Meal kit delivery services are all the rage at the moment- and with good reason. You can try out new recipes, flavours, and have all the ingredients you need to make a tasty meal from scratch. And the another bonus? You can often receive an introductory offer on these delivery kits too. The original meal kit delivery service is HelloFresh- you’ll have probably seen it advertised just about everywhere, but is HelloFresh worth it? Is the money really worth what’s inside the meal kit?
Is HelloFresh Worth It?
We put HelloFresh to the test to see whether it’s really worth the money. As well as the ingredients themselves, you are also paying for the delivery, the recipes, and the convenience of having the ingredients carefully prepped, weighed and measured, ready for cooking. It’s certainly a time saver.
With food costs at a 40 year high, it’s worth trying new options to determine whether there are other ways to make healthy food conveniently, cost effectively, and in a low-waste manner.
So let’s dive in to determine if HelloFresh is really worth it. Spoiler alert- we think you’re going to love it.
How does HelloFresh work?
HelloFresh works on the basis that you receive one delivery box per week on subscription (but fear not, you can cancel or pause anytime!). HelloFresh’s mission is to combine healthy eating with convenience and introduce a more modern, relevant approach to meal planning and shopping.
When you sign up to HelloFresh, you can select the number of recipes (meals) you’d like to receive per week, and for how many people. The number of recipes you can opt for is 3-5, and the number of people is 2-4. Then, you select your choices from an amazing range of recipes. There are 37 different recipes per week to choose from- there really is something for all taste palates. You can really customize the box to your needs, and so whether you’re an induvial, a couple, or a family, you can find a box tailored to you and your requirements.
After you’ve made your selection online, HelloFresh will deliver your box straight to your door on a dedicated day.
What do you get in a HelloFresh box?
Inside a HelloFresh box, you will find all of the ingredients that you need in order to prepare the recipes that you previously selected. Even down to things like chilli powder, garlic, and soy sauce. It’s all carefully measured out already, so the meal prep is truly kept to a minimum and there is much less waste. No more half used jars of miso paste lingering in the fridge for a month!
It helps you to try new flavours and recipes without the outlay of needing to buy specialist ingredients that you may only use once or twice before needing to throw them away.
Inside the box you’ll also receive numbered recipe cards, and numbered bags which contain the ingredients for the corresponding recipes. There is also an insulated pouch which helps to keep everything cool in the fridge.
How much does HelloFresh cost?
HelloFresh prices are calculated by serving- each serving is £4.75. For example, if you wish to order 3 meals for 2 people per week, that’s 6 servings, totaling £28.49. Delivery is an additional £4.99. This would make the total for the HelloFresh box £33.48.
However, with an introductory offer, you can get your first HelloFresh box at a discount, with free delivery! You can get your first box for 60% off, and if you decide to continue with the subscription, you can also get the next 2 months for 25% off! If you ordered 3 meals for 2 people, that would total just £1.90 per serving with the introductory offer.
In our opinion, with the introductory offer of 60% off, HelloFresh is worth it. It’s worth the money when you are getting fresh, healthy meals for a fraction of the cost that you might usually expect to pay when creating something from scratch.
And if you decide it’s not for you? You can cancel after your first box if you wish to. There is no commitment to continue the subscription.
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Are HelloFresh ingredients good quality?
HelloFresh says that their ingredients are high quality, and appear to be very fresh. The produce is sourced from local suppliers where possible, however, the ingredients are not organic.
The portion sizes are generous, and therefore good value for money. Everything is pre-portioned which means that there is minimal waste. Another plus for the environment!
The ingredients for the recipes have a typical refrigerated shelf life of around 5-7 days, however some items such as fish are best eaten first, and so HelloFresh add a special badge on the package to alert you to this fact.
Is HelloFresh healthy?
HelloFresh recipes are healthy- with regional, fresh food included in pretty much all recipes. The portions are a great size, and you can be sure that you’ll be preparing meals for yourself and any family members that are both easy, satisfying, and nutritionally sound.
You’ll find that the vegetables arrive freshly in paper packages, and you’ll have to prepare the vegetables for the meals yourself. This means that you won’t find dried out chopped carrots or other vegetables- although the ingredients are measured out, the chopping and prep will be done by you.
If weight loss is a goal when choosing HelloFresh, there is a ‘Calorie Smart’ category, where the meals listed are all around 650 calories per serving. This could potentially help if your health goal is weight loss related.
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Does HelloFresh cater to dietary requirements?
Unfortunately, at this time HelloFresh does not cater to dietary requirements. You are able to select from certain categories such as meat, vegetarian, pescatarian, quick cook, and calorie smart, however it is not possible to avoid specific allergens with HelloFresh. There are also no options for specific diets such as vegan, paleo and keto.
That said, you can opt to avoid certain foods such as beef, pork and seafood within the categories that HelloFresh do offer, which is great to see. Allergens are also disclosed within the recipes, however HelloFresh does not currently offer dedicated allergen-free menus.
Is HelloFresh Worth The Money?
HelloFresh is certainly worth it if you are looking for a way to cook healthy meals conveniently and quickly when you’re pushed for time. HelloFresh also give you time saving hints and tips which all help to reduce the amount of time spent in the kitchen. It certainly beats a takeaway! At £4.75 per serving, the price is cheaper than a takeaway too.
It’s absolutely worth trying out the HelloFresh trial to get your first box half price. A 60% saving on your first box means that the cost is reduced to £1.90 per serving if you order 3 meals for 2 people. That works out at just £11.40 total! You also receive free delivery with your first HelloFresh trial. Try the HelloFresh trial here.
If you continue with the subscription after the first box, you can then get a 25% discount for the next 2 months, which would take the cost down to £21.37 which is still very much worth it. And after the discount codes end? You can pause or cancel the subscription if you wish to.
How does HelloFresh compare to other meal kit delivery services?
There are lots of different meal kit delivery services, each offering different recipes, introductory offers, and prices. HelloFresh does the best price per serving, and the best discount on an introductory offer over 4 boxes.
However, Gousto also has a great introductory offer on the first box- you could definitely try out the subscriptions with both HelloFresh and Gousto separately and see which one you prefer. And if you are looking for meals which cater to dietary requirements? Mindful Chef could be the best option for you.
| Meal delivery service | Introductory offer | Price per serving (3 meals for 2 people) without discount | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|
| HelloFresh | 50% off first box, 35% off for next 3 boxes. | £4.75 | 37 different recipes per week. Free delivery for introductory offer. |
| Gousto | 60% off first box, 25% off all other boxes in the first month. | £5.00 | 75 different recipes per week. £1.99 delivery cost. |
| Mindful Chef | 25% off your first 4 boxes. | £7.75 | 20 different recipes per week. Have the choice of vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and low carbon impact options. |
How do you cancel HelloFresh?
If you decide that HelloFresh is no longer for you, or you just wanted to try out the free trial, you can cancel at no extra cost. Just remember that you’ll need to cancel your subscription on the Wednesday, the week before your delivery is due.
It’s easy to cancel your subscription by signing into your HelloFresh account online, clicking on your name, then settings, and then selecting the subscription you wish to cancel.
Is HelloFresh is worth it? Last thoughts
HelloFresh is certainly worth it when you’re making the most of the introductory offer, with 60% off. Depending on the meals you select, it’s likely that you’re making a saving compared to the cost of buying the ingredients individually yourself from the supermarket. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to try something new and find a new favourite recipe. Personally, there’s a tofu recipe I got introduced to that I’ve been using ever since!
- If you value time saving and convenience, HelloFresh is a great option
- Ingredients from regional suppliers mean that the meals are healthy and substantial
- You can cancel or pause your subscription any time
- Have your choice of over 30 recipes each week, and try out some new flavours
- At 60% off your first box, and free delivery, it’s certainly worth a try!