Come and tell me about veg boxes

[Ellellie]

Are they worth it?

Which company do you use?

How much do you get?

What is the quality and variety like?

How many do you feed a week per box? What size do you go for?

We are a family of two and a baby who is nearly ready for solids (going to do baby led weaning). We ate based in Leeds.

Thanks in advance!

There was an article comparing loads of different veg boxes in the I last week. I'll see if I can find a link

Here you go
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/the-10-best-vegetable-boxes-8001946.html?origin=internalSearch

I used Abel and cole they provided very basic veg at much more than my fruit & veg shop. And it didn't last.

I'd look for a more independent local one rather than a big company.

I used a local independent one for a year.

Pros: seasonal veg, element of surprise, local produce
Cons: Very hard to meal plan, many veg DC didn't like, same old veg towards end of seasons gets very boring, and the mud! I'm not precious about a bit of muck but this was stupid. And the carrots had carrot fly.

So for me too many cons. I use the local van now.

I used a small company for a few years - they were very good, but sometimes due to size there would be a lot of same stuff week in week out - eventually they were bought out by a bigger company - the variety improved but the quality worsened.

I've used Abel & Cole and Riverford. Riverford seem much better quality, don't charge for delivery and a bit more generous with amounts. Saves me lots of cash by bringing a good variety of veg, and keeping me out of the supermarket for top ups. Their meat and veg combo boxes are awesome.

It keeps better than A&C and they have different box contents to pick from each week, so if there's something you can't bear, you can switch to another box. Most stuff is ok for a fortnight if needed, but obv tastes much better fresher.

I use riverford, have done for a few years. Mostly I'm very happy, but sometimes they will put in stupid substitutions if one of the listed contents isnt available. For instance got a pumpkin this week instead of red peppers. That mucked up meal planning.

Oh please google cosseyproduce iv'e been having my box delivered for ages and ages now, its not organic but its fair traded and cheaper then supermarkets, this week I saved £7:44 and my fridge fruitbowl and potatoe/hardfood basket is full. I love it plus it makes me use it all up as veggie currys/fajhitas/soups so my supermarket shop rarely goes over £20.

We have a local company do ours and couldn't live without it!

I think we pay around £12 a week for fruit and veg (I'm vegetarian so a lot of our meals are veggie and this covers all lunches and dinners etc)

Each week we definitely get carrots, potatoes, onions and mushrooms (enough for 2 meals) and then normally 6 or 7 other bits - this week it has been chard, tomatoes, lettuce, courgettes, cucumbers, beetroot. Fruit always has bananas and apples and this week plums and watermelon.

At Christmas we get some freebies like nuts and dates too. And other times we get fresh herbs, garlic or chilli.

They update the website each week so I can meal plan too!

I use Riverford, which I chose because I knew someone on our street already used them so I wasn't getting an extra trip. The quality is amazing and although it's not cheap, it does mean we think more about building our meals around veg.

Riverford here, too. Good quality, fair price for organic. You can view the contents of each box a few days in advance on their website to help with meal planning. Makes you try veggies you wouldn't normally buy (purple kohlrabi?).

I use Abel and Cole. They let you dislike things and will replace. And we'd never have eaten celeriac, kohl rabi and all the alien-looking vegetables otherwise. Though I draw a line at artechokes (both kinds) and salsify...

I use Grow Wild. 22 a week for huge (bread crate) sized box of fruit and veg. It's not all locally grown stuff which is good. You can specify stuff you don't want, and they don't include potatoes. I think they are fantastic, but will need to wait to winter to see how good they are.

Our last local seasonal box provider gave us pretty much nothing but tatties and swedes all winter.

I use a local company. I just get the basic box, so that if there are things I need for meal planning, I buy them elsewhere. I like veg, but used to get fed up with beetroot in the winter- I hate the stuff, can't think of anything to do with it and know the kids would refuse point blank to eat it.

I think I can request substitutes, but I never get round it, so I now have a mountain of oranges and satsumas that never seem to get eaten- anyone got a good recipe for marmalade?...

Other than that, although I'm not convinced the veg is much better quality than I would get elsewhere, I like the idea of supporting local small companies, and reducing the amount I contribute to the supermarkets, so I keep on with it!

Thanks for all your responses!

I've been looking around and keep chickening out of buying. I'm unsure there will be enough and I don't know that I'd know what to do with most of the veg in there! I think I'm going to have another look this week and take the plunge next weekend.

How much do you have to "top up" at the supermarket normally?

Very rarely, just the occasional thing like garlic, lemons, or something specific for a recipe, if I forget to add them to an order (which you can do, as long as you've had a box, or made the minimum order). With Riverford it's very easy to chop and change box sizes. As a family of 3, plus a baby, a medium box is plenty big enough, and there's usually a bit left at the end of the week, which is still fine. They send recipe cards every week and a seasonal how-to-cook pamphlet when you start, they've got a good free recipe app too.

curly kale
Just go to a local greengrocer and buy what you actually want less wasteful

Worth checking your designated delivery day with suppliers too. One of our locals delivers on an inconvenient day, so no matter how good they were, I wouldn't use them, as I don't have a safe place they can leave things.

Able and Cole I have found to be really good quality and a good selection. The quality is as good (if not better) than I would pick out myself.

It's not cheap though IF you don't plan meals carefully around what you get. You have to be prepared to get creative with cabbages but they do provide really handy recipe leaflets.

I think like anything, planning is key to making it work but I find their Customer Service to be pretty fantastic so would definitely recommend them.