Like most people, I have seen ads for various food delivery services for several years and wondered if they are really worth it. According to the commercials, these services offer fresh ready to prepare meal kits delivered directly to your front door. Each company claims to provide affordable and easy recipes to fit your every need. All you need to do is visit the site, choose a plan, pick your menu, and pay for the privilege. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.
I have known a few people who have tried these meal services over the years and have given them positive reviews. I was interested in checking them out, but wasn’t sure if I could afford it. So, when we received a gift card to try the service out for free, my mother was thrilled to have the opportunity to check it out. So, she visited the website and started us on our HelloFresh journey.
Check out my review of HelloFresh below to see if the service is worth it or not.
How It Works
The HelloFresh site is colorful, attractive, and simple to navigate. You can use the menu located at the top of the page to navigate the website with ease. The menu provides you with information about the service, plans, menus, and gift cards.
If you choose the plan section of the menu, you can quickly start setting up your account and picking your meals. You are also given the option to enter your gift card or discount code if are fortunate to have one.
The plan section of the site first prompts you to choose your preference. The options range from meat & veggies to pescatarian. There is a little something for everyone on the preference menu. My mother chose the meat and veggies option for our meals.
Once you have chosen your meal preference, you will need to customize your plan. First, you must choose the number of people you will be feeding. You can only choose 2 or 4 people under this option. Next, you are asked to pick the number of recipes you require for the week. You can choose between 2-5 meals for the week. My mother chose the two meal option.
After you have made your selections, the screen automatically updates to show you the price of your options. As you can see from the screenshot above, the price for 2 meals for two people is $54.95. If you are satisfied with your choices, you can move to the next set of instructions to complete your order.
The Packaging
Our kit arrived one week later. It was delivered in an insulated eco-friendly cardboard box emblazoned with the green and white HelloFresh logo on front and sides of the container. The inside flaps of the box also contain information on how to dispose of the box and the ice packs.
Front 
Back 
Inside Flaps
Located inside the box were the ingredients needed to create each meal. The box contained two paper bags that were labeled with the names of the meals. Each bag contained the vegetables, seasonings, condiments, and sides required to make each recipe.
The bottom of the box housed the ice packs and the meat that accompanied each meal. The paper bags and the meats were separated by a piece of cardboard in order to prevent cross contamination. All of the ingredients arrived safely. Nothing was opened, spilled, or spoiled in the shipping process.
After the HelloFresh box arrived, we quickly placed the food in the refrigerator and freezer until we were ready to use them.
Special Note: The box has all of the main ingredients for the recipe, but it doesn’t have some of the minor ingredients like butter, oil, salt, and pepper. You are expected to have those in your kitchen in order to complete the recipe.
Read More: Top 25 Essential Foods to Keep In Your Kitchen
HelloFresh Instructional Materials
While we were impressed with the packaging of the kits, we were a little disappointed with the lack of recipe instructions. Apparently, the person who packaged our meal kits failed to include the recipes inside of the box. We searched both the box and bags, but came up with nothing. Fortunately, I was able to go on the website and find the recipes. All I needed to do was download the file and print it out.
The instructions are pretty easy to follow. They are definitely written for all skill levels. Each recipe contains the ingredients, measurements for 2 or 4 people, and directions. Each step of the directions also has an accompanying image which is very helpful.
What Did I Cook?
Meal 1: Cherry Balsamic Chicken
This first meal was a hit and was quite flavorful. It consisted of pan cooked chicken glazed with a cherry balsamic sauce, roasted carrots, and couscous flavored with garlic and almonds. Each component of the dish worked well together and made a harmonious blend of flavors. The ingredients made just enough to make two plates. We ate every last crumb.
Meal 2: Spicy Maple Chicken
Our second meal didn’t disappoint. It was almost as tasty and flavorful as the cherry balsamic chicken. For this meal, we ate mashed sweet potatoes, panko crusted chicken, and roasted green beans. I did adlib a bit by adding more maple syrup to the sweet potatoes and sauce. The only thing I wasn’t impressed with was the fry seasoning. I think it could have had a little more flavor. Otherwise, this meal was quite enjoyable.
How Easy Are HelloFresh Meals to Create?
These meals are fairly easy to make. The recipes are clearly designed for novice cooks with all the ingredients listed and images of each step. Additionally, the kits come with the exact amount of ingredients required. Therefore, there isn’t a lot of measuring involved. Anybody with just basic chopping and mixing skills should be able to create these meals.
Final Thoughts
Pros
- It’s convenient. All of the necessary food is supplied and the recipes are printed and ready to go. There is no need to visit the grocery store.
- The recipes are easy to make. They don’t require a lot of technical skill.
- Everything is pre-measured, packaged, and ready to cook.
- You don’t have to think hard or come up with recipe ideas daily.
- No food is wasted. You are given the right amount of food for just one meal.
Cons
- Not enough food for leftovers.
- The recipes are not challenging or creative enough for more advanced cooks.
- It’s expensive because technically you still have to go the grocery store to buy additional meals for the rest of the week.
Overall, we enjoyed our HelloFresh meals and experience. I think it’s a good option for beginner cooks and people who don’t have time to come up with recipes and visit the grocery store. If I was given another gift card, I would definitely order again.
What are your thoughts about meal kit services? Tell me in the comments below.
I agree. Food delivery services are great for people who are too busy most days to think about pulling together a meal plan or just hate going to the grocery store. So long as you are not interested in eating multiple meals at home everyday like breakfast and dinner, a meal service is great. Meaning you eat out a lot. Otherwise paying for enough meals to provide for 2 meals per day for two or more people could be very expensive.