Here’s Why Hello Fresh Beats Out the Competition

Let’s be honest. Some people are going to think you’re lazy when you subscribe to a meal kit delivery service. But they don’t know how awesome it is. I’m here to tell you not only why it’s awesome so that you can help convince your friends, but also which meal subscription box I love the most. Let’s dive right in!

The Second Time’s the Charm

I know, usually it’s the third time, but not in this case. Back when my husband and I thought we were busy (before kids, ha!), we tried several different services to see what we liked. This was when the first ones came out, around 2012. To be honest, we weren’t as impressed as we’d hoped, and Hello Fresh wasn’t our favorite. That’s because they didn’t use to have as hearty meals. By that I mean you’d get a protein and one side, and that just wasn’t enough to fill us up, particularly if one of us wasn’t fond of the side offered. The good news? Now they have fixed that issue, and the meals are not only filling but delicious as well. Once we decided to try meal kits again (after the kids were born, when we really knew what busy meant), we fell in love with Hello Fresh.

Why We Fell in Love with Hello Fresh

The ease of planning

Hello Fresh is a great meal subscription box. It offers the ability to schedule out six weeks in advance, which was terrific for us because we had trouble keeping up with who needed to be where each day. I’d know that every 1st of the month, I needed to log into the app and set new menus. 

More meal options

They’ve also added more plan options. Now, you can do the Classic Plan, which is meat and veggie options, the all Veggie Plan, the Family Friendly Plan, or the Calorie Smart Plan. Meals are for two or four people, and you can get two, three, or four recipes each week, depending on the plan you select. With the Classic and Family Friendly Plans, you can choose from over 15 meals each week. The other plans are set menus due to their nature. Most of the meals cost $8.99 per person, and shipping is $6.99 for the box. That covers the fact that your box is guaranteed to stay cold and fresh all day while it waits for your arrival home. 

The freedom and flexibility

Joining Hello Fresh is easy. There are no commitments, you can cancel anytime, and you can skip a week whenever you need to. They’ve added in a lot of new perks, too. They have the option to buy gift cards (we even gifted a month to our parents for Christmas – they loved it!), and they have two unique add-ons to consider. The first is their wine club, which is like the meal kits, except it’s wine! They also have a special date night box. This box is pretty awesome. They partnered with Jessica Alba of The Honest Company and created a box that includes a delicious three-course meal for two. These meals are classy too, so it’s like going out to a restaurant, but with the romance of cooking together at home.

The convenience

We appreciated the convenience of not having to think about dinner some nights. If we were in a rush or just over-tired from the day (and the kids, let’s be honest), we’d have a meal that was pre-measured, ready to cook, and easy to do. Most take about 30 minutes, and they come with recipe cards, all the nutritional info, the spice level indicated on the card, and then it’s just six easy steps with pictures to guide you. On their website, they say, “Welcome to a world where dinner is always planned, simple, and delicious.” That couldn’t be truer. We love it!

The customer service

Do you know what else is great about Hello Fresh? Picky appetites are welcome! You tell them what you like and don’t (no seafood for me!), and they will recommend the best recipes for that week. That was super helpful. And whenever we had an issue, they were quick to help solve it. 

The flavors and the food

You probably want to know how the food tastes. Like I mentioned earlier, we are much happier this go-round with the quantity and types of food offered. Our favorite recipes have been ones that are well-rounded and filling. We love their Goudalicious Beyond Burgers, which are plant-based burgers paired with potato wedges and a yummy mustard sauce. We also enjoyed their Figgy Balsamic Pork, mostly because it looked gorgeous. It was so beautifully plated we thought we were at a restaurant, and it was delicious too, with roasted green beans and rosemary potatoes. There are so many wonderful options, and it’s brought us out of our shells to try new things.

What’s In the Box and Other Questions

Each box has:

  • An experience that is fun and helps you learn to cook healthy, filling food
  • Convenient meal kits that are packaged individually to fit right in your fridge
  • High-quality ingredients that come straight from the farm
  • Recipes that are clear, easy to follow, and have clear nutritional info

What if I have special dietary needs?

We didn’t have this problem personally, but I know a lot of people that do, so I wanted to touch on it. Hello Fresh does have customization options, like when I said no seafood, but they don’t have the opportunity to tailor your plan to specific allergies. They do mention that they package in a way that protects against cross-contamination, and I’ve seen that in their packaging. They also have their dieticians review ingredients for all the major allergens, and they mention those on all recipe cards. They also suggest substitutions, which can be helpful. 

Are they a green company?

No waste. That’s what Hello Fresh strives for. And they can easily achieve that with their pre-measured ingredients and recyclable materials. The boxes are packed with as little material as possible while still maintaining freshness. As far as the food goes, they also work to be sustainable. They only work with the best, most trusted, and experienced partners to make sure you get seasonal and farm-sourced produce at peak freshness. Everything is high-quality. 

Ready to Try Hello Fresh?

There’s really no meal subscription box that’s better, in my opinion. Just go to their website and try it out. We have special Hello Fresh coupons to help you save on your subscription. Happy, healthy cooking to you!