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The first time I bought a Meal set This was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was living alone in my first apartment on my own, and my job at a local magazine was temporarily remote. Restaurants in the area were starting to transition to takeout only, so I thought, “Well, I guess I should learn how to cook.”
So, I ordered my first Hello Fresh Box.
I remember making a chicken dish with a homemade white sauce, but I drained it, because I was worried it wouldn’t be fully cooked. However, later in the week, I made a very simple stuffed ravioli dish, and headed into a bunch of other delicious meals.
I loved not having to brave grocery stores (which, if you remember, was not fun), and the kit gave me all the ingredients I needed, since my kitchen cupboards were completely empty and there were only a few potluck sauces in sight.
Additionally, the introductory box prices were impossible to beat. I ordered more around that time and always kept the recipe cards in case I wanted to recreate dishes in the future. Although I had dabbled in it Instant Pot Meals Before trying HelloFresh, I was by no means an average cook.
At the time, I lived in a foodie city, so eating out was always welcome, but I felt proud after cooking dinner. I would occasionally order meal kits again, but I wasn’t a regular cook. That is, until last year.
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Test meal kits at CNET
Frank’s RedHot-Spiced Crispy Chicken from HelloFresh was one of my favorite meals in the meal kit.
Fast forward five years, and now I enjoy reviewing meal kits for a living at CNET. Along with testing kitchen equipment and researching all things home, health, and kitchen, meal kits have become a big part of my job, and one of the most fun parts, too.
Read more: How we test meal kits at CNET
I still make super easy dishes that are perfect for beginner cooks, but I also spend more time prepping the kitchen Homemade empanadasshepherd’s pie, Seared salmon And more delicious and photo-worthy dishes. But the best part is that I found true joy in cooking for the first time, something I don’t think I would have discovered without meal kits.
These beef patties from Marley Spoon were fun to make from scratch and a new experience for me.
Meal kits make cooking easy
Keep your recipe cards so you can remake meals yourself in the future when you have the confidence to do so.
If you’re learning how to cook, meal kits are a great place to start. The step-by-step instructions include photos to help guide you through the recipe, as well as… Every item you will need.
Hints and tips, such as lining your home, are also included baking sheet With foil for easy cleanup or starting slowly when adding spicy ingredients to your dish.
One of the best parts is that you can choose your meals based on skill level. If you just want to start simple Plate meals Or pasta dishes, you can. Then, when you’re ready to level up, more challenging meals await.
One-dish meals save valuable time in the evening.
No matter what type of meal you try, you’ll learn basic cooking skills along the way, like dicing vegetables, searing meat, salting pasta water, and more.
Meal kits have made cooking seem easy and accessible for a shy cook like me, and have inspired me to run my stovetop burners more regularly, with or without a kit.
