Daily Harvest: My Experience

You’ve probably seen an ad for Daily Harvest on social media or came across one of their promotions in some type form.  The first ad that I ever saw from Daily Harvest featured a very creamy dessert. I believed then that it was the flavor, cookies and cream but I was oh so wrong!  It was a thick mound of white cream on top of a cone that was laced with eye catching black swirls.  When I saw it, I thought to myself, “wow, who made that?!” And from then on, I made a mental note of the company but hadn’t actually ventured out to try them. A zillion more ads and a couple of years later, I’ve mustered up the courage to see what the hype’s about.  

Daily Harvest is a weekly vegan meal plan with typical food entrees such as flatbreads, harvest bowls, oatmeal and chia bowls, smoothies and even vegan snacks.  The meals contain simple, fresh non-processed ingredients made with various fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts.  I’m talking eight or less ingredients which are all whole foods-- no chemical or processed ingredients. They also make use of key superfoods such as goji berry, chia seed and maca. 

 

I’d say that many of the entrées are somewhat near the level of what is considered a raw vegan diet.  I’m no stranger to a raw vegan diet as I dabbled in that a couple of years ago.  I’m not a huge fan of  meal delivery programs because I actually enjoy cooking. But I was curious to see what Daily Harvest was all about as there really isn’t a vegan meal delivery program like them.  The first time I came across the Daily Harvest ad that featured their black sesame ice cream, they didn’t have all of the entrees that they have today.  I believe they only sold smoothies and scoops (ice cream) back then.  Entrees should be selected  on the Daily Harvest website on Sunday. Daily Harvest bills their customers on a weekly basis every Sunday. You can receive boxes with a small amount of entrees (6-8) or larger amounts (11-13).  Meals range from approximately $6-$11. I honestly think that the smoothies are overpriced if taking into account quantity and taste.  For me---the smoothies do not do it but that’s coming from someone who is an experienced smoothie maker and drinker. The smoothies that I tried were the acai and cherry, mandarin and carrot,  chai and coconut  (insert sad emoji) and mango and greens (this was good but  tasted like a basic smoothie).  The scoops or ice creams were the worst in my opinion. I’m taking into account that they are vegan but I’ve tasted so many vegan ice creams that are melt in your mouth delicious! I was really appalled of the taste of the “scoops”(vanilla caramel and strawberry rippled compote). 

Now that the not so good is out of the way, let me talk about the reasons I do like Daily Harvest!

Does it Taste Good?

Some of the items are a little lackluster in taste (soups) but there are a couple of great tasting ones.  The best tasting items that I’ve tried are the chia bowls and some of the harvest bowls. Here is a list of the entrees that blew me away and items that I’d repurchase or attempt to conjure up on my own. They are not in any special order:

1. Sweet potato flatbread (I give DH two thumbs up for their flatbreads. This tasted like a burrito—a really good one).
2. Cherry and Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Bowl (Now you know you can’t go wrong with berries and chocolate. It’s a naturally great tasting combination).
3. Butternut Squash and Chimichurri Harvest Bowl
4. Beet and Wild Rice Harvest Bowl 
5. Tomatillo and Pepper Flat Bread (This was spicy but ohh it packed a real punch taste wise!)
6. Leek and Fonio Grits Forager Bowl (the taste was elegant and sophisticated but with such pure simple ingredients).
7. Blackberry & Majik Chia Bowl (This was one item that I really enjoyed from my first box. It turned me into a chia pudding lover)

What’s it Gonna Cost Me?

Daily Harvest may be considered pricey to some. It will cost at least $90-100+ per week if you are purchasing mid-size (12 items and up). Daily Harvest offers promotions for first time customers and a recurring customer discount of $5 off.  I think it can act as a really good meal plan for individuals interested in a vegan diet who may not be sure about the types of foods to eat or make.  It’s also a great option for busy people and professionals who simply desire healthy meatless options that are also convenient and quick to prepare.  I don’t believe that every person who orders Daily Harvest is a vegan or vegetarian and may purchase items as complements to their regular diets. 

Cooking required?

The harvest bowls can be heated in a microwave but the packages also provide stove top heating directions. The flat breads do require some bake time. Everything else can be eaten without heating or do not need to be “cooked” (think--smoothies, oat, chia bowls, snacks).  

I managed to try one of the snacks, which was the coconut lemon bites.  Do they taste like a macaroon? Ehhh…not quite but if you’re a raw coconut lover then you just might like it.

I give two thumbs up to Daily Harvest and the owner of Daily Harvest who is exposing individuals to what it means to live a healthy vegan lifestyle.  If you’ve ever wanted to experience a (somewhat) raw vegan diet…this is a good start!  However, keep in mind that it is a start and vegans and vegetarians have many options especially where meat or protein substitutes are concerned.   Eating healthy and incorporating lots of fresh produce into your diet can be on the pricier end of the scale but in actuality, you don’t necessarily have to spend as much as DH charges on a weekly basis. If you’ve been looking to try Daily Harvest....just go for it!

GET  20% OFF YOUR FIRST BOX HERE

#dailyharvest #review

Mechelle Eleene