I cooked with Hello Fresh for a month – does it still reign as the top meal kit?

Hello Fresh is delivered every Wednesday, but you can pay an extra £4.99 to choose a different day. Dishes are designed for either two or four people, and you can choose between two to six recipes per week. This model caters for mostly everyone, with solo diners able to use the leftovers for lunch and families able to meal plan with two children. You can adjust how many meals you receive each week and skip deliveries if you’re away – all of this is done on the app, which is simple and easy to use. However, there is a deadline for making any changes and choosing your recipes for the week (five days before your delivery date); otherwise, an order is automatically placed, and your card is charged.

The introductory offer is excellent, with 50 per cent off your first box and 20 per cent off the next month. This means I spent only £16.50 on the first box, and then £26.40 for the next four boxes. A standard box for two people, containing three meals, is £32.99.

Arriving neatly packed in Hello Fresh’s signature green box, each recipe comes with store cupboard items and vegetables in a numbered paper bag, plus chilled items wrapped in plastic pouches with ice packs. Considering the brand is working toward fewer carbon emissions compared to supermarkets, and aims to reduce food waste with its pre-portioned ingredients, the plastic packaging is disappointing.

The meals each come with a recipe card. All the dishes we tried were incredibly easy to follow and cook, with step-by-step detailed instructions and photos. Even if you’ve never cooked before, you can’t really go wrong. There’s no measuring and only limited preparation (the most you’ll do is chop garlic and veg), while the actual cooking usually involves searing, roasting and sautéing.

Having tried more than a dozen recipes, it’s a similar process every time, and the same ingredients tend to crop up. This gradually built my confidence and skills in the kitchen, but experienced home cooks might find the meals unchallenging and repetitive – though arguably mindful after a long day at work.

From herby sausage linguine and sticky beef with rice, to pesto pea rigatoni, glazed halloumi and veg harissa bulgur bowl, and teriyaki glazed salmon on garlic rice, no dish I sampled took longer than 25 minutes to rustle up. The portions for two are great (you’re never left feeling hungry), while the variety of recipes has something for everyone, be it a spicy veggie dish or a protein-packed meat meal.

Hello Fresh – dare I say it – actually made cooking enjoyable. Dinner has always felt like a chore to me, but cutting out the supermarket middleman has transformed my mealtimes. I no longer have to think about what I want for dinner after work, and it finally feels like I’m eating well. It’s safe to say my former go-tos – big bowl of pastas, tinned soup or a picky bits ‘girl dinner’ – didn’t contribute to a well-rounded diet. Now, I’m getting fresh vegetables, daily protein and carbs in a recommended portion size.

The meals offer stellar value for money with the introductory offer, but when that runs out, you’re spending just over £5 per portion for three meals a week. A small cost for pure ease, flavour and variety.