Huel Hot & Savory Products Review (2024)

Hello there… My fellow Warriors. Today, we’ll take a look at instant meals and make a Huel Hot and Savory review. There is a high chance you’re already familiar with Huel, but if you are not, they offer nutritionally rich foods designed to meet specific dietary needs. 

They have a wide range of products that are vegan-friendly, often gluten-free, and full of vitamins and minerals. Based on that it looks that Huel may have something for everyone. What about instant meals ?

This time, we’re focusing on their Hot & Savory products – a line of convenient and hopefully nutritious instant meals. These meals are perfect for folks looking to maintain a balanced diet when preparing their own meals is impossible. 

So when we are facing a dilemma to get fast food, meal replacement supplements or not getting food at all, maybe Huel will give us something to dispel our doubts. Let’s move to Huel instant meals review.

This option allows you to adjust the dose accordingly to your needs. Need a small portion – take only one scoop. Really hungry ? Grab a bowl and go for 3 or even 4 scoops and get 800 kcal with 50g of protein.

This one is very convenient – you just pour the hot water and wait. Nothing more. Another difference from Hot & Savory pouches is that it allowed Huel to keep the shape and texture of the noodles. Also you’re getting the same portion every time.

Pros and Cons of Both Huel instant meals

Nutritional Profile - What’s in Huel Hot & Savory? 

On a first look it seems that each serving of Huel Hot & Savory or Hot & Savory Cup provides a well-balanced mix of macronutrients and micronutrients. With 24g of protein sourced mainly from peas and other plant-based ingredients, it looks much better already than most instant meals. 

That amount of protein is usually seen in a portion of a nice protein shake which aims to support muscle growth and recovery. The meal also includes 59g of carbohydrates, which are crucial for energy, and 9g of fats, primarily from sources like flaxseed and sunflower seeds. 

Aside from macronutrients we see on the label plenty of vitamins and minerals in nice amounts. If you want to know how many calories in huel instant meals - both Hot & Savory and Hot & Savory Cups have 400kcal in each serving. 

Second look at Ingredients and Formulation 

Let’s check huel instant meals ingredients. Looks like Huel Hot & Savory carefully designed the ingredient list to give their clients and users not only tasty but nutritionally balanced meals - both in cups and pouches. 

The main ingredients like durum wheat semolina, cornstarch and pea protein, will provide complex carbohydrates and protein. Flaxseed and sunflower oil powders plus chicory and corn are included to provide essential fatty acids and important fiber, helping with cardiovascular and digestive health and providing anti-inflammatory benefits.

The real whole food ingredients are flavored with a mix of herbs and spices, making sure the taste will be as close as possible to homemade meals, without adding artificial sweeteners, colors etc. The meals are almost free from added sugars, making them a healthier choice compared to many processed instant meals or fast foods.

1. Protein

The amount of protein (~24g) per serving, depending on the flavor, comes from a blend of pea and brown rice protein, chosen to provide a complete amino acid profile from plant-based sources. 

This is particularly important for our fellow vegans focused on muscle growth and recovery. While whey protein might be still a better option if you are looking to maximize muscle gain, the plant-based proteins in Huel Hot & Savory are more than fine for most needs, especially for those following a vegan diet. 

Just keep in mind that to get the same response you'd probably need to consume a bit more protein from plant-based sources.

Anyway ~24g of protein in an instant meal is an impressive amount allowing it to compete with your protein shake (although it depends on the situation and timing if the goal is to maximize muscle protein synthesis) and it gives you much more than just proteins.

2. Carbohydrates 

With ~59g of carbohydrates per serving (in Chick’n flavor), Huel Hot & Savory provides sustained energy. Again depending on flavor, these carbs are sourced from whole grains like pasta, brown rice and quinoa, which are somehow rich in fiber and may help maintain stable blood sugar levels. 

The meals contain very small amounts of added sugars which totally stay within daily ingestion recommendation, relying more on the natural sweetness of the ingredients.

3. Fats 

The 9g of fats in Huel Hot & Savory come from plant sources like flaxseed and sunflower seeds. These fats include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for brain function and inflammation. Many people don’t know but the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in sunflower seeds is around 1:300! 

From my biochemistry perspective Omega-6 fatty acids are precursors to potent pro-inflammatory mediators. So this is a correlation. But that is theory and how it should work, but it is not yet fully understood how it works in the human body when involved in thousands of metabolic pathways. 

There is a difference when something works in isolation and when not - the overall and final outcome might be actually opposite to the expected one. 

Much more work needs to be done in the case of understanding polyunsaturated fatty acids. We know that the ratio of O3 to O6 should be about 1:4 and humans consume much more O-6. The problem is whether to add more omega-3s or lower the omega-6s or both.

Currently the latest nutrition guidelines suggest that you should not cut omega-6s but add more omega-3s. Decision is yours. 

Fortunately Huel did a great job with nutrition label transparency and included amounts of both omega-3s and omega-6s (1,5g and 3.0g).

4. Vitamins and Minerals 

What is great is that Huel Hot & Savory meals include a wide range of vitamins and minerals, to give consumers essential nutrients, like they would get with a regular homemade meal. The blend 27 essential vitamins and minerals includes vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, B vitamins, Folate, as well as important minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium and zinc. 

This makes Huel Hot & Savory not just a meal but a nutritionally complete option, great even for folks with higher nutrition needs like athletes who are at risk of being deficient.

I saw in the label Lutein which would be a nice addition for eye health but if there is no info about the dose it’s probably used as a color enhancement compound instead of its nutritional value.

5. Flavor and Taste 

Another nice thing is that Huel Hot & Savory comes in many flavors, with Mexican Chili being one of the popular choices and Chick’n & Mushroom Pasta one of the best huel hot and savory flavors. The taste is generally well received, with many consumers saying some nice words about spicy flavors. 

However, we know that taste preferences are very subjective, and it’s always a good idea to try a few different flavors to find your favorite. Good thing is that you have plenty to choose from - 10 flavors in case of bags and another 3 flavors in Huel Cups. 

6. Convenience and Preparation - here is a catch 

One of the biggest or I would say actually the main advantage of Huel Hot & Savory is its convenience. The meals are quick and easy to prepare – just add hot water, stir, and wait a few minutes. This makes them perfect for busy individuals who need a nutritious meal replacement. 

They also have longer expiration dates or “best before” which makes them last a bit longer. How long do huel instant meals last? The shelf life is most likely 1 year if unopened. Be sure to check your product expiration date printed on your box.

That being said, remember that this should be treated as a supplement or a part-time solution to problems that need to be solved in a different way in the future. You choose it when it’s your best option, not because it’s convenient. What I’m trying to say is just because it’s convenient it doesn’t mean it is optimal. 

It should be your choice when a whole food meal is out of the equation. There is no meal replacement in this world that would replace a properly done nutritious whole food meal. 

7. Price and Value 

At around $3.75 per serving with a subscription, Huel Hot & Savory is not that bad, when we will look at its nutritional profile. Without a subscription, the price is higher at $4.7 per serving. 

The Huel Hot & Savory Cup is a different story. Extra convenience in this case means extra money - for a Cup you will need to pay ~$4.95 (with subscription), ~$6.20 (without subscription). 

Like I said - it should be treated as an option or supplement but a month of having one cup a day would be ~180$. Add on top of it Daily Greens and Huel Black Edition powder and … you’ll need a few bucks. 

How many servings in huel instant meals? By ordering cups you will get 8 Cups in a box. If you decide to get basic Hot & Savory you will receive 7 meals/servings in the box.

In my opinion the Hot & Savory Pouches seems like a better idea. The package is not that big anyway so you would be able to take it with you most of the time, or leave it in a convenient place at your work etc.  As to the value - more or less you get what you should get in a meal so from that perspective you won’t lose that money. It’s a nice meal replacement. 

I personally have mixed feelings about subscription options. On one side they are convenient and may help some folks stay more consistent with their healthy nutrition especially when busy or on the road, but on the other side it’s so convenient that it may push you away from optimal choices in whole foods and healthy habits. 

Like if you subscribe to it you will eat it probably even when not busy or on the road but simply because it’s easy. 

I guess the best way would be to get it while consciously working on your nutrition to eventually leave most (not all!) of the supplements behind.

If you are looking for a nice and healthy snack on the road, when there is no time or way for any preparation be sure to check Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Protein+ Bars. 

Each 60g bar has 15g of protein, 16g of fat and 23g of carbs. Proteins are from grass-fed whey isolate and egg whites. No artificial sweeteners, coloring or preservatives. And the taste… I’m suggesting it because that peanut butter chocolate chip bar is one of my favorite protein bars.

Conclusion - Is Huel Hot & Savory Worth It? 

To sum up, Huel Hot & Savory offers a very convenient, nutritious, and tasty meal option for those more cautious about what they are eating. 

Huel instant meals have high protein content, balanced macro profile, and nice addition of vitamins and minerals. It is a great choice for anyone looking to keep their nutrition on track when they have a very busy schedule and would look to grab fast food or not eat at all.

The product is 100% vegan, low in sugar, has some fiber, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary preferences and needs. While the price might be a barrier for some they offer a subscription plan which can help. Personally I think Huel Hot & Savory will find their fans and users and it will be justified by the product quality not by a hype around the brand.

If you’re looking for a quick, hot, healthy, and delicious meal replacement, Huel Hot & Savory is definitely worth a try. 

Have you tried Huel Hot & Savory? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments!

References:

1. Marc P. McRae, MSc, DC, FACN, DACBN Dietary Fiber Is Beneficial for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: An Umbrella Review of Meta-analyses
2. Philippe J M Pinckaers, Imre W K Kouw, Stefan H M Gorissen, Lisanne H P Houben, Joan M Senden, Will K H W Wodzig, Lisette C P G M de Groot, Lex B Verdijk, Tim Snijders, Luc J C van Loon The Muscle Protein Synthetic Response to the Ingestion of a Plant-Derived Protein Blend Does Not Differ from an Equivalent Amount of Milk Protein in Healthy Young Males
3. Jacqueline K. Innes, Philip C. Calder Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids Volume 132, May 2018, Pages 41-48 Omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation
4. Pan Zhuang, Yu Zhang, Wei He, Xiaoqian Chen, Jingnan Chen, Lilin He, Lei Mao, Fei Wu, Jingjing Jiao Dietary Fats in Relation to Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in a Prospective Cohort of 521 120 Individuals With 16 Years of Follow-Up
5. Silvio Buscemi, Davide Corleo,Francesco Di Pace, Maria Letizia Petroni, Angela Satriano, and Giulio Marchesini The Effect of Lutein on Eye and Extra-Eye Health
6. Photos by Torokhtiy Media Team.