Yesterday, I picked up my first Bountiful Basket. I've heard about this for about a year and finally decided to do it. "Bountiful Basket Food Coop (BBFC) is a group of people who work together for mutual benefit. This is a grassroots, all volunteer, no contracts, no catch co-operative. Since there are no employees at Bountiful Baskets, we as a group pay rock bottom prices on your food." You are not committed to buy every week. If you want to participate, you sign up and pay on the website. I think the price is very reasonable. $15.00 +$1.50 processing fee. The very first time I paid an extra $3.00 for my basket. Then I just show up on Saturday morning to take my basket of fruits and vegetables home. You actually leave the basket there to be used the next time, and transfer the food into my own laundry basket. I am asked to volunteer once every 6-8 weeks. I was VERY impressed with what I got yesterday, and they said that the fruits were less than what they usually have.
Here's what I received yesterday: Bag of Russet Potatoes, radishes, onions, two stalks of celery, two big heads of broccoli, romaine lettuce, asparagus, tomatoes, 2 red peppers, apples, 2 asian pears, strawberries, and a pineapple. I looked online to find out how to store some of the items. Did you know that asparagus should be stored in a plastic bag, standing upright like you would flowers, and in about an inch of water? I also had to look on the internet to find out how to cook asparagus. How did the pioneers exist without the internet? I know, I'm silly. This will force me to learn about and eat different kinds of vegetables. I had to ask Steve what kind of lettuce it was, because I didn't know. I'm used to just plain old iceberg lettuce. I am excited to eat a fresh pineapple. Yes, I will look on the internet to find out how to cut it correctly! I think this is a pretty good deal for $16.50. If I bought all those items at the store, I'd pay more. You still have to go to the store for some produce (like grapes that I eat every day). They also offer 9-grain bread. It is supposed to be yummy (although not as good as Dad's bread I'm sure!) and healthy. When we used up the bread we already have in the freezer, I'll get some of that. It's supposed to have less points plus for Weight Watchers and good hearty bread, not "air" bread.
Now, the part about Jessie. The reason I am posting a blog again is that she sent me an email on January 1 (already over a month ago) and said "Can you please post on your blog again? I enjoy reading it!" Jessie is my nephew's daughter who is 12 or 13 (sorry Jessie) and she has her own blog that she has done since Nov 2010. It actually was fun to figure out what to write about and post again. So Jessie-- thank you and this one is for you!
