Hello Fresh! The Meal Delivery Service We’ve Been Loving

Have you gotten on the meal delivery service bandwagon yet? Maybe it’s about time you did. I recently ordered a Hello Fresh box and I want to share with you my honest opinion on the whole experience.

I got my first box free from a friend– Hello Fresh has some great reward and referral offers. I ordered the Pronto Box for two people with three meals, they also have vegetarian and family plans. The box I ordered is $79.99 regularly, but they often have great deals on. You get to choose your meals for the week from five potential options and if none appeal to you, skip the week for no charge. The pronto box has the option of three or four meals; I chose three, opting for beef, pork, and vegetarian dishes.

The insulated box is dropped off at your door on your selected delivery day, and mine arrived right on time. They boast sustainable packaging, using recyclable and biodegradable materials wherever possible. Unfortunately, I noticed that a lot of plastic was used, and although they promise that it is food safe, in some provinces, such as Newfoundland and Labrador, ordinary plastics cannot be recycled. I ended up with more packaging waste than I’d like, but on the bright side, I was able to reuse the ice packs and insulated box! They run a fantastic ice pack return program, but I prefer to keep them for my own use.

Hello Fresh is adamant about their commitment to being eco-friendly and their efforts are very apparent. I’m sure they are constantly approving and hopefully someday they’ll be able to eliminate their use of plastic.

Meats are packed at the bottom of the box under ice packs and all the other ingredients are contained in paper bags according to the meal they are to be used for. Also in the box are the recipe cards which you can keep and use again in the future– I have quite the collection going!

The first meal I tried was the Spicy Beef Ragout. It was so easy, so filling, and so tasty! I was super impressed and so was my family. Although the box is portioned for two, I fed four people heaping servings– you’ll have leftovers for sure! Three meals can actually become six (three suppers and three lunches). Bang for your buck, am I right?

Hello Fresh is an international company with a Canadian branch that sources their food ingredients directly from Canadian producers; meaning they save costs and emissions by eliminating the middle man, support local farmers, fishermen and factories, and keep the food fresher. These are values I really appreciate in a company.

The next meal was Pork Schnitzel and a mixed greens salad. I’m not a huge pork person, but I did really enjoy this meal. It was fresh and light. Hello Fresh only assumes you have pantry basics such as salt, pepper, and cooking oil. Everything else they include in your box so you won’t have to deal with annoying grocery runs.

What impressed me most about this whole experience was that there was ZERO food waste. And I mean none. Everything is perfectly portioned down to the teaspoon. No leftover ingredients rotting in the fridge or going stale in the pantry. Everything is used, and the food is so delicious that plates are cleaned!

Finally, I made the Peanut Satay Noodle Stir-Fry. I won’t lie, I felt like Master Chef that night. I seriously didn’t know I was capable of cooking such unique, delicious meals! Hello Fresh boosted my cooking confidence, saved me so much time during my busy week, and kept me on track with healthy eating. Since that first box, I’ve been devoted to Hello Fresh.