I love to cook! There’s something about being in the kitchen, chopping up fresh ingredients and smelling the sizzling spices that brings a smile to my face. Better yet, I love to cook with my partner, family and friends. For me it’s a social activity, more so than a chore, and I’d happily cook every night. One thing that can be frustrating is cooking when you’re short on time, planning meals and grocery shopping.

Hello Fresh is a service that I certainly heard of but never knew exactly what it was. That is until they reached out and asked me to try their meals. Thinking they were pre-prepared, I was pleasantly surprised when I received a box of fresh produce, herbs, spices and three recipes. The box contained a few trays of fresh chicken breasts, thighs, chorizo, a few blocks of cheeses and a WHOLE lot of vegetables and fresh herbs.

The meals

The three recipes I received were really diverse and all ingredients were pre-measured so there is no wastage.

Coming home from work on a Monday night, I decided to first try the Jamaican Jerk Chicken.

I took out all the required ingredients and began preparation. The recipe was easy to follow and gave me a new way to look at new and familiar ingredients.  From caramelised pineapple salsa to spinach rice, the meal was certainly colourful. And I couldn’t believe it only took me 30 minutes to create! The Jerk spice was an absolute delight and I’ve already gone out to look for it at the grocery stores for future meals. The end result was a perfect mix of sweet, spicy and tropical and definitely something I normally wouldn’t cook but glad I did. Overall I was pleasantly surprised and delighted with the new palette to my otherwise predictable dinners.

Tuesday night was Dukkah Crusted Chicken with a mix of roast vegetables and fetta. The delightful mix of colourful vegetable was delicious. I used capsicum, which I normally wouldn’t eat but together with the fetta and sweet potato it was delicious! The Dukkah spiced chicken was fragrant and appetizing. Again – a new combination that I’m glad I discovered.

Wednesday night saw us enjoying pasta. Yum! The Chorizo, Parsley and Lemon-Butter Fettuccine was a dish that’s sharp yet creamy. It was the easiest recipe to cook out of the three but just as appetizing. Again, we were impressed and inspired with new ingredients in the kitchen.

Hello Fresh allows you to choose from classic, vegetarian or family friendly recipes, then select how many meals you need and for how many people. It’s a great way to try new ingredients you wouldn’t otherwise use and take the boring bits out of cooking: planning and shopping!

The quality of produce was impressive. The vegetables were fresh and packaged in just the right amounts, delivered straight to my door from Australian suppliers.

Verdict

I was very inspired by the recipes but the only thing that was a concern was the price point. For two people, three meals go for approximately $69.95 plus postage. Now normally, we get away eating for nearly an entire week for this price.

Hello Fresh is fairly expensive compared to sourcing the ingredients yourself, but you also need to take in the account the time, convenience and quality.  Considerable time would be saved on shopping, running around town and planning. And as the old saying goes time=money. This system is perfect for professionals with busy schedules or those who live in the city where grocery shopping is at times challenging.

Hello Fresh also accommodates special occasions. Right now they have the Hello Fresh Christmas Box which feasts up to 6 or 10 adults. This includes starters, mains and desserts like Tasmanian Smoked Salmon & Dill Goat’s Cheese Crostini, Orange Mustard Glazed Ham and Chocolate Christmas Brownie with Pistachio.

Overall, Hello Fresh is a great alternative to grocery shopping and meal planning if you are short on time or simply can’t easily access grocery stores. It helps you discover new meals, use new ingredients and incorporate new flavours that you wouldn’t otherwise try. It eliminates the boring parts of cooking and leaves the fun parts with guidance and easy-to-follow instructions. The price is a lot higher than doing your own shopping but if you’re after convenience, recipes and fresh ingredients straight at your door – you’ll love Hello Fresh.

Disclaimer – This review is a contra collaboration.