What We're Eating During Our Kitchen Renovation

This post is sponsored by Daily Harvest. Get up to $40 off your first box with code CHRISLOVESJULIA.

There are a lot of obvious annoyances with renovation - the dust, the noise, the feeling of being "unsettled." The hope is that it's all worth it in the end, and so far that's proven true for us. But a kitchen renovation goes far past "annoyance," because of the inability (or drastically stunted ability) to cook your own meals. As we head into month 5 of living without a kitchen, this has proven to be the most difficult part of this renovation, by far.

We've talked here and there about Julia's health, and the strict nature of her diet. Less known is the efforts I've been making with my health as well. And while I'm not quite ready to talk through all of that, diet has been a focus for me also and finding ready-made good tasting and good for you options has proven tricky. But it helps having a few things we can always fall back on, like Daily Harvest.

This isn't the first time we've talked about Daily Harvest. Or the second, third, eighth or 14th. We've been weekly customers to their Smoothies for years (on our own dime), and added in their Scoops a little over a year ago (imagine if ice cream loved you as much as you love it, and that's Scoops). They continue to expand their collections and sent us a box of Harvest Bowls, Oat Bowls, Flatbreads, and Bites (more on these in a bit), and our family devoured them. They sent us 20 different items to try, and we ate them all before we even got to photograph one bite — it was such a welcome and needed break from eating out and we could not stop! So we ordered another box. You know. Just for the pictures *don't mind my chewing*.

If you're unfamiliar with Daily Harvest, at least download their app and check them out. They have a huge list of more than 90 delicious options built on whole fruits and vegetables that are meticulously sourced and chef-crafted. Everything is always gluten-free, dairy-free and never includes any artificial ingredients. or preservatives. The ingredients are listed on the side of each package so you know exactly what you're getting, and you can see the whole frozen ingredients inside the cup. I'm a big fan of the Acai + Cherry smoothie, with cherry, blueberry, banana, raspberry, acai, and kale. Their Smoothies are so easy to make, just add a liquid of your choice and blend.

They have super nourishing Harvest Bowls, Oat Bowls; Dairy-Free, Plant-Based Ice Cream ("Scoops!"), bites ("Bites"), and Flatbreads! Everything is plant-based and packed with nutrients. They ship frozen right to our door, so we can pop them into the freezer to use whenever is convenient. For us, it's every day. Their plans are also flexible so you can change your box size, swap items, or a skip a week whenever you need.

The Scoops are the best plant-based ice cream I've ever had — creamy, perfectly sweetened and something that even Jules can have (she's dairy-free). They're made without fake fillers, gums, or refined sugars. The Strawberry has coconut, strawberry, dragon fruit, raspberry, vanilla bean, and probiotics, and our girls love it so much.

The Bites are powerful superfood cookies, perfect for right after the gym (or they would be if our girls didn't beat us to them). The Harvest Bowls are delicious, too, and ready in minutes, either on the stovetop or in the microwave. They even have a new AIP-friendly (Autoimmune Protocol) Harvest Bowl called Cremini + Asparagus Pot Pie, which is great news for Jules. They're also super tasty, which is great news for me! My favorite is the Broccoli + Cheeze (Broccoli, Cauliflower, sweet potato, tomato, olive oil, and nutritional yeast). The best part is the bowl is 100% microwaveable and compostable so there are no extra dishes when you're done.

Of course, renovation is our struggle, but we all have our own version. Schedules, energy, desire, cooking ability. We all know we should eat more fruits and vegetables, but it sometimes feels like it takes too much time when you can just order a burger any time. Well, Daily Harvest is your answer. Visit their website or download their app, and make an order! Use code CHRISLOVESJULIA for up to $40 off your first box - we've been hooked for years, and I know you'll love it, too.