My friend recently asked me to give her my honest opinion on HelloFresh because she loved the idea of getting pre-portioned groceries with recipe cards shipped to her door, which would save her lots of time and stress.
As a certified culinarian, I care about cooking fresh, nutritious dishes with exciting flavours and textures. When thinking of pre-portioned ingredients, I automatically imagine them not being fresh. I also figured the meals tasted bland and boring – not to mention the nutritional aspect… In my mind, meal kits just weren’t healthy.
Surprisingly, my opinion changed after doing some basic research on their site.
Here’s what I found:
Meal Plans
HelloFresh offers eight meal plans to choose from:
- Classic
- Vegetarian
- Family-Friendly
- Calorie Smart
- Quick & Easy
- Carb Smart
- Flexitarian
- Protein Rich
While their selection caters to different needs, I wouldn’t call HelloFresh super dietary friendly – for vegans or someone following a very strict diet such as Keto; there aren’t many options.
I like that the meal selection is customisable and that all meals include labels with descriptions indicating the taste profile and convenience, which is really helpful. Plus, you can choose your meals from an ever-changing menu with 25+ new recipes added each week.
Pricing
HelloFresh is surprisingly affordable, with meals starting at only $8.25 per serving - not to mention their generous discounts to new customers! Compared to eating out, ordering from delivery apps, or even buying groceries, HelloFresh can definitely help you save money.
Flexibility
Their subscription is really flexible. You have complete control over your plan - meaning you can pause, skip a week, or opt out at any time in your profile’s settings.
Setting up a HelloFresh account was easy. I chose the Family Friendly Plan and went with 3 recipes per week for 4 people. Then I added my payment method and address, selected my recipes, and pressed "order."
I couldn’t wait for my box to arrive, and when it did, I was amazed by how well the ingredients were packaged. Everything came in sustainable packaging - even the ice packs that kept the meat, fish, and dairy fresh are recyclable. I also noticed that everything came pre-portioned, so there’s zero food waste!
There were lots of exciting seasonings in the box – maybe their meals don’t lack flavour after all?
"Cooking HelloFresh meals is super easy, even without much experience!"
Each of HelloFresh’s recipes comes with easy-to-follow recipe cards that include a brief description of the dish, cook time, a list of ingredients, and a nutritional facts label. Even though I went to culinary school, I must say that any adult of any skill level can master HelloFresh meals.
Honey & Thyme Haloumi Couscous with Roast Veggies & Lemon Yoghurt took me exactly as stated on the recipe card; 30 minutes. Wow, it tasted incredible! The next dish I tried was the Quick Lemongrass & Makrut Lime Tofu Tacos with Cucumber, Creamy Slaw & Peanuts, which tasted just as delicious.
I must say that HelloFresh's meals are packed with veggies, protein, and other essential nutrients and can be integrated into your diet guilt-free – way healthier than I thought initially!
Expert Summary:
After trying HelloFresh myself, I can honestly recommend it to anyone looking to save time, money, and cooking stress. Their service is very affordable, their globally inspired recipes truly delicious, and they’re made in only 20 to 50 minutes. Not to mention that HelloFresh can help you reduce your food waste tremendously.
What an outstanding experience; I’ll definitely order HelloFresh meals again!