Looking into a produce subscription box? Here is my honest review of Farmbox Direct, who claims to bring the farmers market to your door.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
I received a box from Farmbox Direct to try so I could share an honest review with you. All opinions are my own.
How good are you about eating lots of fruits and vegetables? If I’m honest, Chris and I tend to buy the same fruits and vegetables over and over again. We get stuck in a rut and our meals turn boring and uninspired.
As a frugal, health-conscious cook, I don’t mind cooking a lot of the same things over again. Our family has favorite foods, and we make certain foods nearly every week that help us eat clean and save money.
But fruits and veggies are more budget-friendly and delicious when we cook with the seasons and eat a wide variety of them.
Produce Subscription Box
I’ve been wanting to try a Produce Subscription Box for awhile. Misfits Market is a classic, Imperfect Produce was another one recommended to me.
However, because supporting local farms and eating organic is important to us (depending on our budget), I didn’t really want to pay a premium price for leftovers from the grocery store.
What is Farmbox Direct?
Farmbox Direct is a small company whose goal is to deliver the farmers market to your door. According to their website, it’s a subscription produce box that focuses on organic produce and supporting small farms.
It’s so easy. You can order it online or through their app!
Use the code “cheapskatecook” to get 10% off at checkout!
Can You Order Fresh Produce Online?
Yes! Right now there are a TON of online produce options. If you’re struggling to get to the grocery store every week, or you’re trying to avoid shopping in stores right now, produce subscription boxes can help you eat a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
In general, the prices are fair, but certainly not cheaper if you compare it to shopping sales and buying in bulk.
What is the Best Produce Delivery Service?
Each produce delivery service focuses on different things. So depending on your goals, different boxes might fit your needs. I found a great article comparing each box here.
Farmbox Direct focuses on delivering seasonal, local, and organic produce to your door. So many of us are trying to eat healthy, but it’s hard to make it to the farmers market, or we end up swinging by the nearest grocery store after work. Farmbox Direct wants to solve that problem.
How Does Farmbox Direct Work?
When you sign up for Farmbox Direct, you can choose what size box you want to try. They have helpful notes about each box so you can decide which one works for you and your family. You can also click the Menu buttons to see exactly what is in each box. If you want to swap something out because you don’t like brussels sprouts or whatever, you can substitute up to five fruits/veggies.
When you sign up for an ongoing subscription, they email you at the beginning of the week, so you have a chance to preview the box or even skip it that week if you’re going to be out of town.
They even have an app, so it’s easier!
Use the code “cheapskatecook” to get 10% off at checkout!
Choose Your Box at Farmbox Direct.
No Commitments
There’s no membership fee, delivery fee, or shipping (although we all know that’s built into the cost of the box, right?). And you can decide how frequently you want to receive a box – weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or even skip a few deliveries if you need to.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
I was really happy to learn that Farmbox Direct uses eco-friendly packaging – everything was recyclable or reusable.
Honestly, however, I didn’t need 5 cooler-size Nordic Ice packs or the dehumidification packets, and I couldn’t find anyone else who needed them, so they went their non-eco-friendly way into the trash.
One the one hand, I’m very grateful for the ice packs, because we were gone the day Farmbox delivered. The box sat at my door all afternoon in 90 F/32 C weather. Then it sat in my living room until the next day when I could film the unboxing. All of the fruits and vegetables were still cool, crisp, and fresh. It was awesome.
However, if I was getting a weekly delivery, I would end up throwing away a lot of ice packs. I suppose I can call it even trade with the fossil fuels I didn’t burn going to the grocery store?
Is Farmbox Direct Legit?
When Farmbox first contacted me, I did some research about them online and found multiple reviews. The produce all looked delicious and everyone had a positive experience. A few negative reviews were several years old and there was one complaint about how to cancel a subscription.
Is Farmbox Direct Worth it?
This is my honest review, based on my experience with Farmbox Direct.
Pros:
It was so fun to unpack the box. Similar to a CSA, there was a little bit of everything and a healthy variety of fruits and vegetables.
Everything tasted great. It was all fresh and delicious.
I loved that they included items I wouldn’t normally try on my own – like the baby broccoli.
There were no cheap fillers, like potatoes or onions.
I didn’t have to go to the store for fresh produce! Some weeks, that’s the only reason I have to go back to the grocery store, and I was grateful to skip a week.
Another benefit of subscription boxes is that when you don’t go to the grocery store, you don’t risk impulse buys or finding that one thing – or 12 – that you forgot you “need.”
There was a combination of fresh, seasonal items – like tomatoes, lettuce, asparagus, and apples. These were unmarked, so I have no idea what kind of farms they came from.
The other produce that was obviously not local (avocados, oranges, kiwis, etc.) was marked organic. While I wouldn’t call this bringing the Farmer’ Market to my door, it was quality produce I would probably buy at the grocery store anyway.
Like I said above, we were gone all day when the box arrived. It sat at my door all afternoon in 90 F/32 C weather. Then it sat in my living room until the next day when I could film the unboxing. All of the fruits and vegetables were still cool, crisp, and fresh. It was awesome.
You get $20 off your first box! So it’s very affordable to try first.
Use the code “cheapskatecook” to get 10% off at checkout!
Cons
I can’t say anything negative about Farmbox Direct except the price. At nearly $50-$60 a box, that’s a lot of money for fruits and vegetables. I can’t say that I would spend that much in the season we are in.
That being said, I think it’s a fair and reasonable price. If we’re trying to buy quality fruits and vegetables, and we want them delivered to our door, $50-$60 makes sense. If you’re in a season where you’re short on time but you want to invest in your health and eat more plants, Farmbox Direct might be exactly what you need. ($20 off your first box helps too!)
We all know that shopping at Farmers Markets or eating more plants is good for us. But sometimes we need a push in the right direction – or maybe a box delivered to our door.
What Is in A Farmbox Direct Box?
Here’s what was in my Farmbox.
Seasonal, Unmarked Produce:
- 1 big head of green lettuce
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 bunch (7, maybe?) of rainbow carrots
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 giant beet
- 1 bunch of asparagus
Organic Produce:
- 3 kiwi
- 1 bunch of baby broccoli
- 4 giant pears
- 4 apples
- 3 oranges
- 2 avocados
A Few Notable Things I Learned About Farmbox Direct:
Not all the farms they work with are certified organic, however, their website says that they prioritize working with farms with use “natural proactices.” USDA certification is very expensive, and not all farms can afford it. I found very little information about what ‘natural practices” means to them.
The do offer boxes of exclusively organic fruits and veggies.
Enjoy Organic Boxes at FarmBox Direct.
Use the code “cheapskatecook” to get 10% off at checkout!
If you have any problems with your order or you need to cancel your subscription, they encourage you to just shoot them an email.
They also offer juicing boxes! These boxes are loaded with produce that is perfect for juicing. Love it.
Use the code “cheapskatecook” to get 10% off at checkout!
More About Saving Money on Fruits & Veggies:
- 5 Smart Ways to Save Big on Fruits & Veggies
- Budget-Friendly Ways to Eat More Veggies for Breakfast
- Will a CSA Save You Money?
- How to Easily Freeze Tomatoes
- 4 Big Ways to Prevent Food Waste
What You Can Do Now:
Head over to Farmbox Direct and get 10% off using the code “cheapskatecook” at checkout!
Have you tried a produce subscription box before?
If you found this post helpful, let us know! Leave a comment, share it on Facebook or Pinterest, and follow us on Instagram or YouTube for more!
Slash your grocery budget and feed your family real food! Get simple, frugal, real food menu plans every month for FREE in the Cheapskate Cooks’ 1-Min Email. Get your first one here.
A few things. They offer $20 off your first order….but not if you are single. They say you can choose. Your favorites…but not if you are single. They say no commitment…yet this is a subscription. They say you can see the menus…but not until you sign up and give them you credit card info. I saw this as dishonest so I backed out.
Hi Berverly! I’m sorry you had trouble with this. Do you mean their boxes are too large for a single person to consume? If that’s you’re concern, I think you’ll be all set! We got the medium box, and I could have eaten it all myself if I wanted. We eat a lot of veggies, so it was a great supplement for our family, but it didn’t replace our entire week’s worth of produce. Everyone is different, so it depends on how many veggies a person eats.
And my understanding is that while it is a subscription box, no commitment means that you can put the boxes on hold anytime you like or quit altogether without needing to commit to 6 months of a subscription. Of course, I know it still might not be a good fit for you, but I hope this helps!
I recently used the service for 2 deliveries and I do not recommend. The produce was low quality, very small, and had stickers indicating produce came from outside of the USA. The cost per pound was very high compared to what I can get from my local Whole Foods. The produce also went bad very quickly. The first shipment didn’t include the correct items.
Oh no, I’m sorry you didn’t have a good experience with them!
I use Farmbox Carolina. I’m not sure if they are a part of Farmbox Direct or not. If they’re not, then they are extremely similar. I had Misfits Market for three months and hated it. Every single order had a problem. Some of the produce was rotten or moldy and had to be tossed as soon as I opened the box. Farmbox Carolina has such beautiful produce that I want to eat it immediately! I’ve been getting Farmbox Carolina for two years now (started January 2021). I don’t know if they still do this or not, but because I was an early subscriber, I get a dozen brown eggs free with each box. They ask for the boxes and egg cartons to be returned for recycling, which I think is awesome! They don’t use any ice packs, so I don’t have to deal with that. But I’m not sure what would happen with my produce if I weren’t home during the day. They have their own vans that deliver the boxes (unlike Misfits Market which used either UPS or FedEx — can’t remember — who would slam my boxes down hard on my porch). The Farmbox Carolina people are easy to work with if there is a problem and quick to fix it. They are friendly and hand you your box when you answer the door. I get the full harvest box of fruits and vegetables for $40 and I love it! I highly recommend Farmbox Carolina ❣️