There’s a Delivery Service for That

When we found out we were having twins, I immediately went to work planning. I wanted to be ready, and have systems in place when they came that would make life as easy as possible. Blake helped a lot with this, and we’ve had a few conversations lately where we pat ourselves on the back for the things we’ve done well in this area. One thing that’s been a HUGE help is organizing deliveries of the essentials so that we aren’t constantly running out or having to take baby twins to the store.  Most moms out there know it’s hard to take kids to the store in general, but twins pose some logistical problems! Usually you can’t fit two carseats or babies in a cart if you want to fit any groceries, but you also can’t push a double stroller and a cart around the store. Hence why (this might sound insane to you) I can count on both hands the total number of times I’ve taken my 18-month old twins to a grocery store in their entire lives, and even then it’s usually not out of necessity but more of an excuse to get out of the house ;).

The Money

Despite what some might think, delivery isn’t always more expensive. In some instances, like our orders from Thrive Market, we actually save money. Not to mention there’s a lot less impulse buying happening ;). I know a big downfall for us using delivery services is the amount of waste. Luckily, most of the ones we use listed below are evolving and addressing it well.

Our Favorite Delivery Services…

(Quick disclaimer – this post is NOT sponsored. These are truly services I use and love, and I have not talked to any of these companies about this post prior to posting it :).)

• Thrive – We use Thrive for a lot of our natural/healthy, non-perishable items. We also order the girls’ formula from Thrive. Yes, they’re still on formula – we give them Baby’s Only Organic with DHA & ARA. On can of this formula would normally cost $18.99, but Thrive sells it for $12.69 – always! So on formula alone we save tons. I have auto-ship set up for the formula, our coffee (we like the brand Kicking Horse which is always marked down $2/bag), and our favorite coconut peanut butter. I also frequently order things like MCT oil, protein powder (we like Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel in Vanilla Coconut flavor), Banza pasta, some baby foods, flax seed, olive oil, avocado oil, healthy snacks and bars. It’s the types of things you’d need to go to a natural foods store for but can pay way less on Thrive. If you’ve never ordered and want to try it, click here and you’ll get 25% off your first order!
• Milk and Eggs – I like to order a lot of our groceries from Milk and Eggs. Their produce is always SO good and fresh, comes from local farms, and costs up to 50% less than at grocery stores. I love buying fresh foods like meat, cheese, and produce here. I also LOVE their meal kits. This one only works if you live in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area – sorry to my far away readers!! You also have to plan/order just a couple of days in advance because it usually arrives two days after you place your order. You can get $20 off your first order by clicking this link.
• Sun Basket – If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve heard me talk about Sun Basket, probably several times! I’ve been using the service for years, and I feel like it just gets better and better. It’s been fun to watch the brand evolve into what it is now. I’ve tried several meal delivery kits, and this is hands down my favorite. I’ll have to do a whole post on it soon, but main reasons are that there are paleo/whole30 options that are SO good, the food quality is SO good and organic, and it keeps us eating healthy without having to think about it (no planning or shopping!) You can get $40 off your first order here. Seriously, try it!!!
• Model Meals – This is one I like to do when I have a particularly busy week coming up or don’t have time to shop. Model Meals is really great for one person, or for someone who really wants to eat healthy home-cooked food but doesn’t have time to cook. I like to order a few each week to have on hand for lunches or dinners where only one of us (adults) will be home. All of the meals are Whole30/Paleo, and ALL you have to do it heat them us. And they taste GOOD! Sadly, this is another one you have to live in the LA/Orange County area to use, and my biggest dislike is that you have to pay $10 for shipping – I’m hoping that fee goes away at some point, and that they’ll expand their territory ;). You can get $25 off your first order here.
• Parasol for Diapers and Wipes – Oh man, I will literally tell ANYONE who will listen about how much I love Parasol Diapers. I rave about their quality, which you can read about here. But the convenience is also worth talking about – they literally show up on my doorstep just as I’m running out! I have my one subscription set to deliver every two weeks, so if you have one baby you would probably find delivery every 4 weeks to be perfect. Just believe me that once you use these diapers and wipes you will not want to use anything else!!! You can check out their available subscriptions here.
• Amazon Prime Now – I like using Amazon Prime Now when I need stuff right away. Groceries are usually delivered within 2-4 hours or less, or I’ll order late at night before I go to bed and it will be on my porch when I wake up in the morning. You can check to see what grocery stores are available on Prime Now in your area, but I typically use it to order from Whole Foods. Unlike services like Instacart, no money is added to the price of the individual foods. And actually, now that Amazon owns Whole Foods I’ve noticed several deals and price drops on certain foods. The only extra cost to you is they suggest a 10% tip for the delivery person, which I am usually happy to pay in lieu of making the trek to Whole Foods with my twins in tow ;).
• Door Dash – It’s actually a joke among our family and friends how much we’ve used Door Dash this past year. We have the Dash Pass, which eliminates delivery fees for $9.99/month (so you get your money back after just two orders). We started using it a ton when the girls were in the hospital and carried the habit over when they came home. Luckily we have lots of healthy restaurant options around here, and honestly sometimes ordering food for two people is cheaper than buying groceries to make a healthy meal! One thing I like about Door Dash over other restaurant delivery services is that the order goes directly to a console set up at the restaurant, so there’s less room for error. If there is a mistake made, Door Dash is super quick and generous in amending it. In the new year, we’ve tried to limit our Door Dash-ing and cook more at home (hence the increased Sun Basket and Milk & Eggs ordering!) but it’s always nice as an option to fall back on when we’ve had a crazy day! You can get $10 off your first order here!

It’s all about balance!

Having kids (I still can’t believe I have two, as in twins! Whaaaat?!) is no joke, and I think the hardest part is finding a balance. Sure, I can keep my kids alive and functioning. That part I’ve got under control so far. Where I am constantly struggling is where to invest my time. I don’t work a regular job, but that means I’ve got to balance work within naps and the limited help I have. Between the babies and work, it’s incredibly hard to find time to keep myself healthy and all of us fed.

I hope this helps any of you who are struggling to find that balance, too!! And if you have any of your own tricks on this stuff, please let me know!!

xx

Jen