I don't cook as often as I'd like. It's not because I dislike cooking or because I'm bad at it (although, compared to my Bon Appétit colleagues, I'll admit that I'm a novice). The real obstacle for me is grocery shopping. The nearest grocery store is a 16-minute walk away, and on the way home, when I'm laden with ingredients, that walk is uphill. Meal kit services like HelloFresh, which deliver everything you need for home-cooked meals to your door, make it possible for me to get dinner on the table in less time than it takes for takeout to arrive. (Plus, my husband and I can skip the part where we ask each other “But what do you want to eat?” back and forth for an eternity.)
Over the past few years, BA editors have sampled just about every meal delivery service that exists, and we continue to be impressed by the bold flavors HelloFresh offers. So much so that we've partnered with the brand to share our favorite HF recipes with subscribers. Each week, you'll now see a selection of recipes on HelloFresh marked as Bon Appetit's Picks of the Week.
How we made our picks
To find our favorite HelloFresh recipes, we cooked many, many meals from the delivery service, in both our home kitchens and in the BA Test Kitchen. For each, we would cook and plate the meal according to the recipe cards included in the box, then evaluate them based on:
- Taste: First and foremost, the recipe must be delicious. Is this something we'd enjoy eating again? When cooking at home, how do our families react to the meals? How satisfying is the meal, and does the portion size feel appropriate?
- Accuracy of instructions: A good meal kit comes with recipes that are clear and efficient to follow, with accurate cook times and instructions precise enough to deliver consistent results, whether you're a beginner or an experienced cook. Are the cooking steps clear and easy to follow? Does the recipe come together in the stated time required?
- Prep and cook time: We wanted to choose recipes across a range of difficulty levels and preparation times.
- Cuisine: We also aimed to include a variety of cuisines and choose recipes that cater to different dietary preferences and eating styles.
The meals
It wasn't hard to find recipes that fit the above criteria. Some highlights you'll be able to see in coming weeks include:
- One-Pan Enchiladas Verde: A zesty, cheesy meal that makes good on its promise of limited dirty dishes. You can DIY your own spice level with poblano peppers and a Cholula crema.
- Chicken and Greek Salad Pita Pockets: Scallions give a simple Greek salad some zip, while pre-cubed chicken helps this surprisingly filling meal come together in just minutes.
- Garlicky Shrimp Couscous: I was delighted to see that the recipe for this punchy dish (with plenty of shrimp) calls for cooking the couscous in stock, a level of detail not often seen with meal kits.
New BA Picks are available each week through the end of the year.