I love easy real food. And I love to eat local. So, it won’t be surprising to learn I am a huge fan of The Neighborhood Harvest in Suffolk, VA. In fact, I love them so much as a registered dietitian and a customer, I approached them about blogging about their products and am NOT receiving any free product or compensation for doing so. That’s “organic” love, am I right? I simply want to share with you this revolutionary company that is making local, sustainably grown, safe, nutritious real food as easy as it can be.
10 Reasons I Love The Neighborhood Harvest:
- The Neighborhood Harvest is a local company. I love supporting my community.
- The farmers are following “better than organic practices” to grow their greens, tomatoes and cucumbers. This means that although they haven’t been technically certified “organic” by the government (it’s costly to get certified and the products would also have to cost more), they are still following sustainable and eco-friendly farming techniques. Their eggs are also pasture raised, with chickens allowed to roam freely feeding naturally on insects, which is better than cage free or even free-range.
- The freshness of the greens is unmatched. They are picked and the next day they are delivered. So, they last a week (or more on the rare occasion I haven’t eaten them up in a few days.)
- The nutrient content is superior to store bought. Due to their freshness, these vegetables are at their peak nutrient density when I eat them. Every little bit helps!
- Subscribing to a rotating box gives me a variety of greens that I wouldn’t have otherwise bought at a store. This provides a variety of nutrients and makes for more interesting meals. Truthfully, I’d never even bought micro greens before they were included in my subscription! They are not sprouts, but not full grown plants either; in short, they are tiny nutrient powerhouses and they add texture and flavor to my salads.
- I don’t have to wash the greens. They are grown hydroponically (in water), so without dirt, and in a greenhouse without exposure to acid rain. This may well be my favorite reason to subscribe to The Neighborhood Harvest! This makes it SO EASY to quickly make a salad in as much time as opening a bag of lettuce, but they are safer than bagged lettuce and they don’t wilt with washing before I even add salad dressing.
- I don’t have to cook the greens. This also makes using them SO EASY. All the greens I’ve received are tender and can be eaten raw, which preserves their nutrition and simplifies my meal planning. Some, like bok choy or tatsoi (like spinach), can be stir fried or added to a soup or stew, but it’s not necessary, so I like the simplicity and convenience.
- A weekly subscription for delivery makes it easier to complete my meal planning and enforces healthy eating habits. I have a standing date with my salad bowl (which I also kinda love, it’s olive wood from Italy) 4 or 5 times per week, which is a great way to make eating more vegetables a healthy habit. There’s a whole science to building habits, the Neighborhood Harvest helps make them healthy ones! Here’s what my simple salad looks like. And for the record, it was the very first recipe I blogged about because it is that important to me!
- They are priced comparably to organic greens in grocery stores (although I think the delivery convenience makes a subscription to The Neighborhood Harvest worth it even if they’re slightly more than some sale prices you can find.) The weekly boxes start at $11. I buy the large box for $17 for my family of 5.
- The Neighborhood Harvest’s customer service is fantastic. They stand by their products. The freshness is guaranteed. They offer incentives to customers who spread the word to friends. They support the local community with donations and discounts.
In summary, IMHO, they are a good, principled company, which is hard to find and I simply want to support them. Watch this video to learn more about the farming techniques and the quality products you’re getting at The Neighborhood Harvest. If you’re interested in a subscription, go to The Neighborhood Harvest website–and please tell them I sent you, if you’d like!
If you’re not in Hampton Roads, VA… I’m curious (I’ve been overseas too long): are there similar local companies like The Neighborhood Harvest near you? Is this type of produce delivery the norm or the exception? I’d love to hear about your local food options!