Editors’ pick | Food | Educational | Time-saving | Mental health
The school year is a busy time for students and parents alike. With the 2026-2027 school year starting up, we’ve been reflecting on ways to help families like yours save time and get the most value on a budget. We came up with an answer we’re excited about — subscription services.
There is such a wide variety of subscriptions available these days, and they can be such helpful tools. Whether you need one less thing to worry about when online shopping, or you want some enriching activities on hand so that your kids can learn at home, there’s a subscription that can meet your needs. Subscriptions also tend to offer great value to consumers, so signing up for some of your favorites can be a great way to stretch your hard-earned dollars. From meal kits to learning tools and more, consider this guide your one-stop shop for staying organized and keeping your home running smoothly all school year long. Read on for subscriptions your family will love.
Best subscriptions for families this school year
— Editors’ pick —
Musely
Ad content in partnership with Musely.
Don’t let your self-care take a backseat when the school year starts. Having a good routine for yourself will set you up for success when showing up as a parent and supporting your family. Invest in yourself and save at the same time with treatments from Musely! Whether you want to level up your haircare or skincare or take a new approach to anti-aging or improving your sleep, this brand has you covered. The Sleep Well Cream featured on the right in the image above would be a great choice for the school year! It’s designed to ease restlessness and calm your nervous system to promote quality sleep, which will help with the early mornings during the school year. Products from Musely start at $20 a month and you can save up to 30% by subscribing to refill every 2 months. Ready for your first 2-month supply? Right now, get 20% off Musely treatments when you use code RMN820 at checkout.
Price: Starting at $20/month
Food subscriptions
HelloFresh
Meal prep can be hard to keep up with during all of the hustle and bustle of the school year. Save some time, energy, and brain power when you subscribe to Hello Fresh. The customization options allow you to choose the number of people you need to feed, the number of meals you’d like a week, and any special diets or nutritional requirements that fit your family’s needs. The ingredients arrive ready for you to prepare with easy instructions, so it’s great for lowering your mental load if you are feeling overwhelmed or spread thin. Plus, the meals are healthy and delicious!
Price: Starting at $9.99/serving
Thrive Market
Grocery shopping with kids can be stressful. Even if you have time to hit the store alone while they’re in class, it’s daunting to find foods everyone likes with healthy ingredients you don’t have to worry about. Thrive Market offers healthier alternatives to some of the most popular snacks on the market. Your kids will love the taste, and you will love the ingredients and the convenience of this service. Sign up now for a well-stocked pantry full of healthy snacks so you never have to stress when packing lunch or preparing after-school snacks.
Price: Starting around $12/month or $60 annually
Universal Yums
A lot of us don’t get to travel as much as we’d like, especially when school is in session. If you’d like to enjoy new experiences as a family and welcome some exciting new cultures into your home, take your taste buds on a trip when you subscribe to Universal Yums. These snack boxes feature tasty treats from countries around the world, including Indonesia, South Korea, Greece, Germany, and more. This is an awesome way to encourage your kids to be curious about other cultures and parts of the world while also showcasing that adults are still always learning, too.
Price: Starting at $19/box
Educational subscriptions
KiwiCo
We know many parents are trying to cut down screen time for their kids at home and want some fun, educational activity options instead. KiwiCo offers crates for kids of all ages with all kinds of activities related to subjects like science, art, geography, engineering, and more. The projects are super hands-on and great for allowing kids to discover areas of interest at a young age. Discover, learn, and play all together as a family.
Price: Starting at $24/month
National Geographic
If you have a kiddo who is animal-obsessed, loves to read, or both, you’ve got to get them a National Geographic Kids Magazine subscription. Each magazine is filled with animal facts, scientific discoveries, brain teasers, and more. This is a great tool to support a love of learning! There is a Little Kids magazine aimed at 3-5 year olds and the Kids magazine for 6-8 year olds. Subscribe now and watch your kid get excited every time a new issue arrives!
Price: Starting at $39/year
Highlights
There’s a reason you’ll often find Highlights magazine in the waiting room of many pediatricians and children’s dentists. They are made for such a wide variety of ages (0-7+) and have so many educational benefits. Plus, kids love them! Each magazine features puzzles and activities that encourage kids to use their powerful brains and imaginations to get creative. Start your subscription, and you’ll likely find that your kiddo gets even more excited when it’s time to read.
Price: $4/issue
Bookroo
Beyond magazines, it’s great to have an easy way to get new books into the house so your little ones get all the practice they need as they learn to read or work to amp up their reading level. Bookroo is a book club for kids with a subscription box that sends monthly age-appropriate books to your home so you can help foster a lifelong love of reading. Your kids’ teachers will also certainly appreciate that they are getting so much reading practice at home, and you can feel good about providing a steady flow of new books that keep them interested and intrigued.
Price: Starting at $19.95/box
Time-saving subscriptions
Stitch Fix Kids
We obviously love shopping here at RetailMeNot, but we understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Some categories are harder to keep up with than others. If sudden growth spurts are making it difficult for you to keep your kid’s closet current, we’ve got the brand you need in your life: Stitch Fix Kids. When you opt for clothes shopping with Stitch Fix, you can save time, set your budget so you always know what you’re paying, and you can customize towards your kids’ style and help them learn what they love to wear. Check it out, and if you love it for your kid, you may want to get started with Stitch Fix for yourself too!
Price: Kids clothing starting at $10 each
Ready Festive
Whenever life gets busy, it feels like the months start to fly by. If you constantly feel like time is fleeting and you can’t soak up the various events and holidays as they come, we think subscribing to Ready Festive can help you slow down and savor the present. This festive holiday decor subscription can simplify your seasonal home refresh process so you can stay focused on your family and not miss any seasonal fun. Enjoy more time celebrating and memory-making while experts curate cohesive decor. The best part is that this allows you to pick your price, so you stay on budget instead of splurging while walking down the seasonal aisle (which we are guilty of too).
Prices: Boxes starting at $69
Mental health subscriptions
Headspace
Help your kids build healthy habits! Headspace is a great resource for families to have on hand during the stressors of the school year. There are numerous guided meditations and other helpful tools for kids so you can begin to teach them about mindfulness. It will help if you have your own practice too! There are also plenty of recordings made specifically to help parents too. Not sure if it’s the right fit for your family? The app allows a free trial so you can give it a shot before you financially commit.
Price: $19.99/month
Calm
Need some calming music or adorable sleep stories to help your kids through the many transitions throughout the day? The Calm app is a great tool to have on hand for both of those instances and many more. Explore an expansive library of resources to help people of all ages relax, manage stress, and unwind. Try it for free to see if it could help you or your young ones this school year.
Price: $16.99/month
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