How HelloFresh Reminds Me of Dating in NYC

We all like options, and when I lived in NYC, I had tons of dating options on every corner. I've always loved a guy in a nice suit, and since my Saks Fifth Avenue office was basically in the center of investment banker heaven, my head was on a swivel stick, constantly spinning around to check out the sharply-dressed bankers in their Armani and Zegna suits.

Before online dating and apps, we actually had to speak to one another (oh, the horrors!) and the only real way to meet someone your type was to strategically plan happy hours and weekend outings based on who you'd like to meet. Want a banker? Go hang out at a midtown steakhouse. An up-and-coming musician? Go to a dive bar on the Lower East Side. A preppy trust funder? Hit Dorrian's or JG Melon's on the Upper East Side. A well-to-do older man? Sip on a martini at Bemelman's at The Carlyle. Want to chat with your girlfriends and avoid single men? Duh, a wine bar! Single men do not hang out at wine bars.

So, you're probably like "how in the world is this related to HelloFresh?" Well, food is a universal (love) language, we all have our preferences, and we connect through our eating experiences. In my opinion, having too many options can be a good and bad thing. Why would you commit to one person or type of food when you can sample everything that's out there?

In my case, having too many options in NYC didn't work out in my favor...

So Many Options

If you're single, you can absolutely use food as the new dating app. Not necessarily from a HelloFresh perspective, but via shared experiences, common interests and tastes. The thing is, HelloFresh absolutely has the most options from a weekly meal kit perspective. With over 40 meals and additions every week, you can take a quick culinary trip around the world and find something you love from the comfort of your own home.

So, let's say you met someone at a steakhouse... you both may love a juicy filet mignon, a huge plate of hashbrowns, and a great glass of pinot noir. Well, after you've been through the first few dates, you can recreate that dining experience at home with HelloFresh. Well, I guess you both need to jointly agree to swipe right on the dish though.

Unlike dating in NYC in the early 2000s, with HelloFresh you can customize your meals to fit into whatever dietary preferences you may have. I guess it's kind of like out swapping height for a full head of hair, or a chain-smoker for a triathlete. Haha!

About HelloFresh

So, what's HelloFresh?  It's one of the most popular meal kit delivery services and subscriptions that helps you save time and money! Not sure what to cook during the winter and don't feel like venturing out into the cold? They've got you covered! Whether you're feeding a family of 2 or 6, you'll get high-quality, pre-portioned and fresh ingredients, along with easy-to-follow recipes that you can choose week by week. It’s no wonder HelloFresh is consistently one of our readers’ favorite meal kits, coming it at #1 on our annual list of Best Meal Kit Delivery Subscriptions.

HelloFresh sources high-quality and totally fresh ingredients like produce (fruits & veggies), organic items, and meat, seafood and poultry from sustainable suppliers and delivers them right to your door. They offer vegetarian, pescatarian, and reduced-calorie menu plans, and you can customize your order, so if you're oddly picky like me (I don't eat pork, beef or fish) simply use the HelloCustom option to swap out sides or proteins.

When you sign up, choose your plan preference—Meats & Veggies, Veggies, Family Friendly, Fit & Wholesome (around 700 calories per serving), Quick & Easy, and Pescatarian—the number of people you'll be serving (2-4), and the number of recipes you'd like to receive per week. Then, confirm your plan and scroll through the meal choices—each week you'll get to choose from over 30 different recipes.

Swipe Right on HelloFresh

Everyone enjoys a hearty, home cooked meal, and between skyrocketing interest rates, high inflation, and an increase in crime across the country, sometimes I just don't think it's in my best interest to venture out to a restaurant at night. And as much as I love farm-to-table restaurants, there are times I feel like box-to-table is sufficient!

I love pot pies so much, but even if I buy it pre-made from Costco, it's like $30! And forget about trying to make one from scratch... it takes forever, and I screwed it up last time, so I gave HelloFresh's version a try. This rich and flaky dish features a creamy filling of ground turkey, fresh thyme, and sautéed veggies, and melted butter, and then it's topped with a perfectly golden-brown crust for a comforting dinner that’s easy as pie!

Thai is my go-to and if I can't make it to Baan Siam, I'll try to recreate the experience at home. This re-imagined coconut curry soup features pan-seared chicken with cabbage and carrots, toasted curry powder, scallions, lime, and coconut milk served in one big pot. The result is a light, satisfying meal with slow-cooked flavor in just 15 minutes! Add as much sweet chili sauce as you like to bring the heat and enjoy this fragrant coconut curry soup.

Crispy chicken is always a recipe for date night success. Add melty cheddar and bold spices to the mix, and you’ve got a winner. Once baked, the crust turns golden brown while the meat stays juicy and tender. The crunchy cutlets are served alongside tender roasted asparagus and cheesy, bacon-and-chive-studded mashed potatoes.

Remember, if you follow strict diets like Paleo or Keto, you're vegan, gluten-free or allergen-free, HelloFresh does offer some options, but if you're all or nothing with these diets, you may have better luck with a meal delivery service that caters to these dietary needs.

Verdict

So, by now you know that meal delivery kits can help you snag an adorable bunny or a well-dressed man, and they can also cure you of a migraine, Achilles pain, a foggy brain and muscle strain. (Oh, hey Dr. Seuss!) Forget about doctors ... these kits basically deliver magic in a box!

In all seriousness, they're convenient and really take the guesswork out of what to cook and eat, but now that it's warmer out, I'm going to take my own advice and get back out there in the real world. Being stuck at home is so 2020. And the dating tips I listed above absolutely apply. So, get off those apps—I've heard they're full of married people pretending to be single—and explore all the new restaurants and bars that have opened up around you in the past two years!

And then resubscribe to HelloFresh when you have a few busy weeks at work, the weather sucks or you're just sick of aimlessly and hungrily wandering the aisles of Wegman's. Last week I picked up a family-sized bag of tortilla chips, red velvet cake, cheesecake and $18 worth of crap food from the buffet. Like, why?