In the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many of us have been forced to make significant lifestyle changes, and as supermarket shelves continue to empty, our regular dietary habits have taken quite a hit. Items once taken for granted have quickly become luxuries, and in these unprecedented times, gaining access to fresh fruit and vegetables can be a challenge. Not all hope is lost, however, because there are still plenty of helpful delivery services out there. So, if you're in search of organic produce, here are some of the local fruit and veg boxes available in different areas of the UK.
Hampers packed full of your five-a-day can be dropped off right on your doorstep, and are an effective way of maintaining a healthy diet in the era of self-isolation. Some of the largest cities in the UK, including London, Glasgow, Leeds, and more, offer a mouth-watering selection of essential fruit and vegetables, and getting your hands on fresh produce has never been easier.
In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, some services may have experienced a significantly higher demand than usual. However, don't let this deter you, as getting your fresh fruit and veg fix might just be a few clicks away — and here are some of the best places across the UK to find the right box for you.
London
Some might assume that, even under normal circumstances, it'd be fairly tricky stocking up on fresh fruit and veg within London's urban jungle. However, delivery services such as Fruit 4 London give locals access to a brilliant selection of high quality hampers.
Birmingham
If you're on the hunt for seasonal fresh fruit, vegetables, and salad in the Birmingham area — look no further than Fruit Runner. The service drops off a wide-range of boxes across the region, and although some items are currently limited, many Fruit Runner favourites are still very much available.
Leeds
Although surrounded by glorious Yorkshire farmlands, finding fresh fruit & veg during the coronavirus pandemic is harder than usual for the citizens of this great Northern city. Thankfully, Market Garden Leeds are on hand to offer an extensive range of fruit, vegetables and salad — much of which is grown and sourced locally.
Manchester
Veg Box People prides itself on being Manchester's fastest growing organic veg box scheme. Although the service doesn't currently offer customers home delivery, there are plenty of safe collection points scattered across the city, which make it super easy to pick up your latest batch of organic produce.
Liverpool
Wirral-based greengrocer Fine Fruits Direct is located just a stones throw away from the hustle and bustle of Liverpool, and delivers the finest local produce to customers across the region. In addition to fresh fruit and vegetables, customers have the option to add a range of dairy products, pet food, and other store cupboard favourites into their baskets.
Bristol
Situated just five miles outside Bristol's city centre is Leigh Court Farm, who provide the longest-running organic-grower vegetable box scheme in the region. The produce on offer is grown across 25 acres of farmland, and customers can expect a tempting variety of fruit and veg packages.
Cardiff
The family-run Sullivan’s Greengrocers is nestled within Cardiff Market, and delivers a superior range of quality fruit, vegetables, and more, to customers in the Welsh capital and surrounding area.
Glasgow
The Fresh Fruit & Veg Shop in Glasgow sources organic produce from the city's largest market, and vows to tempt customers away from overcrowded supermarkets with an impressive range of seasonal boxes.
Newcastle
The Paddock on the Northumberland-Gateshead border aims to deliver organically sourced fruit and veg to the doors of nearby communities, including the city of Newcastle. Due to a recent spike in online orders, customers such as the elderly, key workers, and NHS staff — are currently being given priority.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Community Food recognises that having access to affordable, healthy food is of the utmost importance. This unique delivery service offers residents of the Scottish capital a wide-selection of fruit and veg boxes, and aims to provide fresh produce to the most vulnerable in their community.
Sheffield
Sheffield's Moss Valley Market Garden provides customers a personalised vegetable bag delivery service, which promises to bring "fabulously fresh" veg, fruit, and herbs to the western half of the Yorkshire city.
Belfast
Home Grown pride themselves on being Northern Ireland's leading online fresh food shop, and situated close to the city of Belfast, this service offers customers hassle-free delivery of various fruit, salad, and vegetable packages.
Bradford
The Yorkshire-based Veg Box provide doorstep deliveries of fresh fruit and vegetables six days a week. If you reside within in the city of Bradford, or surrounding areas — such as Harrogate, Halifax, and Huddersfield — Veg Box is most definitely worth giving a go.
Nottingham
The family-run Kerry's Fresh first set up shop back in 1885, and offer a delightful selection of fruit and vegetable hampers. Throughout their 132 years of trading, Kerry's has upheld their reputation as being one of Nottingham's best local suppliers, and offers nearby communities quick access to their five-a-day.
Leicester
Halls of Syston in Leicestershire provide a simple way to order fresh fruit, vegetables, and salad directly to your door. The service was first established in 1943, and includes a varied range of locally sourced and exotic produce.
Nationwide
Unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege of living nearby a fresh fruit and veg supplier. However, there are several nationwide delivery services for you to choose from, including the East Devon-based Greendale Farm Shop, who offer a desirable range of selection boxes across England, Wales, and Scotland.
Alternatively, the Boxxfresh shopping experience allows UK customers to hand-pick every item within their chosen hampers, and as the Independent reports, fruit and vegetable boxes can be snapped up for as little as £1 via the Too Good To Waste Box scheme in Morrisons supermarkets — which was inspired by the food waste revolution app, Too Good To Go.
