How to repurpose ugly fruits and vegetables?

Every year, millions of tons of perfectly edible food are wasted in Canada . At every stage of the food chain, from producer to distributor, many fruits and vegetables end up in the trash.

Battered, damaged, surplus... they're simply downgraded before they even reach your grocery store shelves. If you've heard about repurposing ugly fruits and vegetables, that's a good start. But how far are we willing to go to reduce waste?

What is a downgraded fruit or vegetable?

We're not talking about ugly products in the food industry, but rather about downgraded products. This could be a general lack of conformity in terms of food and/or health quality, or a defect based on aesthetic quality. It doesn't meet current standards and specifications; it's not selected.

There are several types of downgrading. From a practical perspective, the issues can be diverse. We're talking here about reduced storage space, fluctuating demand, or even a surplus harvest.

Visually, it may have marks on the skin, brown spots or an irregular shape, but also, a size that is too large or too small, a curved, crooked or twisted shape. It may also be considered to be in an advanced state of maturity and therefore unsaleable. Yet we all know that an apple is delicious in compote when it is full of sugar!

Why buy ugly fruits and vegetables?

By normalizing the consumption of perfect produce, we have completely lost sight of the taste and nutritional quality that these products provide even if they contain a defect. Yet the benefits of consuming downgraded vegetables and fruits are numerous.

Reduce grocery costs

It's a cost-effective option that allows you to access conventional and even organic produce that would otherwise be thrown away at an affordable price. The zero-waste basket is up to 30% cheaper than grocery stores.

Eat healthy

Contrary to popular belief, when you choose to avoid waste, you're also choosing quality. These are the same products you'd find in your local grocery store, with one difference: they're saved from landfill. Beyond the educational aspect, it's also a way to eat a varied and balanced diet.

Combating food waste

When you decide to consume differently, you commit to reducing your ecological footprint. Supporting this type of initiative ensures that the emissions generated upstream of the rescue are not wasted, and prevents these goods from being sent to landfill downstream, a process that generates methane, a GHG at least 25 times more potent than CO2.

Where can I find the anti-waste basket?

Fortunately, solutions exist, and some companies have decided to tackle the issue to give a second life to these fruits and vegetables that are all too often unloved! Among them, we are!

Reducing food waste and insecurity in Quebec while promoting access to fresh fruits and vegetables at a lower cost is the mission that our NPO has set for itself.

Every week, we rescue several hundred kilos of fresh fruits and vegetables from Quebec producers and distributors. We recycle these products through several channels, including Le panier anti-gaspi, available for home delivery and pick-up points in Greater Montreal. Available as a subscription, it's a quick and easy way to shop for groceries.

Additionally, when you support our initiative, you are also fighting food insecurity because for every basket purchased, we donate the equivalent to community organizations working against hunger.

What if we changed mindsets together? Join the gang and become a hero of the circular economy!

Photo credit: L'Épicerie by Radio-Canada