We Tried Several Meal Delivery Boxes – Here’s What We Thought
We did a taste test!
We all lead busy lives and sometimes there are little splurges that just make life easier. One of those splurges is meal delivery boxes as they include interesting recipes, fresh ingredients, and everything you need to make the recipes delivered right to your doorstep! 🙌🏻 That said, with so many different meal kits on the market these days, it’s hard to know if they’re really worth the cost or which meal box is best for your diet needs and/or family preferences.
Quite a few Hip2Save team members love the convenience of meal kits and being able to try new recipes that they wouldn’t try otherwise. Plus, they love that nothing goes to waste since the ingredients are all perfectly portioned for each recipe! However, some team members feel that they cost a lot of money compared to just heading to the grocery store yourself and buying all the ingredients.
We decided it would be fun to do a little experiment and make a few different meal boxes on our Hip2Save Team retreat and see which box we liked the most! Want to know what we thought? Check out our recent Facebook Live Video to see how the whole cooking process went (it got a little crazy since we had so many cooks in the kitchen!) and which recipes we were (and were not) fans of.
Note that all of the following offers are for new subscribers only, and you will be automatically subscribed to future deliveries. HOWEVER, there is NO commitment and you can cancel or change your subscription at any time.
Want to grab a box of your own?
Green Chef (Interesting, unique meals!)
The team enjoyed Green Chef as the meals were simple to follow, were very flavorful, and included unique dishes that we wouldn’t normally make – such as Cod with Creole Dijonaise (pictured below), Chicken Tikka Masala (Collin’s favorite!), and Hawaij Rubbed Pork Chops (one of the team’s favorite dishes!).
Plus, we loved that Green Chef even has a variety of diet-specific meal boxes, including Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Pescatarian, Mediterranean, Vegan, Omnivore, Heart-Smeart, Lean & Clean, and more! And, they include all non-GMO, USDA-certified organic ingredients!
Even sweeter, for a limited time you can receive $40 off your first Green Chef order – no promo code needed! Just click on the ‘Get Started’ button at the top of the site and complete your Profile.
That means you can score the 2-Person Plan (3 recipes/week for 2 people) for just $5.32-$6.32 per serving. Keep in mind that delivery is an additional $6.99 per box.
Here’s what one sidekick thought of Green Chef:
“I really enjoyed the Cod recipe and loved how the Green Chef meals were organic, quick to make, and easy to follow. I am not usually a big fan of fish or Indian foods, but the meals that we prepared were delicious! It was fun to branch out a little and try something that I would normally never eat! The only negative for me was that the portions were a little bit smaller than I would have wanted.” – Mary
Home Chef (Yummy, traditional meals!)
If your family is hesitant about trying unique meals, Home Chef may be the meal box for you! Our team made a Steak, Cheddar Potatoes, and Broccolini meal that was amazing! We also really enjoyed making these Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (pictured below) as they were a good mix of spicy and savory.
You’ll even be able to note your dietary and delivery preferences (including Gluten-Free, Low Calorie, and Vegetarian meals – just to name a few). And we loved that they also offer low-carb choices that fit in with my keto lifestyle! Plus, they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you aren’t completely satisfied with a box because it is defective or otherwise, you can request a Home Chef credit.
Even sweeter, for a limited time you can receive $30 off your first Home Chef order and $10 off your second order – no promo code needed! Just head to the Home Chef website and enter your email address to get started.
As an idea, you can snag your first box of two meals with two servings each for under $20 shipped – which means you’re paying just $4.95 per serving! That’s cheaper than the cost of fast food nowadays!
Here’s what one sidekick thought of Home Chef:
“Home Chef was YUMMY! They offer very traditional food, but I actually liked that about this particular meal box because then I knew what I was getting and knew it was not going to waste. I would say HomeChef is the perfect option for those people who have pickier families! And the best part about Home Chef is that it was EASY!” – Amber
Sun Basket (Fresh, BIG portions!)
We loved Sun Basket as the meals were very fresh, flavorful, and included non-GMO produce and sustainably sourced meats. Our team whipped up several delicious meals, including Chicken Breasts with Shirazi Salad & Black Tahini Dressing, Sicilian Chicken with Charred Lemon Chutney & Cauliflower Rice, and a vegetarian Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili. Everyone really enjoyed the chicken salad!
We also loved that you can also choose from special menus such as Paleo, Gluten-free, Vegan, Diabetes-Friendly, Lean & Clean, and more options – OR choose the Family Menu with recipes that will please parents and kids alike. Some recipes were even created by Food Network Chef Tyler Florence!
For a limited time, you can score a whopping $80 off when you try Sun Basket for the first time – you’ll receive $35 off your first order and $25 off your second order and $20 off your third delivery. Just click ‘Activate Offer’, enter your family size, delivery frequency, and select your meals, and head to checkout – no promo code needed. Even sweeter, delivery is free on your first order!
As one idea, you can snag a 4-person Family plan, with 2 meals per week. Choose your recipes and head to checkout to receive your first shipment for under $40 delivered – that’s just $4.99 per serving!
Here’s what one sidekick thought of Sun Basket:
“I loved how easy my Sun Basket meal was to prepare! It didn’t take a lot of time, which was amazing. However, even though I loved how easy my meal was to prepare, it didn’t have a lot of flavor and was a bit bland. The chicken I prepared was just salt and peppered as was the cauliflower rice. In addition, there was a chutney that went with the meal, but it was a little bit of an odd combination to me.” – Angie
Thank you for this post! Just last week I decided to try HelloFresh with the promo they offer, $20 off the first 4 boxes. This is my second week. Last night I tried my 4th meal. I have been blown out of the water with every one. They have all been delicious! The recipes are keepers for sure! I have been trying the “calorie smart” meals and other ones that are healthier options….None of these were recipes I would’ve printed and made myself….but now they’re going in the vault. I’m trying to clean up my eating and stay on track, and trying some new meals with the ease and convenience they provide is amazing. I would not pay the full price for them as it is too expensive, but with the promo, it really comes out to be close to buying the ingredients in-store. These really help me out on weeknights, being a single mom with not getting home til 5:30-6. I was considering trying the other companies with promos as well to get more recipes under my belt. The more variety I have, the more likely I am to stay on track!
Are the recipes made with things you could find locally? I’m wondering if it’s worth it to try for the recipes and see if my girls like it. Then we’ll have something new to add to rotation!
hey Kristi, I also have tried Hello Fresh and still have the recipe cards. For sure you can find the ingredient.
Oh yeah….everything I would be able to buy at a grocery store (and some of the produce grow in my garden during summer) with the exception of maybe chicken demi-glace? That’s the only thing I wasn’t sure what was and googled the other day…basically chicken stock concentrate for the most part. I saw a couple recipes on making it homemade…but I’m fairly certain the concentrate would work! My 5 year old son was with me for one of the meals, balsamic fig chicken with salad greens and sweet potatoes. He’s a tough/slow eater sometimes….gobbled it all up!!! Zero complaints on the salad (was just lemon juice/olive oil/salt/pepper) He loved the “sour” of the lemon and said the chicken with the sauce was so yummy! That’s what I’m loving, is the fact that…here it is, you paid for it, make it up and eat it (versus maybe a recipe that *could* be good…but you just pass it on by because it’s not something you’re familiar with or had before.) I’m just loving them, and after I run out of the promo, I’ll have grown my recipe collection to add variety and deliciousness!!
Hi Kristi, I have tried HelloFresh, Blue apron, Plated, Sun Basket, and Home chef. Out of all of them I found Hello Fresh to have the most approachable grocery list. Have made several recipes again and the ingredients were not so obscure it required much “special” shopping. I have one picky eater and one kiddo who eats anything and both are satisfied with the recipes. Hope that helps! If you get a referral from a current member you can get $40 off your first week. Not sure what their current promos are.
I just checked my account and I have a referral link in case anyone wants to try Hello Fresh for $40 off your first week. Only posting my own since there is not a Hip2Save link for HF above. š
https://www.hellofresh.com?c=DJEF39&utm_source=raf-share&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=clipboard
Hi….I have a hello fresh card. That is worth 50 dollars.I am willing to sell it for 40 dollars…my email is ddurosinmi5374@mc3.edu
Did you try any other meal delivery boxes? Thoughts if you did?
We are currently doing HelloFresh. We have really enjoyed learning different techniques, trying new things and less grocery shopping. The only issue weāve had is some fresh produce getting to cold in transport. But HelloFresh has been extremely helpful when I had these issues.
Just had our second Green Chef meal – both were hits for adults & kids alike. I wanted to try as a fun thing for my daughter and I to do together (she is 9 and loves to cook) so these are perfect- everything is measured out and step-by-step directions (with pictures) makes it easy for her to do without my constant help (she can prepare the step ahead of me while I chop). Highly recommend if you enjoy the process of cooking (but want it to be efficient!) and want to mix it up a little!
Has anyone tried Gobble? They sent us a good coupon in the mail, but I don’t know anyone who has tried them and if it’s easy to cancel after the promotional offer.
Weāve done Gobble quite a few times. By far one of the easiest to make, everything is pre-cut and portioned. Super quick to make, too. One of the cheaper ones and was a big hit for the family.
Have you continued with them or do you know if it is easy to cancel after promotion? I have seen negative reviews on ability to cancel.
We’ve tried Gobble, initially with a starter promo code, and then about every 6 months they send a “We miss you!” promo so I’ll reactivate my subscription for a week and then cancel it again. I have had no issues cancelling, just a simple online request. And the food is good!
I have had no issues at all with pausing or outright canceling in the past š I have returned to them as they are so simple to make and the recipes are so good. The customer service has been excellent.
I presently use Gobble and love it š When we were missing a small spice ingredient with our order, I emailed them. They responded right away and gave us two free meals credited to our account.
We love, love, love GOBBLE! We get the 3 meals a week for 2. Sometimes we skip a week or two. There are so many choices and things are pre-prepped so dinner is ready in 15 minutes. While our kids have enjoyed some of the meals, typically my husband and I have them together after the kids have had a quick bite or while kids are at activities. Their sign up promo was unbeatable and the flexibility to skip meals or cancel altogether just by going to account settings is a plus. If you are considering trying, Iād love if you used my referral link. Thank you. https://www.gobble.com/invites/G0BtWBwvU
I just started with Gobble and just cooked our 1st meal today. I’m not a cook at all, and it was easy for me to follow. Plus my husband loved it! Still have 2 more meals left from this week’s delivery. You can pick from different meal options each week. Also, you don’t have to get meals every week. You can choose to skip a week/weeks if you like. Very easy to do (I just skipped the delivery for next week). Also, if you go through Swagbucks, you pay $36 for your first box of 3 different meals, then you get $50 dollars back! Win-win to me…food and $14 dollar moneymaker! š
If you don’t want to go through swagbucks, you can used this link to get your first meal for 2 people free. https://www.gobble.com/invites/G0BwDiaAJ
Just want to put a shout out to emails.com. For $5 a month, you can get recipes, menus, and shopping lists. You can specify a specific diet like Low Carb. Then you can send your shopping list to Wal-Mart for free grocery pick up($30 min. order)! It’s great and very cheap. They offer a free 2 week trial.
Hi Kathleen – can you verify the website? It’s not coming up for me. It also sounds so odd for a service like this! Thank you.
Yes eMeals.com is my go-to!
If the OP doesnāt put her referral link- hereās mine for 14 days free. Their app is where itās at- it links to Walmart grocery, click list, instacart, etc. So helpful! http://EMeals.com/invite/Alyssa-barnes
Kathleen do you have a referral link, I’d love to use it since you provided the information or idea. If you cannot do that on here can you please email me your referral code at nieminicole@yahoodotcom
Thank you
I’ve tried Home Chef, Green Chef and Plated. I will say Plated wasn’t great, but more affordable and offered a 3 serving option that the others didn’t. I liked Green Chef, but they didn’t offer as many choices for meals. I really liked the options and flavors of Home Chef! If you are wanting to try it, I’d very much appreciate anyone to use my link! You still get the $30 discount on your first box! https://www.homechef.com/invite/9B7ZMpfM7B0Bp
I have a great addition that you left off, though it is regional. Meez Meals at meezmeals.com is the only opt-in meal delivery program out there. That means that you never have to remember to cancel or risk receiving an unexpected meal. If you don’t order that week, you won’t get a meal. They also are unique in that you can order as little or as much as you want. I love that flexibility. If you just want to order an entree salad plus 3 servings of the Bistro Steak With Penne, then that’s all you’ll get. No shipping charges either.
They only operate in 9 of the midwest though: Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Iowa and most of Missouri and Minnesota. When I started ordering from them a year and a half ago they were only in Chicago and Ohio, so they are growing. Their customer service is the best. If you have a question between 5 and 8pm CST while you’re cooking dinner, just call them and they’ll answer it for you. It’s not a phone bank either, it’s usually one of the executives that run the program. Their meals really vary, so if they don’t appeal to you one week make sure to check out the next week’s offerings. I also like that 90% of the prep work is done for you (i.e. vegetables are already chopped). It saves a lot of time and prevents a lot of dirty dishes. They are a lot healthier than most of the other companies, and you can exclude any ingredient you don’t like. For example, my son is allergic to nuts so they always correct my meal orders to exclude nuts. Also, if you use the promo code: refSuzanneKim at checkout, you’ll get $25 off your first purchase as a new member. If you order $50 worth of food, it’s only going to cost you $25. No strings attached, and no commitment because it’s an opt-in program.
I don’t work for them, I just think they are a really amazing company. I’ve been ordering from them for the past year and a half and I have nothing but great things to say about them.
I will have to try them (and will use your link), just as long as they ship to my area of MN. Thanks!!
Thank you for sharing this, we’re in the delivery area! I’m going to try them soon.
Hi Suzanne — I just used your referral code to place my first order. Looking forward to it!
I did Hello Fresh for awhile, but cancelled after getting so much wilted and/or rotten produce. My first box was great, but after that everyone had problems. Even though they gave me credit for the messed up items, it just became too big of a hassle: I would have to go buy replacements for the messed up items, so all the time savings from having the meal kits delivered was lost. I think the quality really depends on how close you are to their distribution centers. I thought the recipes were good, but it was more expensive especially with the produce quality issues.
Same here!
I almost wonder if it is regional for food quality issues? Hello fresh has been the one that I have had the best luck with, ironically. Massive problems when I tried Sun Basket and Plated – and Sun Basket took 5 emails to get a response! It is super frustrating to have missing items or bad food when the point was to not grocery shop for that meal!
I’ve had 5 deliveries from Hello Fresh and 2 of them the meat package was punctured. So the boxes arrived wet and soft of the bottom, when I opened the box, there was blood in the bottom of the box and all over the ice packs. It definitely wasn’t a delivery issue because the meat is packed in the middle of the ice packs. Hello Fresh did refund the cost of the box however when you make plans to have one of the meals for dinner and you can’t, you have to run to the grocery store for an alternative plan.
Thank you! I am so glad to see that I am not the only one who has had a quality problem! Every box came with either damaged meat or rotted produce. I got sick of wasting my time. I couldn’t even make 2 of the 3 recipes from my last Everyplate (same company as Hello Fresh) box.
We tried Blue Apron. They changed one of the meals I ordered and my husband could not eat it. Food was good, but portions were small.
We have been doing Sunbasket for several weeks now. Love it. Havenāt loved all the meals, but definitely didnāt hate any. I feel like the longer you do it you know more what to look for when picking the meals (likes and dislikes). I was kind of guessing at first. Customer service is excellent though, we got wilted herbs one week and they refunded a significant portion of our payment. More generous than I would have thought. We were eating out like 3+ times a week and have only ate out 3 times in over a month so it is definitely helping us from that perspective. Plus as mentioned, the portions are generous and we are spending more time together as a couple cooking.
We have been using Sunbasket for about a month and love it! (We have tried at least 3 other meal delivery companies and love this one the most!) The meals are delicious, simple, unique, and healthy! If you decide to try…it would be a huge blessing to us if you used our link!
https://sunbasket.com/invite/Kara2245381
My family has tried many different ones as well. I do not normally like to cook but I do not mind it as much with meal delivery kits for some reason. It’s nice not having to figure out what to make and buy all of the ingredients plus try new dishes. We were not a fan of sunbasket at all, flavors were bland and not good plus bad selection. The one’s we use and like the most for family friendly recipies is Hello Fresh and Blue Apron. I cancel after the promo codes run out and it seems like a month later they email you another code to come back with a discount (blue apron does it more often than hello fresh.) I’ve had a few times when the meat wasn’t sealed or missing an ingredient and both companies have good customer service and has made it right with refunds or discounts on future orders. If you have picky eaters I would try Hello fresh first. My kids are 11 and 13 and to save money I buy the 2 person plan (3 meals a week) and try to order meals I can add a little more meat or pasta to to make it larger for everyone yet less expensive. I am using Hello Fresh again right now so if anyone wants to use my referal discount code it is KELBEDE
I have tried many of the ones listed as well as Martha & Marley Spoon and their cheaper line called Dinnerly.
I liked the way Blue Apron sends the boxes and their food was pretty good. I liked the food from Martha & Marley Spoon best. Dinnerly is cost-effective, but their selection was smaller and you have to print your own menu cards.
I’ve tried Home Chef in the past. I like that there are plenty of options to choose from and the instructions are straight-forward. I don’t have a consistent delivery since it’s not quite in the budget, but I have been pleased with the boxes I have received. The only minor thing I can think of, that may be a deal breaker for some, is that there is not enough in the boxes for leftovers. If you’d like to give Home Chef a try, here’s my link: https://www.homechef.com/invite/1Xaw5tVxl52j
There are a bunch of meal kits at our Kroger now. Much easier to grab them and go out the door than to wait for packages to arrive in the mail. And they are fresh, with much less packaging.
Has Anyone tried Gobble or EveryPlate ?
We tried Gobble and really like it! Could not keep the subscription going for cost reasons but the food and instructions were great.
I presently subscribe only to Gobble. I have tried several others in the past and this is our favorite. Excellent customer service, easy to pause and skip weeks. Simple recipes and they taste great š
I just got EveryPlate in the mail. We have tried one meal so far and it was good. The choices are def more simple and seem like they would be more kid/picky-eater friendly. Certainly worth a try in my opinion. Feel free to use my link for $20 off. https://www.everyplate.com/plans?c=JOANNBE&utm_campaign=clipboard&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=raf-share
Can anyone speak to portion size? Hubbies 6’4″ with a large appetite and my tween son’s appetite is picking up as well. Wasn’t sure if I’d need to order up (order for family of 4 or 5 instead of family of 3)?
Both meals I had for Blue Apron were smaller portions. Probably need to order for 5.
Thanks JoAnne for the helpful feedback. š
Iāve tried Blue Apron, Plated and Veestro.
The first two just had so much packaging I couldnāt in good conscience keep getting it. Other more eco-friendly subs didnāt deliver to my rural Midwest address. Then I found out about Veestro. It is all plant based, very filling, everything is recyclable and tastes amazing.
I’m going to look into Veestro for my daughter, thanks for posting that company name.
I tried Blue Apron once and it was good, but I’m with you. There is so much packaging that it feels wasteful to do it on a regular basis.
I havenāt actually tried these for myself- we have a family of 8 and I just canāt justify the cost…
However, I did gift to a friend who lives several states away and was in need of meals after a move…itās a great way to give a meal when you canāt physically be there to make one! Although she had to prepare it, she received the ingredients right to her door and enjoyed not having to decide what to make, and making new things!
I did used Blue Apron and Hello Fresh just to use their promotions…she loved them both!
I have hello fresh meal to give if anyone wants to try free for a week
On another note, we have tried Plated, Hello Fresh and Home Chef. Plated’s website is so easy and user friendly. Home Chef is also easy to use. Hello Fresh was the worst. Confusing and not easy at all.
Home Chef is billing me $59?? No free $30 showing.
Also, I would like to add that Gobble has a promotion right now I saw on Facebook. $36 for six meals and free shipping š
I couldnāt find the post. Do you know what the code is?
Also, if you go through swagbucks, you pay $36 for the meals then get back $50 in swagbucks points, which can be redeemed for gift cards or cashed out to PayPal. So you get the food and make $14!
I just wanted to warn you that you have to keep the subscription for 40 days or swagbucks may revoke your bonus. The cost of 2 people, 3 meals is like $78 after shipping, so be aware of this.
I have tried several meal kit services and SunBasket is may absolute favorite. I have never gotten any bad produce, 2 person meals make enough for 3, and the recipes are unique and fun!
If you are interested in trying, and giving me a referral credit, here is my link:
https://sunbasket.com/invite/Lisa1017618
Enjoy!
Just signed up for Green Chef, if you use my referral code, you get 4 free meals!
https://greenchef.com/invite/rgexrg
We LOVE HelloFresh! Weāve never once been disappointed with a meal! All ingredients arrive fresh, always! Weāve loved every meal, and some we continue to recreate on our own. One of our new favorite salmon dishes is a HelloFresh recipe!
I do have a referral code if anyone cares to use if for $40 off your first box!
Iām inviting you to get cooking with HelloFresh! To get started, claim this $40 towards your first box of delicious ingredients and simple recipes. Start having fun in the kitchen using the promo code: PKEVTY https://www.hellofresh.com/plans/?c=PKEVTY&utm_source=raf-share&utm_campaign=share-sms&utm_medium=app&utm_version=c1
Side note, we use HelloFresh as a stay at home date night. Weāll sip wine and cook together. Perfect šš»
My mother was just diagnosed with cancer….while i will be meal prepping every sunday for her, while she is in chemo and radiation, its seems possibly, one of these options might be nice once in a while, anyone have an opinion on which 1 would be better?
Anyone know whatās the best one with the deal to start? I know many of these have promotions to start? Which promotions do yāall know are the best? Anyone have any free meals to share? I can certainly use them. Thanks.
Hi Jenny. I’m not sure about the promos other companies are having, but I just signed up for Gobble and got my 1st box this week. Cooked our 1st meal today and it was very good! I signed up for Gobble through Swagbucks…paid $36 but will get back $50 (or 5000SB [swagbucks]), which can be redeemed for a giftcard or cashed out to PayPal. So you get the meals and it’s a $14 moneymaker!
If you don’t want to go through swagbucks, you can used this link to get your first meal for 2 people free. https://www.gobble.com/invites/G0BwDiaAJ
Love this post!
My husband and I have tried a few different boxes, but weāve only kept our Hello Fresh and Home Chef subscriptions. Home Chef is probably my favorite out of the two, although weāve yet to have a dish from either one that we werenāt satisfied with. We both have big appetites and there is enough to fill us both up in the two person plans. I am such a picky eater, but there are so many choices on the menus each week that itās easy to avoid things I donāt like. It has also made us branch out and try things we wouldnāt normally prepare. (We just made this Lemon Thyme Chicken Orzo that was SO yummy!!!)
Plus, weāve saved money (and calories) by not eating out as much! If youāre on the fence, Iād say at least give it a shot for the promo week. Iāve been nothing but pleasantly surprised.
Here are my links
Fresh, perfectly portioned ingredients and easy to follow recipes… delivered! Get $30 off Home Chef! http://www.homechef.com/invite/b41k69FrlGnA0
Get cooking with this HelloFresh promo code! https://www.hellofresh.com/plans/?c=JESSREED35&utm_source=raf-share&utm_campaign=share-other&utm_medium=app&utm_version=c1
I have 4 free weeks (3 meals, 2 servings) through Hello Fresh as well if you want to email me, I can send you a link. You just have to remember to cancel if you donāt want to keep the service up.
Take care, everyone!
Jessica, I would love the 4 free weeks from Hello Fresh but dont see your email. Can you send me the link gregjr60 at yahoo TIA
I have an hello fresh giftcard worth $50 but I’m willing to sell it for $40…my email is ddurosinmi5374@mc3.edu
We really enjoyed HomeChef! Easy to make, they send a binder for your recipes and I loved all the meals so far! Iām pretty pickyš hereās my code if you want to try them out! https://www.homechef.com/invite/rV7EA9i2bdK7B
I’d like to hear more thoughts on the portion sizes. We are a family of four with two teenage boys. My 16 year old can easily eat more than a full grown man. I have wanted to try these kits, but the portions I see pictured look way too small for us. If any readers have successfully used these to feed giant man-children, I’d love to know!
You should check out PeachDish! Use the code KATEB for $15 off your first box!
We are vegetarian and decided to try CE Kitchen Hip Meals because several of the meals contained a meat substitute that we like and use all the time. It’s hard to believe anything could be as bad as those meals. In one, eggplant, the “side” of veggies turned out to be a large mass of tasteless green beans with the rest of the meal an indescribable small disgusting mess. Another had Brussels sprouts which still had the woody stems on them and were like rocks and faux meat that was mushy with no taste. That meat was so bad that I consider HIP’s treatment of it “cruelty to ( faux) animals.” Since they are the meat substitute I use regularly, I know they should not be microwaved. But HIP’s instructions said to microwave them, so I did. OMG. I have tried three of the six kinds of meals and I just could not bring myself to try the others. They are now in the trash. I couldn’t prepare such awful meals if I went out of my way to do it deliberately. Really, I don’t like to be critical of things but in this case…..