Fruit and veg boxes - are they good value for money?

mouseymousey99

Hi - I've been adding a weekly £10 veg box to my Tesco on line order every week. However had an e mail from the supplier saying they could no longer supply Tesco. I asked Tesco if they would be continuing the box scheme but the lad there didn't know - so I thought someone here may know? Are Tesco still doing it (with another supplier). Will check out alternatives in the meantime -
** Found Abel & Cole, similar box, just 1.95 a week more so I've placed an order for Monday** Shame about Tesco, but its so cut throat, I can understand why.

avinabacca

abaxas wrote: »

Most organic produce is less 'green' than the farmed stuff. This is due to larger energy requirements for growing. Eg organic wheat uses about 2x the energy of the intensive version.

That's interesting - where do these larger energy requirements come from?

GetOrganised

I've just started getting the riverford boxes. They are great value for money and there is so much information on their website about their carbon footprint and food miles etc.

I've had a covent garden soup book for a few years now, so I have lots of ideas for soups if there are any veggies I really am stuck with! Also the recipes on the riverford site are quite useful, but I haven't used any yet.

Are the meat boxes good value?

tryingtoruletheworld

I love my organic veg box!

It really is a bargain, and usually works out much cheaper than buying from the supermarket. The food is grown just outside the town I live in, and it is nice to be able to call and place an order with the people who actually grow it!

Everything is much fresher and seems to last longer, nothing gets wasted and we make sure we eat every bit. It also means we tend to focus more on the veg for dinner than meat or fish. Afterall, even if it does take more energy to produce organic crops, it is nothing compared to raising meat. Or indeed, the power it must take to run your average supermarket nowadays.

But one of the best bits for me is just that it feels like christmas every week! I love opening it up and not knowing what we will be getting!

competitionscafe

The veg box recipes site is another useful one for recipes and for identification of mystery veg.
http://vegbox-recipes.co.uk/

Also BBC Food (search by ingredient) www.bbc.co.uk/food and Eat the Seasons www.eattheseasons.co.uk are both good for recipe ideas.


Also Kate Lock, the author of Confessions of an Eco Shopper did an interesting online discussion with Clare Josa of the Veg Box recipes website, which you can listen to here (or right click and choose save target as to download the mp3 on to your PC so you can listen to it anytime): http://www.instantteleseminar.com/?eventid=3955107

claireac

I was wondering if these are a way of saving a bit of money?

I've had a leaflet come through the door for "freshly grown local produce delivered to the door". It's not organic.

A small seasonal box (couples & small families) is £11.95, and a medium family box (family of four) is £15.95.

What do you think?

Thanks

Rummer

we used to order from a local organic company and the fruit and veg was slightly more expensive but it tasted amazing and being delivered it reduced the amount of car journeys we made during the week. Unfortunately when we were getting it delivered we did not cook as often as we do now so a lot of the food went to waste and we occasionally got food we didn't like although you could tailor the box to some extent. You could always give it a go for a week or two and then decide if it is worthwhile for your family.

Kerriebaby

my experince was no, I found them really expensive, even for the small boxes...I found the local market loads cheaper

ALIBOBSY

I find my local farm shop is cheaper than that and you get to pick what veg is in your "box". My local farm shop also does locally produced farm butter,luxury icecream, and cheese yummy. It is family run and the mum does homemade pies, cakes and bread as well (although I usually do my own baking).

ali x

Plus i forgot cheap eggs-free range locally produced 6 for a £, and these are large eggs

mouseymousey99

Hi - I get a veg box delivered weekly and also have a Tesco shop, I'm not very mobile so while I agree with Kerrie yes the market is cheaper other factors come into play. We now have to pay for parking - even with a blue badge (shame on you ** councill you know who you are). The box is 11.95 (just veg at the mo but I'm going to add fruit) - but - you don't have to pay a delivery charge (Mr T's is £4.50). The stuff has been so good, and we are eating with the seasons which I like. We cook from scratch every day, we are time 'rich'. Its made a difference here. I worked out the mince they offer is only £1 more than Tesco finest - so again I'm going to add that to the weekly box (the sausages are fab). As well as the boxes you can order extra fruit & veg as well as a whole load of other things I care more about quality than quantity, so I'd rather have meat free days and base our meals around the veg. I'm gradually moving towards having the bulk of our shop organic. I would have scoffed at it a year ago to be honest, but its a personal thing. Hope this helps, sorry if I have rattled on a bit.