So, you’re finally off to college, most likely away from home for the first time, and if you’re living off campus, this could be your first time living in your own apartment. That means it’s time to learn how to cook for yourself.

If you’re anything like me, then you may not be the most experienced cook out there. And by not the most experienced, I mean not experienced at all. I’m talking just-learned-how-to-fry-an-egg-last-year-and-still-not-great-at-it inexperienced. That means you may not have access to a bunch of staple recipes, and any sort of creativity in the kitchen is out of the question for fear you might actually burn down your apartment in a gastronomic disaster. 

One solution for you may be to go the old frozen meal route, but in my experience, there are far more misses than hits on that front. 

Another solution: a meal kit subscription service.

When I moved into my apartment in fall term, I was fortunate enough to get a coupon for HelloFresh in the mail to try out the service. Being an inept cook myself, I figured I should give it a shot and see how my fortunes would favor.

HelloFresh is a weekly subscription meal kit service that sends you a box of fresh, pre-portioned ingredients for a few meals to make throughout the week. They pride themselves on delivering  you ingredients that are “as environmentally friendly, sustainable and delicious as possible.” You can choose from over 25 seasonal recipes to add to your box and have it delivered right to your door, complete with easy step-by-step instructions so you’re not flying blind in the kitchen. 

You can also customize your portion sizing to send you meals with enough servings for either two or four people, depending on how many people you’re cooking for. I went for the two serving option since I only ever cook for myself, and that way I could ensure I had leftovers for the next day. You can choose how many meals you want each week, with as little as two meals a week and as many as six. Like I just mentioned, there’s always the option of leftovers if you cook only for yourself, so I would recommend three meals a week just to make sure you’re able to make each one before your ingredients expire. Additionally, you always have the option to skip a week in between boxes in case you’re out of town for the week or you just feel like skipping a week in general.

The best part about this service is the ability to personalize your weekly recipe preferences based on your dietary needs. Maybe you’re a vegetarian and only want meals with proteins that don’t include meat. Or, maybe you’re pescatarian and want meals with fish as a protein option. Maybe you’d like recipes that are quick and easy to make, as well as being fit and wholesome. All of those options are available, and you can select as many of those that apply to your dietary needs.

The thing I loved most about using HelloFresh was not having to shop for any of the ingredients needed in the recipes I made. Granted, there were some instances where recipes would call for things like salt, pepper, cooking oil or sugar that suggested you have those ingredients on hand, but the key ingredients I needed were always pre-portioned and ready to use in each recipe kit. When I say pre-portioned, I mean ingredients that are exactly measured out to be just enough to make each recipe. 

Cooking with HelloFresh, I appreciated the flexibility and how easy it was to whip up a quality dinner for myself. It allowed me to try out new recipes I never would have thought to cook for myself, expanding my palate and my cooking abilities beyond what I thought I could as a single college student. 

On the flip side, it can definitely get to be pricey if you’re getting a box every week. Luckily, you’re able to adjust how many meals you want per week and whether or not you want to skip a box if money gets tight. However, like any subscription service, I’d advise you to keep an eye on auto renewals to make sure you don’t go above your budget. We are but broke college students, after all.

My final verdict: the meal kit is the way to go for any college student in need of an extra boost in the kitchen, whether you’re a pro or a noob like me. As Chef Gusteau from Ratatouille once said, “Anyone can cook.”