Understanding the Veggie Box Concept
Before diving into the process, it’s essential to understand what a veggie box is. A veggie box, sometimes referred to as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box, is a subscription service that delivers fresh, seasonal vegetables directly from the farm to your doorstep. These boxes are typically packed with a variety of vegetables, and sometimes fruits, herbs, and other farm products, providing a convenient way to access fresh produce.
Benefits of a Veggie Box:
Freshness: Veggie boxes usually contain produce harvested just a day or on the day before delivery, ensuring maximum freshness.
Variety: Each box includes a mix of seasonal vegetables, encouraging you to try new recipes and diversify your diet.
Convenience: Home delivery saves time and effort, especially for those with busy schedules.
Support Local Farmers: Purchasing a veggie box supports local agriculture and promotes sustainable farming practices.
Why Choose ForestFoods for Your Veggie Box?
ForestFoods is committed to providing the highest quality organic produce in Kenya. Here’s why ForestFoods is the best choice for your veggie box needs:
Quality of Produce:
ForestFoods offers organically grown vegetables that are free from harmful pesticides and chemicals.
The produce is harvested at peak freshness, ensuring you receive the most nutritious and flavourful vegetables.
Variety of Vegetables:
ForestFoods provides a diverse range of seasonal vegetables in each box, including both staple and exotic varieties.
The selection is designed to keep your meals exciting and nutritious, encouraging a balanced diet and promoting a healthy microbiome.
Regenerative Farming Practices:
ForestFoods employs regenerative farming methods such as syntropic agroforestry, which enhances soil health and biodiversity.
Every veg box you purchase helps contribute to a greener future.
Selecting the Right Veggies for You
ForestFoods offers a variety of veggie options to cater to different households and dietary preferences. Here’s how:
Consider Your Dietary Preferences:
Make a list of vegetables you and your family enjoy eating.
ForestFoods regularly updates the produce available based on seasonal availability, ensuring a fresh and exciting selection each time.
Assess Your Cooking Habits:
If you enjoy cooking and experimenting with new recipes, building a box with a wide variety of vegetables might be ideal.
If you prefer simple meals, build or select your own boxes with staple vegetables that are easy to prepare.
Timing:
Our online shop opens on Saturdays at 8am and closes on Monday's at noon. So it’s a first come first save basis.
To ensure you get the quantity you need for the coming week we suggest ordering the veg box as soon as you can on Saturday morning!
Additional Products:
ForestFoods also offers additional products such as herbs, fruits and eggs, in our boxes - nuts and much more coming soon! So stay tuned.
Placing Your Order
Now it’s time to place your order. The process is simple and straightforward:
Step 1: Create an Account
Visit the ForestFoods online shop, on your phone or laptop, and sign up for an account. This will typically require your name, email address, and delivery address.
The shop opens at 8am Kenya time every Saturday morning and closes on Monday's at noon. Deliveries are made on Tuesday's (3 days later)
Step 2: Select Delivery
Make sure your delivery location is correct and order your box for delivery the coming Tuesday!
Step 3: Customize Your Order
ForestFoods allows you to customize your box by adding or removing certain vegetables.
Take advantage of this feature to ensure you receive produce that you enjoy and will use.
Orders must be a minimum of 800 KES
Step 4: Payment
Proceed to the payment section and choose your preferred payment method. ForestFoods only accepts mPesa payments for now, but we’re working on accepting other payment methods!
Review your order and ensure all details are correct before confirming the payment.
Step 5: Confirm Your Order
After completing the payment, you will receive an order confirmation via email.
Keep this confirmation for your records and any future correspondence with ForestFoods.
Preparing for Delivery
Now that your order is placed, it’s time to prepare for the delivery. Here are a few tips to ensure a smooth delivery experience:
Provide Clear Delivery Instructions:
Ensure your delivery address is accurate and provide any specific instructions for the delivery person, such as gate codes or preferred drop-off locations.
ForestFoods offers the option to leave the box at a safe spot if you are not home. Please make sure you communicate this very clearly!
Plan Your Meals:
Once you know the delivery schedule, plan your meals around the expected arrival of your veggie box. The fresher the veggies are, the more nutrient dense they are.
This helps you make the most of the fresh produce and reduces the chances of waste.
Prepare Storage Space:
Make sure you have enough space in your refrigerator and pantry to store the incoming vegetables.
Proper storage is crucial to maintaining the freshness and quality of the produce.
Receiving and Enjoying Your Veggie Box
The day has finally arrived! Here’s what to do when you receive your ForestFoods veggie box:
Inspect Your Box:
Open the box and inspect the contents. Ensure all items are fresh and in good condition.
If you notice any issues, contact ForestFoods immediately to resolve the matter. We really encourage your feedback through this form here.
Store Your Vegetables Properly:
Different vegetables have different storage requirements. Leafy greens should be refrigerated, while root vegetables can often be stored in a cool, dark place.
Use our compostable bags or containers to keep your produce fresh for longer.
Have a look at our Instagram for some veggie storage hacks!
Plan Your Meals:
Use the variety of vegetables in your box to plan nutritious and delicious meals.
Try new recipes and experiment with different cooking methods to make the most of your fresh produce.
Share the Experience:
Share your veggie box experience on social media. Take photos of your box and the meals you create, and tag ForestFoods.
This not only supports ForestFoods but also encourages others to consider purchasing a veggie box.
Tips for Reducing Food Waste
To make the most of your veggie box and reduce food waste, consider these tips:
Meal Planning:
Plan your meals around the vegetables you receive in your box. This helps you use everything before it spoils.
Incorporate leftovers into new meals. For example, use leftover roasted vegetables in a salad or soup.
Proper Storage:
Store vegetables correctly to extend their shelf life. Leafy greens should be kept in the fridge, while root vegetables can often be stored in a cool, dark place.
Use airtight containers or reuse our compostable bags to maintain freshness.
Preserving and Freezing:
If you can’t use all the vegetables before they spoil, consider preserving or freezing them. Blanching and freezing vegetables is a great way to extend their shelf life.
Make pickles, jams, or sauces with excess produce to enjoy later.
Creative Cooking:
Get creative with your cooking. Try new recipes and use vegetables in different ways to keep your meals exciting.
Incorporate vegetables into smoothies, juices, and baked goods for added nutrition.
Exploring Additional Products from ForestFoods
ForestFoods offers additional products that can complement your vegetable delivery. Here are some items you might find:
Fruits:
Seasonal fruits that pair well with your vegetables.
Herbs:
Fresh herbs to add flavour to your dishes.
Eggs:
Farm-fresh eggs from free-range chickens.
Supporting Regenerative Practices
By purchasing a veggie box from ForestFoods, you are supporting regenerative farming practices and contributing to the local economy. Here’s how your purchase makes a difference:
Reducing Food Miles:
Buying locally reduces the distance food travels from farm to table, lowering carbon emissions.
Supporting Local Farmers:
Your purchase supports small-scale farmers and helps them maintain regenerative farming practices.
Encouraging Biodiversity:
Diverse crop production promotes soil health and reduces the need for chemical inputs.
How to Use the ForestFoods Online Store to Buy a Veggie Box
To make the process even more convenient, ForestFoods offers a user-friendly mobile online store. Here’s a detailed user journey to guide you through purchasing a veggie box using the ForestFoods app.
Home Page
When you access the ForestFoods app, you are presented with the home page, which displays a list of all seasonal produce that ForestFoods grows. We may not have all these items available all the time becasue we grow with the seasons. You’ll also find a link to sign up if you are a new user.
Sign Up Page
To create an account, navigate to the sign-up page. You have two options for creating an account: using Google or an email/password combination.
Google Sign-Up:
If you choose to sign up with Google, you will receive an email shorlty after you have signed up asking you to verify your account. Please make sure to complete this step for ease of future signing in
Email/Password Sign-Up:
Fill in your email address and create a password to set up your account.
Delivery Location
On the next page, you are required to provide your delivery location. This involves entering in your location on the google maps serach bar on the maps and or moving a pin marker to your exact location.
Additional Location Information:
Provide extra information to ensure precise delivery and or a contact number of someone who may be able to receive your box should you be out at work. Confirm this information by checking a box.
Shop Page
Once your location is set, you can access the shop page when the shop is open, on Saturday mornings at 8am. If the shop is closed, you will be redirected to the home page with the product listings.
Welcome Email
After signing up, you will receive a welcome email containing a link to verify your email address. Verify your email to complete the registration process.
Browsing Products
Browse through the list of all products available in the shop.
Adding Products to the Cart
Add the produce selection of your choice to the cart.
Checkout Page
On the checkout page, review the total price, including processing and delivery charges. Make sure everything is correct before proceeding.
Payment
Click the "Proceed to Payment" button, which will take you to a page where you must confirm your Mpesa phone number. Your phone will then be prompted by safaricom for your mpesa pin to compelte the payment.
Success
Upon completing the transaction, you will receive a success message and a link to return to the shop to continue shopping if desired. An email will be sent to you with your delivery details.
Conclusion
Buying a veggie box in Kenya from ForestFoods is a simple and effective way to ensure you are getting fresh, organic produce while supporting local farmers and sustainable regenerative practices. By following this step-by-step guide, you can select the right veggie box provider, place your order, and enjoy the convenience and quality of home-delivered vegetables. Happy shopping and enjoy your fresh produce from ForestFoods!
Comments