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At the time of writing, this gives new UK customers £20 off their first order of £60 or more.
Huel review: In short
Verdict: Yes, Huel is worth it in certain situations. If the alternative is skipping breakfast, eating a chocolate bar and crisps, or ordering a takeaway after work, a Huel bar or instant meal makes sense.
Rating: 4 out of 5 — convenient and filling, but relatively expensive compared with food prepared at home.
Best for: Busy mornings, late finishes, travelling, keeping in your gym bag, or providing an alternative to fast food. Huel is most worthwhile when it replaces an unhealthy or expensive convenience option. It saves money compared with a takeaway, but not compared with cooking a simple meal at home.
Watch out for: The flavours and textures vary considerably. Some are very good, while others are bland or claggy.
Why we bought Huel
I did not originally buy Huel for myself. My girlfriend was looking for a convenient way to eat more protein, so I suggested replacing some of her usual cereal bars with protein bars. Everyone knows that if you want the gains, you need to eat the protein. The problem is that consistently eating enough protein can be a bit of a faff.
After doing her own research, she decided to try Huel’s Complete Nutrition Bars and Hot & Savoury Pots. The bars are an easy snack, while the pots are something quick to eat if back late from work or after netball.
I know that Huel markets itself as ‘complete nutrition or meal replacement’ but I’m not convinced by that. Really it’s a shortcut for occasions when there is not enough time or energy to prepare proper food.
Huel Complete Nutrition Bars review
The Huel bars are very filling and convenient. They are easy to keep in your work bag, gym bag or car, and they require no preparation.
They taste reasonably good, although that is within reason. It isn’t like a gourmet meal.
Our favourite is Dark Chocolate Raspberry. The raspberry adds some sweetness and makes the bar more interesting.
The Peanut Caramel bar is also good. But the Chocolate Fudge Brownie is rather claggy and doesn’t have a very interesting taste.
Huel Hot & Savoury Pots review
So I don’t eat these at all, so these are the views of my girlfriend.
She likes Hot & Savoury Pots. They only need boiling water, and cook fully just from that.
She prefers the Asian-inspired flavours. The Katsu Curry Noodles are particularly good, while the spicy Fiery Chick’n Noodles really are hot.
The non-Asian flavours have been more mixed. The Pasta Bolognese is perfectly fine, but the Spaghetti Carbonara can be rather gooey and claggy.
Buying a selection box makes sense for your first order because the flavours are quite different. Once you know what you like, you can buy boxes containing your preferred flavours instead.
She has prepared the pots in a food flask when going out, which is useful for travelling or working somewhere without a kitchen.
Huel Lite Ramen review
Her first impression of Huel Lite Ramen was much less positive. It was bland, and the noodles did not seem to cook as well as those in the regular pots. The spicy pots were not remotely spicy.
Drawbacks and is it worth it?
The main drawback is cost.
At the time of writing, Huel lists its Complete Nutrition Bars from £2.29 per bar and Hot & Savoury Pots from £3.05 per pot, depending on the order and subscription option. That is cheaper than most takeaways, but considerably more expensive than making a simple meal or snack yourself. (uk.huel.com)
Texture is the other major drawback. Some Huel products can be dense, gooey or claggy, and the experience varies substantially between flavours.
So overall despite the cost, it is worth it if it replaces a takeaway, café lunch or collection of snacks bought on the go, it can save you money. You spend a few pounds on Huel rather than considerably more on convenience food.
What should you try first?
We would recommend:
- A mixed box of Complete Nutrition Bars
- A selection box of the regular Hot & Savoury Pots
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry and Peanut Caramel bars
- Katsu Curry Noodles if you want to choose one pot flavour
I would not order a large quantity of any flavour before trying it
Based on our experience, we would also choose the regular Hot & Savoury Pots over Huel Lite Ramen.
