Veg box delivery - who do you use?

I've been thinking about doing this. I received a flyer from Abel & Cole today (and coincidentally, there is a banner for them at the top of this page. ). Does anyone use them. Who do you use? What do you typically get and are you pleased with the quality, selection and price?

I am thinking more about the winter, and the fact that there is a huge hill I need to climb to get to town. I don't mind this at other times of the year, but I am *pet-tri-fied* of ice, or if I even *think* there is ice on the street, it can keep me inside. Since we eat a lot of veg, I thought a delivery service would be good.

I thought there was a veg box thread in the Food Talk forum, but I couldn't find it, sorry.

I have used Abel & Cole for a while now and I am mostly happy with them. I like that you can check a few days before your delivery to see what will be in your box, and opt out if you don't want/need what they are sending. I also like that you can block some things altogether.

You can also add additional items to your order as one offs or schedule them. I used to get eggs every other week, but we have scaled back our Sunday breakfasts so I just deleted that. The ordering is very flexible.

Once in a while I've received something that was less than fresh but a quick email to their customer service always results in a credit for that item. It does not happen often.

And yes, it is VERY nice to have it delivered. 

Good luck in your decision!

We use Riverford, and this is why:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=76845.msg1048132#msg1048132

Which may be the thread you were looking for?

They do have a farm in Yorkshire, in North Allerton (North Yorks), although in saying that - the stuff in your box won't be 100% from the Yorkshire farm.  They grow what grows best in their different farms' locales (and microclimates, soils, etc) around the UK, and for some stuff, abroad.

Unlike Abel & Cole, they don't really have the 'opt out' feature (out of something you don't like) although there is a wide range of boxes to choose from each week with varying contents.  They do offer a box with no potatoes if you're not into potatoes.  Between DH and me, we like pretty much everything (or one of us does) so this has not been an issue for us.  They do tell you each week what is going to be in the box.  You can stop or pause at any time.  You sort of sign up with a 'default' box choice, but you can change it to another one each week as you choose.  Or you can buy from them 'a la carte' but it's most cost effective to get their already grouped together boxes, if you know what I mean.

I can't remember ever getting unfresh veg from them - the quality is excellent on the veg.  I don't get fruit from them - we did once or twice, but it wasn't that great or in any case not any better than what I could buy in the shops.

Delivery is a great thing!  Happy choosing! 

We used Riverford and loved it.  We never had problems with freshness and liked the variety fine.  We did a mixed fruit and veg box and, different from Mrs Robinson, I liked the fruit a lot.  It was dead easy to pause shipments and we never had a problem with delivery.  The price couldn't be beat by what we could buy in the shops.  It also made us eat more veg and get adventurous, which I appreciated.

Thanks all for your help and info.

For a short time, I was a raw vegan. Now I'm not even vegetarian anymore, but I adore most all veg, and most fruit. DH, not so much. I do try to get veg and fruit in him every day, but it is sometimes a struggle.  DS, forget it. He'll only eat peas and occasionally corn niblets for veg, and strawberries, raspberries and apples for fruit. That is absolutely it and he won't ever try anything new.  So I am having a hard time picking a box. I love that both places deliver milk, as I get some shoulder strain lugging that home (with everything else) 2x a week, as we do go through 6 liters a week. How? I have no idea, since none of us actually drink it, we only use it for cereal and tea.

I think if I decide to do this, I will go with Abel and Cole, since they seem more flexible with the choices, but both services looked nice.

Re: milk delivery.  Does Milk and More serve your area?  We have our milk delivered, and it is wonderful.  We never run out.  (I hate running out of milk).

We use Riverford too, and like them .

Be sure to check out any small, local independent farms that may do it as well.  I don't get a veg box, because I grow my own and I grow what I want, so yay no icky broadbeans,   but before I had my allotment, I used a small, local farm scheme - not the bigger names mentioned on here. But always good and good quality and not too dear.  So depending on where you live, you may have luck with that as well.  

I do get my milk delivered. Yum. Milk. 

Can you actually get milk delivered in London?? I can't imagine the poor milk man schlepping it up 3 flights of stairs to our flat! And what if we're not in?

Can you actually get milk delivered in London?? I can't imagine the poor milk man schlepping it up 3 flights of stairs to our flat! And what if we're not in?

Yes you can. It tends to get left on your doorstep, as in the outside doorstep.

Yes you can. It tends to get left on your doorstep, as in the outside doorstep.

Hm. Yeah, that wouldn't work. We live in a building with a locked outer door. Which means it would just be waiting there for anyone to take. :/

as we do go through 6 liters a week. How? I have no idea, since none of us actually drink it, we only use it for cereal and tea.

WOW. 
We buy 1 pint a week!

I know, right?   I only used to buy a quart per week with my ex. Like I said, I have no clue how we go through it all.

By the way, both my friend and her live-in boyfriend LOVE milk and drink big glasses of it. They go through several *gallons* per week. 

Re: milk delivery.  Does Milk and More serve your area?  We have our milk delivered, and it is wonderful.  We never run out.  (I hate running out of milk).

No, they don't. I just checked on their site.

Hm. Yeah, that wouldn't work. We live in a building with a locked outer door. Which means it would just be waiting there for anyone to take. :/

If you do a milk only delivery, it usually comes in the wee hours of the morn and you bring it in as you are leaving for work. Depending on your area as well, I wouldn't worry about it getting stolen - it isn't like milk at 4 am is a hot commodity. I never had my veg box stolen or know anyone who has and it was left out for sometimes 12 or more hours.

If you do a milk only delivery, it usually comes in the wee hours of the morn and you bring it in as you are leaving for work. Depending on your area as well, I wouldn't worry about it getting stolen - it isn't like milk at 4 am is a hot commodity. I never had my veg box stolen or know anyone who has and it was left out for sometimes 12 or more hours.

Well, problem is, we live upstairs in a building that can't be accessed without a key card. Meaning, it would be outside the building. We'd have to go down to the entry gate/door thingy and collect it. Maybe I'm just being "American" about it, but it seems like free milk would be taken if it's not in front of someone's actual personal door.