Odd box

Yes I’ve been using them for a couple of years at least.

I get fruit as well.

I've been having them for about a year now - get a mixed fruit and veg box. Very impressed with the quality of the produce and the ethos of the company

I think that when I tried to get registered with this I was told that they didn't deliver to my area but would let me know when and if they started to. I didn't hear anything but having read this post I checked again and they do now deliver to my area so I will try them in the next few weeks. I was impressed by the idea and the fact that it saved us money and saved the 'wonky' veg. Isn't life crazy when veg has to be perfectly shaped for sale in supermarkets and the like. As you say that when we were children you didn't look at the shape of the food, it was whether it was ripe etc, etc.

I ve looked at it but can’t find where they deliver to….Postcodes?
I like the idea but think it would be too much for one and would get wasted I can get wonky veg at Morrisons or some of the other supermarkets
Nice to have it delivered though

They don’t look that ‘odd’ at all!
It’s unbelievable that vegetables get ‘rejected’. That really is a ‘first world’ thing!
Well done on your tremendous weight loss Whiff!
It must have taken a lot of perseverance and strength of character ⭐️

I eat a plant-based diet and don't use supermarkets so I buy locally from a variety of local farm shops, farmers markets, general markets and ethnic shops. Occasionally, its more convenient to get things from one supplier. That's when I use Abel and Cole as Oddbox don't yet deliver to my area but I shall certainly try them when they do.

I must say, the photos you've posted Whiff don't look like odd shapes so I'm assuming a lot of the veg there is general surplus rather not fitting the rigid supermarkets rules on what looks pretty or fits their packaging.

There was a TV series a while back about the Met Office and how big supermarkets have Met Office staff embedded into their Head Offices. They moniter the weather to estimate when a certain crop will reach it's optimum picking time. A few days over or under and the crop won't meet the precise size demanded by supermarkets.

It looks like Oddbox's business model for delivery is similar to A&C. One of the things I like about A&C is that they reuse or recycle all the packaging: cardboard boxes, wool insulation and icepacks. You put them out ready to be collected when the next delivery is due. Do Oddbox do the same?

I buy veg boxes when there is nothing in my raised veg beds. I usually buy wonky boxes but the shops here stopped stocking them. Apparently people don’t buy them which is ridiculous there is nothing wrong with wonky veg.

I gave Oddbox an order I thought it was disappointing I got about four of one veg and two of everything else. Two tiny carrots or shallots does not make a meal for two people. Overall the balance of veg for a week wasn’t right two cabbage massive bag of kale is too much.

The peppers tomato’s and lettuce were far from fresh. I know the idea is to save waste but some of the veg was rotten and only fit for the compost bin. I gave two more orders in to give them my custom but was disappointed again.

I sent photos of the veg to odd box and they offered me credit I just wanted veg I could use. I cancelled my subscription maybe I was just unlucky who knows.

My neighbour gets these from a local organic farm. I looked at them but they are expensive and also too much veg for 1 person.

I remember watching Hugh Fearnly Whittingstall in one of his campaigns, “War on Waste”.
He was at a family run farm which specialised in growing parsnips, mostly for Morrisons if I remember correctly. There was a scene where you saw the massive pile of unsuitable parsnips (they’d be rejected as wrong size/shape). They filled about 30 trollies and the pile looked no smaller. All perfectly edible.
The farm was running at cost, they were basically still working so as keep their workers employed. They did by the end of the series close the business.

grannydarkhair It is still available to watch. The distress of the Hammond family is plain to see.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8gw-CioloE

OakDryad I remember crying whilst watching it, they were so distressed. Plus I was so angry at the waste and I’m not even all that keen on parsnips! That was only one farm, goodness knows how many more it’s happened to.

What does it matter what size and shape a parsnip is? It's going to be chopped up anyway? Same for most veg and why I applaud companies like Oddbox.

Morrison's experiment in selling Class 1 and Class 2 courgettes at the same price was utterly stupid. What did they expect?

As least supermarkets were relaxing some of their requirements. To think of those fields of cauliflower going to waste for not being white enough or tight enough.

I don't shop in supermarkets but I do hope they have made changes since the series was made. My neighbour tells me to that since Morrison's changed hands, everything in their fresh produce section is wrapped in plastic.

My small Odd box was £11.49. They collect the old box just have to flatten it. They deliver between 4.30pm and 7am on day of delivery. You just go on there website and enter your postcode to see if they deliver in your area. I live in the north west near my daughter. My friend in the Midlands has just a fruit box.

I freeze some of the veg if not going to use it for a while. But it's so fresh keeps longer in the fridge than supermarket .

It just comes in a strong box only thing wrapped is mushrooms in a paper bag. The lettuce in my first box was a living one. Had lovely roots so planted in a pot and just take off leaves as needed.

No, I hadn't heard of them, it sounds like a very good idea.

Since losing 7st and still trying to lose just over a stone . This is my 5th year eating less for life as NanKate on the pears thread calls it. So eat a lot more veg .

Well done, Whiff
I've just started a diet (lockdown weight that hasn't shifted naturally!) and I admire your perseverance.

What does it matter what size and shape a parsnip is? It's going to be chopped up anyway
You didn't see some of the ones DH grew!! They weren't easy to deal with ?

I used to have odd box delivered, but decided it wasn't suitable for us, really, in terms of storing and using that amount of fruit and veg in a week.
Some of it was getting wasted, so it was false economy for me.

That sounds very expensive for what you got, Whiff.

These boxes are good value for the money.
You also have a choice of three extra add-ons
I have been having them for about two years
They are extending their range all the time

With the recent report about the cocktail of pesticide in food we have started having an organic box delivered. Called Pikt absolutely brilliant.

I get a leaflet from them every so often in my Simple Things but I live outwith their area. I heard they only deliver to London, but maybe they've widened their operations since then.

I have just started ordering these, I saw your post on ‘Pears’ Whiff. They deliver to my area (East Mids) on a Saturday which is good. I have a small mixed box of fruit & veg. I also have meals delivered from Gusto which are v.g but I like more vegetable variety so the two combined work well for me. I make soup with the spare veg & freeze some. I make my own yoghurt in a yoghurt maker so only really have to shop for milk, bread & cereal, Anything to make life easier & it’s all quite healthy. It will be especially good in the winter months. Ive found that it’s cut down massively on my food waste and has saved me money as I tend to impulse buy in the big supermarkets.

SachaMac my friend lives in the West Midlands and has her delivery on Saturday as well. She had her first box yesterday it was just a fruit one. She eat 2 satsumas before sending me the photo. She said they smelt to inviting.

I roasted my beetroot yesterday they where delicious. Had some with my dinner but put most in the freezer ready for another day.

Thank you Whiff,I have ordered from them,(mind you it was past wine o’clock and sometimes I regret what I order?)
No contract which I like.,have also ordered a box from Graze both on special offer
Living on my own I just get bored sometimes with my choices for lunch and dinner and want a change
My first Oddbox has aubergine in it , didn’t used to like it but they also have recipes on the site so I’m going to try one of those with it.

Our local Lidl store does something similar , they sell a box of mixed fruit and veg for £1.50 an absolute bargain . They don't deliver tho .