Daily Harvest - Do's and Don'ts for your next order

I recently jumped on the Daily Harvest bandwagon to make my mornings a bit easier (aka a final attempt at not being late for work). Since then, I've received 4 or 5 boxes, trying a variety of their products! I wanted to share with you all what I've thought so far, and also hear what you all think.

I still love my usual breakfast bowl with fruit, yogurt, nut butter, cereal, etc. but sometimes time is of the essence and I need something on the go. Daily Harvest has been working out really well on those mornings when I need something to grab, blend and go! I plan on continuing with these boxes every now and then when I feel like treating myself. What can I say? I've definitely caught feels for some of their yummy options.

Some of the things I am LOVING about Daily Harvest:

- all of their ingredients are organic and super FRESH!

- the packaging is phenomenal, my items come frozen in adorable and durable packaging

- you can skip your box whenever you want (very easily, no hassle)

- their packaging is also completely recyclable

- there are tons of options and you can choose how many items you want in your box!

- their smoothies taste like DESSERT! seriously.

Their smoothies are easily my favorite item. Not only are they so good, but they are also so simple to prepare and take with you! All you have to do is pour in your milk of choice, dump it all into your blender, blend away, and then pour it right back into the cup it came in! The lid even has a spot to poke your straw through. The cuteness factor is definitely a 10/10!

I've created a list of the items that really hit the spot and have also noted some of my not-so-favorites.

My top 5 picks:

1) Cherry + Almond Smoothie

SERIOUSLY SO GOOD!! This was the first smoothie I tried and was immediately shocked at how delicious it was for being more of a "health" food (even though I don't like using that term).

This one's key ingredients are: cherry, strawberry, almond, sweet potato, Sachi inchi (tbh I have no idea what this is), and vanilla bean.

2) the Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie

Definitely a close runner-up! This one is packed with blueberry, banana, spinach, almond, cacao, and maca. It is chocolatey goodness, and I usually add some chocolate PB2 to amp up the protein!

3) Cold Brew + Almond smoothie

The cold brew/almond combo is a thicker, more filling option. It does feel a bit heavier than some of the others, but is oh-so-good! I mean - I love coffee and I love almonds so it was really a major hit.

Key ingredients (all organic): banana, almond, cold brew, pine pollen, cacao, coconut.

4) Mint + Cacao

When I tell you this tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream, I am not kidding. I was pleasantly surprised by this one and it is SO GOOD!

The fresh peppermint is extremely refreshing and wonderful on the pallete. It's also packed with fresh fruits, cashews, and more!

5) Dragon Fruit + Lychee

This one is definitely the lightest option on my favorites list. It is summery, fresh, and a great supplement to breakfast or great on its own as a snack! I would not say it's filling enough for breakfast (at least for me), but when I do grab it in the mornings, I ike to supplement it with peanut butter toast, a pastry, etc.

Side note: I like to add protein powder/nut butter to my smoothies as well! Nothing like some added protein.

Honestly, the majority of the smoothies seem to be worthwhile. If you're going to try anything from DH, please please please try a smoothie or two! I'm definitely hooked and will be keeping these a part of my routine for the foreseen future!

Alright, now onto:

Items that didn't hit the spot: (for me)

- Cold Brew + Cacao smoothie

Personally, I found this one to have too much of a chalky texture. I think I may have set my expectations too high as well, thinking it would taste like a mocha from Starbucks.

- Harvest Bowls

I've tried the Spinach + Shitake one, Lentil + Tomato, and Butternut Squash + Kale. With that being said, I cannot speak for all of them. BUT I will say that I found these to be mushy, and just a bit too much "healthy tasting" for me. Don't get me wrong, I love veggies but these just get a bit watered down and don't have anything balancing out the warm veggies. You're better off making your own veggies fresh from the produce section. I wouldn't spend my money on these again.

- Cinnamon Banana Oat Bowl

This was a huge disappointment because I LOVE cinnamon oats. First of all, these bowls are an awesome portion size - you get a lot of good nutritious food, which I'm a fan of. However, these bowls seem to have a fatal flaw. The ingredients such as butternut squash and reishi mushroom are simply not disguised well and stick out like a sore thumb. From now on I will stick to making my own oatmeal and keeping it to the ingredients that I enjoy.

- Blueberry Lemon Oat Bowl

The same thing went for the blueberry lemon bowl. The ginger in this bowl is extremely overpowering and takes away from the blueberry lemon flavor. Without the ginger, this could have been completely different!

When it comes to the oat bowls I advise you read all the ingredients before ordering one! There may be something in there that you aren't a fan of (that you wouldn't expect to be in your morning oatmeal haha).

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Overall, I'm a fan of Daily Harvest - mostly for the smoothies. I'd say my biggest criticism is that I simply do not support this idea of making all meals and foods "healthy". You don't need veggie crust pizza to replace Pizza Hut, low-cal grain bowls for lunch, and you can absolutely eat real ice cream if you want! I would just advise that this program is best used as a supplement to your diet, and is not the end all be all to healthy eating!

I have not tried the lattes, forager bowls or the mylk so I cannot speak to those, but I have indulged in a few flatbreads, chia bowls and the ice cream!

The flatbreads can be very good when cooked properly (it's sometimes difficult to get a veggie crust at the right crispiness if you know what I mean).

The ice creams have good flavor! They do have that more ice-y consistency, similar to Halo Top. I prefer a creamy texture when it comes to my ice cream, but I do enjoy Daily Harvest's scoops as a refreshing afternoon snack!

Chia bowls are decent as well. They have limited flavors of these, so I do not know if I will order these again, but are worth trying! Especially if you enjoy chia!

I would love to hear about your experiences with Daily Harvest if you've had a chance to try it! Feel free to drop a comment below, and share what you liked/disliked.

As always, leave any questions or feedback :) I'm always up for a good chat!