Bountiful Baskets

(MY HALF OF THE BOUNTY!)

My dear friend and neighbor, Stacy and I have been participating in Bountiful Baskets for about a month now, and I have to say it has been one of our greatest finds! Every Monday night (log in times vary by state so check the site for your time. Idaho's time is 8:00pm.) we log on to the Bountiful Baskets website, and place our order for a basket(actually two small laundry baskets worth; one of fruit and one of veggies), which costs $15.00. In addition to fruits and veggies, there are other items that can be purchased. Usually, there is 9 grain bread (5 loaves for $10.00). I was worried my family wouldn't eat it, but it has been a hit. It is very tasty, and freezes well. There are also seasonal items that can be purchased. So far (since we have been participating), there has been flats of strawberries, packages of salsa vegetables, (7 dozen) assorted tortillas (also freezes well), and gallon cans of extra virgin olive oil. Bountiful Baskets co ops with small farms to purchase in bulk, and relies on local volunteers to keep the costs down. On Saturday, with laundry basket in hand (You have to bring your own container to bring your food home in. I would recommend a Rubbermaid tote or laundry basket. Cardboard boxes got heavy, and were hard to hold on to!), we go to our designated site at the time appointed (for us it's 8:00 am) and wait in line (for about 15 or so minutes). When it's our turn we show our voucher (which you print off of the computer from an e mail you receive on Friday), and sign the log book. Then we get our basket (if you signed up for extras you go to a second table to show your voucher and sign a second log book). Since, Stacy and I, split a basket and whatever else we purchase (which feeds two families, one with six and one with seven,for one week) our average cost is about $13.50 each. For instance this week we got:

• A BIG head of Romaine lettuce
• A BIG bunch of Spinach
• 3# of bananas
• 3# of apples
• 1 cantaloupe
  
• 1 honeydew melon
• 2 cucumbers
• 8 tomatoes
• 8 kiwis
• 2 small bags of radishes
• 3 (6 oz) containers of blackberries
• 2 artichokes

This would definitely have cost much more than $15.00 at the supermarket! Each week brings a different variety of fruits and veggies. It has been kind of fun for me because of the variety of produce we get. I wouldn't usually buy blackberries, kiwis or honeydew right now because they aren't really in season, and I have never bought fresh artichokes in my life until now. In fact, I have a blackberry/ strawberry pie in the oven (and it smells HEAVENLY!). I have also been very impressed by how fresh everything is, and how long it keeps in the refrigerator. So, THANK YOU to all the great people who have worked hard to bring Bountiful Baskets to our area!! I have to give them a two thumbs up for sure!!!

P.S. Pie anyone?