What's in my organic fruit & veg box today!

cooking-mama

Started getting a vegebox delivery again just yesterday(different company from the one i used before),
so far very impresseded..Firstly because my box was delivered within 2.hours of me ordering..delivery for Friday had to be booked online by 6pm Wed,however i phoned the company with a query,and they told me a van would be in my area and if i got my order in within 30mins they would deliver within a couple of hours),this was very helpful as im full of the cold and almost out of fruit n veg,so it saved me an unwanted trip to the supermarket..Anyhow this is what i got for £24,(Family box consisting of a £14 veg box+£10fruit box.)

Vegetables(£14)

Potatoes,
Onions,
Shallots,
Carrots,
1 Courgette,
1 very large red pepper,
2 Heads of Broccoli,
1 Bag of Rocket,
1 Tub of Cherry Tomatoes,
1 med size Butternut Squash,

Fruit(£10)

5 Bananas,
4 Oranges,
4 Kiwis,
4 large Apples,
4(very hard)pears,
Small bag of Grapes.

All appear very fresh and good quality,I think the Vegebox is possibly better value than the fruit box,well for me anyway,dunno if i can actualy afford organic fruit,my eldest takes 3 pieces of fruit to college and youngest has 1(better than none,she's not a fruit n veg lover)(actualy ive just noticed that for only an extra £4 I couldve got a large fruit box suitable for a family of 4..maybe il try that next time)
will continue with the vegebox tho,I like the way the surprises in the box make meal planning more interesting.I was also able to add a note asking that i didnt get any Aubergines/Chard or Fennell,all things that ive had previousley in vegeboxes and given away,as we dont like them
Im in Lanarkshire area and got my box from Mollinsburn organics http://www.mollinsburnorganics.com/store/index.php

misscousinitt

This week got the usual potatoes, onions, carrots and mushrooms. Surprises this week were cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes and leeks. Will have no trouble using these up this week.

Will also make some soup on Sunday with any LO bits and pieces.

[Deleted User]

Had a large mixed box last week, but changing to a £10 medium veg box, which is apparently enough for the two of us.
Last weeks veg included

Leeks - used in crumble, soup and roasted
Broccoli,- Broccoli crumble
Swede - mashed and in soup
Potatoes - used in all sorts
Onions - used in all sorts
Fine green beans - with roast dinner and on top of the soup : )
Carrots- used in all sorts
Red pepper - half in soup, half in something else which I can't remember!
parsnips - Roasted parsnips and parsnip chips (delicious, baked in oil in the oven)

Managed to use most of it up - with a soup on today with the leftovers. Just a bit of swede left. Apparently they try to vary your box so you don't have cabbage etc every week, so hopefully no swede in tomorrow's box

[Deleted User]

money_saving_diva wrote: »

Should I start getting a veg box?

Looking into it today. I have looked before but never ordered one. Just looked at riverford & the flexibility with orders etc looks great.

Are riverford the best?

How long does the fruit/veg last? Could I get a big box fortnightly & make some of the longer life veg last til the second week?

I looked at what is in the boxes this week. Do they alter much or are they the same for a few weeks in a row sometimes??

What box is best value??

I get my box from AJP growers. I put 'no lettuce, radish - not keen on peppers' on my order and they are very good. But I get free delivery because I'm in the Bristol area

WeBeBroke

This is a good thread - I must post my box contents later (it came today but don't know what's in it yet).
I've been with Riverford for around 5 years now and I love them. Very flexible as you can cancel weeks if you've a glut or don't use everything. You don't even have to sign up to a regular order - just order as and when.
For a family of 2 adults, 2 children I get a veg box and a fruit box every week. I alternate between a small veg box one week and a mini veg box the next but I always have to top up on the fruit. Luckily there's a TFC shop down the road which is very reasonable for fruit.
I find it actually helps keep control of my budget as I have to think about meal planning around it.

Will sort out my meal plan later! For tonight it's cheese and ham croquettes to use up leftover cooked ham and old cheese!

WBB

cooking-mama

My 2nd box from Mollingsburn organics last week consisted of
Veg
potatoes,
onions,
carrots,
2leeks,
1 large fennel(i forgot to add my note stating no fennel)
bag of cherry tomatoes,
bag of French beans,
1 large Green pepper,
1 cauliflower.

Fruit
5 Apples,
4 oranges,
5 kiwis,
5 bananas,
5 pears,
bag of grapes,
1 large mango

This was the £28 box last week,everything very fresh...I price compared on My supermarket,and comparing organic produce it was cheaper than Ocado and only £2.50 dearer than Asda,which considering how fresh everything is and delivered to the door isnt too bad...However comparing the items to Non-Organic produce it works out £8 odds more expensive:eek:
wish i could find a local company that delivered fresh,local but not necessarily organic fruit n veg.

Cant realy afford £28 every week,so i think il settle into a weekly £14 veg only box as i do think thats the best value.
Didnt get a box this week cos i was working 9am till 9.30pm on delivery day,ordering one for this week again tho.

mummyjane

I have tried 3 different companies now - Riverford (good quality produce and customer service great too), Sunnyfields (our local one - great variety of produce and customer service second to none - can even visit occasionally as only 45 mins away and they have a great market with cooked food and all sorts). Abel and Cole (wonderful produce and you can select your dislikes/likes and even skip if you have too many of something, customer service again is fab but downside is they work out slightly more expensive). I would be interested to know if there are any others in the Hampshire area that we haven't tried.

[Deleted User]

This week's box contained:
Cauliflower
Swede
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Spring onions
Sage, Mint and parsley
Fine green beans
Carrots
Potatoes
Lemon
Lime
Oranges
Bananas
Cooking apples

Think we'll have cauliflower crumble tonight.
Any ideas on how to use the lemon and lime up please? We like simple, uncomplicated food. I was hoping to use them in a savoury dish, but maybe muffins would be OK?

rinabean

Both lemons and limes are really nice added to any food, especially greens, though you don't seem to have received many. If you make any salad dressings with the herbs perhaps they'd be nice added to those, too. I think muffins would be nice, maybe with poppy seeds, and biscuits would be good too. If there's nothing you can think of to do with them, grate the peels into sugar (like making vanilla sugar! lovely with pancakes and on top of cakes) and freeze the juice in cubes for when you do need it

Edit: and of course you can just add slices of them to drinks!

[Deleted User]

rinabean wrote: »

Both lemons and limes are really nice added to any food, especially greens, though you don't seem to have received many. If you make any salad dressings with the herbs perhaps they'd be nice added to those, too. I think muffins would be nice, maybe with poppy seeds, and biscuits would be good too. If there's nothing you can think of to do with them, grate the peels into sugar (like making vanilla sugar! lovely with pancakes and on top of cakes) and freeze the juice in cubes for when you do need it

Edit: and of course you can just add slices of them to drinks!

Thanks. I've also used some for a salad dressing (mixed with olive oil) Lovely. Great idea to freeze juice.