Disclaimer: Hello Fresh sent three meals to me in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
A few weeks back on snapchat (@yogaby_candace), I talked about how I kept seeing all these different meal delivery services pop up. There are so many services out there and I wondered how the process actually worked. Was the food any good? Was it easy to assemble? I thought I'd give a few a try. A while back I shared my review of Sun Basket, and today I'm sharing Hello Fresh.
The Company:
Hello Fresh offers a weekly menu to choose from and you can pick meals to serve two people or four people. You get pre-measured, seasonal ingredients, and prepare them yourself following the instructions included.
The Ordering Process:
Ordering was straightforward. They switch up their meals every week so there is a solid variety. You can choose from a classic plan (approx $9.90/meal, biggest variety, can feed 2 - 4 adults, and you can choose from 6 recipes), veggie plan (approx $9.08/meal, vegetarian recipes only, feeds 2 - 4 adults, and you get 3 recipes), or the family plan (approx $8.75/meal, family-friendly recipes for both adults and children and you get 3 recipes).
The Delivery Process:
They deliver nationwide. All the ingredients you need, along with instructions, come in an insulated box with ice packs so everything is meant to stay fresh.
Each meal comes in its own box.
The Food:
I chose the following:
- Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas - (See photo at the top) One of my chicken packets was opened at the seam. Since I have ordered a meal for four, I had a second chicken breast in the box, so it wasn't a big deal (and I also didn't have a family of four to feed), but had I paid for the service, that would've really upset me. The quesadillas were okay - nothing that special. I wasn't a huge fan of the pineapple - as they were fruit cups with that syrupy liquid, rather than fresh pineapple. It didn't seem quite like a seasonal meal to me, as fall has arrived and pineapples aren't in season. But overall, it was fine. Easy meal for picky eaters for sure.
Pork and Apple Burgers
2. Pork and Apple Burgers - These were my favorite! Really delicious, and totally different from what I would normally make myself. The buns were really good, the meat was good - everything about it was a win.
Baked fusilli pasta
3.Baked Fusilli Pasta - This was just another meh for me. The dish itself was fine, but nothing to write home about. It'd be a great option for people with kids or picky eaters, but for me, it fell flat.
Overall Impressions
I really like how they pack each meal into its own box so when you receive more than one meal they don't get mixed up. I wasn't blown away by two of the three dishes - I think half the reason why I'd want to place an order for a meal delivery service is so that I could learn to cook new things and also expand the variety of the things I eat, so I'd prefer recipes that are a bit more complex. However, this is a great option for people who want simple, no-fuss meals and don't have a ton of time to cook.
Let's talk: I'd love to know if you've ever tried a meal delivery service. What are your thoughts? If you haven't tried, would you? Would this be the one for you or do you prefer trying more complex meals?