Fast & Fresh

› By Cynthia McFarland

You know the feeling.

It’s almost 6pm and you’re in the kitchen staring desperately into the fridge and cupboards, hoping for inspiration to strike. You just spent a small fortune at the grocery store last weekend. How can it be only Wednesday and you can’t come up with anything to make for dinner?

Tired of finding myself in that scenario too many times, I decided to try something different and join the many Americans who are having meals-ina-box delivered to their doors. Not take-out or pizza. I’m talking one of the national companies that delivers fresh ingredients with recipes you prepare or nutritious, already-cooked meals you simply heat and eat.

Both options save time, frustration, eliminate waste and introduce food you wouldn’t otherwise make at home. Experience a satisfying new way to answer the question, “What’s for dinner?”

HelloFresh

I appreciated the fact that HelloFresh got me to make—and enjoy!—some dishes I wouldn’t ordinarily have cooked. They regularly team up with professional chefs, such as Jamie Oliver, offering recipes from a variety of cuisines.

HelloFresh offers three basic meal boxes: Classic (meat and fish), Veggie (sans meat) and Family (for 4 people). As long as you have a running subscription, you can “customize” your box each week by logging onto your account and selecting the recipes you want. Prices start at $59 (Vegetarian box with three meals for two people). After signing up, you can make your meal choices. There is no minimum length to a subscription, and you can pause or cancel at any time.

With the HelloFresh recipe box subscription, you receive a box of fresh ingredients and tasty recipes every week. Just slip on your HelloFresh apron, open the ingredient box, pull out the recipe and get started. Each recipe includes step-by-step instructions. I loved the presentation and how each recipe’s ingredients come in their own box. It’s great not to have any waste. If the recipe calls for one teaspoon of oregano, you just tear open the pre-measured spice packet and it contains the exact amount. Instead of opening a whole bulb of garlic, you have the two cloves the recipe requires and no more. Very straightforward and uncomplicated.

While not promoted as “weight loss” meals, HelloFresh does feature two recipes each week that are under 650 calories. They have a registered dietician on staff and include complete nutrition panels on every meal. We tried the Classic Box and enjoyed Chicken Yakitori, Smoky Beef & Poblano Chili and Jamie Oliver’s Incredible Sicilian Eggplant Stew. I found the portions more than substantial, and I’m a hearty eater.

Find out more by visiting hellofresh.com or calling (800) 733-2414.

Veestro

From the minds of the brother-sister team of Mark Fachler and Monica Klausner, Veestro was born from their goal of making it easier to eat healthy. Created by a world-class gourmet chef who specializes in vegetarian and vegan dishes, Veestro meals are all natural, nonGMO, 100 percent plant-based, high in protein and fiber but free of preservatives, dairy and cholesterol.

I’m not someone who thinks a meal must contain meat, so I was thrilled with Veestro. Compare the nutrition labels of these meals with so-called “healthy” frozen dinners available at the grocery store and you’ll see a huge difference. For example, the sodium level is far less than the grocery store choices, and there are none of those preservatives you can’t even pronounce. While I do like cooking, I have to admit I don’t want to take the time to do it every night, so the Veestro option was perfect for me. All Veestro meals are fully cooked and keep in the freezer for up to eight weeks. I tried the Red Curry with Tofu & Veggies (tasted like what you’d order at a Thai restaurant), Veggie Empanadas with Chimichurri Sauce, Sobu Noodles with Peanut Sauce, Enchilada Casserole, Golden Chickpea Stew with Quinoa and Three Layer Scramble.

Veestro has multiple meal packages, which means lots of choices, including gluten-free options. You can even order individual meals a la carte. Their Starter Pack ($99) is ideal if you want to try them without making a big commitment. It contains 12 meals, plus six juices. Veestro offers weight loss meal packages, making it easy to drop pounds without counting calories or points. Their popular 21-Day Kickstart package is a great way to jumpstart to a healthier diet by replacing one, two or three of your daily meals with Veestro’s healthy meals. Kickstart 1 package offers one meal a day for three weeks (21 meals) plus six juices; Kickstart 2 offers two meals per day (42 meals) plus six juices; and Kickstart 3 provides three meals per day (63 meals) plus six juices. There’s no long-term commitment; you can move between packages easily and pause or cancel your plan to accommodate your lifestyle.

To find out more, visit veestro.com or call (855) 434-2328