Is Hello Fresh Healthy? Well, the good news is that it can be! It’s often a healthier choice than grabbing take-out or fast food, especially if you make the right choices. If you’re looking for an honest review of Hello Fresh and if it’s a good fit for your family, lifestyle, and budget, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re curious about Hello Fresh and want an honest review to see if it’s a good fit for your family, lifestyle, and budget, you’re in luck! I’ve got you covered with a comprehensive review of Hello Fresh.
In this Hello Fresh review, I’ll explain how Hello Fresh works, highlight their best recipes, and dive into whether or not it’s the healthiest meal kit option for your family.
**This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you decide to subscribe to Hello Fresh. However, this is my completely honest Hello Fresh review and you’re by no means obligated to use my links. If you do, thanks so much for supporting my site.
My Honest Hello Fresh Review 2023: Everything You Need to Know
Nowadays, with people leading busy lives, finding the time to plan and cook meals for the family is becoming increasingly challenging. That’s where meal kit delivery services like Hello Fresh come in. Hello Fresh has become one of the most popular meal kits because it takes the hassle out of meal planning and grocery shopping, making it easier for families to enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals together.
With Hello Fresh, all the hard work is done for you, and you don’t have to spend hours searching for recipes or making multiple grocery store trips. Instead, Hello Fresh sends you everything you need to make delicious meals right to your door, from fresh ingredients to easy-to-follow recipes. This means you can spend less time worrying about what to cook and more time enjoying quality time with your family.
Another reason why Hello Fresh is so popular is that it’s incredibly convenient. You can choose your delivery day and time to plan your meals around your busy schedule. Plus, the ingredients are pre-portioned, which means less waste and less time spent measuring ingredients. All of these factors have contributed to the popularity of Hello Fresh, making it a go-to choice for busy families who want to eat well and save time.
If you’re excited to order your first box from Hello Fresh, now is a great time to do it! As a first-time customer, you can 16 Free Meals + First Box Ships Free + 3 Surprise Gifts Get the deal here 👇
Jump to:
- My Honest Hello Fresh Review 2023: Everything You Need to Know
- What is Hello Fresh
- How does Hello Fresh Work?
- Hello Fresh Coupon
- How much is Hello fresh?
- Can I skip a week?
- How to cancel Hello Fresh?
- Is Hello Fresh Worth It
- Is Hello Fresh Healthy?
- My Favorite Hello Fresh Recipes
- Who will benefit?
- Who won’t benefit?
- FAQs
- Read my other helpful reviews
What is Hello Fresh
Hello Fresh is a meal kit delivery company that simplifies meal planning and grocery shopping. Here’s how it works: every week, Hello Fresh curates various recipes for you. Once you’ve made your selections, Hello Fresh will ship all the fresh ingredients you need right to your doorstep so that you can whip up homemade, healthy meals in your kitchen.
If you struggle with meal planning or finding the time to grocery shop, then you’ll love how Hello Fresh takes care of all the hassle. The recipes are classic and family-friendly, with options like burgers, pasta dishes, one-pot rice dishes, stir-fries, and even Mexican-inspired meals like enchiladas. The best part? The recipes are easy to assemble, and the portions are plentiful, so you won’t have to worry about going hungry.
Many people are turning to meal kit companies like Hello Fresh to save money and eat healthier. Instead of filling their kitchens with processed foods, ordering take-out, or eating out at restaurants, they’re learning to cook and getting creative with Hello Fresh recipes.
How does Hello Fresh Work?
- Step one: The first step to starting with Hello Fresh is to pick one of their meal plans. There are currently four options: Meat and Veggies, Veggies, Family-friendly, Calorie Smart, Quick and Easy, and Pescatarian.
- Step two: After selecting a meal plan, the next step is choosing the right size for you. If you cook for one or two people, you can choose a plan for two people and select between 2-5 recipes per week. If you’re feeding a family of four, you’ll want to choose a larger plan for four people and select between 2-5 recipes per week.
- Step three: Once you’ve picked your meal plan and size, it’s time to input your payment information and set a delivery day. Don’t worry; you can change this information anytime in the account section.
- Step four: Now comes the fun part – picking your meals! You get to choose which recipes you want to cook each week from the selection curated just for you. This is where you can get creative and choose meals that suit your taste preferences and dietary needs.
Hello Fresh Coupon
If you’re excited to order your first box from Hello Fresh, now is a great time to do it! As a first-time customer, you can 16 Free Meals + First Box Ships Free + 3 Surprise Gifts Get the deal here 👇
How much is Hello fresh?
One of the most common questions people have when considering Hello Fresh is how much it costs. The good news is that the price of each plan is pretty straightforward and depends on the number of people and servings you choose. On average, you can expect to pay between $8.99 – $9.99 per serving. Remember that there is also a $7.99 shipping charge, which is pretty standard for meal kit companies.
It’s important to note that some gourmet recipes come with an extra charge, but those prices are always listed on the recipe, so you know exactly what to expect. And if you’re interested in any of the extras, like desserts or sides, those also come with an additional charge.
Overall, while the cost of Hello Fresh may vary depending on your meal plan and any extras you choose, the pricing is transparent and easy to understand. Plus, with the convenience of having fresh ingredients delivered straight to your doorstep, many people find the cost well worth it!
Can I skip a week?
If you ever need to skip a week of Hello Fresh meals, don’t worry – it’s really easy! You can use the website or the app to view upcoming weeks and select the ones you want to skip. This is an excellent option if you’re going on vacation, have a busy week, or need a break from cooking.
So whether you’re using the website on your computer or the app on your phone, take a few minutes to navigate to the “upcoming weeks” section and find the week(s) you want to skip. From there, it’s just a matter of clicking a button to skip that particular week. It’s as simple as that!
The ability to skip a week is an excellent feature of Hello Fresh that can help you customize your meal plan to fit your schedule and lifestyle. So don’t be afraid to take advantage of it whenever necessary.
How to cancel Hello Fresh?
If you ever decide that Hello Fresh isn’t quite the right fit for you, don’t worry – canceling is easy. All you need to do is head over to the account settings and find the option to cancel your plan. It’s usually located towards the bottom of the page, and you’ll need to click the “cancel plan” button.
If you have questions or concerns about canceling, contact Hello Fresh’s customer service team for help. They’re available to answer your questions and provide support as needed. Whether you prefer to call, email, or use the online chat feature, there are plenty of ways to contact their friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Canceling Hello Fresh is a straightforward process that shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes.
Is Hello Fresh Worth It
Yes, I think HelloFresh is worth it. I’ve been a loyal user of Hello Fresh for the past seven years, and I’ve got to say it’s one of the most convenient ways to plan out my meals for the week. I appreciate having all the ingredients delivered to my doorstep, saving me time and hassle.
Even though I usually plan and shop for my meals, there are times when it’s nice to have a delicious box of food waiting for me. And for me, it’s worth every penny.
Is Hello Fresh Healthy?
If you’re wondering whether Hello Fresh is healthy, the answer is yes! It’s a better option than ordering take-out or dining out all the time. They use high-quality, fresh ingredients in all their recipes, so you don’t have to worry about consuming processed foods.
That said, not all their recipes are low in calories or carbs. They offer options for those who want to watch their calorie or carb intake, but you’ll have to check the nutritional information before making your selections. Some customers appreciate the variety in their menu, while others wish there were more low-calorie and low-carb options.
Remember that Hello Fresh ingredients are not organic, so if that’s important to you, you might want to look for another meal kit service that offers organic options. For example, Sunbasket, Green Chef, and Purple Carrot offer organic ingredients and meal plans catering to different dietary needs.
Hello Fresh is an excellent choice if you want to cook more homemade meals and have a healthier option than take-out. Cooking at home is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and Hello Fresh can make that easier for you. Their meal kits offer well-balanced and tasty dinner options that you can cook in the comfort of your kitchen.
Even better, their recipes are of restaurant quality, so you can enjoy delicious meals without leaving your house. And, if you tend to eat out frequently, using Hello Fresh can save you money in the long run.
Overall, Hello Fresh is an excellent option for anyone looking to prioritize healthy eating habits while enjoying delicious meals. Review the nutritional information and choose recipes that fit your dietary preferences and goals.
My Favorite Hello Fresh Recipes
Let me share my personal experience as a long-time subscriber of Hello Fresh. I’ve received countless boxes and cooked many of their recipes, and I can honestly say that every time a box arrives, it feels like Christmas morning.
Let’s start with the packaging.
Let me start by telling you about the packaging. When you receive your Hello Fresh box, you’ll notice that everything is well-packaged in a sturdy and insulated box, and meats are placed under the iced packs to stay fresh. Plus, all the packaging materials are either recyclable or reusable, so you can feel good about reducing waste.
As for the recipes, they are organized into individual paper bags and clearly labeled. The fresh ingredients you’ll need for each recipe are in their respective paper bags, and the meats are kept separate. This makes it easy to keep everything organized and ensures you have everything you need to start cooking.
Hello Fresh includes color-coded recipe cards with every meal, making it easy to follow the instructions. Even if you accidentally lose the recipe card, don’t worry – you can always find the recipes on their website or app.
Here are the items I received in my latest Hello Fresh box:
- Chicken with Arugula Caprese Salad
- Bacon Buckaroo Burger (Craft Burger)
- Shrimp Spaghetti with a Kick
- Pesto Caprese Sandwiches with Almond Studded Green Salad (extra)
- Garlic Bread and Crunchy Sesame Salad Combo (extra)
- Chocolate Lava Cake (extra)
I bought a mix of different recipes and extras to try out so I could give an honest and accurate review of the different options that Hello Fresh offers.
Let’s talk about the Chicken with Arugula Caprese Salad from Hello Fresh. This recipe is perfect for me as it’s low-calorie, carb smart, and quick to make.
When it comes to meal kits, I’m constantly worried about the quality of the chicken. But with Hello Fresh, I’ve never had a problem with their meats; this chicken was no exception. It was juicy and had a great texture.
The rest of the salad was also delicious. The arugula was fresh, the mozzarella was tasty, and I especially enjoyed the side of ciabatta toast that came with it.
For my second recipe, I picked the Shrimp Spaghetti with a Kick, which is not exactly a low-carb meal but is one of my favorites. I made it for a cozy Friday night dinner with my husband.
Before anything else, I always check the shrimp – it has to be fresh and not have that “fishy” smell. Thankfully, the shrimp in the box was in great condition.
The recipe was easy to follow and came together quickly. But just because it was simple, it didn’t mean it lacked flavor, and we both enjoyed it very much.
To complete the dinner, I also prepared the Garlic Bread and Crunchy Sesame Salad combo and the Chocolate Lava Cake. The bread was a perfect match for the Italian-style pasta, and the cake was rich and chocolatey and just the right size for two.
For my third recipe, I opted for the Craft Bacon Buckaroo Burger, which was an additional cost, but I added it to my order since my daughter is a fan of burgers.
The recipe was straightforward to make, even on a weeknight. However, I could have pre-cooked the bacon to save even more time. However, this recipe is not for someone looking for a light meal. I had to modify it to enjoy it – I skipped the bun and had only half of the potato portion. But my husband and kids loved it and enjoyed it as it was. This burger is a great option for a delicious and family-friendly meal.
To serve alongside the burgers, I added the Asian salad, which brought a fresh and crunchy component to the meal.
Who will benefit?
- You’re trying to change your eating habits to healthier ones and have no clue where to start and become overwhelmed when you try to search for new recipes. Hello Fresh creates the recipes, compiles all the ingredients, and delivers them to your door. All you have to do is cook. Every recipe has nutritional information and is made with fresh ingredients.
- You love to cook but hate to plan meals and grocery shop. Taking the time to meal plan and spend hours grocery shopping after a long week is exhausting. Hello Fresh curates the recipes and then sends all the ingredients to your door.
- It’s just the two of you. Hello Fresh solves that problem by offering three different meal plans for only two people.
- Your time is minimal. This meal kit company might be unable to clean your house, but they can plan and shop for dinner.
- You have a busy week coming up. I don’t get Hello Fresh every week. But I plan for a box to get delivered when I know my week will be busy.
- You’re not afraid to try new recipes. Hello Fresh doesn’t have what I would consider exotic recipes, but it’s different from frozen pizzas and tacos. But if you like trying new recipes and want to start cooking with fresh ingredients, then Hello Fresh can help.
- You’re ready to eat more at home. Eating at restaurants 2-3 times a week can make living a healthier lifestyle difficult. It also becomes expensive.
Who won’t benefit?
- Those who prioritize getting the best prices of food as they can likely get a better price on ingredients shopping themselves.
- Picky eaters who have issues with new recipes and cuisines, as all recipes are still in the hands of Hello Fresh.
- People with strict dietary restrictions or needing to eliminate certain food groups, such as Hello Fresh, might not work for them.
- Frequent travelers, as they must make the foods ahead of time and store them in a cooler, which could be a nuisance.
- Those who have no desire to cook, as the recipes require more effort than using the microwave.
FAQs
Definitely! If you’re single, Hello Fresh can still be an excellent option for you. Even though the smallest box is for two servings, you can still have plenty of leftovers that are just as delicious the next day. You can take them to work for lunch or reheat them for a quick and easy dinner. So, in my opinion, it’s definitely worth considering Hello Fresh as an option.
When you order from Hello Fresh, you have a few options for the size of your box and the number of meals you receive. You can choose between recipes that serve 2 or 4 adults and decide whether you want 2, 3, or 4 meals in your box. Generally, two servings from Hello Fresh is enough for two people, but it depends on how hungry you are. The portion sizes are pretty generous, so you may even have some leftovers for the next day.
HelloFresh is an excellent option for anyone who wants to save time on meal planning and grocery shopping while still enjoying delicious and healthy meals. The variety of recipes available each week makes it easy to find something you’ll enjoy, and the step-by-step instructions ensure that even novice cooks can prepare a tasty meal. Plus, the convenience of having everything delivered to your doorstep is hard to beat. While it may not be the best fit for those with strict dietary needs or preferences, HelloFresh is worth considering if you want to simplify your meal routine.
I hope my review of Hello Fresh was helpful to you. If you have any questions, please drop them in the comments section, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Read my other helpful reviews
See all of my reviews.
Chris Lofton says
Hello Fresh is a scam that preys on people not reading the fine print. I got a free trial from a family member and agreed to try it. They’ve since charged me $180 and sent me 3 meals I didn’t pick and never would have chosen. When I asked for a refund, they said it was against their policies. Stay away from this company! If they do this to their customers, imagine what they put in the food.
Kara says
Thanks for the detailed review. You helped me make my decision. I use 2 meals from chef’s plate already but there are 7 days a week plus lunches so a 2nd subscription service may fill the void
Sharon says
Absolutely love Hello Fresh, quality if food, variety and convenience fit our very busy lifestyle. I have eaten foods I would never have bothered with mid week and many taste like great. Restaurant quality. I highly recommend Hello Fresh.
Martin B says
Honestly, from our experience, Hello Fresh is less convenient than eating out, going to the grocery store, or using the web to figure out recipes yourself combined. While keeping the price of shopping at a high end gentrified hipster grocery. My wife and I have used it 8 times so far, (i agree that only 8 is a limited data set to generalize a whole system, but 8 times is a big enough data set for one household).
Anyways, the gripe doesn’t come from the quality, and the end cooked result of the food. Even for novice cooks, it is tasty and healthy, the gripe comes from Hello Fresh’s accuracy of order and ability to get deliveries to our house. 3 of 8 times they had missed their delivery time, not just be a matter of hours, but by 2-3 days, and if you drop of a box that is suppose be there by Thursday evening, for, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday’s Dinner, by 8pm Sunday evening, Why even bother to deliver at all?
Each missed delivery I called about, I was told that there was “some mix up or delay in ingredients, etc, but it will be here within 24 hours”, and offered a pittance of a discount. Alright, I’m patient, and I understand things happen. However, next day, same thing, and again for third day in a row. (This is the first of the three inaccurate deliveries). At this point, the question arises, do we run out and buy groceries and risk getting inundated by a late delivery of Hello Fresh food , or consider this a fluke and eat out once? First day, Dinner out, Second day, Dinner out, Third day we lost hope and got Groceries (By the time we got done prepping dinner, Hello Fresh was at our doorstep). The other times were of similar issue.
In the end, what is Hello Fresh suppose to be? A meal delivery service, that delivers 38% of their meals two and half days late despite being ordered 2 weeks in advance? Hello Fresh seems to be nothing but twisted Irony that only adds to the chaos of a busy, schedule inconsistent world in which we all live, that it sought to help alleviate.
Tammy Kresge says
I’m really sorry you had that experience, I can imagine that’d be super frustrating. Fortunately, I never had that experience. Hello Fresh and actually all of the meal kit companies I’ve used have never been late. But I agree if that happened to me more than a couple times I’d be unhappy too.
Kelly Sims says
I’m glad your experience was good. Mine was not. The food was ok. The herbs were slimy and not fresh. The veggies were varying degrees of fresh. The menu cards were excellent, and had good timing on them.
Worst part: they turned ON my paused subscription and sent me food I didn’t order. Happened to catch it due to the charge, and tried to cancel it. They are fighting me on it. But I will refuse the deliver and contest the charge. We will see…
At full price it’s more expensive than eating out, and you have prep and cleanup to do afterwards.
NOT WORTH IT.
Tammy Kresge says
The only time I got a box sent was when I forgot to cancel for the wee. I do wish they would do an indefinite pause or cancel like Home Chef does. This eliminates many surprise boxes.
I guess it depends on where you eat but I think it works great for anyone who eats at restaurants a lot. It’s a good way to transition to home cooked meals.
Sarah Honig says
Don’t do it! Hello Fresh has TERRIBLE customer service. They regularly miss ingredients in the boxes, the recipes have loads of typos, and they even sent me milk that was expired by 3-months. When contacted about it, the customer service reps are defensive and unprepared to do anything besides knock $7 off an upcoming order. I’m VERY disappointed. I had MUCH better experiences with Blue Apron and Plated. I strongly recommend going to a different service.
Greg says
I just started using Hello Fresh and there are a lot of things to really like about it. However, it’s not perfect. Here are the issues I have with it:
1) Not really environmentally friendly. Tons of packaging, and while a lot of it can be recycled, recycling isn’t that great. It’s unclear how much of the stuff we put in recycling in the US even actually gets recycled. Recycling takes energy and shipping the stuff takes energy. I struggle with this and won’t be using it every week for this reason.
2) Not sure how healthy the meals really are – a lot of them have VERY high fat content, like, more than the recommended fat for an adult for an entire day – and this is just one meal. If you want or need to stick with low fat options you are going to be limited to maybe half of the weekly meal options, and mostly limited to vegetarian meals. It would be nice if they did a better job of creating low fat meat based meals. It is possible using chicken and pork.
CT says
This is a really well written paid advertisement for Hello fresh. Were you well paid for it?
Tammy Kresge says
No I was not paid by Hello Fresh for this review. I purchased the hello fresh myself and gave my experience with it.
Jim says
I found my HelloFresh experience pretty poor. The food quality was terrible (steak was cut from shoulder and arm of cow!) Said it right on the label! Their customer service is awful as well, no follow-up when I asked for a refund for my gross chewy “steak”.
Matt says
Way TOOOOO much trash. Recipes are good, but the amount of trash that comes with the packaging is unacceptable. In this day and age there are so many alternatives to plastic insulations and packaging so why not just step up and do the right thing?
Tammy Kresge says
I recycle 95% of the packaging that comes with the recipes. It doesn’t need to be thrown out.
Ang says
I’m not a cook. Hello Fresh is teaching me to cook and that cooking doesn’t have to take 3 hours. I am a picky eater mostly because I hate onions (unless really cooked into foods like soup). So, I leave them out of the recipes, sometimes substituting with a dash of onion powder for sauces. I, too, hate the grocery store.
Marilyn Porter says
HelloFresh has missed 3 deliveries in a row. They have lots of excuses – damaged box, accidentally delivered to the wrong state, running late, etc. etc. I will try another service. It doesn’t help me when the meal boxes don’t come as promised. Right now they are saying that the Saturday delivery will come on Tuesday.
Tammy Kresge says
I’ve been using Hello Fresh for over 2 years and never head that experience. I’m so sorry you did. Hopefully you were able to get it worked out.
Kathleen says
Thank you for the very thorough notes. My only caveat is the use of those plastic containers. Plastic is neither safe to freeze or reheat. It’s very toxic. Also, these black containers are not recyclable. I have been transitioning to glass (don’t heat with plastic lids) to be on the safe side.
Tammy Kresge says
I do still use the plastic containers, although I don’t reheat in the them, but have been moving towards using more glass containers. Thanks so much for your comment.
Lyn says
Thanks for this review! I’m thinking about this for my mom. She’s 86, still lives on her own and is in very good health, however she gets frustrated cooking for herself. You mentioned occasionally making the meals ahead of time and portioning them out, which is what I think I would do for her. For 3 meals, how long would you say it takes, on average, to cook and portion them out??
Tammy Kresge says
it takes me about 2 hours to prepare all 3 meals ahead of time – of course depending on what they are it can be different.
Kristine F Candler says
Nope. Hello Fresh menus are so simple in execution and taste I’d pick Blue Apron every time. I’ve looked ahead, lots of meat and potatoes. My chicken tonight I doctored to have more flavor. The shrimp tacos tomorrow will be lunch, not enough food for dinner. That’s it Shrimp tacos. And we are not overweight overeaters. Also, box ice was totally thawed when we received it. I worry about the shrimp. The greens for salad are unappealing, I’ll use my own. I tried it. Won’t continue
Tammy Kresge says
So sorry you had that experience. Thankfully, I never had those issues before. I never tried Blue Apron but plan to soon so I can compare. Thanks for your feedback.
Susan says
Hi I’m thinking of getting the veggie option but a bit concerned on how many different recipes are available
I love cooking and been a veggie most of my life and always lookin* for new tasty recipes
Dave Sykes says
I tried Hello “Unfresh” based on your review.
I got a so so first meal, then when I opened the bag for the second meal, the lettuce was rotted.
All they would offer is a 10 dollar credit towards the next meal. Why would i order more if I get rotten stuff the first time i try it?? I still had to go to the store to replace the salad. I could have just gotten stuff myself while I was there.
I looked this stuff up online and a LOT of people are complaining about their produce not being fresh. Makes their name a complete oxymoron eh?
Tammy Kresge says
I’m really sorry you had that experience. I have to say In the many boxes I received I never had that happen. I did have meat leak recently and they credited my account. I would give them another try with the credit and see if it was just a fluke. I really love Hello Fresh and so do my kids. I get boxes on a regular basis and never have an issue with the food. SO sorry again you had this experience.
Phil Dean says
Question about Hello Fresh; my first order was for 4 meals and I plan on having them over a 7 day period.. one everyother day. Do I need to freeze the meat to do this?
Tammy Kresge says
When in doubt I would freeze the meat.
Gigi says
I’m just 1 person and I HATE wasting food. Should I go ahead and proceed to order even though it states for 2.
Joel Markovits says
Hi, Curious to know, the cooler they send you with all the meat and produce, do they send you a new one every time? Do they offer a way to return or recycle it? If not, what have you done with the 10 or 11 from the boxes you have received, at the time of the original writing.
Thanks!
Joel
Tammy Kresge says
I recycle all the boxes each week.
Soody says
Hi. Thanks for this review. I do have a question though. If I received 3 meals for 2, say on a Monday, and my plan is to cook these on Mon, Wed, Fri, would the ingredients remain fresh until Friday? Most meat/vegetable from the grocery store does not stay fresh from Monday to Friday. How does everybody else do this? Do you cook them all at the same time and store them in freezer/fridge?
Also, in a picture I see the chicken in a plastic wrapping. Are preservatives added to the meat? Thank you
Laurie says
I’m looking into Hello Fresh myself. This would be a good post for a response!