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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Hello fresh boxes?

119 replies

dreamadream1 · 13/01/2021 13:52

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

OP posts:

iamloading · 13/01/2021 19:24

@dueindecember10 could I have a referral code please as I'd like to try them

dueindecember10 · 13/01/2021 19:27

@iamloading

It is

cook.gousto.co.uk/raf?promo_code=CLARE11831100&utm_source=iosapp

Thanks!

laughoutquiet · 13/01/2021 19:36

@meowwoofwoof

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?

Yes definitely, especially is you pick the right meals.

Heyahun · 13/01/2021 19:36

I don’t rate it at all tbh! Had a few issues with delivery - one time they said it was left in a safe place and it was just dumped in a ditch in the photo and it got stolen 😂😂

A few times there was ingredients missing - and tbh cooking the meals takes as much effort as cooking anything else

I just batch cook now instead saves way more time! I’ve got curries, soups, chilli, pasta sauces & various other stuff in the freezer and we just take one of those out each day and the most we’ve to do is make rice in the rice cooker.

We never cook after work anymore.

Would that not be easier and save you time?

Circusoflove · 13/01/2021 19:38

I tried Simply Cook after seeing it recommended in here and it suits me much better than Hello Fresh or Gousto. The recipes are easy to cook and you can adapt ingredients to avoid things people don’t like. You have to shop but not for anything complicated and can make things on whatever schedule you like. Some of the recipe sauces taste like chain restaurant meals - they are basically sugar and salt - but they do taste good and it’s easy.

laughoutquiet · 13/01/2021 19:39

@meowwoofwoof here's a code if you want to try it. I just got one from another MNer

CardiffSpecialSundae · 13/01/2021 19:40

Another Gousto code for 40% off if anyone is still looking for one - GOUSTO

I'm a fan. We don't use them every week but I like getting the recipe cards and then recreating the ones we enjoyed. It has slowly broadened my repertoire. They've gotten better on packaging since the days of one egg wrapped in 25 different layers!

YippeeKayakOtherBuckets · 13/01/2021 19:41

I tart around from HF, Gousto and Mindful Chef depending on offers and recipes. Gousto and MF both do one off boxes but I haven’t found a way to do that on HF (haven’t had one for a while).

Yes it’s probs more expensive even with discounts but it’s one less thing to think about. I’m furloughed and homeschooling and depressed and just cba to think about dinners for five every day (oh btw we order 4 meals for 4 people and it’s plenty, sometime have to split chicken breast etc).

I’m a huge fan of the concept.

HOkieCOkie · 13/01/2021 19:42

I get monthly gousto boxes. It’s a nice change once a month. But they are faffy.

Ontheboardwalk · 13/01/2021 19:54

I’ve recently joined Gousto and really like it. I’ve found the recipes easy to follow and good quality

You also get a lot of food for each meal and extras they could prob leave off the plate. Example being a side dish of pickled radishes. For 2 people they sent 10 radishes. That would feed some people on here for a week

Sweetooth92 · 13/01/2021 19:56

We have both, 4 days Gousto & 3 hello fresh. Can always seem to find a 35-50% off for hello fresh standard box costs so we use that saving for then upgrading to premium for steaks/duck etc. Not the cheapest but actually saved us loads by not thinking sod it let’s get take out. If anyone wants a free hello fresh box I can send you one, just need an email address messaging over to send you the link (I get nothing from you having a freebie, just thought I’d offer)

Morninglatte · 13/01/2021 19:57

I thought it was 'ok'.
The recipes we had were fairly quick and simple. It was very expensive for what you got though. I still use the recipes but buy the ingredients in the supermarket. Sometimes if I know I'm going to be really busy that week I'll prep a few bits on a Sunday and keep it in tubs.

Southwest12 · 13/01/2021 20:17

I like Hello Fresh. I started getting it in the first lockdown. I don't get every week as sometimes there's not three recipes that I really want, but on those weeks I often cook one of their recipes anyway.

Not tried Gusto but might have a look. There's only me so I get the three meals for two people and take the second portion to work for lunch.

Bulblasagnes · 13/01/2021 20:17

I’ve tried both and more recently have restarted with Hello Fresh and there’s a lot more variety now, especially in terms of what we can eat as vegetarians. They do a lot more fake meat meals now which have been really good too. We’re big fans although we don’t do it every week, probably more like 3 out of every 5 weeks. Definitely more expensive than shopping yourself but worth it for us as a two working parent family (both full time) with two smallish children

KittyVonCatsworth · 13/01/2021 20:19

Another Mindful Chef fan here. All their meat is ethically sourced and other ingredients are generally organic. The ice packs are reusable, we've a load in the freezer and use them for cooling buckets of drinks at BBQ and for picnics.

meowwoofwoof · 17/01/2021 14:55

A Gousto code for anyone that wants to use it. Gives you 50% off first box and 30% second box

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

safariboot · 17/01/2021 15:03

Had Hello Fresh a few times. It's not an effort saver! Some nice recipes but more effort involved than my usual weekday easy meals. And you pay a price premium.

Cheaper alternative: Get the Tesco or Asda magazine, they usually have a meal plan in, 5 4-person meals for £25 or so. Easy to add the ingredients to an online shop. I've done a fair few of those and they've been enjoyed.

pepsicolagirl · 17/01/2021 15:04

I found Gousto to be far superior to Hello Fresh.

Usually I do 100% of the cooking here. Both OH and I work full time but I am a better cook and it is just quicker if I get on with it. Mostly. I did decide though that OH and our teenager could do with a bit of practise and I could do with having a break so we signed up for meal boxes.

Each meal took about half hour to prep and then time to cook obviously so I wouldn't call it a time saver but it certainly gave opportunity to try new things! Not cheap but because I wasn't cooking I didn't feel the pull of the takeaway on the weekend so we saved money in the end!

I like the boxes but we have dropped to one a month now. Over winter I like "the old faves" and they are cheap enough to chuck together and then on the gousto week we eat newer less familiar dishes

My code for 50% off your first box if anyone needs one!
cook.gousto.co.uk/raf/?promo_code=NATAS42036164&utm_source=weblink

pepsicolagirl · 17/01/2021 15:08

Funnily enough DD (15) is cooking a former gousto meal tonight. Lamb meatballs with bulgar wheat and a hot pepper sauce.

russiancurry · 17/01/2021 15:12

@Oriunda

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.

We get six hello fresh meals for two for under £50

EyeRoll2021 · 17/01/2021 15:19

We went through a phase of Hello Fresh. The food was lovely, the portion size fine. Lots of little spices measured out etc. It is more expensive but you are paying for someone to create the recipes etc. I think it's fine for a time to take the pressure off you!

meowwoofwoof · 17/01/2021 15:23

Sorry it's clicky now!

https://cook.gousto.co.uk/raf?promo code=MICHE42148704&utmm_source=iosapp

Hecksonaplane · 17/01/2021 15:32

These look ideal if you're busy and/or in a food rut. How would this work for 2 meat eaters and a veggie?

user1494050295 · 17/01/2021 15:40

We have done these bi weekly for three months. We have stopped them and are using the recipe cards to meal plan. It’s a great way of trying new things by and there isn’t any waste. Try and get a deal to start with

Sosigsandwich · 20/01/2021 15:10

@Eg2016 Used your code and have a box arriving tomorrow! We've always used Hello Fresh so we're excited to compare.

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