Review #1: HelloFresh – The Highs, the Lows, and the Squished Spring Onions

The first box of the "Veganuary Box-Off" has officially been opened! Since I haven't done this since 2018, I was genuinely curious to see how much has changed. In true busy-mum fashion, our delivery arrived while we were out, meaning it sat on the doorstep for five hours—essentially a giant sign to the neighbours that no one was home. Oops!

The Unboxing: First Impressions

I was so excited to unpack, but I’ll be honest—I felt a pang of disappointment early on. A few of the vegetables were already looking a bit sad; the pak choi was wilted, and the spring onion had definitely seen better days (it was quite squished!).

What really struck me, though, was the plastic. For 2026, you’d think they’d have moved toward more sustainable packaging by now, but there were so many non-recyclable sachets and films. It felt like a lot of waste just to get dinner on the table.

Veganuary Fail Alert: I also failed at the very first hurdle! While browsing the app, I accidentally picked a "Veggie" option instead of "Plant-Based," so I opened the box to find two packets of cheese. A good reminder to double-check those filters if you’re strictly vegan!

Organization Tip: To keep the fridge from becoming a mess of brown paper bags, I organized everything into clear bins immediately. It makes grab-and-go cooking so much easier! https://amzn.to/3YopzP0 <-- Affiliate Link

The First Cook: Trinidadian-Style Chickpea Doubles

• Claimed Time: 20 mins

• Actual Time: 40 minutes (This included a very determined child who was adamant they could chop the baby cucumbers themselves. Kitchen skills are important, but they aren't exactly "fast-track!")
  

I chose this because I had two tired children and needed something fast. However, the "Meal for 3" math was baffling. The recipe called for 1.5 tins of chickpeas. What am I supposed to do with half a tin? I threw them all in to avoid waste, and did the same with the chilli and mango chutney. If you follow their recipes to the letter, there is a serious risk of food wastage!

The Taste & Portion Verdict

• Taste: 7/10. It was good, but much hotter than I expected! My daughter gave the main meal a miss due to the spice, but she loved being my "sous-chef," snacking on the pineapple, cucumber, and plain flatbread. Also, my meal turned out yellow/brown—nowhere near the vibrant orange in their photo!

  
  

• Portion Size: 6/10. My husband had two flatbreads and I had one. By the time I sat down to write this, I was already feeling peckish. It felt more like a substantial lunch than a filling family dinner.

  
  

Health Score: 7/10 – The Surprise Pineapple Perk!

Who’d have thought it—pineapple as part of a main dinner?! It was the star of the show. With salad leaves, chickpeas, and cucumber, it felt like a solid "3 or 4 towards my 5-a-day."

The "Box-Off" Scorecard

Criteria	Score	The Verdict
Ease	6/10	Simple steps, but the "3-person" measurements are a headache.
Recipe Choice	8/10	Huge variety, just double-check those "vegan" filters!
Price	8/10	£2.27 per serving (with discount) is hard to beat.
Discounts	8/10	Great 50% introductory offer.
Referrals	9/10	Very easy to share "Free Box" links with friends.
Taste	7/10	Tasty, but watch out for the spice levels with kids!
Portion Size	6/10	A bit light; definitely didn't stop the 8 PM snack-cravings.
Health Score	7/10	Great plant variety, but points off for wilted veg & plastic.

Want to try it yourself?

If you want to try HelloFresh for FREE (just pay delivery) and save some pennies this January, use my referral link below! It’s a great way to break the "curry and noodles" cycle—just remember to cancel after week one if you don’t want the full-price subscription.

Referral link: https://chls.to/2EocApodit

I'll give an updated post once we've finished the week, but I'd love to hear about your HelloFresh wins this Veganuary!