My New Favorite Online Store

First off, you know you have a problem with shopping online when the employees of the mail room:

1) know you by name and know your mailbox number too

2) immediately ask when you walk in the door, “How many packages today?”

and 3) stare in amazement when you walk out with only 2 boxes

So yes, that’s me!

Well, two weekends was no different than usual.  I will remind everyone that I live overseas, in a remote area, no shopping mall, small BX, and a mail plane that only comes once a week.  Therefore all packages are put out mostly on the same day (sometimes Saturday and Sunday will be some packages).  Let me also remind everyone that not every package we get is from something we ordered.  I think of this experience like summer camp and I get “CARE) packages from friends and family.

So here was what arrived that weekend.

That was 6 packages.  Well, I admit to ordering 2 pairs of shoes from DSW.  One of these was also the last of Ryan’s Christmas presents.  It was a vest from LL Bean and it was on back order.  I think one was a CD from Ryan’s college that contained a recorded class.  One was a stack of magazines from my mom.  They just keep coming and coming, but I like Conde Nast Traveler and Self, but the more gossipy ones that I like to read at the gym.  Then there was my first package ever from Nuts Online.

My sister had ordered from there before.  I know, I know, there are probably tons of companies out there that sell the same stuff, but I took my sister’s recommendation and scoped out the site.  Within  minutes I was hooked.  (I will mention now that I am not in any way paid or sponsored by this company, I am just really pleased) They have nuts, dried fruit, snack mixes, flours and then candy too.  I was more concerned with the flours and dried fruits.

When my package arrived I opened it and was greeted with this:

 

My eyes grew wide and my tummy grumbled and I smiled a little.  Want to know why I smiled?  The packaging.  I live in the world’s most humid location.  Everything here grows mold.  Cardboard food boxes grow mold.  Everything in my kitchen needs to go in plastic bags and even then some moisture gets in.  This packaging had me so excited because this means my food will last and not grow mold in my kitchen.  These are some quality bags.  They reseal easily and keep the products fresh.

Check out what I ordered:

Chickpea flour and almond flour: There is no way I could find these in the Azores at all. 

I love dried fruit!  These are strawberries and kiwis.  We have already finished the kiwis.  I love fresh kiwis, but I will admit, I love them so much, that I enjoy the dried ones too. 

If you are curious about price, just like anywhere, they range.  Some products, like the kiwis at only $3.99/lb, are below what I would expect.  That was great.  There are other products that are pricey, but I must say they prices were not any different from what I would expect to pay in a store for the same items.  For example the organic dried fruits and some of the more exotic and unique berries.  Another confession, since I live overseas and they ship APO and I can’t get some of these things anywhere around here, I don’t mind paying a little extra just to have them, maybe just once.

Next up are fava beans and whole wheat shell pasta.  I plan to make some mac and cheese next week with these shells. 

These are their veggie chips.  Loved them!  Finished them!

I also love mushrooms.  So when I saw the dried mushrooms, I got really excited and had to order these.

Treats like this are sold in a 2 oz container, and some others I saw I think were 3 oz containers.  The nuts and fruits came in 1 pound and then larger, like 5 pounds.  I also see that you can order by the case.

Well, that is it for my first purchase.  Does it surprise you any that I have ordered more? My sister even ordered yesterday and so did my mom.

I also have a funny story about when I picked up my package.  The woman behind me saw my package and said to me that they love Nuts Online and asked what I ordered.  I started by saying whole wheat shells, fava beans, chick pea flour, dried kiwis and she laughed and said “Oh, that is so not what we order” and she was laughing.  She continued to say they ordered candy, so I quickly replied, “Maybe I should start off by saying I’m a dietitian and a vegetarian” and while both laughing she agreed that made way more sense.  I did confess to her that I like candy too.

QUESTIONS:  Have you ever heard of Nuts Online?  Where do you buy dried fruits/nuts?  Specialty products, like almond flour?