The Ultimate Mom Hack I'm Loving
Okay, I didn't think I'd ever write this post but… here it is.
#MomHack Alert: This meal subscription service makes me feel like a better mom.
Yep, it's the truth.
How to save a ton of money using a meal subscription service: Get $40 off your 1st box!
There's something about sitting down for dinner together that makes me feel like I have my sh*t together. And, as our son, Henry, has gotten older I've realized how important is is to me that we have dinner together at the dining room table.
If you listened to this episode of our podcast, Less Alone: A Podcast About Connection, What's So Wrong With Being Mediocre?! You'll know that I really opened up about how feeling like I'm “killin' it” at the ol' “Mom Game” is something I've struggled with. (Tell me I'm not the only one!)
Dinners together is something I remember from my childhood as the ultimate symbol of stability.
As a parent though, the reality is … I'm busy! We're all so busy!
SO, as much as I feel like I'm nailing life when I meal plan, honestly, I've REALLY struggled with that too! We'll have good stretches where we're organized and things are feeling like they're running smoothly and then we fall off the dinner wagon and go back to eating out or getting take-out yet again! Take out ends up costing so much more money and I feel guilty about us slipping back into our old ways again.
The reality is that I WANT more than anything to feel like we're giving our son that stable dinner/childhood experience of eating dinner at the table every (okay, let's not be rash – MOST) nights.
Okay, let's talk about some of the Pros and Cons of this meal subscription service.
PROS ABOUT HELLO FRESH:
- It makes me feel like a better Mom.
- Through the app you get to pick your meals (or don't and they'll mail you the top picks based on your plan). All the ingredients are pre-measured ingredients so it's quick to make them!
- Just by following the recipes I feel like I've already learned some little cooking tips and hacks and that's a pretty neat benefit that I did not expect.
- I really appreciate how they have you re-use pans so you don't have a ton of different dishes at the end of cooking and they send just enough ingredients so you don't have a slew of random ingredients after cooking that you have to *try to* figure out what to do with.
- Based on the recipes I've tried they have 6 steps or less.
CONS ABOUT HELLO FRESH:
- A downside would be that I was pretty shocked by how much packaging came with the meal kit at 1st. Then, I realized it was almost all recyclable and that helped me feel less guilty about how it was delivered!
- I'd be curious about Hello Fresh's portion-sizes so I'll tell you a little about that. Our son, Henry, is a pretty picky eater so we get the 2 person 2x meals a week plan. I feel like it's plenty of food for us. We don't usually have leftovers (which would be nice for the next day). If we bumped up to the next plan size that would help with having leftovers. A couple of times I have thought that they could easily bulk up the meals and help you feel like you're getting a better value by throwing in an extra potato or another carrot or two.
No more wasted groceries, way less take-out, way more feeling like an awesome mom!
Overall, I feel like it's a great mix between eating out and eating at home! And, obviously more than anything we get to sit down together to eat dinner and it makes me feel like a better Mom!
Seriously, I'm surprised that I like it as much as I do! Try it out with this $40 off coupon then let me know what you think!
Pro tip: Put the brown bags Hello Fresh sends you in the fridge! (I learned the hard way they're not supposed to be left on the counter! lol)
P.S. How To Hack Hello Fresh: Get $40 off your 1st box
Have you tried a meal subscription service? Do you have a tip on how to hack the meal subscription boxes? Tell us your insights below! And, if this helped you, we’d love for you to share it with your friends!
P.S.S. Here are some related articles you would like: Creative and Easy Ways to Save Money on Food, 7 Ways You're Self-Sabotaging Your Weekly Grocery Budget, Creative Ways to Save Money When Buying in Bulk