When HelloFresh meets set-in-their-ways. [View all]

[Croney]

Our busy daughter subscribes to a meal delivery service for her five-person family, and persuaded us to try a free week. The box arrived today. Two big pork tenderloins and two portions of trout. Two packs of small potatoes. Two packs of green beans. Two packs of asparagus spears.

Sounds good, right? But you're supposed to keep the two meals separate, and you're supposed to use the dozen accessory packets and condiments to make sauces and seasonings and toppings.

I froze both fish and one pork roast because I already had salmon ready to cook tonight. I combined the asparagus and we'll have it with the salmon. I'll boil a few potatoes but I'm not making the "horseradish mashed potatoes" the meal calls for, using various packets.

I sent daughter a picture of my counter covered with all the ingredients piled and jumbled together and she texted back, WHAT? You were supposed to keep each brown bag separate! Each bag is a separate meal! They will keep in the frig for a week! Please tell me you didn't mix up the sauce packets! What are you doing!

I told her not to worry, I'm sure it will all be great.

But my real opinion is that it's much easier and cheaper for me to go to the store and buy a piece of fish and a few vegetables, and use my Penzey's Spices collection. No sauces, no frills; we're just two old people who eat simply.