March 7, 2025 • 6 mins
Locally grown fruit and vegetable boxes are often seen as the more expensive option as opposed to buying produce from the supermarket.
Sustainability expert Kate Hall is setting the record straight and debunking that myth.
Kate tells Jack Tame buying non-organic produce from the supermarket would have cost her $22.13 more than getting an organic fruit and veggie box delivered right to her door.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from news Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
At BE sustainability expert Kate hall A ka Ethically Kate
is with us this morning morning A.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Good morning, good morning from down south.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh where are you down south?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I am in Otamatata.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Oh yeah, kind of.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, I'm on a high country farm. Uh yeah, just
right in the middle of There's not much green here, dusty,
kind of barren land, but it's so stunning beauty.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I mean there's there's like down by beIN More kind
of area, isn't it yes, ye yeah, yeah, yeah, Oh
that's a beautiful yeah yeah, kind of all madamers just
up the road kind of central Otago. Yeah. So if
you were kind of if you're driving from from like
Warka through to Waimati or Wamao on the on the
(01:03):
on the east coast of the South Island, kind of
north Otago, that's where you are, right. It's yeh, it's beautiful.
That is an absolutely stunning part of the country.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Quite different to the north.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I was going to say, yeah, it's kind of way tucky,
ya I think, yeah, which is yea beautiful, beautiful part
of the country. Anyway, Hey, this move this morning, Kate.
We're talking veggie boxes, and I think lots of us
have experimented with different ways of getting produced and fruit
and vegies and groceries over the last few years. You know,
you've got various grocery and food subscription services, but you
(01:34):
have been subscribing to, like a locally grown fruit and
vegetable box and comparing that with the offerings at your supermarket.
And it turns out that actually getting your produce from
a local veggie box company isn't any more expensive than
going to the supermarket.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Yeah, well often actually it's cheaper. And I think people
they have this perception that going to the farmer's market
or getting that locally produced organic box delivered to their
door is going to be so much more expensive and
we're all trying to save at the moment in particular,
but it's actually cheaper. I did a comparison of an
(02:12):
organic fruit and veggie box compared with you know, if
I bought every kind of item at a local countdown,
and it was twenty two dollars and thirteen cents cheaper
to get the box, and that was a delivery considering
as well. So I think we need to really just
bust that meth of Oh, farmer's markets are so expensive
(02:35):
and you know, organic and more boutique stores, they're just
so much more expensive. I'm just going to enter the
supermarket and get it all there, because it's we're going
to save money and we're supporting you know, local farmers
and local smaller organizations who, yeah, observe our money much
more usually.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, well, I mean certainly supporting local makes a lot
of sense. And the good thing with the with like
getting a fruit and veggie box is that you can
be pretty confident that the stuff you're getting is in
season right, yes, hasn't been flown in from some you know,
tropical corner of the world. You can be pretty confident
that actually this is in season. It means its gonna
be really healthy and often cheaper as well. So what
(03:18):
kind of subscription services would you recommend from your research?
What might be some good options.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
So one of my personal favorites is Misfit Garden, and
that's because it is i mean, it's not just a
great bang for your back, but it's also they work
directly with the farmers, so they asked the farmers and
communicate around Just so you said, seasonal fruit. But sometimes
some of their veges you are too big or too
(03:46):
small or like slightly just slightly not up to standards
for what we expect in a supermarket, which I think
is ridiculous, but here we are. So they work directly
with the farmers and put together a box. So it's
pretty exciting. I personally like the excitement of what arrives
(04:07):
with any box. You often, yeah, just don't know what's
gonna what's going to happen. So that is a brilliant one,
really really good. I've always had good experience with it
turning up and it's called misfit, but honestly, sometimes I'm like,
why is this stuff being rejected? It's crazy. We've got
wonky box. Most people know about place like Oxford Fresh
(04:29):
perfectly imperfect. Again, it's working with produce that is, you know,
slightly imperfect, but one hundred percent edible and you know
as often actually looks and tastes even more nutritious.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, so how do you how do you decide what
to cook because you don't know what's coming?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Right?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
No, Well, I've actually never been a recipe or meal planner,
and yeah, I know a lot of people use recipes
and meal planning, you know, to reduce their food waste.
But for me, I find, you know, when I get
that box, firstly, it's taken away any decision fatigue. I
don't have to stand in the supermarket going should I
buy five apples or two? You know, it's like it's
(05:09):
just there. You get what you're given. And it forces
me to experiment with different foods, you know that, like
cole rabie or I personally don't love beetroot, but when
beat troots is in season and it's in the box,
I get, you know, experimental, and I've done things like
made beetroot brownie and you know it kind of forces
(05:32):
you out of your comfanyation.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Balsamic bego, Yeah that sounds good.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
This sounds good too, yeah, chocolate brownie though, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
So that's that's how I do. I know some people,
you know, struggle with not knowing exactly what's going to
turn out. But you can put a little notes and
this is for you know, most of the Vigie Box
subscriptions nationwide. You can put a note and say, you know,
I'm allergic to Mandarin's or you know, please don't put
in lettuce because we've got heaps of it in the
(06:04):
garden things like that. So you can't obviously fully curate
the box, but you can just add a few notes
and they're usually happy to oblige.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Yeah, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I was
going to say. The other option is this is what
AI is good at if it gives you your chance. No,
it really is, though. This is one of those good
things where you can just be like, Okay, I've got
three beat roots, seven turnips and Amanda and what can
you make? And it'll go at fla, you know exactly. Yeah, yeah,
(06:34):
there you go. There you good. Okay, I know you've
You've got a great little collection of some of the
companies that you recommend on ethically Kate dot com, and
of course everyone can find you by searching the social
media platforms ethically Kate as well. Thank you so much, Kate.
Enjoy being in the beautiful South Island and we will
catch you again very soon.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to news talks that'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from news Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
At BE sustainability expert Kate hall A ka Ethically Kate
is with us this morning morning A.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Good morning, good morning from down south.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh where are you down south?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
I am in Otamatata.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Oh yeah, kind of.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, I'm on a high country farm. Uh yeah, just
right in the middle of There's not much green here, dusty,
kind of barren land, but it's so stunning beauty.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I mean there's there's like down by beIN More kind
of area, isn't it yes, ye yeah, yeah, yeah, Oh
that's a beautiful yeah yeah, kind of all madamers just
up the road kind of central Otago. Yeah. So if
you were kind of if you're driving from from like
Warka through to Waimati or Wamao on the on the
(01:03):
on the east coast of the South Island, kind of
north Otago, that's where you are, right. It's yeh, it's beautiful.
That is an absolutely stunning part of the country.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Quite different to the north.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I was going to say, yeah, it's kind of way tucky,
ya I think, yeah, which is yea beautiful, beautiful part
of the country. Anyway, Hey, this move this morning, Kate.
We're talking veggie boxes, and I think lots of us
have experimented with different ways of getting produced and fruit
and vegies and groceries over the last few years. You know,
you've got various grocery and food subscription services, but you
(01:34):
have been subscribing to, like a locally grown fruit and
vegetable box and comparing that with the offerings at your supermarket.
And it turns out that actually getting your produce from
a local veggie box company isn't any more expensive than
going to the supermarket.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Yeah, well often actually it's cheaper. And I think people
they have this perception that going to the farmer's market
or getting that locally produced organic box delivered to their
door is going to be so much more expensive and
we're all trying to save at the moment in particular,
but it's actually cheaper. I did a comparison of an
(02:12):
organic fruit and veggie box compared with you know, if
I bought every kind of item at a local countdown,
and it was twenty two dollars and thirteen cents cheaper
to get the box, and that was a delivery considering
as well. So I think we need to really just
bust that meth of Oh, farmer's markets are so expensive
(02:35):
and you know, organic and more boutique stores, they're just
so much more expensive. I'm just going to enter the
supermarket and get it all there, because it's we're going
to save money and we're supporting you know, local farmers
and local smaller organizations who, yeah, observe our money much
more usually.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, well, I mean certainly supporting local makes a lot
of sense. And the good thing with the with like
getting a fruit and veggie box is that you can
be pretty confident that the stuff you're getting is in
season right, yes, hasn't been flown in from some you know,
tropical corner of the world. You can be pretty confident
that actually this is in season. It means its gonna
be really healthy and often cheaper as well. So what
(03:18):
kind of subscription services would you recommend from your research?
What might be some good options.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
So one of my personal favorites is Misfit Garden, and
that's because it is i mean, it's not just a
great bang for your back, but it's also they work
directly with the farmers, so they asked the farmers and
communicate around Just so you said, seasonal fruit. But sometimes
some of their veges you are too big or too
(03:46):
small or like slightly just slightly not up to standards
for what we expect in a supermarket, which I think
is ridiculous, but here we are. So they work directly
with the farmers and put together a box. So it's
pretty exciting. I personally like the excitement of what arrives
(04:07):
with any box. You often, yeah, just don't know what's
gonna what's going to happen. So that is a brilliant one,
really really good. I've always had good experience with it
turning up and it's called misfit, but honestly, sometimes I'm like,
why is this stuff being rejected? It's crazy. We've got
wonky box. Most people know about place like Oxford Fresh
(04:29):
perfectly imperfect. Again, it's working with produce that is, you know,
slightly imperfect, but one hundred percent edible and you know
as often actually looks and tastes even more nutritious.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, so how do you how do you decide what
to cook because you don't know what's coming?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Right?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
No, Well, I've actually never been a recipe or meal planner,
and yeah, I know a lot of people use recipes
and meal planning, you know, to reduce their food waste.
But for me, I find, you know, when I get
that box, firstly, it's taken away any decision fatigue. I
don't have to stand in the supermarket going should I
buy five apples or two? You know, it's like it's
(05:09):
just there. You get what you're given. And it forces
me to experiment with different foods, you know that, like
cole rabie or I personally don't love beetroot, but when
beat troots is in season and it's in the box,
I get, you know, experimental, and I've done things like
made beetroot brownie and you know it kind of forces
(05:32):
you out of your comfanyation.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Balsamic bego, Yeah that sounds good.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
This sounds good too, yeah, chocolate brownie though, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
So that's that's how I do. I know some people,
you know, struggle with not knowing exactly what's going to
turn out. But you can put a little notes and
this is for you know, most of the Vigie Box
subscriptions nationwide. You can put a note and say, you know,
I'm allergic to Mandarin's or you know, please don't put
in lettuce because we've got heaps of it in the
(06:04):
garden things like that. So you can't obviously fully curate
the box, but you can just add a few notes
and they're usually happy to oblige.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Yeah, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I was
going to say. The other option is this is what
AI is good at if it gives you your chance. No,
it really is, though. This is one of those good
things where you can just be like, Okay, I've got
three beat roots, seven turnips and Amanda and what can
you make? And it'll go at fla, you know exactly. Yeah, yeah,
(06:34):
there you go. There you good. Okay, I know you've
You've got a great little collection of some of the
companies that you recommend on ethically Kate dot com, and
of course everyone can find you by searching the social
media platforms ethically Kate as well. Thank you so much, Kate.
Enjoy being in the beautiful South Island and we will
catch you again very soon.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to news talks that'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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