Imperfect foods : My experience with perfectly imperfect produce

Slightly crooked carrots, misshapen cucumbers, oddly shaped green peppers, a bruised onion all come under the category of imperfect produce. Foods that would have been thrown away if it hadn’t been for groups  of people who believe in reducing food waste by rescuing these perfectly edible foods and delivering them to homes. I have always been intrigued by the mission of Hungry Harvest, Ugly Fruit and Imperfect Produce whose goal is to eliminate food waste and build a better food system for all. I am a strong proponent of “ Don’t Judge a book by it’s cover” and that applies to produce as well. Growing up in India, I remember climbing mango trees in my grandmother’s backyard and picking the fruit that had been gnawed by squirrels coz those furry friends know the right fruit to pick. Yep, that fruit which would have been discarded by fruit inspectors was the sweetest. OK I am not saying buy half eaten fruit, but do not write off a misshapen peach or twisted pepper until you have tried it.  A lot of the produce is organic and even if the shape or appearance throws you off; just cut it , taste it, and then evaluate. The price discount can be a game changer when you realize you can get quality organic produce and meats for a decent price, especially considering it tastes the same and provides the same nutrients. In a lot of cases the nutritive value is greater considering that the produce is from local farms and has not been on big trucks for days from California or Mexico. Travel time, long storage diminishes the nutritive value. Imperfect foods are as close to farmer’s market produce as you can get. If you have ever gone apple or berry picking you know the fresh taste you get off the tree/bush is different from grocery store produce and that is what you get from imperfect produce.

Imperfect foods are deemed imperfect for the following reason :

1. Cosmetic – Mishappen veggies and fruits, a bruise on a fruit, some specks on a banana etc. Cosmetically they may not look perfect.
2. Off Spec – There are strict specifications when it comes to harvesting and packaging and if something if off, the inspection team will not take it and the farmer is left with perfectly good products. I cooked some imperfect shrimp into a shrimp fried rice, and it tasted delicious. I paid about $ 3.99 for 1 lb. of organic tiger shrimp.
3. Surplus – Due to the fact that farmers can never accurately predict  how much they may produce, they are left with surplus and when imperfect foods buys them at a cheap price and passes it on to you that’s great teamwork. I have cooked some tender, tasty surplus steak and salmon for my family, and they loved it. All the meats are IQF ( Individually Quick frozen) for the most part which keep them fresh and make for good portion control
4. Expiry Date : Grocery stores can only sell items that have an expiration date of few months. Imperfect foods take these foods and packages them for folks who will use them soon. I have purchased perfectly edible packages of nuts which tasted very fresh and of course we finished it within the week. All expiry dates are on the foods, so you know exactly what you are getting into when you purchase.
5. Undervalued – This fall into a category where perfectly good food goes to waste because it is not in demand or popular. A good example of this is broccoli stems and beet leaves which everyone knows are highly nutritious. You can buy these for a fraction of the cost and use them creatively in dishes, soups etc.
6. Packaging Change : Food brands that get a new packaging become unsellable although the stuff inside is the same. Well, if you don’t mind that Atlantic foods salmon you get is in the old packaging Imperfect Foods will sell it to you for less.

When CoVd19 quarantine started I liked the idea of getting fresh produce delivered to my door so I put myself on the waitlist and lo and behold I got in within a week. I have been receiving imperfect foods for about 3 months now and I have not been disappointed. I started with produce and when I saw the variety of meats, milks, and natural snacks, I added those as well. In my experience the quality of fruits, veggies and meats have been good and in some cases spectacular.

Some of our favorites include the sweet and tangy grapefruit, the sharp, firm jalapenos with a definite kick, the firm but sweetly ripe avocados, sweet beets that taste sweeter with roasting,  the very fresh tasting salmon, the imperfectly shaped shrimp and the firm and fleshy Cornish hens. I also like the quality of the natural almond cashew milk and the spiced jalapeno, cheese sausage. All the meats and cheeses come in a freezer bag with a reusable cold pack so even if it is sitting us for a few hours your imperfect foods are still safe. Now I have so many freezer bags and cold packs I have been using the freezer bags to grow veggies and I send folks who come home with a freezer bag, ice pack and leftovers. They allow you to customize your box and this is something I highly recommend if you want to try this system. Otherwise you will end up with produce you may not end up using. You have the flexibility to cancel a week or more if you need and I have only cancelled once. Mondays are my delivery day and I will admit feeling a sense of anticipation when I open the box. Below is a short video of my first box way back in April.

 I still go grocery shopping as in I have not moved to completely getting all my food essentials from imperfect foods. I spend an average of $40-$50/week and get a variety of produce, pantry items and meats in a box. Just to clarify, I have not been paid by Imperfect foods for this review. I just love imperfect foods, what it stands for and want others to share these great bargains that I receive. From Farm to your doorstep, imperfect foods are trendy, nutritious, and good for the ecosystem, never mind your wallet.

On a personal note …. Well if you want to read my personal note go here! Otherwise just read this post and fly on by. Thanks for stopping by! Stay safe  xo

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