Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks

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Category : Food & Beverages

Today I received my first delivery from Irv & Shelly’s Fresh PicksSM !!  I’ve been anxiously waiting for our kitchen remodel to be complete so I could order.   I simply log on and place my order Sunday night and they deliver to my neighborhood on Wednesdays.  It’s so simple that I don’t even need to be home!  Just keep their insulated container outside the door and they will fill it up each week.

Irv & Shelly’s Fresh PicksSM offers year-round home delivery in the Chicago area of local and organic produce, meat, dairy and eggs. You can order online anytime to choose the specific items you want, or opt for a Fresh Picks Box that is automatically delivered to your door weekly or bi-weekly.

They are committed to working with local sustainable farms we personally know and trust. Their fresh picks will arrive at your door ripe and bursting with flavor, vitamins and minerals within hours of leaving the farm. They’re as proud of their farmers as they are of their food, and have developed tracking systems for the great local products in your order so they can tell you who raised them and how they protect your health and the environment.

You can either order a la carte or order the Fresh Picks Box which is a mixture of the best of what they currently have.  My neighbor does this and loves that they include recipes when they send produce that the average person isn’t accustomed to purchasing.  This is a great way to try new things you normally wouldn’t pick up yourself on a trip to the market.

Organic Produce

Category : Food & Beverages

I understand that going organic can be expensive.  There are some things that are more important to purchase organically grown than others.  I try to buy everything organic but there are times when that is not possible so I must then decide between buying it conventionally grown or selecting a different item.  Produce with thin or no skins absorb more pesticides.

Fruit you should ALWAYS buy organic:
peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, cherries, pears
Veggies you should ALWAYS buy organic:
tomatoes, potatoes, sweet bell peppers, carrots, lettuce, celery
Conventionally Grown -
things I would be more willing to purchase non-organic if organic wasn’t available:
onions, avocados, corn, pineapple, mangos, asparagus, kiwi, papaya

Green City Market – Chicago

Category : Food & Beverages

It is officially just one week until the farmer’s market comes back to Lincoln Park!  I love having a huge market so close to home and even on my way to work!  It is every Wednesday and Saturday from 7am to 1pm starting Wednesday, May 6.   My typical routine is to go Saturday morning and stock up on stuff for the week then stop on Wednesday mornings for fresh fruit and a pastry to eat when I get to work – I’ll also grab any other little things I need to finish off the week.

Green City Market offers us city people an opportunity to get delicious local and pesticide free produce.  I’m a vegetarian who seldom eats eggs and dairy but I’ve heard the vendors with cheese, meat and free range eggs are great as well!  I also love all of the great baked goods and pastries.