This week I signed up for a basket of fruits and veggies from a Bountiful Baskets location a few miles from my house. Bountiful baskets is basically a produce co-op. At the beginning of each week you can sign up for a simple basket of produce for 15 dollars (for an additional chargr you could get an organic basket or add on some extra fruit or veggies) and then pick up your basket at a specific location on Saturday. The money you spend is put into one main collection and the person in charge gets as much fruit and vegetables of good quality as they can and then divide it among that week’s participants.

Ranger and I went and picked our basket up this morning. I think I might be hooked :)

Ranger might be too!

On the way home, he very happily ate half a baby-hand sized apple he had taken from our basket. It was the perfect size and he loved that he was able to nom on a whole apple.

It was 15 dollars for all of this beautiful produce!

I really love the quality of the food: the apples are small, but crisp and sweet, the avocados and bananas are quite green still, and the rest of the looks very fresh – like it may have come from a garden less than a couple weeks ago! Exactly how we want our food to be right? I also like that we ended up with a few things I wouldn’t normally buy (does anyone know what that lettuce/cabbage or those peppers are called?) which will force me to get a little more creative with my menu planning.

We ended up with: 3 huge baking potatoes, 5 tomatoes, 13 cuties (little oranges), 1 head of something green (anyone, anyone?), 1 huge cucumber, 6 oz blackberries, 5 peppers, 3lbs fuji apples, 2 avocados, 6 bananas, 8 oz mushrooms, and a bundle of spinach (maybe a pound?).

Super fun.

I was really excited to pick up our basket because I want to see what was in it. Loved the anticipation.

I think I’m going to incorporate this into my grocery shopping routine (or lack thereof) and sign up for a fresh basket every two weeks. I’m hoping to use the basket contents as a starting point for menu planning (I fell off this wagon wayyyy to long ago and need to get back in a groove!) and plan two weeks of menus on that same day.

Lunches, snacks, breakfasts, dinner. Yup. The works.

I would love to be able to look at a list, find the recipe, have all the ingredients on hand and just throw together a healthy, edible, tasty dinner without the daily stress of “what should I make for dinner” and “I’m pretty sure there’s nothing edible anywhere!” and “My poor husband. we always eat the same things!”.

:)

I’m hoping to be able to pick up my basket and plan every other saturday, and then go grocery shopping and do some prep work (precooking beans, barley, chicken, whatever) on monday.

Recently this article inspired me to get back with meal planning.
Another inspiration to cook and eat well has been feeding the little guy. I’m used to just eating whatever for breakfast and lunch and only cooking dinner…soo that is going to change. Cuz he needs more than just a sturdy dinner.

I’ve also been trying to read up a little on nutrition ( I always wanted to take nutrition in college, but I never had the time or apace in my electives –double major problems I guess). I’ve been reading The Family Nutrition Book by William and Martha Sears and so far it’s great. Exactly the motivation I need to spend more time in the kitchen. I love doing things well and knowing as much as I can about the topic sot it’s perfect.

And there's no better time than now (or maybe 6 months ago) to start feeding my family well/better!

We’ll see how it goes!

I’ll try to share a meal list with you all later this week! :)

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Who else participates with Bountiful Baskets??

Do you plan your family’s meals? How often? What’s your basic strategy?