I have always been a big fan of the Riverford vegetable boxes, and up until a few months ago we were ordering the vegetable and fruit boxes weekly. They are a great way to encourage the children to try new foods that they might not necessarily have come across before. So when we were sent a Riverford recipe box, I couldn’t wait to see what treats were inside.
We received the original recipe box, containing everything we needed to make 3 recipes:
- Tomato , mozzarella and basil tart
- Beef and potato massaman curry
- Chorizo and roasted veg salad
You receive the exact amounts of each ingredient needed for the recipes, so there is no waste, no measuring and no guess work. You simply grab what you need from the box and off you go. The box is divided into sections so everything is easy to find – all the herbs and spices are in one section, oils etc in another, veg and meat kept separately – you get the idea. The boxes also have a cool pack inside, so if you’re not home when the box is delivered nothing will go off or be wasted. You can simply grab the box when you get home and unpack into the fridge or cupboards.
We couldn’t wait to get started on this box, and decided to make the tomato, mozzarella and basil tart first. Because the original box recipes only serve two people, we cooked this later in the evening when the children were asleep. It would be nice to see a family box added to the range, so you could cook recipes for the whole family.
The tart was super easy to make. It looked and sounded much more complicated than it actually was, and I really enjoyed making it. The recipe cards are very easy to follow, and broken down into small steps so you don’t feel overwhelmed. I love that all the ingredients are pre-weighed so I can just grab the pots and tip them in, rather than having to try and weigh and measure during cooking. We actually adapted the recipe slightly, adding in some peppers and mushrooms that needed using up.
The tart was a huge success and didn’t last long at all. The children would enjoy this too I think, and so we will be trying this one again without a doubt. The chorizo salad was another hit, and the curry was also delicious, although I would personally tone down the spice slightly next time, but that’s just personal taste.
The original recipe box is priced at £39.95, which is pretty good value for 3 meals of this standard, especially considering you are using organic produce. It is definitely something we would consider using on a more regular basis once we have moved house and got settled again. Like I say, I would love to see the addition of a family box too, with enough ingredients to feed more than 2 people.
Riverford have just launched a new campaign, designed to encourage the handing down of cooking skills between the generations as some research suggests that this is on the decline.
I know there are lots of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles with great ideas about how to get kids interested in cooking savoury meals from scratch, so why not share them via the Riverford Cook Together hub?
this looks delicious, im a very bad cook and sure that would ruin the meal but for those who are pro it might be an interesting box
Victoria recently posted…Review: AHAVA facial mud exfoliator
the recipes themselves sound delicious and certainly look great once you made them, however I’d be hard pushed to pay £40 for just 3 meals when I could spent £10 more and feed my family for a week #triedtested
Chantelle Hazelden recently posted…Making a Difference to My Workouts With #PredNutrition
I love the look of these boxes, I hate guessing how much you need for a recipe & usually get it wrong. Looks delicious too #triedtested
Mummymelton recently posted…SnapFish Slim Canvas – Review
All the meals look delicious – I especially like the sound of the curry! £40 for three meals for 2 people is a little pricey for me though. #TriedTested
Wow! That box looks awesome! Great review and your pizza looks amazing! #TriedTested
Emily aka Twin Mummy recently posted…Have you heard of peer-to-peer lending yet?
These are definitely a great idea as I am useless at measuring out and getting it right. £40 for three meals would be ok if it fed four but it is a little much for just two people.
Lisa H recently posted…Starting School With Matalan
These look like a great way to encourage more home cooking. I was thinking they would make a great gift for a student or young adult wanting to learn to cook.
Lucy Dorrington recently posted…Bristol Bits: Down by the Harbourside, a Cautionary Tale
Wow! This is actually a brilliant idea…. I love cooking but I hate measuring ingredients though. It’s a great way to try new recipes too! Thanks for sharing! #TriedTested
Cheryl @ Reimer and Ruby recently posted…3D Snakes and Ladders
I love the idea of recipe boxes and this one looks fantastic quality #triedtested
All about a Mummy recently posted…Happy Wedding Anniversary Husband
This looks great and I love that you get all of the right amounts of ingredients to make them all.
#triedtested
helen gandy recently posted…Glossybox August 2015 – Review
Your box looks as good as mine, we found them such a refreshing change and it meant I didn’t have to meal plan x
Cathy Glynn recently posted…Riverford Recipe Box
Looks lovely – we were invited to try one of these but it has never arrived, despite chasing 🙁 #TriedTested
Mummy Fever recently posted…Chocolate for beauty?
This looks great and takes all the stress of planning a meal
Jo of Jo’s Nursery recently posted…Wicked Uncle Review: Paw Patrol Lookout Playset
I love the sound of these boxes and how everything is all ready to cook but I don’t think I could justify £40 for three meals although it’s a good healthy alternative to a takeaway or going out
I love the fact that it’s all measured out for you – I’m such a lazy cook so this really appeals to me, along with the lack of waste! Genius idea.
Colette B recently posted…Confident Kids 24/7 Campaign with DryNites
Riverford is just down the road from us. I love popping in there and buying some bits. These veg boxes look really good and I love the way that they are perfectly portioned so there isn’t any wastage #TriedTested
Gina Caro recently posted…skinade Review – Better Skin from Within
This sounds really good and the picture of ingredients shows a lot of food. Did you think the portion sizes were about right? X
#triedtested
Wow, the food looks amazing! I think £40 is expensive for three meals although it might be nice for a special treat. I enjoy cooking so all the weighing etc doesn’t bother me butt these look like they would be great when you need something quick and easy but still want proper food.
Janet Yarwood recently posted…Keeping Monkey going
Those meals sound wonderful! I love recipe boxes but just can’t afford them regularly unfortunately. Glad you liked it!xx #triedtested
Hannah Budding Smiles recently posted…My Baby’s Name Is Baby Sleeping Bag Review and Giveaway
I’m absolutely rubbish at meal planning but love tasty food so this sounds right up my street. I also like the idea that there’s no waste. I cringe at the amount of food that we throw away some days #triedtested
Claire at Tin Box Traveller recently posted…A beach day in Devon