Transitioning from liquids to solids can be a stressful time for busy mothers. When and how do you get started? And most importantly, how do you ensure your little ones are eating nutritious meals?

When Michelle Hoffmann’s son, Junior, started reaching for her plate, she headed to the local market only to find heavily-processed products older than her son! She and her husband immediately pledged to shelve the store-bought brands and take control of Junior’s health.

With the help of nutritionists and the top taste tester around (Junior, of course!), Junior’s Fresh prepares and delivers baby-approved meals in the Manhattan area that incorporate local, seasonal and organic ingredients. Your Junior Bundle will stay fresh and delicious for days – saving you time and sanity!

Here’s a little more about their mission.

How do you go about baby approving the recipes?
Junior tries everything before it goes out. After all, the business is named after him so he needs to stand by the products. Our friends with babies help us perfect our menus. Everyone wins!

Do you make custom recipes for babies with dietary needs?
Sure, we’re open to accommodating specific needs. On our order form we even have a place to send a message to Junior with any specific instructions.

How often do you whip up new recipes?
The food we use is all local and seasonal and the menus change with the seasons. Our Winter menu will be rolling out in January when we are also introducing our Toddler Tastes menu.

What’s your favorite Junior’s Fresh recipe?
It’s tough having to pick just one, so I’ll choose two: off the Fall menu the Perfectly Pure Sweet Potatoes and Texture Time Honey I Squashed the Chili are my favorites.

What’s the quirkiest recipe you’ve ever tried?
Honey I Squashed the Chili was an idea Junior’s grandmother proposed. When it comes to chili we’re usually traditionalists so butternut squash and black beans seemed pretty crazy. But as we like to say “Junior’s grandma is never wrong” and this was one of those times. It’s a big seller!

How do you come up with the names for the items?
We’re serious about fresh, nutritious food for babies, but we like to have fun and hope our clients feel the same way. We’re a small company and depend on our friends & family to help us collaborate. This summer – before we launched – we had a brainstorm session with Junior’s grandparents and came up with a lot of fun names. At Junior’s Fresh, it’s a team effort.

Are there any recipes that have never made it to the menu?
Junior’s Fresh keeps a library of nutritious, wholesome recipes so while they might not all make it on the menu we keep them in mind when it comes time to change switch things up.

How do you keep Junior’s Fresh green?
We are so proud that Junior’s Fresh follows a green model – from the food and our vendors, to the FreshMobile and even the containers! All the produce is sourced from local farmers around NYC which means nothing is shipped in from South America or other parts of the country. All Junior’s Fresh vendors are local and we only use American-made products. Our food containers are glucose-based and fully compostable. Clients are encouraged to exchange their old containers when we drop off fresh deliveries and we compost all of it for them. All of these efforts help to minimize our collective carbon footprint.

How do you deliver in the bitter NY winters?
Mainly we use the Freshmobile. But, until we get snow tires for the trike we’ll be using the subway on particularly bad days. It’s important to Junior’s Fresh that we keep our carbon footprint as small as possible.

Are you thinking of expanding outside of the NY area?
In the future, we’d like to and definitely think there are a lot of other cities were the Junior’s Fresh model would be appealing. But, first thing’s first: right now we’re working on getting NYC babies to eat fresh, seasonal and local. If we can make it here, we’ll make it anywhere.

Do you have any tips for making homemade baby food for parents who don’t have access to your service (outside the NY area)?
Babies are open to a much wider range of flavors than many people think. Be sure to start with fresh and local fruits and vegetables and don’t be afraid to experiment with different spices to see what your baby likes. Most importantly, have fun with it!

Was it scary to make the leap from the corporate world to entrepreneurs?
Of course it’s a little scary, but exhilarating at the same time. We’re a small company with a big vision and Junior’s Fresh will be what we make of it. It’s hard and rewarding work. We’re excited for the future.

How is your life better now that you are business owners?
We keep a casual dress code at Junior’s Fresh, so just that is an improvement. Sometimes Junior doesn’t even wear pants! But seriously, when you’re working together as a couple and have a common goal there can’t be any of the office politics that exist in the corporate world and that’s something we don’t miss at all. When you’re building a business together it’s all about the team and supporting each other, something you don’t always get working for a corporation. Also, we’re not just working for our family, we’re working for all families and that is incredibly rewarding.

Feed your baby the best. Visit Junior’s Fresh today!