For some of us, heading to the kitchen at the end of a long day can feel like an uninspiring task—especially when your dinners consist primarily of boxed mac and cheese or breakfast foods.
For Adeleine W., a writer balancing a full-time job, freelance work, and an MBA program, cooking was another task on her long to-do list. But when she started using HelloFresh, it became an unexpected creative outlet and a way to combine her love of words and storytelling.
Behind the scenes with Adeleine while she’s cooking up roasted green beans!
We first met Adeleine through our community Facebook page and were immediately drawn to her fun food reviews.
We had to know more, so we sat down with Adeleine to chat about her journey—from the a-ha moments she’s found through our HelloFresh sauces, to the audiobooks currently on her kitchen playlist.
HelloFresh: To start, can you tell us a bit about your journey? Where are you from and where do you call home now?
Adeleine W: I’m from New Bremen, OH—a small village on the west side of the state. I moved to the Cleveland area in 2015 and currently live in Sheffield Village, OH with my boyfriend, John, and our cat, Jingle Bells.
HF: You mentioned that before you started HelloFresh you “could barely make Kraft Mac and Cheese.” What sparked your interest in trying it out? And just for fun, could you rate your cooking expertise before and after HelloFresh?
AW: Mac and cheese and breakfast foods were pretty much my entire repertoire, mostly because I was intimidated by complicated recipes and felt silly buying so many ingredients for a meal I would realistically make one time. (I tried to make carbonara once and accidentally scrambled the egg. It was a disaster!) I did a lot of frozen meals because they were easy and I loved the variety, but they mostly left me unsatisfied and hungry again an hour later. I wanted to be more comfortable in the kitchen and make meals I was excited about, but I didn’t know where to start, and I didn’t know what to make. I decided to try HelloFresh because the meals looked delicious and the recipes were simple enough that I thought, “Hey, I could do that!” I also loved that I could make different meals every day without a ton of leftover ingredients going to waste (or guilting me into making the same thing every day for a month!).
Cooking skills before HelloFresh: 3/10
Cooking skills now: 8/10 (and getting better with every box!)
Adeleine whips up Steak with Parmesan Chive Sauce!
HF: How does HelloFresh help with time management and making mealtime easier for you?
AW: Between my full-time job, my freelance work, and getting my MBA, I don’t have a ton of extra time to figure out what to make for dinner every night (not to mention shopping for it!), especially after a long day. So I’d finish work and make something quick and easy because I just did not have the brain power to come up with anything else. With HelloFresh, I pick out my meals 6 weeks in advance, and then everything I need for them just shows up every Tuesday. Cooking my HelloFresh meals is officially the quickest and easiest option for me!
HF: What are some of your favorite techniques you’ve learned so far?
AW: Oh boy, where to begin? First of all, I’d never zested a lemon before, and now I add lemon zest to everything. I also didn’t know how easy it was to make mashed potatoes, and now I make them for myself all the time. Ditto sweet potatoes. I’ve also discovered my love for couscous, which sounded so intimidating but is actually really easy to make.
HF: Do you remember the first HelloFresh meal you ever cooked? What was that experience like?
AW: I believe it was Szechuan Pork Noodle Stir-Fry. I remember thinking, “Peanut butter? In noodles? There’s no way that’ll be good.” I was wrong—it was delicious.
HF: How has HelloFresh sparked your cooking creativity? Have you had any “a-ha” moments in the kitchen?
AW: I didn’t realize how much a good sauce could really transform a meal. So many of the meals I pick are meat + vegetable + starch + sauce, and I’ve found myself easily recreating those sauces when I either need more or eat another meal that doesn’t have a sauce but could probably use one.
HF: You regularly review meals on your Instagram highlights @adeleineeee. As a writer, what’s it like combining cooking with storytelling and sharing your experiences?
AW: It’s been so fun showing off what I’m cooking and challenging myself to think critically about both the meals and my own cooking skills. The reviews are a little goofy, but they’re written the way I would describe what I’m eating to a friend, and the response from my friends and family following along has been great. When I post a 10/10 meal, my DMs are flooded with cheers and congratulations. It’s also a great reference for when I’m considering ordering a meal I’ve had before—did I like it enough to get it again? What challenges did I run into cooking it the first time? What can I do differently to get it up to 10/10 this time?
HF: You mentioned you love listening to audiobooks while cooking. How does that ritual contribute to your experience in the kitchen?
AW: I’m currently listening to By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult, and I’ve finished a total of 21 audiobooks this year according to my Goodreads. It’s honestly therapeutic to chop vegetables or bread chicken while listening to a book that has totally captured my attention. It also makes it easier to slow down, take my time, and fully enjoy the process of making a meal perfect instead of rushing through it to get onto the next thing on my to-do list.
HF: Looking ahead, what do you look forward to with your HelloFresh journey? Are there any dishes, cuisines, or concepts you’re excited about seeing or trying?
AW: I’m looking forward to both trying out new meals and revisiting old favorites. Now that I’ve gotten the hang of the basics, I’d love to try out some more complicated techniques, like homemade pasta or soufflés. Maybe I’ll even try to make carbonara again! With over a year of HelloFresh under my belt, I didn’t know if I’d still be so excited to cook at this point, but I’m really glad I am.
For Adeleine, what started as a way to simplify dinner, has since evolved into a passion that blends together some of her favorite things. Whether she’s whipping up her go-to favorite meals or sharing her latest audiobook pick, we’ll be following along as she reads, reviews, cooks, and creates!
Want to see what she’s cooking next? Follow her HelloFresh reviews on Instagram at @adeleineeee. And, in other exciting news—since our interview, Adeleine has shared an extra special Instagram update: she’s engaged! From all of us at HelloFresh, we’re wishing Adeleine and John a lifetime of love, happiness, and delicious memories in the kitchen!
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