HelloFresh: A New Healthy Way of Eating or a Waste of Money?
Image credit: Nicole D'Costa for The Campus Trainer
Buying groceries from the grocery store and cooking every meal can be a lot of work and time consuming for busy college students. Often times, students resort to ordering unhealthy food during a time crunch or when they feel too lazy to cook.
With the convenience of HelloFresh, a new meal delivery service, students don’t have to worry about planning a weekly dinner menu and dragging all the ingredients from the grocery store to their apartment. HelloFresh was launched in 2011, according to the Inc. and is becoming increasingly popular nationwide. It is the leading global meal kit provider, according to the HelloFresh website.
Subscribers are able to choose a meal plan that suits them best and pick exactly which meals they want from a large menu. Each week the groceries are delivered to subscribers' doorsteps with step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients for each meal. This delivery takes away the hassle of having to figure out what to make each night for dinner.
Dr. Qin Wang, a University of Maryland nutrition and food science professor, recommends that students cook healthy food at home.
“It is easier for them to choose fresh and healthy ingredients, better monitor calorie intake and eventually establish a habit for only eating healthy food products,” Wang said.
HelloFresh accommodates for many different preferences and suits those who are vegetarian, trying to lose weight or want a meal ready in 20 minutes.
The service offers four basic subscription plans: the Meat and Veggies plan, the Family Friendly plan, the Low Calorie plan and the Veggie plan. HelloFresh also has a two-person and four-person subscription option with a choice of two to four meals per week. The two-person plan is $60 per week ($8.99 per serving), and the four-person plan is $96 per week ($7.50 per serving) for three meals, according to the HelloFresh website.
Grace Madover, a sophomore communications major, loves HelloFresh despite being a picky eater.
“I’ve never had a problem choosing a meal to eat since there are so many different options. The directions are easy to follow, and I never spend more than 45 minutes cooking,” Madover said.
Jess McMahon, a sophomore communications major, said she started using HelloFresh because she needed an “easier way to make balanced meals for dinner.”
“It turns out every meal I’ve had has been delicious. I would recommend it to anyone who asks me about it,” McMahon said. “My favorite meal has been the balsamic fig chicken with roasted potatoes and lemony broccoli.”
Making sure college students fuel their bodies with nutritious meals is important for their health. Wang said there are many benefits to eating healthier, including reducing inflammation in the body and chronic diseases, improving overall health and ultimately making people feel better.
“Eating healthier is a life-long experience and will have a positive impact on your life,” Wang said.
Ultimately, this new meal delivery service can be a great way for students to cook healthy meals whether they’re busy or just want a nutritious, balanced meal.
