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April 26, 2004
I’ve Buckled
I fought it for a long time. I probably won’t use the service continuously. But let’s face it: I was curious. Yes, today I signed up for Fresh Direct.
I’m picky. I like to inspect my produce before I purchase it. I like wandering supermarket aisles. I’m not a fan of getting things delivered (why get takeout when the sushi place is just around the corner?). Honestly, however, I miss Fairway. D’Agostino is motherfucking expensive and their selection sucks. Key Food is nearby, but never on the way. CTown is convenient when I’m en route home from the gym, but how frequently does that occur? And, of course, there’s the Food Coop. Let’s not go there.
My order has been placed and it should arrive between eight and ten p.m. tomorrow. For a scant $60 bucks (with the first time buyer discount), here is what I’m testing out…keep in mind that a chunk of the price is wine:
Cheese
Aged Italian Asiago
Smoked Gouda
Dairy
1Silk Soymilk - (1/2 gallon)
Fruit
Fresh Cubed Cantaloupe - (Farm Fresh, Pint)
FreshDirect Toasted Nut & Raisin Granola - (16oz)
Red Seedless Grapes - (Farm Fresh)
Grocery
Era Liquid Laundry Detergent - (50oz)
Goya Chick Peas - (15.5oz)
Heckers All Purpose Unbleached Flour - (5lb)
Kohinoor Supreme Basmati Rice - (2.2 lb)
O-Cel-O Heavy Duty Sponges - (2pk)
Purina Cat Chow Milk, Fish, & Meat Dry Cat Food - (3.5lb)
Scott Paper Towels - 1 ply 64 sheets - (3 rolls)
Meat
Center-Cut Butterflied Pork Loin Cutlet - (0.5", Vacuum Pack)
Fresh Turkey Burgers - (Grade A)
Vegetables & Herbs
Baby Spinach - (Farm Fresh)
Garlic - (Farm Fresh, Med)
Green Beans - (Farm Fresh)
Hass Avocado - (Farm Fresh, Med, RIPE, eat in 1-2 days)
Yellow Onion, Bag - (Farm Fresh, 2lb bag)
Avant Garde Pinot Noir 2001 - (750ml)
Pic of the Week Domaine des Lauriers Picpoul de Pinet 2002 - (750ml)
The fact that I can order wine and beer excites me greatly. Actually, what I’m most curious about is the meat—and I didn’t want to buy much of it until I saw what it was like. Getting the meat vacuum-packed is awesome—and makes me feel better about buying more food than I’d normally consume in a one-week period.
We’ll see how it goes. The bottom line is that summer makes me lazy. Lazy in the sense that it’s hot and I don’t want to schlep a million pounds of groceries and dry goods up four flights of stairs. So this is a test to see if online food buying is really worth it. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Maybe not.
Posted by callalillie at April 26, 2004 2:31 PM | City Life , Food
i have had great experiences with fresh direct, but i hear some people get veggies that are less fresh than the supermarket. the only problem i had was when i once ordered a watermelon and they dropped it, thus destroying it.
sadly, they do not deliver to greenpoint yet.
Posted by: tien at April 26, 2004 3:10 PM
Hmm. I'm very curious. I wish they'd just put a Fairway somewhere in Park Slope. You know, not a coop, but a real store.
Posted by: corie at April 26, 2004 4:36 PM
i remember their cheese and deli meats being good. and some fruit too. man, i'm getting hungry. they better deliver to greenpoint soon, i need to stock my fridge!
Posted by: tien at April 26, 2004 4:55 PM
I've never bought fresh produce online, but dry and non-perishables...the bulky, heavy stuff that's so annoying to carry home...it's really wonderful. Like Christmas! Big boxes full of goodies.
Posted by: Cynthia at April 26, 2004 6:11 PM
I have heard nothing but good about Fresh Direct. Of course my boss and all my park-slopey friends ALL get it and rave about it to me, forgetting that they are just rubbing salt in the wound since it doesn't come to my area yet.
Posted by: abby at April 27, 2004 10:22 AM
If I lived four blocks south, I'd get FreshDirect. Hate.
Posted by: Mike at April 27, 2004 11:04 AM
Yeah, they didn't deliver to my old neighborhood, either...
Posted by: corie at April 27, 2004 11:28 AM
Sounds to me like doing it online frees up time to get other things done. And yeah, even if that means getting "lazy" done.
Posted by: Brian Hofmeister at April 27, 2004 7:13 PM
