When is life is life-ing, grabbing groceries, prepping and cooking a fresh meal can be one of the most challenging daily feats. That’s where meal kits start feeling a lot more convenient and practical. HelloFresh, perhaps the most famous meal kit service of them all, is one of the more reliable and consistent ones that I and many others (including fellow HuffPosters) have tried and enjoyed.
And today, there’s good news if you’ve never tried the meal kit service before: First-time subscribers can sign up today and receive 50% off their first box shipment (with free shipping!) and pick one free ready-made meal to add per box, indefinitely, while supplies last.
Also, if you’re a teacher, first responder, in the medical field or any active military personnel or veteran — you’re eligible for the brand’s Hero Discounts program: 55% off your first box shipment, then 15% off per box after that for 51 weeks. These are some awesome deals to save yourself time and effort, and shortcut yourself some a nice lunch or dinner.
Once you sign up for a subscription, you get seemingly endless meal options to choose from. Select your preferences from the rotating menu of meals you’d like delivered in your box on a weekly basis, from groceries for hot foods you can prepare and cook yourself to microwavable ready-made meals. And if you don’t want a meal for the week, you can simply pause or skip your next box shipment!
Check out the meal made by Maclaine Farrell below. Hot honey brussels over ricotta flatbread, anyone?
Beyond TikTokers, many HuffPost staffers have tried HelloFresh for themselves and found it a super convenient way to have a meal at home, myself included.
The service makes it easy for vegetarians like me to pick and choose meals based on dietary restrictions that are actually still tasty. I’ve previously used the service for four months and found it super useful on chaotic weeks between work, errands and travel, and when I didn’t want a shipment, I paused or skipped a week or two, picking it back up when things got too crazy.
“I’ve used meal kit delivery services on and off for the last few years, but never has it come in more handy than in the months after I had a baby,” says HuffPost senior shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe, who also enjoyed the service.
“Between the sleep deprivation and general overhelm of the postpartum period, neither my partner or I had the bandwidth to put together a shopping list and get to the grocery store. We tried out HelloFresh kits for a few weeks and found them to be a game-changer. It was so nice to be able to enjoy a home-cooked meal with minimal effort. All the recipes were easy and quick to make, and for the most part very tasty.”
Signing up is easy and you can choose a plan that fits your budget.
After you find out if the service is available in your area, you just pick which meals you want delivered from a weekly menu.
Also, if you love the idea of getting meals delivered but don’t like to cook very much, you’ll be happy to know that HelloFresh has ready-made meals, too. They’re microwavable and ready in less than a few minutes, while meal kits include step-by-step recipes and fresh, premeasured ingredients you can cook yourself.
Still, there are some things experienced cooks and novices alike should consider with the HelloFresh subscription.
While the food and recipes were great, I still enjoy improv-cooking with random goods I find in my fridge or pantry. HelloFresh eliminates that completely by telling me exactly what to do with its pre-measured ingredients (which wisely ensures nothing is leftover to minimize waste), recipe cards and impending menu items. That said, if you actually prefer a direct step-by-step process, then HelloFresh’s detailed guidance will suit you perfectly.
Also, you’ll want to give the portions in each meal a good double-check before ordering. “I’d make the meal for two and eat it, and then I’d make my real dinner, because it just wasn’t enough for me,” HuffPost editor Noah Michelson shared about the service. Of course, if portion control is really important for you or not a concern at all, then you’ll have no worries!
HelloFresh subscriptions come in handy for all kinds of needs: Busy schedules that leave no time for shopping, portion control, waste minimization, and even diversifying your daily meal options if you’ve gotten bored with your go-to eats.
Nab your first subscription with a discounted shipment and free meals today, and peruse the menu to see if anything calls out to you. Save yourself the time and automate your meals at home!
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