Like many of you, I love a good Farmer’s Market. Nashville is definitely chock-full of them. But, sometimes…I’m in a hurry or the weather isn’t so nice or my kid isn’t being very pleasant, and I end up loving markets from afar. Yet, I want fresh fruits, veggies, breads, and other goods. So what’s a girl to do? The answer can be found in a great organization called Bountiful Baskets.
Bountiful Baskets is a food co-op with locations all over the US. Unlike other co-ops where you must commit to purchasing for a length of time and pay full costs up front, Bountiful Baskets allows you to pick and choose when you want to buy. If you’re out of town (or simply not interested that week), you don’t buy. Easy as that. Every two weeks, you log into the website, select a pick up location, and check out the offers. Each time, there is the standard basket: a 50/50 mix of in-season, fresh fruits and vegetables. You’ll receive standard, typical fare, along with some unique, palate expanding options. Until we started getting baskets, I’d never tried jicama, chayote, or dragon fruit and probably wouldn’t have picked them on my own. The baskets are very full—we are usually just using up the remaining food by the time it’s time to order again. As far as pricing, expect to spend $15 on a standard basket and $25 on an all-organic basket.
However, it doesn’t stop there. Along with each basket, you have opportunities to buy fresh breads (whole grain, with berries, etc), granola (the tropical blend is amazing!), and add-on baskets. Each add-on is themed. There might be a salsa basket full of tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro, and chips or there might be a juice basket full of juicing staples. There is also usually an offer for bulk organic coconut or olive oils and one or two bulk produce or fruit offerings. If you freeze, can, or dehydrate, you can’t beat 25 pounds of apples for $20, or 25 pounds of Brussels sprouts for $10.
Bountiful Baskets is completely volunteer run. Get there early and help sort everything or simply pick up your items at your set time. If there isn’t a location in an area convenient to you (I use the one in Old Hickory), there is an option to learn to run a site yourself. I have gotten some of the tastiest, freshest produce this side of farm fresh, and it’s definitely a quality alternative to a Farmer’s Market.
Check it it out, look at the pick up locations, and current offerings, and sign up to participate on their web site: www.bountifulbaskets.org.
