I Tried Misfits Market for the First Time
Almost half of food grown in the US is unwanted by grocery stores, thus becoming "misfit" produce. This "misfit" produce is too big, too small, has blemishes, maybe needs a few days on the counter, is unusually shaped, or was grown by a farm that grew either too many or too little to sell. One company is on a mission to stop unwanted produce from going to waste. Surprise, it's Misfits Market. They buy misfit produce off-price and sell it online as a food delivery service for up to 40% off grocery store prices.
All Misfits Market produce is certified organic, non-GMO and grown in the US. Besides helping decrease food waste, the company uses 100% recyclable material to package their produce (including insulation), non-toxic ice packs and compostable produce bags.
After learning about all the benefits of Misfits Market, I decided it was worth a try!
About the Box
There are two size boxes you can order, the Mischief and the Madness. The Mischief box holds 10-13 pounds of produce at a price of $22.00, plus shipping. The Madness carries 18-22 pounds of produce and comes in at $35.00, plus shipping. This means that ALL your produce is reduced to about $1-2 a pound. They both include a variety of leafy greens, fruits and vegetables depending on whatever produce they are rescuing that week. You are able to order boxes weekly or bi-weekly and skip, pause or cancel your deliveries whenever you'd like.
I decided that for just me, the Mischief box delivered every other week seemed to be the right choice. The box is $22.00, plus $4.50 for shipping, bringing my total to $26.50. I was able to find a coupon code for 50% off my first order, bringing my total down to $15.50. A great price for someone looking to try out a new service.
For delivery I was able to choose any day Tuesday-Saturday. Knowing I usually grocery shop on the weekend, I set mine for Friday. This way I would know what additional items I needed to buy at the store and would be able to plan meals before shopping.
Inside the Box
My box arrived on time and the ice pack inside was still cool enough to have kept the produce fresh until I got home from work. I opened the box and went through everything I got:
1 bunch of celery
1 small bunch of kale
1 small bunch of parsnips
1 eggplant
2 green bell peppers
~ 1/2 lb. green beans
2 red onions
1 extra large purple sweet potato
4 small potatoes
1 grapefruit
3 small golden apples
3 small green pears
A recipe card for a Roasted Carrot & Red Pepper Dipping Sauce
The condition of everything was good. The only things that were not 100%, was one of my red onions has a large bruise (1/2 of the onion was useable) and the kale was soft (can be cooked or used as pesto). Overall I was pleased with the condition of everything.
As far as quantity, my first impression was that is was a lot of produce for the $15.50 I spent, and a fair amount for $26.50 that I would have to normally spend (especially because it is all organic). Since I eat a good amount of veggies everyday, the produce did not seem enough to get through 2 weeks without having to any additional.
The variety in the box was good. I'm allergic to certain fruits like apples and pears, so I was a little sad to see those in there. I can eat them cooked, but there are only so many days of the week I want warm fruit. I also personally don't eat many potatoes in my diet, so I was a little bummed to receive those as well. That's obviously a me problem. When it comes to meal planning it was hard for me to come up with fun meals that used only this produce, so I did have to buy additional produce. I think depending on the box, this may or may not be as much of a problem.
The last thing, that I though was a little strange, is that they included a recipe for a Roasted Carrot and Red Pepper Dipping Sauce. The recipe sounded great, but I did not receive any of the ingredients in my box that were included in the recipe. I would think they'd choose a recipe that did.
I still haven't used all of the produce yet. I've stored any perishable items in my reusable green produce bags and they have stayed fresh into the second week. The sweet potato is also still fresh and able to use. Once again I will have to buy some additional produce for the second week in order to fill in some gaps.
My Thoughts
I think this box is such a great service. I love the fact that everything is organic and that I'm saving produce from going to waste. I think the amount you get was a great deal for being all-organic.
On the flip side, as someone who has fruit allergies and meal plans, it wasn't the most ideal. I think if I was able to pick my produce, choose to remove/replace certain items or know exactly was I was getting ahead of time, I'd be more likely to keep this subscription. They do have a new feature where you can choose to add certain products to your box at a discounted price, but you still cannot choose the main items in your box. They also show on their website what they are saving in the current week, but you don't know which things you will actually receive and how much.
I have cancelled my subscription and do not plan on receiving a box regularly. However I do see myself ordering a single box every once in a while when I feel like I need some food inspiration or need a challenge. They also have some great and unique fruits and vegetables that I don't normally buy (because they are hard to find or expensive). I will continue to check-in on the website to see what they are saving that week, to decide when I want to order another.
I think this subscription is perfect for someone with a heavy veggie diet, does not have any fruit or veggie allergies and is up for trying something new every once in a while. It's also great for someone looking to help reduce food waste and wants to eat organic on a budget.
Hope this helped! Let me know if you try Misfits and what you got in your box by posting and tagging @alleydoesfood on instagram.
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