I decided to clean up my diet by eating more fruits and vegetables because I wanted to feel more energetic and more clear-headed and really feel like I could power my way through my day. And, I figured, it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra room in my clothes.
I had always been an ominivore. And, I'd always tried to incorporate colors into my meals. I mean, why not make every day meals, beautiful, right?
So, when I kicked off my fruit and vegetable mission, I shopped for produce at the supermarket as I had always done. Over a short time though, I noticed that the store over-watered the fresh greens (such as kale, swiss chard) rendering them soggy. The tomatoes were tasteless. Some melons, pineapples, grapes and other fruits were moldy or way over-ripe. I kept asking my self "why is supermarket produce so disappointing?"
If the function of the supermarket is to sell us food, why are they consistently selling us food that is of poor quality?
Why is "Fresh" Supermarket Produce Disappointing?
At least stores make an effort to sell some local produce. That's more than I can say for the national chain supermarkets. Their selections are noticeably smaller and more conventional: four varieties of apples, two varieties of oranges, et cetera down the line. The quality is still marginal. And the flavors seem muted.
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When I reasearched it, I learned that most supermarket produce is grown in season in various locations around the globe and picked before it has had a chance to ripen (and develop flavor) on the vine. Then, it's loaded into refrigerated trucks and railroad cars, shipped, sometimes thousands of miles, to centralized climate-controlled distribution warehouses where artificial methods1 are used to prevent them from ripening, sometimes for long periods. Later, when the fruits and vegetables are ready to be sold, chemicals are used to artificially ripen them.
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) makes recommendations for how long fruits and vegetables can be stored. Apples may be stored for 1-6 months before they make it to the shelves. Carrots may be stored for 9 months. You get the picture.
Grocery Produce is Not Bred for Nutrients or Flavor
As I noted above, fruits and vegetables that are picked before they ripen on the vine, forego the chemical reactions that develop and express their unique and mature flavors. A tomato picked when green can be made to ripen and turn red, but it will still lack flavor and it's nutrients may decrease over extended time in cold storage. It will however, resist insects, travel over long distances without bruising and look perfect on the shelf. All industrial produce has shifted over the years to be bred for productivity and efficiency, not for nutrients or flavor. That is one of the major reasons that supermarket produce is so disappointing to eat.
Alternatives to Supermarket "Fresh"
- Canned produce. Some sources claim that canned fruits and vegetables are comparable in nutrients to fresh. In cases where fresh vegetables are stored in a home refrigerator for longer than 5 days, during which time nutrients can be lost, canned produce may fare better.
However, processing fresh produce into fresh-cut products increases the risk of bacterial growth and contamination by breaking the natural exterior barrier of the produce. The processing and subsequent canning also changes their texture, which means you can't enjoy or use them in the same way you would use raw and fresh. - Frozen produce. Frozen vegetables are picked, washed, blanched (to halt various enzymatic actions) and then and cut before freezing. They are a nutritient-dense option for vegetables you plan to cook. This is because freezing also changes the delicate textures of vegetables, adding moisture. That said, they are better when they're cooked with a dry method like stir-frying or sauteeing. They can get a little mushy when they're boiled, microwaved or steamed.
Frozen fruits are also flash frozen when fresh to preserve nutrients. Their textures are also changed, however. The new textures are still great for smoothies, baked desserts and other cooked preparations. Frozen offers another good option to supermarket produce, but is doesn't provide the same flavor, experience and enjoyment as raw and fresh.
And Then, There's the Farmers Market
- Your local Farmer's Market. Years ago, after too many negative experiences with supermarket produce, I started searching for other local markets and I came across the Farmer's Markets. At the time, I had never been to one so I didn't know what they were all about.
What I found was a local park that had been transformed into a market dotted with white-tented "stands" that housed 50+ farmers and vendors selling the fruits and vegetables they grew, products they made, or dishes they cooked. The tents were laid out along the perimeter of the park, and in the middle, people were sitting, picnicking, or just talking with coffee or nibbling on an item just purchased. It was a meeting place of like-minded people and had great bustling energy. It was fun to be there.
The Freshest Produce is at the local Farmer's Market
The Farmer's Market offers so many fruits and vegetables. There are some I look forward to and many I've never seen before - all at peak freshness. A farmers market is definitely different than a supermarket. And, itt takes some effort and time to learn how to navigate it. The Farmers Market is less not a model of efficiency like the supermarket. It's more of an opportunity to learn from the farmers and artisans who grow the fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs.
In a study by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Americans spend the least time eating than most other countries. And, ironically, we suffer the highest rates of non-communicable (chronic) diseases. Maybe if we slowed down and focused less on efficiency and more on quality and community, we could change that.
And, then, maybe supermarket produce would not be so disappointing.
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