I can purchase these from my local "health store", but I don't really know the background of them, if they are dipped in preservatives, etc. I have found websites that pick them fresh & overnight ship to you.

Prices vary; In a quick search the cheapest I have found is 15 lb. for around $85.00 shipped to the east coast. They are guaranteed to be organic & free of preservatives...

Anyone here ever purchase them this way? Recommendations for good sources? I really don't want to spend that kind of money & then end up receiving bad ones.

what reason would you be using the outer shell if i may ask as that would be the only part to be covered in any preservitive.

have you checked your local supermarket they have organic coconuts where i am. Ive been on a coconut binge recently.

powerlifer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> what reason would you be using the outer shell if
> i may ask as that would be the only part to be
> covered in any preservitive.
>
> have you checked your local supermarket they have
> organic coconuts where i am. Ive been on a coconut
> binge recently.

Well, no reason on using the outer shell, I guess. I have just been reading on forums here & there about the concern over them being dipped or heavily sprayed & the thought is that it may penetrate into the edible portion.

Yeah, they are very yummy, I am on a binge as well! Too bad you only get a small amount once it is cracked open. It does make for some fabulous smoothie recipes!

There is a place in FL that sells and ships and the coconuts themselves are really cheap but the shipping will get you.

[www.florida-coconuts.com]

Are the ones that you guys get "green" on the outside like they are shown at the FL website? The ones in my area are peeled down to the white "skin" (or whatever you call it...)

I just don't worry because that husk, even when down to the white inner one, is still very hard. I have to shave it and really work to open the darn thing. The problem with that offer is that you are paying in pounds and it would be very easy to get to 15 lb.! Don't you think the average yc is about 5 lbs.? Even at 3 lbs., you'd be paying $85 for 5 of them. That's $17 each! Maybe they weigh less than that...that sounds just wrong. But I pay between $1.49-1.99 a piece. Now they are not organic but still--look at the difference!

banana who Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just don't worry because that husk, even when
> down to the white inner one, is still very hard. I
> have to shave it and really work to open the darn
> thing. The problem with that offer is that you are
> paying in pounds and it would be very easy to get
> to 15 lb.! Don't you think the average yc is about
> 5 lbs.? Even at 3 lbs., you'd be paying $85 for 5
> of them. That's $17 each! Maybe they weigh less
> than that...that sounds just wrong. But I pay
> between $1.49-1.99 a piece. Now they are not
> organic but still--look at the difference!


Good points, banana who -

$17.00 ea. is waaaaaay toooooo much!!

The green ones from the site I linked to costs $34 to ship 12 of them to WV where I live. Not too bad. That comes out to $4.30ish each. I have never ordered from there and actually it has been many years since I have even had coconut but I plan to try to find some green ones locally soon now that I am starting this new lifestyle.

i know what you mean about only getting a small amount.

hmm smoothies never thought of using coconuts in them, any recipes?

cheers

powerlifer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i know what you mean about only getting a small
> amount.
>
> hmm smoothies never thought of using coconuts in
> them, any recipes?
>
> cheers


David Wolfe has some youtube vids where he makes some - or maybe he is a guest on someone else's show, I don't remember.

I have made (using the water & meat together)

Coconut
Banana
Mango
Ice


Coconut
Pineapple
Banana
Ice (Pina colada?!?!?)

and a fav. of mine -

Coconut
Cacao nibs
Ice - - - wow, that is just about the best dessert! kind of like a frozen chocolate milkshake!

maybe other members can add a few more recipes - I am having fun with them - it is making for a great refreshing drink/dessert for the upcoming hot days of summer!

And, what better way to get the non-raw members of my family to enjoy something that is actually healthy for them!

Sorry to say this, jk, but I just don't think it's cost-effective to have these shipped to you. If you walk into a store and buy them, they are still a horrendous waste of money--you pay for them by weight, but the usable matter is maybe 15%-20% of the cost of the thing. I thought about it and decided that I'm not paying for an 85% or 80% waste cost. Even if I were rich, I couldn't justify it. I think it was discussed on another thread a while back that if there were some way to recycle most of the coconut, like using the shells for dishes, a la coco, that would make buying ycs more cost-effective. But you can't even compost most of the parts without chopping them up with a machete(or a tree chipper).[sigh]

Tamukha Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry to say this, jk, but I just don't think it's
> cost-effective to have these shipped to you. If
> you walk into a store and buy them, they are still
> a horrendous waste of money--you pay for them by
> weight, but the usable matter is maybe 15%-20% of
> the cost of the thing. I thought about it and
> decided that I'm not paying for an 85% or 80%
> waste cost. Even if I were rich, I couldn't
> justify it. I think it was discussed on another
> thread a while back that if there were some way to
> recycle most of the coconut, like using the shells
> for dishes, a la coco, that would make buying ycs
> more cost-effective. But you can't even compost
> most of the parts without chopping them up with a
> machete(or a tree chipper).


I understand about the shipping being high for them & not cost effective, but I am not so sure about buying in the store. You do throw a large chunk of it away, unless you reclaim the bowl part to use as a, we;;, bowl, or other use.

However, as far as food goes = we are able to make up to six or more smoothies when mixed with other ingredients. That's a fairly good return when I pay something like $2.00 for them, I believe was the going price last time.

they recipes sound great im not very imaginative these days lol.

got the cacao nibs here also yum yum.

About the dipping... if you soak a coconut in coloured water, the inside of the coconut will apparently turn that colour. No matter how thick that skin is, guess you're eating/drinking that dip along with your coconut.

The shells of the immature coco are not useful, they are too soft unfortunately, only the hard brown ones will do. I'm still thinking about getting rid of all our dishes and using coco shells, I can't help myself!

coco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> About the dipping... if you soak a coconut in
> coloured water, the inside of the coconut will
> apparently turn that colour. No matter how thick
> that skin is, guess you're eating/drinking that
> dip along with your coconut.
>
> The shells of the immature coco are not useful,
> they are too soft unfortunately, only the hard
> brown ones will do. I'm still thinking about
> getting rid of all our dishes and using coco
> shells, I can't help myself!

I was waiting for you to weigh in on this one, coco! I remember some of your posts from the past, that you have experience with this!

Has anyone had the green ones? Are they different in taste? I find the white husked ones are more palatable that the brown ones - to me, anyway...

I learn all this stuff here my friend. It all comes around again and again too, good refresher course on what's what!
I think there are more than one variety but the green ones are shaved into the white hut shaped ones which are just babies of the hard brown ones as far as I know. If you unwrap a white shaved one you'll see it turning brown quickly, those wet fibers are equivalent to the dry brown stuff on a mature coco. An older coco has thick, chewy flesh and a dense, sweet flavour while a young one can have varying amounts of jelly flesh or no flesh at all, just water.

why throw the coco's away after .. widen the hole, fill with dirt stick in a plant , they make a great natural planter i have some filled with edibles and some with flowers, some outside have been there 3 years now an show no signs of deteriorating anytime soon

didnt any of you folks watch giligan's island growing up?

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2010 06:48AM by Jgunn.

Jodi,

I considered this. And then I thought of the jungle that my house and moonscape my lawn would become[3-4 coconuts a week adds up quickly and would necessitate outdoor overspill] and thought, um, perhaps not . . .

heh i hear ya i dont get them cheap enough up here to eat that many at 5$ a peice i find that a bit pricey

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

5 dollars per coconut ? if so wow thats expensive.

here there about 50 cents a coconut or 60p.

$5 for organic? Seems high but not surprisingly so.

I love the idea of planting in them but they are so little, what does well in such a tiny container? How do they stand upright? Do you make some holes in the bottom for dranage? You must...

yea they are pricey here ive seen them occaisionally less but not very often !

yep i drill a hole in the bottom and they seem to sit just fine, theyre in little catch trays for water draining thru. i have little chives growing in there, violets, one has a kinda varigated ivy cascading from it, i have bleeding heart starts in some

i seriously need to buck up an get a cheapo digi camera so i can show you guys some of my wacky outdoor things lol

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

@Juicer: LOL@ "wayyyyyyyy too much." Um, yeah, I would say so. Unless you make 500K or something, I guess.

Yes please pictures J!!!

$5 each sucks but at least you can get them. They don't even sell young coconuts where I live. Just the brown ones with no juice. Last time I bought one and cracked it open the meat inside was rotten. Never again.

Nubster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $5 each sucks but at least you can get them. They
> don't even sell young coconuts where I live. Just
> the brown ones with no juice. Last time I bought
> one and cracked it open the meat inside was
> rotten. Never again.


I have had that happen on several occasions, that is why I switched to the young ones.

If it's rotten when you open it take it back to the store! They most likely will honour it and give you a refund. Any produce that's rotten can be returned as far as I know. It's just that most people don't bother.

Ugh, nothing smells so bad as rotten coconut.

coco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it's rotten when you open it take it back to
> the store! They most likely will honour it and
> give you a refund. Any produce that's rotten can
> be returned as far as I know. It's just that most
> people don't bother.
>
> Ugh, nothing smells so bad as rotten coconut.

True, we can return the produce. Problem is, the store is about 20 mi. away & we only go there every other week or so. I can't imagine holding on to the rotten c-nut for that long & then returning it to the store!


Would make for an interesting exchange at the service desk though!


Just got back from the store - I inquired about the ones they have; they are non-organic thai coconuts. They are selling right now for $2.79 ea.

I am still leery about purchasing the non-organic ones, I guess I will have to opt for purchasing for one of the websites mentioned.

Wow...you must live way out...I had the experience of both my coconuts being spoiled (pink flesh means that it's no good). Even though I had to ride my bike there and it's not very close, I could not just chuck them at $2 a piece. I wanted them to know that their stock was old.

Nubster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $5 each sucks but at least you can get them. They
> don't even sell young coconuts where I live. Just
> the brown ones with no juice. Last time I bought
> one and cracked it open the meat inside was
> rotten. Never again.

they sell really old coconuts then, cause the brown ones will still have the "juice" in them if they arent really really really old... dont even buy one that doesnt sound like its at least halfway full of liquid...