Farmer’s market produce is not more expensive than the grocery store. Say it after me “farmer’s market produce is not more expensive than the grocery store”.

I’ve known this statement to be true for many years because I shop at a farmer’s market (a tiny one with one vegetable stall so I am screwed when the vegetable dude is not there). But the common misconception that super markets sell the cheapest fruit & vegetables has only been properly debunked recently when the cost of food rose dramatically.

I got the fright of my life in April when I received a $59.00 organic produce box & compared it to what it would have cost me at Countdown. The price difference was $22.13… the organic produce box delivered straight to my door was CHEAPER!

With this in mind, I made it my mission to let New Zealanders know about the variety of fruit & vegetable boxes are out there. Imagine if we could all save money while supporting local growers?!

We don’t need to imagine anymore… here are 13 options to choose from.

A few things you should know before you start reading & decide on what vegetable box subscription you’ll sign up too…

• All deliveries ship in cardboard boxes. Some of them include other packaging, but the majority is shipped ‘naked’ in the box.

• I haven’t ordered from every company or affiliate with any of them (yet?!). This means this is an unbiased blog post. But it also means I cannot hand on heart recommend them as a sustainable option. Use this as a helpful guide to kick off your research so you can make the best decision for you and/or your family.

• If I have tried a box or heard feedback from other people, I’ve mentioned this under the “Review” section.

• Choose a company that grows the vegetables as close to you as possible. This reduces the ‘food miles’ it takes to get your produce to your doorstep!

• The ‘weekly cost per person’ section is an approximate figure to guide you on affordability. This cost per person will vary depending on how many vegetables & fruit you eat each week plus the size of box you order.

• This is just a small list of great options! We have SO MANY in Aotearoa New Zealand. Find more amazing options in various locations around the country in the comments of this helpful reel.