Lately, I've been hearing a lot about HelloFresh, but I wasn't sure what all the buzz was about. It’s a great idea – a meal kit delivery service that delivers convenient, delicious recipes and fresh, pre-measured ingredients directly to you. But am I really going to follow through? Would all the produce end up rotting away at the back of my fridge? Or . . . could I actually become one of those super mums who whips up yummy home-cooked dinners while her kids carry on their sword fight with baguettes?
I wanted to try it, but signing up never made it to the top of my to-do list. But with the back-to-school season coming closer and my what's-for-dinner-anxiety rising every day, I had to find a solution ASAP.
It wasn't until my friend Anna – a mom of three chatty charmers – promised me HelloFresh would take the work and stress out of meal planning and cooking. It's better for you – and cheaper – than takeaway. She spends less time at the supermarket, and her family gets to enjoy home-cooked dinners together every night. And she assured me that their meals are picky-eater approved! That sounded exactly what I needed, so I decided to try it.
When our first box arrived, I got such a pleasant surprise. I was driving home – exhausted after a busy day at work – wracking my brain over what to cook for dinner. But then I saw the HelloFresh box on my verandah. I’d totally forgotten about it, but in this moment, it truly felt like I’d discovered a treasure chest full of gold.
Everything was individually packed in lovely kit bags. I grabbed the one on top labeled Quick Korean-Style Beef Tacos – yummm. My boys go crazy for tacos, and I’m thrilled that it only takes 25 minutes to cook– win-win.
The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and include colourful pictures that my boys use to follow along with and help. While the young chefs were occupied, I set the table, and voila – in almost no time, dinner was ready to be served. It smelled mouth-watering and we couldn't get enough of those exceptional beef tacos. So, we added the dish to our HelloFresh favourite recipe collection.
The other meals for the week were just as heavenly – Sicilian-Style Chicken & Spinach Rice, Creamy Italian White Bean Pie, Golden Crumbed Chicken & Spinach Slaw, and the boys went wild for the Plant-Based Burger & Herby Fries! We'll be sticking with HelloFresh.
We have the Family Friendly Meal Plan so I usually order 5 nights of meals for 4 people. That works great with our timetables and it’s only $5 per serving – pretty decent. It answers that proverbial question, "What's for dinner?" and it keeps us from getting stuck eating the same old boring dishes every night. My favourites are their Fast & Fresh options – done in as little as 15 minutes – and their One-Pot dishes make clean-up a breeze.
The service has lots of options for vegetarians, people without kids, and I like how you can pause and unpause your subscription whenever you like. On our off nights, we still have our favourite staples of meat pies and mash or grilled sausages and veggies, but it's nice to know we’re eating fresher and tastier meals with far less trips to the supermarket.
I totally love it that the whole family enjoys our HelloFresh meals – especially those recipes that feature little flavour twists, like a dusting of extra herbs or a sprinkle of almonds.
The result is best:HelloFresh helps us by taking the stress out of mealtimes. Between after-school activities, sports practice, and a mum’s never-ending to-do list, our family enjoys a successful dinner every night. I’m sooo ready for this year’s back to school season!