Green Your Shopping Trip -- Produce
From the thrift store to the produce stand, our shopping tips will help you keep your green.
Tip #2: Buy Ugly Fruit
Organic farmers will tell you that variation in the size and shape of produce is natural, but this isn't the impression you'd get from the average supermarket, where the fruits and vegetables appear eerily perfect. These Stepford tomatoes are a result of strict regulations which ban aesthetically-challenged specimens. Rejected fruits are made into juice, used to feed livestock, or simply left in the field. In June, the European Union announced plans to relax aesthetic restrictions on fruit and vegetables and the British supermarket chain Waitrose began selling ugly fruit at a reduced price in 2006. While most supermarkets still favor the beautiful, farmers' markets and food co-ops offer a wider variety of shapes. If you've never seen an imperfect carrot, let your local grocer know that you're open to ugly.
Are you concerned about food waste? Join your local food gleaning organization and help harvest misshapen produce for food bank donation.
I love it! I grew up on a farm and we always had a big garden. No, the vegetables are NOT normally uniform. But the funny-shaped tomatoes and potatoes taste the same as the perfect ones. And what a topic of conversation while gathering the crop!
Posted by: Brenda | September 16, 2008 at 11:19 AM
When tomatoes from my garden have cracked or gotten a bug inside, I trim the affected part, and if I am not making a salad right away, I make delicious sauce! Just an hour in the oven at 350 - 400 (preferably when the oven is on for something else) with a bit of garlic, olive oil, and onions. Then run it all through a food mill and refrigerate or freeze. If it's too watery, I let it simmer on the stove to reduce. Don't waste the ugly ones!
Posted by: Laurie | September 16, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Ha, for the whole article, I kept thinking "ugli" fruit...and I was thinking, that's not local! UGLY!!
Anyway, so the other link about local food gleaning tells us how-to, but does anyone know how to find our actual local groups that already exist? I'm going to start with my local food bank I guess.
Posted by: Sara, Norfolk, VA | September 16, 2008 at 05:13 PM
"Eerily perfect." Oh dear. Of course, the article is absolutely right. We, and I, are conditioned by years and years of looking for flawless, polished (with what?), perfect vegetables. Your piece, however, amps up my motivation to make more room in my heart and purchasing and eating for the ugly guys....Thanks.
Posted by: Sarah Jennings | September 16, 2008 at 08:59 PM
A group of us are doing a Climate Change Cafe -- based on a book by David Gershon called "Low Carbon Diet, a 30 day program to lose 5,000 lbs." We pledge to reduce our carbon emissions - each of us according to our ability, and together hope to lose 5,000 lbs. The book gives carbon savings for various changes. It is fun, and spreads the word. After we do it, we will each form another group.
Posted by: Joan Herold | February 28, 2009 at 03:57 PM
Ugly fruit is always the best - I'm planting a whole load of ugly squash this summer. Can't wait!
Posted by: special offer | March 08, 2009 at 12:03 PM
It looks interesting however I don’t have a right Comment on this topic at this point of time.
Posted by: hypotheek berekening | March 18, 2009 at 12:39 AM