Relationship status: Taken — you had me at 'HelloFresh'

Relationships can be beautiful things. They nourish our souls. They bring peace to our days. They can be a source of joy and laughter. The best ones require commitment, understanding and grace. A good relationship is a great investment with amazing rewards.

I can certainly understand why caring family members, friends and colleagues have made sly attempts at introductions with hopes of ending what they perceive to be my "lonely" existence with the right match. They love me and want me to be "happy." I get it, I'm flattered, I appreciate it ... and I stubbornly resist.

Despite their best efforts, I have managed to successfully elude entanglement for years by developing skills even James Bond would envy. However, I have finally met my match.

HelloFresh, you had me at "hello".

That's right, you are reading it here first. Even my kids don't know. They say "it" will happen when you least expect it, and that is certainly true.

HelloFresh neatly packages all of the ingredients you will need for each meal you order.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

One minute I was chatting with a co-worker, the next I was opening her email invitation to the HelloFresh meal kit program and setting up an account. A few clicks later, I was in.

I bit the bullet. I was committed.

I scrolled through and opted for three "meals for two" per week. I salivated over the possibilities, considered time and effort, made my selections, set up my delivery date, and voila — my order was submitted and confirmed via email.

I was nervous and excited. Time could not pass by fast enough for my liking. Then one day, I heard my doorbell ring. I opened the door, and there it was in all it's glory: my first HelloFresh box.

I quickly took it into my arms and practically danced it all the way to my kitchen. I opened the box, took out three brown paper bags (each one containing the ingredients for each meal), removed a divider and located the three individually wrapped "proteins" aka meat.

The prep work is the perfect time to decompress while getting the satisfaction of making a home-made meal. You can become a part of the HelloFresh family by visiting their website or downloading their easy to use app.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

As I pulled the packages of meat from the box I saw it: blood. I inspected each and discovered one package, though still cool to the touch, had started to leak. Bummer. I quickly inspected everything. It was too late to turn back. "YOLO" right? I placed everything in the refrigerator/freezer to keep it fresh.

The next evening, I made my first meal: creamy cilantro steak bowls with garlic lime rice and charred green pepper. I pulled out the full-sized easy to read recipe card and followed the directions. Wash. Prep. Chop. Dice. Sing. Mix. Cook. Dance. Brown. Season. Fluff. Serve.

Fine, maybe I added the singing and dancing to the recipe, but I believe it elevated my HelloFresh experience a notch and recommend you add it, too.

I quickly plated half of the meal and placed the remaining half in a container for lunch or dinner the following day.

The moment of truth had arrived. Would this commitment last or would I be ending it before it really started?

The sesame soy beef bowls were easy, tasty, and filling.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

I took a bite. My taste buds responded to the orchestra of flavors in my mouth. There was a hint of spice, a creamy cilantro sauce, hearty steak and zesty lime with rice. In addition to being delicious, it was a relaxing experience and there were no leftover ingredients to use, store or waste. I was all in.

When I received an email asking for feedback, I provided honest information and mentioned the issue with the package of meat. I was shocked when a customer service representative immediately responded, apologized and rectified the situation. Wow, HelloFresh seems to have customer service down to an art. We had resolved our first tiff with open honest communication. Imagine that.

A few days later, I checked my HelloFresh account and discovered I failed to select my meals for the upcoming week by the deadline so the "automatic" selections were on their way. Rookie mistake. To avoid this in the future, I selected my meals for the next couple of weeks.

I am happy to report I will be having Spicy Coconut Curry Stir Fry on Sept. 3 ... if we are still going strong, of course. With HelloFresh, the ball is always in my court, just the way I like it.

In the meantime, I will be sending a copy of this article to my mom to let her know I am in a healthy, happy, committed, relationship. Do you think she will buy it? I mean, she already has grandchildren — what more could she want?