Top 3 Cooking Hacks HelloFresh Taught Me

I’ll admit it, I’m a woman in my thirties who somehow never really learned how to cook. But last year, I decided just couldn’t go on making Chinese takeout last three nights for dinner anymore. I needed to learn how to cook for myself, but I needed some help that would work with my busy schedule. That’s when I found HelloFresh. They’re a meal kit subscription that sends me weekly boxes full of everything I need to cook 4 dinners a week (you can customize your plan to the number of meals you want). The boxes include all the ingredients, so I don’t have to go grocery shopping, which are pre-prepared, so the meals take around 30 minutes. Starting at $8.99 a meal, I’ve been able to save some major money by quitting takeout, too. Best of all, they have in-depth recipe cards with instructions that include pictures, so whether you’re already a home chef or you need to learn the basics, they’ve got you covered.

Here are the top 3 tips for mastering basic cooking I learned from HelloFresh.

1. How to cook a perfect medium-rare steak.

HelloFresh has a ton of steak meals, one of my favorite things about the kit. Here’s my rule of thumb for perfect medium rare steak if you don’t have a meat thermometer: for a ¼ inch cut, cook for 3.5 minutes on each side, and make sure the skillet is hot enough before hand that the steak sizzles when you drop it in. The steak comes out perfectly pink on the inside every time.

2. How to cook perfectly al dente pasta.

Perfectly al dente pasta (which, if you’re like me and don’t know, is springy and slightly chewy) requires three simple steps 1. Use plenty of water, don’t be stingy 2. Salt the water when boiling 3. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.

3. How to poach an egg.

If you’re a newbie like me and don’t have an egg poacher, you can still make a brunch-perfect poached egg with just some boiling water. Boil water on the stove, and add a dash of vinegar. Then break an egg into the water (or, to be careful, break an egg into a bowl and then transfer from the bowl to the water). Let the egg cook in the water for 3 minutes, then spoon it out with a slotted spoon.

HelloFresh made learning the ropes of cooking easy.

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