It’s a universally acknowledged fact that cooking dinner every-single-night kind of drags, right? Well, stop the press but evening meals need not be a pain.
They can actually be simple, delicious and enjoyable. SAY WHAT? I never thought I’d use those words either. But, I just did.
Armed with two mini food critics (and very painfully fussy eaters, we put HelloFresh through its paces to see exactly how much simpler they’d make weeknight dinners and even we were surprised with the findings!
Firstly, if you don’t know about HelloFresh here’s the skinny.
Each week they deliver seasonal ingredients directly to your door, with recipes telling you how to prepare and cook them. Often in under half an hour! There’s no wastage and it takes the planning, shopping, organisation (you know that ‘what am I cooking for tea kind of headache) out of thinking about mealtimes.
What we loved first was the two real problems it solves for busy mums:
- Firstly what to put on the table each night for the family to eat outside of your regular family favourites
- It opens you up to cooking NEW recipes … SIMPLE ones that even the most basic of cooks can get right.
And before you even think it, they have family boxes specifically planned with kids in mind so you don’t have to cook two dinners!
Looking for Dinner Inspiration? No Idea What to Cook? Let’s Try Something New!
Feel like you’re in a cooking rut? Yep! You’re not alone. The average woman cooks only 7 meals on rotation so if there’s moaning about spaghetti bolognaise agaaaaaain, your family is suffering meal fatigue. Just like mine.
A box of HelloFresh is an ideal way to add something new to the menu and encourage everyone to try new flavours, new styles and bring a whole new level of excitement into the kitchen again. I know, excitement. It sure got me!
From the Sticky Pork Meatballs and Chermoula Chicken, my whole family was delighted to have something different to the norm.
Say Yes to Real Food: You’re Cooking with Fresh Ingredients
Forget the stereotypes of meal services. There’s no aeroplane-like food or frozen, microwave dinners. This is real food. Nothing tastes better than fresh, seasonal produce and the nutritional benefits are hands down far better than take away!
The fruit and vegetables were really high quality, packed beautifully in their own separate groups and even the herbs had their own fridge ready bags, ensuring that they remained as fresh as possible until you were ready to cook with them.
Trying HelloFresh changed all my preconceived notions about having food delivered. From the moment I was chopping fragrant coriander to prepping plump chicken thighs and crisping bake-at-home rolls, I appreciated just how enjoyable fresh ingredients are.
Enjoy Not Having to Think: Take the Headache Out of What to Cook Each Night
If it comes to the weekly grocery shop and your mind seems to go completely blank, you’re just like me. I’ve been known to throw all sorts of wacky things in the trolley, spend $300 and then get home and still wonder exactly what’s for dinner.
Can you relate?
If meal planning is your idea of pulling teeth, you’ll totally appreciate the ‘someone else doing the thinking for you’ factor. Whole meals delivered to your door takes the ‘OMG what’s for dinner?’ panics away.
Praise Convenience: It’s Super Easy
Aside from the ease of not having to meal plan, I loved that HelloFresh did all the hard work for me. Forget scouring a recipe book, writing a list, heading to the store, wrangling the fighting kids (or is this just mine?!), unpacking the car and filling the fridge.
HelloFresh is just click-click-order and then knock, knock, knock at your door. It’s that simple!
If you’re not home it doesn’t matter. HelloFresh boxes are packed to perfection and include products to keep your produce cool should you not be home to unpack immediately, meaning it sits safely at the doorstep for your return.
Each meal is individually bagged so I put the complete ingredients grouped into the fridge. Then when it comes to dinner, simply pull out the entire bag, grab the recipe card (which is really easy to follow) and in no time at all you’re done. It’s dinner sorted, portioned, organised and ready to cook! #winning
Even if you don’t enjoy cooking: The recipes are logical, easy to read and achievable
I won’t lie. Watching MasterChef is my idea of enjoyable cooking. If you’re like me and don’t delight in preparing food, don’t assume HelloFresh is not for you. One of the things I appreciated most about this experience was seeing just how well they understand families.
The food is friendly for kids of all ages and the recipes are obviously selected with families in mind. Sure, I want to serve healthy, scrumptious food that everyone enjoys, but do I have time for a 26-step recipe? Heck no. Cue the simple instructions (complete with step-by-step photos) that are perfect for beginners and experienced alike!
It’s so simple everyone can share the load: The whole family can join in with HelloFresh!
It’s not uncommon to hear mum friends complaining that family food responsibilities fall solely on their plate (see what I did there!?)
That’s why cooking dinner every-single-night becomes so tedious. The HelloFresh format is so simple and it’s ideal for getting everyone involved. The kids can help during meal prep with my crew following the pictures and enthusiastically assisting me by grating carrots, cutting herbs and making patties.
Heck, even partners who like to claim they ‘can’t boil water’ can share the load. What a great way to spread the obligations of family meals by making this process easier for everyone! (Although I will add, once you’re using HelloFresh, it’s actually quite fun and not seen as a chore at all!)
Take a bow: Your family will think you’re a kitchen diva!
Pass me my new domestic goddess tiara, will you? It’s amazing how everyone thought I was a total chef just based on a few new, delicious meals. More seriously, the whole family enjoyed trying new flavours.
It actually made sitting together and sharing a meal more of a positive (and delicious) experience. If food is the universal language of love, HelloFresh is your gourmet short-cut to bringing the family together for quality time. It worked for us and I’m sure it’ll do wonders for you too.
THE VERDICT: Do It … Give HelloFresh a go like we did!
If you’re feeling the grind of weekly dinners, need a little more inspiration and want to make dinner time something you look forward to and not dread, this is a great way to try something new.
There are so many reasons to get onboard but my personal favourite? Seeing the kids enthusiastic about meal time again. Oh, and no dinner-time whinging (from either of us) … how do you put a price on that!?
Does your family love to have their say at dinner time? HelloFresh is on the lookout for official Taste Testers to tell us what they really think!
Does this sound like you or the little food critics at your dinner table each night?
Enter now for your chance to win a FREE monthly family box for an entire year!
Yet to try HelloFresh? Sign up now and use the code MUMCENTRAL40 to receive 40% off your first HelloFresh box!
This is a sponsored post for HelloFresh
2 Comments
If only they delivered to Rural areas like Broken Hill
Oh I’ve been wanting to use this service