Hello Fresh Review and Coupon – October 27 2015

This week’s Hello Fresh had us using some cooking methods both old and new.  Hello Fresh is a meal kit subscription box where you’ll get the recipes and ingredients to make 3 meals for two (or 4) every week.  Hello Fresh is a subscription, but you can pause your deliveries and choose alternate meals (at least for the Classic box). There’s also a vegetarian box available. This is a solid meal subscription box with easy and accessible recipes.  Take $40 off your first box with coupon code 7UT7K8. 

Hello Fresh recently redesigned their menu cards, and the instructions are super easy to follow.  It has nice illustrations, is clearly written, and even lets you know nutrition info, prep time, and which recipes are best to make first to optimize freshness of perishables.  Hello Fresh sends all the sauces, bouillon and such in individual serving packets or in off-the-shelf brand name packaging; although it means a little more packaging, they survive shipping better than the plastic cups used by Plated.  The outer packaging has gone through yet another modification, shedding the thick insulation in favor a a simple brown paper covered corrugated cardboard lining.  We’ll snap a pic in our next review, if this configuration sticks around.

Spiced Turkey Meatballs with Parsnip Mash and Roasted Carrots. 635 cal, 40 min, level 1.

I was prepared to be unimpressed by this dish — the meatballs were so soft that I expected them to fall apart during cooking.  They held together well, and the dish was very tasty.  The pan sauce really delivered, adding a great demi-glace type layer of flavor.

Northern Thai-Style Galaam Oop with Beef, Simmered Cabbage, and Turmeric. 576 cal, 30 min, level 1.

This was my first attempt at oop cooking — it was quite delicious.  Oop is a Thai slow-cooking method that is great at melding flavors.  The turmeric, cayenne, and cilantro created a great mural of flavor for the super soft cabbage and tender beef.

Saffron-Poached Basa with Basmati Rice, Caramelized Onion, and Sweet Bell Pepper. 711 cal, 45 min, level 1.

The poaching made for a very tender and flaky bass, infused with the rich flavor of saffron.  My favorite part of this dish was the broth.  It was so rich and flavorful — I saved it and had it as a soup the next day.

Here are the selections for next week! Meal choices end Wednesdays at midnight.  Also, Hello Fresh seems to have revamped their interface a bit – it’s cleaner and easier to access the upcoming recipes!

You can click on each dish and get the recipe information, including calories, ingredients, and difficulty levels.  We like having this info available beforehand, as it allows us to avoid meals that we think are too involved or require to much time for our schedule that week.  Although the names of the dishes are fairly lengthy and descriptive, it is also nice to have the ingredient list to get a fuller picture of the dish.

Visit Hello Fresh to select your box for next week!  Take $40 off your first box with coupon code 7UT7K8.