Lately I've been hearing a lot about HelloFresh and for the longest time I wasn't sure what all the buzz was about. The idea is genius -- a meal delivery service that sends you preplanned dinners in a box – but am I really going follow through? Can it truly be that easy? Could I become one of those moms who whip up dinner while the kids are busy running laps around the house? I wanted to try it, but signing up never made it to the top of my daily to-do list. It wasn't until my friend, a mom of 3, promised me the service will make my life easier. It's better than take-out, she spends less time at the grocery store, and her family sits down together at night and everyone eats their dinner with no complaints. We all want a little less stress in our lives, and cooking is supposed to be fun, so I decided to give it a try.

I was surprised when our first box arrived. It was one of those long days, when I sat in the car a few minutes after I got home, just to relax and I saw the box on my front step. I had forgotten it was coming and was planning to make chicken tenders for the kids, but this was new and I was excited.

Everything was individually packed in brown bags and I grabbed the one on top - Baked Chicken Parmesan with Crispy Potatoes and Garlicky Greens - Yum! My boys are a big fan of Chicken Parm so I enlisted their help. Ben was quick to get salt, pepper, italian seasoning and pour oil over the potatoes and into the oven they went. Meanwhile, once the chicken breasts were golden from a stint in the oven, Josh was tasked with spooning the tomato sauce and parmesan over them before sending them back to the oven until crisp, melty and thoroughly cooked! We want to eat fresh food that tastes good and doesn't require much effort. Between me and my kids – this is exactly what we were doing. We talked about our day and I felt refreshed and was no longer tired. My husband did the dishes and noted that we didn't use too many pans. Sometimes when I try to make a new dish I get carried away and the kitchen is a nightmare – not anymore.

So needless to say, we like HelloFresh. We order the Family Box and I usually get 3 dinner for 4 people and that works with our schedules. It answer's that proverbial question "What's for dinner?" and it keeps us from getting stuck in a rut eating the same-old boring plates every night. The service has a different options for vegetarians, people without kids, and I like how you can skip your deliveries whenever you want. Plus, another great bonus is that HelloFresh keeps the environment in mind when it comes to each item in the box, from the recycled packaging to the grass-fed beef. We still have our staples of pasta night or chicken tenders, but it's nice to know we've been able to eat fresher and tastier meals with far fewer trips to the grocery store. The end result is best: HelloFresh helps us manage our busy schedule. Between after-school activities, sports practice, and a mom's never-ending list of things to do, our family has a successful dinner a few nights a week.

Update: The folks at HelloFresh are extending a special offer to our readers! Follow this link to get your first 3 plates free!