Riverford veg boxes etc - recommended?

[Ponders]

I was wondering what the quality of the fruit & veg is like - as it's relatively expensive, is it worth it?

I use Abel & Cole. I pay £17.99, the box lasts a week and I can get them to swap the veg I don't like for a mystery item. I haven't tried Riverford, they don't swap items that you don't like which put me off.

they don't deliver up here, LadyMary not sure I like the sound of mystery veg anyway but worth getting organic in general for flavour etc, you think?

I'm looking at the \link{http://www.riverford.co.uk/homefarm/veg_fruit_meat_boxes/vegetable_boxes/small_vegbox/\small box}, which is £12.85 - of 8 items we would normally use 7 anyway - the only stranger is savoy cabbage & I suppose if I got it I would find a way to use it!

Valor potatoes are new to me but I assume they're a proper main crop variety & good for mash, roast etc

I think I'll give it a go - if I'm not happy I don't have to continue, do I? They don't take your first-born child or anything?

The quality is fab. They did take my PFB, but I don't miss him. Not given the wonderful cabbages I get in his place.

Savoy cabbage is lovely if you chop it up and mix it with buttery mash. My first born is still here.

I have used Riverford for about 5 years now. Great quality and tastes lovely. It's encouraged me to try veg I wouldn't have before.

Try this for your Savoy cabbage - yum.

zillyzally

that all sounds great, thank you!

Box is coming next week so I don't actually know yet what'll be in it - now I'll be disappointed if I don't get a Savoy cabbage

I have used them for about 3 years and the quality is great. They also do nice kits for marmalade and salsa etc I like the fact it's seasonal and it makes you more creative with veg. For me it works out good value - the veg is cheaper than buying it with ocado. Still a bit unsure what to do with kohl rabi though. It usually gets fed to the pet iguanas

oh dear - I haven't got any iguanas!

is kohl rabi a bit like turnip?

We get Riverford and I'm a happy customer. The quality of the veg is always good and it is such a nice luxury to have it delivered to the door!

With Riverford you can't block out beetroot/celery/things you don't like, but you can swap to a different box with 48 hours notice.

I only manage to cook my way through a Small box about 2 weeks out of 3, it helps if your family are prepared to try anything. "not that orange squash again please mummy".

The veg is always very nice and fresh, but do bear in mind the point of organic farming is that the food/hedgerows/birdies and insects haven't been polluted with nasty chemicals, any difference in flavour to ordinary veg is a bonus IMO. Sometimes it is noticeably nicer, sometimes exactly the same, sometimes, well you never get Russian Kale in Asda so how would you know?

I am a big fan - and if you don't like the items in the box you can shop for individual items instead. Great all round.

very good point about wildlife, fossil

DH is an inventive cook - most weekends he makes a batch of something 'interesting' to provide 2-3 tupperware lunches during the week. so anything weird exotic he will use up

I love my riverford boxes and just chop and change the sort of box if my usual "seasons" box has stuff in it that we don't like.