A few weeks before Mandela Cocores was due to deliver her third child, Mandela was faced with the realization that feeding her growing family three meals a day would be an insurmountable obstacle. With this in mind, she sought out meal delivery services that specialized in feeding young children and new and expectant mothers. To her dismay, there weren’t any.
Unfortunately, Cocores’ experience mirrors that of many parents. As new parents navigate the delicate balance of caring for their children, proper nutrition emerges as an essential need that goes overlooked. This dissatisfaction galvanized her to establish Welcome Home, a meal delivery service that’s reshaping postpartum care by providing nutrient-dense, convenient meals that support recovery and help new moms thrive. We spoke with Cocores’ about the mission and core values of Welcome Home, and the future of the brand.
The story of Welcome Home starts during a time of great uncertainty, especially surrounding accessibility of resources—the COVID-19 pandemic. “When I was pregnant with my second child, I found myself navigating the challenges of the pandemic alone. I realized how much I would have relied on my mom for support, especially with meals. The idea of trying to cook nourishing meals for my family, with a newborn, seemed overwhelming,” she explained. “I started searching for postpartum meal delivery services, but to my surprise, there weren’t any that truly catered to the unique needs of new parents. I was looking for a service that could provide meals for two parents and another child at home.”
While it felt isolating, Mandela was quite certain that her experience wasn’t unique. She began talking to pregnant friends about her concerns, and many of them not only shared similar challenges, but also expressed a desire for a convenient and healthy meal solution. “I decided to test out a few meal plans with my friends, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive,” she spoke of the beginnings of her nascent service. “It was then that I realized I had stumbled upon a real need in the market, and Welcome Home was born.”
The mission of Welcome Home is quite simple; providing new parents with the nourishment and support they need to thrive. “We believe in the power of wholesome food to aid recovery, boost energy, and promote overall well-being during the postpartum period,” said Mandela. “Our core values are quality, convenience, and compassion.” Additionally, among their values is the belief that nourishing meals must be uniquely designed to meet the needs of those requesting them. “We’re committed to delivering delicious, healthy meals that are tailored to the specific nutritional needs of new moms and dads.”
The foundation of Welcome Home’s understanding of these nutritional needs is rooted in what is known about the postpartum period. As new mothers recover from the demands of pregnancy and childbirth and feed their growing babies, they must incorporate foods high in iron, fiber, protein, and calcium into their diets. Welcome Home has got that covered, and more. “Our meals are carefully designed to meet these nutritional needs. For example, we incorporate tofu and chickpeas to boost protein and fiber, and we cook everything in avocado oil for healthy fats.”
And when it comes to providing this nutrition, Welcome Home looks to knowledgeable professionals to ensure their offerings are of the highest quality. This looks like partnering with a postpartum nutritionist to develop the menu, “She helped us identify the key nutritional needs of new parents and provided guidance on how to incorporate those nutrients into our dishes. For example, she suggested adding hemp seeds and chia seeds to boost fiber and omega-3 fatty acids into our overnight oats,” Mandela explained.
There is so much in store for Welcome Home, and recent changes provide a glimpse into a future of expansion and new offerings. The service recently introduced their “Build Your Own” program with the goal of offering flexibility for those who look to enjoy their delicious food without committing to a full meal plan. This, said Mandela, would enable customers to enjoy their meals beyond the postpartum period. In addition to this recent offering, the team is excited about expanding the reach of the service.
“We’ve recently extended our services to Greenwich, Connecticut, and we have plans to ship to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. We’re always exploring new ways to support new parents and make their lives easier.”
When it comes to postpartum care overall, Welcome Home is working to concretize a better reality for new mothers and birthing parents. This recently manifested as supporting community wellness events designed to support mothers and the communities propping them up—at Mama Glow’s Replenish Wellness Retreat, Welcome Home offered attendees an organic plant-based lunch.
“I believe that postpartum care should be a priority, and that includes providing adequate nutrition. I envision a future where Welcome Home is a household name, synonymous with quality, convenience, and support for new parents. We want to be the go-to resource for nourishing meals that help mothers and fathers recover, bond with their babies, and enjoy the early days of parenthood.”
