Hello Fresh Review

Monday, July 14th

2025 Weight Loss Meal Delivery Reviews

Hello Fresh

• Price per serving: Starts at $9.99
• Shipment frequency: Weekly
• Daily meals: Dinners
• Calories per meal: 650 or below
• Number of recipes: Not specified
• Prep time: Under 30 minutes

Founded in Berlin in 2011, HelloFresh has quickly climbed the ranks to become the leading global provider of fresh food at home. Serving over four million customers across 14 markets, including Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, HelloFresh has made its mark. Whether it's from a podcast ad or a YouTube endorsement, it's hard not to have heard of them. Their mission is ambitious: to change the way we eat forever. By focusing on budget-friendly meals, fresh ingredients, tasty menus, and sustainable practices, HelloFresh aims to reduce food waste while making high-quality food accessible to all.

Deals too good to pass up?

Who can say no to "18 Free Meals + Free Breakfast Item for Life"? This tempting offer is spread across your first nine boxes, exclusively for new subscriptions. Plus, a free dessert (or sometimes breakfast) item is in every box, as long as you're subscribed. But let's ponder for a moment - if every subscriber gets this deal, is it truly a freebie, or just a clever marketing strategy baked into the cost?

Starts at $9.99 a serving

With meal kits designed for either 2 or 4 people and options ranging from 2 to 6 meals per week, HelloFresh caters to a variety of household sizes and appetites. The cost starts at $11.49 per serving for a 2-person plan with 2 meals a week. Opting for more meals or serving more people drops the price to $9.99 per serving. This pricing is competitive, sitting comfortably in the middle of the weight loss meal kit market spectrum. Delivery fees are dependent on your location, but they're typically around $10.

Weight loss "plan” isn't really a plan

HelloFresh's "Low Calorie" plan, consisting of "Calorie Smart” meals under 650 calories, is marketed as an effortless way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, calling this selection a "plan" might be a stretch. It seems more like a tactic to rank in searches for weight-loss meal delivery services. True, managing portions and calories is a path to weight loss, but the label "low calorie plan" might overpromise on the level of specialization and thought put into these offerings. Another consideration: HelloFresh slyly doesn't make any promises about how many Calorie Smart meals make it onto the menu each week, which may mean you'd be forced to choose something that doesn't fit your calorie budget.

Weekly Menu is hard to sift through; use Cookbook instead

The variety HelloFresh offers is quite tantalizing, with a sneak peek into upcoming weeks available for current customers under the "Our Menus” tab. Although you can't filter upcoming meals by calorie count, a dive into their recipe archive (found in the "Cookbook” tab) under "Calorie Smart Recipes" reveals all past offerings within the 650-calorie limit. A typical week might tantalize your tastebuds with BBQ pineapple flatbreads, lemon tortellini palermo, or open-faced prosciutto and jam sandwiches. These are tasty and unique, but not specifically tailored for weight loss.

Dinner is ready in 30 minutes

HelloFresh emphasizes the freshness of their ingredients, advising that, except for seafood (which should be consumed within two days), all items should be stored in the refrigerator and used within five days of delivery. Meal prep times vary, but they're upfront about how long each recipe will take - many can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less, making mealtime more about enjoyment and less about labor.

Customers report bad produce

HelloFresh talks a big game about picking the best meat and seafood, working with farms to get fresh produce, and choosing options that are good for the planet. They promise hormone-free chicken and pork and try to pick seafood that's caught or farmed in a way that's kind to the ocean. But, some customers say what they get in their boxes doesn't always match up with these promises. While HelloFresh aims to bring fresh and sometimes organic veggies to your door, the reality can be hit or miss, with some people reporting not-so-fresh ingredients.

You can choose your delivery day

HelloFresh lets you pick your delivery day and tries to keep things fresh with special boxes and ice packs. They also tell you how to recycle pretty much everything that comes in your box, which is great for the planet. But, even with all this effort, there are stories of food arriving not cold enough or packaging problems. It seems like they're trying, but there might be some kinks to work out.

Canceling: more freedom than most

It's pretty easy to skip a week or cancel your subscription with HelloFresh, which is nice. They give clear instructions on how to do it, and you don't have to jump through too many hoops. But, this ease doesn't fix the issues that might have led you to cancel in the first place.

HelloFresh doesn't keep their promises

With a so-so rating average on Trustpilot (3.7 stars), it's clear not everyone is thrilled with HelloFresh. Some people talk about receiving bad meat or boxes with missing ingredients and HelloFresh's lackluster response. For example, one person said, "I've had missing ingredients and missing meals, no response. They had an entire shipment disappear, said we would receive a credit, but the credits never show up." Another shared, "Trying using the free dessert item, but magically it never arrived and I never received a credit for it." These stories show that when things go wrong, getting help or a straight answer from customer support can be tough.

Endless junk mail

Even after saying goodbye to their meal kits, some former HelloFresh customers find themselves in a never-ending relationship with the company's marketing team. One customer shared, "The food was not great... So I canceled my service. Years later I still receive HelloFresh junk mail... Such horrible marketing, honestly." Another frustrated voice added, "No matter how many times I've requested in writing to be removed from their database, I still receive physical junk mail and spam emails. Now, they've decided to sell my information to affiliated companies." This bombardment of unwanted marketing, coupled with the company's apparent disregard for requests to stop, leaves a sour taste that no amount of gourmet meals can mask. For those considering HelloFresh, be prepared for a commitment that might last longer than expected - not in your fridge, but in your mailbox.

Choose a better service

In the end, we're hesitant to give HelloFresh our stamp of approval. Sure, it's possible to shed some pounds with their lower-calorie meal options, but their track record with deliveries and handling issues doesn't inspire confidence. If sticking to a specific calorie goal is crucial for you, the inconsistency in getting what you actually ordered might throw you off track. We suggest looking into other weight loss meal delivery services that truly listen and respond to customer concerns. Sadly, HelloFresh seems too eager to cash in, sometimes delivering subpar ingredients and offering unsatisfactory solutions to genuine problems.