Tried and Tested: The most delicious meals at HelloFresh this October

We’re a big fan of the change in seasons. With Autumn upon us, new seasonal food opens up a number of new recipes - often, as the weather turns colder, we all want heartier food that is warming. The **HelloFresh meals list **this October is a prime example of changing seasons, with ingredients such as butternut squash or pumpkins starting to fill food boxes.

Here, we look at some recipes we have tried and tested from the HelloFresh meals list. We absolutely love them and we know you will too. There’s a huge range, as usual, this month. As a result, all types of lifestyles and eaters will find something that works for them - even the fussiest in your household.

Our most popular recipes on the HelloFresh meals list

These are our favourites that we have tried in our** recipe boxes **this month. They’re great as they’re all easy to make, yet jam packed full of flavour. That’s what we find HelloFresh does so well - particularly in comparison to any HelloFresh alternatives. It repeatedly designs meals that excite the taste buds, yet don’t take hours of time in the kitchen.  

Cumberland sausages and spring onion mash with jerk spiced carrots and mango chutney sauce

To us, sausage and mash screams autumn. What’s great about this sausage and mash dish is how it has been tweaked ever so slightly, but to such a big effect. It was such a popular hit with all our tasters, who loved how the usual onion gravy was elevated to a new place through the use of mango chutney, which worked so well with the jerk spiced carrots.

Jerk seasoning isn’t for everyone, but here, with the chutney sauce and mash to calm it down, even those who don’t like overly spiced things will surely enjoy these carrots. However, we also liked that you could take some carrots aside and cook them on their own for fussier eaters.

The spring onion mash is another great example of taking a classic and updating it slightly so that a standard mid-week meal remains exciting. Spring onions are quick to prepare but are so tasty - so they are used brilliantly here.

Quick and easy teriyaki pork with mushrooms and jasmine pea rice

Teriyaki sauce is usually a big hit with most people. Its slight sweetness and its saltiness appeals to the tastebuds while using it alongside pork means that the meat takes on the flavours really well. It’s also a great dish to get veggies inside any member of a household that is usually a bit of a veggie dodger. Putting peas in the naturally sweeter jasmine rice means that you easily get some greens inside anyone who usually likes to keep their plate beige.

Getting mushrooms eaten is also another big win. Mushrooms are usually one of those ingredients that people would usually leave out of food boxes. However, here, when flavoured with teriyaki sauce, there’s nothing not to like.

All in all, this was an easy dish to make, so when found to be utterly delicious too, our testers said they’d definitely order it again.

Creamy chicken pesto penne with cheddar and rocket

Pasta is such a crowd pleaser, and this dish is no exception. Chicken is a fantastic protein to include in dishes as it's lean and better for you than other red meats like beef. However, it’s not always everyone’s favourite meat as people often find it to be a bit bland. Here it is shown to be a wonderful ingredient as it works beautifully alongside the creamy pesto sauce that has the cheese element ramped up by including cheddar.

The rocket also helps keep the dish fresh, while upping the amount of greens in the dish. Its peppery flavour may be quite strong for some tastes, however, when eaten alongside the chicken and creamy sauce with pasta, it is toned down so that everyone will enjoy it.

Tofu massaman style curry with green beans, zesty rice and peanuts

Tofu is not an ingredient that even veggies are always comfortable using. It’s a great shame as it’s a fantastic ingredient that is a brilliant substitute for animal protein. Here it is used in a curry, so it’s cooked alongside a sauce that is fragrant and spicy - an easy way to start using tofu. For those that don’t, or haven’t, used tofu before, this easy to follow recipe makes it straightforward to learn how to use it for cooking.

It’s also a great recipe for learning how to make a massaman curry in a hurry, as well as quick wins for making rice more exciting. Here, the recipe calls for a citrusy zest that lifts the dish and works well as an accompaniment to the curry. We loved the crunch of the peanuts and the freshness of the green beans - all in all this was a great all rounder of a dish.  

Harissa veg pilaf and mint yoghurt with chermoula roasted butternut and green beans

There are a lot of big flavours in this recipe, but they are all wonderful to eat alongside each other, thanks to having been designed and balanced together by HelloFresh’s excellent team of chefs. We also like that it takes not one, but two ingredients that many people won’t have used before and shows how to use them to ultimate effect.

Putting harissa spiced veg in a pilaf means that the main star of the show is no way near boring. Instead, it tastes exotic and interesting. The mint yoghurt cools the taste buds, while the mint gives it a freshness. The butternut squash in chermoula is yet another example of how to use a lesser-known spice, while the green beans mean everyone is getting their necessary amount of vitamins and minerals.

Why subscribing makes sense:

While the above dishes sound incredible, there are a number of key factors that need to be considered before signing up to HelloFresh. We think the below are brilliant reasons why many HelloFresh alternatives struggle to beat this company which remains one of the best around.  

Time saving

Without doubt, one of the best things about HelloFresh is that it will save you time. You no longer have a meal plan to ensure that you have a balanced array of food to eat each and every week. Plus you have to spend less time in the traditional supermarket - especially when you consider that HelloFresh also has plenty of add-ons that can help customers all but replace their old way of food shopping.

Nutritionally balanced

All recipes are designed by chefs and nutritionists, so you don’t have to worry that you are eating a diet laden with salt or sugar. Or, you don't even have to think about the fact that you need to include the right amount of protein, veg and carbs in every meal. HelloFresh does all that thinking for you, while also ensuring that meals are delicious. That's a tough ask from a busy person, which is why subscribing is such a good idea.

Reduces waste

HelloFresh only ever delivers what you need for each recipe. It means that you materially cut down on the waste that your household produces. There's no huge pack of fresh spinach that goes off as you only need a handful of leaves. And there’s no random jar of spices that loses its taste in your larder as you only ever use one teaspoon of it for a single recipe you hardly ever make.

Plus, as the food is a good portion size for adults, there are also no leftovers which lurk in the fridge only to go off in a couple of days.

Less stress

Overall, this all adds up to a lot less stress - especially if you are the main caterer in the household. Trying to come up with new and innovative meals each and every night that also meet a family’s nutritional needs is a big pressure.

Yet, HelloFresh takes a lot of pressure off you by doing all the hard work. Plus, as it's such a reliable service, you know that your food will be delivered on the day the company says it will. So, you can always be confident that you have something exciting to serve and put on the table.

Picking recipes from the HelloFresh Meals List

Choosing recipes from the menu each and every week can be a really exciting time. However, there is so much choice - particularly when compared to HelloFresh alternatives - that sometimes it’s nice to have a recommendation, simply so you know you are getting the tastiest dishes possible.

Of course, all dishes by HelloFresh are delicious, but having some highlights can make the choosing process even quicker than it normally is. That way, you really can spend less than five minutes doing all your household’s food shopping and meal planning - which is quite the time saving for anyone. Let alone those who lead an incredibly busy modern life.