Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Your HelloFresh Diet
Adjusting your dietary preferences with HelloFresh is a straightforward process that can be done in minutes through your online account or the mobile app. While setting a preference will automatically filter your weekly suggestions, remember that you maintain complete control over which recipes you ultimately choose from the broader menu each week. Below are the key steps to make your changes.
Using the HelloFresh Website
- Log in to Your Account: Navigate to the HelloFresh website and log in with your credentials.
- Access Account Settings: Click on your name in the top right-hand corner of the page to open a dropdown menu, then select "Account Settings".
- Find Plan Settings: On the Account Settings page, look for and click the "Plan Settings" option.
- Edit Menu Preferences: Under the 'Meal Preferences' tab, you will find the option to edit your Menu Preferences. A dropdown menu will list all the available plan options, such as Veggie, Calorie Smart, Pescatarian, and more.
- Select a New Plan: Choose the new plan that aligns with your dietary needs from the list.
- Save Your Changes: Click the "Save" button to confirm your new preference. The upcoming weekly menus will now feature recipes matching your new plan at the top of your menu selection.
Using the HelloFresh Mobile App
- Open the App: Launch the HelloFresh app on your smartphone.
- Navigate to Settings: Tap the "Settings" icon, typically located in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
- Choose Plan Settings: Tap on "Plan Settings" and select the plan you wish to update.
- Change Menu Preferences: Select "Menu Preferences" and choose your new dietary option from the list.
- Confirm and Save: A confirmation pop-up will appear. Tap "Confirm" to save the changes to your account.
Manually Selecting Recipes vs. Account Preferences
It's important to understand the distinction between setting a long-term preference and manually choosing your meals each week. While your set preference influences the meals automatically selected for you, you can always override this by manually choosing from the full weekly menu of 100+ items. This is particularly useful for weeks when you want a greater variety or want to mix and match between diet plans. Just be sure to do so before the weekly cutoff deadline, which is typically 11:59 PM PST five days before your scheduled delivery.
Customizing Specific Recipes
HelloFresh also offers limited ingredient customization on certain recipes each week, marked with a "Customise" label. This allows for minor, individual adjustments without changing your entire meal plan. For example, you might be able to swap chicken thighs for chicken breast or swap out a specific protein. This feature provides extra flexibility for those who want to stick to a specific diet but need to make small modifications to a single meal.
Important Deadlines and Other Considerations
- Cutoff Deadline: To ensure your changes are reflected in your next box, you must update your preferences and select your meals before the weekly cutoff. If you miss this deadline, the following box will reflect your old settings, and you'll need to wait until the next week to see your changes applied.
- Allergen Information: While you can select preferences, HelloFresh is not an allergen-free service. Always review the detailed nutritional and allergen information provided for each recipe card and online. If you have severe allergies, it is best to avoid recipes containing those allergens entirely, even if you try to make a modification.
- First Box Limitations: New subscribers should note that they may not be able to change the meals in their very first order. The first box often follows a preset menu based on your initial sign-up choices. Flexibility begins with your second delivery.
Comparison of HelloFresh Customization Methods
| Feature | Set Meal Preference | Manual Weekly Selection | Customizing Individual Recipes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effect | Automatically suggests meals for you each week. | Allows you to choose any recipe from the full menu. | Makes minor ingredient swaps within a single recipe. |
| Dietary Flexibility | Best for major dietary shifts (e.g., meat-eater to Veggie). | Ideal for mixing and matching across different plans. | Great for fine-tuning a dish or avoiding one ingredient. |
| Cadence | Set it once and it persists until changed. | Must be done manually each week before the cutoff. | Applied on a per-recipe basis, only on marked recipes. |
| Effort | Low; set once. | Medium; requires weekly action. | Low; simple click-to-swap interface. |
| Use Case | Committing to a specific, long-term eating style. | Exploring various options or having a flexible routine. | Catering to a specific dislike or adding a premium item. |
Conclusion
Managing your dietary preferences on HelloFresh is a simple and flexible process. By navigating to your account's 'Plan Settings', you can update your overall meal preference to align with major dietary goals, such as transitioning to vegetarian or calorie-conscious meals. For more control, remember that you can manually select from the full weekly menu to mix and match recipes, regardless of your main preference setting. Finally, for small, on-the-fly changes, the "Customise" feature allows for specific ingredient swaps on select recipes. By using these tools, you can ensure your HelloFresh subscription remains fresh, exciting, and perfectly suited to your evolving tastes.
