Organic Box Delivery: How Fresh Is It Really

The promise of an organic box is freshness, but the reality depends on how fast the service moves produce from farm to door. A little research separates the genuinely fresh from the merely convenient.

The freshest services harvest days, sometimes hours, before delivery, while others source through the same distributors as grocery stores. The difference shows up in shelf life and flavor.

• Harvest-to-delivery windows of 24 to 72 hours are common
• Locally sourced boxes tend to be freshest
• Ask where and when the produce was harvested
• Wilting or limp greens are a sign of age