9 Best Fresh Fruit Delivery Services, Tested and Enjoyed by Our Editors
Updated: May 08, 2024
Craving fresh fruit or need a quick, healthy gift that still impresses? These fresh fruit delivery services have delicious options on your doorstep faster than you can say "fruit!"
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As meal delivery services become more and more popular—and arguably one of the best ways to plan dinner without all the fuss—there’s a food delivery service for just about everything, from bakery boxes to one of our favorites: fresh fruit delivery. When farmer’s market season has passed or you’re craving in-season fruit beyond what’s available at the grocery store, a fresh fruit delivery service is the answer. They also make stunning gift baskets!
It’s important to choose a service that offers a good balance between value and quality. While some services are better as a farmer’s market replacement, others include fancy packaging adorned with bows and baskets for a little extra flair. While there’s dozens (if not hundreds) of services available, finding a fresh fruit delivery service doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark.
We tested 12 of the best fruit delivery services (and fruit-of-the-month clubs) to determine which is best as farmer’s market replacement, thoughtful gift and other situations that call for a dose of healthy sweetness. Whether you’re craving something exotic or want to send a healthful gift, there’s bound to be a basket or box that fits the occasion below. Check out the best produce delivery services for options beyond fruit, too!
Overall Best Fresh Fruit Delivery
The Fruit Company
Pros:
- Beautiful packaging – would make a great gift
- Strong assortment of fruit
- Tons of gifting options for every occasion
- Reasonable price point for gifting
- Fruit packaged carefully to prevent bruising
- Organic options available
Cons:
- Quality around the same as what you’d find in a gourmet grocery store
- Fruit clubs are a bit pricey
The Fruit Company is truly a one-stop shop for all things fresh fruit delivery. There are four different monthly fruit clubs that include a range of fruits such as pears and apples to more exotic choices like star fruit and champagne mangos. Each assortment offers a variety of packaging choices, from ribbons and bows to beautiful, bountiful baskets. This is truly one of the best choices for almost any occasion, from gifting to monthly shipments that keep your snack stash topped up. A card with ripening tips comes with each shipment — a nice touch, according to Senior Shopping Editor Katie Bandurski.
“This is a solid fruit basket,” shares Katie of her Simply Fruit basket. “It’s beautifully arranged, shipped without any damage to the fruit and has a nice variety.” She notes that despite evidence of a rocky shipping trip, the fruit inside was carefully packaged in a generous straw bed with extra protection like mesh sleeves and tissue paper. While there was a little bruising along the top of the pineapple, the majority of the fruit inside was unharmed.
“My only complaint is that, while some of the fruits really shined (hello, pears!) the flavor of others fell a bit flat. I felt the quality was on par with what I could find in a local gourmet grocery store,” says Katie. That said, the fruit arrives with zero visible blemishes and make a thoughtful gift for those who enjoy a healthful snack.
Despite not being super fancy, the gourmet grocery quality (and reasonable price point) make these fruits a perfect pick for the average fruit eater. We love that there’s options for both gifting and replacing lengthy trips to the supermarket. If you like drinking your fruit instead, then check out these smoothie delivery services for a healthy start to your mornings.
Best Monthly Fresh Fruit Subscription
Frog Hollow Farm
Pros:
- Choice of three-, five- or 10-pound shipments
- Each box contains two fruit varieties
- Farmed using regenerative organic practices
- Carbon neutral shipping
- Freshness guarantee
- Choice of weekly, biweekly or monthly deliveries
Cons:
- Pricey
- No way to change the type of fruits in each shipment
Frog Hollow Farm is one of our favorite sources for fresh, organic fruit. Farmers grow the produce on a certified organic, regenerative farm, meaning the farm makes its own compost and plants cover crops to attract beneficial pollinators. Fresh fruit options such as cherries, apricots and peaches can be purchased on their own, or you can subscribe to Frog Hollow’s farm box membership to receive fruit on a regular basis.
We tried the monthly fresh fruit delivery service, and Frog Hollow Farm blew us away with the quality and shipping care of our apples and oranges. Each monthly delivery contains two types of seasonal fruits, grown fresh and harvested 48 hours prior to shipment. We love the ability to choose from a weekly, biweekly or monthly subscription to best suit your family’s needs, along with a choice of three-, five- or 10-pound shipments.
Upon arrival of my box, I took note of the secure packaging — my fruit had zero bruises or spoil spots. I received my box in the middle of a Michigan winter and found myself absolutely shocked by the quality. I’d never be able to find such beautiful produce on a typical February grocery run in the midwest!
As someone who enjoys apples fresh from the orchard, it’s clear that the apples arrive freshly plucked from a tree just before shipping out. I’d highly recommend this online grocer if you’re too pressed for time to head to the grocery store. If your giftee (or yourself) enjoy farm fresh pantry staples, give their olive oil, fruit spreads and dried fruit a try, too!
Best Fruit Delivery for Gifting
Mrs. Fields
Pros:
- Giftable with reusable bowl
- Fun presentation
- Nice variety of fruit
- Fresh, non-bruised fruit
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- You can’t select the fruit
Fresh fruit delivery is a time-honored gifting tradition. Who doesn’t love a sweet treat that’s healthy to boot? While sending a bountiful basket bursting with fresh fruit is always welcome, sometimes it’s worth considering something a little more special. Enter: Mrs. Fields. While best known for their cookie deliveries and other sugary gifts for the sweet tooth in your life, Mrs. Fields also offers a few gift-ready fruit gifts that make a lasting impression, like this pop-up fruit bowl.
“Whether it’s a birthday gift or bereavement gesture, I love giving people food-related items. Sometimes it’s just nice to feed people, you know,” says Senior Shopping Editor Caitlyn Fitzpatrick. After receiving her own fruit bowl, she notes that she would absolutely send the Mrs. Fields pop-up bowl as a gift.
Easy to assemble and fold up when not in use, this pop-up fruit bowl arrives in a box with carefully packed oranges, apples, pears, lemons, limes, mandarins and kiwi. It’s a colorful and plentiful arrangement that impresses with its quality. While the basket arrives folded flat, it’s so easy to set up via twisting the different layers into place, and the additional packaging ensures the fruit arrives without bruises or blemishes. There’s even a green bow on the box, adding to its gift-ability.
“As someone who has bought many flower arrangements and fruit bouquets online, I think the price tag on this pop-up bowl is totally fair. The fruit is high quality and the adorable apple-shaped bowl will last for many refills to come,” says Caitlyn. “You have to love an edible gift that comes with a reusable component, so your giftee will still think of you well after enjoying the fruit itself!”
Best Fresh Fruit Delivery for Cheese Lovers
Harry & David
Pros:
- Ability to see fruit and cheese pairings prior to signing up
- Each box contains fresh fruit and an expertly-paired cheese
- Choice of 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month shipments
- Trusted brand with a good gifting reputation
Cons:
- No choice of shipment size
- Pricey
Harry & David is best known for gourmet pears, but the company ships other fruits as well. Sign up for the Fruit of the Month Club to have something new arrive at your doorstep each month, or opt for one our favorites: Their fruit and cheese of the month club. Each month means a new shipment of pears, peaches or giant strawberries among a whole assortment of other offerings. Each inclusion arrives with a different gourmet cheese each month. Laid out on the site is the calendar, so it’s easy to see what pairings the coming months bring.
Choose from a three-, six-, nine- or 12-month subscription and enjoy a gourmet experience that you (or a cheese-loving pal) will eagerly anticipate each month. My March shipment came with six huge HoneyBells of excellent quality, accompanied by an eight-ounce slab of Wood River Creamery cheddar gruyère. The HoneyBell citruses are big, juicy and offered just the right touch of sweetness. The cheddar gruyère is creamy and has a pleasant sharpness that contrasts well with the HoneyBell’s citrusy flavor.
Plus, Harry & David packages their produce so carefully. In the dozens — yes, dozens — of fruit-related Harry & David gifts I’ve sent over the years, I’ve never once heard giftees mention so much as a bruised pear. Even more impressive is the insulated packaging that kept the cheddar gruyère chilly on the journey to my doorstep.
Harry & David also offers beautiful fresh fruit baskets and other thoughtful gifts stuffed with a variety of produce, or the option to purchase boxes of specialty fresh fruits on their own. They truly carry some of the best food-related gift baskets online!
Best Fresh Fruit Bouquet
Fruit Bouquets
Pros:
- Cheerful fruit bouquets with plenty of options
- Tons of next-day gifting options
- Delivered by a driver rather than shipped
- Includes optional chocolate covered strawberry add-ons
Cons:
- Fruit is already cut, so not as fresh
- A little melon-heavy
Hoping for something a bit more dressed up? Whether you’re looking for a memorable food gift or treating yourself, Fruit Bouquets has the answer. Fresh fruit arrives assembled into beautiful arrangements that brighten anyone’s day. Not to mention you can include chocolate-covered strawberries in your order as well, if an extra dose of sweetness is more your thing.
“The package I received included a mixture of cut fruit including melon, pineapple, a few chocolate covered strawberries, grapes, and orange slices,” says Senior Shopping Editor Caroline Lubinsky of her Sweet & Delicious arrangement. “The packaging was in perfect condition.”
One place where Fruit Bouquets shine is last-minute gifting. While availability depends on locality, most zip codes offer at least one of their same-day delivery options, making it an excellent choice for last-minute celebrations or birthdays that slipped your mind (we don’t judge!).
Caroline’s only caveat? This is definitely a melon-heavy arrangement. “I wish there were less pieces of melon. The melon feels like a filler to me rather than a fruit to get excited about — but that might just be my own bias,” she says. Sure, Fruit Bouquets don’t offer fancy farm-fresh fruits or tropical inclusions, but they are a solid gifting option when the occasion calls for a sweet treat.
Best Tropical Fruit Delivery
Miami Fruit
Pros:
- Huge assortment of a dozen different fruits
- Fruits range from familiar to rare
- Choice of 4-5, 8-10 and 9-13 pound boxes
- Seasonal inclusions mean the fruits are always fresh
- Fruit ripeness guide/identifier QR code included
Cons:
- Some of the fruits difficult to identify
- A few fruits had spots, but nothing that affected flavor or quality
- Not available in Arizona and California due to agriculture laws
Craving a caviar lime? What about kumquats, sweet, pulpy cacao beans or dragon fruit? As a midwesterner, we don’t get a lot of tropical options at my local grocery stores, which is partially why Miami Fruit makes such an impression. This fresh fruit delivery service focuses not on apples and oranges, but rather on rare, tropical fruits. I tested their fresh fruit delivery box and my smoothies and snacks have never been more global (or tasty!).
Everything arrived well packaged and free of bruising and blemishes. A flyer inside the box contains a QR code that takes recipients to a very helpful ripening chart, which also doubles as an easy-to-follow fruit identifier. In addition, it shows how to cut and enjoy the produce for those of us who haven’t seen a cacao pod in person before (guilty!).
Overall, I received nearly a dozen different fruits in my box, from watermelon guava to mini bananas. While the ripeness chart assisted with identifying most fruits, I couldn’t place a few of the inclusions. Additionally, some of the fruits also appeared a bit spotty, but in a “farm grown and non-GMO” way rather than actual blemishes that affect taste. While a bit pricey, I found the price of the box worth it when compared to the novelty and quality. I’ll definitely consider snagging a few fruit tools to make the cutting process easier next time, though!
Size choices include 4-5-pound or 8-10-pound boxes for tropical fruit. Or, snag the premium fruit box containing 9-13-pounds of rare inclusions for an extra charge. Seasonal selections containing one type of fruit are also available, though these choices frequently change with availability. My five-pound box had almost too much fruit for me to eat alone, though cutting and freezing the leftovers made for some seriously tropical smoothies throughout the week!
Best Fresh Fruit Delivery on Amazon
A Gift Inside
Pros:
- Affordably priced
- Fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime
- Baskets and ribbons available for different occasions
- Comes with 11 pieces of fruit
Cons:
- Fruit quality not as impressive as some options
- Not as fancy as some options
Speaking of last-minute gifts, there’s plenty of fresh fruit options available on Amazon. But are any of them worth it? According to Deputy Editor Nicole Doster, A Gift Inside is the ideal midpoint of convenience and quality when it comes to gift-ready fresh fruit delivery. Her Harvest Gold Fruit Basket impressed with its pretty packaging and generous assortment.
“The basket itself was bright and springy. I also thought it was nice that the pears were wrapped in fancy tissue — elevating the look and keeping the pears preserved,” she says. In addition, the other pieces of fruit arrived blemish-free and fast, making it to her door in just a few days. Since most of the fruit baskets are sold and shipped by Amazon, a Prime subscription makes it a worthwhile option for fast and wallet-friendly gifting.
Each basket includes 11 pieces of fresh fruit: Two Comice pears, one red pear, two Braeburn apples, two navel oranges, three mandarins, and one “fruit in season” — an additional pear, in Nicole’s case. That’s plenty of variety for one or two people! We suggest using proper fruit storage practices to ensure that any leftovers stay nice and fresh for a few days.
While Nicole notes that the included Braeburn apples were starting to brown, they also weren’t inedible or otherwise poor quality. The gift she received came in a fruit-themed paper basket, but there’s also other options that include reusable crates and baskets as an additional gift component.
Best Farmer's Market Replacement
Melissa's Produce
Pros:
- Some of the freshest fruit available online
- Provides fruit to world-class restaurants and TV shows
- Secure packaging
- Pretty, gift-ready presentation
- Solid assortment of fruit
Cons:
- Pricey
- Inclusions depend on seasonality
- Unable to ship to Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas
Using fresh fruit delivery as a replacement for a farmer’s market run may not sound appealing for those lucky enough to have fresh fruit access year-round. But during colder seasons and in areas with fewer fresh fruit options, it’s a total life hack. Melissa’s Produce may not be local to you, but the superb quality of the fruit and fuss-free shipping will have you rethinking your one-hour trips to the supermarket.
Whether it’s single-fruit shipments like pomegranates, hand-picked apples and pink pineapples (yes, really!) or medleys that contain exotic fruits or fruit charcuterie, Melissa’s Produce impresses with careful shipping practices and market-quality inclusions. I tried the seasonal fresh fruit gift tray and was completely blown away with the quality and size of the fruits. Anyone not familiar with Melissa’s Produce would guess the fruit is from a fancy local farm, rather than fruit that’s been through the post. Melissa’s Produce even provides fruit to world-class restaurants and TV shows like “Top Chef,” so you know it has to be good!
My seasonal fruit tray arrived with in a box with tons of packing materials. Inside the box sits a cardboard tray piled high with fruit, wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow. While clearly geared towards gifting, I’d definitely splurge again on this tray for myself. It’s a healthy gift that feels like getting a box of chocolates — the presentation is that nice.
A whopping 10 pounds of fruit — including apples, pears, grapefruit and oranges — offer a couple of week’s worth of snacks or breakfasts. Remember how I said I’ve had apples fresh from the tree? Those don’t hold a candle to the ones from Melissa’s, which were enormous, juicy and extremely fresh. Overall, this fresh fruit delivery service stole my heart (and my tastebuds), and I highly recommend checking them out for housewarming gifts, birthday baskets or “just because.”
Best Budget Fruit Delivery
Gourmet Gift Baskets
Pros:
- Fruit is fresh and blemish-free
- Affordable price
- Minimalistic, sleek gift box
- Personalized greeting card included
- Email notifications to giftee
Cons:
- Only four pieces of fruit
- 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.
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!
Originally Published: June 16, 2022
