Taste Test: Hello Fresh (Take Two)

I got an email about a month ago offering a buy one get one free offer for Hello Fresh. I enjoyed trying their meals last time, but they're just too expensive to do all of the time. I could handle 50% off though so we signed back up and registered for our two boxes.

One-Pan Shrimp Lo Mein with Udon Noodles, Green Beans, and Carrots

The first week we started off with two very similar recipes in terms of flavoring. The Shrimp Lo Mein was surprisingly really good and filling. I was really hesitant about this one, but ended up really liking it. The noodles were a little sticky for me, but the flavor was great. And, I loved that it only used one pan!

Very Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin with Basmati Rice and Asparagus

The flavor of the Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin was similar to the Shrimp Lo Mein. I didn't like it as much, but I didn't hate it. This one used A LOT of dishes...leading to a lot of clean up. We enjoyed it though!

Mojo-Drizzled New York Strip Steak with Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Charred Summer Veggies

We started week two with this steak meal. It was really good! I had Stephen grill the steak, which was a great idea. I wasn't so sure about the charred summer veggies, but I made them just to see. We ate the corn and the peppers and onions gave it a good flavor. Stephen's only complaint was the steak wasn't big enough. 

Crispy Baked Cod with Buttered Potatoes & Green Beans and Corn on the Cob

Stephen was really hesitant about this meal because he isn't a huge fan of fish. I ended up making this meal and the Crispy Top Parmesan Chicken in the same night. I knew we would really like the sides with this one, but wasn't so sure about the sides below. With our busy schedule, cooking three nights before the meat went bad was tougher than I expected so this also gave Stephen an option other than fish. I really liked the potatoes and green beans. The fish wasn't bad...it reminded me of fish sticks, which the chef behind this recipe would probably take offense to, but I liked it. I didn't eat the corn on the cob because of my braces, but Stephen did. It's hard to go wrong with potatoes, green beans, and corn.

Crispy-Top Parmesan Chicken with Balsamic Potato Salad and Garlic-Roasted Tomatoes

Like I said above, we weren't so sure about the sides with this one, but I knew we'd like the chicken. The chicken was really good and I'll definitely be making it again. I didn't make the tomatoes because I knew neither of us would eat it. I made the potato salad to give it a shot. It wasn't bad, but the balsamic vinegar flavor was a little strong for me.

Every single one of these meals came with scallions and we left them out of every single one. The only other thing I threw away without trying was the tomatoes in the last recipe. It'll be a while before signing up for this again. I didn't like being locked into what I had to cook and feeling the pressure of cooking it before it went bad. My normal routine is I buy what I need for about 12-15 meals, freeze what I can, and thaw what I want to cook the day of...no pressure. Knowing I had to make these meals made me not really want them even though overall I wasn't disappointed. While the recipes are easy to follow they all took more prep than I like to do for 6 meals in a row. #lazycook I will say it got new recipes in the rotation with flavors and food we don't regularly eat. Each picture links to the recipe and each recipe has a detailed food list since you aren't getting these shipped to your door.