At the start of this year, I made it my mission to try out all my local restaurants' varying cuisines. My partner and I realised there were so many great places to eat nearby that we'd never been to. We had it all mapped out - we'd go to a restaurant every Friday night. We were both really excited. Then lockdown hit and restaurants started to close.
I was still determined to test out new cuisines on my own. But when I checked out a few recipes, they were so complicated and like nothing I'd ever made before. I was ready to give up until a friend recommended HelloFresh, a recipe box that delivers ingredients to your doorstep every week.
All the recipes looked so delicious. But how easy would it be? And would it be worth it? Then I saw how affordable HelloFresh was and it really piqued my interest. Plus, having the ingredients for my chosen recipes delivered to my door would be convenient, and I'd avoid the supermarket.
The meals take approximately 30 minutes to cook but if you're in a hurry, you can pick the Extra Rapid Recipes, which let you cook up delicious dinners from scratch in 10 minutes or less. As everything is pre-portioned, there's also very little prep involved, making things ten times easier. I could even pause or cancel my subscription at any time, so I thought I'd might as well try it out.
Here are my top 5 favourite international recipes from HelloFresh:
1. Mexican Chicken, Bacon, and Blackbean Fajita Tacos
When I order Mexican I usually get a burrito, so I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the Tacos, but these were so yummy and had the perfect amount of spice. And the best part… they only took 10 minutes to prepare! HelloFreshmakes it super simple without sacrificing on flavour.
2. Veggie Thai Green Curry
I'm not a vegetarian, but I decided to do one day a week meat-free. I've always loved Thai green curry but worried I'd not enjoy it so much without the chicken. I didn't have to fear, HelloFresh's Veggie Thai Green Curry was one of the greatest I'd had in a long time. The peanuts also added a nice texture to the dish.
3. Greek Inspired Bulgur and Chickpea Jumble
This meal was delicious and very healthy, too. The feta cheese added a nice flavour, and it only took 20 minutes to make.
4. Speedy Zanzibar Chicken Curry
Now, African food wasn't even on my radar as there are no African restaurants in my neighbourhood. But when I saw it on the HelloFresh menu I was inspired to try it. I'd never used Zanzibar spice before, so I didn't know what to expect, but - yum - what a novel addition to my palate. I like how HelloFresh gives us the opportunity to try things we never would otherwise.
5. Italian Creamy Prawn & Bacon Spaghetti
Although I'm well-versed in Italian food (mostly pizza and pasta), this was another recipe that was completely new to me. It reminded me of my mum's carbonara, but lighter. I'd never thought to add prawns to an Italian dish, but it went surprisingly well and the finished product was one of my preferred dishes from HelloFresh.
If you're interested in sampling or learning to cook new international cuisines, I'd highly recommend HelloFresh. Their menu has so much variety (up to 36 recipes a week to choose from), the food is delicious, the service convenient, and it eliminates meal planning. It starts at just £3.25 per serving!
I'm so glad I took the plunge. Check out HelloFresh, you won't be disappointed.