How to Deliver Groceries When It Seems Impossible
No matter how well prepared you are when you first find out you need to stay at home for a few weeks, no reasonable supply of food can last forever. And whether you’re avoiding your local store or finding your regular Amazon / Fresh Direct / Walmart shipping delayed forever, you might be curious about other shipping options.
We have put together a few options for you, but first, a few words.
A few words about delivery
While many businesses are closed or operate with limited capacity, food companies are generally considered “essential”. In addition, shipping companies (FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.) are considered important. Therefore, as long as the online delivery service is not experiencing unusual volumes or having trouble getting their regular products in stock, delivering products during this volatile time is a pretty reliable bet.
However, it should be understood that as demand fluctuates, these services may need to adjust the expected delivery times or product availability.
A few words about buying locals
The easiest way to get your food delivered quickly is to buy it at your local grocery store.
If you follow your local farmers’ market on social media, look there for vendors offering home delivery or pickup. Some even offer different boxes together with other manufacturers and manufacturers. Don’t miss out on buying paper products or natural cleaning products from local businesses. My local bulk store was my usual source of toilet paper rolls.
Not sure where to look? You can find a local farm or CSA program near you in the LocalHarvest directory . The directory includes producers of products, farmers markets, eggs, meat – anything that can be produced locally.
Now let’s move on to the larger guys in the approximate product category.
Note. We only include companies that clearly state that they are accepting new customers / orders and do not expect major delivery delays. Feel free to recommend your favorite shipping option in the comments.
Produce
Misfits Market ships organic products starting at $ 22 shipping.
Imperfect Foods offers grocery and fresh food delivery as well as some pantries. You have to order at least $ 30 per week and the shipping costs are $ 5-6.
Farmbox Direct sells grocery boxes starting at $ 43.95.
Meat and seafood
Omaha Steaks offers poultry, seafood and even side dishes along with the product of the same name. You can order à la carte or sign up for Re-Stock Reservation , which ships a varied package on a future date of your choice.
Shipping is free if you order over $ 169, so keep that in mind unless you’re ready to stock up on your freezer.
Porter Road offers beef, pork, lamb and chicken à la carte or by subscription. The company warns customers that there may be five to seven days of delivery delays, but is trying to keep those delays to a minimum. Free shipping is available for orders over $ 100.
Pantry items and cleaning supplies
Thrive Market is a membership service that sells meat, pantry, wine, and even items for kids and pets. Membership costs $ 59.95 per year ($ 9.95 when billed monthly), but you can try it for 30 days and receive a full refund if canceled. Orders over $ 49 are free shipping.
The Grove Collaborative sells cleaning and personal care products with a focus on green or ethical solutions. The company warns about longer delivery times (6-8 days versus the usual two days).
Food sets
The big advantage of food kits right now is that every ingredient you need is in one box. This avoids the pain of planning a recipe only to find that your local store or delivery service is out of stock for that single item the recipe is based on.
Blue Apron subscription starts at $ 48 per week for two meals a day (two servings).
Hello Fresh starts at about $ 50 per week for three meals (two servings).
The home chef is highly customizable, so prices can vary, but they start at $ 7 per serving.
Fresh offers cooked meals for between $ 8 and $ 11.50 per dish, depending on how much you buy per week.