The first box I received and my introduction into the meal delivery service world was from HelloFresh (read more about what i'm doing and why in my introductory post: Are Meal Delivery Services Worth It?).

I'd say HelloFresh is one of the more popular options or at least that is what it seems because they market everywhere. I even once received a coupon from them in a J. Crew package. I started with HelloFresh because I had heard the most about it. I had quite a few friends who had tried it, a handful of offer cards that I had received in the mail, and Facebook Ads all over my news feed. Even though I had a few promo codes, most of them are basically the same so I went with the deal they had advertised on Facebook, $30 OFF, which is about 50% off the regular price.

Subscription

HelloFresh is a subscription service that stores your payment information and will automatically bill and ship your next box if you don't skip or cancel within a certain amount of time. Autobilling is great for not having to think about it but can become a headache if you forget to cancel or skip especially since the price goes up after the first box.

Delivery & Packaging

My first delivery day was on Tuesday, July 18th. My boyfriend ended up being home that day but I instructed him to leave the box unopened on the table so I could test the freshness after leaving it in there until the time I would normally get home.





The contents were surrounded by insulation and everything inside the box was still cold to the touch. The top layer held the bags of ingredients needed for each meal and then bottom layer held all of the meat and ice packs (which were still mostly frozen). I had no issues with anything being spoiled or crushed.

Recipes 

My box came with 3 recipes: Italian Meatloaf, Herbed Sirloin Steak, and Sizzling Southwestern Chicken. I actually only ended up cooking one of them because I had a few things come up before I had a chance to do the others. When I went to check the remaining food about a week later, nothing looked spoiled but everything I read said to use within 5 days and since I did not think to freeze the meat ahead of time, I ended up throwing the other two away just to be safe.

Italian Meatloaf with Roasted Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes 

Herbed Sirloin Steak over Orzo Pasta Salad

Sizzling Southwestern Chicken with a Sweet Potato, Bell Pepper, and Feta Jumble

I really wish I had been able to use the steak and southwestern chicken because I think they looked like recipes I would have enjoyed. Overall I had a good experience with HelloFresh and although the preparation was somewhat of a wakeup call, it was a great introduction into meal delivery services.

Packaging:

Freshness: 

Recipe Selection: 

Preparation and Cook Time: 

Resources (mobile app, recipe cards, etc.):

Want to try HelloFresh? 

Get $40 off your first box. Use Code: NKOENIG

Disclaimer & Credits:  This is not a sponsored post. I was not compensated by HelloFresh to try this product or write this review. All opinions are my own based on personal experience. Meal card photos are provided by the HelloFresh website, all other photos are my own. Use of promotional code nkoenig gives me $20 off of my next box. 

Are any of those popular meal delivery services worth it? 

I'm not sure, but i'll let you know.

Ultimately i have decided to try a meal delivery service because i'm a little bored of eating the same things and I really need to start cooking instead of eating out all the time. Also, I HATE THE GROCERY STORE.

For those who actually know me in real life, i'm sure it comes as a surprise that I have decided to jump onto the meal delivery service bandwagon especially because I don't like a lot of foods and I don't really cook. I have always been a very picky eater. I don't like certain meats, cooked vegetables, lots of spices, weird sauces, etc. I do like fresh fruit and all carbs. Sugar and carbs, i'll eat them all. I will be honest in saying that my lack of desire to cook has more to do with laziness than ability. I don't consider myself to be lazy person at work or school but when i'm home I like to relax and most of the time I don't find cooking to be the way to do that.

What do I eat if I don't cook? Takeout. We will cook at home occasionally, especially this time of year because we can grill, but not nearly as much as we should. I'd say about 4-5 dinners per week are takeout (you don't even want to know about lunch) that mostly include Chipotle, Pizza, Thai Food, or Burgers. Takeout has also been especially easy because it requires no prep time. When I am hungry I WANT FOOD NOW and it has really enabled that behavior.


So, in an effort to switch up our foods and change some not so great habits I have decided to try as many of these services as possible in hopes of finding one that I like and might want to stick with for at least a little while. I want to determine:

1. Which one fits my lifestyle and meal preferences the best?
The reason I want to try so many is because as much as I love reading reviews, I also like to be able to form my own opinions. Just because something worked great for someone else doesn't mean I will have the same experience.

As you will soon learn, my cooking desire and ability and picky tastes can make meal times somewhat difficult so finding the fit for my life will be essential in continuing using any of these. If the recipes take too long, are too complicated, or include foods I just won't eat, it doesn't make sense to pay for something I won't use no matter how convenient the service is.

2. Are they cheaper than grocery shopping?
More often than not, the first comment I read on every Facebook Ad i've seen for these boxes has to do with it being cheaper if you buy it yourself at the grocery store. In some cases, i'm sure that is true. I have never been one to price out my groceries per meal/serving but I will do my best to compare pricing so I can better answer this question. I expect that these services are slightly more expensive than purchasing the ingredients yourself because you are really paying for the convenience of the service and not just the food.

3. Are they worth it?
I think this is what everyone is wondering and for some it goes along with the price being cheaper than the grocery store. For me, deciding if it is worth it will be about the value for the price instead of just the price. As long as I like it and believe it is a good value, I am willing to pay a little more for the added convenience of not having to go to the grocery store.

The Chosen Meal Delivery Services and Review Process

I have picked a handful to try which I believe are also the more popular meal delivery services. Popularity was one of the reasons I picked them but the real determining factor was the promotional codes offered. All of the ones I signed up for offered about 50% (or more) off on the first box making it affordable enough to give it a try without losing too much if I hate it.

I will be trying:
Hello Fresh
Blue Apron
Home Chef
Green Chef

For each of these I have chosen to receive 3 meals per week for 2 people which is the smallest option available. As I try all of these I am going to share my experience and thoughts of the presentation/packaging, freshness, food choice, cook/prep time, taste, and clean up.


Stay tuned for my journey into actually cooking and (hopefully) eating better.

Hello again and welcome (back) to Life In Pink. To any of my loyal followers (hi, mom), you will know that this is not my first or even second attempt at blogging. I started this blog in the spring of 2015, just before graduating from college. The timing was not great. Just as it always does, life got busy. Between finishing up my last semester, finals, and actually graduating, my head just wasn't in it.

Looking back, that summer after college would have been the PERFECT time to keep blogging. I spent the first few months (intentionally) working only 4 days a week (not so intentionally) at the same job I had held since 2012. I had all the time I could have asked for and treated myself to a much needed break from the packed schedule that I had grown accustomed to over the years prior.

Fast forward to November of that same year and I gave blogging my second attempt. This time, on a different domain that I thought fit my current lifestyle better. I used Mainely Preppy for a few months before life got in the way, yet again.

I'm not one for excuses so i recognize that both of my prior failed attempts were my own fault. Just like with anything else, good things take time and success doesn't (usually) happen overnight. When it comes down to it, I chose to spend my time doing other things. I worked, a lot. I shopped, a lot more than I should have. I quit one job for another, and then did it again 7 months later. I ate take-out way too frequently. I bought a car. I hung out with friends. I traveled a little and spent a lot of time trying to figure out what adult activity I should be doing next.

So, it's July of 2017 -two years after I graduated from college- and here we are. I still work, but not as much. I still shop, a lot more than I should. I still eat take-out way too frequently and although i'm getting the hang of it, i'm still not loving this whole "adulting" thing.

Why Blogging?
First and foremost, I'm not starting this blog for the followers or fame. I am not in it for the money or with the goal to eventually quit my job. I want to share my life, memories, and experiences to help inspire myself and others.

I have loved writing, taking pictures, and creating "pretty things" for as long as I can remember. As I got older, that passion led me through many english and writing classes, a few photography classes, managing social media and PR for my sorority in college, two marketing internships, a duel-degree in Marketing and Mass Communication and into a career in Marketing.

Initially, I wanted to start this blog to build my creative skills so that I would be a better candidate for getting a job after graduation. Knowing your way around HTML and Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator can be a HUGE ADVANTAGE and as i've learned, getting a job in your field after graduation is no small feat. Even though I now work in marketing and build upon these skills everyday, my primary goal remains the same and this is another outlet for me to further develop and explore my creativity.

Why Now?
I know that the internet is overly saturated with bloggers, vloggers, influencers, etc and it has only become more so since 2015, which i'm sure leaves many people thinking "ugh, not another blogger." So, why now? Well, if I have learned anything in the last two years it is that the best time is now and adding something to a "to-do" list only gets you so far. Something will always come up and life will get in the way. Eventually, time runs out.

I used to think that in order to succeed with blogging I had to have tons of extra time to devote to it. While blogging does require time, I have since decided that I should treat it like anything else in my life that I want to try and MAKE TIME for it. There are many great bloggers who work full-time, adult jobs and still have time to post thoughtfully created content, why can't I?


So,  if you made it this far, welcome back to my third attempt at blogging (3rd times the charm, am I right?) and thanks for reading. Stay tuned for more life, style, and travel and get to know Life in Pink.