Once Upon a Farm vs Little Spoon: Which is Best?

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Keith Lindner

Keith Lindner is a devoted dad, doting husband, tech nerd, a research expert and a certified Infant Feeding Technician. With 10+ years of consumer research and product management experience, he became passionate about finding and building products that improve his family's life and fit their lifestyle preferences. He loves sharing this info with other parents to help make life a bit easier during those first few years of life.

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If you have a baby or toddler, you know just how hard it is to juggle everything. So if you’re looking for ways to streamline your days, a baby and toddler food subscription service may be exactly what you need, but how do you know which one to pick? I’ve compared two of the most popular baby food subscription services—Once Upon a Farm vs Little Spoon to help you make the right decision for yourself and your family. So let’s get into it!

Main Differences Between Once Upon a Farm vs Little Spoon

The Main Differences Between Once Upon a Farm vs Little Spoon are:

• Once Upon a Farm uses squeezable pouches, whereas Little Spoon uses recyclable plastic containers for most of their products with squeezable pouches for smoothies. 
• Once Upon a Farm offers flexible delivery and one-time purchase options, whereas Little Spoon delivers every two weeks with only the option of the number of meals per day.
• Once Upon a Farm is available in supermarkets like Whole Foods, whereas Little Spoon only offers online subscriptions and delivery.

About Once Upon a Farm

I know that for me, it’s important to know more about the company that I’m choosing to help feed my family. So let’s take a look at Once Upon a Farm.

Company Story

Co-founder of Once Upon a Farm, Jennifer Garner, decided to create a nutritious and delicious baby food product based on wholesome ingredients, many of which are grown on her family’s centuries-old farm in Oklahoma. The company is dedicated not only to creating healthful and convenient food options for your children but they are also dedicated to green initiatives, social and environmental accountability, and charitable work.

Once Upon a Farm is a certified B Corporation, adhering to the high standards of social and environmental accountability and transparency. Additionally, they have partnered with Save the Children – a charitable organization helping children worldwide and Green-e, certified, meaning they make their products using renewable energy. 

Available Products

For babies, toddlers, and children, Once Upon a Farm offer a variety of easy meal and snack options available both by subscription and as a one-time purchase. These products include:

• Fruit and Veggie Blends
• Dairy-Free Smoothies
• Overnight Oats
• Organic Meals

Fruit and veggie blends are babies and toddler food with minimal ingredients made to help nourish your kids and help introduce foods to their diets. You can start with a single ingredient option such as Mango and introduce more complex flavors as your child grows.

The dairy-free smoothies offer a great on-the-go meal or snack option for older kids (and mom and dad, too!). The smoothies are a serving or two of fruits and veggies with the addition of healthy fats and protein from pumpkin seeds and non-dairy milk. The best part? There’s no added sugar! 

Overnight oats help you introduce more nutritious solid foods into your toddler’s diet but can also be enjoyed by your big kids as a part of breakfast or an on-the-go snack. With a great balance of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and fruit, it’s a great easy start to the day. 

A new addition to the Once Upon a Farm line-up, organic meals. These meals are targeted at toddlers over the age of one but can be enjoyed by older children as well. These nutritious meals offer the perfect blend of fiber, protein, fruits, and veggies for growing bodies. The meals are made to be versatile and can be pureed, mashed, or offered as finger food.

Ingredients & Process

Dedicated to high-quality nutrition for babies and kids, Once Upon a Farm aims to freshly pick (where possible), cold press, and preserve their foods in their most natural and nutritional form.

Once Upon a Farm is committed to using only whole organic ingredients such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy-free milk, seeds, and more. They are always dairy-free, use no preservatives or anything artificial, have no added sugars, and are GMO-free. With ingredients like that, they’re easy to trust with the health of your family. 

Commonly used ingredients include:

• Avocado
• Coconut Milk
• Flax and/or Pumpkin Seeds
• Ginger
• Cinnamon
• Blueberries and Strawberries
• Mango
• Spinach
• Sweet Potato
• Turmeric

Pros and Cons

About Little Spoon 

Here’s a bit more about Little Spoon to help you decide if they’re the right choice for your family. 

Company Story

Little Spoon set out to create convenient, healthy, and organic meals for your babies, toddlers, and kids. They believe in creating affordable, quick, and healthy food options for your family so that you don’t need to sacrifice nutrition for convenience.

Their subscription-based model means that you’ll never have to worry about running out of meals for your kids. As your kids grow, so can their options for foods and snacks through Little Spoon (you may even enjoy a few of the options available for a quick on-the-go snack yourself!). 

Available Products

With four main product options, Little Spoon aims to grow with your kids’ offering:

• Baby Blends
• Plates
• Smoothies
• Boosters

Baby Blends are healthy, fresh blended baby food options that start with simple single-ingredient flavors and expand to more complex blends to help you introduce solids and a variety of foods to your growing baby. 

Plates are targeted at toddlers and older kids. They offer balanced meals, including those with hidden veggies for the picky-eaters for your kids that are just starting to eat more solid foods or your older kiddos that you want a quick meal on hand for. 

Smoothies are a great healthy snack for any kid, featuring hidden vegetables and a variety of superfoods. Smoothies offer a balance of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein, making for the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack option.

Boosters are a great way to target a variety of common ailments, from constipation to the common cold. These all-natural remedies, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics aim to boost immune function, help with gut health or boost brain development. 

Some great flavor options available in baby blends, plates, or smoothies include:

• Mango
• Parsnip
• Gingerbread Cookie
• Broccoli Pineapple Banana Hemp
• BBQ Chicken Plate
• Red Lentil Pasta with Veggie Marinara Sauce Plate
• Spinach and Cheese Ravioli Plate
• Golden Apple Pie Smoothie
• Sweet Potato Carrot Cake Smoothie

Ingredients & Process

Little Spoon is dedicated to using cold-pressed technology to kill harmful bacteria and preserve its products’ nutrition and freshness. 

All ingredients in their products are organic, non-GMO, and include no artificial additives or preservatives. Each food only contains the freshest and most minimal ingredients, such as organic fruits, vegetables, and grains. 

Baby Blends and smoothies are 100% plant-based and vegan. In addition, toddler meals and plates offer both vegan and meat options and gluten-free and dairy-free options in a variety of cuisines. 

Commonly used ingredients include:

• Sweet Potato
• Peas
• Red Lentil Pasta
• Parsnip
• Mango
• Butternut Squash
• Oats
• Quinoa
• Cinnamon

Pros and Cons

Alternatives to Once Upon a Farm and Little Spoon 

Whether you’re looking for an alternative that’s available in-stores or delivered to your area, or you want a subscription service that offers more options for the whole family, here are some great alternatives to Once Upon a Farm and Little Spoon. 

Yumi

Yumi aims to create healthy and convenient meals and snacks for babies, toddlers, and kids. Built around the basis that the nutrition in the first 1000 days of your baby’s development is some of the most important in the growth of essential areas such as brain and cognitive function, Yumi is built on the advice of dietitians and medical advisors. 

Yumi uses only the best whole food ingredients, has no added sugars, and targets foods that help create a healthy gut biome so you can help jumpstart your kids’ health. 

Yumi products are separated into stages, so it’s easy to know what options are available to your kids for their age and stage of development.

Available Products

Yumi offered a wide range of products, including: 

• Single-ingredient purees.
• Two-ingredient blends.
• Multi-ingredient mashed purees.
• Multi-ingredient textured purees.
• Lunchables – small pieces for pinching and smashing!
• Bites – nutrient-dense, snackable nibbles.
• Fruit leathers

Pros and Cons

Key Features

• Pricing/Packages: Meals start at $4.38 each, billed weekly. 
• For Ages: 6 months – 2 years.
• Packaging: Recyclable plastic jars.
• Available in Store? No.
• Shipping Locations: United States, excluding Hawaii and Alaska.

Tiny Organics

Tiny Organics wants your kids to “eat smart from the start.” With healthy and varied food options featuring fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and more, meals are created with the intention of creating a positive relationship between healthy foods and your child. 

Foods are vegetable-based first, without masking veggies so that your babies can develop their tastes with various flavor profiles and without all the added sugar. Filled with all kinds of flavors and textures, meals by Tiny Organics aim to create adventurous, healthy eaters.

Available Products

Tiny Organics offers a range of textured finger foods that are soft and chewable for babies as young as six months into toddlerhood. Their products include:

• Breakfast Bowls – Bananas Foster, Apple Oatmeal.
• Lunch & Dinner – Baby Burrito Bowl, Coconut Curry, Potato Hash.

Pros and Cons

Key Features

Pricing/Packages: Meals start at $4.69 each, billed depending on the number of meals (12 or 24) and frequency of delivery (1, 2, or 4-week intervals).

• For Ages: 6 months and older.
• Packaging: Recyclable cups.
• Available in Store? No.
• Shipping Locations: United States, excluding Hawaii and Alaska.

Cerebelly

Cerebelly was created to ensure that families have access to healthy baby food that provides them with the daily nutrition they need for their growing brains and bodies. Using only organic, whole food ingredients, Cerebelly aims to create simple purees and bars that are nutrition-packed and delicious, with a focus on veggie-first flavor. 

For ages 5 – 25 months, Cerebelly meals and snacks are available by subscription and in-store across the United States. 

Available Products

Cerebelly offers a range of products targeted at specific age groups starting at five months and going up to 25 months and beyond. Products include:

• Purees.
• Smoothie-inspired.
• Smart Bars.

Pros and Cons

Key Features

• Pricing/Packages: Bundles start at $2.46 per meal.
• For Ages: 5 – 25+ months.
• Packaging: Pouches.
• Available in Store? Yes, available at some grocers.
• Shipping Locations: Ships to all of the United States and its territories.

FAQs

Once Upon a Farm vs Little Spoon: Final Say

Deciding on the right foods to feed your children can be difficult, especially when you’re trying to ensure they eat healthy while maintaining convenience for your busy life. Baby food delivery services can be a great way to take the worry out of your child’s food with conveniently scheduled deliveries and organic, whole-food ingredients.

If you’re looking for the best baby food subscription company, Little Spoon is a great option with meals available for babies, toddlers, and older kids making it the perfect service to grow with your family. If you liked this article, be sure to let me know in the comments down below. And if you’re looking for more helpful baby tips, check out our guide to the best baby formula.