a “picky eater”
- Parents gets to control the softness, texture, and consistency of the meals
- Great for baby-led weaning
With Raised Real meals, babies and toddlers can puree, smash, grab, and learn how to use utensils, too.
How The Online Subscription Program Works
Once Upon a Farm offers a convenient subscription service that allows you to get your fresh, cold-pressed foods for your child sent right to your doorstep. As a subscriber, you get to choose the frequency of your delivery thanks to their very flexible program. Plus, you can cancel at any time and you’ll save yourself 18% on each delivery!
Here’s a rundown of how it works:
Step 1.
Choose your blends or meals from the online selection. (important note: you cannot have meals and pouches shipped together at this time, they must remain separate orders).
Step 2.
Choose how often you would like to have them delivered (anywhere from every 1 to 5 weeks and meals can be delivered with 16 or 24 per box).
Step 3.
Receive your organic meals delivered to your doorstep in an insulated container to keep them fresh. Pouches should be immediately refrigerated and meals should be immediately transferred to the freezer where they will remain frozen until you’re ready to use.
Keep in mind that you can change your order at any time by simply logging in to your account. Once Upon a Farm will also send you out an email reminder each week just in case you’d like to switch up your delivery options.
Where Can You Buy Once Upon a Farm Products?
You can purchase Once Upon a Farm pouches at most major supermarkets nationwide. If your store carries them, you’re likely to find them in the refrigerated section next to the yogurt or in the baby food aisle.
Although you can purchase these pouches in stores, I highly recommend using the subscription service if you find that you and your child enjoy the meals as you will save money and benefit from the added convenience of having them delivered to your door on auto-pilot, ensuring that you never run out!
FAQs
You can leave your pouches unrefrigerated for up to 4 hours if you’re taking your snack on the go. If you have a cooler bag with ice, you can leave it in there for much longer. According to the brand, a good rule of thumb is: If the product is cool to the touch, it’s safe to consume.
Yes, as long as you put them in the freezer before the best by date stamped on the pouch. Once frozen, you can safely enjoy Once Upon a Farm products for up to 6 months past the best by date. Be sure to eat them within 24 hours of thawing, though. For the blends, they do not recommend that you re-freeze them after they have already been frozen and then thawed.
Yes, some of Once Upon a Farm’s blends do contain coconut, and the facility they use also processes tree nuts, eggs, dairy, and soy. If you or your child has an allergy, please be diligent in reading the ingredient label closely before consuming.
Once Upon a Farm utilizes a technology called High-Pressure Processing (HPP). This method uses high pressure as opposed to heat to kill off any bad bacteria from the food like E. coli, Listeria, and salmonella, while still preserving the nutrients, taste, and integrity of the ingredients. When compared to traditional baby food processing which uses high heat, Once Upon a Farm’s HPP utilization preserves much more of the taste, color, texture, and nutrition, which is a mega-win!
Yes, Once Upon a Farm products are completely safe to consume. Because they use High-Pressure Processing (HPP), which is an FDA-approved cold pasteurization technique, all harmful bacteria are killed off during this process without compromising the nutritional value and taste of the products. Furthermore, Once Upon a Farm sources its ingredients directly from organic farms and uses industry nutritional experts to craft every single blend.
No, Once Upon a Farm products do not contain heavy metals. The brand is focused on food safety as a top priority, which is why they take great care in processing their products clearly, safely, and sustainably to not only preserve the nutritional value of the foods but to ensure that they are completely safe to consume.
Yes, Once Upon a Farm products are great for kids, babies, toddlers, and even adults. There is never a bad age to add more high-quality, fresh fruits and veggies to your diet. As parents, we want the best for our kids, and sometimes they simply refuse to consume fruits and vegetables in their raw form. Pouches, like the ones offered by Once Upon a Farm are a great way to give your kids the nutritional boost they need without them even knowing it!
Ratings and Reviews
I decided to check out all of the real customer reviews from moms and dads who actually purchased Once Upon A Farm to see what their thoughts were.
What I found is that there are an overwhelming amount of positive reviews of Once Upon A Farm. At amazon, their pouches have an average rating of 4.6/5 stars with well over 3,000 reviews, which is very significant.
Verified Review
Alternatives Compared to Once Upon A Farm
vs | Once Upon A Farm | YUMI | Little Spoon |
|---|---|---|---|
Baby-led weaning |
|
|
|
Metal-free |
|
|
|
Food offered | Pouches and meals through raised real | Baby food meals | Baby and toddler food meals |
Organic | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Subscription Option | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Cold pressed | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ |
Final Thoughts: Is Once Upon a Farm Worth It?
If you are a parent and are looking for fresh, organic, nutrient-dense pouches to give your kids, Once Upon a Farm is absolutely worth trying. Now that you understand the level of care and attention to detail that the brand puts into its products, you can feel great about your choice to give these to your kids. Plus, kids and babies love them! I know mine do.
While it can be tempting to grab those cheaper pouches off the store shelves, if you have the capacity to go for the better stuff, I highly recommend that you do! Plus, you can save a ton by subscribing to Once Upon a Farm’s subscription plan and you’ll enjoy the convenience of never running out.
As a registered Dietitian and mom of 3, I am happy to put my stamp of approval on Once Upon a Farm’s products!
