Daily Harvest vs. Green Blender: How two new smoothie delivery companies measure up

You can pretty much get anything delivered to your door in New York City—from massage therapists and cleanses to organic groceries and picnics and many other less healthy amenities we won’t go into…

And since boxes full of ingredients pre-measured for dinner prep are currently en vogue, why not apply the same concept to smoothies?

Two new companies, Daily Harvest and Green Blender, are doing just that, and they want to make your morning NutriBullet or Vitamix ritual way less involved. Plus, they’re hoping to save you from produce gone bad, off-the-cuff concoctions that failed miserably, and smoothie leftovers that congeal in the trash. (Not exactly serious problems you can’t solve on you’re own, but…)

We tried both services to bring you the facts on what you need to know. (Note: You’ll still have to wash your blender of choice…until someone invents that service?) —Molly Gallagher

Daily Harvest

Who’s behind it: Rachel Drori, the founder, and Sara Jane Mercer, holistic health coach, who developed the recipes. “It’s for people who want to incorporate smoothies [into their diet] but don’t want to buy all of the ingredients. We’ve taken all that work away for you,” says Mercer.How it works: When you get the box, you put it straight in the freezer. Inside the box, you’ll find all of the ingredients measured for a single smoothie divided into single packs. When you want to make one, you just take out a pack, tap it against your counter, add liquid (either coconut water, filtered water, or almond milk depending on what the recipe calls for), and blend.Taste: A few recipes stood out as super delicious, like the Mint Chipper—with organic cacao nibs, spinach, cashew butter, mint, and vanilla—which was like a healthy person’s mint chip ice cream, and Mango Knees—with organic mango, pineapple, spinach, coconut, vanilla, and lemon. But a few of the greener blends were a little bland for my taste.Pros: It’s sooo easy, plus Mercer balances taste and nutrition well. “I’m constantly tweaking—can we make it healthier? Can we take away something?” she says.Cons: There are currently 10 blends (although they say they’ll be introducing new recipes seasonally), so it could get a little boring, and deliveries only happen every other Monday evening.Who’s it for: People who want absolutely nothing to do with shopping, rinsing, or chopping. In other words, super busy New Yorkers who want to just want hit the blend button and be out the door.Cost: $32.50, includes five one-serving smoothie packs. Superfood add-ins like goji powder or chia seeds are extra.

For more information, visit www.daily-harvest.com

Green Blender

Who’s behind it: Health and fitness blogger Jenna Tanenbaum, 25, and web developer Amir Cohen, 30. “A lot of companies create milkshakes and call them smoothies,” says Tanenbaum. “These are filled with high-quality organic and local produce and superfoods.”How it works: You get a box with the ingredients for the five featured recipes of the week pre-measured into ingredient bags. Then, you follow the recipe to combine ingredients and complete any chopping and rinsing before you put them all together in the blender. Think of it like the Blue Apron of smoothie delivery.Taste: Green Blender’s smoothies came in cool combinations like a pancake-inspired recipe with oats, maple water, strawberries, walnuts, banana, and lucuma powder, and a tropical mojito smoothie with spinach, pineapple, apple, flaxseed, and mint. Every one we whipped up was really delicious. Pros: The recipes change weekly and are based on what’s in season. Tanenbaum and Cohen literally call their local farm or market, Brooklyn Grange, for example, find out what’s in for the week, and develop their recipes based on that. “It’s important to drink the rainbow,” says Cohen. They also include a forward-thinking superfood booster in every recipe, like turmeric or maca.Cons: There’s still prep involved, whether it’s chopping strawberries and beets, or rinsing the produce, and delivery is only available on Wednesday.Who’s it for: Superfood-lovers who like to take an active role in their smoothie making, without coming up with the recipes.Cost: $49 per week, includes ingredients for five recipes, with two servings each (10 smoothies total).

For more information, visit www.greenblender.com