I recently skimmed through The Paradox of Choice at a bookstore, which makes me think the hour or so I just spent researching organic grocery options for this blog may not be a good thing, but what’s done is done.

And at least these are eco-friendly choices. Apparently, Organic Express is not the only organic grocery deliverer in town! I’ve found three more, which attests, I think, both to the growing popularity of organic produce, as well as the difficulty of finding organic produce at actual grocery stores.

For cheapskates: ParadiseO

Pros: At $24 per box, it’s $5 cheaper than a comparable box from Organic Express. According to their website, ParadiseO donates services to non-profit organizations throughout Los Angeles County, including Nuts for Mutts Animal Rescue. Their user-friendly website lets you choose between a pre-selected produce box and a la carte shopping.

Cons: ParadiseO offers no groceries. It’s fruits-n-veggies only.

Update, 9/21/05: ParadiseO arrived, and it was almost exactly like Organic Express — Totally efficient with very little packaging and a kind note asking me to leave the box out for reuse when the delivery person comes around again. Seeing as I could use the extra $5, I think I’m gonna have to switch — Plus ParadiseO gave me shitake mushrooms, which I love, though I’ll need to investigate how to cook them…

Update, 10/1/05:I’ve compromised — I put Organic Express deliveries on hold until mid-December, and started regular ParadiseO deliveries for now. Decision making delayed until the new year –

For flowers on the side: LOVE-Los angeles Organic Vegetable Express

Pros: LOVE says they’re cheapest, though their price structure is unclear — Their comparable box costs either $25, or $27.50, depending on which page of their site you’re on — both of which are still more than ParadiseO, but LOVE says they’ll meet the lowest price you can find. You can also order flowers, teas, and “free trade” coffee (I’m guessing they meant fair).

Cons: Horrible, user-unfriendly near-impossible-to-read website, though they are going through a much-needed redesign at the moment. I’d really have to wait to see the new site to even consider switching over. Also, LOVE sends you a monthly paper bill, instead of automatically billing your credit card like Organic Express or ParadiseO.

For chocolate lovers: Pax Organica

Pros: The company offers cerfitied organic clothes and tree-free/recycled paper products, organic fair trade coffee from Equal Exchange, as well as certified organic tea and chocolate. Their chocolate (Ah!Laska) is NOT certified fair trade; they say their chocolate is “produced to standards that map very closely to globally defined fair trade practices,” which sounds to me like a copout. Why not get certified?

Cons: At $42.50 for the cheapest box — which may be a little bigger than my $29 Organic Express box, it ain’t cheap. On top of that, they charge a $35 registration fee. Their site is also under redesign, so you have to call to start up a membership.

So: I’m not cancelling my Organic Express yet, but I’m gonna try ParadiseO for a week and see how I like it. I don’t need my other groceries delivered, so I don’t see any difference between the two except the extra $5 for Organic Express. Will report back –

For the choosy ones: Green Fields Organic (Updated 12/9/05)

Pros: You put your own box together, so you pick exactly what you want. The store also offers a grocery list, so you can get your organic cereal and soymilk along with your produce.

Cons: By the frequent mention of “2 per package” type descriptions on the website, I’m afraid that the produce may be unnecessarily overpackaged. The site’s rather rudimentary with “construction” signs on some pages. And choice isn’t delivered cheap: Prices are comperable to other stores, but there’s a $5 delivery fee for all orders under $120. Compare that to free shipping for orders over $24 and $29 at ParadiseO and Organic Express, respectively.

For Eastside peeps: The Farmer’s Cart. If you’re on the eastside, you can get a box of 10-15 different organic fruits and veggies for $39,. Unfortunately, the signup for the service is a bit annoying — you have to email, Customerservice@thefarmerscart.org, or call, 213.509.9821, instead of just sealing the deal via a web form. (Updated 6/6/07)

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