The Box: Hello Fresh
The Cost: Classic Box, $69 - 3 meals for 2 people; Veggie Box, $59 - 3 meals for 2 people. Shipping included.
What's in the box: Fresh ingredients and recipes for the meals that you choose. Their weekly menus are posted on their website.
Coupon: Get $40 off your first box by clicking here!
This is my first time trying out a meal subscription box, so I took lots of pics!
My husband and I try to cook together for date nights at home and this is absolutely perfect for that, so I decided to sign up and see what it's all about.
The box arrived around noontime and it was quite heavy.
All the ingredients were packed into this thick white plastic bag. Not sure if it’s insulated, but it was thick enough to keep the cold from the ice packs contained within.
From HelloFresh: “We have specially designed boxes that we pack with a nice, thick liner and ice packs to ensure that everything arrives to you perfectly cool!”
After removing the vegetables on top, there is another layer at the bottom that is packed with ice bags and under that was the meat.
They also include a magazine filled with your recipes and pictures of how the dish will look like:
The meals are displayed in the pages with detailed instructions accompanied by beautiful pictures as reference. I’m a visual gal so pictures are totally appreciated!
Each vegetable combo was separated based on the meals that it would belong to.
Same goes for the meat, all individually packed and labeled.
After 3 dinner dates with my husband at home, I can finally post this blog with pictures of the end results. My husband is relieved that he doesn't have to cook again anytime soon, but little does he know I have another food subscription box coming in. #SorryDear
Spanish Cod & Chorizo
with Crispy Oregano Potatoes & Sauteed Kale
Tender, mild cod goes perfectly with bold, spicy chorizo and crispy breadcrumbs. It’s a ying and yang kind of thing. A bed of garlicky sauteed kale and crispy oregano potatoes round out this Spanish-inspired seafood dish.
My husband wanted to try out the fish dish first, and this was a total hit with him, he loved it! It was just ohh-kayyy for me though. I did find the recipe easy to make, so that was good.
It took us close to an hour from start to finish.
Apricot-Glazed Chicken
with Couscous & Swiss Chard
A double whammy of apricot jam and dried apricot makes for a delightfully sweet and sticky glaze. To balance its sweetness, we’re cooking this sauce with savory chicken stock and sharp red onion. Folding tender Swiss chard into hot coucous is a great 2-minute trick for getting more greens into your meals!
I absolutely loved this! Initially I had lower expectations, but the end result totally blew my senses away. The sauce that goes on top was so melting delicious, the apricot paired extremely well with the chicken and couscous, and the Swiss chard gave this dish the much needed greens in a tasty way. It was so darn good, I'm keeping this recipe permanently and will no doubt be cooking it again.
Prep was kind of a pain in the butt though, those red onions made me cry like I was watching Titanic all over again. Sheesh. But everything else was easy.
Homestyle Meatloaf
with Shallot Gravy & Caramelized Root Vegetables
Flavored with mild shallot and woodsy thyme, our meatloaf packs sophisticated flavor and serious tenderness. Of course, the dish wouldn’t be complete without a generous smothering of homemade gravy.
This dish was a hit again with my husband. It was no surprise to me though as his favorite meals pretty much consist of meat and potatoes, so of course this was perfect for him.
From all three dishes that I ordered, I found this one to be the easiest to make. They even give you the mini loaf pan to cook the meat in. I was done from start to finish in 45 minutes.
VERDICT: I like the convenience part of this subscription. I didn't need to plan, shop or even measure when cooking, it’s all conveniently prepared for you. And it's a good way to explore new recipes without having to buy a whole lotta ingredients. It's just my husband and I at the moment, so whenever I want to try a new recipe, I end up buying and cooking for 6 people, which is 4 too many. And you can only eat leftovers for so long before you're sick and tired of it. For the cost I do think it’s quite high for something that I have to cook myself, but then again when you compare it to eating out, I think this is definitely more cost effective, plus it gives you brownie points as a chef. I say go for it if you’re a couple or inviting another couple for dinner, or just planning to have date night at home.