These days it feels like there is a delivery service for everything. Need groceries? Order from Instacart. Want booze? Place an order with Drizly. Dinner in a snap? Subscribe to Blue Apron.
Today I'd like to introduce you to a new delivery service, Farm Feedery. The team at Farm Feedery is focused on one meal in particular - lunch.
I don't know about you, but I never have time to make lunch. I don't ever feel like preparing it the night before, I always feel too rushed in the morning, and even if I have the time, I can't seem to find the right tupperware to transport it. So, I wind up raiding the office snack closet and eating animal crackers and trail mix for lunch. #Fail
Last week I had the opportunity to meet Laura Field, the Director of Consumer Relations & Outreach for Farm Feedery. We talked about how lunch has become "the forgotten meal" and the ways Farm Feedery plans to bring chef-prepared plates right to your desk.
PBS: How did the idea for Farm Feedery come about?
LF: Fittingly, it happened over lunch. Our founder, Ken, (back then an owner of another business), noticed how badly his employees were eating in the break room. Watching them scarf down Snickers and chips for lunch didn't ease the sting of the high company health insurance cost. Ken began looking for a way to encourage a healthier lifestyle for his employees. Thus the concept of a healthy farm-to-fork meal delivery service formed!
PBS: So he decided to focus on lunch?
LF: Lunch is sort of the middle child. It falls dead in the center of the work day, and all too often it becomes an afterthought. Many people find themselves scrambling the night before to pack lunch or wind up ordering something unhealthy at the last minute. We provide an alternative: a healthy, sustainably produced lunch, already prepared for you.
PBS: Now we're talking!
How do you decide on your menus? Do they change seasonally?
LF: We create our menu by looking at the cycle of the farm and what crops and meats will be available during which season. For example, the winter dishes often incorporate more cold hearty crops like root vegetables, while our summer menu often features zucchini and leafy greens. By creating each dish in accordance to the seasons, the menu is constantly changing. Additionally, with the help of our dietician and nutritionist Jacqui, we can always be sure that the meals are well balanced and nutritious.
PBS: Where do you source your ingredients from? How important is local sourcing?
LF: We source from our own farm in Woodstock, CT as well as from other small farms all located throughout New England. Helping to fix this very broken food system is a huge part of why we're here. To do so, sourcing from local farms whenever possible is a top priority.
We recognize that more people than ever are in line with this local food movement and it's a wonderful thing. Unfortunately a large amount of these people can't live a lifestyle to support that because they don't have time. Such things as going to farmer's markets, planning meals, and cooking them, doesn't fit their schedule. It's those individuals we want to help!
PBS: Well, you just described me.
How is Farm Feedery different from services like Blue Apron or Plated?
LF: Businesses like Blue Apron and Plated cater to individuals who already have the time and means to cook. Farm Feedery takes it a step further by taking care of lunch all together for those who won't be cooking. Think of us as a your personal chef. We surprise you with a new tasty and healthy meal every day so that you never have to think about lunch again.
PBS: After learning all about Farm Feedery, I had to try it!
On a Wednesday afternoon at 12:30pm Laura arrived to my office in Kendall Square with a produce-themed reusable shopping bag stuffed with vegetarian delights!
She brought two lunch options, both labeled with all the meals' ingredients, nutrition facts and heating instructions.
Option one was a orechiette pasta with asparagus and goat cheese. I am not normally a goat cheese fan, but I decided to be open minded. The combination of the fresh pasta with the crunch of the asparagus and the creamy texture of the cheese was super delicious. Also, there was definitely a sprinkle of red pepper flakes in there that added an awesome kick.
Option two was two mushroom cutlets with zucchini spears and herbed couscous. These mushroom cutlets were so much more fresh than your average veggie burger. The combo of the patties, the veg and the grain left me quite full!
I had no idea what to expect from my first Farm Feedery delivery, but I was pleasantly surprised. Laura arrived right on time (super important when you are squeezing in lunch between meetings), the food was fresh as fresh can be, it was easy to heat up and then I could just toss the carton into the trash under my desk when I finished.
Now I know you are wondering, "How much does this cost?" Farm Feedery offers three lunch options. You can order a single meal for $14 dollars, three meals per week for $12 dollars each or all five days for $10 dollars each. As someone who buys lunch at least three times a week, let me tell you, this is very reasonable.
If you're interested in learning more about Farm Feedery, check out their website.
*Though my Farm Feedery meals were complimentary, all opinions are 100 percent my own. UPDATE: Since this post was first published, the business name changed from Farmavore to Farm Feedery.
