$15 Bountiful Baskets v. $10 Food Co-op = Tie!

Well, I finally got around to trying Bountiful Baskets-a western state food co-op where one literally needs to sign up within in the first few minutes to get the prime pick-up locations! They charge $15 for their weekly allotment (you just sign up on the weeks you are interested.) There's an additional $1.50 charge for running your payment through the system. (Bottom line: $16.50 total)

We received 12 Roma tomatoes, 6 ears of corn, 4 artichokes, 3 cucumbers, 3 mangoes, 2 yellow onions, 2 green peppers, 1 3-lb. bag pink lady apples, 1 pkg. blackberries, 1 head of romaine lettuce, 1 pineapple and 1 cantaloupe. The cucumbers and green peppers had to be eaten within the first five days but the rest stayed fresh for at least a couple of weeks and longer (except the blackberries which lasted about 30 minutes. We can never test the freshness of berries because they never last long in our household!)

The people were friendly and helpful. Food Good.


And then there's the long time competitor that we've patronized for years now-the community food co-op where a share is only $10 [no payment charge (ding!) point in their favor!]

We received 1 bunch of 6 bananas, 5 pink lady apples, 4 regular tomatoes, 4 green peppers, 2 cucumbers, 1 bunch of broccoli, 1 bag of coleslaw, and 1 personal sized watermelon. The green peppers, tomatoes, bananas, and coleslaw needed to be used within the first five days. The rest lasted a bit longer.

The people here are also friendly and helpful. Food Good.


Results: A Tie. There was a total of 8 varieties and 19 items from the local co-op for $10.
The newcomer? There was a total of 12 varieties and 37 items from the BB co-op for $16.50.


Checks and balances: about 1/3 of the Bountiful baskets was the 12 Roma tomatoes. Hmmmm....were the tomatoes hogging the item count? But their food lasted longer that the food we usually get from the other co-op. The other co-op seems more and more to be getting food that needs to be used within a week. I have to admit that it was nice to have food that lasted longer from Bountiful baskets but the price is a bit more than the community food co-op.


Verdict: I think we'll actually continue to get food from both and see how it continues to measure up. I am looking to see if the local food co-op will bring back the farmer's market share...that was always tasty and worthwhile because of the two main selling points: a) local and b) organic.