Have You Had Your Daily Harvest Today?!

Have you heard about the new meal delivery service Daily Harvest?

I first gave Daily Harvest a try about 3 months ago and have continued to schedule deliveries on a semi-regular basis ever since. They have entrees, soups, smoothies and more for when I need to have something to eat in a hurry that’s highly nutritious to boot. Ordering from DH seems to be a good way to make sure my freezer is stocked with items that are quick to prepare and surprisingly healthy, especially in comparison to most of what’s available in the world of frozen food.

Why I like Daily Harvest and would recommend it to others…

It’s great to have frozen items that are super healthy, where 95% of the ingredients are organic, and include a wide array of fruits, veggies, herbs and superfoods combined in ways that are beyond the ordinary. Plus, I really appreciate that in the foods I’ve ordered that call for oil, they always use organic extra virgin olive oil. So many products these days rely on the cheaper and, from my research, less healthy canola, safflower or sunflower oils, which contain high amounts of omega-6s.

And all items are free of fillers or artificial anything, and don’t contain dairy or gluten, if those are things you’re trying to avoid. In fact, everything is fruit and/or plant-based and vegan, and there are a number of options that are also paleo-friendly. I don’t follow a specific type of diet, but I realize many people do, so this provides choices that are sometimes hard to find in the freezer section of a grocery store.

Most items are also usually high in fiber and low in calories, and quick and easy to prepare. Many require just a quick heat-up, whirl in the blender, or the flatbread pizzas (with crusts made of pureed veggies, cassava flour and other healthy things), take about 20 minutes in a toaster oven.

Flexibility in ordering…

Fortunately, DH gives you quite a bit of flexibility on how often you order and day of the week it’s delivered, and you can change the items in your box each time, if you want. I signed up for the weekly delivery, because I didn’t want to commit to the larger amount of items required for the monthly box, especially because I didn’t know if I’d actually like the food. My thought was I would at least give the service a try since they were having a special $20 off promotion, and then cancel after my second order, because I didn’t want to be locked into deliveries on a weekly basis.

BUT, I ended up liking the food and found out how easy it was to change my items and delay my deliveries to where I usually have one every 3 to 4 wks, so I was able to get what amounts to the monthly box without committing to ordering the larger amount of items. HA! And it’s just enough to get me a good stash of back-up food for the freezer without having to schedule a delivery for each week. Orders can always be more or less frequent, if I make the changes in time to my account on-line, and DH always sends an e-mail reminder that the cut-off for amending an order is coming up.

Interesting, innovative ingredients and recipes…

You can see a complete list of ingredients for each food item and read reviews by other customers to help you decide if it sounds like something you’d like. And the company is always adding new items to the menu choices, plus tweaking older recipes, based on customer feedback. They seem to be honestly interested in continually making everything better and better. After having a few deliveries and reordering what I did like, and trying something new in place of things that didn’t really turn me on, I have gotten to where I know I’m going to be pleased with what’s coming.

This last time I added something based on it being ranked as the customers’ #1 pick and it did not disappoint. In fact, I will probably order at least 2 in my next delivery. It’s the Beet+Wild Rice Harvest Bowl and has a combination of ingredients that may sound a little strange to some people (I know it did to me at first)… chioggia beets, wild rice, arugula, cauliflower and parsnip puree, fennel, coconut cream, dill and other herbs, plus camu camu powder. But don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

And that’s one of the things I like best about the Daily Harvest choices; they combine a lot of different things that I normally wouldn’t eat that often, if at all. So it’s great for getting a wide variety of fruits, veggies and herbs into my diet without having to buy a bunch of different stuff at the grocery store, if I was to make the recipe at home.

Their Almond Mylk is super healthy and convenient…

I tried one of DH’s smoothies, but I really, really like my own recipe, plus often start with a whey/high protein base, so it’s just easier to stick with making my own. BUT, I usually use coconut milk and almond milk for the liquid part in mine and I like adding one of the Almond Mylk cubes from Daily Harvest to give it an even richer taste. Their Mylk is pure and simple, just ground almonds and Himalayan sea salt, so you don’t get any of the additives that are in a lot of brands, even those at the health food stores.

The package comes w/ 8 “concentrated” cubes and each is equal to 1/2 cup of almond milk when reconstituted with water, so I can add extra flavor without adding extra liquid to the smoothie, if I just pop a cube into the blender with my other ingredients. I also like the convenience of always having a back-up supply to the regular almond or oat milk I use on granola, oatmeal, etc. There have been times in the past when that’s the only thing I need from the grocery store, so now when that happens, I just rely on the Mylk cubes until I do my regular shopping.

Daily Harvest is the type of business I like supporting with my dollars…

Daily Harvest is not like a lot of businesses that are really more concerned with making some bucks than really providing the American people with truly healthy food options and being good stewards of the planet. DH uses environmentally-friendly/recyclable packaging, chooses ingredients that support organic and regenerative farming practices, and even include superfoods in many of their recipes. And, as it says on their site….

“Most of us know the saying from doctors taking the Hippocratic oath. Unfortunately, no similar oath exists in the food industry. A century of damage to the system has taken its toll — on our food, our health, and Mother Earth herself. While we at Daily Harvest believe in a world well-fed… today, it isn’t. We have to actively work to undo the damage of the past while creating a new system that can nourish humanity and do no harm.…

Sound idealistic? Well, maybe we are. We didn’t break the system, but our only future is built on something new. Something that shows regard for future generations (Re:Generation). You with us? We are on a mission to take care of food so food can take care of you.” 

I like spending my dollars at places that are consciously involved in creating a better world!

Personally, I think poor diet, depleted soil, and non-organic/pesticide-ridden foods are a big part of what has made this country so susceptible to the virus, and I think all holistic health practitioners would agree. Unfortunately, mainstream medicine, the media, and the talking heads from government and Big Pharma don’t ever mention how important eating truly healthy food is to creating a strong immune system, but then that’s a whole other conversation. 😦

UPDATE: If you’re interested in giving Daily Harvest a try, now’s a good time, because you’ll get $50 off your first order by using this code by 1/31/22 at check-out to get started: CRS-LH7HT6T

And, although everyone’s tastes vary, here’s some suggestions you might consider as to what to order:

In addition to the Beet+Wild Rice Harvest Bowl I mentioned earlier, check out the Sweet Potato+Wild Rice Hash, Brussels Sprouts+ Tahini, and Roasted Eggplant+Red Pepper Caponata Harvest Bowls, Sweet Potato+Miso Soup, Pear+Arugala+Pecan, Portobello+ Pesto, and Tomato+Cremini Flatbreads. And I love the purity and convenience of their Almond Mylk and knowing I always have some on hand to save me from having to make an unscheduled run to the store.

And I usually like to “accessorize” my food, including some of the items from Daily Harvest. For example, yesterday I had the Tomato+Cremini Flatbread, which is fine just as it is, but I decided to customize it with the pesto, Kalamata tapanade, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes I usually keep on hand. DELISH! Would probably have even added some crème fraîche, if I’d had some around, but then I’m one of these “the more the merrier” kind of gals when it comes to toppings on food. 🙂

p. s. Daily Harvest’s version of non-dairy ice cream is called Scoops and uses a coconut cream base. The Ooey Gooey Midnight Fudge is the only one so far that I’ve really liked, which is just a well, because I already have too many temptations around. The Salted Caramel Scoops was a “no” for me and the only disappointing thing I’ve ordered so far. But then I haven’t found a really healthy version of salted caramel ice cream anywhere. I think it’s one of those indulgences best enjoyed in its classic form. 🙂

Here’s to happy, healthy eating!

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Disclaimer: Please note that any information here is provided as a guideline only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice of your physician, nutritionist, trained healthcare practitioner, and/or inner guidance system. Always consult a professional/your inner knowing before undertaking any change to your normal health routine.