Monday, 28 May 2018 / London, UK

I tried HelloFresh and this is what happened

HelloFresh got in touch with me about reviewing one of their boxes. Me of course, being a glutton with no shame, agreed. If you haven't heard of HelloFresh, they're a subscription box service, providing all the ingredients you need to create several meals in one box.

I'm a vegetarian, so it's important for me to check with anything like this if a vegetarian option is offered. If not, I generally won't feature it on my blog because, well, I can't really test it. And I want to be honest with you guys about what I really think of the products I write about.

Luckily, HelloFresh do offer a vegetarian option. Unfortunately, that's not what I received - but I'm not going to put that on HelloFresh's shoulders as I think it was a miscommunication between me and their representative. If you order directly through their website, I'm certain that you'll get what you order - why would they want to deceive their customers, after all?

They also offer a gluten free box (however it does state on their website that they cannot guarantee no cross-contamination, so if you are a coeliac, I wouldn't take the risk), but no vegan box as of yet. This is something I'm sure they're working on, as so many more people are vegan these days - and there are also many people who aren't vegan, but would love to try vegan food!

What I got in my HelloFresh box


I ordered the 'Classic Box' for two people, and received three recipes:

- Mexican Style Chicken
- Herby Burgers
- Toulouse Style Sausages

All the ingredients for each recipes were included, minus oil, water and salt and pepper. This is the case for any recipe with HelloFresh, so don't worry about going out shopping beforehand - unless you want dessert.

Obviously, each recipe contained meat ingredients, so my boyfriend cooked and ate the meat, whilst I bought vegetarian alternatives for myself. Luckily, there are great chicken, burger and sausage options available in most free-from sections in the supermarket, so I could create these recipes pretty much exactly the same as I would do if I ate meat.


The Mexican Style Chicken consisted of chicken (obviously) with a herb and shallot garnish, peppers and refreid beans. I had vegetarian-alternative chicken fillets with mine. 

This was delicious - it had a little bit of a spicy kick to it, and I'm a sucker for refried beans, so that was a plus for me.


The Toulouse Style Sausauges was my favourite meal. It comprised a base of carrots, lentils and other veg and herbs, with sausages on top.

It was filling, healthy and so tasty, that I even recreated it with roasted asparagus and tender stem broccoli the next day, as I was out of veggie sausages (see below).


The Herby Burgers were also delicious, but as I'd made burgers before, it wasn't a hugely stand out meal for me. But I definitely still enjoyed it. Potatoes were provided for wedges, and we were even given some mayonnaise as a condiment.

We don't have burgers often, so it was a nice treat for us on a Friday night when we just wanted something a bit more 'naughty' - even though they were as healthy as burgers could be, considering they had been made from scratch (well, mine weren't as they were pre-packaged veggie alternatives, again).

The pros and cons of HelloFresh


Before receiving my HelloFresh box, my cooking inspiration had become a little stagnant. I was plating up the same meals over and over again, week after week. This wasn't because I'm not a good cook (I like to think I am, at least), it's because I'm so busy that I don't have time to sit down and research a recipe, then go out and buy all the ingredients for it. I'd rather just cook with what I've got in my cupboard, and rustle up something that I know can't go wrong.

With HelloFresh's recipes, I cooked food that I had never cooked before, and even used some ingredients which I had never used in my own food. I loved the easy-to-follow recipes, and would wholeheartedly use them again.

I think these boxes are ideal for people, like me, who really don't have time to be creative with their cooking, whether that's because they're a parent, or they've just got a super busy working life - or both!

I couldn't find much wrong with HelloFresh, aside from the large amount of plastic packaging involved. Most of the packaging is recyclable - however, I think HelloFresh could work on reducing the volume of plastic regardless.

The food arrives in a large cardboard box, with insulated fabric wrapped in plastic to keep the cold in. Inside that is a number of ice blocks in sealed plastic pouches (which are re-usable, but I don't have any freezer space so I had to throw mine away). Each meal is separated into brown paper bags, but the meats, and other things like herbs or condiments, are plastic wrapped.

To be honest, unless you buy from a butcher/fishmonger and bring your own tupperware, and compliment that by shopping at the greengrocers and bringing your own bags, it's unlikely that you can carry out a weekly shop without buying something wrapped in plastic. It's a sad fact, and I hope to see it change, but until then I don't think I can complain that buying a HelloFresh box is any worse for the environment than shopping at your local supermarket.

As a thank you for reading my blog post, I'm giving you 50% off your first two HelloFresh boxes. Simply click this link or visit the website in your own time and use the code JENLOUMEREDITH

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Tuesday, 22 May 2018 / London, UK

Ghost White Light Diamond Dust

Ghost White Light Diamond Dust
Ghost White Light Diamond Dust

I'm not a perfume snob. I'm really not. BUT in the past I've always been attracted to high end scents. Maybe it's the abundance of minimalist packaging that satisfies the blogger in me, or maybe it's the use of exclusive ingredients that I've never found on the high street, but there's something that's kept me away from more affordable brands. 

The thing is, because I've been used to buying high end perfumes for so long, I've never even bothered to look at anything more affordable because I've conditioned myself to believe that I won't like it. But you never really know something until you've tried it, right? So I got sent the Ghost White Light Diamond Dust gift set and, goshdarnit, I really liked it. 

I hate to use the cliché, 'spring scent', but it really is. And I seem to be reaching for it every day, which says a lot for something who really is picky when it comes to picking perfumes. I'm definitely not one of those sultry vixens who can pull off a smouldering, oud-like scent with ease. Neither am I one for super sweet fragrances (they give me a headache, in fact). But this variation of the Ghost White Light perfume is pretty spot on.

Now, I could go on about top, middle and base notes, but to be honest as a consumer that doesn't mean a whole lot to me. I've read on The Perfume Shop that this contains mandarin, patchouli and jasmine somewhere in the middle (as well as quite a few other fruity, floral-ly ingredients), which is frankly enough for me to deduce that this is more on the sweet side than the sexy side. 

What makes this perfume a little different is the sparkly dust which comes with every spritz. If you know me, you know I love a good sparkle. And in the soft summer twilight, this is just the right amount...

Ghost White Light Diamond Dust
Ghost White Light Diamond Dust
Ghost White Light Diamond Dust
Ghost White Light Diamond Dust
Ghost White Light Diamond Dust

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Sunday, 20 May 2018

The Oysho Polka Dot Dress of my Dreams

Oysho Polka Dot Dress | Jen Lou Meredith | Fashion Blogger

Last week Suffolk-based photographer Luke Pyett and I decided to chill out in some buttercup fields during golden hour. These mindblowingly beautiful photos were the result (and I'm not saying that because I'm in them... I'm talking about Luke's killer photography).

I wore a dress I bought on a whim from Oysho whilst out in Portugal. If you missed my photo diary from that holiday, find it here. I'm so in love with this dress. It's maxi length (which, on my 5'something frame, miraculously doesn't drag) and it's covered in big polka dots - a pattern which I'm learning to love, and this dress is helping a lot.

The dress has a kind of South of France vibe. Very relaxed, with billowy three-quarter length sleeves, a tie-waist and a thigh high slit. In fact, the only qualm I have with this dress is that the slit is so high. I think I might have flashed Luke several times (sorry, Luke, if you're reading this) - but he's too much of a gentleman to say anything.

I wore this with white plimsols, because no doubt I would have fallen over in heels whilst wading around in this buttercup field. I liked the casual vibe the plimsols gave, to be honest. But you can 'dress it up' as they say, with wedges.

Oysho Polka Dot Dress | Jen Lou Meredith | Fashion Blogger
Oysho Polka Dot Dress | Jen Lou Meredith | Fashion Blogger
Oysho Polka Dot Dress | Jen Lou Meredith | Fashion Blogger
Oysho Polka Dot Dress | Jen Lou Meredith | Fashion Blogger
Oysho Polka Dot Dress | Jen Lou Meredith | Fashion Blogger
Oysho Polka Dot Dress | Jen Lou Meredith | Fashion Blogger

All images by Luke Pyett - please do not re-post without permission!

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Follow Luke Pyett on Instagram @lukepyett
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Wednesday, 9 May 2018 / 8200 Albufeira, Portugal

Albufeira, Portugal | Photo Diary

Albufeira, Portugal | Photo Diary

Early May Bank Holiday 2018, I took a well-deserved break with a couple of friends to Albufeira, Portugal. I can't tell you how much I needed this. My brain has been so frazzled from the stress of freelancing that I didn't know whether I'd actually survive the wait - but as soon as I got off the plane in the glorious Algarve, it was all worth it.

We stayed at the Alfagar 2 Aparthotel Prestige - these are stunning serviced apartments on a huge resort complex with huge balconies and beautiful views of the North Atlantic. Our apartment had a modern kitchen, large living space and a clean, spacious bathroom with a massive rainforest shower. The resort itself is in a great location - close to the beach and just a quick taxi ride away from town, but out of reach of lairy stag/hen-dos. I would definitely stay here again.

We explored Albufeira's Old Town, which comprises lots of pretty white buildings, bars and cafes, souvenir shops and a random set of outdoor escalators. The weather was so beautiful, so we just spent the day exploring the area and popping in and out of shops, and completed the day with a trip to the beach.

Being young and enthusiastic, we also visited The Strip on a Friday night out. This is the main bar and club area in Albufeira. Honestly, it is what it is, and if you're expecting music, cheap drink, sticky floors and lots of trollied Brits, then that's what you'll get. The highlight of our evening? Dane Bowers playing a set at Matt's Bar.

If you're a keen shopper, I recommend visitng AlgarveShopping. It was a fifteen minute taxi ride away from our resort, and 100% worth the trip. It's a shopping mall with a Sephora (YES!), and a handful of my favourite Spanish fashion brands: Bershka, Zara, Stradivarius, Pull & Bear and Oysho. I probably spent most of my holiday budget here. Photos to come 😉

Albufeira, Portugal | Photo Diary
Albufeira, Portugal | Photo Diary
Albufeira, Portugal | Photo Diary
Albufeira, Portugal | Photo Diary
Albufeira, Portugal | Missguided Gingham Bikini
Albufeira, Portugal | Alfagar Resort
Albufeira, Portugal | Bershka Red Dress
Albufeira, Portugal | Photo Diary
Albufeira, Portugal | Missguided Crop Top & Nasty Gal Bikini
Albufeira, Portugal | Missguided Crop Top & Nasty Gal Bikini


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Tuesday, 1 May 2018 / London, UK

Instagram Story Templates

Instagram Story Templates by Jen Lou Meredith

If you're a regular user of Instagram Stories, then you'll have probably noticed these fun story templates popping up. They often feature cool looking fonts and aesthetically-pleasing colours, and you fill them out with things like your interests, things you've done that day, bucket lists, or even movies you've seen. You can create templates yourself (which is easy if you've got a program like Illustrator and a bit of imagination), or you can download other people's templates and use them on your own stories.

I've created a few below, which you can download for free (just save them to your phone like you would any other photo on the web). I'll update this post with more story templates, so that you have different ones to use on a regular basis!

You don't have to tag me in your stories, but I would love it if you did, as then I can see who is sharing the love!

Jen x

      


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