Ugly Produce of Vegetables Can Make the Environment Prettier!
- Shabrina Yasmin
- Apr 5
- 2 min read
Have you ever faced beauty standards that have been going on in society? It does bring lots of disadvantages right? Imagine, we have to fulfill certain looks to be called pretty and beautiful or even not being able to access some of the opportunities based on how we look just because it didn’t fit into the beauty standards. But, do you know that not only humans are facing this issue, vegetables and fruit are also facing the same problem!
This phenomenon is called “Ugly Produce of Vegetables and Fruit” which refers to fruit and vegetables that have less perfect appearance. They label it as an “Ugly” production because it does not meet the standards of the supermarket requirements, they also often get rejected. For example, those fruits and vegetables are misshapen or bruised such as crooked carrots, lumpy potatoes, and berries discoloration. Well, this criteria can also be subjective based on their appearance that doesn't look like their regular produce even though they are perfectly good to consume.
In a bigger picture, it might be a light issue when those products are being rejected due to their appearance. But little do you know that it brings a huge impact on the environment. Based on the data stated by the American Marketing Association, Farmers are throwing up to 30% of their produce due to the look of their produce because it is not aesthetically pleasing enough to get pick and sell. On the other hand, the groceries could throw away up to $15.4 billion of edible fruit and veggies per year. Can you imagine how much food waste that produces just because judging on how the produce looks?
To overcome this situation, we need to understand that ugly produce is just as nutritious and delicious as the good produce. Supermarkets and groceries usually offer them with cheaper prices. Along with that, choosing imperfect produce helps cut down on food waste, which helps the environment.
We need to start to embrace the imperfections! You can start finding those products at your local groceries shopping or even bigger supermarkets. Don’t forget to be creative with your “ugly” fruits of veggies. For example misshapen fruits can be great for smoothies, jams, or sauces, while slightly bruised vegetables can be added to your soup!
By not judging the appearance of our local produce, we can help reduce food waste, support farmers, and make a positive impact on the environment—one imperfect fruit or veggie at a time!
Sources: