FAQ

We're thrilled that you're considering The Family Kitchen for your meal needs. Below are answers to our most frequently asked questions. If you have any other queries, please get in touch — we're here to help.

What does The Family Kitchen offer?

A delicious range of ready-made meals with no cooking required. You can even eat them straight from the tray to save on dishes.

What ordering options are available?

You can place one-off orders, order meal boxes, or subscribe to a weekly meal plan.

How do subscription meal plans work?

After creating an account, choose a plan of 4, 6, 9 or 12 meals per week, in regular (approx. 320g) or hearty (approx. 450g) size. Pick your meals and we take care of the rest. You can pause, skip or change a week — just make changes before 7pm Sunday for that week's delivery.

Can I make one-time purchases?

Absolutely. Order as many ready-made meals as you like, from a single meal to a dozen. The same delivery fee applies regardless of order size.

When do you deliver?

We deliver Monday to Friday, allowing two days for order processing. We use overnight perishable delivery, so your box should arrive within 24 hours of being shipped. We can't ship on weekends or public holidays. Delivery to rural addresses is not guaranteed due to the instability of the rural delivery network.

What if I won't be home for delivery?

During checkout you can add delivery instructions for where to leave your box. Meals are delivered in insulated boxes, but we recommend refrigerating or freezing them as soon as possible. You'll receive text or email updates when your meals are on their way and once they've been delivered.

Do you offer vegetarian meals?

Yes. We currently offer a selection of vegetarian meals and are actively expanding the range.

How should I store my meals?

Meals can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Each meal comes with an expiry date.

Can I freeze your ready-made meals?

Yes. As we don't use added preservatives, meals can be frozen for up to three months from the use-by date. Freeze before the use-by date and avoid refreezing after defrosting.

How are the meals packaged?

Meals are prepared fresh daily and vacuum-sealed to lock in flavour, then packed in a wool-insulated cardboard box with frozen gel packs to keep them cold.

What does delivery cost?

Delivery is calculated at checkout based on your location. As a guide: Tauranga Local $12.00, North Island $18.00, and South Island $28.00 (overnight).

Tell me about your eco-friendly packaging.

We work hard to minimise our footprint. Meal trays are made from 80% recycled content and are recyclable; cardboard boxes can be flattened and recycled; gel packs can be reused or the non-toxic gel emptied into the garden with the plastic recycled; and our woolpack insulation is 100% biodegradable and compostable, sealed in food-grade wrap that goes in soft-plastics recycling.

Rural deliveries

We don't guarantee rural shipping. If you choose a rural address it's at your own risk — for a smoother experience we recommend an urban address (such as your workplace) or diverting to a collection centre. Once a parcel leaves our kitchen it's safe for 48 hours; after that it may need to be collected from the courier's depot.