What is a produce co-op? It’s where you join with others to buy your produce-getting you a better price and eliminate the grocery store. This can be fun because you pay the same amount each time you pick up produce (giving you a fixed cost in your budgeting) and you get fun things to try and/or more expensive items you wouldn’t normally buy. Some that I’ve received have been persimmons and white asparagus-both delicious and both I would never have bought on my own! Some even have an organic option if you’re into that sort of thing. The downside to a food co-op is that you don’t have a say in what you get so you have to work your meals around what you get-not the other way around. Still, it’s fun to throw it in every once in a while!
Popular Co-op Sites:
Bountiful Baskets
Local Harvest
Co-Op Directory-find one near you!
Some friends in my neighborhood organized their own co-op. We live about half an hour outside of Dallas, TX, and every 2 weeks 2 members of the co-op (out of 12) go together to the farmers market to buy produce for the group. For $20 we get a laundry basket full. And you get to pick exactly what you want whenever it’s your turn to shop!