Have you ever watched a competition cooking show and thought to yourself, “I can do that” while eating a bowl of cereal for dinner? We all have, and the chances of us actually being able to “do that” are slim to none. Of course, we all wish we could cook like those celebrity chefs who make it look so easy, but the truth of the matter is we don’t even know where to start. I can’t even count how many times I’ve attempted to follow a recipe that I found online and failed miserably. Then I’m left with excess ingredients and leftover food that just sits in the fridge rotting away for eternity. But my life has now forever changed and those days are long gone because I recently experienced cooking a HelloFresh meal with a friend who subscribes to the meal kit delivery service. They deliver weekly pre-planned recipes straight to your door, so you can finally cook like a grown-up.

My friend is such a foodie, or so I thought. She always posts these sophisticated meals on social media with names like “Apple Sage Turkey Burgers,” “Spring Asparagus and Shrimp Risotto,” and “Cauliflower Pancetta Mac’ n’ Cheese.” They always look so delicious and I could never believe that she actually prepared them herself. One day, I decided to ask her about when and how she learned to cook like that considering just last year, when we were roommates, all we ate were instant ramen noodles. Turns out she has a subscription to HelloFreshand she wasn’t coming up with these meals all on her own. What a relief that was to hear, because for a second I thought I was really falling behind on this whole adulting thing. She invited me over for dinner so I can see first hand how easy the whole process is and how someone like me can jump right in and do it, too.

That night we decided to make “Wasabi Lime Salmon.” Sounds complicated and fancy, right? It may not be as easy as making instant ramen, but it’s pretty close (and so much better). The best thing about HelloFresh is that these meals take literally 30 minutes tops to make and everything is ready to go – just easy chopping or quick slicing for prep. For a newbie like me that’s especially important. The kit comes with a recipe card which has step-by-step photos of how to prepare your dinner. It is basically fool-proof. Our meal took 29 minutes to make and it was SO good. Served with a glass of white wine, I felt like we were so mature and dining at a 5-star restaurant (but it was really just a 500 sq. ft. studio apartment). Of course, I made sure to snap a quick picture to send to my mom before devouring the meal. Her reply was three hands clapping emojis, her baby girl is growing up.

I decided to take the plunge and subscribe to HelloFresh that same night. I signed up for their classic meal plan which includes 3 recipes for 2 people, but I’m doing this solo so that’s 6 nights of dinner for me. It came out to $60 for the week. This kit will replace most of my grocery shopping budget plus eating better is a huge priority for me now that I am in my mid-twenties. I have my first box sitting in the kitchenette right now and I can’t wait to get my Gordon Ramsay on and start cooking dinner. To me, this meal kit is so much more than just dinner for the week. It’s also a cooking tutorial for adulting – HelloFresh is actually teaching me how to prepare meals like a grown-up and that experience is worth every penny. I’ll never have to eat like an 18 year old college freshman ever again.

Update: The folks at HelloFresh are extending a special offer to our readers! Follow this link to get $30 off including FREE shipping on the first box!