Have you ever bitten into a fresh, juicy peach straight from the farmer’s market and found a wiggling worm staring back at you?
Or how about picking up your CSA batch to find a creepy caterpillar in your kale?
Well, here's the thing: If you want picture-perfect produce, you're suffering from delusional fantasies. Making the switch to local fruits and veggies means you're going to see what "healthy" actually looks like—and it ain't always pretty.
The Ugly Truth of Beauty
Are you used to seeing fire-engine red tomatoes in the supermarket? Mass-producing fruit farmers inject all kinds of chemical crap into your goods for that uniform redness you see in the grocery store. Produce is often treated or coated to give the appearance of freshness to the average shopper. Yet this color enhancing often doesn’t improve taste, misleading you to figure out when something’s actually ripe. And we probably don't have to remind you that this produce is often loaded with pesticides, do we? Didn't think so.
Real Fruits Have Flaws
The truth is, straight-from-the-ground foods usually look "flawed" in some way. Tomatoes may have cream-colored lines, and that bell pepper may have a few scratches from transportation. On occasion, you may even find a small bug or worm in your CSA or farmer’s market haul. Don’t fret, bitches. Consider it a reminder of your cruelty-free lifestyle, take it as proof of truly organic produce and then chill the hell out. Just wash veggies before use, and cut open fresh fruit before biting in. Produce at farmer’s markets are harvested often, so they pack in nutrients and taste better. Plus, you get these treats au natural—without the wax or gross coatings.
But don’t forgive every flaw just because something is local. Chill on the produce that's overly soft, moldy or reeks of pungent smells. Most likely, farmer Joe didn’t catch the rank fruit and will be grateful if you point it out.
Finding a Winner
You hear it all the time, but buying in-season produce is key to getting what's ripe and delicious. If you’re shopping farmer's markets, this should be no problem. But trying to pick a phenomenal peach in February? Dream on, sister. Enjoy those leafy green lettuce and arugula varieties in the late spring (or early fall), and those tomatoes later in the summer. Don't know what's in season? Check out this super-handy guide. Learn it. Live it.
Feel ‘Em Up
Most fruit can be selected based on touch—pick it up and manhandle it like you mean it. When picking veggies, remember that they should be firm and "snapping" (not bending), like a green bean or snap pea. Checking out local peaches? Find the plump and firm ones with a slight cushion. Watermelons are better with a cream-colored underside and symmetrical shape. Apples should be crisp and firm. Red grapes should be dark in color and have healthy, fresh stalks.
Bottom Line
So stop stressing over having perfect lemons in your fruit bowl, and get familiar with what produce should look like when it's healthy. Going local is a great way to get produce at its peak. The stuff in most supermarkets is imported from across the country (or across borders), and it loses nutritional value en route. Plus, supermarkets specifically choose plant varieties that ship well over taste.
Supporting your local farms helps your economy, ensures healthy options and gets you face time with hot hippy boys. What could be better?
Do you avoid produce if it's not pretty? Sound off in the comments section below!
Julie Hancher, Guest Blogger
Julie Hancher supports local produce (flaws and all) and sustainable products to leave a tiny carbon footprint. Based in Philadelphia, she wants everyone to enjoy CSA produce and make eco-friendly decisions as a sustainable speaker and consultant. When she isn’t biking or playing a mean kickball game, she talks about the benefits of going local in Green Philly Blog, Facebook & Twitter.
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