EMILY WAY/TASTE OF HOME
EMILY WAY/TASTE OF HOME
Pros:
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Fruit is fresh and blemish-free
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Affordable price
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Minimalistic, sleek gift box
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Personalized greeting card included
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Email notifications to giftee
Cons:
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Only four pieces of fruit
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Shelf-stable cheeses may not appeal to all
Gourmet Gift Baskets is one of our go-to gifting services, and for good reason. The website offers an expansive collection of gifts, from chocolate baskets to coffee lover collections. They also offer a number of fruit baskets for nearly every occasion, including gluten free options, Mexican cuisine options with fruit, savory arrangements and sweet collections. Some even have champagne that give the gift an extra “pop!”
My local harvest fruit gift box came with two naval oranges, one green apple and one red apple. Water crackers and the inclusion of sharp cheddar and garlic cheddar cheeses make this into a full spread. While there’s a few cost-cutting measures involved (i.e. the shelf-stable cheeses are more akin to processed cheese rather than actual, artisan cheese and the gift box isn’t super fancy), each piece of fruit is fresh, ripe and ready for devouring.
Each gift offers an optional complementary greeting card, and I love that there’s also the option to notify the recipient via email that it’s on the way. This is especially important when dealing with perishables like fruit and cheese, since it allows the giftee to keep their eye out for the box so it doesn’t sit outside too long.
EMILY WAY/TASTE OF HOME
Paired with the included crackers and a hearty slice of fruit, the cheeses may not be super high quality, but they’re also redeemable — just don’t snag this one as a gift for a cheese head. Instead, opt for an artisan cheese subscription, which offers better quality and flavors. However, given the quality and as a gift for most regular folks, this one really shines for the price.
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.
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.
How We Found the Best Fresh Fruit Delivery
To determine the best fresh fruit delivery, we tested 12 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.
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!