Veg/Fruit Boxes (with photo's)

joegw

I have started this thread to continue you on from the Abel & Cole topic I started last week. Since then we (gf and I) have made our first order and wanted to see what people thought.

First Order with Abel & Cole - £12 (+99p delivery)



The quality is better but we were expecting a little bit more (quantity) for our money. The box also had a welcome pack inside with a soup recipe to use up any leftover veg at the end of the week, plus more tips and information.
A freebie is promised on the next delivery, which you can you pick for yourself from three options - Eggs, Milk, Bread. We went for eggs.


It would be great to see other boxes and where you got them from.


**** Forgot to mention that I have a promo code to get the 4th box free! ****
**** Just enter VEGFREE when you place your first order by 9th December. ****

hitatotatus

Thanks for posting your pic.
I have been thinking of ordering, but after seeing what you received for £11 I may decided not to. It looks a bit meagre to me. I would guess there is about £7/8 worth of veg there, although the other £3 may be for the organic element.
I too would be interested to see more boxes if anyone else can post photos.

RhiBi

I would put money on the fact I've had a veg box from Abel and cole in the past, but now they don't deliver to me!! I've certainly had an online veg box from someone, and this name is the only one I can remember!!!

Their quality is e ellent, but I to, if it was them, thought it a bit meagre.

hellybelly17

I used to have my boxes from Abel and Cole but after having a few veggies and fruit that went off within 24 hours have switched to Riverford now. They seem cheaper and the veggies seem better quality to me too.

Callie22

Joegw, I noticed that you're in Swindon. Have you tried any of the more local schemes, like Coleshill Organics or Purton House? They are better value, I think, than the big companies, and delivery is cheaper or even free. I haven't used them but I know a lot of people who do and I've never heard anything bad about either.

gazza975526570

£13 for that?!

I like the idea but there isnt enough for veg for most family meals and its very expensive. If you break it down say:

Broc - £1.15
6 carrots - £0.35
4 bananas - £0.40
7 mushrooms - £0.50
2 onions - £0.20
4 apples - 0.65
Spinach - £1.00
Not sure what the other item is but i'm confident it isnt worth £8.75!!!!

grastgirl

The unidentified things are Sharon fruit.
The box above is for 2 people, I suspect the larger boxes work out better value.
One thing I have found with Abel and Cole is that quantities are always a bit odd, as they often give us enough spinach/chard/kale for about 4 meals, but not quite enough potatoes for 2.
They do allow you to opt out of some veggies if you don't like them, which is useful. Very occasionally you'll get a substitution if they have supply problems. We also got a couple of extra courgettes this week as they had too many in the warehouse.

We tend to get the boxes to encourage me to try new veggies that I wouldn't buy in the supermarket. So far I've decided I hate chard, but quite like kale. Imust admit that I've not tried the Sharon fruit though.

aloxon

I've used able & cole but have been disappointed with the quantity. I've just had me first veg box from ocado, which is much better, good quantity/quality.

The telegraph have an offer today for a half price riverford box, £5.99 instead of £12.35 (small veg box), so I'm going to give that a go. Go to https://www.riverford.co.uk/telegraph01. I have placed a one off order for Xmas week, so will be interesting to see what I get..worth a go at that price!

rinabean

Riverford are very, very good. I love to look at Abel & Cole's website, they have so many different veg I just can't get organic around here and a good grocery selection, but the price is far too high and I have also found that the veg goes off if you look at it funny - and there's a delivery charge. If I order a box a week, I expect it to last longer than 5 days. Riverford's stuff is much better and lasts well into the second week as long as it's not a salad item, and the onions, oranges, etc. will last as long as you expect - apart from the potatoes, which seem to start growing after just one week (maybe I'm storing them wrong - I never have much luck with potatoes.)

The thing that annoys me most about Abel & Cole is their pushy, overly-friendly staff. All their leaflets and emails are all cutesy and whimsical and irritating. And if you don't order for a while they start harassing you over the phone for a few weeks

I do wish Riverford had a bit of flexibility with their boxes, though. There's not a lot of veg I won't eat, but swedes are one of them. (Every time I prepare one I manage to injure myself.) And I don't know anyone who'd take it off my hands if I got it. But it's probably why they are cheaper than Abel & Cole.

I'll post a pic of my next Riverford box (Thursday)

raphanius

apart from the potatoes, which seem to start growing after just one week (maybe I'm storing them wrong - I never have much luck with potatoes.)

i have riverford and just leave the spuds in their paper bag on the cool kitchen floor near the draughty back door and they keep for weeks.

I do wish Riverford had a bit of flexibility with their boxes, though.

to get round the issue of strange veg we dont eat like chard i never have the same box week after week i chop and change to suit that weeks meal plan.

i love riverford, their roots and greens box lasts a fortnight but you have to use the parsnips first or they go wrinkly after the first week.

rinabean

I do exactly the same with the potatoes! I have no idea why, then. I also choose a different box each week I love their fruit, too.