Eco-Conscious Packaging

Plant It Forward is committed to packaging Farm Shares using 100% eco-conscious materials.

  • Paper Pulp Pints 

    Made of recycled paper pulp, and fully compostable, we use these containers to package small, sometimes delicate, produce items such as mushrooms, ground cherries, and hot peppers.

  • Paper Pulp Quarts

    Just like the pints, in a larger portion. Find okra, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, and green beans in this eco-friendly container.

  • Paper Bags

    Ah, the trusty paper bag – it’s made of recycled content and fully compostable. We package bulkier and heavier items, like beets and carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, for a convenient grab-and-go experience.

  • Flat Pint

    For the most delicate crops, to include squash blossoms and figs, we turn to the flat pint with an attached lid. This will either be a #7 bio-based plastic or #1 PET plastic, which cushions the product on all sides and retains moisture content and freshness.  As of this writing the City of Houston doesn’t provide neighborhood composting services and Houstonians don’t have access to industrial composting facilities – therefore it’s advisable to reuse the bio-based plastic container in your household. Beyond reuse, #1 PET plastics are readily recyclable in our local area. It is questionable whether #7 bio-based plastics belong in our recycling stream.

  • Salad Box

    After much deliberation at Plant It Forward, we decided that a #1 PET hard plastic hinged container was the best packaging solution for our signature salad mixes, upgrading from single-use plastic bags. These containers do an excellent job retaining moisture and freshness of the salad mix, while protecting delicate leaves. #1 PET plastics are readily recyclable in our local area.

  • Naked 

    More and more, we’re opting to remove the need for packaging completely! Items that are durable and relatively uniform in size such as apples, cucumbers, and eggplants are suitable for counting and therefore don’t require packaging. For all bunched greens, to include kale, mustard, collard greens, and jute leaves, we bunch with rubber bands that can easily be repurposed once the cooking is done.

With so many options out there, and so few perfect solutions, we ultimately chose these packaging materials balancing factors of performance, sustainability, and cost.

  • Performance – We are proud of the products we grow and want to deliver them in optimal condition to you.

  • Sustainability – We are thinking about reduction of materials first, then prioritizing compostable materials, then employing plastics only where preservation of produce quality necessitates it.

  • Cost – While we did explore some emerging technologies with regards to new sustainable packaging materials, we’ve mostly opted for materials readily available on the market in order to reduce costs and keep our Farm Share affordable.

Moving forward, Plant It Forward will reassess its packaging materials on an annual basis to allow for consideration of new products and changing local conditions. We welcome your feedback anytime!

Ready to start cooking?

Our Veggie Guide features seasonal recipes that highlight Houston-grown fresh produce.

Recipes