Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Hello Fresh

43 replies

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 15/09/2018 11:58

I just wondered if anyone has used this in the past and also how easy is it to cancel the rolling subscription

I've got a code for £20 off the first two boxes and just want to use that to try the meals to see if I like them?

Anyone used them?????

-------

For the lowdown on the best recipe boxes, take a look at our comparison of the most popular boxes out there and, of course, Musnetters’ reviews of their favourites. MNHQ.

OP posts:

GunpowderGelatine · 15/09/2018 17:19

And very easy to cancel you just do it on the app

Sparklyfee · 15/09/2018 17:32

Fab, going to try a fish stew I think next time.

DP wants the Greek lamb pastisio bake tonight now so that's what we are having!

24Juniper · 15/09/2018 17:41

Yes had HelloFresh and Gausto (both were sold to me through door to door salesmen). Easy to cancel both but to be honest preferred the recipes for Gausto.

Ocies · 15/09/2018 17:48

I quite like Hello Fresh. Its only dh and me at home most of the time now as dc left home or at university. I’m an experienced cook but if I know we have a busy week with lots of work commitments I get a box so that I know I have everything I need to make a fairly quick, easy, tasty meal. We find the portions quite big too -I often take left overs for lunch the following day.

OllyBJolly · 15/09/2018 18:01

Started with Gousto when I got an offer (can't remember from where). At the time I was juggling full time work (own business) with a 300 mile round trip 3/4 times a week visiting a terminally relative. Gousto was a god send because non cooking DH could follow the instructions.

We've kept it going and it's usually fab. There have been very few dishes we haven't loved. I don't think the quality of the steaks is that great but other than that it's all good stuff. Portions don't look big but we're always full and never need any evening snacks.

I've tried Simply cook and I like that you can choose the main ingredient eg fish or chicken or meat. I'm a real wimp when it comes to spicy food and have been unable to eat some of the dishes - just too hot for me. Because the spices come in little pre-prepared pots, you don't have the option to reduce the amount of chilli or whatever. DH loves them though.

Haggishaggispudding · 15/09/2018 18:02

I liked them, cancelling is easy.

JeremyCorbynsBeard · 15/09/2018 18:05

I can't believe people are saying it's labour-intensive! Maybe if you're used to putting a pizza in the oven with some chips, then yes, it is. But I've never found it to take longer than 40 mins (including cooking time) and many recipes are 30 mins.

I don't have it any more, because I can't afford it, but have bought the cook book and just buy the ingredients myself.

It's really broadened the family's horizons in terms of what they eat. Some of the recipes are a bit heavy on carbs and light on veg, so I tend to add more veg on the side.

I would highly recommend this as a way to make your diet more interesting and get you out of a rut in terms of family dinners.

Lalalalalalaland · 15/09/2018 18:06

I've tried both but prefer gousto.

At first I got one a week but as I've saved up a recipe book of meals I love I've cut down to 1 a month.

Their butter chicken is better than I've ever had at any Indian.

MimsyBorogroves · 15/09/2018 18:15

We did the MN trial of Gousto and loved it, but a bit time intensive for me as I need quick meals in the week.

My dad trialled Hello Fresh. Despite him asking for vegetarian stuff he ended up with a box of meat based meals - great for us as we ended up with high quality free meat, but not so good for him...

Haggishaggispudding · 15/09/2018 18:33

Actually, I really didint find HF meat high quality. It was often quite smelly and fatty. I threw it out within date more than once. That said, I liked that everything came in bags so no rooting through the Fridge/cupboards.

ThanksItHasPockets · 15/09/2018 19:06

Digs about pizza and chips aside , I want to clarify what I mean by ‘labour-intensive’, as distinct from recipes which are time-consuming or difficult.

Risotto is a good example. Risotto is easy and pretty quick; I can have a simple risotto on the table in about 30 minutes. However, risotto is labour-intensive, because for those 30 minutes I can’t leave the kitchen, and once it’s cooked the dish has to be eaten straight away. Perhaps the repertoire has changed but in the time that I subscribed I found that HF was heavy on stir-fries and curries, and a lot of burgers and meatballs made from scratch, all requiring the cook’s attention for the full time allocated to the recipe.

I love cooking and would love to spend an hour making dinner and listening to podcasts each evening but I have a 5yo with the usual roster of evening commitments and a baby who turns into a gremlin at 17.59 exactly. I cook from scratch most days but I rely heavily on traybake-type dishes which can be prepped ahead and then shoved in the oven (Diana Henry is brilliant for these) or slow-cooked things, both of which can happily hang around without being ruined. Both take longer than anything HF offers but crucially my input can happen ahead of time.

If your children are older; if you don’t have children at home; if you want the mental load of meal-planning and shopping taken away, then it’s great. Right now what they offer doesn’t suit me.

Haggishaggispudding · 15/09/2018 19:17

I totally agree on the labour intensive thing btw. I know what you mean. I can’t stand for long periods of time and find some of the recipes are too much fofor me.

Aragog · 15/09/2018 19:39

I use it occasionally. Infact using this week and last as have some vouchers, plus week before; last used it over a year ago. Very easy to unsubscribe, or to skip weeks for several at a ime in my experience.

We've enjoyed the latest food we've had.

We do it every so often to give ourselves a kick to eat some things about different, after getting in a bit of a rut with meals.

Aragog · 15/09/2018 19:40

I've used gusto in the past too. Again easy to stop and start.

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 15/09/2018 20:04

HF was heavy on stir-fries and curries, and a lot of burgers and meatballs made from scratch, all requiring the cook’s attention for the full time allocated to the recipe
it rather depends on what you chose, in my gousto box ive actally had recpies that the instruction is to "lay the table, have a cup of tea, simply chill"

Or i choose recipes that are 10 minute quickies

Most weeks i choose some sort of tray bake or pasta bake

As for the use multiple pans i can cook pretty much every thing in my wok and a seperate pan to cook the rice/-pasta it really depends on what you choosec

wowfudge · 15/09/2018 20:22

I'm an experienced cook and once the novelty wore off I realised that the ingredients are over packaged, the recipes fiddly and every darn veggie dish had cheese in it. And the portion sizes meant the calorie count was higher than I wanted.

PickleSarnie · 15/09/2018 20:26

I prefer gousto. The recipes are tastier and the portions better (hello fresh were massive portions and I'm not disciplined enough to save left overs for next day lunch. Gousto portions are still pretty decent size) Goustos website also simpler to navigate. We get a box every couple of months or so when we get stuck in a rut then save the recipe cards in the binder they give you and make them using ingredients I buy myself.

Sparklyfee · 15/09/2018 23:19

Well, we've just eaten our first Gousto recipe tonight and it was a huge portion. Definitely enough for 3 adults. And it was good. I'd recommend it!

Flip

1 2