GREAT DEAL ON PRODUCE USING A CO-OP

We have known about a local co-op that provides participants wholesale discounts on local produce for a couple of years.  So you might ask why its taken us this long to try it?  Well, that’s a mystery to us as well but we thought we should!  This was the week that we did and thought we’d pass our results on to you!

The way this co-op works is you place your order for a basket on the Tuesday prior to the Saturday you pick it up.  You pay a standard price ($15 for a conventional basket and $25 for a 100% certified organic basket) not knowing exactly what produce you will be getting and then pick it up on Saturday.  Please see the picture above for an idea of what a basket will look like – this was ours we picked up today!!  We selected the $25 certified organic basket and are extremely pleased with the quality and price!  We’re not sure if we’ll try the organic basket every time, but we try to select the healthy and natural/organic options when it fits into our budget.  And besides, we do generally spend about $25 at the grocery store for our produce each week as its an important part of our diet!

So, what did we did get?

• 2 Earthbound organic farms bunches of celery
• 1 large head of broccoli
• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 4 kiwis
• 9 red pears
• 1 pint of blueberries
• 1 lb of strawberries (extremely fresh!)
• 4 avocados
• 2 lbs of organic apples
• 3 beets
• 2 heads of romaine lettuce
• 1 bunch of swiss chard

We are truly amazed at the quality and freshness – especially at the end of a hard winter in Utah!  This may seem odd, but we also love the fact that we are surprised by the types of produce we get as it will help us have an even more diverse diet!  We have never purchased fresh beets or swiss chard before, so we are looking forward to the new recipes and types of food that we will be trying.  We have some ideas but would love if you comment on some of your favorites!!

From our understanding, co-ops can be found anywhere!  Ours is Bountiful Baskets which is available in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington.  We’re excited about this because this is where a majority of our food budget goes (we can buy everything else so cheap!) so we are looking forward to a cheaper, healthier, fresher, and more exciting way to buy produce!  Have you ever used a co-op?  Let us know of your experiences!!

We do plan on comparing prices at our local Walmart (as they are known for having the lowest everyday prices) and sharing that information with you – keep checking back for that analysis!  We expect to see a decent amount of savings.  In addition to the savings however, the difference in freshness and quality is truly significant!

How do you find a co-op?  Check the internet, call existing co-ops how to find out whether one is available in your area, or talk to your neighbors and friends.  We kept hearing about our co-op from our thrifty friends and even those that have attended our classes on ways they currently save money on produce.

* We also look forward to one day sharing with you how we purchase a majority of our meat!