Veg boxes...

Prinzessilein

I used to get Riverford boxes...the quality was excellent - I could select how often I wanted a box and how large a box....and there was a wide selection of 'types' of box too - some with fruit, some just veg...some with extra root veggies in winter...or extra salad in summer...I could log on to their website and see what was in my next box and alter it if there was stuff I didn't really like.


Price-wise they were comparable to and often cheaper than buying the same amount of quality organic veg from a supermarket.


I only stopped getting them when I moved house. (I moved in to sheltered housing)

carrielovesfanta

Prinzessilein wrote: »

I used to get Riverford boxes...the quality was excellent - I could select how often I wanted a box and how large a box....and there was a wide selection of 'types' of box too - some with fruit, some just veg...some with extra root veggies in winter...or extra salad in summer...I could log on to their website and see what was in my next box and alter it if there was stuff I didn't really like.


Price-wise they were comparable to and often cheaper than buying the same amount of quality organic veg from a supermarket.


I only stopped getting them when I moved house. (I moved in to sheltered housing)

Another second for the Riverford boxes. I get a medium box between the two of us every fortnight. I switch between the standard and the "less roots" boxes, depending on the contents.


If you can get to a decent market, you will find it much cheaper than a veg box and probably of reasonable quality. Unfortunately, my only other option is the supermarket. I will warn you that veg boxes will ruin you for supermarket veg as they are so tasty!!

Cliecost

Prinzessilein wrote: »

I used to get Riverford boxes...the quality was excellent - I could select how often I wanted a box and how large a box....and there was a wide selection of 'types' of box too - some with fruit, some just veg...some with extra root veggies in winter...or extra salad in summer...I could log on to their website and see what was in my next box and alter it if there was stuff I didn't really like.


Price-wise they were comparable to and often cheaper than buying the same amount of quality organic veg from a supermarket.


I only stopped getting them when I moved house. (I moved in to sheltered housing)

carrielovesfanta wrote: »

Another second for the Riverford boxes. I get a medium box between the two of us every fortnight. I switch between the standard and the "less roots" boxes, depending on the contents.


If you can get to a decent market, you will find it much cheaper than a veg box and probably of reasonable quality. Unfortunately, my only other option is the supermarket. I will warn you that veg boxes will ruin you for supermarket veg as they are so tasty!!

I have heard a lot of good things about Riverford.

sharloid

littlegreenparrot wrote: »

I use 5 a day box and heartily recommend them.

Quantities are generous, you can swap out up to 8 items so you can get rid of the kale Customer service is always excellent, prompt and helpful.

I get the smallest box at £10.95, they also do a box of 'blemished veg for soup' and 'blemished fruit for smoothies' which are great value, and actually the produce looks perfect, it must just be a bit older.

I like them because it feels like a lovely treat to have it delivered, it encourages me to eat more fruit & veg, and they're local to me (they do national delivery though) I tried a few before, but this is the one for me.

Can you point out where abouts these are on the website? The cheapest I can find is "KITCHEN ESSENTIALS BOX BASIC ITEMS ONLY" for £16.90.

Pollycat

I wouldn't buy a veg box as I do meal plans and buy what veg I need as I need it.

So - for example: if I'm planning to cook moussaka, I'll buy an aubergine of the size I know I'll need.

I just don't think it would work for me based on the way I plan & cook meals.

littlegreenparrot

sharloid wrote: »

Can you point out where abouts these are on the website? The cheapest I can find is "KITCHEN ESSENTIALS BOX BASIC ITEMS ONLY" for £16.90.

It is the kitchen essential box that I get. The price differential must be because of location, they are local to me so I'm in the free delivery area.
The boxes of fruit/veg for smoothies/soup are listed in the 'seasonal' section. They're not stand alone, you order them in addition to your box.


I like them and find them cost effective, but obviously it won't work for everyone.

Cliecost

Do you plan meals with veg boxes?

Pollycat

Cliecost wrote: »

Do you plan meals with veg boxes?

If you're getting a box delivered with random vegetables that you don't know you're going to get, I can't see how you can include vegetables in any meal plan.

Or maybe I'm missing the point.

thriftwizard

Long ago, I used to run a veg box scheme for a local organic farm, whereby the boxes were delivered to me, then picked up by the individual customers. It stopped working once Riverford & co jumped in on the act, as busy people would far rather have them delivered than come to get them, even though they worked out more expensive. It was a shame, though, as my kids grew up eating top-quality fruit & veg; in theory I "earned" a small proportion of the cash from each box collected, but quite often people forgot their boxes (or couldn't afford them on the day) so we got to keep the veg instead, which, given a big family & a big freezer, was no hardship!

To this day 4 out of 5 of my offspring love virtually all veg & are prepared to try anything, and try it again cooked differently if they weren't too impressed with the first effort; kale stir-fried 'til crispy with garlic & soy sauce is a firm family favourite. One of them has actually become vegetarian. I used to plan our week's meals around whatever was in the boxes, teamed up with whatever was cheap from the market butchers. But I no longer have a box; the scheme folded just as our allotment came into full production, and a good greengrocers selling local produce, often grown without chemicals, opened up on the market too.

I may not have got back into the habit, but I would recommend box-schemes to those whose time is in short supply; it'll get you (and your family, if appropriate) into the habit of cooking more adventurously & eating more widely, which has to be a good thing.

mrsd

I have Riverford and find them good, I used to have regular order but now there is only 2 of us at home mostly just go online and pick what I want when I want it. It is a bit more expensive than supermarkets standard range but not their organic so I buy some from Aldi on weeks when I dont fancy/need the Riverford box. You can make up your own box but the pre selected ones work out much better value. The produce is not perfect looking and often dirty but the taste (and I believe health benefits) outweigh that.