If you've ever worked in an office, you know that desk jockeys have an amazing appetite for...pretty much anything. And I mean anything. I'm sure you've been more excited than anyone should be about day-old donuts, or left-over lunch from the meeting that just ended. But what if, instead of stale baked goods, you had fresh fruit for the plucking? You'd probably eat that too.
We did. The Fruit Guys are a San-Francisco-based company that prides itself on shipping delicious farm-fresh produce to the American workplace (they do homes, too!). They sent us a few boxes of fruit to try it out. And we were thrilled.
1 The Fruit Guys delivered two boxes of delicious, seasonal fruit. Great way to beat the urge to snack on unhealthy stuff!
2 Each box comes with two-tiers of perfectly ripe fruit. Yum.
3 Paul Hertel, our research editor, took a welcome break from fact checking to savor the aroma of fresh fruit. And eat it, of course.
4 Our box included a surprise addition: Kiwiberries. We'd never tried them. They're little and leathery but deliver a luscious kiwi taste and texture. We gobbled them.
5 Senior editor Terri Trespicio (that's me) and our assistant editor Andriana Verdi were thrilled about the bounty of fresh fruit. (Clearly, I'm a little too excited.)
The company says they were "founded on the premise that bringing healthy brain food to the office can boost productivity, improve wellness and help companies improve their bottom lines." We couldn't agree more!
I don't know how they do it--but the fruit was in perfect condition--not under or overripe. We even got to try something new: kiwiberries. Has anyone even heard of them? I hadn't. They're sort of wrinkly and leathery looking, but bite in and it's like a miniature kiwi. Delish.
Fruit Forward
It's bad enough that we spend most of our days seated, but less-than-nutritious food puts our health even more at risk. I also liked the community aspect of this--not only are you supporting farms, but breaking open the boxes and diving in was fun, and gave us a break from the grind to enjoy something together besides the occasional birthday cake.
I can imagine that maybe a group of folks might want to go in on a box or two together and reap the rewards. Good news: These guys also deliver to schools and homes too. And not just fruit but veggies. Check out their selection.
A Fruit Guys representative told me that they deliver both conventional and organic fruit (most fruit is organic, but not all), and that they source it from farms all over the US, mostly California. Though they take measures to keep the produce as local as possible.
The good news: Their fruit is not picked underripe and then gassed en route, nor does it sit around in large distribution centers (thus better than your average grocery store selection).
I for one am glad to see a service like this exists--and I hope folks will give it a shot!
Terri Trespicio is senior features editor at Whole Living magazine and the host of "Whole Living" on Martha Stewart Living Radio, which airs every day at 10a East / 7a West on Sirius 112 / XM 157. Follow her on twitter @TerriT.
From: al pal | 10/28/10 at 6:13 pm
This is like a slightly better-priced version of Harry & David!