Organic Boxes

Former Member · January 2007

I am thinking of getting one delivered and wondered if anyone has any experience of organic boxes.

I kind of like the idea of being suprised and challenged each week to create new meals from my randomly delivered vegetables on the one hand but on the other i'm a bit worried that i won't eat all that food in one week and I'm a bit of a planning freak when it comes to food....

Former Member · January 2007

Some of them you can put requests for more or less of certain things if you dont like them.

Former Member · January 2007

We get them from this farm in Northumberland and they are fabulous, though obviously that's not exactly handy for you. My brother and sister in law live in London and I think they get theirs through Riverford organics though there are a million and one companies delivering to the capital I'm sure.

You do get some weird stuff that you would never dream of buying in the grocer's but it definitely gets you trying out things you'd never have thought of before. It's lovely too as it's so seasonal so in summer you're getting mainly salad-y things and lighter veg, and more winter/root veg at this time of year. Lots of different types of cabbage at the mo which is lucky for me as I love it! We also got a mad mushroom in the box we got a couple of weeks ago - one stalk with about fifty heads on it, it was beautiful! I do love the naturalness of all the veg (deformed = good).

Former Member · January 2007

I would like to start doing this, my one problem is the size of the boxes with a lot of the companies, they are more suited to familes.

**helen** · January 2007

budda wrote:

I would like to start doing this, my one problem is the size of the boxes with a lot of the companies, they are more suited to familes.

me too - I've been meaning to sign up with Abel & Cole for about a year!
I've just seen they do box recommendations based on how many people in the household and how many nights a week you cook. Clicky.

I've also heard that riverford are good.

ETA: Our article on going organic has some useful links too.

Former Member · January 2007

**Helen** wrote:

me too - I've been meaning to sign up with Abel & Cole for about a year!
I've just seen they do box recommendations based on how many people in the household and how many nights a week you cook. Clicky.

I've toyed with signing up with them too, the problem is that I dont really trust my neighbors enough to leave the box out on the pavement. Not that I live in a dodgy area its just this will be a predictable weekly thing.

Former Member · January 2007

Ohh me 3 I'm not sure about where they would leave the box as they only deliver during the day when i'm at work. However the school across the road from me is in thier schools programme so I could get vegetabes from them during term time and the school gets some of the profits but there is still the same where do they leave the vegetables problem - hummmmmmmmmmm

I see a gap in the market an organic delivery company that delivers small boxes in the evenings or weekends to professionals who work. I knew my organic agricultural degree would come in handy at some point........

**helen** · January 2007

Wyetry wrote:

I see a gap in the market an organic delivery company that delivers small boxes in the evenings or weekends to professionals who work.

Genius! budda and I will be the first customers

Former Member · January 2007

Is the produce more expensive compared with greengrocer or supermarket?

Former Member · January 2007

kangoo wrote:

Is the produce more expensive compared with greengrocer or supermarket?

Not drastically, the £10 box from Abel & Cole seems pretty reasonable in terms of price.

Former Member · January 2007

Ooh, my boyfriend and i get a hippy box!

We get ours from Salle Moor Hall farm which only delivers in Norfolk, and we get one which has potatoes, carrots, onions and 7 other varieties of veg - a medium box - and we get that every two weeks.

It can be a little limited in the winter (i made swede soup a while ago cos i had 3... and my freezer is full of pumpkin in various guises!), but it all tends to be very useable in every day cooking, you do get some sort of green veg in every box.

I think it's great, and it doesn't work out too expensive - we get one box delivered every 14 days for two of us and it's £12 so it works out at £3 each a week. Not bad really!

Former Member · January 2007

Ohhh i've always liked the idea of this, does anybody know how i would go about finding out a local supplier, is it a yellow pages job?

Former Member · January 2007

Someone i know has a box like this delivered to them, and i know on their website they actually say what'll be in the box so you kinda know in advance.

I don't really eat veg, but it smelt lovely!

Former Member · January 2007

Hey budda, some companies offer 1 person boxes..

I am starting this now with a local company I found, can't wait, we already spend at least £25 per week from the supermarket on fruit and veg, so this will save me a packet and vary the families diet.. great.

Former Member · January 2007

more than £25 a week on fruit and veg a week..? not that it's a bad thing but just curious about how!

Former Member · January 2007

lucifer devil wrote:

more than £25 a week on fruit and veg a week..? not that it's a bad thing but just curious about how!

I was thinking the same! Do you eat anything BUT fruit and veg?

Former Member · January 2007

Well its me, the missus and the baby....... we do eat a lot of fruit and veg though..

My shopping I will always include veg for a cooked dinner plus anything else I fancy so -

Potato
Swede
Green Beans
Sweet Potato
Peppers
Lettuce or salad bag
Carrots
Parsnips

That's usually a minimum, sometimes include alternatives such as spinach or asparagus, aubergine etc..

Then fruit I will always have at least 6 or 7 bananas, a couple different types of apples, a bag of grapes, then sometimes I'll get a pack of berries or two (i.e. strawberries, blackberries, blueberries etc)

The baby loves grapes and berries so I don't mind paying for them although they do cost.

I use the ingredients in so many things though, curries, pasta sauces, lasagne, cooked dinner, stir fry... etc.

But yeah, we love our fruit and veg, not as much as she loves my meat and two veg mind you........

lol

Former Member · January 2007

CheeseOnToast wrote:

Hey budda, some companies offer 1 person boxes..

I know, and I wouldnt mind getting a £10 or £15 one, because I must spend that much on fruit and veg a week, its just I cant really get it delivered, unless they post it all through the letter box.

Former Member · January 2007

Ohh the riverford organic van has been parked outside my house all day - how random maybe the supplier lives near me (its permit holders only) and i could arrange to get my veg from him when I get home from work.

Former Member · January 2007

Sorry to drag up this randomly old thread - however I'm going to try and get one from my Milkman as it appears Dairy Crest do a small box for £7.50 and its delivered in the morning along with my milk so I can put it in the house before I go to work!

Former Member · January 2007

Is it just me who thinks these are a con? I mean you could just go to your local market and buy the things you actually want, and no way would that come to £15 a week for one person.

Former Member · January 2007

yeah but that probably wouldnt be organic.

Former Member · January 2007

PussyKatty wrote: »

Is it just me who thinks these are a con? I mean you could just go to your local market and buy the things you actually want, and no way would that come to £15 a week for one person.

I don't know anywhere that costs £15 a week for one person. It works out really cheaply for mine.

Former Member · January 2007

Plus with organic box schemes your nearly always getting localy produced fruit and vegetables which are in season - therefore there would be less food miles and pollution and contribution to global warming.

Plus £7.50 for a box for two people is hardly expensive...

Organic Boxes

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