[ad_1]
I’ve been using Hello Fresh off and on for quite a few years now. According to my account, I’ve cooked over 60 of their recipes! Ever since meal kits started popping up, like Blue Apron, Green Chef, and Home Chef, Hello Fresh has been one of the biggest names in the industry.
I’m someone who has an on-again, off-again relationship with cooking. And that in itself makes meal kits very attractive to me! It’s not that I don’t enjoy cooking — I do! It’s that I don’t want to do it every night. Some nights I like something quick and easy. Other nights I don’t mind spending 30 minutes making dinner. And other nights still, I’ve already ordered dinner by 4pm. It’s work in progress.
I do like ordering Hello Fresh 1-2x a month personally for ease of meal planning, for fun to try new recipes, and to simplify my evenings. Because everything is pre-measured and easily laid out, I don’t even really have to think about what ingredients I need.
Overall my experience with Hello Fresh has been extremely positive and I’d highly recommend trying it out. It’s a great subscription service with some really positive points.
This post contains affiliate links.
Hello Fresh Review
In this article I’m going to break down Hello Fresh (a meal delivery service) into the positives and the so-so. In my opinion, Hello Fresh is a service worth trying especially with the discount of $110 on your meals!
What Is Hello Fresh?
Hello Fresh is a food delivery service that delivers healthy, pre-measured ingredients to your door. Every week, Hello Fresh will send you a box with recipes and pre-measured ingredients. The Hello Fresh team has already done the thinking for you – all you have to do is cook! It’s a great way to keep your meals healthy and interesting without spending too much time in the kitchen.
It basically takes the place of grocery shopping because it delivers fresh produce and all the ingredients you need for your recipes straight to your door! Let’s dive in.
The Good
1) Convenience
Hello Fresh is super convenient – everything you need to cook a good meal is in the box! Hello Fresh has recipes for every occasion – from quick and healthy weekday meals to indulgent Friday night dinners. I love not having to go to the grocery store or having to add a lot of ingredients for various recipes to my grocery list.
It’s extremely convenient to have everything packaged and delivered right to you!
2) Recipe Variety
Hello Fresh sends you a variety of recipes each week, so you never get bored! It’s nice not having to think about what you’re going to make for dinner each night, Hello Fresh has you covered with their weekly menu.
They offer 50+ menu and market items each week! It’s really incredible and there are so many options.
3) Good Ingredients – are they local/organic?
Hello Fresh works with local vendors nationwide to source their ingredients. The statement on their website says: “At HelloFresh, we focus on every step of our ingredients’ journeys. From field to cutting board, our culinary and sourcing teams work tirelessly to ensure the entire recipe development process is as environmentally friendly, sustainable, and delicious as possible. For us, where our food comes from is as important as where it’s going.”
According their their FAQ, some ingredients are organic but they make no claims that all or the majority of their ingredients are organic.
I love that they send fresh ingredients as much as possible.
4) Sustainability – is Hello Fresh sustainable?
According to their sustainability page, they’ve focused on several different aspects:
- Less food waste: By using Hello Fresh, you’re reducing your dinner food waste by at least 25%
- A greener footprint: Their carbon footprint is 25% lower than meals made from the groceries because of a streamlined supply chain and more efficient distribution
- Carbon offsetting: They partner with TerraPass to offset 100% of their carbon emissions from all of their operations.
5) Social Responsibility
Hello Fresh takes hunger and food insecurity seriously. They work hard to ensure that those who need it most get fresh, nutritious meals by partnering with food banks nationwide. In 2019 they donated over 2.5 million meals, and in 2020 they donated over 4.4 million meals to people in need. This is truly wonderful to see and a big reason why I support them!
6) Recipe Simplicity
I love that Hello Fresh has simple and straightforward recipes. They don’t require a lot of prep and are easy to follow. Everything you need to know is right there on the recipe cards!
When you get your first box, you’ll see that each recipe is packaged in its own bag which is extremely convenient when it comes to cooking. Each comes with step by step instructions on an easy to follow recipe card. After your first night of cooking when you go to make the next recipe the next day, you’ll appreciate how simple they make it to make your own meals that are also healthy meals!
7) Recyclable Packaging
Most of Hello Fresh’s packaging is recyclable! They also use a good bit of previously recycled materials and compostable components in their packaging. They acknowledge that it’s always a work in progress to improve but are working to make strides in a more sustainable direction. They’ve also partnered with Plastic Bank which aims to help reduce the amount of plastic that end up in our oceans!
They have special instructions for their paper bags and ice packs – just so you’re aware!
8) Their Customer Service
Unfortunately I’ve had a late delivery from Hello Fresh but they were quick to reach out and refund me! I really appreciate that as a customer – the customer experience is everything.
I’ve also read you can email them and they can leave delivery notes on your account. For example, if you want it left by the garage door instead of the front door, they can relay that info.
9) You can pick your delivery day.
One thing that really stands out to me about HelloFresh is that they allow you to pick your delivery day. Not all meal kit service offerings give you that option. It lets you pick the day that’s best for your schedule. It’s nice that you can pick your own day of the week!
10) The Servings and Meal Options
Hello Fresh lets you order more servings of their recipes and a greater variety per box than other meal services I’ve tried. You can order up to six recipes per box! They have plenty of options, even for a picky eater.
The So-So
1) Hello Fresh Isn’t “Cheap”
So how much does HelloFresh cost? While cheap is relative and may mean different things to different people, I think it’s worth mentioning that it can range from $7-$12 per serving. If you use this link your cost will be down to as low as $2.25 per meal.
Hello Fresh might be more expensive than buying your groceries every week (about $8-$12 per serving) depending how much you spend on groceries. Or it might not! Hello Fresh isn’t exactly a cheap meal plan but it is definitely worth the added convenience and variety. Hello Fresh might be out of reach for all the time, but it’s still cheaper than take-out or eating at restaurants every night!
I’d say it’s priced in a sweet spot – not high enough to be unreasonable but enough to still provide you with quality food and recipe – straight to your door!
2) You have to be mindful of your own dietary needs.
Hello Fresh is a great way to introduce you to new recipes but it also be difficult if you have any dietary requirements (e.g. gluten free or low FODMAP diets). They do offer vegetarian and pescatarian plans, but you have to look more closely at each recipe yourself and decide if it will work for you. It’s not hard to make swaps, though! I was able to easily when I had gestational diabetes and ate less carbs in my meals.
They have vegetarian options and you can swap out proteins for some of the recipes but not all of them. They do have a lot of meal options, in my opinion, especially in comparison to other meal kit delivery service.
3) Shipping Isn’t Free
There is a shipping fee attached to each box. You won’t necessarily notice it in the total but shipping is about $8-9.99 per box.
The Hello Fresh Recipes I’ve Tried
Like I mentioned above, I’ve been getting Hello Fresh on and off for several years. I’ve tried over 60 of their recipes. From my first delivery, I’ve really enjoyed my experience. Here are two of the most recents ones I’ve had:
Chicken Katsu with Roasted Green Beans & Ginger Rice
I love love love this meal! My husband loves katsu and this reminded us of one our favorite takeout places.
Pork Sausage & Roasted Pepper Pasta with Creamy Parmesan Garlic Tomato Sauce
Pasta is always a favorite in our household and this recipe hit the spot.
HelloFresh meals offer a lot of variety. There’s a good amount of vegetable options and various proteins as well. A lot of their choices to me are like healthier versions of take out for a home cook.
Are the gourmet meals worth it?
It’s been a while since I’ve ordered a gourmet meal but I don’t think they’re worth the up-charge personally. It’s a nice option but not worth the additional expense for the quality of what you’re getting.
The best parts of Hello Fresh:
- Portion sizes: We typically share a 2 serving meal with 3 people (me, my husband, and my toddler) and there’s plenty to go around. Don’t worry, you’ll be full!
- Easy to follow: The recipes are easy to follow (even for novice cooks).
- Really good food: The meals are super tasty and we’ve enjoyed pretty much everything we’ve ordered.
Overall Thoughts
HelloFresh is definitely one of the best meal kits in my opinion. They offer so much variety, convenience, and ease. It’s definitely worth trying, especially with with $110 off discount!
This link will give you some money off of your first order – you don’t even need a coupon code! Just click here to have the discount applied. Let me know what you think about your HelloFresh box!
About the Author
Nicole Booz is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of GenTwenty, GenThirty, and The Capsule Collab. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the author of The Kidult Handbook (Simon & Schuster May 2018). She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably hiking, eating brunch, or planning her next great adventure.
Website: genthirty.com
[ad_2]
gentwenty.com
