[review] Custom weekly vegetable baskets – Les Vergers Dupré Vieux-Lille
If, like me, you’re not a fan of vegetables and feel lost in the supermarket produce aisle, you’re not alone. I’ve found that the best way to encourage myself to eat more is to leave my grocery shopping to a professional: my greengrocer.
For residents of Vieux-Lille, there’s an excellent option available: Les Vergers Dupré offer personalized fruit and vegetable baskets. This article is not sponsored; I just wanted to give a shout-out to my greengrocer – the shop is new to the neighborhood and many people walk past without realizing it could change their health and life.
The concept is simple: you set a weekly budget based on your needs. There are two of us, so I opted for €20 of vegetables and €15 of fruit, but there’s no minimum amount; feel free to adjust based on your household or diet. The products come from nearby farms. There are a few exotic fruits, but the origin is clearly stated.
What makes this service unique is the customization. The baskets are tailored to your preferences and habits, not to clear out unsold stock or force Brussels sprouts on you that nobody likes. The goal is truly to help you eat better.
Since I adopted this system, my fruit and vegetable intake has increased significantly; I even visit the butcher less often now! On days when motivation is lacking, I turn everything into soup or smoothies – a trick that always works.
I now prioritize seasonal & regional produce, inspired by traditional Chinese medicine and its principle of yin/yang harmony between our diet and our environment. A nice bonus: it’s also more economical when in season, so you get more for your budget.
As a beginner in plant-based cooking, I initially had no idea what to do with vegetables. Luckily, my greengrocer helps me with recipes. The vegetables in my basket are even grouped by recipe in small bags, which allowed me to make my first mashed potatoes, smooth soups, tagines, and couscous! I also learned that each dish requires specific varieties: certain potatoes for mash, certain oranges for duck breast, certain carrots for couscous… Your greengrocer will guide you to the right choices, and trust me, it makes all the difference.
Instead of struggling at the supermarket, my fruit and vegetable shopping now takes 10 minutes, just the time for my greengrocer to explain the basket’s contents and recipes.
A friend who worked in Michelin-starred restaurants confirmed that the quality of ingredients trumps the recipe itself. With good, suitable products, everything becomes delicious.
To give you a concrete idea, my weekly baskets at €35 are shown in photos (each photo corresponds to one week of shopping).
One last thing: you can pause your baskets whenever you like. I’d just recommend setting a fixed weekly slot so your greengrocer can prepare your order in the best conditions.
Les Vergers Dupré
Google Maps page: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WG6KYhCu7R3Qv3BN9
67 Rue Saint-Sébastien, 59800 Lille
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 AM to 8 PM (1 PM for Sunday)
