Why do I need to eat differently during pregnancy & postpartum?
Your body is changing - both physically and hormonally. Studies have shown that nutrition impacts both short-term: the likelihood of developing gestational conditions, proper development of baby’s organs, hormonal imbalance and long-term: epigenetic modifications, metabolic pathways and flavor learning that can impact development of childhood and adult diseases.

What is Eastern Food Therapy?

What you eat impacts you physically, emotionally and mentally. We take a holistic approach, learning from the “best of” other cultures, to infuse safe ingredients that have proven, therapeutic benefits. However, there may be circumstances where supplemented medication is necessary. Please consult your healthcare provider to discuss your own situation.

Will Chiyo help cure some of my pregnancy symptoms?

Nutritional needs are complex and unique between individuals. Chiyo supports a diverse and nutritional diet that is associated with good health but is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult with your healthcare provider for your individual metabolic and nutritional needs.

How long is the postpartum period?

Ancient Eastern cultures followed The First 40 Days after birth, recent scientific studies advocate for The First 1,000 Days (from conception to baby’s second birthday). Our advice? Listen to your body and what works for your family.

What kind of ingredients do you use? 

Our recipes are gluten-free and dairy-free using whole, fresh ingredients. Never any refined sugars, trans-fats, additives or artificial preservatives. Organic & locally sourced, whenever possible.

Should I be taking a prenatal vitamin?

We assume that our clients are taking a prenatal vitamin, as recommended by their OBGYN. However, meals based on whole foods are still the best source of positive benefits for your body which can be complemented by a prenatal vitamin. As they say "you cannot out-supplement a bad diet". 

How does your plan differ for those who plan to breastfeed or not? 

In postpartum, our snacks are made with galactagogue foods, but these are also healthy and beneficial if breastfeeding is not in your plan. If you are breastfeeding, you will need ~300 more calories, but no need to stress. This just means our meal plans may last longer or you may need more snacks - your body knows best.

How many calories are in each day?

Over the course of a day, our meals provide ~2000 calories for TTC and Trimester 1. This increases to ~2300 for Trimesters 2, 3, and postpartum if breastfeeding. This is based on an average recommended daily values. Listen to your body if you need more or less.

Which meal plan do you recommend?

We thoughtfully curate the meals each day to make sure you are getting a balanced diet that meets your needs. Therefore, we recommend the full day plan as it's the best way to get all the benefits the recipes are designed for. However, we also have many meal plan options, as we know that the full day is not always feasible with your lifestyle.

What if I have allergies?

All of our recipes are gluten-free and dairy-free. Please chat/email us if you have other allergies, and we will do our best to make it work. Our meals do typically contain mushrooms, alliums, soy and nuts. We are actively working on expanding our offerings, and would love to hear about what you need. However, we do produce in a facility where milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans are processed.

Do you have a vegetarian option?

Yes! Our menu is plant-forward already. For recipes with meat, we offer thoughtful vegetarian-friendly substitutions that ensure similar nutritional balance. Please chat/email us if you have any questions. 

How do I order for a friend?

You can either purchase a gift card, or purchase a meal plan. In both cases, please provide your friend’s email & contact! We will reach out to them for managing delivery schedules. 

Can my whole family eat Chiyo? 

Yes, all meals are safe and nutritious for everyone in your family. Of course, portion sizes will vary, so eat until full. Snacks, broths & tonics are made specifically for pregnancy or postpartum needs. Order additional meals at a discount for up to 3 of your family members. Add-ons will be delivered along with your main order (sans snack), and have the same portion size as your main meal.

What if I miss the order deadline?

Orders and subscription modifications are due by Thursday @ 12pm ET. We cannot guarantee any changes after that. To minimize food waste, we only order produce just-in-time and already begin the prep and production process after orders close. Of course, we'll try our best as we know life and birth is unpredictable! 

How do I know when my delivery is on the way? 

You’ll receive a text that delivery is on the way and an ETA. Meet us at the door or we can drop it off at a safe spot. Food will be insulated with an ice pack to ensure freshness. 

Where do you deliver?

🚚 Local delivery available on Sunday evenings.

    • New Jersey (Jersey City, Hoboken, East Orange, Maplewood, Westfield, North Bergen)
    • New York (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Westchester, Long Island)
    • Connecticut (Greenwich, New Canaan)

📦 Shipped Postpartum (nationwide!) delivered on Tuesdays via overnight shipping.

For local delivery, will my order be delivered to my door?

We'll make our best effort for your order to arrive at your doorstep. However, while this works 80% of the time, we cannot make any guarantees. For our local deliveries, we use a third-party courier service and their ability to deliver to your door also depends on availability of parking on the day of. We recommend tracking your delivery through the link we provide on Sunday morning via text. Additionally, if you live in a doorman building, please let your doorman know about the Chiyo delivery so they can let the deliver person upstairs if possible.

What do I do with the delivery packaging? 

All of our materials are sustainable & recyclable. If you'd like to return your ice packs, feel free to hand them back to our driver (local delivery only).

What is Chiyo's packaging made of? 

Our containers are made from recycled material & BPA-free, which means they are not heat-safe. For local delivery, our ice packs are reusable and can be returned to our drivers each week, which we sanitize before reusing the following week. For overnight nationwide shipping, the insulated foam is compostable and can be deconstructed by water down your sink!

How do you support the communities you serve?

We are committed to equitable food systems - we partner with organizations that support our mission and donate a portion of meals for low-income new parents. We believe deeply in diversity, equity and inclusion from who we serve, to who we hire, to who we partner with. If you have any suggestions for how we can improve, please let us know.

I love your service, but can't afford it. 

Please email us. We are building a coalition to better support and advocate for parents and families on SNAP/WIC - we’d love to hear from you. Good nutrition is a universal need.

I don’t know when I’ll start my postpartum meals. How do I schedule/change my first delivery date?

We know (bringing new) life is unpredictable. At checkout, we’ll ask you to leave an estimated date for your first delivery. We’ll check in the week prior to confirm. If you need to reschedule, text or email us with the subject “Postpartum reschedule” 5 days prior to your first scheduled delivery.

We love what you’re doing. Can we discuss a partnership?

Absolutely! We love supporting other brands - email us.

What is your cancellation policy?

You can receive a full refund as long as you cancel before Thursday @ 9am PT / 12pm ET. Cancelling after that may be subject to a 50% restocking fee (due to already incurred costs in sourcing & production).

What is your refund policy?

While we strive to make this a delightful experience for every customer, we know that may not always be the case. We're human too! Please contact us if you have a problem with the order along these guidelines:

  • Food error orders: if you're missing an item or received the wrong item, we will offer a refund for the wrong item
  • Food dissatisfaction: Refunds and/or replacement food are available upon request for orders in which the food is wrong, omitted, arrived unsafely (e.g. temperature, damaged) and other similar circumstances. Refunds are not typically provided for food that does not fit a client's taste.