Choosing vegetables

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
I sent my son into town to get some carrots today. When I inspected them - i called him down for a lesson in picking carrots. When I asked him how he had chosen them - he had just picked up a handful. I then showed him the difference between the really nice hard crunchy carrot and the soft, floppy carrot that was going a little black.

Hopefully next time he will pick all good carrots.
 

chowhound

New member
The carrots around here are typically packaged and I have run into both cut mini-carrots and also whole carrots that weren't any good. I've taken to ripping into the bag to see if I like them.
 

homecook

New member
The carrots around here are typically packaged and I have run into both cut mini-carrots and also whole carrots that weren't any good. I've taken to ripping into the bag to see if I like them.

OMG!! Fred, that's exactly what I do do if I buy them in the bag. hahaha

I usually try to get them from the farmer's market or I pick them from my own garden. They're usually not ready until the end of Sept. though.
 

homecook

New member
What a shame that the grocer would even sell produce of such poor quality.

That is the sad part. There are times I have to ask the produce manager if he's got anything better in the back that he hasn't put out yet. Some of the things they do have out are disgusting! The problem by me is we have one main grocery store.
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
I understand why a grocer would put out less than stellar produce, but it's a practice that leads to bad news. While he may make that one sale of questionably fresh produce, chances are very good that person will never ever return. So, he got one sale, but lost potential sales.
 

homecook

New member
That's exactly why I don't buy produce there any longer. I either go to the farmer's markets, grow my own or go to the WestSide Market which is a jaunt to get to. We also have a family run grocery where most of their produce is locally grown. I've never seen anything bad from them. They're constantly going over their stock.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
I have seen the same thing here. We had a Foodtown that always had great meat and produce. They closed and sold the store to a regional grocer. He revamped the store and opened back up. He caters to what he sees as regional wants / needs. I see things in the produce section that I cannot pronounce, nor do I have any idea what to do with. I took this as a challenge at first. Now I find it necessary to bypass most of the produce as it is not that good.

The meat case is another story in strange. I see whole tails, 1 foot square blocks of tripe, legs from about mid leg down, including hooves in the meat case.

It has become a case of going a few miles further and getting good produce and seing familiar things.

I once bought celery there and had to throw it all out. The tomatoes are just foo green, etc.
 

chowhound

New member
Most of the problems I've had have been with the family owned grocery store in town here. If time allows I'd much rather drive into Giant Eagle or even wally world. I don't think it's as much a question of putting out poor produce (and other food stuffs), but of low turnover.
 

homecook

New member
Most of the problems I've had have been with the family owned grocery store in town here. If time allows I'd much rather drive into Giant Eagle or even wally world. I don't think it's as much a question of putting out poor produce (and other food stuffs), but of low turnover.

That's funny, and I don't mean haha......Giant Eagle is the store I won't buy my produce from.
 
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