Having four boys is a joy, a blessing, and…..expensive. Especially when it comes to things like healthy food. We really want to do better on the garden but until we figure out how to work with the space and soil that we have, we’re looking at a pretty large grocery bill. The keys to grocery budgets, according to a vast number of websites and magazines, are to shop multiple stores for the best deals and to use coupons.

Now, call me lazy if you want to. But I am NOT hauling four kids to three different stores every shopping day. And couponing is a fine idea, except the most coupons are for prepackaged type foods that we’re trying to eat less of, not more. Don’t get me wrong. I am vastly appreciative of the convenience of having a box of crackers and cereal in our cupboard right now. But yogurt, cheese, and fruit make up the bulk of what we eat for snacks. Daniel survives on a diet of fruit, bananas, two bites of whatever dinner his cruel parents have forced upon him, and more fruit. And Gabe and Luke (who are about to hit 9 and 7 respectively), have really started eating with those stereotypical bottomless pit appetites.

But LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

Well, okay. It found me, via a Facebook ad. We’ve signed up for a subscription called the Misfit Market produce box. Essentially, it’s a box of organic produce that’s not fit for the grocery store. I kept ignoring the ads, thinking it would probably consist of misshapen fruit that my kids wouldn’t eat because “That looks funny.” But my interest was piqued when a friend posted the (delicious looking) contents of her box, and a quick scroll through the comments on one of the ads showed the same: piles upon piles of beautiful produce. Most of what is “misfit” about the items in the boxes is that they are the wrong size to be put on the grocery store shelf. Another chunk of the items are perfectly good produce from farms with share programs that have an overabundance of certain types of produce.

We used said friends referral code for a discount, and since it made the large box subscription come to less than $2/pound I decided to try it. Even for conventional produce that’s a pretty good deal, and for organic it was definitely worth a shot. Our first shipment came just over a week ago, and I’m seriously impressed. Not only was everything fresh and tasty, it wasn’t any more blemished or misshapen than what you’d see in the store. Plus, they’re super flexible in scheduling. I set it up to arrive on Thursdays. Since I grocery shop on Fridays and you don’t get to choose what goes into the Misfit box, I figure that way I can meal plan around what we get, and I’ll know if I need to fill in any produce gaps when I shop.

Until we get our garden into better shape, I think we’ve found a good go-to for fruits and veggies. We get inexpensive, organic produce AND we get to help cut down on food waste. Our kids are so small that sometimes it feels like there’s not a whole lot we can do to get out there and actively better the world. But saving produce that would otherwise go to waste by having it show up right at the front door is definitely something I can handle while wrangling four kids.

And if you’ve made it this far and want to try your own Misfits box, well, here’s our very first shameless blog post referral code! http://misfitsmarket.refr.cc/rachelkilpatrick will get you 25% off of either size box. (For the cheapest price, it’s worth it to sign up for the subscription as opposed to a one time purchase. You choose your delivery day, how often you want a box, and you can skip a delivery or cancel anytime without any type of penalty.)