[Broodygirl]

I used to LOVE fruit... and when I first moved dan saf, I thought I'd be able to buy lovely fruit and veg being so close to Kent. I've tried the supermarkets and the market stalls but I've been really disappointed at the quality of produce on offer. Just last week I bought a head of broccoli only to find little grubs inside it!

It just puts me off! I find myself dreading eating my fruit for the day (the veg isn't as bad 'cos i cut it up and it's usually cooked, but the fruit... don't you find it's either rock hard and you can't eat it, or it's been 'brought on', ie ripened early and it tastes like cardboard? Even the organic stuff tastes like nowt.

I've tried juicing it, which is better, I like that, but I can only count it as one portion because it's missing the fibre... What to do? Has anyone got any ideas? Where can I find really nice fruit and veg to buy? Any suggestions gratefully recieved!

 

[emmadaffodil]

Hi Broodygirl,

I'm an ex-northerner too, although I'm about to move back oop north after 12 years down here.

Do you have a farmers market near you? They can be good for better quality fruit and veg than the regular market.
I'm a Waitrose girl, and find that their fruit and veg is streets ahead of the other supermarkets in terms of quality and flavour, even if it is a bit more expensive.

Have you thought about growing some of your own?! Bit late for this year now though.....

Good luck with your quest.
Emma, 

 

[☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ ©]

Hi

I'm a southerner born & bred - a Sarf East Londoner (so on the borders of Kent !)...I'm surprised you've had such a bad experience regards your fruit & veg as I can't say I've ever had a problem either in quality or flavour
If you really are worried about the quality of your produce, although I've not tried it myself, perhaps you could try a local farmers market as suggested....or find somewhere that has "pick your own" as there's quite a few of those in Kent.

Are you able to grow your own then you'd know exactly what was being used to cultivate them....my DP's parents have a large allotment which is fantastic as we always get lots of organically grown fruit & veg - I freeze some for the winter months, although I still buy lots from local market & also supermarket. The other alternative is to order organic vegetables over the internet - there are plenty of sites online.

Good luck & take care
Natasha

 

[Broodygirl]

Hi Minxy & Emma! Thanks for your replies.

Emma - I certainly do grow me own! Veggies that is... I don't have an allotment, just my back garden but I can get quite a lot of stuff in there and the difference in taste...

I've not got space for fruit though apart from an old apple tree that grows cookers so I need to buy my fruit. I am deffo a Waitrose girl - the fruit there really is better! I personally find Sainsury's the worst. I've seen rotten fruit on their shelves on more than one occasion...

Also you don't get much more Northern than me - I'm Scottish!

Minxy I have been to some of the orchards in Kent (my hubby hails from there) and the fruit there is just lovely - so why doesn't it reach our shelves here?

I have tried some of the markets near where I live, but like I said, I've had some really dodgy stuff and I don't like to use them any more. I was watching Sophie Grigson on the food channel ages ago and she was at Electric street market in Brixton... a bit of a trek for me, but the stuff looked to die for! Maybe I should go one day just for a look see...

The search goes on!

 

[Jennifer]

Round here its Asda and Tesco who have poorer fruit.  If I buy from Tesco i have to go twice a week at least but if i go sainsburys or tesco, only once.  I agree, Waitrose for preference.  Far superior quality.

I now get an organic veg box delivered from a local farm.  It costs me a tenner a week (works out cheaper than supermarket by loads) and I get:

Every week:
Potatoes
Carrots
Onions

And a selection from:
Aubergines
Peppers
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Celery
Butternut Squash
beans
tomatoes
salad
etc etc etc

It arrives every Friday and I love looking to see what I have for that week.

If you type in "Vegetable box scheme" and your county/area into the search engine, it should come up with local growers who provide the service.  Most do fruit too.

Its well worth it.

 

[strawbs]

Jennifer31
Thanks for the tip.  I have just ordered a box.  Shall wait and see what Friday brings!!  All organic too, my supermarket has a rubbish selection of organic veggies.  Didn't bother with the fruit box as all had bananas in and I don't eat them.
Thanks strawbs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Jennifer]

It arrives every Friday and I love looking to see what I have for that week.

If you type in "Vegetable box scheme" and your county/area into the search engine, it should come up with local growers who provide the service. Most do fruit too.

Its well worth it.

Excellent Strawbs ! You can often ask them to exclude a particular fruit or veg if you don't like it. So they would probably deliver you a fruit box minus bananas. I had to ask them for no more courgettes as I grow them myself and we had a kitchen full of them They just put something else in instead - Yummmmm

 

[flowerpot]

OOooh I'm gonna have a look on google right now!

I'm up north too and find tesco the worst, the berries especially seem to go off so quick.  I have waitrose delivered now, although we don't have waitrose shops you can order online and they are delivered fresh direct from warehouse stores so not been sat at the supermarket.  www.ocado.com

Broodygirl - love your smilies! 

 

[Broodygirl]

Jennifer! Thanks for that! I'm going to place an order right now! I'm going for the fruit and veg box and try their tofu!

Thanks again!

Hi Strawbs and Flowerpot!

 

[Broodygirl]

I've placed my order and now I am so very sadly excited about what's going to come in the box!

 

[Jennifer]

Cool - its so much better for you and is great for local businesses and cuts food miles by millions of miles if we all do it

 

[Broodygirl]

Yeah Jennifer! I hadn't even thought of that! Places like Sainsbury's trundle their food all over the place don't they?

I called that site today to place my order... I wanted to try them out before I gave them my card details, and they were soooo helpful. If the stuff is nice I might get most of my stuff there. They sell everything I need and I always buy organic anyway...

 

[KerryB]

Just been having a browse and will defo try your suggestions. I've been fruit shopping in Sainsbury's the last 2 weeks, and i must admit I agree that their quality isn't the best. My local Tesco seems to be ok, but unfortunately I don't think I can afford Waitrose all the time. I go in there for nice stuff when entertaining or treating me and DH. Might try and buy fruit every now and then. We have a farmers market nearby so will try that too.

Thanx for the advice girls
xxx

 

[Broodygirl]

Me F&V box arrived this morning! Ohhh! It looks lubberly! The fennel has all the fronds on... and the basil... it smells like heaven! (One portion of pesto coming up methinks!) I'll need to order a bigger one next week!

They brought my tofu as well and it looks really nice, it's the one that's almost like bread in texture... Thanks for the tip Jennifer!

 

[Jennifer]

Cool !!!!!!!  Mine normally is here by now but hasn't arrived yet !  I am like a kiddie at Xmas on a Friday morning ! 

 

[Broodygirl]

Just got my second delivery.    (They changed the delivery day here to Thursday)  Am well chuffed with what came.  I got a medium veg box and a fruit box this week... and some eggs.  I've made a huge bowl of potato salad for today's lunch, I put some fennel in it and it's turned out lubbly!  All the better to share with my friend when she gets here in for lunch.

I also found this site:

www.abel-cole.co.uk

They let you select things that you do and don't like and then make your box up accordingly.  They also do meat, fish, bread and things like cleaners etc.  And you don't even need to run the trolley gauntlet at the supermarket!  Result! 

 

[☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ ©]

Hello again

I've been thinking for ages about getting some organic food delivered & shuold be receiving 1st delivery today (between 4 - 10pm)

Mines ordered from The Organic Delivery company & they actually do more than just fruit & veg ! I'll let you know what its like when I get it !

http://www.organicdelivery.co.uk

I found these that may be of interest...

http://www.alotoforganics.co.uk/cats/organic-vegetables.php

http://www.ukfoodonline.co.uk/allregions/allfruit11.htm

Take care
Natasha

 

[Broodygirl]

Hello Minxy le minx!  Thanks for those links - you minx... 

Do let us know what they are like.  The stuff I've been getting for the last 2 weeks is from Riverford Organics and I have to say that it's been fab!  I got a lettuce, (which was just yummy) and I'll just be finishing the last wee bit of it off today one whole week after I bought it - and it's still fresh and crisp!  The other thing is that it was grown in the ground!  You can see earth on the stock whereas the lettuces in supermarkets are all grown in water baths. 

It's been a delight to get proper produce! 

 

[☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ ©]

Well I am totally impressed with my delivery from The Organic Delivery Company. It arrived at about 6.30pm yesterday & DP promptly delved into it to make himself something to eat.

I got:
beetroot juice
orange juice
pear & raspberry juice
watercress
courgettes (500g)
dried apricots (500g)
2 x corn on cob
2 x avocados
5 x bananas
sunflower seeds (500g)
Leeks (500g)
cashew nuts (125g)
vine tomatoes (500g)
rocket
alfalfa sprouts
half dozen eggs
babyleaf spinach
potatos (1kg)
baking potatos (1 kg)
2 x red peppers
oak smoked cheddar
nettle tea bags
jasmine tea bags
sea salt crystals

ALL for £48 inc delivery (free delivery if over £13.95) The quality is excellent & the smell of the tomatoes is something that hit me straight away...lovely ! It might be a bit more expensive that the cheaper produce available in supermarkets but definitely cheaper than the organic stuff in supermarkets....I just feel its better for us (& environment) !!

Just enjoying a nice glass of fresh organic beetroot & orange juice We get alot of organic food from DP's parents allotment so will use this for everything else we can't get !

They sell everything...baby food, cleaning products, pasta, bread, cakes, dairy produce, japanese food & even body products like shampoos, tissue paper & sanitory protection...all of it is organic & environmentally friendly.

Well, sales pitch over....was so impressed just had to tell you all !!!

Take care
Natasha

 

[Broodygirl]

Ohhh Natasha!  I will have to have a wee nosey and see for myself!    Glad you're so pleased.