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Hello Fresh Subscription Box Review + Coupon – December 2017

Hello Fresh November 2017_

HelloFresh
3.9 overall rating
44 Ratings | 29 Reviews

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

Hello Fresh lets you choose from a Classic Plan (choose from 8 weekly meat and fish recipes), a Veggie Plan (get 3 weekly vegetarian recipes), or a Family Plan (meat, fish, and veggie recipes perfect for two adults and two children). I like to eat a vegetarian diet, so I selected the Veggie Plan. Hello Fresh only offers 3 vegetarian dishes per week—where Classic Plan members can hop into their account and swap the recipes selected for them with other dishes on the menu, I've got to take what I get. I'm not a picky eater, so being subject to the luck of the draw has worked out okay for me so far. But I do wish there was just a little bit of wiggle room in the Veggie menu!

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

This review is of the Hello Fresh Veggie Plan, $9.99 per meal, per box. This box came to a total of $59.94.

Hello Fresh December - all bags

About Hello Fresh

The Subscription Box: Hello Fresh

The Cost: The Classic Food Box (for omnivores) starts at $9.99 per person per meal. The Veggie Box (for herbivores) starts at $9.99 per person per meal. The Family Box (for families) costs $8.74 per person per meal. Hello Fresh announced they will soon offer two plans: Unlimited Meal Choice ($11.50 a meal) or Basic Plan ($9.99 per meal). Learn more here!

ACTIVE DEAL: 16 Free Meals (Offer is for new subscriptions only across 9 boxes and varies by plan) + First Box Ships Free + 3 Surprise Gifts
CODE: MSA16HF

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

Ships to: The contiguous U.S.

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

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

Hello Fresh Vegetarian December 2017 Review

I've been enjoying a couple meal kit delivery subscription boxes lately to add some ease to my weekly lunch and dinner prep. So far, my experience with Hello Fresh has been pretty great. Their meals are simple to prepare, full of fresh ingredients, and they're each divided into handy paper bags. Most of my vegetarian meals have been both filling and delicious. 

Hello Fresh December - nutritional info

I also love that healthy options are the main focus, and you're able to easily access the nutritional information of each meal with an included info card. 

Hello Fresh December - all bags close up

Each meal is divided into its own paper bag allowing for ease in ensuring that you have everything you need in one place. I like that many fresh ingredients are loose in each bag, eliminating the need for excess packaging. Less waste, a smaller overall box, and more convenience.

 Hello Fresh November 2017_

Boxes are insulated and lined with ice packs.

Onto the first recipe!

Hello Fresh December - mac and cheese

Spiced Cauliflower Mac 'N' Cheese

Calories per Serving: 750

Total Time, According to Hello Fresh: 40 minutes

Actual Time It Took: 40 minutes

Hello Fresh December - mac and cheese recipe Hello Fresh December - recipe 1 Hello Fresh December - all ingredients

At 750 calories per serving, this is one of the more decadent veggie meals I've received from Hello Fresh. Still, there's no heavy cream in the mac 'n' cheese recipe, only milk. And the addition of cauliflower makes it a bit more health conscious (if you want to call it that). 

Hello Fresh December - chopped veggies

While the cauliflower went on a sheet in the oven to roast, I chopped my onion and scallion. I like that Hello Fresh notes to separate scallion greens from whites. I've followed recipes from other boxes that don't mention this step in the chopping phase, and then you have to divide them later on. Annoying! 

Hello Fresh December - pasta

Gemelli is probably my favorite type of pasta. Happy to see it here!

Hello Fresh December - sauteed onions

The onions and scallion whites are softened in butter and then Turkish spice and flour were added.

Hello Fresh December - cream added

I then added milk, stock concentrate, cheese, and salt and pepper to finish the sauce.

Hello Fresh December -

The final result was SO tasty! I just incorporated the roasted cauliflower and threw together the quick mixed green side salad. The cauliflower added a nice heartiness to the dish which I really loved.

Hello Fresh December - seitan bowl

Seitan and Black Bean Chili

Calories per Serving: 730

Total Time, According to Hello Fresh: 35 minutes

Actual Time It Took: 35 minutes

Hello Fresh December - seitan and black bean bowl recipe Hello Fresh December - recipe 3 Hello Fresh December - all ingredients

These simple rice bowl-style dishes are so nice for cozy up with on cold days.

Hello Fresh December - chopped veggies

I always <3 a nice and colorful veggie variety.

Hello Fresh December - sauteed veggies

This is one of those convenient one-pan recipes (aside from the rice) where everything is gradually added.

Hello Fresh December - rice

I prepped my rice while the peppers, onions, and scallion whites cooked down in olive oil.

Hello Fresh December - mixed veggies and seitan

Garlic, tomato, and seitan (crumble as you go) were added along with black beans, stock concentrate, water, and seasoning to finish. The resulting mixture isn't exactly what I'd call a chili - it's a bit looser than that, but still super tasty.

Hello Fresh December - seitan bowl

The rice adds some bulk to this dish, making it super filling and a bit more cohesive. Plus: cheese. Cheese is always a plus!

Hello Fresh December - bi bim bop

Brown Rice Bibimbap

Calories per Serving: 510

Total Time, According to Hello Fresh: 35 minutes

Actual Time It Took: 35 minutes

Hello Fresh December - bi bim bop recipe Hello Fresh December - recipe 2Hello Fresh December - all ingredients

I saved this dish for last, and my carrot was a bit sad by the time I got to it. My bad. :/

Hello Fresh December - chopped veggies

I first chopped all veggies according to directions. Because I don't have a vegetable peeler (really gotta get one of those...), I cut the carrots and zucchini into ribbons as thin as possible.

Hello Fresh December - pickled topping

The scallions are quick-pickled in vinegar and a soy sauce mixture is prepared. Different from the previous meal, you'll dirty a lot of extra bowls in the prep of this dish.

Hello Fresh December - carrots

The carrots and zucchini are sort of flash-cooked in a pan with oil (is that the technical term?).

Hello Fresh December - broccoli

Meanwhile, broccoli is to be steamed in the microwave with a bit of water. This microwave use sort of threw me off, but I didn't feel like getting out my veggie steamer and bowling water resulting in even MORE dirty dishes.

Hello Fresh December - soy sauce

Once all veggies are cooked in the pan, you'll use the same pan to thicken up your soy sauce mixture. I think I let mine go for a little too long because it did start to dissolve a bit.

Hello Fresh December - bibimbop

Once you arrange your bowl with all the separate components, it's so beautiful. And tasty! I only wish that I had more of the soy sauce mixture (so I added extra soy sauce that I had in my fridge on top).

Verdict: I'm continuing to really love my Hello Fresh meals! This menu was a nice mix of Asian-inspired, Mexican-inspired, and good ol' comfort food: a really perfect assortment to explore while temperatures plummet and I refuse to leave the house for restaurant meals. 

The meals in Hello Fresh's veggie plan only cost $9.99 per serving. That pricing seems to be on par with other meal subscription boxes (Blue Apron at $9.99 per serving, Home Chef at $9.95 per serving, and Plated at $12 per serving). 

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Since Hello Fresh menus change weekly and you must choose them ahead of time, you won’t be able to order these dishes unless they are offered again in the future.

Coupon – Save $30 off your first box - no coupon code necessary, just click this link!

Value Breakdown: At $59.94 for this box, you’re paying $9.99 per meal.

Do you subscribe to Hello Fresh? What's been your favorite meal so far?

Starting at $56.95
Active Deal
16 Free Meals (Offer is for new subscriptions only across 9 boxes and varies by plan) + First Box Ships Free + 3 Surprise Gifts
Use Coupon Code MSA16HF
Subscribe Now

HelloFresh is a popular meal kit delivery service and subscription that takes the guesswork out of planning and prepping home-cooked meals. Feed your family or just yourself with quality pre-portioned and fresh ingredients, and easy-to-follow recipes that you can choose week by week. No grocery s... read more.

Jess Cole Payne
Jess Cole Payne
Jess's love for subscription boxes began with a makeup and skincare fixation. She's looking forward to broadening her horizons in discovering new products within the lifestyle and food world of subscription boxes.

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2 comments

grace

that piece of ginger gave me the giggles.

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Alex

Everything looks delicious but I could eat that mac n cheese off my screen!

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