Daily Harvest Review 2021

Daily Harvest Review: Is It Worth It?

Daily Harvest is ideal for movers and shakers who desire healthy, nutrient rich meals with little cooking commitment. The preassembled meals, containing fresh frozen ingredients, require very little prep. And we mean it when we say very little prep. Just some simple blending or heating before eating.

We love to travel. Even when we’re at home, it feels like we’re continually swimming from co-work space to gym and home again. Daily Harvest met us where we worked and played, making it easy to enjoy super fresh smoothies, bowls, and soups. And the nutrition is off the charts, for reasons we’ll review later (see Company Vision).

Daily Harvest is one of the fastest growing companies in the food industry, earning a spot on the LinkedIN Top 50 Hot Startups to Work For. They have also been featured on CNBC’s Upstart 100 List as one of “the brightest, most intriguing, young startups promising to become the great companies of tomorrow.”

So, the short answer: Totally worth it. Especially if you love fresh fruits and veggies. That’s why we named Daily Harvest the Best On-The-Go vegan meal delivery company of 2021!

Our Editor’s Review

The frozen food game has changed for me after trying Daily Harvest. Delicious, healthy meals that require minimal effort in preparation. My finger on the blender was the most demanding part. I love this vegan meal service for my life on the go!

OUR PICK: Best On-The-Go Vegan Meal Delivery Service 2021 

• 100% Plant Based
• Starting at: $62.93
• Price per Serving: $8.99
• Frequency: Weekly or Monthly
• Both Premade and DIY Kits Available
• Promotions: Save up to $35. See website for details!

Try Daily Harvest Here!

Daily Harvest Company Vision

Daily Harvest believes in a world well-fed. And, since delicious is in the details, the company takes that mission to both customers and the community. While reviewing Daily Harvest, here are the most unique selling points we found:

• Daily Harvest stands committed to working with farmers who grow only the freshest and most nutritious produce.
• Regenerative farming techniques are used to prevent soils from becoming nutrient depleted.
• Then, produce is frozen the same day as harvest in order to preserve up to 50% more antioxidants.
• Example: When frozen on the same day as harvest, berries retain up to 200% more vitamin C.
• Another example: Fruit tends to retain up to 36% more beta carotene when frozen on the same day of harvest.

The result: Smoothies, fruit bowls, grains, and veggies that pack a nutritious punch you can feel. After reviewing the Daily Harvest weekly delivery program, we can certainly attest to that.

Social Impact

Daily Harvest also donates meals to healthcare workers during the pandemic. The company also supports the City Harvest Food Bank in their fight to combat food insecurity. Not all meal delivery companies go the extra mile like this, which makes us love Daily Harvest even more.

Social Proof: See What Customers Are Cookin’ on Instagram

Daily Harvest Pricing Review

Daily Harvest is among the most affordable plant based meal delivery services we reviewed. New customers can get started for as low as $62.93 per week. This membership level includes 7 meals, which shakes out to about $8.99 per meal.

Here is an overview of how Daily Harvest pricing compares to other vegan meal delivery programs:

• Starting at: $62.93 (this is below $75.35, the median price for other services)
• Price per Serving: $8.99 (well below $11.99, the median price for other services)
• Frequency: Weekly (this is most common among competitors)

At the time of this review, Daily Harvest is offering the following sign-up promotions:

• $15 off 7 items
• $25 off 14 items
• $35 off 24 items

We snagged the first promotion, so our first Daily Harvest delivery was just over $60. When compared to other services, this is one of the absolute lowest “getting started” prices we reviewed.

One big caveat: The serving sizes aren’t ideal for everyone. Some people love to have a big bowl of fruit, a smoothie, or a grain bowl for breakfast or lunch. Others prefer to eat bigger, multi-course meals. If you’re in the latter camp, you might prefer an alternative vegan delivery service like Sunbasket or Purple Carrot. The price per serving is higher, but you might enjoy the portion sizes more.

How It Works

1. Sign Up for Daily Harvest

Fitting with the on-the go lifestyle, ordering from Daily Harvest is straightforward. After signing up, members simply select a box size and fill it up with delicious plant-based items. Options include:

• Smoothies
• Mylk (a fresher, more nutritious take on alternative milk)
• Harvest Bowls
• Flatbreads
• Soups
• Forager Bowls
• Oat Bowls
• Chia Bowls
• Scoops
• Bites
• Lattes

If you have an Apple phone, Daily Harvest has an app for iOS that we really enjoyed. It’s sleek, easy to use, and downloads quickly.

2. Select Your Box Size

Boxes sizes include X-Small (6-8 items), Small (9-11 items), Medium (12-23 items), and Large boxes (24-26 items). The entire menu is a-la-carte, so after selecting a box size, browse the menu items and select options until your box is full. Items can be filtered by categories, dietary needs, and likes and dislikes. If you’re up for an adventure, you can opt to have your box automatically filled with the Daily Harvest best Sellers.

Daily Harvest offers almost 100 menu options each week, with a mix of menu items for all meal occasions, including dessert. If you know what you want and you’re quick to make decisions, it’s an easy process. However, if you get overwhelmed with options, narrow it down to categories to simplify the process.

3. Schedule Delivery

Using the website or app, schedule your delivery for a day of the week that is most convenient.

4. Unbox and Prep (if needed)

Finally, the good stuff! Unbox the Daily Harvest package when it arrives. Some items will need to be put in the freezer, while others are good in the refrigerator. And it might seem obvious, but we’ll say it anyways: Smoothies require liquids and a blender. We used the Magic Bullet—for our money, you can’t beat the Bullet’s value and versatility.

Daily Harvest leaves this part up to customers. You can use water (filtered, preferably), but most smoothies go well with almond, coconut, or oat milk. And if you want to try something new, Daily Harvest has a new milk alternative called Mylk. It looks delicious, but we need not taste test it as part of this review (regrettably).

Delivery Review

For our first Daily Harvest delivery, we ordered the following:

• Banana Almond Smoothie
• Passion Fruit & Pineapple Smoothie
• Mango & Papaya Smoothie
• Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Caponata Harvest Bowl
• Spinach & Shitake Grits Harvest Bowl
• Broccoli & Cheese Harvest Bowl
• Cremini & Miso Oat Forager Bowl

The delivery arrived on-time and contained everything we ordered. No mess, no spillage. Overall satisfied with delivery and the sustainable packaging.

Daily Harvest Unboxing & Cooking

Daily Harvest understands efficiency. The support materials are mostly delivered via emails, including emails that gave prep and serving suggestions for some of the menu items.

A Daily Harvest Care Team member is introduced via email as a personal concierge to help with future deliveries and recommendations. We loved this added touch.

Daily Harvest meals are pre-prepared, pre-cooked, and flash frozen. This requires little effort to prepare the meals, with only a stove, microwave, or blender needed. Most meals take about 5 minutes to cook, and the flat breads take about 20 minutes. Smoothies require the time it takes to blend it. Easy.

Overall Meal Experience

Daily Harvest Website/App

The “meal experience” always starts on the website/app. So that’s where we’ll start this part of the Daily Harvest review.

One thing that stands out are the descriptions of all the different menu items. Of all the vegan meal delivery companies we reviewed, Daily Harvest is one of the best at describing things. We love how they emphasize the plant-based ingredients, flavor profile, and nutrient content.

As vegans, it’s both reassuring and exciting to see menu options laid out in this way. We shared the website with some of our not-so-vegan friends, and they agreed. We think that earns Daily Harvest some bonus points. Because if more people understand how fresh and nutritious plants are, we can collectively become healthier people and a more sustainable place to live.

Smoothie, Bowl, & Soup Flavor Profiles

While the preparation is simple, the flavor profile of the plant-based meals are layered. Most of the Daily Harvest dishes are complex in flavor, with global inspiration, containing healthy superfoods such as acai, maca, reishi, spirulina, as well as herbs and spices.  The meals rely on fresh ingredients and natural sweeteners for flavor profiles that are healthy and memorable.

As a result of the fresh flash frozen process, the ingredients may be a little softer in nature when cooked. However, they are just as fresh and flavorful.

It’s worth pausing here to appreciate these unique ingredients and “super foods”. Yeah, the term is overused and New Age-y. But super foods are just that: Super healthy. While reviewing vegan meal delivery companies, very few offered the same premium ingredients as Daily Harvest. This is another reason why our review team awarded Daily Harvest the Best On-The-Go vegan meal delivery company of 2021.

Who is the Daily Harvest experience best suited for?

This meal delivery service is perfect for people who prefer convenience over cooking. Easy breakfasts, energizing lunches, and on-the-go afternoon pick-me-ups. If that sounds like you– or that sounds like someone you want to be– then you definitely need some Daily Harvest in your life.

Flexibility Review

Every meal with Daily Harvest is a-la-carte, so if you decide you don’t like certain meals or want a change, you can easily update for your next box. With search filters sort by likes and dislikes, as well as dietary needs, it’s easy to adjust your box to your liking. Keep in mind that ingredients cannot be modified, so selections are based upon existing ingredients.

Pausing Membership

Daily Harvest also scores big points in terms of membership options. They have one of the most flexible “pausing” policies of all the meal delivery companies we reviewed. And they’re clear about it, too. You can visit the Daily Harvest FAQ page to learn more, but here is a summary:

When you choose to “pause” your plan, it means we will suspend future deliveries until you select to resume. You won’t receive boxes or be billed during the time that your plan is paused.

So, hit a button and you’re paused. No more billing until you resume things. We hope this stays the same for you, but be sure to verify that prior to signing up.

The Deets: Daily Harvest Review FAQ

Is Daily Harvest a healthy meal delivery service?

Just like the ordering process, the meals at Daily Harvest are straight forward. Daily Harvest is 100% plant-based and gluten free, with zero fillers and preservatives. The ingredients are prepared, cooked, and flash frozen for ultimate freshness. While the company is not certified organic, 95% of the ingredients are organic and labeled as such.

Is Daily Harvest good for weight loss?

Daily Harvest does not have a specific weight loss program. The plant-based, nutrient rich meals can help you eat a clean and healthy meals to sustain a healthy lifestyle. Daily Harvest pairs perfectly with fitness apps like MyFitness Pal. Using the free version of the app, you can create a weight loss plan based on your height, weight, and activity level. Then, simply track your Daily Harvest meals throughout the day. Of all the services and apps we reviewed, this combination is a great option for anyone who wants to seriously up their health game.

Is Daily Harvest safe for people with food allergies?

Daily Harvest allows you to filter options based on your dietary needs, including paleo-friendly, low-sugar, and keto. Filters can be sorted by flavors as well.  Browse by likes and dislikes or dietary needs. It does not allow from modifications to menu items based on allergies or food intolerances.

Is the Daily Harvest meal delivery program eco-friendly?

The delivery box contains almost all recyclable or compostable cardboard products and paper, with minimal plastic packaging. The bowls are made of molded pulp and can be recycled or composted. Daily Harvest’s website has additional information on how to recycle and repurpose packaging materials, which has major points in our book.

Can I pause my Daily Harvest subscription?

Daily Harvest allows orders to be skipped and accounts can be canceled via the company’s app or online. Changes to the box can be made up until 6 p.m. ET on the Sunday before the box is scheduled to ship.

If Daily Harvest were a sign…

Daily Harvest has the makings of a Capricorn. The program is focused on efficiency, saving time, and optimizing health benefits. More time for working, less time and calories wasted.

Daily Harvest Review: The Bottom Line

Daily Harvest is a great plant-based meal delivery program for someone who is looking to eat healthy and save time. It’s also a great program for someone who is introducing plant-based eating into their life. If you’re looking for a more hands-on, customized experience, this might not be the program for you. However, if convenience, flexibility, and premium quality are your priorities, it could be a match made in heaven!

Try Daily Harvest Here!

Review More Vegan Meal Delivery Companies

Return to the best vegan meal delivery services of 2021.

Related:

• WINNER, BEST OVERALL: Sunbasket Vegan Meal Delivery Review 2021
• WINNER, BEST FOR BEGINNERS: Purple Carrot Vegan Meal Delivery Review 2021