A College Student's Review of HelloFresh

Between classes, two jobs, trying to sleep, and what I have left of a social life, fitting in time to eat a healthy meal is hard- let alone planning time to grocery shop and cook it all before the produce goes bad.

Call me lazy, but last week I decided to try a meal delivery kit for the first time. I decided I needed a change, as eating the food from my restaurant, the two basic chicken recipes I know how to make, and boxed mac and cheese was getting old fast. Plus the fact that my mother would not be impressed with the number of green things I was eating in a day was on my mind. I had heard of a company called HelloFresh from a Facebook ad and decided to give it a try.

Once I was on the website it was super easy to choose meals from their menu for the week, and pick the plan I wanted. I entered my card information and boom everything was ordered within five minutes (if I was driving to the grocery store I would still be at the traffic light at this point). Pro tip: although I only cook for one, I ordered the two-person kit so I could use the leftovers for my lunch the next day.

I was a little skeptical about how the meat and produce would stay fresh if it was being shipped to my door, but to my surprise, the following Monday I had a large box at my front door that was chilled and perfectly intact.

For a food lover like myself, this was like Christmas morning! I had just gotten home from a nine-hour day at my internship and wanted nothing more than to eat a good meal and go to sleep. Articulating an idea for what I was going to eat for dinner, actually going to the store, and coming back home to make it all was completely out of the question. And my other options were: order a pizza, or a go through a drive-thru, both not great alternatives for my extra fluff. So a HelloFresh meal was the move. The box included everything needed to make three dinners for two people, a bunch of insulation, two of the largest ice packs you will ever see, and most importantly, three easy to follow recipe cards. All of the ingredients for each meal come in their own bag, so there is no confusion as to what goes with what, or figuring out the measurements for each ingredient. I chose to make "Sizzling Hoisin Shirmp" (I had no idea what that was, as a shrimp dish went way beyond my two-recipe chicken knowledge and capabilities).

After following the six steps on the recipe card, within 25 minutes I had a whole meal in front of me, one in which I actually surprised myself with and tasted so good! For the first time in awhile, I made a dinner that included a protein, starch, and veggie that I didn't get from a restaurant, or required a ton of planning. I kept the recipe card, as this was a meal I would definitely make again, even without HelloFresh.

After my surprisingly good dinner, I signed back into my HelloFresh account and chose my meals for the following week, as this is a subscription-based company, and will send a new box to you every week if you want- so easy!

As I wait now for my second box, I have decided that although some will say HelloFresh is expensive ($60 a week for each box), I really do think this is a good deal for someone who is busy, wants a variety, and wishes to eat relatively healthy. Buying groceries for lunch and dinner each week will run you about the same amount of money, if not more if you were to go buy all of these ingredients on your own.

When you make food at home, it also keeps you from eating out, which saves a ton of money right there. The time saver alone I think is the best aspect of this whole meal delivery system, time is priceless. This box is dummy proof for even people who say they can't cook, if you can read, you can feel like a 5- star chef!

So HelloFresh is a yes from me, it can be a little expensive, but you save a lot of time, and are guaranteed a healthy meal that tastes great. You're welcome for the free advertising HelloFresh.