I knew it had been quite a while since my last CSA box from Acme but I hadn’t realized it was December 2016! Definitely not since I moved into my new house and started my own garden for sure.
With everything that has been going on for the last several months and wanting to support my local businesses more I thought starting up again with Acme felt right. I’ve honestly missed their boxes. They are always so thoughtfully put together and it really does help with meal planning if you use the recipes they provide. One of the reasons I hadn’t started back up earlier is I didn’t want to waste food. My grandson was an extremely picky eater and it has taken the last couple of years to really broaden his horizons. He may not like something very much but he will eat it. He’ll let us know and we’ll make note of his opinions and keep them in mind for the next time. But now that he is more willing to try new things I don’t feel like we’ll be wasting too much.
Yes, there is a sticker on the tomato. Sometimes they simply can’t get the produce they need so they have to outsource. They have been upfront about that from the beginning and always endeavor to get the best and organic when possible. I don’t complain because I totally understand and I want the box to stay affordable.
The box I get has enough for three meals and will feed three to four people. Perfect for my little family right now. They offer delivery every week, every other week or whatever variation you want. I order the standard turf locavore box but can change it any time I want, add to the order or even swap out one of the meals if I know someone absolutely will hate it. They have so many other box options to include surf, surf & turf, a low carb box, kids box, a grain & dairy free box, vegan and vegetarian boxes as well. There are separate add on items you can add. For example bread from one of my favorite bakeries, a decent selection of different meats, eggs, coffee, butter and a few other dairy products. The kids box is extremely helpful in that it contains items for breakfast, lunch/dinner and snacks. Enough for 8 to 18 meals depending on the age of the child or even how many in the household. If they are older children they could even start preparing their own meals and snacks. It’s a pretty great way to generate your kids interest in the kitchen.
It’s been a few years since my last box so this one had a few surprises but for the most part was exactly as I remembered. The newest and a very welcome change was the addition of their own spice mixes and sauces. I have a pantry full of spices but it’s nice to be able to not have to worry about having everything on busy weeknights. Just open the package, dump and mix. Easy peasy.
The box this week contained all sorts of goodies and great sounding recipes.
Cilantro, parsley, yukon gold potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, red onion, yellow onion, garlic, fresh ginger, mushrooms, fresh corn tortillas, meatloaf sauce, tomato paste, ranchero spice blend, channa masala spice, meatloaf spice blend, cheddar cheese, ground beef, dry black beans, dry chickpeas, basmati rice and eggs.
Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes
Chana Masala – a vegetarian chickpea curry served over basmati rice
Huevos Rancheros with Crispy Tortillas
I made the meatloaf and mashed potatoes last night and results were mixed. I have been making meatloaf with ground turkey for a couple of years now and that’s what my grandson has come to love. It’s on his, what we call, The Cade Approved List. This one used ground beef, he ate it but he definitely did not love it. The addition of finely chopped mushrooms was pretty nice. The mushrooms helped give the meatloaf that meaty flavor and helped bulk up the meatloaf instead of the standard breadcrumbs being used. I did like that they didn’t use breadcrumbs in the mix so that’s a good thing for those who have a gluten intolerance. It ended up being pretty wet but it didn’t fall apart too badly when cut.
Tonight I’m making the huevos rancheros. But I forgot to soak the black beans overnight so will have to do the quick method today so I can have them ready by dinner.
Is it really worth getting a local delivery of fresh produce and other local products? I would say so if you are looking for more organic produce or help keep local farmers and businesses running. For right now I’m enjoying the fact that they are giving me meals for three nights of the week, which means I only have to figure out three or four others. It gets really old eating the same things over and over or going through cookbooks, Pinterest, Facebook, or whatever looking for something different to make. I’m also enjoying the fact that I don’t have to spend as much time in the grocery store right now and everything is delivered to my doorstep. You don’t have to make the meals they recommend but it sure does make life easier.
Look around your area and see if there is something local you can support. There are all sorts of different programs out there. We have some that do only produce boxes and only during peak growing season. That’s how Acme started and has grown so much over the years. We need to do our best to support our local farmers and small businesses.
A Little of This and a Little of That 