A LOCAL healthy eating initiative has just taking a bigger bite of the local fruit and vegetable market by launching a new website.

Healthy Boxes was launched as a way of promoting locally-sourced produce to local families as well as encouraging a healthy diet.

The scheme works by people placing an order for a healthy box at their nursery, playgroup, school or workplace.

Once a week, boxes of fruit and vegetables are delivered to the distribution point to be collected by participants in the scheme.

Each box costs just £6 and contains a varied selection of around eight different types of seasonal produce, much of which is locally grown. Healthy Start vouchers are also accepted by the scheme.

Organiser Louise Reynolds, of Penzance, said: "By purchasing the vegetables directly from local growers we are able to make cost savings which are passed to our customers and a fair return to the grower.

"We regularly carry out price comparisons with the supermarkets and are always considerably cheaper and much fresher too."

The new website lists all the produce selected for the scheme with information about how to store and use them as well as a selection of recipes.

Deliveries for Healthy Boxes cover the whole of Penwith but also get as far afield as Camborne, Redruth, Helston and Truro.

Louise added: "Families and children love Healthy Boxes as it give a good variety of vegetables and encourages more creative cooking. It also allows children to try vegetables that they have not tasted before. This year Romanesco broccoli has been very popular with children for its nutty taste and strange pointy shapes. We are also growing trials of sweet potatoes and a huge white radish called mooli that is, according to those that have tried it, very tasty.

"There are staple items such as potatoes, onions and carrots that appear regularly which are combined with other seasonal vegetables ranging from cauliflower and courgettes to spinach, sweetcorn and squash."

Each distribution centre is run by a co-ordinator who places the order and collects the money. In return for organising the distribution, the co-ordinator will receive a free veggie goodie bag.

Healthy Boxes all come with a newsletter and a recipe for some of the included ingredients.

Healthy Boxes customer Gillian Cooke said: "My weekly veg box is the mainstay of my weekly diet. I really appreciate that Healthy Boxes manage to present such great variety and quality – and keep it mostly local. The lovely, thoughtful touches that they put in the boxes – like the cranberry sauce, and the little decorations – are all so great."

The scheme aims to ensure longer lasting, healthy food, at a reasonable price while reducing food miles and supporting local producers.

For more information, and to visit the new website, go to www.healthyboxes.co.uk