How Does HelloFresh Work and Is It Worth It?

Fed up with thinking about what to make for dinner? Bored of eating the same five recipes on repeat? Or maybe you have no idea how to cook and want to improve your culinary know-how.

People are turning to meal kit services for a wide variety of reasons, but are they worth it? Let’s take a close look at one of the most popular meal kit providers, HelloFresh.

What Is HelloFresh?

HelloFresh is one of the most popular meal-kit delivery services. As a meal-kit delivery service, HelloFresh delivers pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipe cards to your door.

Every year, the average American household spends upwards of $2,200 on food that ends up in the bin. Why? Because it’s all too easy to buy more than you need and to end up with a huge amount of unnecessary food waste.

HelloFresh is just one of several businesses capitalizing on this problem by delivering customers exactly what they need to make each meal without the unnecessary surplus.

How Does HelloFresh Work?

HelloFresh is a flexible subscription-based service managed online through the website or through the accompanying app.

Customers can tailor the meal-kit delivery to suit their needs by choosing any dietary requirements they have, how many people they’re cooking for, and how many recipes they want to cook each week.

Once your box subscription is set up, the fun part starts: it’s time to pick your recipes. Every week, HelloFresh customers get to choose from more than 25 HelloFresh recipes, which are continuously updated and expanded on to ensure that no one gets bored.

With your recipes in the bag (or box), all that’s left to do is sit back and wait for your weekly delivery.

How Does HelloFresh Stay Cold?

HelloFresh boxes get delivered between 8 am and 8 pm on the day you select. While it’s undoubtedly best to be at home for your delivery, you do have options if you’re going to be at work or out of the house.

For starters, you can always add special delivery instructions for your HelloFresh delivery driver. These could be leaving your box with a neighbor or putting it in your chosen safe place.

HelloFresh also packages its ingredients with ice packs and insulation, so even perishable foods such as meat and dairy will stay fresh until you get home.

Is HelloFresh Healthy?

HelloFresh is as healthy as the recipes you choose. It offers a wide range of menu items each week, including calorie-controlled, low-carb, and vegan options. Alongside its range of healthier recipes, you’ll also find more indulgent weeknight meals such as burgers and cheesy pasta recipes.

If you’re trying to stick to a healthier diet, then it’s easy to filter the week’s recipe options by your dietary requirements to ensure that your box fulfills all your needs.

Is HelloFresh Good for Weight Loss?

Meal subscription boxes such as HelloFresh can be a good option for those looking to lose weight. Each one of the HelloFresh recipe cards is labeled with all the calorie and nutritional information you need to track your food intake with Excel or another app.

And, if you’re looking for calorie-controlled meals, then it offers a selection of lower-calorie options on the menu each week.

Is HelloFresh Worth the Money?

HelloFresh's meal boxes range in price depending on the number of servings you choose and the number of recipes you want to cook each week.

Its subscription model starts at $7.99 per serving, costing $57.95 for two recipes a week for two people. If you want to feed a family of four with six recipes per week, then this number jumps to $201.75. (These totals also include delivery costs.)

Whether HelloFresh is worth the money or not will ultimately come down to how much you value the convenience of the service, the variety of meals it offers, and the food it prevents you from wasting.

On its website, HelloFresh quotes customers stating that they have saved money on their food shop by buying only what they need with HelloFresh. But, if you’re savvy with your shopping anyway, then you may not see much of a difference in your weekly spend. If you're trying to keep food costs down, then you may also want to check out these food reward apps.

Signing up for HelloFresh is easy. Simply head to the HelloFresh website and click ‘Get Started’. You’ll then be guided through the set-up process, where you can customize your box and select your first week of recipes.

Can You Skip a HelloFresh Delivery?

Going on holiday or want to take a break? You can skip or pause your HelloFresh delivery at any time. To prevent any unwanted charges on your account, it’s best to do this at least five days before your next delivery.

To pause your HelloFresh delivery, head into your HelloFresh dashboard by logging into your account. Then navigate to your upcoming deliveries. From here, you can choose the deliveries you want to skip.

How to Cancel Your HelloFresh Subscription

One of the biggest turn-offs of any subscription-based service is when it's difficult to cancel. Fortunately, HelloFresh doesn’t make it harder than it needs to be.

To cancel your plan, log in to your account on the web and then go into your account settings. Scroll down and find the button labeled ‘Cancel Plan’ and then follow the prompts. To make sure you don’t get charged for your next box, be sure to cancel your plan five days before your next delivery.

Bringing Excitement Back to Mealtimes

Regardless of whether you’re looking to eat healthier or cook more, HelloFresh certainly helps to bring a sense of excitement back to mealtimes. It’s always exciting to come home to a box of perfectly portioned ingredients and cook a new recipe step-by-step – it’s even a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen!

If you’re keen to try HelloFresh for yourself, then keep your eyes peeled for one of its many introductory offers, and you could save yourself money on your first couple of boxes.