In Maine, we have a growing season of about twelve days, stretching sometime between the end of July and the first week of August. Okay, maybe that’s not precisely true. After a long winter, I have only distant memories of the farmer’s market, everything ripe and abundant. We can and do grow many lovely things at the height of summer. But in the winter, it’s a lot of potatoes and root vegetables.
I want to buy local as much as I can, but I also need diverse produce and beautiful proteins from a source I can trust. Convenience is also more of a factor than it has ever been before. Ever try strapping an eight-legged mountain lion into a car seat in the freezing rain? That is what it’s like these days with a one-year-old who thinks her car seat is a tool of oppression. I need to make one stop, or, even better, no stops.
FreshDirect is a service we’ve been lucky enough to use years ago, in a past life in Brooklyn. We were drawn to them initially not just because of how convenient it was to have groceries delivered, living in a city where the regular grocery stores look much more like bomb shelters, but also because of FreshDirect’s focus on finding quality sources for each and every product they sell. Through a network of relationships with local farmers and growers, FreshDirect is able to guarantee fresh produce in a city that sometimes had a hard time producing the kind of quality produce we were used to.
We were preparing for our yearly Memorial Day picnic, a party we threw annually when we were carefree and awesome, where we planned to serve four gallons of potato salad, two slabs of rib per person, plus deviled eggs, corn on the cob, a fruit plate, barbeque chicken, and garlic knots, which we got from this place on Long Island. I found it super helpful that FreshDirect has no penalties when altering or changing your order before delivery. I kept making revisions to the menu and the site totally accommodated my pre-party panic.
The night before the party, boxes and boxes of gorgeously packed, beautiful food arrived, seven perfectly packed cardboard cartons in all, each containing a bounty of fresh vegetables, quality custom-cut butchered meats, an array of cheeses, and fresh seafood, all exactly as we had ordered and arriving precisely on schedule, and with a quality that beat even our local grocery store by a wide margin. We chose to cook for the barbecue ourselves that day, though we did notice that there were plenty of options for ordering whole prepared meals, each prepared by famous chefs.
The party was an all-day intoxicated feast that ended with one of us dancing in the fountain. I’m not going to say who it was. Ordering online was an absolute breeze, with ingenious customized website features that allowed for near perfect order fulfillment. Our order that day arrived exactly when the website said it would, and everything we ordered survived the trip perfectly due to the expert packing by the folks at FreshDirect. I also know I get a great value when I shop online with FreshDirect. That was critical when I was a broke twenty-something in NYC and now, as a wife/mother/blogger, wishing I had paid more attention in home economics class. Budgeting for a family is tough. Our one-year old is tiny, but HUNRGY.
These days, our life looks a little different. I need to feed a family, including a baby whose well-being I am solely in charge of (OMG); cook food worthy of writing about with high quality ingredients, and do it all without making a million stops. It’s important to me to know the origin of the food I feed my family. I am assured that FreshDirect works with small and local farmers so that the food is of the highest quality and reaches the consumer as quickly as possible. If only FreshDirect delivered in my area, I could shop from home (or anywhere using mobile app, which is so cool for moms on the go like me!) and get delivery any day of the week, every day of the year. And on those days I didn’t feel like creating anything more than cocktails, they have freshly prepared meals made by famous chefs. I like what FreshDirect is doing in terms of sustainable agriculture. They are developing relationships with small farmers to source the best for the consumer and the environment. So even if it’s not my local, it is local. Because a Maine girl can’t live on potatoes alone.
Visit FreshDirect.com to learn more about their star rated produce so that you know what is fresh and in season, the great lengths they go through to source the very best food, and how customizable your order can be from deli slices and dietary needs to how and when you want your delivery!
BONUS GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!
We’re giving away a $100 Visa gift card to (1) lucky From Away reader. Entering to win couldn’t be easier. Here are the rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- Leave a comment in response to this question: What are your grocery shopping tricks and tips to finding the freshest, quality food?
- Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry” ; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
- Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
- For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random drawing, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 02/26/2013-04/30/2013. Be sure to visit the Fresh Direct brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts and find more chances to win!
About the Author: Malcolm Bedell
My first memories of cooking start in Maine at six years old, when I wore a yellow rainslicker to avoid getting spattered by the bacon I was frying in a skillet. My interest in both Mexican cooking and recreating classic New England dishes from scratch developed while living in Mexico, on a steady diet of pork and habanero peppers. You can see more of my writing and photography online on Serious Eats, the Huffington Post, BlogHer, and Foodista, as well as in print for Downeast, Indulge, and Cigar Snob magazines.
fromawaymaine
fromawaymaine
We're Jillian and Malcolm. We cook comfort food from around the world, designed to make you feel right at home, wherever you are. Join us as we explore Maine's vibrant food culture and cook New England's classic dishes, as well as our favorite recipes From Away. 
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{ 188 comments… read them below or add one }
I go early and late! Like on Saturday morning or late Friday night. On Fridays, they are prepping for the weekend and everything just came in. On Saturday mornings (like 7am) they are finishing up what they didn’t get a chance to put out.
Stay away on late Saturday morning or afternoon! That’s when everyone shops and there’s nothing good left!
I try to go to farmer’s markets for the freshest produce.
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/311160564334333952
i usually talk to the butcher and i often times buy from independent farmers who are selling fruits and vegetables on the side of the road when we travel
https://twitter.com/vivaciousgold/status/311162154919276546 tweeted
I’m an early bird– Saturday morning, 7 AM. We’ve been going at that time for so long that we’re on really good terms with the produce guy, and he pulls things out for us and I am so, so in love with it.
We are lucky enough to have some huge Asian groceries nearby that have fantastic fresh (and cheap) produce and seafood. Buy in bulk and freeze things, especially meats. I’ve stopped buying any seafood that is farmed in asia and look for wild-caught instead.
I shop at local farmers markets to find the freshest produce
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/311174347693891584
I like to shop at local produce stands for the freshest fruits and vegetables. And I love supporting local growers.
tweet
https://twitter.com/eswright18/status/311174987346227200
i like going to farmer’s markets
tweet: https://twitter.com/akronugurl/status/311204063251419136 .
Farmer’s markets are my favorite, but living in Ohio makes that nearly impossible in the winter so I try to stock up on the things that are in season from the grocery at that time
Like you Mainers, we here in the Pacific Northwest have a very short growing season. In summer and fall, like you, I rely on several farmer’s markets for great fresh produce that I know supports local farmers and is great food. In the other parts of the year, I shop carefully at two markets that have proved to sell excellent healthy produce. Can’t always get what I want, but there are enough good choices to make it worthwhile.
It takes a little extra walking, but I go down the aisles with the non-perishables first, then produce, then refrigerated/dairy/meat and frozen foods last. That way I don’t get to the cashier with half-melted ice cream.
Thanks for a chance at the giveaway!
Phoenix has a growing season I am still learning; being a N.H. native transplanted via F.L.
I have found farmers markets and TraderJoes
Miss fresh seafood!
Tips and tricks: get to know your produce people at your grocery store, talk to them and they can give you the inside scoop. So shop on the days when the produce comes in. . and I also hit the farmers markets when they are in season and out.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/HipFoodieMom1
I go on Wednesday mornings, that is when my local store is starting to change over produce. I look for sale items because sales mean that it is in season. I try not to buy something that is not in season.
https://twitter.com/JennaTimman/status/311237184306958336
Asian and Amish markets, along with farmer’s markets, direct sales at local farms for eggs and milk (and some meats).
Always shop with a list to avoid impulse purchases. Go early to snag any discount produce. Frequent the farmer’s market in season!
Not to many tips and tricks except going early and often. And sometimes the ethnic markets do it better! And cheaper!
I go to several stores and pick the freshest out of each store.
There aren’t any good farmer’s markets here, so I carefully select the freshest looking items out of various markets, including 2 health food markets.
Ive been buying food at a local farmers market for years. the food is fresh and delicious!
I tend to go to several places to shop for my groceries. One place for fresh veggies, one place for pantry items and so on. I thinking going to lots of different places helps to find the freshest items.
I tweeted the giveaway. https://twitter.com/wenmink/status/311316285852119040
I always go to Viet Hoa, an Asian market near me, for green leafy veggies on Thursdays since I found out that’s when they carry fresh produce. I’d then go to Mexican stores/markets to buy meat and ask them to grind for me, instead of getting pre-ground pork/beef/chicken…
My tweet: https://twitter.com/lilysheng/status/311339225784131584
Thanks for the giveaway!
I find out when they get deliveries of various things. I also sometimes shop around, if an ingredient is critical to the recipe and doesn’t look fresh at the first store I try.
I shop in quality stores and buy produce at the right time of year
It’s not easy here in Downeast Maine. We don’t have the options you have in the metropolis of Portland (Trader Joe’s, are you listening? We want you up here!). But Hannaford, in particular, has a nice selection of organic produce and a good natural food section.
I tweeted:
https://twitter.com/NotherAnneOther/status/311497397761110016
At the grocery store, I shop early and mid-week, paying attention to what’s in season and what’s locally sourced. I try to get most of our produce from area farmer’s markets (we’re lucky enough to have one that’s open year-round within a half hour from home), and we buy our eggs from a local farmer up the street from us.
I buy my meat from the local butcher and my fruits and vegetables from a produce market which carries local when in season.
I shop Farmer’s Markets and also use pick-your-own farms service
https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/311623182610206720
Shop around and get to know which stores have the freshest produce. Health food stores are another good option!
I go to the farmers market when I can.
i don’t have tricks. I buy veggies and fruits from local farmers market
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/311929386066657280
asking a someone in the produce dept what days their deliveries come in and shopping at the winter/summer farmers markets
I like to shop at local produce stands for the freshest fruits and vegetables and get my meat from a local butcher.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/311955618363740160
What a wonderful giveaway. My grocery shopping tricks and tips to finding the freshest, quality food is by asking and buy in season produces. Usually the store employees are very friendly and would tell you what are the freshest.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted about this giveaway:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/311985683701047296
amy [at] utry [dot] it
My best tip is to stock up from whats in season and find local produce. They also have bountiful baskets here in utah where you pay $15 weekly and pick up a large stock of what is local
I have best luck shopping on sunday early afternoon at my grocery store, fruits are restocked and fresh. Thanks for the giveaway.
songyueyu at gmail
tweet: https://twitter.com/syytta/status/312061318683312128
songyueyu at gmail
I shop my local farmer’s market as often as possible for fresh ingredients.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 @ gmail dot com
tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/312230769789644800
wildorchid985 @ gmail dot com
Squeeze and visually inspect!
I like to buy stuff that is in season. If you know produce, then you know what fresh looks like. I also like farmers markets.
we go to the farmer’s market when possible and buy things in season; Thanks for a chance to win!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom
I shop on the weekends at our local farmer’s markets for veggies, and at the orchards for great apples.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
2nd entry tweet – https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/313703205081079809
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
i shop the loca farmers market
We do our grocery shopping early on Wednesday morning that is when they restock the produce at our local grocery store, we like buying from local vendors as well and we only get fruits and veggies that are on season
tweeted https://twitter.com/neiddy_ruiz/status/314342681587363841
i give the produce a once over to make sure it’s not already rotting
We’ve been members of a CSA for a few years now in the spring-fall. This year, however, I think we’re going to use the local farmer’s market.
I live in brooklyn and have been using fresh direct for years. I cant imagine walking in to a supermarket …YUCK
I do the rounds between farmers market, sprouts, and whole foods
tvollowitz at aol dot com
I do not have many stores to choose from, I try to pick through the freshest looking and will try my sample bins at my local grocer to see what they are tasting like.
I tweeted
https://twitter.com/bdiane35/status/316685878560976896
twitted this today, 27/03
We get our food from a local farmers market collective.
I go to the farmers markets here on weekends and check my grocery stores for discounted items
We have a local fruit/veggie store that uses local produce. We like to shop there, knowing we’re getting quality and very fresh foods.
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/316988500668993536
Thanks so much.
I like to buy locally, especially from small businesses (like the local Amish cheese shop).
I find the freshest, quality food by purchasing items that are in the back of the bin or shelf, because they put the older & close to expiration items in the front & on the top. I always check the dates and look fruits & veggies over for the best freshness.
tweet
https://twitter.com/kellydsaver/status/317040741148917760
enter me thanks
I so want to win, GOD BLESS
I always move things and dig to find the freshest dates on products
I’m lucky in my area to have you-pick produce farms. You just can’t get any fresher than that!
Tweet
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/317345551601504256
I shop local roadside stands in season to get the freshest fruits and veggies.
Go to local farmers markets and/or international stores
I always check out the local farmers market for fresh produce. I buy fruits that are in season; this way I save money & get to try a variety of fruits throughout the year!
check expiration dates where applicable, and shop at places you know have good, fresh produce
go to a local farmer’s market, also be sure to watch the news for any contaminated produce/veggies.
I shop at our local farmers market for the fresh produce.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/rhoneygee/status/317906523059785728
I usually ask for help.
I’m lucky enough to live near many commercial citrus groves and there are growers stands with all kinds of fresh from the tree citrus of every possible variety!
My trick is going to my parent’s house after my dad has gone to the farmers market – he always picks the best fruit and veggies!!!
I shop our local farmer’s market and fruit stands for the cheapest and freshest produce by far!
tweeted https://twitter.com/pittsy82/status/318490890144477184
I smell everything to make sure it’s fresh. It may look it, but you need to make sure it smells great too!
Look at dates on packages. Run around the store until you see them restocking the bins
I try to buy things that are in season, especially if I can buy them from a local grower.
I live in the country. I go to the local butchers for meat and eggs. I go to the local growers for the veggies and fruits.
https://twitter.com/smilekisses/status/318971903480041472
dolniaks at consolidated dot net
I try to buy what I can from local farms and farmers markets and can, pickle and preserve the harvest. I also talk to the seafood and butcher associates at the grocery store to see when their shipments are coming in so I can get the freshest product.
sadly they dont deliver to my area.
But I have a fresh tip. To keep cucumbers fresh when you buy them wrap each cucumber individually in a paper towel and then put all the cukes in a bag in the frig. This works great. I have had cukes last a month even using this method.
I always check the dates on food and get the ones with the farthest away dates.
I tend to use our local food co-op, which always has fresh produce that lasts way longer than grocery store food!
go to local market
I’m a squisher and a sniffer — I get up close and personal with my fruits & veggies before I buy tjem!
Tweet: https://twitter.com/katiecontests/status/320508014371172352
I like to shop at our local Mom and Pop stores which get delivery from the local farms. They have the freshest in season stuff.
https://twitter.com/kdolphins7/status/320759231521366016
I buy produce at HEB because produce is fresher than at other stores near where I live.
my tip is to shop at a farmers market
I pay attention to expiration dates and pick the freshest, often at the back of the shelf.
we go pretty early in the am. Also, shopping local farmers markets helps too:)
jmatek AT wi DOT rr DOT com
try to get the food on the back of the shelf
Go early on delivery day and be sure to take your time and check each item for ripeness!
I tweeted:
https://twitter.com/enterthedrew/status/322075173266259970
My trick is to reach into the back of the shelf. With any thing from shelf products, frozen, bakery to produce – the new products are ALWAYS placed in the back. I learned this from working in a grocery story for several years as a teen
https://twitter.com/MomOF2Boysz/status/322511522289033216
I shop our local farmer’s market. onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/322543657297252353 onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
My tip to find the freshest quality products is to grow your own, if that isn’t possible try shopping in the morning hours. sweepmorey at gmail dot com
tweeted https://twitter.com/mommysdizzy/status/322545317390196736 sweepmorey at gmail dot com
Our tip for great deals is that we get all our produce at a local market, where the price are rediculously low, but you have to get everything in bulk, so we make a lot of soups and casseroles
mjf926 at gmail dot com
tweeted
https://twitter.com/MelindaJoy926/status/322755178438733824
We like shopping from veggie stands, it’s just fresher and supports local people.
I love to visit the farmers market, they always have the best produce!
tweetd – https://twitter.com/steffers516/status/322960357226340352
We don’t have Fresh Direct here. I find out when the produce is delivered and shop that day. Fresh n’ Easy and Whole Foods have the best produce in my area.
I tweeted as @Jennai
https://twitter.com/Jennai/status/322974478319636480
I buy in season produce and make sure to stop by my local farmers market!
annalana25@gmail.com
my tip is to get to know your produce & meat guys, and find out when they put stuff out. For my store, it tends to be early Tuesday mornings, so I go after I drop kids at school. I also hit my farmers market during the summer for local goodies.
tweet https://twitter.com/crypticmama/status/323585614811369473
My mother in law works in the produce dept of our local grocery store and she is my inside scoop on the best produce in town.
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/323958928234909698
We find the freshest, quality food by going to the Farmer’s Market. We’re lucky in that we live in a rural area where agricultural is big. We also have a small garden, which helps.
Tweet! https://twitter.com/lexiquin/status/324417845746335745
i shop at local markets so i can get local produce
https://twitter.com/karinaroselee/status/324950653476671488
Farmers Market, no big secret here!
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
Tweeted here:
https://twitter.com/gmissycat/status/325349923648335872
gmissycat at yahoo dot com
https://twitter.com/pinoysugarplum/status/325649517942820865
my local Farmer’s market
find out when produce is delivered at your grocery store and check it out right away or just ask the produce mgr to help you
we have our own garden at home – I also shop our local farmers market
i tweeted here: https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/326532378182967296
Go when there aren’t a lot of people around and you have plenty of time — if you’re not in a rush, you make better choices!
tweeted https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/327024494797545473
I have checked out the various stores to learn which generally has the best produce section, and in season, utilize the farmer’s market.
I get the best prices on produce by ad-comparing weekly sales. And I take the ads to the store of my choice, where I feel best about their produce quality.
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/pixel_berry_pie/status/327165432966569984
I try to shop at farmers markets as much as possibly and buy local produce in season
tweeted
https://twitter.com/erunuevo/status/327665540783030272
I try to shop our farmer’s market
We have wonderful farmer’s markets as well as local growers who bring trucks to several different parking lots during the growing season.
Wintertime is a whole different story. We only seem to have produce that has been shipped several hundred miles and the quality leaves a great deal to be desired.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/328289636067704832
I shop the local produce market twice a wk, tracietrump@yahoo.com
I utilize a local farmer’s market. I get farm fresh products and they know to steer me toward good things to keep my repeat business.
https://twitter.com/ky2here1/status/328575362541961216
I find that shopping at a discount retailer such as Aldi allows me to find the freshest produce, ripe and needs to be used right away. Because they turn over their inventory so quickly it is priced just right and ready to go.
I read all the ads every week and often go to the ethnic markets for better quality and variety than my nearest store.
I shop our local stores I can trust: Whole Foods and the Fresh market.
we grow our own veggies and we buy a half a cow once a year from a local farmer!
I shop at farmer’s markets during the summer/spring months and go to the local natural stores in other seasons.
Your nose knows. Smell it–does it smell fresh, or does it have an “off” odor? Does it look healthy, or is it faded, whimpy or otherwise ready for the compost?
To find the freshest, quality food, I try to pick up new produce frequently and make sure I use it up quickly at home. My fridge is well organized to make sure nothing goes to waste!
tweet
https://twitter.com/atlantagalknows/status/329009507546050563
tweet
https://twitter.com/laurallee56/status/329013604537999360
Pick up the produce and check it closely to make sure it’s fresh
i always hit our lcal farmers market plus the roadside veggie guy whenever he’s out n about!
I always choose my produce by feeling it and smelling it. If its firm and smells normal than its good.
I’ll ask what days they bring them in and sometimes ask the employees for help.
I shop the farmers market six months of the year. I also live in a Mennonite area that has stores that carry lots of fresh and healthy foods.
I always stop at roadside veggie stands to purchase fresh locally grown fruits and veggies.
If you can’t grow your own, buy at local farmers markets being sure that the markets are strict enough to make sure all the products sold there are actually local and not shipped in!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/329221445739741184
go on the day they get their shipment
I try to go on the days when the meat is prepared. I usually call.
I ask when they put out fresh produce or shop when they start a new sale and sometimes get them from Sams where it’s always fresh
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet
https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/329269562057048065
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Firmness and good smell when it comes to produce.
Getting to know my produce man has really been a huge help for me for quality and freshness for what I buy.
shawn113(at)hotmail(dot)com
Find out what day their shipment comes in. Go then!
I buy based on how it looks and feels
I learned that FreshDirect doesn’t currently deliver into my area. Our Farmer’s markets won’t open until next month – I’ll be there when they do.
Thanks for the contest.
I buy produce buy smelling and feeling.
https://twitter.com/slehan/status/329354029069119488
I try to go to the local farms and farmers markets whenever possible
I go on Wednesday or Thursday to get the freshest food after the shelves have been restocked.
I always reach for the back of the shelves
We love to shop at the local farmers market!
rachelmarietravis@ gmail dot com
I go to the farmers market.
tapping on melons?