HelloFresh was among the first meal kit delivery services in the U.S., but its seniority doesn’t make it complacent or stagnant. In fact, the meal delivery service is continually innovating. Earlier this month, HelloFresh introduced a new menu featuring high-protein recipes every week. Each week, subscribers will also have access to over 100 recipes (that’s twice as many options as before), and at least 15 of those recipes will be high in protein—all at no extra cost.
In advance of this new launch, the kind folks at HelloFresh sent me one of their weekly boxes to test and review. I cooked and ate my way through three new high-protein recipes: mustard-soy salmon with zesty broccoli, Bavette steak fajitas, and French onion-smothered pork chops. I snapped a few at-home photos and wrote up a full (and honest) review.
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Starting Price: $9 per serving | Delivery Area: All US states | Products Arrive: Fresh
Of the three recipes I tested, the most popular was the Bavette Steak Fajitas with Guacamole. The recipe came with ample sides—cilantro lime rice and refried beans—and pickled jalapeños for garnish. Both of my daughters loved it, and because of the nature of the recipe, they were able to exclude what they didn’t like (onions for my older daughter, pickled jalapeños and refried beans for my younger daughter), which is a parenting win for me!
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What I loved about the recipe is how protein-packed it was. One serving delivers 53 grams of protein, which is a little bit more than the government-recommended daily amount of 50 grams. And it’s just over 70% of my daily protein target—I aim for around 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day to maintain and build lean body mass (aka muscle). Because of the protein-packed nature of this recipe and the fact that it is so family-friendly and fairly quick to cook, this recipe is now a staple in our house for a healthy weeknight dinner or a post-vacation reset.
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Read on for more on what I liked about HelloFresh’s new menu, and some of the drawbacks I encountered.
Features I Love
- The high-protein recipe tag is a big timesaver for me. HelloFresh has always had recipes that are high in protein, but seeing it called out so clearly as “High Protein” helps me make my meal selections much faster because I don’t have to open the recipe and check the protein count in the full Nutrition Values. I even saw a “Super High Protein” callout on one recipe.
- When it comes to HelloFresh recipe cards, what you see is what you get! Meaning that the recipes came out looking like their photographs—I didn’t receive any substitutions and all of my ingredients were fresh. Also, the estimated cook time was incredibly accurate. And although I’m an experienced home cook, I tend to cook slowly, especially when I’m working with a new-to-me recipe (which all three of these were).
- The recipes are simple enough that you don’t need to have chef-level knowledge or skills to execute. But you’ll also improve your cooking skills by following the recipes. For example, the recipes call for patting the proteins dry and seasoning them with salt and pepper before cooking them. These extra steps will help you get a better sear on their exterior and is a trick you can carry over to any recipe.
- The company is consistently consistent. This isn’t the first time I’ve tested HelloFresh, and, at one point, I had a roommate who was a subscriber. The features I love about testing HelloFresh this time around are the same features I previously appreciated.
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Some Cons to Consider
- Vegetables took longer to sauté, roast, etc. than indicated on the recipe card, so use the visual description as your reference point, not the time indicated. For example, the recipe said roasting broccoli takes 15 to 20 minutes until browned and tender. It took at least five to 10 minutes longer, so use the photo and adjectives as your guidance.
- This wasn’t my first time testing HelloFresh recipes—and one of my past complaints is that some of the recipes have scant portions if you’re serving a very hungry adult or a growing teenager. One of HelloFresh’s new features with this menu is supposed to be bigger portions. That said, I found, again, that some meals were quite generous and others would have needed a supplementary side.
What is a high-protein recipe?
According to the HelloFresh website, a high-protein recipe delivers at least 40 grams of protein per serving, which is 80% of the Daily Value—the recommended target you see on food labels. When I perused the menu, many of the high-protein recipes clocked in at 50 or more grams of protein per serving, which meets or exceeds the 50-gram DV.
How much is HelloFresh?
HelloFresh pricing starts at $9.99 per meal—and that’s what most of the meals will cost. If you are buying a small amount, like two meals for two people, the price per serving is a little higher at just over $11. But for that $9.99 per-serving price point, you can buy meals for two, three, four, or six people, and receive three to six meals per week. Shipping is a flat fee of $10.99.
Also, there’s no extra cost despite the expanded menu, new recipes, and 3x increase in seafood and steak recipes.
One final thing I want to share! HelloFresh is running a promotion on its site right now: When you sign up for the “new” HelloFresh, you will also get a free nontoxic, nonstick pan from Caraway!
Our Trusted Expertise
Brierley Horton, M.S., RD, is a senior editor at EatingWell. She’s an enthusiastic home cook and product tester. HelloFresh is one of many meal kit and meal delivery services she’s tested over the years, and it’s consistently among her family’s favorites.
