Splendid Spoon: Hearty, balanced, occasionally chunky.
The Cacao Almond Smoothie was the best ready-to-drink smoothie I’ve had from any service. Thick, creamy, not overly sweet. 10g of protein from almond butter and hemp seeds. It tasted like a milkshake you’d pay $12 for at a bougie juice bar, but it’s $9.99 and requires zero effort. I kept reordering this one.
The Cauliflower Tikka Masala Soup is what convinced me Splendid Spoon isn’t just smoothie company. Rich, warming, genuinely spiced. The cauliflower was tender, the coconut milk base was creamy without being heavy, and the turmeric-ginger punch was legit. I heated it for 2 minutes, ate it straight from the container, and it worked as a full lunch. $11.49 for a soup is steep, but this wasn’t Campbell’s.
The Harvest Bowl (quinoa, roasted sweet potato, kale, tahini dressing) was solid but not exciting. The tahini dressing was tangy and well-balanced. The sweet potato was actually roasted, not steamed-soft. But the quinoa was a little mushy, and the portion was smaller than I expected for $12.99. I needed a side to feel full.
The Pad Thai Noodle Bowl disappointed. The sauce was too sweet, the noodles were overcooked and stuck together, and the vegetables were sparse. It tasted like a $6 frozen meal that somehow cost $13.49. I didn’t reorder this.
Texture note: Splendid Spoon’s smoothies are pre-blended, which means they’re drinkable but not perfectly smooth. I occasionally got small chunks of frozen fruit or seeds. Not a dealbreaker, but if you’re expecting Jamba Juice texture, you won’t get it.
Daily Harvest: Fresh, bright, sometimes thin, hit-or-miss on meals.
The Mint + Cacao Smoothie was phenomenal. I added oat milk, blended for 60 seconds, and got a thick, minty, dessert-like smoothie with 6g of protein and 24g of sugar (high, but worth it). The flavor was clean. real cacao, real mint, no artificial aftertaste. This is the smoothie I recommended to three friends.
The Strawberry + Peach Smoothie was fine but thin. Even with just 6oz of almond milk (less than the recommended 8oz), it came out watery. The flavor was good. sweet, fruity, summery. but the texture didn’t satisfy the way Splendid Spoon’s ready-to-drink versions did. I finished it in 90 seconds and wanted more.
The Mushroom + Spinach Flatbread was surprisingly good for a freezer flatbread. Crispy crust, real mushrooms (not canned), decent cheeze coverage. I baked it for 12 minutes and it came out evenly cooked. $7.99 for a flatbread that’s actually filling is solid value. I’d order this again.
The Tomato + Zucchini Minestrone Soup was a miss. It tasted weirdly sweet. like someone added a tablespoon of sugar to a tomato soup base. The zucchini was mushy, the pasta was overcooked, and the broth was thin. I ate half and threw the rest away. $7.99 wasted.
The Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Harvest Bowl was fine. Not great, not bad. The sweet potato was tender, the wild rice had good texture, but the tahini dressing (which should’ve been the star) tasted watered-down. I added hot sauce and finished it, but I didn’t crave it again.
The Chocolate + Sea Salt Ice Cream was legitimately world-class. Creamy, rich, actually tasted like real chocolate (not cocoa powder). The sea salt balanced the sweetness perfectly. If you told me this was $8 a pint at Whole Foods, I’d believe you. I ordered three more pints.
The verdict on taste: Splendid Spoon has higher consistency but narrower highs. Daily Harvest has bigger swings. the smoothies and ice cream are exceptional, but the soups and some bowls are mid. If you want reliable 7/10 meals, Splendid Spoon. If you’re okay with some 5/10s mixed in with 9/10s, Daily Harvest gives you more to explore.