Recipes & Ingredients
Due to the extreme weather conditions in New Zealand, some of our suppliers have been affected which has resulted in instances of ingredient substitution or non delivery. When we're unable to source an ingredient, we’ll do everything we can to swap it for something that meets our high quality standards and suits the recipe ordered, while providing you with an update as early as possible. If you do have an ingredient missing in your meal kit, please note that you will be compensated. We’re sorry about any inconvenience caused and are working hard to ensure you receive appropriate substitutions so your dish will be just as delicious. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we navigate the current challenges.
Please log the issue here so we can take note of what has happened and compensate you for any ingredients.
We're sorry to hear that. At HelloFresh, our focus is on fresh, seasonal ingredients and making sure all produce leaving our warehouse is up to our high standards. Unfortunately our suppliers have been widely affected by the recent adverse weather conditions in New Zealand and this is impacting the quality of some fresh produce.
We'll always do our best to source fresh ingredients that meet our high standards and we’re very sorry about any inconvenience caused. We do take these cases seriously. Please log the issue here so we can take note of what has happened and compensate you for any ingredients that didn't meet your expectations.
Before you start cooking, you’ll just need to check your cupboard for a few pantry staples. It’s no biggie! They’re all common household ingredients such as salt, pepper, vinegar and oil so chances are you’ll already have them.
If you're ever unsure of what pantry items you will need for your recipes, you can always log in to your online account or your HelloFresh app and click on your menu to check these out in advance.
Missing a required ingredient from your pantry? Here are some alternatives that'll have you cooking in no time:
- Olive oil
- grapeseed oil, canola oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- red wine vinegar + a pinch of sugar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar, caster sugar, dark brown sugar
- Butter
- olive oil, olive oil spread, margarine
- Egg
- you can use mayonnaise to help crumb!
- Flour
- plain flour, self-raising flour, white spelt flour, oat flour, chickpea flour
- Salt
- any salt you can find! Sea salt flakes, salt blends
- Sesame oil
- peanut oil
- Soy Sauce
- tamari soy sauce
- White Wine Vinegar
- apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar
We're sorry to hear you're missing a recipe card, but don't worry, we've got you covered. Our recipe cards are stored in our recipe archive and on your weekly menu.
Simply click here and select the meal you'd like to cook. You can even download a printable PDF.
Alternatively use our app. Just select the meal you want to cook and scroll through the cooking stages. It even includes a built-in timer!
We understand it can be tricky to cater to a household of different requirements, so our Food Info page is here to save the day if you need to check the ingredients for allergens.
Halal
At this stage, some of our meat suppliers are certified Halal whilst others are not, so we are unable to guarantee a meal plan suitable for those following a Halal diet.
Paleo/Vegan/Dairy/Gluten Free
At this stage, we don't have an entirely paleo, vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free meal box preference for our customers but please keep in mind, all ingredients are separately packed and clearly labelled, with an ingredients list for all recipes available in advance HERE. This means you have the opportunity to omit or substitute any ingredient that you can't, or don't want to eat.
Many of our customers with special dietary needs in the family find that with a little tweaking, our HelloFresh boxes work well for them!
You'll find all the nutritional info including calories, carbohydrates, protein and fats on the recipe card or alongside the recipes online. Each meal contains roughly 2,000-3,000kJs and is calculated on an average daily recommended total of 8,700kJ per day over three meals.
Any allergens are included online and on the ingredient packaging.
Do you have a favourite 'go to' HelloFresh recipe or maybe want to impress some friends? Then head to our recipe archive where you can download our delicious recipes. We keep all our recipes stored on our website, so they're there if you ever want to try any of them again.
Just click here. Happy cooking!
This will depend on the recipe, but we know you're busy so we try and keep the cook times as short as possible. Most of our recipes take only 30-40 mins from prepping to eating, but you can always make your own adjustments.
If you're short on time, you can add a preference for our 'Quick & Easy' recipes in your Account settings, and we will select the quickest recipes for you each week.
That's your choice! If you can't wait to see what's arriving in your next box, jump online and click on 'My Deliveries' to see what's coming up. Check out next week using the arrows at the top of the page. This is where you can also make changes to your recipe choices before the weekly cut off.
Not a customer yet? Click on 'Our Recipes' on the top navigation bar and select 'next week' to see what's coming up. You can check out all the upcoming meals. Don't forget - you can also view the upcoming recipes through the app.
Our veggies arrive to us fresh from the markets and our suppliers, and should always stay fresh for the course of the week. Of course, leafy ingredients like baby spinach, coriander, watercress or parsley are more fragile and we suggest you use these sooner rather than later.
Our meats have different expiry dates and are fine to consume up until, and including, that day. We use an airtight technology to package a lot of our meat products, which doesn't use any nasties or chemicals to prolong shelf life. For this reason, fresh air is trapped inside and can occasionally give a confinement odour to the meat once opened. Don't be concerned – the meat is perfectly safe to consume and this odour will dissipate once the meat is left open in the air for 5-10 minutes before using it. We recommend you eat your chicken and seafood first, and after that pork and red meats like beef and lamb.
Herbs are more delicate than veggies. They need to be stored and cared for properly! First of all, keep your herbs in their sealed bag. We use special bags which work by removing harmful gases to keep your herbs fresher for longer, so it’s a good move to keep them sealed in there for as long as you can.
Leafy Herbs (coriander, parsley, dill)
Once opened, they should be kept moist, cool but not cold. Lay out the herbs, (making sure they’re dry) on a damp clean chux cloth or paper towel. Place the herbs inside and roll up the herbs within the damp cloth. Place in a zip lock bag and refrigerate. Wet the cloth when it dries out and this method should keep your herbs fresh for two weeks!
Woody Herbs (rosemary, thyme)
To keep them fresh, lay them out on a dry chux cloth, roll up in the cloth and store in a plastic sandwich bag in the fridge. This method should get you 2-3 weeks of fresh herbs. Keep your herbs at the front of the fridge, so you won't forget they're there and so they are not too close to the cooling unit, which will make them wilt!
Basil
Store basil in a few inches of water in a jar or a glass and keep out of direct sunlight. This method should keep basil fresh for two weeks, and prevents the leaves from blackening (which can happen in a very cold fridge).
The odour you can smell is probably a result of our Cryovac packaging. While it keeps your chicken fresher for longer, the lack of circulating air (and excess nitrogen) can release an odour when the packaging is opened.
Rest assured, it is perfectly fine to consume up until, and including, the day of expiry. Just let it air for 3 minutes after opening!
Should you have any concerns about the quality of your chicken, please get in touch with us here.
