Making the change to a more sustainable diet can be difficult but it is one of the biggest ways we can positively impact the environment. When I was trying to find greener ways to do my food shop I knew I’d need to start looking outside of my local supermarket. I tried my local farmers market but I found it expensive, time consuming and I wasn’t always free on the day our local market was held. I realised I needed a balance of sustainability, affordability and ease. That’s when I found our farm box.
We get our farm box from a company called Riverford and absolutely love their service and food. There are a lot of options out there so it’s worth doing your research for one that is right for you. Here are six reasons why we love our box so much.
CONVENIENCE
Our box filled with food is delivered straight to our doorstep at the same time each week. We have a regular order of meat, vegetables and fruit that comes each week in our box. Sometimes we add in extras like eggs or garlic but it’s great having a standard order and not having to think too much about the most sustainable way to shop, someone has already done the work for you!
VARIETY
We love the fact that each week we get different vegetables and meat depending what is in season. Not only is eating seasonally great for the planet, it’s also really great for our bodies. I often find in the winter I am craving hearty stews filled with root veg whereas in the summer I’m more likely to go for a lighter salad. I really enjoy trying new vegetables that I’ve not heard of before and nearly every week I experiment with new recipes.
PACKAGING
There is so much less packaging in our box compared to what we used to get from the supermarket. The only plastic we get now is the packaging around the meat. Our fruit and veg tend to come loose and items like eggs and mushrooms come packaged in a recycled cardboard tub. We also leave the boxes outside our house each week to be collected and reused. This has cut down our waste so much and made it so much easier to recycle.
TASTE
This is a big one for me. The taste of the food compared to what I used to buy at the supermarket is amazing. The veggies and fruit have so much more flavour and the meat is the best meat I’ve ever bought. We have really enjoyed trying new flavours in recipes like beetroot brownies. I would never have bought beetroot before but it has been great to eat new things.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
We throw away very little of our food as we get just the right amount from the box. I try to use every little bit of what we get in the box and if there is something we really don’t like I tend to share it with a friend or relative. You’d be surprised how many people enjoy receiving a random gift of organic cabbage! We get less meat in our box than we used to buy at the supermarket but the meat we do get is much better quality, grass fed and organic. It’s so much better for the planet to buy less but better and it’s pushed us to eat more vegetarian meals as well.
ORGANIC
Organic food not only tends to have more flavour as it hasn’t been genetically modified, it is also so much better for the planet when farms don’t use harmful chemicals or pesticides. I also find that organic food in the supermarkets is often pricey and covered in plastic. Getting a box of organic vegetables means less packaging and we’ve not found it too expensive.
Getting a farm box delivered to your door is one small change we made to help the planet and have great food at the same time. There are still some areas I’d like to work on, like the plastic packaging our meat comes in, but for now I feel this is the most sustainable option for us.
Reducing your packaging and getting delicious, organic food delivered to your door. What’s not to love? Trying out a farm box could be the one small change you make today. Tell us what your small change is going to be over on Instagram @wearetearfund