The first meal the writer ever cooked was ramen. The subsequent twelve meals were also ramen, as were a significant percentage of the following hundred meals. By the age of 11, as a latchkey kid, the writer had mastered the Maruchan egg drop and the addition of sliced green onion, chili, soy sauce, and mushrooms. Early on, they discovered a love for cumin and coriander, finding that any ingredient seemed suitable.
The writer expresses a sense of pride when they recently composed a ramen bowl using a HelloFresh delivery meal kit, drawing on considerable experience in cooking.
packaged home ramen has often been seen as a convenient but unremarkable choice. However, on a rainy Tuesday following a long day at work, the writer found satisfaction in creating a meal featuring pork-chicken shoyu ramen with sesame-grilled chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and wilted spinach. The dish was topped with chili oil, and the writer felt it was an accomplishment, achieved without much effort.
Meal kits like HelloFresh offer a balanced vision of home cooking. They require more investment than groceries but are less costly than dining out. The appeal lies in the promise of creating a well-conceived meal without the effort of planning it.
HelloFresh, which originated in Germany like many popular meal kits, has become a significant player in the market. Each week, a box of individually portioned ingredients arrives with recipes printed on straightforward one-sheets, accompanied by lively graphics. The user needs only pots, pans, a stove, and basic staples like oil, salt, and butter.
