EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
Pros:
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Huge assortment of a dozen different fruits
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Fruits range from familiar to rare
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Choice of 4-5, 8-10 and 9-13 pound boxes
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Seasonal inclusions mean the fruits are always fresh
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Fruit ripeness guide/identifier QR code included
Cons:
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Some of the fruits difficult to identify
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A few fruits had spots, but nothing that affected flavor or quality
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Not available in Arizona and California due to agriculture laws
Craving a caviar lime? What about kumquats, sweet, pulpy cacao beans or dragon fruit? As a midwesterner, we don’t get a lot of tropical options at my local grocery stores, which is partially why Miami Fruit makes such an impression. This fresh fruit delivery service focuses not on apples and oranges, but rather on rare, tropical fruits. I tested their fresh fruit variety box and my smoothies and snacks have never been more global (or tasty!).
Everything arrived well packaged and free of bruising and blemishes. A flyer inside the box contains a QR code that takes recipients to a very helpful ripening chart, which also doubles as an easy-to-follow fruit identifier. In addition, it shows how to cut and enjoy the produce for those of us who haven’t seen a cacao pod in person before (guilty!).
Overall, I received nearly a dozen different fruits in my box, from watermelon guava to mini bananas. While the ripeness chart assisted with identifying most fruits, I couldn’t place a few of the inclusions. Additionally, some of the fruits also appeared a bit spotty, but in a “farm grown and non-GMO” way rather than actual blemishes that affect taste. While a bit pricey, I found the price of the box worth it when compared to the novelty and quality. I’ll definitely consider snagging a few fruit tools to make the cutting process easier next time, though!
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
Size choices include 4-5-pound or 8-10-pound boxes for tropical fruit. Or, snag the premium fruit box containing 9-13 pounds of rare inclusions for an extra charge. Seasonal selections containing one type of fruit are also available, though these choices frequently change with availability. My 5-pound box had almost too much fruit for me to eat alone, though cutting and freezing the leftovers made for some seriously tropical smoothies throughout the week!
NICOLE DOSTER FOR TASTE OF HOME
NICOLE DOSTER FOR TASTE OF HOME
Pros:
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Affordably priced
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Fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime
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Baskets and ribbons available for different occasions
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Comes with 11 pieces of fruit
Cons:
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Fruit quality not as impressive as some options
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Not as fancy as some options
Speaking of last-minute gifts, there’s plenty of fresh fruit options available on Amazon. But are any of them worth it? According to Deputy Editor Nicole Doster, A Gift Inside is the ideal midpoint of convenience and quality when it comes to gift-ready fresh fruit delivery. Her Harvest Gold Fruit Basket impressed with its pretty packaging and generous assortment.
Nicole Doster For Taste of Home
“The basket itself was bright and springy. I also thought it was nice that the pears were wrapped in fancy tissue — elevating the look and keeping the pears preserved,” she says. In addition, the other pieces of fruit arrived blemish-free and fast, making it to her door in just a few days. Since most of the fruit baskets are sold and shipped by Amazon, a Prime subscription makes it a worthwhile option for fast and wallet-friendly gifting.
Each basket includes 11 pieces of fresh fruit: Two Comice pears, one red pear, two Braeburn apples, two navel oranges, three mandarins and one “fruit in season” — an additional pear, in Nicole’s case. That’s plenty of variety for one or two people! We suggest using proper fruit storage practices to ensure that any leftovers stay nice and fresh for a few days.
Nicole Doster For Taste of Home
While Nicole notes that the included Braeburn apples were starting to brown, they also weren’t inedible or otherwise poor quality. The gift she received came in a fruit-themed paper basket, but there’s also other options that include reusable crates and baskets as an additional gift component.
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
Pros:
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Some of the freshest fruit available online
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Provides fruit to world-class restaurants and TV shows
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Secure packaging
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Pretty, gift-ready presentation
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Solid assortment of fruit
Cons:
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Pricey
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Inclusions depend on seasonality
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Unable to ship to Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana and Texas
Using fresh fruit delivery as a replacement for a farmer’s market run may not sound appealing for those lucky enough to have fresh fruit access year-round. But during colder seasons and in areas with fewer fresh fruit options, it’s a total life hack. Melissa’s Produce may not be local to you, but the superb quality of the fruit and fuss-free shipping will have you rethinking your one-hour trips to the supermarket.
Whether it’s single-fruit shipments like pomegranates, hand-picked apples and pink pineapples (yes, really!) or medleys that contain exotic fruits or fruit charcuterie, Melissa’s Produce impresses with careful shipping practices and market-quality inclusions. I tried the seasonal fresh fruit gift tray and was completely blown away with the quality and size of the fruits. Anyone not familiar with Melissa’s Produce would guess the fruit is from a fancy local farm, rather than fruit that’s been through the post. Melissa’s Produce even provides fruit to world-class restaurants and TV shows like “Top Chef,” so you know it has to be good!
My seasonal fruit tray arrived with in a box with tons of packing materials. Inside the box sits a cardboard tray piled high with fruit, wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow. While clearly geared towards gifting, I’d definitely splurge again on this tray for myself. It’s a healthy gift that feels like getting a box of chocolates — the presentation is that nice.
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
A whopping 10 pounds of fruit — including apples, pears, grapefruit and oranges — offer a couple of week’s worth of snacks or breakfasts. Remember how I said I’ve had apples fresh from the tree? Those don’t hold a candle to the ones from Melissa’s, which were enormous, juicy and extremely fresh. Overall, this fresh fruit delivery service stole my heart (and my tastebuds), and I highly recommend checking them out for housewarming gifts, birthday baskets or “just because.”
What To Look for When Ordering Fresh Fruit Delivery
When looking for the best fresh fruit delivery service, first consider the occasion. For a gift, choose a service that arrives in gift-ready packaging. Something as small as a bow or basket elevates a simple fruit assortment from boring to a beautiful arrangement.
For a farmer’s market replacement, think about the types of fruits you enjoy eating. There’s options available that cater to tropical tastes, apple- and orange-lovers and everything in between. Look at the quality, freshness and shipment size, then weigh these points against the price to determine value. While some folks may prefer supermarket quality fruits at a lower price point, others may opt for pricier assortments that offer better quality.
According to Cornell professor and horticulturalist Marvin Pritts, there’s also some science to keep in mind while shopping. “Fruits are composed of living cells and their respiration rates vary widely. Fruits with high respiration rates do not ship or store well,” says Marvin.
“Fruits with relatively low respiration rates are dates, apples, pears, citrus, pineapple, kiwifruit and pomegranates. They should arrive just fine if they spend a week in shipping. Fruits that can tolerate a few days in shipping are banana, peach, papaya, avocado, tomato, blueberry and cherry,” he continues.
“The likelihood of most berries arriving in good condition is much lower given their high respiration rate and the fact that their harvest season is during the summer when temperatures are already high,” warns Marvin. So, if you’re interested in sending fruit, stick to low respiration fruits and avoid berries when possible.
CAITLYN FITZPATRICK FOR TASTE OF HOME
How We Found the Best Fresh Fruit Delivery
It’s important to choose a service that offers a good balance between value and quality. While some services are better as a farmer’s market replacement, others include fancy packaging adorned with bows and baskets for a little extra flair. While there’s dozens (if not hundreds) of services available, finding a fresh fruit delivery service doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark.
To determine the best fresh fruit delivery, we tested 15 fruit delivery options containing more than 15 types of fruits. We took notes spanning several categories, including packaging and shipping, ordering and variety, quality and inclusions and overall value. While judging each service, we got into the nitty gritty, taking notes on more than 20 different data points. We looked at price, overall quality, gift-ability and selection, taking special care to exclude any options that contained fruit with visible bruising that affects the look and taste of the fruit.
Other Options We Tested
- Williams Sonoma Fruit & Cheese Gift Crate: While the packaging impressed us, we weren’t super happy with the quality of the fruit, which came bruised and marked.
- Frog Hollow Farm: This is one of our favorite sources for fresh, organic fruit. That said, they only offer medley assortments, so it’s not a good choice for single fruit types.
- Fruit Bouquets: While elegant, our tester notes that the arrangement was slightly overripe. Fruit Bouquets don’t offer fancy farm-fresh fruits or tropical inclusions, but they are a solid last-minute gifting option.
- Mrs. Fields: The fruit is high quality and the adorable apple-shaped bowl will last for many refills to come. That said, there’s no way to choose which fruits to include.
- Gourmet Gift Baskets: While the fruit was nice for a budget buy, the quality of the cheese and other inclusions makes other options—like Harry and David—shine brighter in comparison.
- Maui Gold Pineapple: If you’re looking for pineapple, there’s simply no other place to go. The fruit from Maui Gold is perfectly sweet, ships with care and arrives ripe and ready to enjoy.
EMILY WAY FOR TASTE OF HOME
Why Trust Us
As Taste of Home’s resident food and drink expert, I’ve tasted everything from the best snack boxes to cookie of the month clubs and beyond. For this piece, I enlisted the tastebuds of the editorial shopping team in order to test 12 different fresh fruit delivery services. As we’re spread across the country, it was enlightening to see how each shipping process differed from one another — especially for those in scalding climates. After tasting more than 15 different fruits, we’re confident that these 9 services are the best of the best.
I also spoke to Cornell professor and horticulturalist Marvin Pritts to discuss what folks should consider when shopping for fruit deliveries online.
FAQs
Can fresh fruit be shipped?
Absolutely! Unlike the days of yore when fresh fruit delivery was a gamble, many companies streamlined their process and packaging in order to ensure each piece of fruit arrives safe and sound. While some fruit delivery services don’t have a great reputation when it comes to quality upon arrival, we only included picks that had minimal bruising or unsightly marks. No bad apples here!
How long does a fruit bouquet last?
According to Caroline who enjoyed half of her fruit on day one and the other half on day two, Fruit Bouquet arrangements last overnight in the refrigerator. Just remove the fruit from the toothpicks and plastic vessel, then store it in a food storage container or airtight bag to seal in freshness.
Can you ship fruit with next-day delivery?
For last minute fruit gifts, we suggest going with Fruit Bouquets. While not as fancy or high-quality as some of the other options on this list, they do offer next day delivery on some of their items (though keep in mind selections vary based on location). Another option is A Gift Inside. Because they’re sold and shipped by Amazon, they offer fast, free shipping on a number of items with Prime. That said, only a few gifts qualify for next day delivery, so it’s best to plan ahead whenever possible!