8 Subscription Services That Are 100 Percent Worth It

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Published Nov 28, 2018

Grocery shopping may be a standard errand for most people, but for New Yorkers, it requires scheduling (beating the Trader Joe’s crowds), stamina (schlepping your bags home) and strategy (finding time to cook those veggies before they wilt). In other words, it can be a nearly impossible task. Thankfully, there are plenty of subscription services that help make sure the essentials are covered, not to mention the fun stuff. We’re talking cool snacks from Japan, fancy ice cream and other foods that may not make it to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs but we think are absolutely necessary.

Courtesy of Daily Harvest

Daily Harvest

Spending too much at Juice Press and Sweetgreen in an effort to eat better? Daily Harvest makes healthy living a no-brainer by packing essential smoothie, soup and veggie bowl ingredients into convenient, preportioned meals that are easy to prep (read: no chopping) and every bit as good as the stuff from that trendy clean-eating spot down the street.

Starting at $7 per cup; daily-harvest.com

Courtesy of Vine Oh!

Vine Oh!

Having a good bottle of wine at home is essential, but you don’t always have time to hit up your local wine store. Instead of going from shelf to shelf, relive your last Napa Valley getaway with this quarterly box, which comes with two bottles of California wine—red, white or one of each—and a handful of cute products (think seasonal treats, bath bombs and scented candles) that’ll make a night in even better.

$60 per quarter; vineoh.com

Courtesy of Mother Snacker

Mother Snacker

Founded by a dessert-loving mom who appreciates quality snacks, this cheekily named company curates a sweets box that’s worth indulging in. Everything comes from women-owned businesses, and one of the full-size goods is typically a lifestyle or beauty product.

Starting at $49 per month; mothersnacker.com

courtesy of Murray’s Cheese

Murray’s Cheese

If the cheese section feels overwhelming—whether it’s at Trader Joe’s or an artisanal shop—consider a subscription that takes all the intimidation out of fancy fromages. The mongers at Murray’s will pick out three of their favorites and ship them to you once a month so all you have to do is pop open a bottle of wine to go with them.

Starting at $75 per box; murrayscheese.com

Japan Crate

A monthly plane ticket to Asia is definitely out of budget, but this snack box is not. The Tokyo-based company can help tame your travel bug one unusually flavored Kit Kat at a time. (The purple sweet potato is a standout.) Expect deliciously fun snacks to show up at your door every month, such as matcha caramel corn, yuzu lemon potato chips and more.

Starting at $35 per month; japancrate.com

Courtesy of Shaker & Spoon

Shaker & Spoon

Break out of your entertaining rut and mix cocktails like a pro. Along with all the extra ingredients you probably don’t have lying around—garnishes, bitters, mixers—each box comes with a handy recipe card that takes you through the stirring, shaking or muddling required to mix up a dozen stiff drinks. Each month has a fun theme—think “Pleased as Punch” for the holidays and “Pisco Fever” in summer.

Starting at $40 per month; shakerandspoon.com

Mistobox

Never run out of good coffee again with Mistobox, a company that’ll ship you beans from one of the country’s top roasters every month. An expert will match your preferences with a bag from one of the 50-plus participants—L.A.’s Verve, Denver’s Huckleberry and Miami’s Panther Coffee, for example—which is then freshly roasted and shipped directly to you.

Starting at $20 per month; mistobox.com

Jeni’s Ice Cream

Those with a serious sweet tooth know that Jeni’s churns up high-quality ice cream worth splurging on (we dream of the Middle West Whiskey & Pecans flavor), and there’s no treat quite like the Ohio-based shop’s Pint Club. Four pints arrive every three months, a welcome surprise for a friend—or yourself.

$230 per year; jenis.com

Patty Lee

PureWow Freelance Editor

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