joeyduck

Transport soft, juicy and tender fleshy in-season fruits?

Does anyone have an ingenious (clever or simple) way to transports those delicious in season fruits. I mean nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots and the such? Mine always get to work as bruised as a red headed step child (I am a red headed step child).

I would enjoy them a bit more if they were not soft and mushy in some spots.

TransitBiker

You get a milk crate or wood produce crate and some of the paperboard that fruits are shipped in & stack them in layers, with the hardest stuff on bottom & softest stuff on top. Other option is layers of medium bubble wrap, with bubble wrap all around the sides too. Lastly, avoid road chasms & other bumpy type things.

- Andy

TransitBiker

This is the paperboard stuff i'm talking about.


Wood produce crate:


Fruit is shipped with just these 2 things via may different conveyances, from belts in the packing house to railcars, to bicycles and vans, so you should be safe using this setup.

- Andy

wphamilton

In the plastic bag with handles. I've carried them hanging from the handlebar, tied over the top, but I really don't like carrying anything that way. Fruit in soft panniers don't work for me either.

Bungie cord over the center of the grocery bag on top of a pack on the rack, the cord between groups of fruit in the bag, but even that bangs them up some if they bounce. Better yet in the very top of a backpack loosely filled, often with things like bread or eggs.

joeyduck

Thanks Andy.

The paperboard will certainly work if I trim it down to fit in a pannier. I had not considered the paperboard and will snag some from the store my next stop.

I have to rule out the crate. I am thinking more along my daily lunch, which is usually 4-5 pieces in a pannier. Plus most days I have no access to my rear rack, so the crate is out.

wphamilton

Oh, lunch - I was thinking shopping.

I never bring lunch so I'm just spitballing but what if you just excessively wad the fruit up in the throwaway plastic shopping bags? That's what I do with six-packs (not to work obviously).

italktocats

not at the bottom of the bag... how else?

mcmoose

If you stick the fruit in a zip-lock bag, you can blow some air into the bag before sealing it. This will create an air cushion that protects your fruit.

Lisa464

In the lunchbox area of department stores (Big W or Target in Australia) I've seen individual cupcake holders. They are round and small. Designed to hold just one cupcake.


That might be suitable for you :-)

mrodgers

Same way my wife carries a loaf of bread in a shopping bag? Loaf of bread in first, gallon of milk on top?

Leebo

Wrap in kitchen towels.

locolobo13 

Small tupperware like containers.

cobrabyte

fruit shaped containers : https://www.google.com/search?q=frui...h=756&dpr=0.85

gregjones

I have a Timbuk2 Catapult specifically to carry eggs and bananas.

Bananas don't get bruised and I put a plastic bag, wadded up, on top of the eggs in the carton. Have yet to break an egg. The first 100% successful method that I've tried.

And, it will hold a six pack of tallboy Buds.

modernjess

I use a banjo brothers grocery pannier (or 2) for farmers markets runs almost every weekend. I put the harder stuff on the bottom and use some towel scraps or something to cradle anything fragile on the top. No problems.

fietsbob

Front bag on my Brompton , here .. Sunday street market includes Fruit/Veg sellers..

joeyduck

I went with the towel yesterday with two peaches and two nectarines and a hand full of plums. They made it pretty well.

I also want to try to keep away from the huge bulk containers, since I already take too much. But the shaped containers are nice looking.

I also can not pull off the weekly one time delivery. Or else I would need a whole pannier just for the fruit.


@mrogers I have tried this method for the days I want smoothies. I add some coconut and seeds when I get to work and pout it in my mug. The grit I pass off as insoluble fiber.

tarwheel 

You must eat a lot of fruit! I generally carry an apple and banana every day in my racktop bag or saddlebag. Apples aren't usually a problem but bananas get bruised if I am carrying too much hard-edged gear. If that's the case, I stick the banana in one of my jersey pockets. I haven't tried carry peaches, plums, etc., for the reasons you mentioned.

joeyduck

Yeah I tend to eat at least 5-6 pieces a day.

jrickards

I have been bringing soft fruit to work for the last couple of weeks in my panniers. I put them in a plastic bag and then on top of the plastic bag that contains my clothes so that my clothes will soften the movement/bumps. My 4 kiwi survived this morning (well, until break time that is).

joeyduck

mmm. kiwi, I have not had them in a while.

I am awaiting figs, plums and pear season. Possibly my favorite three.

There are two fig trees in someones yard on my commute I want to raid. They were not ready last week and I have not checked yet this week.

CrankyOne

I'll often do what wphamilton says, carry them in a bag hanging from my handlebars or ride one handed and carry the fruit in my other hand. If I'll be carrying a lot, like from the farmers market I'll put my stecco rack on and throw a small towel in it to cushion them.

wolfchild

When I buy fruits such as peaches, nectarines, bananas, apricots I choose the ones which are a little on a hard side and let them ripen and get soft at home, they are easier to transport when hard...I also buy frozen berries which are easy to carry.