My Thoughts on HELLOFRESH: Meal Kits Delivered to Your Doorstep

Who hasn’t dreamed of never having to go grocery shopping again? While this seemed impossible a few years ago, we can now rely on meal kit delivery services to take care of it. Unlike ready-made meals, you receive the ingredients and recipes at home, allowing you to enjoy the pleasure of cooking!

This is particularly what HelloFresh offers, one of the leaders in the field. But is this type of service really as good as people say? I had the chance to try out this box myself, and I'd like to share my thoughts on it with you.

HelloFresh, in a nutshell

Hellofresh review

💰 From NZ$3.63 per plate
✅ No obligations whatsoever!

👍 I absolutely loved it

  • The quality of ingredients,
  • Transparency about food origins,
  • The suggested recipes,
  • The various types of diets catered for: vegetarian, flexitarian, low-calorie, fish and vegetables...
  • Fast delivery and careful packaging,
  • The fact that we no longer waste food.

Things I Liked Less

  • The site's usability: it's hard to find certain information before placing an order!
  • Preparation and cooking times are slightly underestimated,
  • The delivery doesn't always arrive within the expected half-day timeframe.

How does HelloFresh work?

Crowned meal kit of the year, HelloFresh offers you the convenience of receiving a meal kit directly at your doorstep that includes recipes and all the ingredients you need to cook them. There is no commitment and the subscription is flexible: you can order only for the weeks you need, with options for up to 5 meals catering for 2 to 6 people.

HelloFresh meal kit

When you order from Hellofresh, you have a wide range of recipes to choose from. The selection from which you can pick your favourites changes every week, introducing you to new flavours each time. The inspirations are diverse, featuring traditional French cuisine, as well as Italian, Asian, and Tex-Mex recipes.

Once you've selected your meals on the website or app, you'll receive the ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes quite quickly, packed securely in a well-sealed box. The meats and fish are vacuum-packed, and the fruits and vegetables are well protected to arrive at your home in perfect condition.

Now it's your turn! Get into the kitchen to whip up the recipe that tempts you. The ingredients are pre-measured based on the number of servings you've selected.

Hellofresh offers a complete meal kit service that is easy to use, making your everyday life simpler by allowing you to cook delicious meals without even needing to do the grocery shopping!

Hellofresh France

Where Do HelloFresh Products Come From?

HelloFresh places a strong emphasis on the quality and origin of the ingredients included in their boxes. The company is committed to supporting a local economy and ensuring fair compensation for producers. On each package, you will find the location where the ingredient was produced.

Unless there are supply issues, the brand is committed to providing its customers with meats 100% sourced from France, as well as cheeses and dairy products that are also sourced locally.

Fruits and vegetables are also found in France, and the breads are made using artisan methods, respecting traditional craftsmanship.

HelloFresh makes every effort to source from certified producers:

HelloFresh Labels

🐑 Finally, the brand advocates for animal welfare and thoroughly checks the living conditions of the animals at the farms it sources from. If you don’t eat meat, it offers a range of delicious vegetarian meals.

Who are HelloFresh meal kits for?

The Hellofresh meal box offers servings for 2 to 6 people, with a maximum of 5 meals per week. It's very handy for families or couples, especially for those who may not have the time to go grocery shopping or plan meals.

As this is a cooking box and not a ready-made meal kit, it's ideal for people who:

  • want to know what goes into their meals,
  • would love to learn how to cook, but don’t know where to start,
  • are keen to try new flavours to spice up their everyday meals!

Hellofresh caters to a range of dietary preferences by allowing customers to select and combine options that align with their dietary needs, such as:

  • Classic,
  • Family-friendly,
  • Vegetarian,
  • Quick,
  • Calorie Smart,
  • Fish and vegetables,
  • Flexitarian.

HelloFresh, how much does it cost?

Hellofresh offers you quality meals starting from $3.63 per portion. The price decreases based on the number of meals ordered and the portions you choose. This way, you can adjust according to your budget.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For example, for a family of 4 that has 4 meals a week, the proposed price is $74.

🤑 For your first three boxes ordered, HelloFresh is offering a very attractive welcome offer that allows you to try the concept without breaking the bank:

HelloFresh promotion

👉 With this offer, you can get up to $80 off!

What Does a HelloFresh Box Look Like? Watch the Video to Find Out!

Are you keen to order HelloFresh but would prefer to see what arrives in your delivery first? In this video, you'll find out:

📦 How the different ingredients are packaged,
🍏 The quality of the delivered products,
👨‍🍳 How to cook a HelloFresh meal,
🥘 And here’s the result on your plate!

How to Gift a HelloFresh Subscription?

Are you keen to share the HelloFresh service with someone you know? Currently, the French site does not yet offer gift cards. However, if you have the details of the person you'd like to treat, you can certainly surprise them by placing an order on their behalf. Just make sure you're familiar with their preferences, as you'll be selecting the meals for them.

👉 Another tip is to simply give them a bit of cash in an envelope, stating that it's an advance to treat themselves to meals from HelloFresh! 😉

➡️ Who should you gift HelloFresh meal boxes to?

It's an excellent gift idea for someone who:

  • Wants to eat healthily but doesn't know where to start (someone on a diet or with health concerns),
  • Would like to learn how to cook (young people, students...)
  • Is very busy (young parents, someone in training...)

It's a shame that HelloFresh doesn't offer gift vouchers yet, as it would be a fantastic gift idea to introduce someone to new flavours.

What do those who have tried it think? Discover customer reviews on HelloFresh!

Checking customer reviews before purchasing a meal kit can be very useful to understand its strengths and weaknesses. To assist you, I’ve summarised the key trends found online regarding the HelloFresh brand.

On the Hellofresh website

On its homepage, HelloFresh showcases glowing reviews from customers who have ordered multiple boxes:

Hellofresh customer reviews👉 These provide some valuable information about the boxes, but it's clear that the brand isn't going to highlight negative reviews on their homepage. To access a broader range of opinions, it's best to head over to independent verified review sites, such as Trustpilot or Igraal.

About Trustpilot

Thanks to the verified reviews system, Trustpilot ensures that individuals who have left a review about HelloFresh have genuinely ordered and tried the service. The brand has nearly 5000 reviews at the time of writing this article, which reflects its credibility. The overall rating is 4.1 out of 5, which is positive and piques interest in learning more.

Hellofresh trustpilot

💚 Trustpilot customers loved it

  • The quality and freshness of the ingredients,
  • The highly effective customer service by phone,
  • The quality of the packaging, which is recyclable,
  • The ability to discover new recipes,
  • The delicious taste of the cooked recipes.

Positive Hellofresh Review

Example of a positive review from the Trustpilot site

They didn't enjoy it as much

  • Limited meat-free recipes,
  • The quality of tomatoes (especially out of season),
  • The pause system in the subscription, which requires planning week by week rather than all at once,
  • Deliveries can sometimes be a day late,
  • A maximum of 5 meals per week: competitors offer up to 9 meals!

Hellofresh customer negative review
Example of a mixed review from Trustpilot

About Igraal

👉 The Igraal site also allows you to collect reviews on HelloFresh meal kits. The rating is 4.5 out of 5, which aligns with what is provided on Trustpilot. Igraal also offers an interesting cashback incentive, with $3 credited to your account upon signing up and $4.50 refunded on your order.

HelloFresh Igraal

HelloFresh on Social Media

You can find the company at:

  • Instagram, featuring updates about your box, tips, and recipes from their meal kits,

Instagram Hellofresh

Customer feedback on Instagram

  • Facebook, with over 2 million followers and plenty of interesting posts.

💬 If you subscribe to Hellofresh, feel free to follow the brand on social media to connect with the community. You'll discover new tips and can share the results of your recipes!

Can we trust the Hellofresh brand or is it a scam?

Hellofresh is part of the international group of the same name, which has achieved significant success worldwide, with, in 2021:

🍴 over a billion meals delivered,

💲 6 billion euros in revenue,

👨‍💼 and more than 20,000 employees!

The group was established in 2011 by Dominik Richter and Thomas Griesel. It is based in Berlin, Germany. It is currently the largest meal kit provider in the United States. The kits are distributed in France, of course, but also in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and many countries across Europe.

HelloFresh CEO addressing directions The founders of HelloFresh

Hellofresh is definitely not on the brink of bankruptcy, as the quality of its service is evidenced by its success around the globe.

The brand places a strong emphasis on communication with its customers. It is active on social media, responds to online reviews, and offers a quality customer service that is available by phone and chat seven days a week!

It's easy to see why the brand was named Meal Box of the Year 2022, given its international success and commitment to customer service.

My verdict on Hellofresh

💛 There are times in life when finding the time to cook can be quite tricky. That’s been the case for me lately, with lots of changes happening in my personal and professional life. So, trying out this HelloFresh box came at the perfect time! I’m keen to rediscover the joy of cooking and take care of myself and my family by enjoying balanced meals.

💙 With each of my orders, I selected aset of balanced, family-friendly recipes, some of which were vegetarian, as I’m trying to make an effort in that area. The delivery always arrived on the expected day or the following day, and my products were fresh.

HelloFresh Dishes

💜 Although the dishes often took me a bit longer to prepare than what was indicated in the recipe, I still saved a lot of time by not having to do grocery shopping or figure out what to cook. HelloFresh allows me to enjoy 5 delicious meals each week while discovering new recipes. I think I could easily recreate some of these recipes later on, without ordering the box.

🧡 For my part, I believe I will continue to order the Hellofresh box from time to time, especially during busy periods (like the start of the school year, holiday season, etc.), to relieve some mental load while still enjoying delicious meals!

I've generally been very pleased with the quality of the service provided by Hellofresh. I recommend these meal kits to anyone who wants to cook but doesn’t have the time or the know-how. 😉

Hellofresh FAQ: I'm answering YOUR questions!

👉 In this final section, I will directly address the questions you have about the service provided by HelloFresh. If you can’t find the answer to your question, feel free to leave a comment at the end of this article! I’ll be more than happy to respond. 😊

How to Choose Your Meals on HelloFresh?

Every week, HelloFresh offers you a choice of 21 different recipes. You can select your meals individually from your "My Account" section by clicking on "My Deliveries" and choosing the meals that appeal to you the most.

However, the site also offers ready-made selections, based on specific criteria:

🔸 Quick and easy recipes to whip up,
🔸 Vegetarian, featuring recipes without meat or fish,
🔸 Family-style meals are often my go-to, featuring a variety of flavours that everyone in the family can enjoy...

👉 There are also other selections available, so feel free to choose what appeals to you the most and fits your dietary preferences.

Hellofresh menus

Examples of HelloFresh Menus

How to Get a Hellofresh Promo Code? 💲

Hellofresh often offers promo codes that provide significant discounts. The code HELLOPROMO80 gives you access to $80 off across your first three boxes.

How to save on HelloFresh? 🤑

To save a bit on your HelloFresh meal box purchases, you can:

  • Take advantage of the welcome discount offer of NZ$80 on your first three boxes with the code HELLOPROMO80,
  • Use a cashback service like Igraal, which credits your account NZ$3 upon registration and NZ$4.50 with each order, or Poulpeo, which refunds up to NZ$9,
  • Refer your friends and family by sharing your personal referral code (sent via email or available in your account) to earn NZ$30 on an order and give them a discount on their first three boxes.

Who delivers HelloFresh? 📦

Hellofresh delivery takes place in mainland France (except for Corsica and islands not connected by road to the mainland), and is provided by Chronopost. Hellofresh will send you an email the day before your delivery with the delivery time, as well as an email on the day itself with real-time tracking information. You will also receive two text messages at the same times.

HelloFresh Delivery

How to get in touch with HelloFresh? 💬

HelloFresh offers you several ways to get in touch:

  • By phone, call 📞0800 22 06 21 (local call rates apply), *
  • By post, send to the following address:
    HelloFresh New Zealand
    14 Beffroy Street
    92200 NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE
  • Through the virtual assistant on the website.

Where is HelloFresh located? 🌍

In France, HelloFresh is based in Neuilly sur Seine. However, the company has a presence in many countries around the world: the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Scandinavia, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and of course, France!

How to pause HelloFresh? ⏯

You can pause your subscription up to 12 weeks in advance directly on the website. To do this, simply log in, then go to the "My Deliveries" section and click on the calendar located to the right of the "Menu from ... to ... " indicator.

Next, simply choose the date when you don't want your delivery, and then click on "Skip a week". The date will turn red, and you won't receive your delivery! You can reactivate the week if needed.

👉 Changes are generally possible up to a week before the delivery date. The exact deadline is shown on your calendar.

HelloFresh recipes

How to cancel HelloFresh and unsubscribe? 🛑

Because HelloFresh has no commitment, you can unsubscribe at any time. To do this, simply head over to your account and then:

  • Click on "Settings" in the top right menu,
  • Then go to the "Subscription Settings" tab,
  • Next, in the "Status" section at the bottom of the page, you will see "Deactivate my subscription",
  • Once you click on this link, it’s quite straightforward as the site will guide you through the process.

👉 Once you’ve unsubscribed, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Please note that it’s essential to unsubscribe at least a week in advance to avoid receiving your next box.

I hope this article has answered your questions about the Hellofresh offer and helped you learn more about it. I'm looking forward to reading your comments on what you think or any questions you may have! 😉