It was another magnificent week in the reclaimed food department. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I was unloading all the fruits and veggies from the boxes.
I’m not sure what’s harder to believe, all this food was going to be thrown away, or that we as consumers have become so picky that grocery stores automatically toss fruits and vegetables when they have even the slightest blemish on them.
This week instead of me telling you what I think was wrong with the vegetables, I would like you to tell me what you see. Would you have bought this produce at it’s regular sale price, at a discount, or would you have passed on it all together?
It’s hard to imagine that all of this food was going to be tossed. It all looks perfectly fine to me {well, except that one brown spot on the cauliflower}.
Food waste in America, it’s just plain crazy if you ask me.
~Mavis
Would you like to see what else we have brought home over the past year?
Head on over HERE to read all the past stories and to see all the pictures.
If you have just stumbled upon this series and are wondering how I got all this food for free, you’ll want to read this story first.
Got scraps? Check out the ebook From Garbage to Gourmet: Prevent Food Waste and Create Delicious Food out of Things You Normally Throw Away
Ellen says
Maaaybe Mr Produce Guy has a crush on you, or thinks you “need help”?
Carley says
Your reclaimed produce looks a lot better than the produce available for sale at my grocery store! The bananas would probably be on sale (.33/lb instead of .56) everything else looks like what we buy.
chefbna says
Tha tlooks way better than any produce for sale at regular price in my hometown, except maybe the bananas. Nothing here gets reduced until it’s nearly rotten, and they don’t give anything away. EVER
Kathy says
This batch of reclaimed produce looks better then some of the produce at one of my local stores I saw this morning. Except for that little brown spot on the cauliflower, it all looks great.
Lisa says
I agree that it all looks fine, except the brown spot on the califlower, but just cut that little spot off and it’s all good. I read that half of the food that is grown in the world is eventually thrown away, instead of consumed. It’s not just in the US, but in countries all over the world. Something needs to change.
Jean says
I agree, Mavis, your produce guy is probably infatuated with you!
I walked past the huge garbage can where the produce guy at Whole Foods was tossing all the culled items at the end of the day. I wonder what Whole Foods does with their stuff? I’m sure they have a corporate policy. Earth Fare, the Southeast little-guy challenger to Whole Foods, used to put the produce culls out for sale at a discount, but decided they couldn’t afford to do that while customers walked past the full-price displays. All of us need to find out where that food goes to.
Christina L. says
Well, for starters there’s a dog on that bell pepper. 😉
Julie's Rants says
Ha ha ha!
Mary Ann says
Hilarious! Thanks for the laugh!
Heather S. says
I think that the produce is definitely edible. I would not buy it for full price, but would buy it at a discounted price or if it were produce that I had at home and it turned that way, I would still eat it. I just learned a new recipe for frozen bananas… Just drop two frozen bananas in the blender with 1/4 almond milk and some walnuts – super yummy!! and really good for you 🙂
Marcy says
Like some others have mentioned all that looks like the full price versions in our stores here in Anchorage with the exception of COSTCO, they have the best produce in town here.
Julie's Rants says
I noticed the fennel. I just posted about fennel this morning costing $2.98 per bulb here. I love eating fennel with butternut squash.
Penelope says
The bananas would be half price here. The rest looks pretty normal, except the lettuce. I wouldn’t pay full price for that lettuce because we pay per head for iceberg rather than per pound and I want a full head if I’m paying so much for it.
We may have discounted bananas occasionally, but no other produce is discounted.
Tera says
We only have one grocery store in our town that discounts produce. The bananas and cauliflower would be about 1/2 price and maybe that broccoli. Otherwise everything looks like full price stuff to me 🙂 Nice haul!!!
Julie says
Hey Mavis, don’t forget to do the TRY ME FREE thing at Safeway again…I think today is the last day to do it??
Nancy D says
Hey! The produce man definitely has a crush on you. He slipped in a puppy!!!
Sandi says
I would definitely buy all of that. There are so many ways to use that stuff. Make broccoli cheddar soup with that broccoli right away, and banana bread out of those bananas. One brown spot on the cauliflower, are you kidding me. That is nothing!
Michele says
Does Lucy the Puggle Dog like veggies??? My doggies love them, especially when they come from the garden. I had to put up a small fence to keep them from swiping dinner 🙂
Mavis says
She does! Yesterday she was chewing on a giant carrot. I think she might be swiping my veggies as well once they start growing. 🙂
Lori N says
Hey Mavis,
Quick reminder that some human food is toxic to dogs. Grapes for example can damage their kidneys. That was the one that surprised me . You probably already know to keep onions & chocolate away from Lucy. You can do a google search for the complete list. She’s such a cutie! 🙂
Mavis says
Thanks! 🙂 I will check it out.
Jennifer says
It happened!! My corner market has given me the ok to pick up their produce. So excited!!!!! They set it out in the back and its first come first get…..I am so understanding the taking care of it right away and hope to see a dehydrator in my future.
Mavis says
Wahoooooooo! Way to go Jennifer.
Lissa says
This week was an ok one – wishing for a big strawberry haul again! I’ve become so spoiled, it’s nearly impossible to convince myself to buy produce anymore.
3 bunches white radishes
3 bunches skinny red radishes
2 leeks
1 apple
small head romaine
Mavis says
Ha! I totally know what you mean. 🙂
Patti says
Hi,
Hope everyone is having a great week. I ask about chicken scraps at my local store
they said their stuff never gets old because a church picks it up every morning. Not only do they donante fruits and veggies they also donate meat and main dishes. I think that is so
wonderful.
Patti
Mavis says
Wow! I love hearing that./ It’s nice to know stores out there are doing the right things and making sure the food goes to people who can use it. Thanks for sharing Patti.
Hanna says
Wow! This is insane.
I have to ask, though: does your family ever get sick from the produce or anything that you can/preserve? I’m a little paranoid about food poisoning at the moment.