We review 2 delicious, fun and fresh meal kit delivery services: Hello Fresh vs. Home Chef. And the winner is...

You can make this.  Really.  It's not that hard.

    Have you been wanting to try the fresh ingredient meal kit delivery boxes, but needed assurance it is actually worth it?  Well, we tried it and have all the details on how it works here:  

Get Started:

     Go online to one of the various meal kit sites such as Hello Fresh or Home Chef.  Create an account and choose how many people you want to feed each week.  I choose 2 people x 3 meals for the week.  The site then auto chooses 3 meals based on your preferences for that week with the option to swap any of the auto-choices out with other selections they have for that week, usually around 7 or 8 other meals, so not to be overwhelming.

What you get:

        

    Fast forward a few days later and a cardboard box shows up on your front porch (via FedEx with shipment tracking).  In it are the various raw food items (some on ice in the bottom compartment as needed) and recipe cards to create your meal creation using your own stove top, oven and various mixing bowls.  Home Chef give a great overview of how it all works here: link.

The Test:  Hello Fresh vs Home Chef

First up, Hello Fresh:

One of the many Hello Fresh meals we tried that stood out was the Smoky Crusted Chicken with Hot Honey, BBQ roasted potatoes and buttery broccoli.  I have always loved breaded / crusted chicken and pork dishes and this one this one took it to the next level with the addition of the hot honey.  I actually found the Mike's Hot Honey at the grocery soon after and picked up a bottle to have around the house.

The prep time to cut and season the potatoes, mix the panko breading in a bowl and get everything ready for the oven was around 10 minutes.  Cook time was another 30 minutes.  Take a look at what they say it will look like and the actually finished product below.  It tasted great.

Step by step instruction on the back of the card.

Next, Home Chef:

The tortilla-crusted pork chops with squash and lime crema also tasted great.  Have you ever found yourself skipping the veggie sides at a restaurant?  For some reason, after prepping the veggies myself and adding the delicious crema sauce to it, I have a whole new appreciation for veggie sides.  Now, I look forward to them thanks to Home Chef.  

Overall, I found the prep and instructions very similar to Hello Fresh.  You are going to dirty a few dishes, baking sheets and bowls, but that is really what this is all about.  It is about taking the time to create a fresh healthy meal at home with the convenience of having the meal-in-a-box company find the recipe, source the ingredients and get it all to your front door so you can get straight to the food prep and eat without leaving your home.  Again, another great meal prepped, cooked and eaten in under an hour.

Price:  Hello Fresh touts a $7.49 a meal price point while Home Chef lists $6.99 a meal as the starting price.  However, I have found both offer intro prices that can cut that price significantly for a trial period.  For example Hello Fresh is offering $40 off your trial through this link:  $40 off Hello Fresh trial.

Conclusion:

           

     Both Hello Fresh and Home Chef worked as advertised.  I was able to easily navigate the site and skip upcoming weeks as needed or cancel the service at anytime without having to call.  The vegetables and other ingredients were fresh, the meats were properly iced down (but not frozen), the instructions were clear and the preparation of the food can be a great family activity.  I would recommend giving both a try, starting with the better discount offer here:  link.