Hello Fresh Subscription Box Review + Coupon – March 2016

Hello Fresh is a weekly meal delivery subscription that sends healthy recipes and the pre-measured ingredients you need to make them at home. 

Check out all of our reviews of Meal Delivery Services to see every meal kit subscription box option!

It’s easy to skip deliveries using the Hello Fresh website, and you can skip as many weeks as you like.

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

The Subscription Box: Hello Fresh

The Cost: The Classic Food Box (for omnivores) starts at $9.90 per person per meal. The Veggie Box (for herbivores) starts at $9.08 per person per meal. The Family Box (for families) costs $8.75 per person per meal.

ACTIVE DEAL: Limited Time Only! Free High Protein Item for Life + Up to 10 Free Meals One per box with active subscription. Free meals applied as discount on first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan. No coupon needed - just use this link.

The Products: Healthy recipes and pre-portioned fresh ingredients.

Ships to: The contiguous US.

Check out all our Hello Fresh reviews and the Food Subscription Box Directory for more meal boxes!

This is my first Hello Fresh box since October, so they included a “Hello & Welcome” booklet.

The booklet provided information about some of Hello Fresh’s partner farms and suppliers.

I also received an envelope filled with “curated offers.”

Hello Fresh also included a card to announce their recent partnership with celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver! I think this is really exciting! Each week, Hello Fresh will feature one of Jamie Oliver’s recipes. Also, for every box purchased, Hello Fresh will make a donation to Jamie Oliver's Food Foundation.

Mushroom and Spinach Flatbread

Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Calories per Serving: 720

In each box, Hello Fresh includes a booklet that spotlights seasonal ingredients and includes your recipes for the week.

Each two-sided recipe includes an ingredient list, nutritional information, and step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients for each recipe come packed in their own box.

I really like the packaging, but it takes up a lot of space! I had difficulty finding room in my fridge for all of the boxes.

The first recipe I made from this box was Mushroom and Spinach Flatbread, and I began by prepping my ingredients.

I rolled out the flatbread dough using a rolling pin and par-baked it at 450 degrees for about 8 minutes.

While it baked, I prepared the veggies.

I sautéed mushrooms, onions, garlic, and spinach with salt and pepper.

After the flatbread came out of the oven, I layered mozzarella, the sautéed veggie mix, and parmesan cheese on top. I then returned the flatbread to the oven until the cheese started to bubble.

I love all types of pizza and flatbread, so I was VERY excited for this dish. Unfortunately, though, I found it to be disappointing. The liquid from the veggies made the crust a little soggy (even though I tried to limit any excess liquid that I added and made sure the oven was very hot) and the flavors were too bland for my liking. I actually ended up adding a little sriracha to the top of my flatbread, just to punch up the flavor.

Jamie’s Roasted Chicken with Lemony Bombay Potatoes

Cooking Time: 55 minutes

Calories per Serving: 418

The following day, I made Jamie Oliver’s Roasted Chicken with Lemony Bombay Potatoes.

I began by prepping the veggies, inventorying the ingredients, and par-boiling the potatoes.

I tossed together olive oil, cumin, turmeric, lemon zest, cilantro, bell pepper, lemon juice, and ginger in a large bowl. I then added the potatoes and the chicken. I seasoned the mix and then arranged everything in a baking dish. I transferred it to my 400 degree oven and baked it for about 30 minutes.

I really wanted to like this dish, but there was something about it that just didn’t wow me. The flavors were okay (I liked the addition of lemon zest and ginger), but I just didn’t find it that exciting. I suppose I feel like this is the kind of dish I could easily throw together myself.

Chimichurri Steak

Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Calories per Serving: 624

I ended my week of Hello Fresh meals with Chimichurri Steak.

I collected the ingredients for the dish and prepared the veggies.

To begin, I roasted a red pepper with some grape tomatoes.

I then made the chimichurri sauce by combining parsley, shallot, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, chili flakes, and salt and pepper. Even though I didn’t use all of the shallot and garlic, my chimichuri still looked a little different than the photo. I considered adding some extra parsley, but I liked the way it tasted, so I left it alone.

I seared the steak in a pan on the stovetop, and then transferred it to a cutting board. While I let it rest, I soaked couscous in a combination of boiling water, salt, and cumin until it was cooked and then added the veggies and some butter.

When the couscous was ready, I sliced the steak, placed it on top, and finished the dish with chimichuri.

This dish was a big hit! Both my husband and I thought the chimichurri elevated this dish into something really special (and yummy)! The portion size was very generous, too.

The Verdict: I have mixed feelings about this Hello Fresh box. On the plus side, the recipes were simple and easy to follow, the box was packed very carefully, and I like how the ingredients for each recipe came packed in a different box. (I also love that Hello Fresh has paired up with Jamie Oliver!) For me, though, the dishes were just okay. My husband and I both really enjoyed the steak dish, but I found the chicken a little lackluster and the flatbread to be downright bland. I also wish that Hello Fresh offered a bit more variety. With only 5 meals to choose from each week, I sometimes struggle to find 3 dishes that really excite me. To be fair, I’m still new to Hello Fresh, so I look forward to trying another box soon. It’s entirely possible that I just got a little unlucky with my meals this week.

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