Hello fresh boxes?

[dreamadream1]

Hi everyone

Just wondering if anyone here uses Hello Fresh for food and roughly is it more expensive?

I work 12 hour days, my husband works 7 days a week. We do cook fairly healthy and make our own sauces, use herbs and spices and veg etc but we are both bloody knackered and sometimes don't sit down to eat until gone 8:30pm (we both cook) and I'm wondering if this would make our lives a little easier.

We are not fussy eaters so menus wouldn't be a problem for us, roughly spend £80 a week on food and toiletries for breakfasts lunches and dinners.

Any opinions welcome.

Thank you x

I've used Gousto since the beginning of the first lockdown, we all really like it. So many lovely recipes and trying new things.

Gousto's packaging has improved a lot since I got my first box, most is in paper. I have compared waste against my supermarket and it didn't come off bad at all. Lots of packaging is saved on the neat packaging which is much better than a supermarket.

[quote Eg2016]Thanks @Londonista123 just used your link and signed up to Gousto that's a great saving. I have used hello fresh for a while but I have heard good things about Gousto too.

Here's my link if anyone else would like 40% off their first box and 30% off the rest of the months. cook.gousto.co.uk/raf?promo_code=KERRI42147820&utm_source=androidapp[/quote]

Thanks just used link

@laughoutquiet if you go to account and free food it should give you a link you can use too 😊

I liked simply cook - they just send the recipes and spice pack - you buy your own meat /fish separately.
It meant that if I didn't fancy cooking, ate out unexpectedly (remember those days? ) the spices would wait and I wouldn't have to worry about the fresh ingredients going off - and if I fancied making something with fish rather than chicken, or whatever, I could.
Obviously a bit wasteful on packaging, but nothing like as bad as Hello Fresh.

@Eg2016 thanks!

I've just tried Hello Fresh and wasn't overly impressed with the recipes, they also forgot some ingredients. I'm looking forward to trying Gusto now. Link below if anyone wants the discount .

cook.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=HELEN42148071&utm_source=weblink

https://cook.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promocode=HELEN42148071&name=Helen&utmmsource=facebook&utmmedium=sharebuttonnrafpage&utmmcampaign=raffacebookkshare&fbclid=IwAR0e8JtJ2RUkA5uSGBGqMyBIAQv5Rt-vVaNp29wu3QqAo42qwexf539T0sA

That's better!

I prefer Gousto (but hate their use of plastic so don't use them anymore), but HF are lovely too. I usually buy the odd few just to trial their recipes, and then buy the ingredients myself next time and make 3 times the amount for 1/3rd of the price!

Lovely for beginner cooks, lazy days and handy to trial new things. They're generally very good with spice/seasoning levels, I've only ever added salt to a couple of dishes that had potatoes/rice/pasta as I always add a little more.

It is definitely pricey and I wouldn't buy them for 7 meals a week, but I imagine it would be handy for FT work as you know you have some meals planned ahead of time. Honestly though if you want time saving meals, you're better off doing batch cooking or slow cooker type things if you're able. (I have my slow cooker plugged into a timer so if I'm out all day I can set it to come on whenever, this may help if you have a long day and aren't at home.)

we tried the gousto discounted for 4 weeks - 30% off. most of the meals were really nice, and didnt require too much headspace. the packaging - all plastic - annoyed me, as did the amount of time we had to grate ginger! just send it grated!
we have just moved onto Hello Fresh to try it and this week, the first box, has been cancelled and re-scheduled to tomorrow, so we have had to go to the shop - doesn't bode well.
for us two we ordered the box for 4 people which meant we had plenty left over for the next day's lunch. it was expensive though at full price. if you ordered a box for 2 people there wouldnt be enough food IMO

It won't save you time just head space if anything because you don't have to decide what to cook. You will still be cooking the meal. I think a better solution to your actual issue is doing as much prep beforehand, maybe making some extra meals and freezing them for when you are too knackered to cook. Using a pressure cooker to save you time or just choosing recipes that are simpler for the foreseeable. For example I wouldn't cook a biriyani from scratch after work because we wouldn't get to eat before 8.30-9pm, I would opt for a dhaal, stifry, jacket potato instead.

Gousto are much better as PP have said

They are convenient and I like them but I do find they get a bit samey and once you've got the recipie cards I often find myself thinking "well I can make that myself much cheaper" and then doing that

Well worth it when you get the newbie discount offers but less so at full price

My friends and I experimented with Gousto and Hello Fresh and we all preferred Hello Fresh... so much so that we have been getting weekly boxes for months. 100% makes our life easier!

I use hello fresh and think it’s brilliant. It’s good if you’re not very imaginative and also it’s less wasteful as you get just the amount of ingredients you need. It’s quite a lot of effort for the actual cooking but worth it.

I’ve used Gousto and Hello Fresh. Was really happy with Gousto but usually had to buy extra protein to add to fill teenage ds who is always starving. Assumed they would all be the same and would always have to buy an extra chicken breast or more prawns which was a bloody pain and made it quite pricey. Switched to Hello Fresh after being left high and dry by one too many Gousto supply issues during the first lockdown and actually the portion sizes are much better so now I don’t need to top up at all. Tbh I did prefer the Gousto recipes (HF are not bad but Gousto definitely had the edge) but this is all about convenience for me and on that front HF wins.

Another vote for Mindful Chef, they have a really good selection of vegan meals each week.

Can you split a 2 person meal over 2 days? I eat alone all week so don't need a 2 person supply but could I cook and eat over 2 days?

Love Hello Fresh - and Gousto. I cancelled Gousto after they kept reinstating my skipped orders, even though I prefer their range of recipes.

If you join using sign up offers or codes (I bet loads of us have them you can use) then you can get up to 50% off first few boxes which is a bargain.

I get a box every other week and they help me meal plan. Generous portions - I find enough for 3 (we get a box for 2) and I also love their ‘dinner to lunch’ meals. All the extra little sachets come in handy and the recipes are all easy to replicate on weeks that I don’t have a box.

Would agree have tried them all Gousto by far best for choice and variety also easy to filter each weeks recipes by things like main meat, cooking time and healthy options. I have kept all the recipe cards which helpfully have all the weights and measures detailed (Hello Fresh only list ingredients) and I mix and match now some weeks if I know we are busy I order for convenience others if I have more time I just choose recipes from the folder and buy ingredients myself.

Portions are supposed to be correct size for adults and to be fair they do fill us up (clearly I was being much too generous before) but most you could bulk up with extra veg, potatoes, rice etc. if needed.

Both Hello Fresh and Gousto are a set price based on number of meals although they do offer some premium meals each week which you can pay a little extra per portion for, have noticed there are more and more of these with Hello Fresh now (at the expense of the meals included in the set price ).

Gousto customer service also excellent.

If you (or anyone else) decides to try I have various vouchers and offers for Gousto and Hello Fresh which I am happy to pass on just PM me as the codes are one use.

Gousto discount code if anyone wants to use

40% off

cook.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=MICHE42148704&utm_source=weblink

For those asking on price, we get 4 meals for 2 people and usually works out at around £37. This coming week we’re having one of their premium meals so a little more expensive. I’d compare it to M&S or Waitrose but healthier as less additives etc.

Packaging seems a lot less - garlic and onions etc loose - and I recycle the water pouches by freezing and using in summer as slow release watering for pots. The insulation fabric I use to wrap outdoor pots for winter.

Mindful Chef is MUCH better than either HF or Gousto (I've tried them all.)

They are worth a try as they usually have introductory deeds.

You save time in shopping and even thinking about what you need and what to cook and it allows you to try things you might otherwise not cook yourself.

I’ve just had 3rd baby and love hello fresh. 3 meals a week I don’t need to use any brain power for- none of those “what shall we eat tonight conversations”. I’ve also done gousto before which I liked but portions bit smaller. Ive kept all recipes cards and often use them to cook with ingredients I buy as well.

I get them, but have got a bit sick of them to be honest.

It can be a lot of work, and sometimes I just can’t be bothered. Some of the recipes take 40 minutes and I work late, so I just grab a micro meal.

They can also be quite high in calories as well, I have definitely but on weight.

Hello Fresh much better than Gusto, tried both. Never had any missing ingredients or short dated items. Only once has it been delayed by one day and we got £10 credit to say sorry.

However, I wonder if there are different distribution centres around the country and we're lucky to have a good one!