I had been interested in trying a meal plan delivery service for a very long time now. I did a lot of research and finally decided to try out Hungryroot after reading about their philosophy which focuses on curating foods that are nutritious, easy to prepare, and of course delicious. Honestly, the main reason I hadn’t tried it before now is that I found their online interface and pricing system to be a bit confusing. I wasn’t sure really how much food I would be getting for my money and how much flexibility they offer for a semi-picky eater like me. Once we all started quarantining and my children were doing remote-learning at home, I just decided to dive in and write about my experience here so all of you out there in internetland can hopefully make a more informed decision. Read on to find my Hungryroot honest review.
If you are interested in trying Hungryroot – sign up here.
(Free Black Bean Brownie Batter for Life + 30% off First Delivery of $99+ with code: FREEBROWNIES)
This post contains affiliate links– thank you for supporting us.
How it works:
This was the part that was the most confusing to me, I will try to keep it simple. You pay a weekly fee for a certain amount of “credits” that can be used on meals and other items from the Hungryroot online store. You need to sign up for one of their plans before you get to see all of the food and meals available to you. Meals end up being around $10 a serving. $99 gets you roughly 3 meals with 2 servings each and about 5-8 extra grocery items.
Once you are signed up, you can edit almost EVERYTHING you just signed up for. You can add meals, take meals out, add more snacks to your plan, and so on. You are given a curated meal list that is completely editable. For example, I signed up for 3 recipes with 2 servings each, 5-7 snack servings, and 4-6 sweet servings a week. Remember, we are talking about servings, so a larger snack bag with multiple servings counts for more servings. If you are interested in trying Hungryroot for your family, you would add more servings of the same meal to your shipment.
When I finished deciding how many meals I wanted I looked at my scheduled delivery and changed a lot. I was given a salmon meal and I do not like fish, so I was able to easily remove it from my shipment and add a different meal. In addition, I was given Medjool Dates which I am not a fan of so I was able to remove those and choose a different snack. The only issue with changing meals/snacks is that you need to stay within your “credit” limit I was referring to. Different items cost different amounts of credits, so you may end up having to pay a little extra if you can’t make it even with your credit limit.
What you get:
Below is what I got in my first box. This is everything I received for the $99 meal plan. Some items are pre-cooked and only need reheating while others are precut and portioned so you simply put them on a baking sheet and bake.
Grain Bowl with Chicken and Green Chile Sauce
This meal was great. I really enjoyed the Green Chile sauce and it was quick and easy to prepare. The zucchini was pre-cut and ready to cook as were the chicken breasts. They just needed reheating. This meal was SUPER fast and easy to prepare, it took about 10 minutes total which was a huge win in my book. I would rate this meal a 9/10. I could have used a little variety in the vegetables.
Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers with Avocado Crema
This was another great meal. The Turkey Patties with Feta and Spinach were flavorful and again pre-cooked so all I needed to do was heat them up. I liked the multi-grain sandwich buns and since they came in a pack of 8, I was able to use them for lunches later in the week. The Avocado Crema sauce was smooth and creamy. I would rate this meal an 8/10, a point was deducted because this meal did not come with any side dish or veggie. I also added a slice of my own cheese and some fried jalapeños to this burger.
Ravioli with Root Vegetables and Kale Pesto
This was my least favorite meal of the week. The ravioli was dairy free and bland as was the Kale Pesto Sauce. I am not a huge fan of kale, so the flavor just wasn’t there for me on this sauce. The Root Vegetables were great and included veggies I wouldn’t normally buy, like rutabaga and turnips, so that was a plus! I would rate this meal a 4/10. I am a real pasta fan and this just didn’t live up.
Almond Chickpea Cookie Dough
When I signed up for the plan, I used a coupon code to get their Almond Chickpea Cookie Dough for free with each shipment. This was one of the main reasons I chose to sign up when I did. You can eat this cookie dough raw if that is something you are into, I chose to bake them. I made these for my kids and didn’t tell them what they were made of. They gobbled them right up. I also enjoyed them but could tell they are different than regular chocolate chip cookies, for a healthy version they are very good. They have a softer texture than standard cookies and were a winner for everyone in my family. I would rate these cookies a 9/10!
Other items in my box:
- Abe’s Blueberry Muffins – 10/10 – My kids LOVED theses muffins, they were all eaten the day they were delivered.
- Pumfu Pumpkin Tofu – 8/10 – I love tofu and was excited to try this. I thought it was very good, but much smaller than a standard tofu package. It had a slightly nutty flavor and was a little firmer than standard firm tofu.
- Cedar’s Garlic Hummus Snack Pack – 10/10 – If you like hummus, you’ll like this convenient snack pack!
- Basil Zucchini White Bean Salad – 9/10 – Very good, very flavorful makes a nice side dish for lunch.
- Garlicky Herb Chickpea Duo – 9/10 – Again, very good, very flavorful!
- Epic Wagyu Beef Steak Strip – 10/10 – Grass-fed beef with great flavor, and it makes a great quick snack.
- Bobo’s Maple Pecan Oat Bar – 3/10 – Not great, overpowering scent. No one in my house could finish this bar.
Overall Review:
I really enjoyed Hungryroot. Most of the meals were great and super healthy. I would absolutely eat everything again except for the ravioli. The meals were all fast to prepare and needed minimal prep. Hungryroot also introduced me to some new pre-packed food brands that I enjoyed and will purchase in the future.
I would recommend Hungryroot for couples or small families who are low on time and are looking for healthier meals. However, I don’t think it is very practical for larger families with kids that eat large portions. The portion sizes were just right for my husband and I, but my growing teenage nephews would need multiple side dishes/multiple portions. Additionally, my younger, slightly picky eater kids, didn’t eat any of the meals. I would say, if this sounds somewhat interesting or helpful to you, give it a try! You can always cancel, even after just one shipment!
To try Hungryroot today sign up here.
(Use code FREEBROWNIES for Free Black Bean Brownie Batter for Life + 30% off First Delivery of $99+)
Pros:
-Meals are super easy to prepare
-Meals are pre-planned and produce is fresh
-Food is very healthy and well portioned
Cons:
-Cost – on the more expensive side
-Not super family friendly, my kids weren’t fans of some meals
-Limited meal options
More Reviews on Today I Need A…
- HelloFresh Review ~ Family Meal Box
- Stitch Fix Review with Pictures (Winter 2020)
- Causebox Subscription Box Review
- Humblemaker Cold Brew Coffee Shots Review
