Bountiful Baskets

For the past two weeks I have purchased a Bountiful Basket!  I have been very pleased with what I have ended up with each time and find myself eating many more fruits and veggies than I normally do!

Bountiful Baskets is a produce co-op where you pay $15 for a basket of fruits and veggies.  You don't know what you get, but it is typically 50% fruit, 50% vegetables.  You order your basket online on Monday. You show up on Saturday with a basket, bag, whatever you have to take home your produce.  I use a huge ikea bag.  Many people use laundry baskets.

This co-op is all over the nation and may be in your community!  I was skeptical at first.  I am an intense menu planner and I only buy exactly what I need for my recipes so I wasn't sure if it would really work for me, but not much (if anything) has gone to waste from my first basket, and I'm loving eating different fruits/veggies that my normal purchases.

I also may start planning my menu on Saturday nights so I can incorporate all the yummy veggies into my menu.

Today I picked up my basket and here is what I received:

-4 green bell peppers
-1 large bag of cherries
-1 large bag of grapes
-2 bunches of celery
-1 butternut squash
- 3 mangoes
- 4 onions
- 1 container cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch of bananas
- 1 huge head of romaine
- 1 cantaloupe

How awesome is that!?  The cherries, grapes, and peppers alone would cost $15 at a grocery store.

The first time you purchase  basket you have to pay a $3 extra fee to help provide baskets for the volunteers to organize all the produce at the pick up location, but after that it is $15 plus a $1.50 handling fee.  You can also upgrade to an organic basket for $10 more, and there are lots of add ons you can buy if you choose.  My mom got the whole grain bread and said it was fantastic!

Ordering opens at specific times for specific states so you will want to check out the website to see when your ordering starts.  It is usually only open for a couple of days and in some places they sell out quickly!  I set my alarm on my phone for Monday's while I am at work because our area tends to sell out pretty fast.
Also make sure to like the Bountiful Baskets Facebook page.  They will post recipes to help you use some of your goodies throughout the week!

There are pickups in Clarkston and Ellensburg as I know some of my readers are from these areas specifically.  Make sure to check out and see if they are in your area and give it a shot.