Daily Harvest Review

Daily Harvest...Is it worth it?

Updated on: 2/11/2021

Updates since original post made in green

 

I have been seeing ads everywhere for Daily Harvest, so I'm sure you have too. After being intrigued, I finally decided to pull the plug and try it out. They were running an offer for $30 off my first box, so I picked the 9 Cup deal. Here is what I ordered for $39.95.

Coconut + Lemon Bites

Brussels Sprouts + Lime Pad Thai Harvest Bowl

Butternut Squash + Chimichurri Harvest Bowl

Cauliflower Rice + Kimchi Harvest Bowl

Cauliflower Rice + Pesto Harvest Bowl

Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash Harvest Bowl

 Mulberry + Dragon Fruit Oat Bowl

Butternut Squash + Rosemary Purée Soup

Mushroom + Miso Soup

Other things I tried later on:

Artichoke + Lemon Bowl

Broccoli + Cheeze Bowl

Kale + Kalamata Bowl

Matcha + Lemongrass Lattes

Carrot + Coconut Curry Soup

Vanilla Bean + Apple Chia Bowl

Artichoke + Spinach Flatbread

Tomato + Cremini Flatbread

Quinoa + Chipotle

Cauliflower + Leek Stew

Turmeric + Lemongrass Broth

Red Lentil + Cumin

Lentil + Tomato Bolognese

Beet + Avocado Poké

I also tried a plethora of the smoothies without chocolate.

What I love: 

My top 3 favorites were Cauliflower Rice + Pesto Harvest Bowl, Butternut Squash + Chimichurri Harvest Bowl, Mushroom + Miso Soup, and the Coconut + Lemon Bites. I have since added to my favorites list. I love the Matcha lattes, artichoke and lemon bowls, beet and avocado poké (since discontinued :(( ), turmeric and lemongrass soup, vanilla bean chia bowl, and the sweet potato and wild rice bowl. 

Everything I ate had great flavors and kept me full throughout the day. Something to note about the meals is that they were easy. Every morning, I went to the freezer and grabbed a cup, put it in my work bag, then popped it back in the freezer by the time I got to work. At lunch time, I emptied the contents into a bowl and microwaved it. Now, you can microwave inside the bowl! It was that simple. Normally for a meal like that, I would have to prep it the night before for at least an hour.

I also love that Daily Harvest is female owned, thoughtfully sourced, and uses a lot of healthy ingredients. It allows you to select different dietary needs ranging from gluten free to low sugar and you can pick foods you like or dislike. The whole process was very transparent about the ingredients, nutrition, and subscription.

My food photography is not the best, sorry!

What I didn't love: 

The Brussels Sprouts and Lime Pad Thai Harvest Bowl wasn't my favorite, but in its defense, I think I cooked it wrong. The flavor nuggets didn't quite melt right, and I was really missing the noodles that are the base of Pad Thai (which I could have added if I really wanted to). Since this blog post, I was able to try a lot more items. I also didn't like the flatbreads, spinach and shiitake grits, quinoa and chipotle bowl, watermelon and dragon Fruit, cauliflower and leek stew. 

The packaging for the cups' delivery was very bulky and felt wasteful. This wasn't a problem for me since I live at home, but it would be difficult in an apartment setting to make sure the right things got recycled and were out of my way. If you are trying to cut back on waste, this also might not be your best option. Although most of it is recyclable, the packaging for delivery and the cups themselves definitely adds up. 

Daily harvest has since made more efforts toward sustainability. All of the food packaging has been switched out to be more recyclable/compostable, and there isn't much packaging besides the small box it comes in.

Final Thoughts: 

Daily Harvest is subscription-based, but they make it very easy to skip for however long you want. The cup prices range from $7.99 - $6.99 depending on the quantity you order (Daily harvest's prices have since changed according to the item type and range from $5.99 to $8.99). When I had $30 off the price was great, but for me to spend $60-$70 on top of needing other groceries for dinner, it can add up to a lot. That being said, the convenience of living at my parents' home has allowed me to cut back on grocery shopping so this cost isn't added in nearly as much as it would be.

This product is great for college students who want to start eating cleaner, on-the-go moms who don't have time to cook themselves elaborate meals, health-conscious people who don't like to meal prep, or for people who work 9-5 and just want a simple meal to heat up. When you look at the pricing and consider how much your meals cost at restaurants, it's actually not a bad price at all. After testing the 9 cups out, I decided to order another set at full price a few weeks later. I changed up the bowls and went for smoothies and lattes. I'm so excited to keep trying their different products!

Since this review, I have ordered 4 more boxes. I really do like daily harvest, but it is pricey. I found myself not wanting to purchase because I have to buy groceries for me and my SO now. Plus, I'm working from home. Being in the office may change my perspective later on, but for now, I don't mind just cooking from home. The convenience of DH is really what sells me and makes me consider repurchasing. It can be really nice to just pop it in the microwave and have a healthy meal in 4 minutes.

Things I think are worth the price: the flatbreads (although I don't like them, I am giving a new "flavor" a try for my next box), the bowls, the soups, and the lattes. You get 3 lattes for 7.99, so I think that makes it more affordable than buying one from starbucks. The bowls are a good portion, and the flatbreads are a great idea for a little appetizer or meal for lighter eaters. 

The smoothies, mylk, and ice cream are all overpriced. That's not to say I don't think they taste good, but I think there are other store bought or homemade options available at the grocery store for half the price and may even taste better.

I need to mention that I am a generally light eater, especially for lunch. If you need a lot of food to fill up, this might not be for you. The bowls certainly give me enough food, but I might be biased. I think Daily Harvest is worth a try if you are looking for a convenient, healthy option. You can certainly get the ingredients of a lot of these meals and make them yourself, but that takes away the point of not having to cook.

Picture from Daily Harvest Website

Tips: 

If you order these meals, and you need more substance than just veggies, try adding your favorite protein! To keep it quick and easy, buy some rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken at the grocery store, and pack it the night before. Toss it in with your harvest bowl once everything is cooked!

If you are thinking about ordering, they give all past order-ers a referral link /code (RE-KGYYVGY) that gives you and me $25 off the order. Use it or don't, I do think Daily Harvest can be worth the purchase depending on your needs. Also, they sometimes send out $30 off your first box, so enter your email and see if you eventually get that discount instead (that's what I did lol)! Save the extra $5!! Be on the look out for their ads to get discounts, too. No pressure to use mine. :) 

If you order or have ordered Daily Harvest, comment below your thoughts!

Thanks for reading!