Box: Imperfect Produce (this link gives you $10 and me $10 when you sign up)!
Contents: Perfect and fresh but allegedly ugly looking produce that the experts select so you can save money and not leave your home.
1 in 5 fruits and veggies grown in the U.S. don’t meet cosmetic standards and go to waste! Imperfect Produce changes this and you get the savings and the freshness!
This is awesome considering that I pay good money for pretty produce that goes bad quickly before Imperfect Produce came into my life.
Frequency: Once a week or every other week, a box(es) will be delivered as per your instructions during a specific time frame on a certain day of the week. You are able to customize your box within a few days window prior to your delivery. You are also able to skip up to three weeks (or email for longer than three weeks to be accommodated).
Spoilers/Customization yes please! We know I don’t like surprises for there most part!
Cost: Imperfect Produce has Four selections with different sizes. These prices may be different in your area.
Also just know that box will generate a box/size value and you can raise/lower the final price via customization (you can also add on Organic produce without selecting the Organic boxes).
(1) Organic (Box Price Range is from 7 pounds at $15 to 25 pounds at $43)
Organic Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large
(2) Mixed Fruit and Veggie (Box Price Range is from 7 pounds at $11 to 25 pounds at $27)
Mixed Fruit and Veggie Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large
(3) All Fruit (Box Price Range is from 7 pounds at $11 to 13 pounds at $16)
All Fruit Sizes: Small and Medium
(4) All Veggie (Box Price Range is from 7 pounds at $11 to 13 pounds at $16)
All Veggie Sizes: Small and Medium
Note: You may eligible for a reduced cost box if you qualify for SNAP/EBT/Food Stamps. You will need to apply and fill out a questionnaire upon signing up.
Shipping: There is a $2.99 to $4.99 flat ship rate irregardless of how many boxes are ordered for a chosen week. Imperfect Produce in continually updating its location areas but as of this post it serves the entire Bay Area in California; Los Angeles, CA; Orange County, CA; Portland, OR Metro Area; Seattle, WA Metro Area (includes Tacoma); and Chicago, IL Metro Area. NEW LOCATION LATE APRIL: Indianapolis, IN 🙂
Note: My area customization began at Monday 3PM and closed Tuesday at 11:59PM with a Thursday delivery. Another friend who lives near me has a different schedule and her delivery date is Monday.
As a general note, all of my customize boxes end up between $20-$25 (because budget). This week a ton of organic produce was at/around $1 per unit so I snapped more of the organic for a few cents more than conventional. I also look out for “surplus” items to get more bang for my clam.
A good note for FOMOs like me: The conventional grape tomatoes were in my curated box. I knocked them off but then changed my mind. They were “sold out”!!! I closed the window (not finalizing my customization) and reopened a new window and fortunately the grape tomatoes were there. They were around $1.50 if I recall correctly. Now that I have my order I am happy I did get them because they are small and sweet!
So here is my order for this week:
| Product | IL Grocery Tax (1%) | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed Fruit & Veggie Box | 1% | 1 |
| Conventional Baby Avocados (3 ct) | 1% | 2 |
| Conventional Broccoli Crowns (1ct) | 1% | 2 |
| Conventional Cara Cara Oranges (1ct) | 1% | 1 |
| Conventional Grape Tomatoes (1 ct) | 1% | 1 |
| Conventional Kiwis (4 ct) | 1% | 2 |
| Conventional Napa Cabbage (1ct) | 1% | 1 |
| Organic Carrots (lb) | 1% | 2 |
| Organic Ginger (.25 lb) | 1% | 1 |
| Organic Lemons (2 ct) | 1% | 1 |
| Organic Pears (2 ct) | 1% | 2 |
| Organic Turnips (lb) | 1% | 1 |
| Organic White Onions (lb) | 1% | 1 |
| Recipe Card: Brown Rice Horchata | 1 |
Here are some picts of how I used last week’s Imperfect Order:
Hello frozen mini-popsicles in grape form! Frozen grapes are my new jam and I got most of my squeakers on board. Good thing because their popsicle kick using subscription box popsicle molds was being very messy!
Blood Red Orange yes please 🙂
Mmmmmm… baby avocado with TJ seasoning!
Here is a four ingredient recipe using Imperfect Produce’s Fennel in a one pot dish (Recipe Credit: A Cousin):
I fried up half a bacon and then set aside the cooked bacon in a huge bowl and pressed lightly with a paper towel to soak up the bacon grease. Feel free to use the whole bacon slab.
Cut up the fennel and cook the white stuff first in the bacon grease and when that it almost cooked add the greenery. Then put in bowl with the bacon.
Put 2 quarts of water in the pot, bring to boil, add pasta and cook to al dente. Drain. Put in the huge bowl (maybe with a bit of pasta water).
Add around half of this container to the huge bowl. Toss. Enjoy.
I digress,
let’s go back to this week’s delivery!
Anyways, here is my box!
VERDICT:
I HEART Imperfect Produce. The only other place where I can get Cara Cara Oranges are from Trader Joes and the one I just ordered was HUGE!!! Like grapefruit size. And it was marvelous!
The Squeakers love the carrots so much Imperfect is the only carrots that they eat with the skin on. And play carrot swords duals against each other.
Pipsqueak had requested the broccoli. Even though Sqeakette helped herself to one, Pipsqueak indulged in the other one since it was dark outside (don’t ask she only eats raw broccoli when its dark outside).
I lucked out this week because a ton of organic produce was lowered in price the mass majority under $1.50 per unit.
I love Imperfect Produce because I am making less last waste in the world and I get another subscription box fix that I can customize.
***See our Imperfect Produce Reviews here***
Do you order your produce via CSA, a farmer’s market, or Imperfect Produce?
Share anything on your mind no matter how random below!
Disclaimer: I bought this box with my own clams. There are referral links in this post.
Thank you for showing what you make with some of the imperfect but delicious produce.
Thank you Farmcat! I try to remember to take picts when I can 🙂