Meet the Misfits – Ugly Food
Let’s talk ugly food. I’m talking misshapen vegetables, split tomatoes, not so red red peppers, and crooked cucumbers!
According to a recent report, 58% of all food produced in Canada — 35.5 million tonnes — is wasted. About a third of that is avoidable. There are a number of reasons, but the desire for “Barbie-doll” looking food amongst consumers ranks high.
Less aesthetic fruits and vegetables are often overlooked, never making it to the shelf and rejected by consumers despite being just as delicious and nutritious as ‘the other guys’. It’s just pure prejudice!
In fact, one study shows that apples with scabs on them has more healthy, antioxidant phenolic compounds, called phenylpropanoids, than a scab-free apples.
How Fruits and Veggies End Up "Ugly"
- Bent carrots: Sometimes the carrot hits clay or a rock and grows in another direction to avoid it. If you see a forked carrot, it probably hit a little rock right near the middle of its original root!
- Misshapen apples: An apple flower has pistils (the female part of the flower). If one of the pistils isn’t fertilized, the ovary (where the apple seed is) never forms and that side of the apple will appear indented.
- Discoloured red peppers: Red peppers are actually green peppers that have ripened. If they are picked before fully ripe, the pepper may not be entirely red, leaving green and sometimes even purple-brown blotches.
Because of consumers’ demands farmers are forced to chuck less than ideal looking fruits and vegetables. But that is changing. In the last few years, we have seen the rise of the “Ugly Food Movement.” It has particularly taken old in parts of Europe. Unfortunately, here in Canada we are slow to catch on.
Ways to Help
- Check with your local farmer and ask them to bring their ugly fruits and veggies to the market or include it in your CSA. Sometimes farmers will give you a discount. By buying from farmers directly, you are reducing waste and helping their financial security.
- See if your city has an “ugly good box”. Many municipalities now have groups working to reduce food waste. Similar to a CSA, some deliver weekly boxes. Currently there are none in Ottawa, but Foodsharing Ottawa does collect food that can’t be sold from stores around the city and distributes.
- Join a local food-gleaning group. Groups like Hidden Harvest (Ottawa) rescue fruit and nuts from local trees that would otherwise go to waste. Sometimes these are less than ideal-looking.
- Your regular grocery store. Some grocery stores have a discount shelf for not so perfect looking foods. Recently Loblaw Companies Ltd. announced a new campaign called “No Name Naturally Imperfect” where misshapen apples and potatoes are sold at a 30% discount at certain locations.
The main thing is not to shy away from the misfit fruit and veggies. As consumers, we can fight food waste by reassessing our beauty standards. Remember, it’s the taste that counts – go for the uglies!
