Last year my dinners consisted of boxed mac and cheese, microwaved burritos, and occasionally spaghetti with garlic bread when I was feeling fancy. Cooking and sitting down to a nice dinner seemed to be out of the question. I just never had the time, and I didn't know how to cook. Thankfully, Hello Fresh was a great solution to both of these problems.
This school year, one of my goals was to cook for myself more. When I was offered a discount code to Hello Fresh I decided to give it a try. It would save me time since I wouldn't have to search for recipes online, and the food would be delivered right to my door step. I tried the service for two weeks and had an amazing time. I learned how to cook delicious meals for myself, and I am more comfortable in the kitchen. For any other college students who may be curious about Hello Fresh, here are some of the thoughts I had while trying it.
How it Works:
If you go to the Hello Fresh website, signing up is simple, and they give great discounts for first time users. You choose a meal plan; they have a two person classic plan, a veggie plan, or a family plan. I picked the classic plan, where you get 3 meals per week. Each meal should serve 2 people, and each serving is priced at $8.99. It takes about a week from when you place your order to receive the food. It's a subscription service, so your order is automatically placed at the same time the next week.
In your box, each bag is organized and labeled to coordinate with the recipe. The recipe cards, nutritional information, and promo codes are included in the box.
Pros:
I didn't have to worry about meal planning during the week. I would come home from work, and I was excited to cook dinner because I had all the ingredients waiting for me.
All of the recipes were delicious. The food I received was fresh, and the tiny packaging that the spices or sauces come in are so fun. Since I was only cooking for myself, I also had plenty of leftovers to eat for lunch throughout the week.
The recipes challenged me to cook meals I wouldn’t have thought to try on my own. I'm not a huge fan of Dijon mustard, but when I tried it with the Creamy Dill Chicken sauce it tasted amazing.
Cons:
For beginning cooks like me, the recipes can be a little intimidating at first. Typically there are vegetables that you have to chop or cut up. Most of the meat is cooked over a stove top, and you mix together a lot of spices or sauces. The directions are clear; but, if you have basic cooking questions like, "How can I tell if my chicken is cooked all the way through?" Then, you may have to consult an outside source.
Items are not catered to your specific taste. I really like cheese, so a tiny packet of cheese was not enough for my pulled pork fiesta bowl. Or you may not end up using all of your ingredients if you don't like a specific topping or spice.
Allow for more time than what is estimated on the recipe cards. For example, a meal that said 30 minutes took me about an hour. Maybe I’m just slow, but make sure you aren't in a rush while you're trying to prepare these meals.
Final Thoughts:
Cooking with Hello Fresh was an enjoyable experience, but I wasn't able to keep my subscription due to cost. They do offer a 15% student discount, but $40 a week on food still doesn't fit into my budget. Another additional feature that is helpful to accommodate your budget is the weekly deferment option. You can put your subscription on pause, or have boxes sent to you every other week. I'd definitely recommend that students give it a try, especially if you are looking to build more confidence in the kitchen.