Hello Fresh

My first box arrived! Everything was well packaged and cold. I was worried about the summer heat, but the ice packs they provided were sufficient. I didn't get home until around 5pm. 

Everything is neatly organized. Each meal is in it's own brown bag. The recipe cards are gorgeous and the pictures set the bar high to make the meals look as described.

Eggplant and Sundried Tomato Linguine: The ingredients are so simple. No real measuring is required. I didn't have to come home and hunt everything I needed down from cabinets, drawers and the fridge, it's all there in one place. So easy!

The portions were generous and plated up to look almost exactly like the pictures.I'm feeling more than a little spoiled. This was so easy! No overly processed foods. Also no left overs or food waste (which is a major pet peeve).

 I may have added a little too much water to my sauce, but it was absolutely delicious! My teen said it tasted like a pizza dish which is a win from him too. 

Other meals:

Get Your Greens Rice Bowl: This recipe used asparagus, edamame, and bok choy (a new veggie for us which is another win for the service).

 Chunky Funky Veggie Burgers: I never new making black bean burgers was so easy!! I'll never buy pre-formed frozen patties again! Our teen ate the whole burger but passed his "fries" on to his baby brother who couldn't get enough of them. There was enough left over to form another burger which worked out perfectly for us!

The biggest win was that these dinner were ready and on the table within about 30 minutes of getting home from the gym, making our evening routine flawless each day. My teen son and I cooked and cleaned it all up together. Team work!

So far this is perfect for the mom who likes to cook, but just doesn't have time. I'm sold on subscribing. Now to just find the company that works best for our family. I'll stick with Hello Fresh for a month. Then I'll give a few others a try to see how they stack up.

Pros: customer service was excellent. I was never placed on hold. The agent was genuinely friendly and engaged in the call. The food arrived on time, it stayed cold, and everything held over in the fridge until I was ready to cook (no food waste). 

Cons: with the veggie plan I don't get any choices. I can skip a week if I don't like something, but I can't sub out a meal that won't work for our family (if there were allergies or strong preferences).