Dining out isn't a thing right now, so how are so many people enjoying amazing-looking meals from home right now?

Scrolling through Instagram, you see plate after plate of delicious dinners. It's Wednesday. How do all of your Instagram friends have the time to make home-cooked dinners night after night after night - and that's during the week? After working at home all day and then being in the kitchen for hours at night? Something about this just doesn't make sense.

The secret is in the box. The recipe box.

Your friends aren't in the kitchen wasting their hard-earned, post-work free time whipping up entire entrees, they're using HelloFresh. Subscribing to a recipe box can seem like a big commitment, but they're actually designed to streamline your lifestyle by encouraging you to cook. HelloFresh, the most talked-about recipe box, is starting a trend among people who want to eat better but don't have the time to cook from scratch.

Intrigued? But don't know where to start? We have your most burning questions answered.

What exactly is a Recipe Box Delivery Service?

Recipe Box Delivery companies like HelloFresh send fresh, pre-portioned ingredients along with easy-to-follow recipe cards so you can make home-cooked meals without trekking to the supermarket or measuring out ingredients. They aim to simplify the process and prevent you from living on takeaways or cooking the same tasteless meals all week for years on end.

Why do people use it?

Plenty of people are traditional shoppers who look up recipes online, go to the supermarket, and cook, but the world has changed and we must change with it.

HelloFresh takes the hassle out of meal planning and prep, by eliminating most of the shopping and chopping. Simply stay safe at home while the boxes come to you. Then throw the ingredients together to make effortless, delicious dinners.

Is it good for you?

Not only are the meals wholesome, but HelloFresh provides the nutritional information and ingredients online when choosing your recipes. Each meal includes three or four different vegetables and HelloFresh uses between 40 and 60 different types of produce each month! You'll get a huge variety of healthy meals.

Do I need lots of time to cook the recipes?

The truth is, recipe boxes can be a godsend for those days when you can't even think about opening the fridge. HelloFresh recipes take no longer than 45 minutes and come with step-by-step recipe cards that walk you through the entire process without a burnt pan in sight.

From box to table in just 20 minutes (less time than it takes to order a takeaway), HelloFresh's Rapid Box is a particularly easy solution to the age-old "I'm too tired to cook" excuse. Perfect for the days when you're really pushed for time.

What's the menu like?

It's such a convenient service and instead of stressing over dinner, everything you need is delivered and ready-to-go. It helps you move away from oven pizzas and takeaways with up to 36 recipes to choose from each week. With lots of easy recipes, you can actually enjoy cooking yummy dishes like Cheesy Orzotto, Prince Harry's Chicken Pie, and Creamy Truffle and Mushroom Rigatoni to name a few fan favourites.

How much does it cost?

The important part. HelloFresh costs less than £5 per meal, and prices can go as low as £3.25 for the family plan (there's a vegetarian preference, too). For us, it's a fantastic value as we spend a fortune on takeaways, and this way we can eat things like steak or salmon on a Tuesday night.

Plus, it eliminates the food waste associated with grocery shopping for large quantities of fresh ingredients and then leaving half of them to go bad, which in turn saves you money.

Subscription? Am I locked in?

No way! Everyone has a flexible lifestyle, and HelloFresh is here to make your life easier. You're never committed and can pause or cancel at any time which makes things super easy. You can easily manage your account by choosing your recipes, how many you're cooking for, and when to deliver your recipe box.

What's the menu like?

It's such a convenient service and instead of stressing over dinner, everything you need is delivered and ready-to-go. It helps you move away from oven pizzas and takeaways with up to 36 recipes to choose from each week. With lots of easy recipes, you can actually enjoy cooking yummy dishes like Cheesy Orzotto, Prince Harry's Chicken Pie, and Creamy Truffle and Mushroom Rigatoni to name a few fan favourites.

After a couple of weeks with HelloFresh, you won't ever want to go back. Give it a shot, you can thank us later!

Update: The folks at HelloFresh are extending a special offer to our readers!Follow this link to get a discount off your first 4 boxes!