Recipe boxes: the concept
First there were veg box schemes, and then recipe boxes were next to spring up on the scene. When I lived in London there was an explosion of companies offering to deliver all the ingredients you’d need for a set of meals you could cook up for dinner, so you wouldn’t have to shop or think about your evening meal. You’d just arrive home, get out the recipe card and then get stuck into making it, safe in the knowledge you’d have everything you needed.
Perfect for busy workers who don’t have the time or the inclination to cook elaborate meals every night, but didn’t want to resort to takeaways or ready meals the whole time.Hello Fresh were there right at the beginning of this trend, and a few years ago I was sent a box toreview.
Fast forward three years and it seems to be a growing market, and while it just used to be a London thing, it’s now spread across the nation. When Hello Fresh got back in touch to see if i’d like to review one of their Family Recipe Boxes over half-term, I was delighted. Having gone back to working full-time, any help with the planning and shopping of meals is always going to be welcome.
How does it work?
When you sign up for a Classic Three Meal Box, you can pick which recipes you’d like in advance from a list of five, otherwise you get a bit of warning on the website as to what to expect that week whether you’ve opted for the Veggie or Family box, but you can’t pick and choose.
How much does it cost?
It’s £64 for the Family Recipe Box which consists of four meals to feed 4-5 people, but it’s worth keeping your eyes peeled for introductory offers.
How did we get on?
My husband is not a confident cook, so he really loved the clearly laid out recipe cards which had step-by-step pictures of how to make the meals. He got the kids to help out with the cooking, so the fact that all the ingredients are portioned up and ready to use made it even easier. There are also labelled steps ideal for little hands clearly marked out on the recipe cards too. If you’re trying to teach your kids (and husband) to cook, having everything so clearly labelled with a fantastic set of instructions is just the best thing.
The sell-by dates were all excellent, so there wasn’t the pressure to have the meals back-to-back. There are some nights when all you have the energy to make is beans on toast after all!
What did we eat?
Souk-ulent Chicken Tagine with Apricot, Almonds and Yoghurt
Mexican Tortilla Stack with Guacamole and Black Bean Salsa
Stir-Fried Chinese Chilli Beef with Smithfield Steak
Cheesy Cheddar Bake with Grilled Chicken Skewers
Overall verdict
The quality of the ingredients was really excellent, and we couldn’t believe how much of it there was! I’d like a little more choice when it comes to the recipes, and we’re awkward customers with having a vegetarian in the house and children who are not that adventurous. We’d be a cross between a Vegetarian Box and a Family Box in an ideal world. But we are experts in adapting meals for everyone so it worked out okay in the end.
The cheesy cheddar bake with chicken skewers as the perfect example of this as Matthew could just eat the pasta part, and it was a very kiddy friendly meal. The best meal by far was the chilli beef… the quality of the meat was incredible and it filled the house with the most gorgeous scent for about two days!
For the convenience I think it’s a really smart idea for busy people who want to eat delicious high quality meals, but don’thave the time to plan or shop for them. It’s quite pricy though so it’s not something we could afford to regularly do. Also, there was a fair amount of time involved with making these dishes, and when you’ve got in from work and have hungry children flying around they’re not going to be patient enough to wait 40 minutes for dinner.
However we had lots of fun road testing this kit and would definitely do one again –it’s great to try recipes that perhaps you’d not considered before. The kids often surprise themselves trying new things that they initially turn their noses up at.
Find out more:
www.hellofresh.co.uk
Disclosure: Thanks to Hello Fresh for sending us a complimentary recipe box to try. This review has not been paid for and is my honest opinion.
FAQs
Because there are limits on modifications, I would say HelloFresh is not ideal for anyone with strict dietary or allergy requirements. There are also meal-kit companies with more gourmet and technical recipes, so if your goal is to really stretch yourself as a chef, this may not be the service to do it.
Are HelloFresh portions enough? ›
Taste, Ingredient Quality, and Portion Size
Ashley finds the portion sizes sufficient. “When I first started ordering HelloFresh, the portions felt small, but I think I was probably just over-eating before because now (several years in with HelloFresh) it's not uncommon for me to not even be able to finish my meal.”
How does HelloFresh recipes work? ›
Our HelloFresh meal plans can be completely customized to your wants and needs. You can choose your perfect menu from a selection of delicious recipes each week, and we'll deliver the fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards straight to your door. Pick your favourites and enjoy your recipes for the week!
What is the HelloFresh controversy? ›
Revealed in a damning consumer investigation by the BBC, the brand was found to have been incorrectly charging customers who had deactivated their accounts, before going on to threaten them with third-party debt collectors if they went through their banks to cancel the incorrect direct debits.
Do people actually save money with HelloFresh? ›
But not everyone will save money. If you're already paying $100 to $125 weekly to cover all your meals, HelloFresh could end up costing you more. Of course, you might be willing to pay a premium to have your meals picked and portioned out for you.
Are HelloFresh meals high in sodium? ›
HelloFresh™ meals contained almost double the sodium content (1426 mg) of the other companies, with their recipes instructing salt be added more than twice on average per recipe.
Are HelloFresh meals well balanced? ›
Many HelloFresh meals are nutritionally balanced and feature a good source of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. That being said, some meals are high in calories, carbs, or fat, so it's important to read the nutrition facts for each meal to see whether it fits your needs.
Does HelloFresh feed more than 4 people? ›
HelloFresh offers meal plans for households of all sizes.
Not only are the meals perfect for sharing with friends, they also make for a delicious lunch the next day. Families bigger than two or four can also create more than one subscription to have multiple boxes per week, or order multiple meal kits for each recipe.
Can I cancel HelloFresh after the first box? ›
Just be sure to pause/cancel by 11:59 pm PST 5 days prior to your next scheduled delivery so we can alert our suppliers. Please note that we unfortunately cannot process cancellations requested after the cut-off date. You will be responsible for all charges incurred for already processed orders.
How easy is it to cancel HelloFresh? ›
Select the subscription you'd like to cancel from the green tabs. 4. Select 'Cancel my subscription' in the bottom right hand corner.
HelloFresh offers the best meal kits for singles, enabling you to pick from a selection of 100+ weekly menu and market items crafted and curated by our chefs. Choose from vegetarian, pescatarian, Carb Smart, Calorie Smart, and more meal plans for one person.
Do meal kits actually save money? ›
While grocery shopping turned out to be a hair cheaper than even the cheapest meal kits, it's nearly even. If you consider the time and energy you save by forgoing long trips to the supermarket, meal kits might present the better value.
Is HelloFresh free box really free? ›
Can you get HelloFresh for free? You can't get a full HelloFresh meal plan for free, but as previously mentioned, you can get 16 free meals spread across your first seven boxes. This offering also includes three surprise gifts, so you are getting quite a bit for free in addition to what you're initially paying for.
How many recipes does HelloFresh have per week? ›
Recipes in the HelloFresh Food Box
You can choose from our menu of over 44 deliciously simple recipes every week. With a HelloFresh food box, we'll send all the fresh pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipes to your door.
What is the lawsuit against HelloFresh? ›
Action Menu
Last year, HelloFresh entered into a $14 million class action settlement for violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This week, a court threw out that settlement due to issues relating to the composition of the class and the different kinds of TCPA violations committed by the defendant.
Is it hard to cancel HelloFresh? ›
Click on your name in the upper right-hand corner, then click 'Account Settings'. Scroll down on the Plan settings page and click 'Cancel Plan' (under Status section). Follow the prompt(s) for your cancellation. You will be prompted with a message confirming that your account has been cancelled.
Is HelloFresh healthier than takeout? ›
Is HelloFresh actually healthy? Many HelloFresh meals are nutritionally balanced and feature a good source of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. That being said, some meals are high in calories, carbs, or fat, so it's important to read the nutrition facts for each meal to see whether it fits your needs.
What is the healthiest prepared meal delivery service? ›
Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service
- Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service Overall: Home Chef.
- Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service on a Budget: EveryPlate.
- Healthy Meal Delivery Service for Singles: Fresh N Lean.
- Best Healthy Meal Delivery Service for Plant-Based Diets: Purple Carrot.
