How Long Do HelloFresh Meals Last?

HelloFresh is a meal-kit service that delivers fresh ingredients that can be cooked using several delicious recipes.

But how well do these ingredients store?

How long do HelloFresh meals last? HelloFresh meals should be kept refrigerated, and how long they last will depend on their ingredients. You should divide the ingredients into four categories: seafood, meat, cheese, and veggies. Seafood must be consumed within 2 days, meats within 3–4 days, and cheese and veggies within 4–6 days.

Read below to learn more about HelloFresh deliveries, how to store them, and best practices to get the most out of the shelf life of the ingredients!

How HelloFresh Works

The service is known for its customizability and the freedom that it offers when it comes to deliveries and weekly meal plans.

But here’s the thing about HelloFresh: the service is tuned towards people who need weekly recipe ideas. This means that the company sends ingredients that are intended to be cooked within a certain time before the next delivery arrives!

For example, if you receive a meal kit on a Monday, then you will need to use all of the ingredients as mentioned on your plan before the next delivery date, which would be the following Monday.

The good news is that you can stop the deliveries very conveniently in the app, which will put a hold on your meal plans until you resume deliveries. 

But what if you are left with a meal kit and you can’t cook the meals according to the meal plan?

HelloFresh Meal Kit Basics

HelloFresh sells meal kits that come in cardboard boxes. The inside of the box is insulated to maintain internal temperatures and to keep the ingredients safe from the environment.  

Inside the box, you will find all the recipe cards and (of course) the ingredients. Each ingredient, whether it’s a single tomato or an avocado, will be wrapped in its appropriate packaging. 

Here are some of the ingredients that you will typically find in a HelloFresh meal kit. We’ll group the ingredients according to their type to make things easier to understand.

Meat

This category includes beef, chicken, and seafood. 

HelloFresh packs every type of meat individually in a tightly wrapped plastic pack, and these packets are usually surrounded by an insulated icepack that keeps the meat at a stable temperature. 

You can get either one or several types of meat per week, depending on the type of meal plan that you have chosen. 

Veggies

Veggies are usually stored in netted bags. 

The veggies are kept above heavy ingredients to maintain their texture and quality. While the veggies don’t have an accompanying icepack, they do benefit from the general stable temperatures inside the insulated box. 

You can expect virtually any type of veggie in the box, depending on your meal preferences. Leafy greens, hard vegetables, fruits, and nuts can all be clubbed in a paper bag or stored separately. 

Cheese And Condiments 

HelloFresh can send you different types of cheeses too! Every type of cheese will come in separate packaging which is designed and portioned for single-use.

This means that you won’t be left with any mess or leftovers once you are finished cooking your meals, so you won’t have to worry about storing the cheese to prevent spoilage for later use.

Condiments are stored in the same way; they are usually clubbed and packaged in a paper bag.

How To Store HelloFresh Meal Kits

Now that you know what you’ll find in a typical HelloFresh box, it’s time to learn how to store a leftover meal kit!

To make this guide easier, we will talk about the storage indications of each ingredient by category. We will also divide the meat into two categories (seafood and general meat) since both have different storage durations. 

First things first! If you plan to store the meals for later, then you have to treat them right from the start. 

As soon as you receive your meal kit, we recommend that you open up the box and take out all the ingredients and store them in the fridge without letting them sit out for too long.

Generally speaking, never let the ingredient sit outside of the insulated box for more than 2 hours, especially when it comes to the meat.

Let’s break down how to safely store HelloFresh products in all the categories.

1. Seafood

Refrigeration Method

Seafood must be consumed first!

If you can’t prepare the meal kit as per your original plan, then we highly recommend that you keep any type of seafood in the fridge at 40°F. 

Refrigerated seafood will remain fresh for up to 48 hours. Do not store the seafood for more than 3 days, and always check for spoilage before cooking the stored meat.

Freezer Method

Want the seafood to last longer? 

Then store the packet at the back of the freezer at 0°F and consume the meat within 1–2 weeks. Never store previously refrigerated seafood in the freezer, especially if it’s been more than 2 days since it was stored in the fridge.

2. Meat

Refrigeration Method

Meat generally fares better than seafood! Store beef and poultry products at the back of the fridge and consume within 72 hours. 

Meat products may be able to survive up to 4 days in optimal conditions, but we don’t recommend that you push past 4 days or the food may become compromised.

Always check for signs of spoilage like excess slime, foul odor, or color changes before consuming stored meat.

Freezer Method

To store meat in the freezer, simply place the pack at the back of the freezer at 0°F.

Any type of meat should remain fresh for up to 2–3 months, but for maximum safety and quality, we recommend that you consume the meat within 2–3 weeks. 

3. Veggies

Refrigeration Method

Veggies should ideally only be stored in the fridge since freezing them may alter their texture.

For the best results, store the veggies without cleaning them to discourage moisture. Keep in mind that HelloFresh sends premium quality ingredients that are usually prewashed! 

Simply store the veggies in the same packaging at the back of the fridge at 40°F. The veggies should remain fresh for up to 5–6 days, but we suggest that you use them within 3–4 days for the best texture and quality. 

Freezer Method

Avoid freezing HelloFresh veggies since you may need to blanch some of them before freezing them. Also, freezing the veggies as it is will likely ruin their texture and flavor. 

Pro Tip: Try to plan your meals according to the shelf life of the veggies since the other ingredients can be stored for longer.  

4. Cheese

Refrigeration Method

Cheese stores well in the fridge! HelloFresh will either send you grated cheese or other cheese products that will always require refrigeration.

Store the cheese in the same packaging at 40°F. While most cheese products contain stabilizers and preservatives, you should aim to consume them within the week for the best results. 

Freezer Method

Not all types of cheese freeze well! 

When it comes to hard cheese or slice/grated cheese, you may store them in the same packaging at 0°F for up to 2–3 months. 

But in the case of soft cheeses like camembert, brie, or other common soft cheese like ricotta and cottage cheese, we don’t recommend that you store them in the freezer since they will likely lose their texture and quality as they thaw. 

Just store soft cheeses in the fridge and aim to consume them within the week! 

Note: To thaw any frozen ingredient, you can shift the package from the freezer to the fridge and defrost it naturally overnight. Do not let the ingredients defrost at room temperature. 

You may also use the microwave to defrost the ingredients individually. We recommend that you remove the packaging and defrost the food on a microwave-safe plate!

Related Questions

Now that you know how long HelloFresh meals last, here are some related questions.

How long do cooked HelloFresh meals last?

Cooked HelloFresh meals will follow the same storage indication as any other type of food.

You can store cooked meals in the fridge for up to 2–3 days at 40°F. You may also freeze cooked HelloFresh meals for up to 1–2 months at 0°F.

How long can HelloFresh meals last in the box?

The HelloFresh box includes vacuum-sealed packages and ice packs. The company claims that the boxes can be kept out at room temperature for up to 24 hours from delivery.

Even if the ice melts, the ingredients will remain cool due to the insulated packaging. 

However, you should aim to order the meal kit at a convenient time. Always open and store all the ingredients as soon as they arrive. 

Related Articles