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Meal Planning with Hello Fresh
Meal planning? I told you that I like to save money. I also like to save time. My schedule is busy between work and working out so there are times when I don’t have the time nor do I have the effort to think of what to make for dinner. I have been reading about meal delivery services. I decided I would try at least one. There are so many different ones out there – what should I choose?
I settled on Hello Fresh for my meal planning.
Hello Fresh is a meal kit delivery service that provides customers with the ingredients and recipes needed to prepare meals at home. The company was founded in 2011 in Berlin, Germany, and has since expanded to serve customers in multiple countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. In this blog, we will discuss the history of Hello Fresh, how it works, the benefits of using the service, and some potential drawbacks.
History of Hello Fresh
Hello Fresh was founded in 2011 by Dominik Richter, Thomas Griesel, and Jessica Nilsson. The three co-founders saw an opportunity to create a business that would provide customers with a convenient and affordable way to cook at home. They started the company in Berlin, Germany, and quickly gained popularity among consumers who were looking for a way to eat healthy, home-cooked meals without the hassle of grocery shopping and meal planning.
In 2012, Hello Fresh expanded to the Netherlands, followed by the UK in 2013 and the US in 2016. Today, the company operates in multiple countries around the world, including Canada and Australia. Hello Fresh has also acquired several other meal kit delivery services, including Chefs Plate, Green Chef, and EveryPlate, to expand its offerings and reach a wider audience.
How It Works
Hello Fresh offers several different meal plans to choose from, including a Classic Plan, a Veggie Plan, a Family Plan, and a Calorie Smart Plan. Each plan includes pre-portioned ingredients and recipes that are delivered to your door once a week. The ingredients are packaged in a refrigerated box to ensure freshness.
When you sign up for Hello Fresh, you will need to select a plan and choose how many meals you want to receive each week. You can also customize your menu by selecting your preferred meals from a list of options. Once you have selected your meals, Hello Fresh will deliver the ingredients and recipes to your doorstep on the day that you choose.
I subscribed to the Family plan which sends me 3 meal kits for 4 people. You can also change the suggested meal plans so if one of them does not suit your taste or your dietary plans, you can change it. One of the things that caught my eye with HelloFresh is that I can stop and start the delivery at will.
Each recipe comes with step-by-step instructions and photos to guide you through the cooking process. The ingredients are pre-portioned, which means that there is no waste or excess food to deal with. All you need to do is follow the instructions and prepare the meal in your own kitchen.
Benefits of Using Hello Fresh
There are many benefits to using Hello Fresh, including:
- Convenience: Hello Fresh takes the hassle out of meal planning and grocery shopping. All of the ingredients you need for your meals are delivered to your doorstep, which means that you don’t need to spend time at the grocery store. When you become a HelloFresh subscriber, you don’t have to work hard planning a weekly dinner menu in advance and dragging all the ingredients home from the grocery store. Everything is delivered in an insulated shipping box. You are provided with easy-to-follow recipes that are carefully portioned using fresh ingredients. Meal planning made easy!
- Variety: Hello Fresh offers a wide range of meals to choose from, including vegetarian and family-friendly options. This means that you can try new recipes and cuisines without having to worry about finding the right ingredients.
- Healthy: Hello Fresh meals are designed to be healthy and nutritious. The recipes are developed by nutritionists and chefs, and the ingredients are fresh and high-quality.
- Cost-effective: While Hello Fresh may seem more expensive than buying groceries and cooking from scratch, it can actually be more cost-effective in the long run. With Hello Fresh, there is no waste or excess food to deal with, which means that you can save money on groceries and reduce your food waste.
- Time-saving: With Hello Fresh, you can save time on meal planning and preparation. The ingredients are pre-portioned and the recipes are easy to follow. HelloFresh meals are easy to cook, and the cooking times are usually between 30 and 40 minutes in most cases. All of the required ingredients are included in the weekly meal shipment except for salt, pepper, butter and cooking oil, so make sure you have those items on hand. All fresh meat and fish ships in vacuum-sealed containers, while fresh produce and other ingredients ship in separate bags.
Potential Drawbacks
While there are many benefits to using Hello Fresh, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider, including:
- Cost: Hello Fresh can be more expensive than buying groceries and cooking from scratch. While the cost per meal maybe less than eating out at a restaurant, it can still add up over time. It’s important to weigh the cost against the convenience and other benefits of the service.
- Packaging waste: Hello Fresh meals come in a lot of packaging, including plastic bags and containers. While some of the packaging is recyclable, it can still contribute to waste. It’s important to consider the environmental impact of using a meal kit delivery service.
- Limited flexibility: While Hello Fresh offers a variety of meals to choose from, there is still limited flexibility in terms of the ingredients and recipes. If you have specific dietary restrictions or preferences, it may be difficult to find meals that meet your needs.
- Cooking skills required: While the recipes are easy to follow, some cooking skills are still required to prepare the meals. If you are a beginner cook, you may struggle with some of the steps or techniques.
Conclusion
Overall, Hello Fresh is a convenient and affordable way to cook healthy, home-cooked meals. The service offers a wide variety of meals to choose from, and the pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes make it easy to prepare meals in your own kitchen. While there are some potential drawbacks to consider, the benefits of using a meal kit delivery service like Hello Fresh can make it worth the investment for many people.
So you have an idea of what you are getting in your box, let’s have a look!
Let’s have a look inside
Now to decide what’s for Dinner
I settled on the Provencal Herbed Chicken.
Now to cook it: these next pictures will show you how I cooked it
And now for the Piece de Resistance!
I think I did pretty good!
My final thoughts
First, the good things:
- The food is fresh and flavorful.
- It is delivered in a box that has ice and insulation to keep the food cold.
- The instructions are clear and easy to follow
- You don’t have to be a chef to make these meals
- It is useful for portion control
- It made meal planning effortless
Now, what I see as negatives:
- The portions, for me, are small. It would not feed my family of four. It is enough for me. But I do work out a lot and consume more calories and protein than the average person
- It can be an expensive option when the portions seems fairly small
- You only get three meals with the family meal plan
- If you have a food allergy, this is not the option for you
- You have to plan ahead
- You still have to make trips to the grocery store
- You still have to cook the food
These are my thoughts. For me, this is not the best option. Penny for penny, it is not for the budget conscious consumer. I won’t say you should not use this service, I am just saying that you need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself. I wrote this so you could find a good honest opinion. Back to meal planning.
